Hotel & Catering News ME - September 2020

SEPTEMBER 2020

ALL THE LATEST FROM THE MIDDLE EAST HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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On the web Read the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com

SEPTEMBER 2020 // ISSUE #027

CONTENTS

12 08 News

32

20 Openings & Launches

New Hotel

54 Opinion

FEATURES 08 //

NEWS

12 //

OPENINGS

18 //

F&B FAR AND NEAR COYA Abu Dhabi

20 //

NEW HOTEL Sofitel Dubai Wafi

24 //

MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE Nestlé Professional MENA

30 //

ADVERTORIAL Lyve

32 //

COVER STORY The Heart of Europe

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SEPTEMBER 2020 // ISSUE #027

CONTENTS

38 46 4

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On the web Read the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com

FEATURES 38 //

GM INTERVIEW Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates

44 //

WEBINAR

46 //

CHAIN FOCUS Hilton

48 //

MARKETPLACE Mai Dubai and Tropicool

52 //

WHAT’S COOKING

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SEPTEMBER 2020

EDITOR'S LETTER

A note from the editor

DINA MAATY

Director Rabih Najm Rabih@bncpublishing.net CEO Wissam Younane Wissam@bncpublishing.net Group Commercial Director

Samer Alloush samer@bncpublishing.net

eptember is here: I’m not sure whether to end this sentence with an exclamation mark, or a rather inconclusive period. It seems like the crystal ball we had all been seeking has experienced some shipping delays, and again we were left with an uncertain situation, but there’s no doubt that things are better than they were a few months back.

Let’s have a look at the numbers to back this up. According to HVS Dubai, hotel market recovery in Dubai is likely to commence in September 2020 and will be driven mainly by local demand emanating from UAE residents, followed by commercial demand from neighbouring GCC countries.

Dubai will see a faster recovery than other GCC markets on the back of the anticipated demand in the lead up to and during Expo Dubai, which will take place in October 2021, ending March 2022.

A correction in market-wide occupancy is expected in 2023 and the hotel market is forecasted to stabilise and recover by 2024, albeit at lower levels than 2019.

Hotel market recovery in Abu Dhabi

is likely to commence in September 2020 and will be driven mainly by government-related initiatives and meetings, followed by local demand emanating from UAE residents.

The Abu Dhabi hotel market will benefit from demand in the lead up to and during Expo Dubai. A correction in market-wide occupancy is expected in 2023 and the market is forecasted to stabilise in 2024 to levels similar to those registered in 2019.

As for F&B, according to new statistics from MENA Research Partners, the GCC’s food and beverage sector is expected to grow 7.1 percent annually to reach $196 billion by 2021, up from $130 billion today.

Saudi Arabia alone accounts for over half of the market shared, followed by the UAE with 31 percent.

The GCC’s growing population and influx of tourism will continue to influence the rise of the region’s F&B industry, along with hospitality as shown by research. While we may be inclined to tread carefully until the end of the year, all signs point to a brighter future – and hence the need to stay positive and keep on charging forward.

Editor

Dina Maaty dina@bncpublishing.net

Art Director Aaron Sutton Aaron@bncpublishing.net Photographer

Ahmad Al Khader Marketing Executive

Aaron Joshua Sinamban Aj@bncpublishing.net

SUBSCRIBE subscriptions@bncpublishing.net PO Box 502511 Dubai, United Arab Emirates P +971 4 4200 506 | F +971 4 4200 196

For all commercial enquiries related to Hotel & Catering News ME contact samer@bncpublishing.net T +971 55 776 4670 All rights reserved © 2014.

Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors.

Hotel & Catering News ME and all subsidiary publications in the MENA region are officially licensed exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region by Hotel & Catering News ME. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher.

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Always by your side to offer your guests an extra star Whatever happens the #1 destination for premium entertainment ''en franรงais''

SEPTEMBER 2020

NEWS

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RATIONAL DEVELOPS INTELLIGENT COOKING SYSTEMS FOR SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability is becoming more and more important in the gastronomy sector. After all, for many guests, the responsible use of resources is a criterion through which they choose their venue and food, says Rational.

At the same time, investors are increasingly demanding verifiable sustainability before they include a company in their portfolio. Not to forget: restaurants, catering companies and hotels can save a lot of money by acting sustainably, the company highlights.

In order to strengthen the catering industry in terms of sustainability, Rational has developed two new cooking systems: iCombi Pro, a combi-steamer, and iVario, which works with contact heat. Thanks to intelligent functions as well as innovative technology, both demonstrably manage to save resources, increase productivity in the kitchen and thus produce sustainably.

“For Rational, it’s a matter of importance to act sustainably and support its customers in doing so,” says Thomas Hofer, managing director at RATIONAL Kitchen & Catering Equipment Trading FZCO. “The lynchpin are the cooking systems, which stand out for their ever-increasing productivity combined with ever-lower consumption of resources.”

“In figures: With the new 8

HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

iCombi Pro 20-2/1, up to 50 % more salmon slices and up to 50 % more frozen potato wedges can be prepared in one load compared to the previous model. For French fries, the quantity can even be doubled.

The fact that the iCombi Pro has been awarded the internationally recognised EnergyStar shows that it’s also energy-efficient,” he adds.

“Our combi-steamers have received awards for their energy management since the introduction of the correspond-

ing category in 2011. For this seal, the consumption values are determined by an independent laboratory registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ATSM) standards. The results are confirmed by Zurich University’s practical project of Applied Sciences,” says Hofer.

“Thirty-four per cent less electricity and 53% less water consumption, with a larger culinary range, clearly speak for the

use of multifunctional cooking systems in kitchen practice.”

In addition, the lower raw material input makes a combisteamer a green member of the kitchen crew. This is because preparation with steam in combination with the shorter cooking time reduces the moisture loss in the meat by up to 30% compared to conventional cooking methods. As a result, fewer raw materials are needed in the kitchen, which in turn means less production time, processing and food transport.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

NEWS

COMPETITIONS

THE EMIRATES CULINARY GUILD ANNOUNCES THIRD VIRTUAL COOKING COMPETITION The Emirates Culinary Guild and USA Poultry and Egg Export Council are launching a Virtual Cooking Competition for GCC nationals.

In the competition, there will be four different categories where US Chicken and Turkey will be used. Competitors will create either a video or their favourite recipe and photo of the dish using the ingredients, and are encouraged to produce their country’s traditional eats.

Chef Uwe Micheel, President of the Emirates Culinary Guild and Culinary Adviser for Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek

says: “I’m very excited about the competition. Firstly, as with every Culinary Competition, the learning process for every competitor. Then, of course, the great prizes offered by our partner, the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council: trophies, books, knives and cash prizes for the winners. A total of 40 winners in four different classes will win multiple prizes.”

“The response to the US Beef competition was overwhelming and we’re proud to be associated with US Beef & USA Poultry.

We wish all the competitors the very best of luck in the upcoming competition and look forward to

seeing some great dishes,” says Andy Cuthbert, chairman of the Emirates Culinary Guild and general manager for Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and Jumeirah Hospitality, Madinat Jumeirah Conferences & Events.

Chef Uwe highlighted his excitement to see some great US Chicken and US Turkey Dishes. “I hope that we will really see some traditional dishes from many different countries. Our competitors must be GCC residents, but can be from different countries. I always enjoy when I see Chefs and home cooks creating or reproducing great dishes. With the hormone-free US

Chicken and US Turkey, we will sure see amazing recipes.”

The competition has launched and registration will be open until September 2, midnight. Chef Uwe explained that all the videos will be posted on The Emirates Culinary Guild’s YouTube Channel, and that the views and the likes of the public will be part of the judging criteria.

The Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG) is the association of professional chefs of the UAE. It’s a non-profit organisation and aims to encourage and inspire young chefs through training and competition, and enhance the UAE’s culinary prestige.

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Register now and experience more. rational-online.com

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SEPTEMBER 2020

NEWS

APPOINTMENTS

APPOINTMENTS

SWISS-BELHOTEL HOTELIER DORIS GREIF NAMED INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES REGIONAL VP OF OPERATIONS GROUP RESTRUCTURING EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST FOR LANGHAM GROUP The Langham, London has welcomed Doris Greif as managing director of the Forbes five-star luxury hotel in central London and regional vice president of operations, Europe & Middle East for Langham Hospitality Group.

Greif succeeds Bob van den Oord who is promoted to Chief Operations Officer (COO) based at the corporate office in Hong Kong.

Greif has over 19 years of experience in leadership roles for Jumeirah, her last role for the group as Senior Vice President Operations – MEASA, based in Dubai.

APPOINTMENTS

W DUBAI – THE PALM NAMES NEW GENERAL MANAGER Swiss-Belhotel International continues to expand its management in response to the market and the impact of COVID-19.

The following Group restructuring has been announced: Laurent A. Voivenel – who is the Senior Vice President, Operations and Development, Europe, The Middle East, Africa and India, will also assume the responsibility for Group Human Resources and Talent Development.

The hospitality veteran’s new title will be Senior Vice President – Operations and Development, 10

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Europe, The Middle East, Africa & India and Senior Vice President – Group Human Resources and Talent Development.

Voivenel will report directly to Chairman and President, Gavin M Faull, and will be supported by both The Middle East office in Dubai as well the Hong Kong Corporate Head Office.

Ms Priyanka Kapoor – who is Regional Director Sales and Marketing, Europe, The Middle East, Africa and India, will also assume the responsibility for Group Sales, Marketing, Branding and Communications.

W Dubai – The Palm has announced that Peter Katusak-Huzsvar has stepped into the hotel as general manager.

As part of his new role, according to the property, Peter will oversee all aspects of the 349-bedroom hotel, including W Dubai – The Palm’s destination restaurants led by chefs Massimo Bottura and Akira Back.

Peter has previously held roles with the ‘luxury rebel’ brand across three continents. He was the preopening General Manager for W Dubai, Al Habtoor City in 2015, a role he moved into after a year and a half as General Manager at the W Guangzhou in China. Prior to this, Peter was General Manager of W

St. Petersburg, Russia from 20102013 and Director of Operations at the W Doha Hotel and Residences, Qatar, from 2008-2010.

