EDITOR’S NOTE
Business in our own Backyard
I
nternational tourists have long been the focus of Indian hospitality. Especially for a destination like Goa that has grown on 'foreign charters' from as far as Russia and Kazakhstan. But not any longer. If Vincent Ramos, area director - IHCL, Goa is to be believed (and we must, considering it was Taj which put Goa on the global tourism map when they opened the Taj Fort Aguada for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting - CHOGM), the ratio of domestic tourists into Goa has overtaken international tourist arrivals. Most of the GMs of leading hotels in the beach destination who we interviewed recently reiterated the same. Finally, we are looking for treasure in our own backyard, something which should have happened long ago. Markets like the USA thrive on their domestic population to drive tourism receipts. No reason why India cannot replicate this. Our cover story this issue features how colonialism has left its stamp on Goan cuisine and what can be done to preserve its authenticity. Chefs in Goa opine that the way to go is to get going with pounding your own spices, glorifying the Goan poi, preparing jams and pickles from local produce and always experimenting. In other words, the cuisine requires the “essence of Goa” to stay alive. I have to agree with Chef Ajay Chopra who says that Indian cuisine is
EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY NATIONALFOOD,HOSPITALITY& BEVERAGE SALES WEST Datta K +91 9821580849 | datta.kandalkar@indianexpress.com
NORTH Prabhas Jha +91 9899707440 | prabhas.jha@expressindia.com
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“ Finally,we are looking for treasure in our own backyard, something which should have happened long ago. Markets like the USA thrive on their domestic population to drive tourism receipts.No reason why India cannot replicate this”
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April 2019
fundamentally very strong and that the world is realising this, so our cuisine has a very bright future. As proof of this, we have Javed Murad, founder of White Owl Brewery who has locally brewed India's first bottled cider and whose target market is the young urban Indian who is continuously making finer, more evolved consumption choices. Another must read is the authored article on Distribution Technologies by the IT director, Keys Hotels which elucidates why it is imperative for hoteliers to leverage technology to maximise revenues via a mix of distribution channels. As Express Food & Hospitality is set to roll out its Goa tradeshow on April 11,12 and 13 at Dr Bandodkar Ground, Campal Panaji, the industry in the state can look forward to an action packed three days of knowledge sessions that include the GMs Conclave, Purchase Manager's Forum, Hosuekeeper's Connect and even a panel discussion for Executive Housekeepers. Not to forget the Great Indian Culinary Challenge in association with Goa Culinary Forum and a Mixology Championship in partnership with Indian Flair Bartenders Association Looking forward to welcoming you all in Goa! STEENA JOY Editor Express Food & Hospitality editor.efh@gmail.com
FOR PARTNERSHIPS,TIE-UPS,SPECIAL EVENTS Anishi Khetan +91 9930915221 | anishi.khetan@indianexpress.com
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CONTENTS LIGHTING FEATURE Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Sr. Vice President Neil Viegas Asst. Vice President Harit Mohanty Editor Steena Joy*
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Correspondent
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Akshay Nayak
TECH BYTES
DESIGN Assistant Art Director Pravin Temble Chief Designer Prasad Tate Senior Designer Rekha Bisht Graphics Designer Gauri Deorukhkar Senior Artist Ratilal Ladani
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Photo Editor
DISTRIBUTION TECHNOLOGIES
Sandeep Patil
Cover Image Courtesy: Chef Michael Swamy
CHEF'S PLATTER
DIGITAL TEAM Head of Internet Viraj Mehta SCHEDULING & COORDINATION Arvind Mane MARKETING / SALES Ziyad Tungekar Dattaram Kandalkar
Express Food & Hospitalityspoke to chefs of leading hotel brands in Goa to get their insights on cultures that have influenced this regional cuisine and howits authenticitycan be preserved
(12-17)
Satish Dange Venkatesh Subramaniam Sanjay Kumar Sreejith Radhakrishnan PARTNERSHIPS, TIE-UPS Anishi Khetan CIRCULATION Mohan Varadakar
P09: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK The Fern Kesarval Hotel & Spa, Cortalim, Goa
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PRODUCTION
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: KAPIL CHOPRA, FOUNDER AND CEO, THE POSTCARD HOTEL
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INDIAN CUISINE IS FUNDAMENTALLY VERY STRONG: CHEF AJAY CHOPRA
HIGH SPIRITS
General Manager B R Tipnis Production Co-ordinator
P54: MOVEMENTS
Dhananjay Nidre
Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: VINCENT RAMOS, AREA DIRECTOR - IHCL, GOA
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OTAS SHOULD KNOW THAT THE HOTELS CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM, THEY CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT THE HOTELS: KOHLI
Printed by The Indian Express (P) Ltd. and published by Ms Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of The Indian Express Press, Plot No. EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400710 and Published from Express Towers,
P57: WEEKEND
1st Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400021.
Scene and heard by Marcellus Baptista
(Editorial & Administrative Offices: Express
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WHITE OWL: CRAFTING AN INDIAN BEER
Towers, 1st Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai – 400021)
Copyright © 2019 The Indian Express (P) Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. *Responsible for selection of news under PRB Act
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'THE CORE VISION OFTHE POSTCARD HOTELIS TO PROVIDE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES SETIN A BACKGROUND OFCOMFORTABLE,HIDDEN LUXURY' In an exclusive interview Kapil Chopra, founder and CEO, The Postcard Hotel, and former president of The Oberoi group elaborates on his vision for India's newest luxury brand 'built to be picture perfect postcards and not just cookie cut hotels' in his own words. By Steena Joy From hotelier with the Oberoi Group to entrepreneur. How has the journey from The Oberoi Hotels to The Postcard Hotel been? What inspired you to conceptualise The Postcard Hotel brand? Having been a student of luxury hospitality for the last 25 years, I realised that all the disruption and innovation was happening in the budget hotel segment and luxury resorts continued to provide beautiful sterile products with warm service. However, we felt that either experiential luxury was too expensive or what guests were getting was a sanitised hotel experience. We thus decided to curate plush hotels with local and community design inspiration along with authentic experiences and unravel newer corners of the world that aren’t privy to commercialisation or industrialisation. We are creating a luxury hotel brand embellished with immersive and transformative experiences making the hotels not just stunning works of architecture, but warm abodes richest in terms of heart and soul. At all Postcard hotels, time should slow down, travels be customised and experiences be felt. The Postcard Hotel. Fairly unusual name for a luxury brand? Even though postcards are a thing of the past, when a place catches our fancy, the idea of sharing it with our loved ones in the form of pictures is still relevant in the current times of social media as well. We believed
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Kapil Chopra
it essayed emotions of nostalgia, romance, simpler times and the love of sharing your special time with your special ones. The name also befits each and every one of our hotels as they are built to be picture perfect postcards and not just cookie cut hotels. Amongst the hundreds of names we researched to communicate our hospitality experience, this one took us back to a time of travelling, idling and documenting. What is the core vision of The Postcard Hotel? Can Luxury be Transformative? The core vision of the Postcard Hotel is to provide authentic experiences set in a background of comfortable, hidden luxury. Affordable yet aspirational luxury where there is a seamless integration with immersive inclusions. How will the brand benefit local communities?
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The brand engages with the local communities at various levels. All our vegetables, fruits, fresh fish is bought from the local farming communities. Artisanal and organic products are used which are locally produced. In fact, in our exploratory journey for the hotels, we ate at multiple restaurants and hole-in-the-wall food joints to savour the variety of distinctive foods, and one of the best meals we had was cooked in a village home by their homemaker, Anju. To reproduce the subtlety and purity of the flavours and cooking techniques, we have that village house wife Anju along with our team of Chefs, cook for all guests at The Postcard Hotel. Our foliage is not artificial and is focused on a lot of indigenous produce. Our approach is inwards and sustainability is a core ethos. Sustainability and environ-
ment. How does The Postcard Hotel score on these parameters? We practise a no plastic policy and use alternate materials for amenities as well. Our toothbrushes are made of bamboo, the loofah from vegetable fibre, 100 per cent natural tissue paper and slippers from banana fibre. We are very conscious of the wastage we generate and the treatment it goes through after. All vegetables, fruits, meats and perishables are brought fresh everyday based on the daily requirements. Not only does that ensure hygiene in storage and fresh food to the guests, but also as little waste as possible. A lot of our natural waste is converted to manure to enrich our gardens. Why the first Postcard Hotels in Goa? Goa for us is not just one state but it is the 334 villages and 12 talukhs. Through our
travels and with the research for Postcard Hotels, we realised that there is a north Goa with dense forests as well as the party hubs, south Goa which is relatively quieter and dotted with coconut plantations; Old Goa rich with hundred year old churches; the Goa by the sea; and the “new” Goa that is Sindhudurg on the outskirts with virgin beaches and clean sands. Each unique from the other in its offering. Thus the focus for us as a brand is on the uniqueness and cultural wealth a destination brings with it. As we grow; on the mountains, by the sea, in the wild, nestled in the laps of tea and coffee estates, valleys and arid deserts; a Postcard Hotel shall be found in the quiet nooks and crannies. Which is the next Postcard Hotel to open? How many more in the pipeline? Our goal is to have 50 intimate luxury hotels in the next 5 years. This is a very ambitious target however with our model of development, I hope to be able to achieve it. Future roadmap for the brand? We have debuted in the market with the opening of three hotels on day one and will be launching seven in the next 18 months. Expect a new hotel every quarter. We are in for destinations that offer a unique experience and are thus looking not just across India but as far as France, Greece, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and parts of South East Asia as well.
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'WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE HIGHESTROOM INVENTORYIN GOA' In an exclusive interview Vincent Ramos, area director - IHCL, Goa and general manager - Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa shares his insights on the Goa hospitality market and the group's future inventory in the beach destination By Steena Joy How has the Goa hospitality market evolved over the years? Goa is a 365 day holiday destination. It is always seen as a place where you can unwind and can spend quality time with your family. In today’s world of hectic times, Goa has become more and more popular. It is a chemistry of everything which brings people to Goa. Room occupancies are rocking. It has been really good and great business for the hotels here and I think it will do a lot of good to the economy of India. What about room inventory? Will the market stabilise with more rooms in the pipeline? There is nothing like stabilise. In the luxury space, that is in the five-star category – the space we are in - everybody is doing great. The market stabilised long ago and now it has only grown stronger. What are the challenges of your dual roles as area director and GM? There are no challenges as such. It is really exciting to look after the eight hotels in my region. All the reports of these properties come to me so when I see these results, it is nice to see that Goa is growing and the graphs are going upwards. Gives you a sense of satisfaction not just for us as hoteliers but also to know that the state is benefitting. In the end it is the money that is coming to India. We can show off our lovely hospitality to the world. Everyone benefits from this. Has the market witnessed a demand shift from interna-
India has such diversity in cuisines and that is why she is going to thrive on F&B experiences. And obviously F&B is going to drive the hotel sales. It is like roti, kapada and makann.You cannot keep the ‘roti’ out
Vincent Ramos
tional tourists to domestic travellers? Yes, I agree that a lot of domestic people are travelling because we have so much to offer as a country. The United States of America thrives on its domestic market. Why shouldn't India thrive on her domestic market which has not happened for so many years. We were always looking out at outbound. Earlier, Indians usually had only one holiday when they used to go to their native place. Today the idea of a holiday has changed, we have more than one holiday. because the airports have expanded, the skies have opened up. Earlier there was only one flight which used to come to Goa. Today we have so many flights that land into Goa every day. There is more infrastructure in railways, more luxury buses, etc. As the infrastructure has improved
with better roads and more airports, the domestic market has also shown an increase. What about OTAs and aggregators, have they disrupted the market in any way? If brand is strong it is strong. You don't have to go through a middle man. So do you think it is better to go through the company website? Of course yes. The company website is the best and you get direct reservations. It really depends if the customer wants a middle man, he can go through a middle man. The choice is his. We are getting a lot from direct bookings, it's like buying a Louis Vuitton bag - if you want to buy the real thing, I am sure you will go to the official company store or website to buy.