The new GM rejoins the company after two years as the General Manager of Accor’s luxury lifestyle hotel SO/Vienna.

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Dairy from Ireland

where we work in harmony with nature Ireland’s lush green fields, fresh, clean air and plentiful rain create the perfect environment for rearing grass-fed cows. Together with an agile industry that responds speedily to changing production requirements, we’re able to ensure a consistent, secure supply of premium quality dairy produce.

Our farmers and producers continue to work with care, commitment and respect for tradition.

As members of Origin Green - Ireland’s leading edge national food quality and sustainability programme - their work is also measured and independently audited to drive continuous improvements in food safety, traceability, animal welfare and greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about how we work in harmony with nature like nowhere else in the world, visit irishfoodanddrink.com

SEPTEMBER 2020

OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

LAUNCH

OPENING

DEPACHIKA FOOD HALL EXPANDS WITH TWO NEW HOMEGROWN F&B CONCEPTS

KEMPINSKI HOTEL MALL OF THE EMIRATES INTRODUCES NEW IMAGINATIVE DINING CONCEPT Starting September 3, 2020, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates will be launching a new high-tech-led dining show, which promises to be an illusionary feast for the senses.

The innovative dining concept named ‘The Banquet of Hoshena’ will transport guests to an imaginary land where flavours and emotions are intrinsically linked and Kings, Queens, fairies and volcanoes come alive on the table.

The dining experience uses 3D visual technology, storytelling theatrics interactivity and illusion in a two-hour, six-

course banquet accompanied with creative beverages. Following the six courses, diners will be tasting a “Bite of the Universe” developed by Food Artist Omar Sartawi.

Guests enter a mystically sparkling ambiance in a royal setup. As the dinner starts and lights are dimmed, talking plates, levitating serve-ware, magic candles and animated statues bedazzle the diners into an immersive journey.

The feast starts from AED 390 per person, and takes place on Thursdays and Fridays, from 8pm until 10pm.

OPENING

Depachika, a novel concept inspired by Japanese basementlevel food halls located in Palm Jumeirah’s Nakheel Mall, has expanded its portfolio of vendors by adding two new homegrown F&B brands that open on August 30.

Prime Gourmet, Dubai’s original and first butcher shop, opens its fifth retail butchery at Depachika, while Chef Reif Othman launches his eatery Kushi by Reif with a compact menu of simple Japanese soul food, following on from the existing cake counter.

These two new locally developed concepts bring Depachika’s array of premium dine-in and retail vendors to 12

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38 brands, with a further five expected to open by the end of the year.

Prime Gourmet stockists include family-owned farms, such as Stockyard Angus and Wagyu beef, Obe organic certified beef, Topfarm Saroma Wagyu Japanese beef, Silver Fern Farms grass-fed beef and lamb, ESA milk fed veal, as well as Tegel and Rangitikei chicken.

Meanwhile, Kushi by Reif ’s menu of comfort dishes boasts the chef ’s Instagram-famous Japanese ‘sando’ sandwiches, kushi skewers, ramen, donburi rice bowls, gyoza dumplings, and a Dubai-first for Reif – fries with a choice of toppings.

DIFC-BASED HUTONG TO REOPEN FOR BUSINESS LUNCH

Hutong, the contemporary Northern Chinese restaurant and bar, will welcome guests back to DIFC for mid-day dining experiences.

The new business lunch offer has been designed to be served within an efficient 45 minutes.

Available Sundays through Thursdays from noon to 2.30pm,

the menu includes the Matsutake & Wild Mushroom Broth to start, followed by a selection of starters and main courses for AED 125 per person.

Guests can select a choice of one starter and two main courses from the menu, which includes a choice of one non-vegetarian and one vegetarian dish.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

LAUNCHES

LE ROYAL MÉRIDIEN BEACH RESORT & SPA BRINGS BACK ITS BRASSERIE 2.0 BRUNCH Brasserie 2.0 has brought back its brunch in time for the new season. With an open plan kitchen and more than seven live cooking stations on show, diners can feast on a variety of international dishes.

The brunch features a selection of steamed and grilled seafood, shellfish, sushi, sashimi and salads, artisan cheeses, appetisers, antipasti and soups, helpings of mains from the dedicated roast, smoker, Indian, Asian, pasta and pizza stations, as well as an array of desserts, pastries and ice creams.

If guests book no later than Wednesday every week, they get 20% off the bill.

The brunch is priced at AED

375 per person inclusive of an international buffet and select soft beverages, AED 525 per person inclusive of an interna-

tional buffet and house beverages, AED 180 for kids five to 12 years, and kids under five eat for free.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

LAUNCH

THE COFFEE CLUB INTRODUCES ‘SMART EATING 2.0’ MENU ACROSS THE UAE Vegan Green Goodness Bowl – Green vegetable medley of French beans, baby broccolini, edamame, kale, avocado and, red brown rice. Topped with pumpkin seeds and sesame dressing Plus, the Keto Harissa Salmon, Harissa-marinated grilled salmon atop a mixed salad of cherry tomatoes, edamame, fennel, radish and kale, and Keto Pizzas, a keto-friendly almond flour base with the choice of a mushroom and bell pepper or BBQ chicken topping, dressed with olive oil and finished with chili flakes or spring onions.

Following their original Smart Eating menu, The Coffee Club has introduced their 2.0 version across all 25 venues in the UAE. Boasting a selection of 10 new dishes, the in-house culinary team has introduced these options to the à la carte menu in efforts to continue to serve healthy options to guests.

Available until the end of September, new menu items include the Vegan Acai Bowl, comprising Acai berry puree in coconut milk topped with strawberries, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips and chia seeds.

LAUNCH

LAUNCH

MCDONALD’S LAUNCHES PICK-UP SERVICE IN THE UAE

CACTUS JACKS AT MILLENNIUM AIRPORT HOTEL DUBAI LAUNCHES BRUNCH

McDonald’s UAE has launched a new Pick-Up Service which enables customers to order their meals in advance.

By selecting the “Pick-Up Service” option on the McDonald’s app homepage, customers will be prompted to pick their meal options and restaurant of choice, where their order will be waiting when they arrive, packed and ready to go.

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Earlier in the year, McDonald’s UAE implemented Contactless Delivery, which included cashless payment and social distancing drop-offs to ensure the safety of both its customers and delivery drivers. The new Pick-Up Service has been designed with convenience in mind for those who want their desired menu items without the wait.

On Fridays, the Cactus Jacks will take guests on an “Amigos Brunch” journey showcasing the all-time Mexican favourites from cold and hot starters to main courses, side dishes, all the way to desserts on a sharing menu platter.

To name a few, there will be Tex – Mex Chicken Fajitas or Combo Fajitas in Chicken and Beef, Baked Chicken Enchilada,

Vegetable Burrito, Baja Caliente Fish Tacos, Chipotle Chicken Tacos and many more. The bar also offers a new selection of cool Mexican-inspired beverages.

In the “Amigos Brunch,” food and drinks will be served by the “lady on wheels. Brunch diners can go for a swim in the hotel’s outdoor pool, with prices starting from AED 109 inclusive of soft beverages.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

OPENING

OPENING

GRAZE GASTRO GRILL AND BAR UAE’S MAJID AL FUTTAIM ANNOUNCES NEW OPENING REOPENS AT CITY WALK’S LA DATE FOR MALL OF OMAN VILLE HOTEL AND SUITES GRAZE, a grill and bar located at La Ville Hotel & Suites CITY WALK Dubai, is swinging open the doors and firing up the Josper Oven to serve up a revamped menu and all-new dining offers.

The new menu features beef cuts from Stanbroke & Westholme farms as well as a selection of poultry and seafood dishes. To start, the menu comprises Olive-Liquorice and Hazelnut Burrata, Josper Grilled Octopus and Smoked Brisket Flatbread.

For the main event, guests will have a choice of charcoal grilled meats and seafood such as Australian Black Anguscuts, Australian Wagyu cuts, Norwegian Salmon and Jumbo Prawns, plus a selection of sides such as the signature Baked Truffle Mac and Cheese, Josper Grilled Asparagus and Steakhouse Fries.

Along with the newly revamped menu, GRAZE is also saying hello to a new Thursday brunch concept, as well as welcoming back the Saturday brunch.

Majid Al Futtaim has announced a new opening date for its flagship Mall of Oman. The mall is now scheduled to open its doors to customers in September 2021.

Shireen El-Khatib, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim – Shopping Malls, says: “Majid Al Futtaim is synonymous with great moments and unique experiences. We take great pride in crafting cherished memories for the friends and families that make up the communities in which we operate. To accomplish this, we believe we must make

use of every resource and take every step that we can to deliver the standard of customer service for which we are acclaimed. That’s precisely why we have taken this considered and thought-out decision to put in place a new opening date for Mall of Oman.”

Mall of Oman is primed to become Majid Al Futtaim’s fifth and largest shopping and entertainment destination in the Sultanate. It will have 145,000 sqm of retail space, comprising of dining outlets and a range of lifestyle experiences.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

F&B FAR & NEAR

COYA Abu Dhabi celebrates its third anniversary this year after arriving in Abu Dhabi in March 2017. The venue has seen an upward curve of between a 25-30% increase in footfall and revenue since opening The restaurant attributes the increase to inventive dishes. Additionally, the COYA team realised very early on in their debut in the capital that elements that were popular in the already well-established Dubai branch, just wouldn’t work in Abu Dhabi.

COYA Abu Dhabi’s General Manager Stefano Pizzini reveals the recipe to the restaurant’s success.

Tell us more about what has been happening since COYA Abu Dhabi reopened its doors following the lockdown?

Since the lockdown was eased, we’ve been back on track and we’re proud to say we’re even stronger than before and back doing the work we love. Ahead of our reopening, we brainstormed with all our staff to ensure that COYA Abu Dhabi could get back to serving its loyal clientele – all while adhering to the safety precautions and standards to make our guests feel comfortable as they return to dine and celebrate with us.

We’re delighted to have been as busy as ever, with a big percentage of our guests being our loyal clientele whom we continued to update on news throughout this period, whether it be through social media, WhatsApp, through our personal reservations team, and more. We’re also delighted to see new faces coming through the door to 18

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two-metre distance. Regular sanitisation and cleaning are carried out by staff before our diners’ arrival and after departure.

experience COYA Abu Dhabi for the first time.