Is F&B driving revenues in hotels now? It's a balance of everything you need to have good food and beverage and good room products. Nowadays people want to try out different foods. As a part of the Taj group hotels, we got experiential decades ago. Whether it is the first Thai restaurant in India or the Chinese cuisine at Golden Dragon in Mumbai. India has so much to offer in F&B and there are different regional cuisines. Here, in Goa there is Saraswat food; in Kerala the fish is cooked in banana leaf. India has such diversity in cuisines and that is why she is going to thrive on F&B experiences. Some countries have only one type of cuisine and no regional cuisines like us. And obviously F&B is going to drive the hotel sales. It is like roti, kapada and makann. You cannot keep the ‘roti’ out. Speaking of hospitality education in India, is there a curriculum mismatch? I don’t agree there is a mismatch. I myself am from IHM
and I feel the curriculum completely matches. The problem is mostly with the illegal colleges. IHM is an institution that teaches you the best. The best general managers or hospitality leaders are from the IHMs. It shapes your overall personality. Do you face any attrition challenges in Goa? No challenges, we have hardly any attrition - maybe in one digit, very small, less than 10 per cent. If you take care of your people I don’t see why they should leave. A good 85 per cent of our staff are local. The future pipeline in Goa? IHCL is acquiring hotels in Goa and Taj is going to have the highest room inventory in Goa. We are going to be the market leaders in Goa. We shouldn’t forget that it was Taj who put Goa on the tourism map of India. When it comes to Indian hospitality, we take the credit for that. We are the guardians of Indian hospitality. It is one Indian hospitality company the world is proud of.
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OTAs should know that the hotels can survive without them, they cannot survive without the hotels: Kohli Akshay Nayak Mumbai
GURBAXISH Kohli, VP of FHRAI (The Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India), and president of HRAWI (Hotels and Restaurants Association of India), said that some of the OTAs have become predatory in their actions when it comes to deciding upon the daily room tariffs of hotels, which impacts the hoteliers' business negatively. “The OTA business which started on the lines of traditional travel agent model, where a commission was levied to the travel agent for every visitor brought to the hotels, some of the players in this business have become market predators. This
Gurbaxish Kohli
was recognised when both member and non-member hoteliers started approaching us in this regard. We have also spoken to them and they were looking positive as well, but then there was a stalemate for which we took
our own recourse, and it will get resolved because we believe there must always be an amicable way of settlement. They should know that the hotels can survive without them, they cannot survive without the hotels. Our aim is to provide a win-win situation for everybody in the business.” When asked about the impact of GST on the hospitality business, he said that they had approached the government citing haphazard implementation. With a range of slabs of taxes, the hospitality industry itself has two slabs of GST, reducing the GST has not affected anything but brought down the revenue of the government. The earlier 12 per cent VAT is now reduced to five per cent GST which is going to be a deficit for
the government.” About the impact of the plastic ban in certain states, Kohli said that they support the initiative taken by the government but what they implore the government is to give them an alternative. In this case, there was no alternative given and also there was no clarification within the department about the classification of the banned plastic. “So if they want to take the decision you call the stakeholders from the fraternity of hoteliers and restauranteurs because we know our problems but they do not,” he said in this regard. “We have switched over to non-plastic materials but they have their own challenges,” he added. “We hope to see more support from the government and
participation of the stakeholders of the governments which are the associations to allocate the tourism industry within the budget more so for the development of the tourism and hospitality industry. After the elections we hope to see further impetus on this,” he concluded seeking increasing focus by the government on the tourism and hospitality industry. FHRAI is an umbrella body which is committed to progress the hospitality industry by organising various educational and training programmes for the people working in the industry; whilst also looking into the legal affairs regarding the industry. The association has four regional chapters including the HRANI, HRAWI, SIHRA, and HRAEI.
Using aromas is the best way to achieve a welcoming and comforting sensory experience: Vishesh Vijayvergiya Akshay Nayak Mumbai AMBIENT air fragrance has become an important asset for hoteliers to uplift the guest's mood and also to serve as the basis of brand recall when the guest visits another hotel of the hotel chain in a different location. Recognising the demand posed by hotels who desire unique tailor-made aroma solutions, Vishesh Vijayvergiya, perfumer & scent branding consultant, Vedic Aroma Lab, spoke about the increasing importance of scents. He said, “Hoteliers are now
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aware of the fact that the guest’s well-being and sensory experience depend largely on the environment they reside in. Using aromas is the best way to achieve a welcoming and comforting sensory experience. Scents contribute to the expression of a brand’s identity and further strengthen its identity. Scents have an intimate connection to one's memory and wellbeing and can affect people’s mood and feelings in a positive way. Just a hint of a previously experienced scent can be enough to awaken the association.” When asked about the
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Vishesh Vijayvergiya
challenges faced by the brand while servicing the hospitality industry, Vijayvergiya replied
that the hospitality industry lacks general awareness about the importance of aromas, for which Aroma Science should be part of the curriculum which will help to explain their needs better. He also opines that the institutional aroma suppliers are unorganised. Speaking about the exclusivity enjoyed by the brand in the competitive market, Vijayvergiya said, “Our customised signature-scent is a unique way to welcome your guests, creating the desired first impression and will be surely remembered by your guests long after they have checked-out. Our perfumers
ensure your guests have a pleasant stay in your hotel through aromas – which can shape experiences, get them dreaming, instill relaxation, evoke emotions and even awaken memories. Our aromas compliment your interiors, themes, or season.” Servicing brands like Taj Hotels, The Leela, Radisson Hotel Group, and Golden Tulip Hotels, among others, the brand provides the hospitality industry with a range of fragrances for hot/cold towel fragrances, aroma oils for diffusers, and also a variety of institutional packs of air fresheners for rooms.
MARKET NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Fern Kesarval Hotel & Spa,Cortalim,Goa Ostaad, Mumbai
T
he Fern Hotels & Resorts has just opened The Fern Kesarval Hotel & Spa, Verna Plateau – Goa. The 60-room property offers contemporary accommodation, a finely-designed multi-cuisine restaurant & bar The Bougainvillea, state-of-art banquet halls, a swimming pool, and poolside lawns. The hotel offers four different
categories of rooms namely Winter Green, Winter Green Premium, Fern Club and Hazel Suite.The hotel is just 1.5 km from Verna Electronic City and near Kesarval Springs Waterfalls, and 11.5 km away from Dabolim Airport, with easy access to the major sightseeing attractions in and around Panjim, Margao & Vasco.
O
staad, a new central Asian cuisine restaurant has opened in Lower Parel, Mumbai. Ostaad gives an eccentric vibe that aptly reflects the cuisine and offers a selection of dishes from Balochistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The interiors of Ostaad give a contemporary and luxurious vibe. The fine dine restaurant has some unique essence and flavours with affordable pricing. The menu boasts of dishes like the Adana seekh, Barraha kebab, Kadak seekh different types of Raan with equal emphasis on vegetarian food as well like the Kalem Boregi, Spanakopita, Tajik mushrooms, Mushroom baklawa, Umali.
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The Chakan-Talegaon belt is one of the most prosperous industrial belts in India and we are positioned to tap that: Dholakia Akshay Nayak Mumbai CURRENTLY operating 400 keys across five properties in Mumbai, Pune, and Goa, Orritel Hotels, Resorts & Service Apartments is soon coming with a property in Roha which will be an Ayurveda-centric villa-based property. The hotel company's newest property - Orritel Convention Spa and Wedding Resort in Talegaon Dabhade opened four years ago. The 112-key fourstar property that uniquely boasts of two duplex rooms at the top floors, is strategically located off the Old Pune Mumbai Highway. “We are positioned in the middle of an area which is potentially going to be one of the most prospective areas in the future. The Chakan-Talegaon belt is one of the most prosperous industrial belts in India with about six automobile companies and more than 700 ancillary companies. With all the infrastructure coming in here at Talegaon, we understood the market and rather entered it before other branded hotel chains,” said Amith Dholakia, CMD, Orritel Hotels, Resorts, Service Apartments. “The advantage of working in Talegaon is that it receives a lot of weekend traffic. There is a significant spillover from Mumbai as well as Pune,” he added. The hotel currently sees 60 per cent of occupancy and has a major clientele from weddings and MICE segment, said Dholakia. Germans, South Koreans, and Japanese visitors are a major prospective patron base for the hotel, he said. “The upcoming Jindal
plant for production of electric vehicles (EVs) will soon open in the city, post which, the demographics here will constitute of a significant number of foreign tourist arrivals (FTA),” he added. Moreover, Talegaon Dabhade has been recognised to receive leisure segment visitors who visit the destination for its close vicinity to water parks and attractions including hot air balloon, Bedse Caves, Pavana River dam view point, among others, etc, Dholakia informed. Roha will soon see an Orritel branded hotel, as the destination is a potential industrial belt since the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor ends in Mandwa, hence giving a lot of prospective corporate business. “Also, many employees at POSCO and more than 100 South Korean employees in the vicinity are already working in the city. So there is a lot of potential for hotels and excursions in the location,” he informed. The property is scheduled to open in the next 4-5 months and will have 50 keys in phase-I. Speaking of the challenges faced by the hotel group, Dholakia mentioned that there is a lot of local issues that includes pressure from the 'sons of the soil' who seek employment but often lack the skill set required by Orritel. “We also face problems and challenges like high input tax; quality and skilled labour, and high costs spared on following certain norms which are standard irrespective of the categories of hotels hence making it challenging for us,” he said. Talking on the impact of
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Amit Dholakia
GST on Orritel's business, Dholakia said, “GST has cut down the octroi and other service charges, which is positive, but, we are unable to get the values back from GST, which obviously is a point of concern. Also, even if the rack rate is sitting at Rs 35004000, the share of OTAs come in, which is again about 30 per cent on the rooms. Furthermore, there are discounts of 10-15 per cent, for which we have to advertise the hotel at Rs 7500 and above, hence attracting a 28 per cent GST that is levied on the customers. Also, there are cer-
tain weddings guests who want to pay in cash which we do not allow, so there is a lot of push and pull happening for us with GST.” When queried about the business model of operation of Orritel group of hotels, Dholakia replied that their model of operation will predominantly be owning and managing the properties, because looking at the disruption there is an easy walk in and out of management contracts among various brands. In terms of the performance recorded by the hotel group across its locations, Dholakia said that on an average they are seeing 80 per cent occupancy. “There has been a lot of pressure on the ARRs due to disruption like the entry of Airbnb and other aggregators coming in, so not many hospitality players are ambitious on the pricing of their rooms,” said Dholakia. “We are having seven to eight hotels in the pipeline which will be organically funded properties scheduled to open over the next few years. We are looking at Alibaug, Mandwa belt and also Gujarat after the bullet train project comes in, to further expand Orritel's presence in India. In the upcoming projects, we will be focusing on making our hotels 100 per cent green. We are also one of the few companies to have organic choolas and our own windmills in Tamil Nadu for supplying electricity to our hotels across locations. We will also be discarding all single-use plastic articles throughout all our properties,” concluded Dholakia.