What safety measures has COYA Abu Dhabi put in place, following COVID-19?

We had a top-to-bottom extremely thorough sanitisation of the whole venue prior to reopening, strictly following all the guidelines set by the government.

Throughout the restaurant, hand sanitisers are available, while gloves and masks are available for all staff, and clientele should they request it.

Tables are kept at the recommenced

COYA Abu Dhabi is celebrating three years since it first opened its doors in the UAE capital. What’s your recipe to success?

We always believe that guest connection is the key to success. Our food was always a big pull, too. We have an extensive mix of different tastes, cultures and cooking styles with influences from Japan, China and Europe. But it’s not just the food that keeps guests coming back.

From the atmosphere, to the venue itself, the music and the lighting all make for a special guest experience. Even with the social distancing measures now in place, we have designed our venue to ensure that the rooms all felt full and cosy.

Describe the journey from when you first opened COYA Abu Dhabi in 2017 to where it is today?

It has been a long - and continuous journey. The first year was a challenge in getting the footfall and building a loyal customer base. A lot of that was done by simply listening to what the customers want - and this, in course, led to changes, be it modifying the guest experience through to developing the music’s diversity to offer to a variety WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

SEPTEMBER 2020

F&B FAR & NEAR

of relaxing, Latino and house tunes, expanding and tweaking our menu, adapting some of our recipes and adding new dishes according to the tastes of the local market, and so on.

Part of our journey was really developing the visual side of food and beverage offerings so people could see the unique culinary experience they would enjoy at our venue. We also promoted our brunches as this is a great way of getting a taste of all the best food on the menu.

After all your success over the past three years, what is next for COYA Abu Dhabi?

What can we expect to see over the next year?

Until the end of the year, we will focus on maintaining our goal of being among the leading places to dine in Abu Dhabi

and being a firm favourite among our loyal clientele. We will continue to grow our repeat guests and enhance our guest experience - which will see the return of our art evenings, much-loved music nights, cuisine masterclasses and much more. We will continue to focus on what we’re doing well and listening to guests to improve in any way we can.

Since opening COYA Abu Dhabi, what has been some of your personal proudest moments?

Quite simply, watching the staff grow and develop into the people they are today. We have invested heavily in training and their personal development and wellbeing to keep our staff in the COYA family for many years to come.

They are an integral part of the success of our brand and we want to

reward them and give them chances to grow, move up and travel across the world across our many COYA branches, should they wish.

Finally, for those who have never been to COYA Abu Dhabi - what would you recommend for first-time visitors?

I would recommend for those who have never been to our restaurant to come and try the brunch to really truly experience what COYA has to offer from our appetisers, signature dishes, and desserts and our famed beverages this is the best option for first-timers.

Alternatively, a set lunch is another great way to explore the menu and have a sample of lots of our taster dishes. For couples or date-nights, try a romantic tasting menu which is one of our signature culinary journeys.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

NEW HOTEL

The Obelisk of Dubai

Sofitel Dubai Wafi

Omar Souab is the general manager of Sofitel Dubai Wafi, leading the strategic direction and managing the pre-opening operations of Sofitel Hotels & Resorts’ largest property in the Middle East

Tell us more about the new hotel.

In the shape of an obelisk adorned with a golden pyramidion, representative of the Luxor Obelisk currently in Paris, Sofitel Dubai Wafi majestically thrones in the heart of Dubai next to the iconic Raffles Dubai pyramid. This new iconic landmark is a statement to the Wafi complex development, completing the lifestyle and entertainment destination envisioned

by H.H Sheikh Mana bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

The Obelisk landmark can be seen for miles and captures the essence of French art de vivre, Egyptian and Emirati heritage through its décor, architecture and design. It houses 595 guestrooms and suites, with 498 rooms and suites starting 20

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from the 19th floor as well as 97 serviced apartments, offering spectacular views of Dubai.

Located on the 47th, 48th and 49th floors, the hotel also features three outstanding suites designed by awardwinning firm Duccio Grassi Architects.

The largest suites of the property, their design combines the European lifestyle with the essence of Dubai.

As a new F&B destination in the city, Sofitel Dubai Wafi offers five exclusive dining venues including Brasserie Boulud, a French modern concept by celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, Taiko contemporary Asian cuisine & bar by Chef Schilo van Coevorden, The Nine gastropub, Bijou patisserie and Soleil Pool & Lounge.

Joining forces with renowned French brand L’OCCITANE, Sofitel SPA with L’Occitane invites guests to a Provencal retreat, inspired by the Mediterranean artde-vivre. The spa includes eight treatment rooms, including a couples’ room, female and male relaxation rooms, Hammam facilities and Sofitel FITNESS offering state-of-the-art gym equipment and a studio. The outdoor swimming pool is in the shape of an Egyptian ‘key of life’ and neighbored by a series of private cabanas, two featuring their own jacuzzi.

Sofitel Dubai Wafi has also curated a junior guest journey, Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince), drawing its inspiration from the French novella and encourages families to explore a world of exciting WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

SEPTEMBER 2020

NEW HOTEL

AS A NEW F&B DESTINATION IN THE CITY, SOFITEL DUBAI WAFI OFFERS FIVE EXCLUSIVE DINING VENUES.” activities at AstroKids club. Additionally, with Sofitel Dubai Wafi connected to Wafi, families have access to VOX Cinemas.

How have you managed to create new F&B concepts for a saturated, yet highly active, consumer-driven market?

To create a distinctive lifestyle and F&B destination and ensure that the Sofitel property speaks to a wide audience of distinguished travelers and diners, we have chosen the right partners, celebrity chefs Daniel Boulud and Schilo van Coevorden, to offer fantastic dining experiences as they echo many of the values and principles that the Sofitel brand stands for.

We have also made sure to create

unique experiences and include live entertainment.

Brasserie Boulud is a new dining concept by Daniel Boulud – chef-owner of award-winning restaurants around the globe. Inspired by the French art de vivre, Boulud’s very first restaurant in the Middle East will offer Frenchinspired contemporary cuisine, rooted in tradition. The open kitchen offers a multi-sensory dining experience as the chefs showcase their skills.

During weekends, live entertainment will accompany the dining experience, inviting guests to take refuge from a busy city life and live the French way.

Taiko Dubai is the first international outpost of Taiko Amsterdam, award-

winning restaurant of the Conservatorium Hotel, created by Executive Chef and Founder Schilo van Coevorden. The dining venue will offer the same contemporary cuisine inspired by the flavors and textures of the Far East.

Every Thursday, Taiko’s renowned live drum performances will take centre stage twice throughout the night, once at the restaurant and once at the bar.

Additionally, five times a week, a resident DJ will play into the evening creating a lively, club-like atmosphere.

Bijou Patisserie, located in the lobby, includes a variety of indulgences by Executive Pastry Chef Romain Castet such as Le Goȗter (French Afternoon Tea) created with passion and served in a sophisticated jewelry box, unlocked with a special key. In addition, guests savoring Sofitel’s trendy happy hour L’Apéro Chic, will also enjoy a daily candle ritual where hotel Ambassadors dress in beautiful clothing inspired by Ancient Egypt and enchant guests with a serene dance while lighting up the lobby.

The Nine is the neighbourhood gastropub, with an ancient Egyptian influence, vibrant and eclectic in both atmosphere and design. Conveniently located with direct access from both the Sofitel lobby and the street thanks to the private side entrance, giving The Nine that neighbourhood feel. Guests can socialise, watch sport games or listen to a live band while enjoying British culinary favourites

by Chef de Cuisine Michael O’Shea, accompanied by an extensive selection of hops and beverages.

A vibrant poolside bar serving a Mediterranean and Levantine inspired menu, Soleil Pool & Lounge offers an array of flavours, carefully crafted beverages and varied shisha flavours.

What challenges have you faced in the wake of COVID-19 in terms of opening a new property?

One of the main challenges was to ensure a steady and consistent progress of the fit outs of the property during the sanitisation phase and curfew. Despite the situation, we still worked towards a HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

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NEW HOTEL

summer opening date, while adhering to the Dubai authorities’ health and safety regulations.

We have also managed to keep the team extremely motivated as all leaders and colleagues who were on board worked mainly from home for two months, from March until May. This challenge was turned into an opportunity as it actually enabled us to build stronger bonds. It was clear that we were all in this together and that we would grow stronger from such an unknown experience.

You’re promising a ‘French living’ offering, tell us a bit more about that.

‘Live the French Way’ is seen throughout the hotel journey. Starting from the French heritage of the Sofitel brand and the overall luxurious and elegant design of the hotel. The décor and furniture are Art Deco inspired, with clean and refined edges, white walls and marbled surfaces.

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to reflect the French joie de vivre, such as Brasserie Boulud which offers a true meaning of French gastronomy, Soleil Pool & Lounge serving Mediterranean delights in a Riviera setting and Bijou patisserie delighting guests with Le Gouter, the signature French afternoon tea. In addition, the team has also curated a junior guest journey based on the French Novella Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince).

How will you ensure the implementation of all health and safety measures, especially with the newly lifted restrictions on events?

Safety and hygiene standards are at the forefront of everyone’s mind; therefore, we have implemented AllSafe global guidelines, developed with and vetted by Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing inspections and certification.

Aligned with DTCM’s regulations, colleagues have been trained and wear protective masks and disposable gloves

at all times. We have removed all printed collaterals from guestrooms and F&B outlets and inputted digital signage, as well as introduced digital solutions through the use of QR codes, contactless payment and touchless technology with a Sofitel Dubai Wafi mobile application.

The app is to ensure guests feel safe when staying at the hotel by offering a contactless experience from a wide range of features such as ordering in-room dining, booking a table at the restaurants or a treatment at the spa, as well as communicating with in-house colleagues.

Rooms will undergo intense sanitation procedures 24-hours before any guest stays with us, as well as after every conference session or wedding and sufficient time interval between meetings.

Social distancing will be implemented at all times, respecting the new maximum capacity chart per venue, queue guidelines for the buffets and alternative set menu options will be offered instead.