INTRODUCTION OF “ SHREE JAGESHWAR TRADING CO ” FOR SUPPLY’S OF GROCERY ITEMS AND DRYFRUITS. On behalf of my whole team , I Mr, Mahendra Bhadra is pleased to introduce our self and the group company. A company set up in year 1996, has been managed professionally since years. We have been awarded with “ ISO 22000 certification” & also been awarded as a “Supplier with best quality products & efficient service” A full range of Grocery, Provisions & Dry Fruits has been our core business since the day we started and is being supplied to most important places like Government & Semi Government Institutions, Hospitals, Canteens, Corporate Caterers, Restaurants & almost all the Five Star Hotels in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Chennai etc.
SHREE JAGESHWAR TRADING CO.
SHOP NO.E-10, APMC MARKET-I, PHASE-II,SECTOR-19, VASHI, NAVI MUMBAI-400705, Mobile: 9920570720, Email: shrijtc@gmail.com www.shreejageshwartradingco.com
COVER STORY
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the main focus
GOAN CUISINE PRESERVING THE AUTHENTICITY As a centuries-old Portuguese colony, Goa was a melting pot for numerous cultures and this reflects in its diverse, but cohesive cuisine. However, in spite of its flavoursome delicacies and its fusion appeal, the chef community in Goa feel that Goan cuisine has not received its due recognition. Express Food & Hospitality spoke to chefs of leading hotel brands in Goa to get their insights on cultures that have influenced this regional cuisine and how its authenticity can be preserved By Akshay Nayak
G
oan food history is uniquely complex, involving various influences and adaptation through decades of changing colonial powers and their trade routes to India. When the Portuguese settled in Goa, they became the single most important influence on the local cultures and cuisine. The Goan vindaloo, for instance, is said to be an adaptation of the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d'alhos (literally translating to meat in garlic and wine marinade). The Goans began making vindaloo with local ingredients, replacing wine vinegar with coconut vinegar. This is just one example of the many paths Goan cuisine has traversed.
The Portuguese influence The Portuguese influence can be traced to 1498 when Portuguese explorer Vasco De Gama came to Goa. Chef Vinayak Bandodkar, executive chef, Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort informs, “The Portuguese started trading
with India and brought with them an assortment of goods, including vegetables and spices like potatoes, chillies, tomatoes, cashew nuts, passion fruit and more. They also brought bread, vinegar and various types and cuts of meat. The local cuisine and recipes were transformed, leading to the changing food habits and lifestyle of local Indians. New dishes were introduced, like pork vindaloo and prawn balchao, which have now become staples. Feijodda, a stew made of black beans, is similarly believed to have been brought to Goa from Brazil. Balchao, a pickle-like concoction of typically Goan ingredients such as vinegar, chillies, tomatoes and shrimp, is believed to have evolved from the blachan, a dish made of fermented fish, prawns or sardines which was probably native to either Malaysia, Indonesia or Burma.” “Every Goan dish has four important elements: sweetness, sourness, spice and salt. Hindu Goan cuisine can be
quite different from Christian Goan cuisine, but it still contains these elements, and makes use of tamarind and kokum, while Christians use vinegar to get a tangy flavour,” said Chef Anurag Singh Bainola, executive chef, The LaLiT Golf & Spa Resort Goa. Interestingly, baking fresh bread three times a day is the biggest influence of the Portuguese on the local cuisine, says Chef Sunit Sharma, chef consultant, Modern Hospitality. “Unlike the rest of India where flat bread is made at home, most meals even in Goan homes are accompanied with fresh Pao/Poie/Unde (leavened bread) bought just before the meal from local Poder (baker). They also come around selling warm bread in villages/ areas on a cycle with a horn to announce their arrival” he adds.Goan cuisine predominantly also included a lot of seafood in its preparations, which gradually with the influence of Portuguese, was either alternatively switched to use other meats
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COVER STORY
“Every Goan dish has four important elements sweetness, sourness, spice and salt” CHEF ANURAG SINGH BAINOLA Executive chef, The LaLiT Golf & Resort Spa Goa
“Goa is one of the few regions in India that heave western influences” CHEF DAVID ANSTED Executive chef, Grand Hyatt Goa
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like pork and beef, or the seafood curries were seasoned with spices brought to Goa by the Portuguese. Chef Arun Vats, executive chef, Hard Rock Hotel Goa, shares, “When we talk about fun-loving Goans, we definitely cannot miss mentioning about “xitt- kodi”, i.e. fish curry. Goans love their “xitt-kodi”, in fact, they enjoy all kinds of seafood preparations, many of which have been influenced by the Portuguese.” The chili pepper, a popular spice used in Goan cooking, was also introduced by the Portuguese and today has become immensely popular in the Goan kitchen. Although various culinary styles and cooking techniques were adapted from different communities across the globe, some of the Goan dishes like vindaloo, feijoada, balchao, cafreal have been customised to suit the local palate using readily available ingredients. To cite an example, the Portuguese used wine and garlic to prepare
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vindaloo while Goans replaced it with palm vinegar. Similarly, cashew was brought into Goa by the Portuguese and is today the key ingredient in Goa’s most popular drink 'feni.' Chef Sushil Kumar Mamgain, sous chef, Keys Select Ronil Resort, Goa cites the example of galinha (frango) piri-piri, a grilled bush dish from Mozambique, which has transformed drastically ever since it was introduced in Goa. “Today, it is known as galinha cafreal (chicken cafreal) and is a fried dish instead of the original grilled version,” he says. Chef KS Mangeswaran, executive chef, Radisson Blu Resort Goa Cavelossim Beach, points out that one of the USPs of Goan cuisine is the destination's shoreline providing the state with good quality of fish such is mackerel, lady fish, etc, which can be used for preparing various dishes. According to Chef Vikas
Vichare, executive chef, W Goa, “Goan cuisine traditionally was majorly vegetarian and was restricted to seafood and fish but with the colonisation by the Portuguese, beef and pork were introduced. Also Goa being located in the tropic, the food has a lot of spices and intense flavours with abundant use of coconut to mellow it down and give a subtle balance to the dish.”