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NEW HOTEL

Signage will be installed at key locations across the premises to spread awareness of these rules and regulations and temperatures will be checked and recorded upon entry using the designated entry and exit points.

that will attract a new clientele to the destination. In addition, guests staying at Raffles Dubai will have the opportunity to dine and use the facilities of Sofitel Dubai Wafi and charge to their room, giving them a wonderful variety of experiences.

What makes the new property unique, especially given its close proximity to Raffles which has garnered a lot of success?

The architecture and opulence of this building, from the show-stopping exterior to the exquisite interiors speaks for itself.

The Sofitel flagship hotel is recognisable as one of Dubai’s top architectural designs, beautifully merging modern French art de vivre and ancient Egyptian heritage with the essence and culture of the UAE. Sofitel Dubai Wafi was developed to complement the Raffles offering and cater to a much wider audience. The Sofitel F&B and spa concepts are sure to cater to the local and international market’s aspirations

How did you manage to recruit the right talent, especially amid current circumstances?

The recruitment process was the most important aspect of our strategy. We aimed for the ‘Best in Class’. We received tens of thousands of resumés and applications and went through a thorough process of identifying the right talent in terms of skills and mindset.

I have to say that the executive committee in place today is as solid as can be in every aspect: rich knowledge and experience, positivity and great creativity.

They have built a strong and diverse team around them which is highly trained and versatile, ready to launch unique concepts

such as Brasserie Boulud, Taiko Dubai, The Nine gastropub and the Sofitel Spa with L’Occitane.

We have also recruited 80 colleagues from our sister property Raffles Dubai, who have a solid base and expertise, giving them the opportunity to develop and grow within the Accor group.

In a nutshell, what would you tell guests who are looking to stay at the property once it opens?

I would tell the guests that this Sofitel, known as the Obelisk of Dubai, is very unique in terms of “grandeur”, built with passion and offering endless ancient Egyptian legends represented throughout the hotel that are sure to captivate our guests. From the rooms, suites and residences, through to the outstanding culinary offers we will soon offer, my team and I are looking forward to welcoming guests to a destination of timeless elegance.

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AUGUST 2020

MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE

Dominic Samuel Dominic Samuel, from India, is the pastry chef/ trainer at Apron and Glove. He has 14 years of culinary experience, eight of which are in the UAE

Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far?

I started my culinary journey in India and worked my way through different hotels and bakeries across the country. I came to UAE in 2012, again working my way around. I’m currently working with Apron and Glove, a culinary institute located in Jumeirah, where we train new aspiring chefs as well as individuals who are passionate about food.

What’s your favourite dish to eat and why?

My favourite dish is a simple crème caramel as it’s easy to make anywhere, but brings back so many memories.

What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish.

Today, I’m preparing a chocolate soft brownie with a KitKat crumble, topped 24

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with Docello Chocolate Passion Chantilly, served with coconut crème brûlée and Arabiana coffee jelly. Some of Nestlé’s signature products, such as the Docello range, coffee, KitKat, condensed milk and coconut milk powder, were the inspiration behind this dish: it combines local favourites with tropical flavours.

As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days?

Using quality products is very important in the culinary world, be it pastry, bakery or anything else. I use the best flours for breads, as they make all the difference, good butter to give the right texture and of course quality cocoa bean chocolates, they are my favourite as they bring so much more to the dish.

What are some of the most recent,

important food trends you can tell us about?

Some of the most important food trends today are simple, and yet made using a process where one keeps the integrity of the product intact. For example, if you make an apple dessert, the apples must not be overcooked or smelling of cinnamon, but rather embrace being what they are and how they taste as if you had just taken a bite of an apple.

What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand?

I guess suppliers are already planning on doing this, but if they ask me, I would tell them to create more solutions in similar fashion to the Docello range, as there’s a need for good quality offerings.

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE:

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Soft-Centre Brownie with Coconut Crème Brûlée, Arabic Coffee Jelly , KitKat Crumble Sheet and Chocolate Passion Chantilly CHOCOLATE SOFT CENTER BROWNIE

COCONUT CRÈME BRÛLÉE

• Butter 115 g • Dark chocolate 150 g • Brown sugar 250 g • Eggs 100 g • Flour 150 g • Corn flour 25 g • Salt 2.5 g • Vanilla 2.5 g • Baking powder 2.5 g • Nestlé® Chokella 100 g

• Butter 115 g • Dark chocolate 150 g • Brown sugar 250 g • Eggs 100 g • Flour 150 g • Corn flour 25 g • Salt 2.5 g • Vanilla 2.5 g • Baking powder 2.5 g • Nestlé® Chokella 100 g

KITKAT® CRUMBLE SHEET

• KitKat® Mix In 50 g • Dark chocolate 50 g • Roated almond 10 g

ARABIC COFFEE JELLY

• Nescafé® Arabiana 1 sachet • Water 100 g • Gelatine leaves 5 g • White sugar 5 g

CHOCOLATE PASSION CHANTILLY

• Nestlé® Docello 125 g • Nido Milk Powder 75 g • Water 125 g • Nestlé® Cream 100 g • Passion fruit puree 50 g • Sugar 25 g • Corn flour 10 g

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MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE

Eka Mochamad

Eka Mochamad, from Indonesia, is head chef at At.Mosphere. He has 16 years of culinary experience, 12 of which are in the UAE

Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far?

I have been learning all about French cuisine since I was 17 years old. I came to Dubai back in 2008, with Atlantis, the Palm, and have worked for leading hospitality companies such as The Shangri-La, Jumeirah, JA Resorts and now Emaar at At.Mosphere Burj Khalifa. Most of my career was focused on the French and Mediterranean cuisines.

What’s your favourite dish to eat and why?

I like toro tuna and everything that goes with it because, for me and in my opinion, this is the part where you get most of the flavour and texture from tuna. It’s beautiful, simple and needs only salt and 26

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soya to be turned into a great dish.

What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish.

I’m cooking Beef Rossini, a classic dish with a cultural background for some people. I love to cook it because it was the first dish I ever learned how to make in French cuisine.

Since then, I hardly remember how many variations I created from these ingredients.

A good quality meat combined with seared foie gras is always one to be enjoyed.

As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days?

Hokkaido beef, I would say: its quality, texture and consistency are top notch.

What are some of the most recent, important food trends you can tell us about?

In my opinion, and what I’m doing now, is creating a “surprise element” in each dish.

Trying something unusual, for instance, was using the goat cheese ice cream we’ve just recently added to enhance our beetroot salad. What’s more surprising, is that it’s bright red, and so guests would not expect a goat cheese flavour from it.

What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand?

I would advise them to maintain consistency and quality.

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INGREDIENTS

Beef Rossini • 180 g Wagyu tenderloin • 50 g Sliced foie gras • 60 g Agria potato • 10 g Onion Grelot • 30 g Baby spinach • 100 ml Veal jus

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE:

• 75 g Butter • 80 ml Sherry vinegar • 25 ml Honey • 2 g Juniper berries • 1 pc Bay leaf • 1 pc Star anise

• 60 g Shallot • 20 g Broccoli • 20 g Baby carrot • 100 g Button mushroom • 200 ml Cooking cream • 25g CHEF® Demi-Glace HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

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BEYOND DELIVERY

SEPTEMBER 2020

ADVERTORIAL

Last-Mile Delivery Technology Company One Click Unveils Rebrand

One Click Delivery Services, one of the fastest growing last-mile delivery platform companies, has just completed an extensive rebranding as it steps into a new era of digital growth and development One Click Delivery Services – now known as Lyve – has cemented its position as one of the major players in the lastmile delivery solutions market in under three years by partnering with tycoons across multiple verticals and rising up to the challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has highlighted.

All throughout 2019, Lyve has invested its resources and manpower in technology, believing that the success of last-mile logistics lies at the core of digitisation.

Through the continuous improvement of its software and the diversification of its products, Lyve branched out into new verticals such as courier, pharmaceuticals, Telecom and e-commerce – acquiring prominent clients while also penetrating new markets such as Kuwait, KSA, Egypt and India.

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, which has required outlets to temporarily close their doors and revisit their business model, Lyve has experienced an unprecedented surge in delivery demand, the company has announced.

“Through our acquisition of new verticals and multiple new clients, we have naturally been led to optimize and further enhance our operation strategies as well as our image to better meet our clients’ demands. Rebranding has come as a step towards asserting our presence as a reliable and experienced partner,” says Hassan Hallas, CEO and co-founder of Lyve.

The rebranding of One Click Delivery Services’ identity consists of a new company name, logo and website which 30

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express the dynamic expansion of the company and its vast growth and development, with digital efficiency as its core value.

The name Lyve, a play on the word ‘live’, is synonymous to a continuous presence and connectivity on ground and online. The slogan ‘Beyond delivery’ explains the multiple ways in which Lyve assists its clients – referring not only to its adaptability and custommade solutions, but also to the data and analytics available for clients to assess and optimise their activities.

According to Lyve, the clear-cut and neat logo reflects straightforwardness and transparency – values by which the company operates. With the colour scheme being bright red with a twist of black and white, Lyve asserts its boldness – a confidence acquired by the satisfaction of both its clients and employees, whom they see as partners.

As for the website, it was entirely revamped into a customer-centric platform designed to empower prospective clients to fully learn about the multiple services available in a clear and user-friendly manner.

“Our brand has developed and matured tremendously through great new products and robust technology, which we are ready to showcase in an up-todate, sophisticated manner that reflects our capabilities. We are proud of what we have achieved so far and are excited to take on new challenges in Lyve’s name,” says Krystel Hodroge, marketing director at Lyve.

The rebranding of Lyve embodies its mission to grow along its partners and raise the standard of the last-mile delivery, changing the way customers experience delivery in the region, the company added.

For more information, visit www.lyveglobal.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

COVER STORY

Europe in Dubai

Josef Kleindienst, chairman of Kleindienst Group, reveals every detail on the iconic AED 18.3 billion project, set to be completed by the end of 2022

Tell us a bit more about The Heart of Europe project.

The Heart of Europe is an iconic hospitality and second-home destination project, being developed in line with the Vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to attract international visitors and investors to Dubai. It’s an innovative and sustainable tourism project being built on a cluster of six islands, with a total development value exceeding $5 billion (AED 18.3 billion).