Traditional ingredients and cooking method influences Many regions within India have been influenced by various cultures. However, Goa is one of the few areas that heaves western influences, feels Chef David Ansted, executive chef, Grand Hyatt Goa. “Goa is the perfect amalgamation of traditional heritage, with modern influences and thought. Goa’s dense forests and climatic conditions make it an appropriate location for spice plantation. The spices grown here are black pepper,
“Goan cuisine is a fascinating influence of Arab, Malaysian, Portuguese, French, and African flavours” CHEF SUSHIL KUMAR MAMGAIN Sous chef, Keys Select Ronil Resort, Goa
COVER STORY cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, chillies, coriander, cashew, etc. All the spice farms use organic methods of cultivation, wherein the ingredients provide a delicious aroma and flavour to the dish,” says Chef Bandodkar. Rich in organic agricultural diversity, Goa also has a few hidden gems which can only be available during particular seasons such as, korgut rice which is a variety of paddy that grows tall to fight against water logging. It is a natural crop that does not need fertilisers and thrives only on natural manure, informs Chef Mangeswaran. Some of the significant traditional ingredients prominent in Goan cuisine are tefla/ teppal, kokum (garcinia indica), bimla, and coconut. “The extensive use of coconut and fresh vinegar in cooking; the calculated uses of spices in every dish to create a delicious meal, is what grabs eyeballs towards this cuisine. Secondly, the use of kokum to give colour and nutrients to the dish are the main USPs for Goan cuisine,” said Chef
Luis about the distinctive ingredients used across a wide range of Goan dishes. Chef Bainola also voices similar views saying, “USP of Goan cuisine lies in its usage of fresh ingredients like chillies, vinegar, fresh seafood and fresh vegetables making it very popular.” Highlighting his point, Chef Vats says that the freshness of spices; the distinct flavours of food can best be experienced in Goa’s traditional style of cooking using local ingredients like coconut, rice, kokum, vinegar, jaggery, tamarind, toddy, tefla, galmo
(dried baby shrimp) and local produce. Reiterating this, Chef Mamgain says that due to the abundance of chillies, cashews, and coconuts, there is a lot of culinary recipes that one can curate which are highly appreciated by the guests.” However, apart from extensive use of coconuts and cashews, dried varieties of red chillies and preserved meats are also broadly used to add a distinct flavour, he adds. Furthermore, the popularity of cooking the traditional way, in clay pots placed over a wood fire which is seen in the rural
areas of Goa, is much appreciated by the chefs too, who feel traditional cooking methods provide unique tastes and aromas. “Earlier, spices were ground by hand, and a majority of the food was slow cooked in mud handis - all techniques used to further draw out the intrinsic aromas and flavours of the varied ingredients. Breads were made out of fresh toddy instead of yeast, making them lighter, airier and fresher,” reminisces Chef Bandodkar. Chef Ansted and Chef Bainola agree that although modern cooking methods have taken over, many Goan households still make use of traditional cooking methods, like cooking in a clay pot on a wood fire, using a varn (grinding stone) to grind spices, a dantem (handmill) for grinding cereals, and brass utensils for cooking desserts. Regardless of the cooking method used, the freshness of spices is fundamental, and is achieved by pounding the spices with muscle power and patience, they feel. Chef Carmelino Luis, chef de cuisine, Novotel Goa
“Goan cuisine itself is a fine example of the confluence of cultural diversity, and mix of new & age-old recipes” CHEF VINAYAK BANDODKAR Executive chef, Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort
“The calculated uses of spices in every dish to create a delicious meal is what grabs eyeballs in this cuisine” CHEF CARMELINO LUIS Chef de cuisine, Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort Hotel
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“Unknown to most people, Goans have a vast repertoire of vegetarian dishes” CHEF SUNIT SHARMA Chef consultant, Modern Hospitality
Dona Sylvia Resort Hotel, adds, “Traditionally, Goans used to cook their meals over burning coconut coir fiber (husks), the smoked flavour of which, gave a distinctive taste to the food. Traditional Goan cooking was previously done in clay utensils, which gave the food an earthy flavour. The food was served with ladles made with coconut shell and then was served on banana (plantain) leaves.”