Once complete by the end of 2022, The Heart of Europe will have 15 hotels and 4,000 units including with 3,500 hotel keys – waterfront villas, hotel suites and Floating Seahorse Villas – the world’s first three-level floating villa, which will 32

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appeal to local, regional and international visitors.

Once completed, the project will be one of the most sought-after leisure holiday destinations in the Gulf and the world over, competing against leading island and resort destinations such as the Maldives, Portofino and the French Riviera.

The atmospheric destination is likely to become a popular filming location for European interior and exterior scenes.

Ultimately, the destination will help boost the UAE’s sustainable tourism sector. Thanks to the Coral Institute, its residential CRS programme, it plans to grow 100,000 coral reefs annually and plant them in the waters of the masterplan to attract marine life. The plan is to enrich 500,000 square metres of coral reefs over the next few years.

Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, but support 25% of all marine life. The Heart of Europe was designed with a zero-discharge and micro-plastics policy. This contributes to the protection of the Arabian Gulf ecosystem, which is home to 514 species of marine life.

Phase I, which involves the delivery of around 600 units, will be delivered progressively in the fourth quarter of 2020. This includes Portofino family hotel, Sweden Beach Palace, Honeymoon Island, Germany and the Côte d'Azur resort.

How was the concept of the project conceived?

The Heart of Europe is the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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THE ATMOSPHERIC DESTINATION IS LIKELY TO BECOME A POPULAR FILMING LOCATION FOR EUROPEAN INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SCENES.”

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Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.

The World Islands was initially planned to bring the best of the world’s culture, tourism, heritage and festivities to Dubai – in each of the islands that were planned to represent a particular country, region or culture.

The project is my vision, and I conceived the idea to recreate the European culture and heritage in a cluster of islands within the World islands – developed by Nakheel.

I wanted to create an island destination where leisure tourists would stay and enjoy the best of European hospitality, culture, cuisine and entertainment in extraordinary sustainable settings. The project will also offer breath-taking views of the emerald lush landscape, shimmering turquoise seascape, etched Dubai skyline, as well as underwater treasures, such as the multi-coloured coral reefs teeming with marine life.

My passion for experiential destinations has driven me to travel and study underwater projects and ecosystems globally. I then purchased seven islands to develop tourism assets that will offer the best of Europe – all in Dubai – so that people could avail the taste of Europe in the emirate itself.

The project was originally conceived in 2008 and relentlessly progressed to the final leg of execution amid two economic crises and slowdowns that underscore the developer’s long-term vision, unfailing determination and capabilities to overcome challenging circumstances and deliver promises.

What does each of the experiences on the island represent and draw inspiration from?

I travelled to many European cities during my childhood and, in the course of my career, carried sweet memories. So, when I was planning to bring the best of the European experiences to Dubai, I remembered my own sweet memories of certain places, foods and festivals, and decided to bring the best of the best to Dubai.

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THE HEART OF EUROPE WAS DESIGNED WITH A ZERO-DISCHARGE AND MICRO-PLASTICS POLICY.”

For example, when I planned the Portofino and Côte d'Azur hotels, I thought of those two distinct places in Italy and France – and planned two resorts to reflect and recreate a similar ambience and environment for tourists.

So, a family won’t have to travel to Italy to experience the charm and lifestyle of Portofino. They will experience the ultimate Italian escape at Portofino at The Heart of Europe where the staff will speak Italian, authentic cuisine is served, the Euro currency is accepted and even the time zone is that of Italy.

What sort of intricacies have you found to be of utmost importance in this market?

The most important aspect of a tourism project in a city like Dubai – which is the largest tourism market in the Middle East – is to bring and deliver iconic and innovative projects so that tourists keep coming back to the city.

At The Heart of Europe, tourists will find a number of innovations that will motivate them to come back to the emirate a few more times.

The other aspect is in the details of the project’s design and construction. In terms of the project’s positioning, we went into detailed research on European culture, heritage and festivities – which will create the perfect European destination in the otherwise hot and humid Gulf climate. We had to overcome this and invested in over WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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five years of feasibility studies.

How have you been marketing the project? Have you digitised opportunities now given the circumstances?

The project has been in the market for a while – that’s how we sold nearly 1,500 units and completion will start by the end of 2020. Yes, we have been using a combination of push and pull marketing to raise the awareness, appeal and investors’ demand for the destination.

However, we will market the project extensively again, once the tourism market opens. We also expanded our sales, brokers and customer service operations online to adjust to the “new normal”

and have developed new brand assets to service them.

What sort of hospitality projects can we expect on the island?

The project is an upscale boutique hospitality and second-home destination with a European flavour. It will be full of fun-filled activities with 51 European festivals running throughout the year.

The destination will comprise 15 highly differentiated hotels, each offering a distinctive experience and ambience.

There will be Portofino family hotel and its unique kids club, Kingdom of Portofino, and La Donna, the ladies-only social lounge and spa, but also 15 spas with a snow room.

Plus, the Rainy Street, rainforest, record-size swimming pool, snorkelling, water sports, pearl diving, marine life edutainment, in addition to indoor fitness and recreational activities.

What's something that many people don't know about the project?

The destination is highly sustainable and innovative. For example, there will be a climate-controlled street where it will rain on demand while maintaining the temperature to 27°C (or 80.6°F) to mimic the European summer climate.

The Heart of Europe will also deploy sustainable landscaping which will be pesticide and fungicide-free and showered with recycled water from micro-jungles HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

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to giant hanging gardens. The island is also committed to be totally car-free and use clean energy, and will eventually offer sustainable water transportation to guests.

Organic food will be served across the destination’s restaurants and cafés and the 24/7 room service offerings, adding health and wellness to the incredible beauty of the islands.

Lastly, to complete the empathetic hospitality and meaningful ‘island time’ experiences, the destination hotels will be touchless. The fully integrated hospitality app will enable guests to manage entertainment and dining reservations across the destination directly from their mobiles or to monitor and customise their preferred lighting or temperature settings in their suites on the spot, without having to place a call or any waiting time.

We were happy to see zero COVID-19 cases reported, but how has the pandemic impacted the island?

While the COVID-19 outbreak has halted business activities onshore, the Heart of Europe islands are currently abuzz with activities where engineers, consultants and workers are speeding up construction works – thanks to the offshore location and stringent prevention standards that have kept the island safe, dynamic and healthy.

During the lockdown, all the 1,200 people who resided on the island, worked over-time thanks to an incentive scheme. It actually greatly contributed to accelerate construction activities during the lockdown.

Due to its location more than four kilometres offshore from Dubai’s famous Jumeirah coastline, The Heart of Europe has remained completely free from the coronavirus threat. Management also moved its operations to speed up construction even further and work more closely with the construction teams who have been working from the islands for over five years.

Kleindienst Group supplied fresh food to them while a residential chef ensured freshly processed and cooked food was 36

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served to all who are living and working on the island. A medical team is also on site to monitor the health, safety and wellbeing of the workers and so far has found no symptoms of coronavirus among them.

Many are worried about sustainability, given the nature of the development, what can you tell them about that matter?

Sustainability and the protection of marine life have been pivotal in the development of The Heart of Europe. The project is home to the Coral Institute, which spearheads a pioneering coral reef ‘seahabilitation’ programme that aims to develop marine life in the surrounding waters.

With sustainability at its core, The Heart of Europe will see the development of more than 500,000 square metres of coral reefs and feature Spanish olive trees between 100 and 1,500 years old, which were sourced from Andalusia, a region in Spain’s southern coast. Moreover, the

world’s first climate-controlled rainy street and snow plaza.

The island will host magnificent hanging gardens on the façade of the Portofino-inspired hotel with an astonishing 100,000 plants. It will also offer sustainable entertainment with zero emissions and no harm to nature such as the hologram circus and synchronized swimming shows.

Through a long-term approach to the management of surrounding ecosystems, the Heart of Europe aims to capture growing demand from consumers for more environmentally friendly travel and accommodation options, leading to benefits for both the environment and the economy, while potentially earning healthier returns for investors.

What sort of F&B concepts are you bringing to this massive development?

There will be over 50 restaurants and cafés offering a wide range of organic and authentic cuisines from Europe, in line WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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COVER STORY

with the positioning of the destination to bring the best of Europe to Dubai.

What do you foresee in terms of The Heart of Europe's success and what’s it going to change in the industry landscape?

The Heart of Europe is a game-changing tourism project which will create additional attractions for tourists to come to Dubai again and again. It brings a new geography to the UAE and is the new frontier in real estate and hospitality.

Anything else you'd like to add?

The Heart of Europe will host 142 Floating Seahorse villas in four different locations, the main colony will be at Honeymoon Island, a Maldivian-like island with floating piers and coral reef gardens.

The Floating Seahorse villas are delightful and innovative three-storied real estate units that float on the water, while their lower floor is completely submerged underwater. A homegrown innovation, its

three levels have a built-up area of 4,004 square feet which can accommodate up to eight people.

The underwater level is spacious with two rooms and en-suite bathrooms, and is equipped with two panoramic floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offer captivating views of the colourful coral reefs teeming with marine life from the Arabian Gulf - including the brightstriped clown fish, stylish deep blue angel fish, majestic purple Tang, shy toad fish, tranquil seahorses, graceful pink anemones and ink black sea urchins.

The sea level deck offers a large living room with privacy windows, allowing for natural light to flow in, panoramic sliding doors opening up to the lounge deck, a ladder to access the sea water, and a clever and sustainable recreational area – a mesh hammock that doubles up as a trampoline and is skylit to ensure the corals reef gardens underneath can thrive.

The sky deck boasts panoramic views of the Dubai skyline and seascape, an outdoor

dining area with privacy shades, a jacuzzi and a sun lounge area. The deck is wrapped with a transparent fence, allowing for unobstructed views of the outdoors.

Kleindienst Group has started developing a 1-kilometre long innovative and sustainable Rainy Street, where it will rain on command to refresh the street and mimic the European summer climate. The street is located at the Main Europe island and will be set along a boulevard filled with cafés and retailers, making it a major UAE attraction when Phase I of the project opens later this year.

An engineering marvel, the Rainy Street will reduce the temperature to 27 degree Celsius (or 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit), during the summer season providing enough cooling to enjoy the outdoors.

A homegrown innovation backed by Fraunhofer Institute, Europe’s largest application-oriented research organisation, the Rainy Street will be a game-changer in attracting tourists to The Heart of Europe and UAE. HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME

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SEPTEMBER 2020

GM INTERVIEW

European-Style Luxury

Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates General Manager Slim Zaiane gives Hotel & Catering News ME an overview of the property’s latest developments Can you tell us a bit more about the unique points of the hotel?

As a pioneer in European luxury hospitality, Kempinski Hotels has been a market leader in the UAE since 2006.

Our fully renovated Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates is a jewel in the region’s luxury hotelier crown, which caters to the lifestyle and leisure needs of travellers with a keen eye for detail and unforgettable experiences.

Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates is located in one of the city’s prime locations and in one of the region’s best and most popular malls, offering guests instant access to added value in leisure, worldclass entertainment options and retail experiences. We’re only a few minutes’ drive away from both Downtown Dubai on one side and thriving areas like the Dubai Marina on the other.

Our hotel is also home to the remarkable, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains-inspired Aspen Ski Chalet, the region’s only experience of its kind within luxury accommodation, which comes with a spectacular view of the wintery slopes of Ski Dubai. This spacious and immensely cosy space is 38

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distributed over two floors, featuring a separate bedroom, dining room and living room.

Guests can enjoy a stone faux fireplace, two marble bathrooms with a freestanding bathtub, a kitchenette and exclusive access to a dedicated butler service. Meanwhile, the VOX@Kempinski experience is our guests’ ticket to the ultimate cinematic journey. They can bask in their own private screening of the latest blockbusters and electrify their senses with opulent décor and exceptional dining. And as a family-oriented hotel, we make sure that our guests’ little ones are also always taken care of with plenty of activities to keep them busy.

What are some of the main challenges you face in hotel management?

These are unprecedented times of crisis, to be sure. We’ve been reaching out to our customers as gently as possible in order to alleviate their concerns in deciding to travel and visit us again, while reassuring them of our commitment to their health and safety.

Even during the worst of the pandemic, our doors remained open, as we took the

time to come up with a comprehensive plan and adapt to the new challenges, while supporting the community and our nation’s health workers. The new social distancing guidelines are certainly a foreign concept in an industry that requires close interaction with our clientele, so training our people to keep their smiles behind their masks and adopt this new approach has been crucial.

It must be said that we remain cautiously optimistic about the future, even as we do our best to show our guests the benefits of choosing to stay with us, and to relax and enjoy leisure experiences that we all sorely need at a time like this.

We must remain in tune with the feelings our customers, as well as do our best to ensure that our staff are motivated, healthy and safe at all times. We’re all in this together, after all.

What’s the importance of online hotel reviews and social media feedback, and how much of it do you take on board?

Listening to our customers’ voices and catering to their feedback and needs has always been one of our top priorities. This is exactly why online reviews and social WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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media are incredibly important to us and a key factor in the decision-making process when it comes to bookings.

We analyse all of the feedback that we receive from the various digital channels on a daily basis, which plays a crucial role in the effort to constantly improve our product and services and remain at the top of our game at all times.

How do you evaluate employee performance, and keep your team motivated?

As part of our human resources strategy, we conduct one, three and six-year reviews with staff. At the same time, however, we also have regular one-on-one discussions with all our teams, where 40

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we mutually assess any challenges and opportunities, and map out the way to turn them into achievements. These are a valuable method of empowering staff, as well as encouraging them to think outside the box: it’s a great way of inspiring creativity and maintaining morale.

What systems do you have in place for resolving guest complaints?

As a measure specific to the guest experience at our property, we review any feedback when the guest initially connects with us during the booking process. This enables them to provide us with any concerns or comments without delay – even before check-in – and helps us react and respond immediately.

Post-check-out, we employ the use of our comprehensive Kempinski guest survey to evaluate impressions and get a full overview of the guest’s experience with our facilities, amenities and staff.

We also gather and examine online guest reviews of our property from various social media sources and third-party websites.

What would you like to tell visitors about the hotels’ F&B offerings?

Since reopening, we have not only been working on brand new menus and restaurant offerings at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, but also implementing stringent measures to ensure the health and safety of guests, visitors and staff.

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most diverse and exciting aspects of our dining experience, including authentic Spanish tapas, paellas and traditional food-sharing platters with a modern twist at Salero Tapas & Bodega.

Olea serves up genuine, contemporary Levantine dishes from across Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Southern Turkey, Lebanon and Cyprus. Meanwhile, our lobby lounge is home to Aspen by Kempinski, which offers delectable, European cuisine-inspired all-day dining, as the resident barista serves over 20 varieties of tea and more than 10 different Illy coffee creations.

As part of our Kempinski White Glove Services initiative, all service staff wear masks and gloves/PPE at all times, while guests are kindly requested to use the sanitiser available at the reception of every restaurant before being seated at the tables (occupied by a minimum of four persons).

We’re applying a minimum distance of two metres between tables, while our servers check guests’ body temperature from time to time as well. Disposable and digital menus are available, along with contactless payment, while tables and chairs are disinfected after each use, and cutlery and glassware are fully replaced.

These measures are there to make our guests feel safe in exploring some of the

Tell us a bit more about the specific new measures in place for COVID-19.

While being meticulously implemented across our entire F&B offering, the Kempinski White Glove Services initiative is also at the centre of our efforts across our properties worldwide to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Our group was the very first among hoteliers internationally to introduce such measures, as well as receive the certification for top hygiene standards by a third-party audit.

All hotel staff mirror our restaurant and bar policy of wearing masks and gloves/PPE, while thermal cameras for temperature checks and the use of hand sanitisers, as well as social distancing of between 1.5 and 2 metres, are enforced at all times.

Contactless payment provides guests with additional assurance, as well as disinfection measures for all public spaces, guest and meeting rooms and gyms and pools. In a business that requires constant interaction with guests, it’s certainly been a challenge to recalibrate and deliver a contactless experience while guaranteeing the same level of luxury. But we’ve truly thought of everything.

To take it even further, our hotel has undergone a Safeguard Program, a certification held by the Bureau Veritas and field experts through independent audits to ensure health, safety, and hygiene procedures and processes are implemented and in line with local regulations and best practices. Our hotel

is one of the Top 5 Hotels in the World to have been awarded Bureau Veritas’ Safeguard label.

How has your strategy shifted?

While we’ve obviously been going through what is probably the most challenging period in the past century – not only for the world, but also the hospitality industry – the worst of the shock factor is now behind us.

We’re now entering a new phase of trying to reclaim our lives and lifestyles.

At this stage, younger people will likely lead the way in seeking new travel and leisure experiences, and we are helping them on that journey by offering discounts and promotions. Meanwhile, I’m convinced that staycation and daycation offers and packages are among the key initiatives to drive demand and offer hotels a path to recovery. Globally, we’re always keeping one eye on international trends and doing our utmost to adjust to conditions as they evolve.

Aside from the very important Kempinski White Glove Services initiative, we have introduced many innovations that truly take the guest experience to a new level. While they can take full advantage of enjoying their own screenings of blockbuster films at VOX@Kempinski, guests can also shop online at select stores across Mall of the Emirates, and get their items delivered directly to their room courtesy of our door drop service.

At the same time, we have implemented contactless payment across all our outlets and service points, as we continue to think creatively and convert hotel space that’s not necessarily in full use at the moment.

For example, we have temporarily adapted some of our meeting rooms into office space and remote work facilities in order to keep up with and respond to these challenging times.

We’re in a privileged position in the UAE – the public health and safety protocols in place and our government’s outstanding work to attract international travellers again makes me enthusiastic and carefully confident about the way forward.

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The Mediterranean Advantage

Located at ‘the pearl of the Mediterranean’, we’re unsure whether this Radisson Blu property was fortunate enough to be situated in one of the most important cities in Egypt – both historically and culturally – or if it was Alexandria that had the advantage of housing such a hotel on its lands

As we approach the upscale Alex West compound, it’s clear to us that Radisson Blu Hotel, Alexandria boasts some major relaxation factors. Set amid a tranquil plot, it’s a vast property standing 20 minutes away from Burj Al Arab Airport.

The massive lobby welcomes you with a distinctive air of understated elegance.

There are plenty of blues, in an ode to the brand, and hints of red, and check-in is fast and smooth. The spacious Business Class guest rooms are similar to suites, 42

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and all types of accommodation total into 262 units, spread across the property’s two ‘wings’. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see the side where the main pool was due to maintenance works, but the opposite one was more than enough.

The Garden Room overlooks the Golf Course, along with a small pond and the great blue sea and skies. The view is phenomenal, and the room amenities complement it, all brand new and selected to ensure an optimum experience, including

the Smart TV and exceptionally fast Wi-Fi, which is available at every single corner of the hotel.

It’s quite hard to leave the room, especially as the beds and sofas are some of the most comfortable you’ll ever find, but we had to try out the culinary offerings – and we weren’t disappointed. The hotel features Fanar restaurant, which offers international cuisine, in addition to Italian fare at Filini, Egyptian food at Al Kahn, beverages and snacks at Cosmo Café, the WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM

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Sports and Vital Bars, and the Golf Club.

A firm favourite, the Golf Club oozes gentlemen’s lounge vibes, with big-screen TVs and wooden interiors. The menu doesn’t disappoint, with meaty steaks, super fresh sandwiches and all-round phenomenal food and service standards. We must highlight the fact that Radisson is a winner when it comes to cleanliness, and the Club follows suit.

Fanar cooks up a real dinner treat, too.

The hotel offers the flexibility of giving you the choice to ‘eat whatever, wherever,’ so you can have some of the meals served in any setting you prefer (subject to staff’s approval), and we recommend this venue for the jumbo shrimps and seafood salad.

This is also where breakfast is served, a la carte given the current pandemic-related circumstances, yet beautifully presented, nevertheless.

The morning meal changes every day to keep things fun, with Egyptian additions such as fava beans and traditional falafel. Plus, viennoiserie, cold cuts, sausages, made-to-order eggs and more.

Complementing the food is the service, which is swift, accommodating and pleasant – the F&B team at Radisson Blu, Alexandria knows what it takes to create an experience.