Preservation and way ahead
“Future of Goan cuisine will be bright as it is ever evolving in terms of its rich culinary heritage” CHEF KS MANGESWARAN Sr executive sous chef, Radisson Blu Resort Goa Cavelossim Beach
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Having mentioned of the uniqueness about Goan cuisine, which has a historic trail of colonial cultural influences; engaging traditional cooking methods, and the numerous health benefits secured in traditional ingredients, when we queried the chefs about the current percep-
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tion of Goan cuisine, they provided us with mixed views for which, some of them mentioned that the cuisine is slightly subject to modern influences as per personal likings of the guests, while the others said that the travellers are experience-driven and prefer having authentic Goan dishes when travelling to Goa. Chef Ansted feels that Goan food is changing slowly to suit the tastes and preferences of travellers, especially of people who cannot take too spicy food or are allergic to coconut. He also be-
lieves that even though the delicacies might be preserved, different regions within the state have their own dynamism with respect to a particular dish. “Today you will find variations of the popular chicken cafreal or even the prawn balchao. However, the basics do remain; there are many homes that follow the authentic recipe to the key, but it’s essential to understand that even in terms of authenticity, a chicken cafreal can be prepared differently even in two different traditional homes. Just as the state is divided by talukas for geographical reasons, food also resonates from these talukas. South Goa will have a different twist to the popular snack – beef bread as compared to North Goa,” he adds. Chef Vats opines, “I
think each preparation is unique and has its own charm to attract the discerning foodie. While there are certain local dishes like xacuti, samarachi kodi, sorpotel, cafreal, sausage pulao, which have tickled the tastebuds of many globetrotters, the element of spice has not been very appealing for some. While the well-marinated recheado bangda and spicy ambotik would grab the eyeballs of locals and domestic tourists, it would certainly not check the list for international travellers.” Chef Mamgain agrees that the changing dietary habits of the locals and the availability of global cuisines in the region does pose a challenge. But, on the contrary, he is also positive about preserving the authenticity of Goan cuisine. He says, “With the increase in travellers seeking more authentic experiences and discovering the tradition of a particular destination, we are able to cater to their needs with our classic Goan cook ups.” Adding to this, Chef Vichare
COVER STORY reiterates that authenticity is the way ahead to preserve and promote Goan cuisine. He adds, “Goan cuisine is currently in the limelight as now regional cuisines are the trending cuisines and the masses are keen to discover and indulge in authentic and regional specialties.” However, he also points out that the cuisine needs to be worked upon especially the presentation part to keep in pace with the global culinary trends and evolution. Calling out to fellow chefs in Goa to preserve the authenticity of Goan cusisine and promote it on a global level, Chef Vats says, “Firstly, I would say, do away with the fancy utensils and pull out the earthenware and clay pots; avoid the “ready-made” and pre-packed masalas and get going with pounding your own spices; glorify the Goan poi and innovate ways to promote the local bread; maintain your own kitchen garden with local fruits and vegetables as homegrown products give a unique sense of joy and satisfaction; prepare jams and pickles from local produce and never stop the process of experimentation. It feels great to see so many restaurants and hotels incorporating items like sausage naans, chicken cafreal skewers, sausage pizza, pani puri with feni and the likes on the menu. The future of Goan cuisine is indeed promising
“Preserving authenticity is the way ahead to preserve and promote the Goan cuisine” and I believe that it requires the ‘essence of Goa’ to stay alive.” Chef Luis opines that Goan cuisine can be promoted on a larger platform by supporting the old restaurants and small eateries which still serve authentic Goan food, like the Chef Fernando’s Nostalgia Restaurant in Raia, Salcete which is his personal favourite. “Samarachi kodi (dry shrimp curry) is my signature Goan dish. It gets its name from smarmed - a circular wooden vessel containing eight small bowls to store each of the spices essential in Goan cooking. In olden days a new bride was presented with samardem by her parents when she went
to her husband’s house. This gift would help her to easily place the spices. But this dish has been lost with time which is why we have revived it,” he adds. Chef Bainola suggests, “The new generation of chefs should learn about the roots of the cuisine and also should present the dishes in a much more attractive way that suits the current day well-travelled and experienced diner; social media forums should highlight the richness and varieties of items to indulge in; one should record the culinary skills, recipes and techniques that are passed on from one generation to another as a lot of recipes were lost in ancient
time since they were never documented; the chefs should also make the cuisine much simpler for people on-the-go, and lastly promoting local farmers and fishermen will plug the sustainability aspect as well.” Likewise, Chef Mangeswaran says, “The main focus has to be on preservation which can come through awareness in societies, passing on traditional recipes to newer generations and also official documentation.” Highlighting the efforts taken by him at Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort Goa to promote Goan cuisine, Chef Bandodkar says, “Whilst the government is taking all possible measures to promote tourism and food in Goa, as a hotel we also try to promote Goan cuisine by introducing new local dishes to the menu; conversing with our guests on the nutritional value of Goan food and ensuring that during any of our festivals or gala dinners, Goan food is a highlight of the spread.” Showcasing authentic Goan food to tourists and spreading the traditional dishes of Goa by way of competitions and festivals will also promote Goan cuisine around the world. Chef Sharma suggests, “Many Goans who work (especially as chefs) around the world and on cruiselines can be the ambassadors of Goan cuisine.”
CHEF VIKAS VICHARE Executive chef, W Goa
“The future of Goan cuisine is indeed promising and I believe that it requires the “essence of Goa” to stay alive” CHEF ARUN VATS Executive chef, Hard Rock Hotel Goa
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RANJU SINGH COMPLEXGENERALMANAGER NOVOTELHOTELS & RESORTS GOA
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Goa as a hospitality market Goa is considered as the most popular beach leisure destination in India with a consistent business demand year on year besides the growing supply. Being easily accessible via rail, road and flights with the increased direct connectivity makes it a happy destination for all kinds of travellers like leisure, business, honeymoon, weddings, or conference and meetings.
“Goa is considered as the most popular beach leisure destination in India with a consistent business demand year on year besides the growing supply”
USP Novotel Hotels & Resorts Goa We are a few minutes away from the Candolim beach via a free shuttle drive where you can plunge into the thrill of water sports. We have a combined inventory of 270 rooms and suites in North Goa. A pillarless ballroom of 7800 sq. ft. as part of over 20,000 sq. ft. of banquet space and culinary skills that resonate seven dining venues which includes a specialty restaurant Vero Cibo. Novotel Goa Resort & Spa is best suited for family and kids with a gorgeous vitality pool and the sunken bar nestled around
Candolim’s fields and emerald hills. The supervised kids club ‘Happy Place’ offers loads of activities to keep young minds entertained for hours. Motion gaming, a sports hub with archery along with over 30 resort experiences New York’s famous Warren
Tricomi Salon & Spa is housed under a traditional Balinese setting and accommodates Goa’s only Turkish hammam. You can enjoy your own company around an aura of serenity at the Zen inspired tranquility zone. Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel
is the right blend of fun, family spirit and well-being. Located on the high energy Candolim Street and sizzling night life of North Goa. Frequented by millennials and young couples for its three pools, a waterfall, cozy cabanas and convenient location.