The same ethos extends to the staff by the pool, a smaller rooftop familyfriendly haven, which is an extension to the spa. There’s plenty of fun to be had, and delicious snacks, too. We could have stayed there all day – and we actually did.

Had the Stanley Pool been open, with its built-in Jacuzzi and bar, we presume it would have been impossible to leave the hotel altogether.

It’s also noteworthy that the hotel houses the Alexandrina Hall for meetings and events, which caters to the business community within Egypt and from abroad.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Alexandria runs on the effortless mastery of Hospitality, in every sense of the word. It stands strong amid the pandemic and is a reflection of the grandeur of the city to which it belongs. For the discerning guest, the property is certainly worthy of repeat stays and fond memories.

HOSPITALITY IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT • Twelve five-star hotels in Egypt’s northern governorate managed to obtain the health and safety certificate required to host Egyptian guests amid the coronavirus crisis, with more properties set to achieve this goal.

• As the Egyptian government has planned to gradually reopen tourism amid the crisis, Alexandria hotels have been receiving guests. These properties were given the Hygiene Safety Certificate approved by the ministry.

• Orouba Misr Developments, a real estate developer, signed a partnership agreement with Accor Hotels to manage Novotel Hotel in Alexandria, set to open in 2023.

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EVENT REVIEW IN ASSOCIATION WITH

HCNMETALKS

PRESENTED BY

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

HO S P ITA L IT Y A ND F & B EX P ERTS – C O N N ECT ED

Hotel & Catering News ME Hosts Online Discussion on Negotiating with Suppliers

Ziad Kamel CEO & Owner, Cloud Restaurants & Couqley French Bistro

Hotel & Catering News Middle East has hosted its fourth webinar, addressing some of the toughest challenges facing restaurant operators and suppliers in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Negotiating the right deal with your suppliers doesn't necessarily mean getting what you want at the cheapest possible price. Businesses may want to negotiate other factors such as delivery times, payment terms or the quality of the goods.

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Mohamed Karam Senior Business Development Manager, Middle East & Africa, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions, InSinkErator requirements, but there are many other factors to consider, such as whether they want to do business with a particular supplier again.

Both sides should conclude a negotiation feeling comfortable and happy with the agreement. Negotiations can be unsuccessful if either side feels forced into a corner.

In this webinar, key industry players discussed how COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of a good relationship with suppliers, and the best strategy to ensure a

Hattem Mattar Founder, The Mattar Farm

smooth communication: • Choosing the Best Suppliers • Sourcing the Right Equipment • Finding Quality Ingredients • Drawing Up Contracts • Forecasting the Future Speakers in attendance were CEO & Owner, Cloud Restaurants & Couqley French Bistro Ziad Kamel, Senior Business Development Manager, Middle East & Africa, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions, InSinkErator Mohamed Karam, and Founder, The Mattar Farm Hattem Mattar.

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“No doubt, COVID-19 has changed the supply chain and our business priorities,” says Karam. “Agility and resilience have become important factors when negotiating with suppliers. Plus, digitalisation was an option for our business, but after COVID-19, it has become a necessity.

“We always go with: “Price, Quality & Consistency” when we select our suppliers. A good and fruitful business relationship with suppliers needs to be built on collaboration and partnership. It was a pleasure to be a part of this webinar, as the speakers come from different backgrounds and addressed the subject from different angles. Thanks BNC and the Hotel & Catering magazine team.”

Kamel posits: “The effects of COVID-19 on my two businesses were very different.

Our bricks & mortar restaurant business Couqley French Bistro in JLT had to close its dine-in service for more than a month, as required by authorities. This meant we lost 100% of our dine-in revenue. That’s more than 6,000 dine-in customers per month.”

“Luckily, food delivery was designated an essential business, and so we swiftly implemented our delivery-focused plan with upgraded delivery offerings including DIY cooking kits under the #CouqleyAtHome tag. As a result,

Couqley’s delivery revenue increased by 250%. Although the increase in delivery revenue was fantastic and ensured our kitchen team continued to work, it did not make up for our lost dine-business,” he adds.

“However, there’s good news! After restaurants were allowed to reopen following COVID regulations, the recovery of our dine-in business was faster than we had anticipated. Postlockdown performance has almost recovered to pre-COVID levels. What we learned was that over the past 4+ years of Couqley Dubai, we had built a strong brand with a resident community of loyal customers. We consistently deliver on our promise of affordable-luxury French cuisine with personalised and friendly service.”

“As for CloudRestaurants.com,” he adds, “it’s a digital-first, delivery-only, online restaurant company. We’re 100% online and our food brands were born and live online.

During COVID, our business continued to thrive although we did face challenges such as staff training and protection, the transportation of team members to our seven cloud kitchen facilities (public was shut down), implementing zero-contact deliveries, and ensuring our supply line

remained intact.”

“To fulfil a need during lockdown, when most of society avoided grocery shopping and wanted a break from daily cooking, we launched a wider array of value-driven lockdown offerings from our popular brands like Go! Greek, Go! Pasta, and Go! Healthy.

We continued to deliver high quality with consistency. We developed family mealdeals and offered cuisine variety from our different brands under one Go! Restaurants platform. We launched Go! Cook with cooking kits. Our business continued its monthly double-digit growth throughout COVID. We work with a winning mindset and our goal is to innovate and dominate the online restaurant world.”

Kamel concludes: “It’s always a big pleasure of mine to be a keynote speaker or a panellist at inspiring conferences, especially in hospitality and entrepreneurship. When Hotel & Catering News ME invited me to be a panellist, I immediately said yes as the platform is credible and well read.

I also love negotiation theory and I have applied several winning tactics at my own businesses. I have trained my team on the best way to negotiate and this has positively impacted our company and, believe it or not, improved our relationships with our suppliers.”

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CHAIN OF THE MONTH

HILTON Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,200 properties with more than 983,000 rooms, in 118 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company, Hilton welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2019 World’s Best Workplaces list, and was named the 2019 Global Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. In 2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection to hotels worldwide. Through the awardwinning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the 108 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy, plus enjoy instant benefits, including digital check-in with room selection, Digital Key, and Connected Room.

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CHAIN OF THE MONTH

ABOUT HILTON HONORS Hilton Honors is the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,200 properties in 118 countries and territories. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, and free Standard WiFi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key. Hilton Honors offers its 108 million members hundreds of ways to earn and redeem Points. Members can redeem their Points for free nights, premium merchandise and items on Amazon Shop with Points, and make charitable contributions. The program is free to join, and travelers may enroll online by visiting www.hiltonhonors.com.

CURRENT PROPERTIES IN THE MENA REGION In the MENA region, Hilton currently operates 78 hotels across eight brands - including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Hampton

by Hilton. In the next five years, the company expects to more than double in size in MENA.

UPCOMING PROPERTIES IN THE MENA REGION Hilton currently has almost 100 hotels in its development pipeline in MENA, with new hotels being developed across the region. Upcoming openings include Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island. Set within Yas Bay, the 546-guest room hotel will be located just minutes from Yas Island’s theme parks and will feature a range of facilities including a large outdoor pool complex, signature dining and cafes, and extensive events space.

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MARKETPLACE

Mai Dubai

Alexander van ‘t Riet, CEO of Mai Dubai, tells Hotel & Catering News ME all about the DEWA-owned brand’s products and developments Tell us a bit more about Mai Dubai.

Mai Dubai, the fastest growing and the second biggest bottled water brand in the country, is an independent Limited Liability Company, which is fully owned by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).

Since its inception, Mai Dubai has grown to become one of the leading bottled water brands with an exceptional focus on quality.

The company’s fully automated industrial facility in Al Qudra runs on solar energy, contributing to 10,000MTs reduction in carbon emissions annually. The production facility is known for having the secondlargest solar roof installation in the world.

Who are your main HORECA clients and how do you work with them?

Currently, our clients in the sector include Habtoor Hospitality, Bab Al Shams, Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah, Palazzo Versace, Meydan, Concorde Hotel Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain Beach Hotel and Stella Di Mare Dubai, among others. Mai Dubai’s dedicated team caters to the unique needs of our HORECA clients, thereby increasing the penetration of our product offerings in the market.

What are some of your newest products and which countries in the MENA region do you cater to?

The launch of ‘Mai Dubai Zero-Sodium Alkaline Water,’ which combines the goodness of Zero Sodium with benefits of Alkaline water has been the latest milestone in terms of product innovation.

With no sodium and an alkalinity of pH8.2, the new 3-1 (three-in-one) product was internally developed and is produced at the Mai Dubai facility in Al Qudra, Dubai.

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It’s also unique as no other brand offers a combination of Alkaline and Zero Sodium in the bottled-water segment. The new variant is almost identical in taste to our classic Mai Dubai water and was developed after taking consumers’ preferences into consideration.

Further underlining the initial market response, this variant won the three-star Superior Taste Award, the highest rating given

by Brussels-based International Taste Institute, the world leader in the evaluation and certification of consumer food and beverages by professional chefs and sommeliers. This recognition itself is testament to the taste and quality of Mai Dubai’s Zero Sodium Alkaline Water product.

However, our Red Dot design awardwinning glass bottle range is yet to fully penetrate the HORECA market.

What are some of the main challenges you’ve faced in the wake of COVID-19?

The outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted our operations, but we continued to deliver services without any disruptions. During this period, in addition to maintaining our supply systems intact, we also ensured consistent supply of raw material and that we had ample stocks to meet any potential

spikes in consumer demand.

We managed a 30 per cent rise in the demand for our bottled water in addition to home delivery services, we were able to cater to this demand, thanks to our advanced automated production facility.

By effectively leveraging the efficiency and safety of our production and distribution systems, we continued to achieve our targets of producing over 1.5 million units per day.

Although the overall demand for bottledwater products increased, HORECA businesses did bear the brunt of the pandemic crisis as several establishments had to temporarily close down as a result of restrictions on inbound tourism. Even after reopening, they could not function at full capacities like before as they have to adhere to preventive and control measures.

Some entertainment establishments were also temporality shut. Most hotels had occupancy rates which ran into single digits. All these developments resulted in a serious downturn in the sale with almost no new customers coming in. As flights were grounded during this period, this meant no sales to airlines, including Emirates.

As part of our efforts to adjust to the

‘new normal,’ we have increased the number of our delivery channels which are now more directed to homes and this needs more time than in our usual retail outlets.

Although night-time movement restrictions enforced by authorities during this period had a minor impact on our operations, Mai Dubai’s new Zero-Sodium Alkaline Water managed to make its impact in the market despite being launched during the crisis.

What are your future plans?

We’re constantly looking at expansion opportunities and innovative ways to build on our regional and global footprint. The introduction of various sizes of bottles, from 16L to still and the sparkling glass range followed by our latest innovation - the Zero Sodium Alkaline water - is reflective of our aspirations to further strengthen market presence.

We will continue to expand our portfolio by adding more innovative products that meet customer expectations and needs, especially in the HORECA sector.

Simultaneously, we are also exploring innovative ways to assist our HORECA customers in boosting the sales of our product offerings.

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MARKETPLACE

Tropicool

Tropicool Co-Founder Caio Nabuco unveils the juicy journey to his brand’s success in the region

Tell us a bit more about Tropicool.

Tropicool brings the finest super fruits of the Brazilian Amazon in their most natural form to the region. We’re the first in the market to use non-frozen super fruits to serve up açai and mango bowls, healthy smoothies and specials with an array of nourishing toppings, where every two Tropicools sold leads to a tree being planted in the Amazon rainforest through a partnership with SOS Amazonia, an NGO focused on reforestation efforts in the Amazon Rainforest.

Tropicool was founded by my business partners Mauricio Esteves, Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Ahmed Al Thani and I – we started off as university friends sharing açai bowls before our classes at Harvard Business School.

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We partnered with Rafael Vaz of Global Fruit Factory to be the official supplier for our assortment of superfruits, utilising their ground-breaking technology for our pulps, which is now the main USP of Tropicool.

Later, an international exchange of açai berries across the ocean and our shared love for hospitality and healthy living sparked the idea to share these rich flavours with the world and establish Tropicool in 2018.

Our goal was to encourage healthy eating as it’s truly a cornerstone of a healthy and happy society while giving back to our home, the Amazon Rainforest, which has recently been ravaged by fires and rapid deforestation, and truly give our customers an authentic experience in terms of taste

and quality.

Dubai has been our very first international outpost and our plans include regional and global expansion.

Who are your main HORECA clients and how do you work with them?

We already have a strong presence in a few hotels and beach clubs in Dubai with more signing on soon. We’ve established a store-in-store model which allows us to work across the sector and target hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise ships, and health and fitness clubs. Logistically, our product is a lifesaver, allowing us to simplify our clients’ supply chain.

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of storing fruits through our innovative technology of storing them non-frozen. By creating product packaging that protects the quality and flavour of fruits without ever freezing them, our goal is to give our clients the same delicious taste wherever they are in the world, not being limited by harsh weather conditions.

Our innovative packaging and supply chain process has helped us create the market’s first non-frozen açai, which allows for energy efficiency and reduces storage costs where the need for massive freezers is eliminated.

We work with our clients to supply them with our superfruit pulp products and depending on their requirements, the soft serve machines as well which they can then use to create fruit bowls, smoothies or drinks.

What are some of your newest products and which countries in the MENA region do you cater to?

Our current base product range includes the açai and mango pulp; we’re mainly catering to the UAE right now with plans

to expand to the rest of the GCC within the year.

The Amazon is home to many nutrientrich superfruits, and we want to add them to our product line as well, and so we’re looking at incorporating the cupuaçu, a unique Brazilian fruit that is native to the Amazon, and bananas.

What are some of the main challenges you’ve faced in the wake of COVID-19?

Before COVID-19, our business plan was to open with 50 points-of-sales by December of this year and grow to over a 100 points-of-sales by December 2021.

Of course, the global lockdown upended our plans entirely – our main kiosk in Dubai Mall was closed for a while and so were many of our hotel clients, so now we’re looking to steadily achieve the same

by July 2022.

As soon as COVID-19 limited business, we immediately looked towards digitisation as innovation and agility are the core principles our company was founded on.

We built our presence on delivery platforms where we offer our bowls and

smoothies on Deliveroo, Talabat and Zomato and even sell our superfruit pulps through Deliveroo – so our customers can continue to enjoy our products from the comfort of their home or create their own iterations using our innovative pulps.

What are your future plans?

We’re looking towards regional and international expansion – we really want to share the flavours of the Amazon with the entire world and encourage healthy eating, no matter where you’re based.

Franchising is an important component of our long-term business strategy and we’re already in conversations with international franchisees who love the taste, packaging, innovative processes and the responsible practices behind our brand.

We’re also looking at having a presence at international events including a massive activation at the Lollapalooza Brazil and New Years’ events as part of our expansion.

Moreover, we’re looking at expanding into different sectors such as aviation and offering our products in international travel points across the world.

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WHAT'S COOKING?

A CULINARY JOURNEY Sandeep Ail, brand executive chef at Punjab Grill, on his passion for cooking and connecting food with travel experiences for his Chef’s Table menu

What can diners expect from your limited-edition Chef’s Table menu?

The Chef ’s Table menu at Punjab Grill is true to the theme ‘Travel through Food’.

Through a five-course meal, we promise to take you on a culinary journey to India like you’ve never experienced before.

The team and I have selectively chosen rustic dishes from across 28 different states, and paired them beautifully with combinations from their region, and have presented them in a contemporary style showcasing both vegetarian and nonvegetarian options. We make sure to retain the core essence and authenticity of the dish, while we stretch our imagination to put thought-to-plate.

Tell us about the creative process that’s put into your menu?

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ideas before finally settling on the current menu. Typically, one would select the top dish from a metropolitan city. However, I wanted to showcase popular local dishes which have never found a place on restaurant menus.

Then, it was all about breaking down the dish into separate elements and building them back up to make them visually eye-catching. We don’t worry too much about improving flavours, as the dishes that are chosen are ideals from their hometown and so are, most definitely, scrumptious.

The theme is ‘travel through food’: how do you convey that through your menu offerings?

To serve the ‘Travel through Food’ theme, the challenge was to confine ourselves to a menu with only five courses. The

culinary diversity in India is a boon to chefs because there are so many states, communities and ingredients that are ripe for culinary centre stage.

Therefore, we selected dishes from the four corners of the country. Our diners’ journey begins from Punjab, through to Lucknow, on to Orissa and Kolkata, then across to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and circling back to Punjab.

We aspire to take our diners on a voyage through India with a visually appealing and comprehensive gourmet experience.

How do these destination campaigns benefit the end outlets?

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WHAT'S COOKING?

associated with such initiatives help bring out newer culinary finds.

We’re grateful that this campaign has allowed us to showcase dishes that don’t usually feature in many Indian restaurants across the Middle East. Additionally, we are thankful to the Abu Dhabi Culinary Season to have us on board and provide an encouraging platform to serve one and all with delicious dishes.

Were any trends in terms of ingredients/ what sets Punjab Grill apart from the wider dining scene?

We use a lot of underrated ingredients such as colocasia roots (arbi) and raw banana (Kacha Kela) which are often dismissed in Indian fine dining, and cook them in a way that redefines the ingredient and presents a typical dish with a unique twist.

On the other hand, we also use exotic ingredients, specially flown in from India, such as the Himalayan morels, which are foraged especially for the Punjab Grill brand.

What inspired you to pick these dishes, any secret ingredients? Emotional narrative?

Most of the dishes on the menu were inspired by my travels across India, which made me understand the boundless diversity of my country in terms of people, terrain, vegetation, and cuisine and how this diversity aligns to create India.

Tell us about yourself and your journey.

I was born and brought up in Mumbai, India. I got familiar with the kitchen as a teenager, when I would potter around the kitchen to rustle up a snack for my

sister and I after school. With my parents working full-time jobs, I had a lot of time and freedom to experiment in the kitchen and, as I grew older, I knew this was my calling, there was never a moment of doubt.

I moved to Abu Dhabi in 2010 to start my first stint at exclusive Indian fine dining. I will complete 10 years in Abu Dhabi this November and can confidently say that this culinary journey has been incredible for me.

The Chef ’s Table dining events are back on the menu for the emirate’s food fans, as the Abu Dhabi Culinary Season offering returned to the UAE capital for a special, month-long themed campaign throughout August. It is the first of five similar activations launched by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) to be rolled out over the next 12 months.

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OPINION

The UAE Tourist Experience in a Post-COVID-19 World

By Kristine Pitts, director of ExperienceLab Middle East Travel and tourism are key pillars of the UAE economy. Without question, they were among the hardest hit by the pandemic. COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way people think about international travel.

So how can the UAE restore and instill further confidence in travellers that the country is a safe destination in a postCOVID-19 world?

International travel and tourism will need to adapt to survive Serco’s user-centred design company, ExperienceLab, conducted research to ascertain people’s perception of international travel in this climate, finding that there were plenty of examples of either extreme – 83% of respondents were concerned about travelling internationally until the virus is contained, whilst 16% said they couldn’t wait to travel for vacations as soon as possible. And 55% would postpone travel until a vaccine or effective treatment is found.

The consensus between these fields of thought was that both were very much missing travel and simply required varying levels of safety to be implemented for them to do so.

Redesigning user experience is essential to improve visitor confidence in travel to the UAE The UAE by and large has been receptive to the challenges of the pandemic, adapting the way we do even the most basic of activities – such as ordering food at a restaurant, with menus now viewable via QR code. The key to moving forward is to remain receptive to people’s expectations and concerns when doing anything in this new world and using that 54

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information to design targeted solutions to their problems.

Technology also plays a huge role in this, enhancing our capability to make more and more services completely contactless. Thinking of travel for example, do you need a paper form to be filled in at the airport, or could you allow visitors to create a digital profile with their travel information and testing status that can be shared with the airport?

In addition to the postponement, Expo 2021 will have to implement further changes to ensure the global event remains safe

It is highly likely that we will still be living with the effects of COVID-19 by the time Expo 2021 comes around, even with its new date. Expo will have to re-analyse visitor experience in preparation for the event.

Centred around conferences, talks, networking and concerts, by definition each event at Expo2021 will require changes that support social distancing and overall infection control. Given the extra time they have to do so, it would be invigorating to see a truly contemporary and forward-thinking approach to this, particularly given the themes of the world expo itself.

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