My Management Mantra The objective is to create sustainable growth for all of the stakeholders. The core management values are humility simplicity and synergy that will lead everyone to be successful. (As told to Steena Joy)
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JASPREET SINGH GENERALMANAGER AZAYABEACH RESORTGOA
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Goa as a hospitality market Goa, a favourite amongst Indian as well as international tourists has seen consistent growth over the past 10 years which is visible in the number of hotels that have opened here in the recent past. Tourism is the largest segment in the services sector. Goa is traditionally known as a tourist paradise for its natural scenery, beautiful beaches and cultural diversity. During 2017, Goa witnessed arrivals of 6,895,234 domestic tourists and 890,459 foreign tourists. In the first half of 2018, 3.16 million tourists have visited the state (source-IBEF Report) . Although no substantial data is available, the government says that there is a 12-15 per cent increase in tourists year on year. Domestic travellers, both highend and middle income groups, are the ones who contribute more to Goa’s tourism. Goa receives year round business and not seasonal business as it did earlier. Futhermore, OTAs have become a major player in the Goa hospitality industry. Around 4060 per cent of hotels of threestar rating and below get their business from OTAs whereas it is 20-25 per cent for four-star deluxe and five-star hotels. A
growing threat for hotels is from villas and home stays, though the industry does not see it as a threat yet because there is no standardisation. The MICE market is expected to grow year-on-year and will continue to grow in a large way as numerous corporates are looking at doing events and offsite incentive trips to Goa. MICE has been identified as the next huge growth factor in the luxury/ budget segment.
USP of Azaya Beach Resort Goa Azaya is a world without walls where you are at the centre of everything. Be it a leisurely breakfast at your private plunge pool; a rejuvenating massage at our spa by the sea; a boozy sundowner at our beachfront cabanas or an afterparty at our high octane bar, Azaya has something for everyone. An experiential paradise, Azaya Beach Resort Goa draws inspiration from the Maldivian sense of place with uninterrupted soul-stirring sea views and powder-soft white sand spread deep into the resort. With a fresh, fun and trendy vibe, Azaya welcomes you to a new generation of luxury. Located on the sands of Benaulim
“Domestic travellers, both high-end and middle income groups, are the ones who contribute more to Goa’s tourism. Goa receives year round business and not seasonal business as it did earlier” beach in South Goa, Azaya creates memorable experiences with authenticity and personalisation. Whether you want to have an intimate beach wedding, a college reunion, a family getaway or just a trip with your special someone, Azaya is the place to be!
My Management Mantra Azaya’s operating ethos revolves around ‘creating your own unique experience’. Guests
experience authenticity and personalisation through our services which will be intuitive and adaptive as per guest needs. Personalisation is the cornerstone of our offerings and services. The guest experiences and itineraries are curated and tailor-made. Like a squirt of vanilla in your latte or some gluten-free loaf in breakfast? Well, we will go out of our way to enhance your stay beyond your expectations. Inter-
national holidaymakers, women travellers, millennials – no matter who our guests are, we feel the real key to giving our customers a pleasant stay is in making them feel at home, which can be done by personalising our services. Of course, if spoiling your loved ones silly is on your mind, just give us the cue and we’ll line up the most indulgent experiences. (As told to Akshay Nayak)
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SAURABH KHANNA GENERALMANAGER TTHE PARK CALANGUTE 22 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY April 2019
Goa as a hospitality market Goa, as a hospitality market, has matured and is now stable. Though it may have seen a decline in terms of international travellers, I feel that with the right growth in infrastructure and carrying capacity into Goa, it will again move upwards. With the change in customer profile for branded hotels, with business segments shifting from charters to FITs, there will be certain changes in the tourism cycle and hoteliers will have to adjust their roadmap accordingly. Also with more domes-
tic travellers coming in, Goa is busy through the year and there is less dependency on the “season”. Destination weddings and social events is another big segment which helps Goa remain among the places with the highest occupancies in the country and one which is steadily increasing. This segment also gives a good rate. This segment is a major producer for many hotels in both North and South Goa. There is not much inventory coming into Goa in the next 1-2 years which should help the existing hotels. The challenges that Goa
currently faces is the high GST, transportation and garbage issues and if these issues are resolved then the golden period of Goa should be back soon. Also with the new airport coming, the carrying capacity into Goa will increase which will further help in boosting the tourism economy of Goa.
USP of The Park Calangute The Park Hotels manages two hotels in Goa. The Park Calangute is a luxury boutique hotel on the beach with contemporary design and eclectic décor. The hotel has
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made a prominent place on Goa’s tourism map due to its luxury offerings, fresh menus and personalised services. The hotel has a sea-facing bar and restaurant and is a popular place for events and activities. The Park Baga River is India’s first adults only hotel and as such offers a great escape for either a couple or a group of friends. With its prominent artworks and the cultural experiences offered, this award-winning hotel has made a name for itself within a year of operations. With 28 beautiful rooms, it is a perfect hotel for groups to organise a small wedding or a social event.
My Management Mantra Be positive and keep calm. I keep a friendly work environment and challenge my team members to aim higher. (As told to Steena Joy)
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CAJETAN ARAUJO GENERALMANAGER, WGOA 24 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY April 2019
Goa as a hospitality market In the last few years, Goa has become one of the go-to destinations that is preferred by every type of traveller and is no longer limited to summers! Earlier, Goa was known for being a holiday destination but is now one of the most popular options for weekend getaways, staycations, company off-sites, and training. 2018 particularly, witnessed a surge in domestic travellers as compared to international travellers; twothirds of our guests were from the Indian market and other key contributing
countries were the USA, UAE, and Great Britain. The only time Goa witnesses a decline is during the heavy monsoons but despite this W Goa’s popularity continues to grow.
USP of W Goa W Goa captures the rustic and dramatic landscape of Goa as well as its cosmopolitan, multi-cultural vibe, injecting Vagator with the exuberant spirit uniquely known to W Hotels. W Goa offers 109 stylish and spacious guestrooms and villas discreetly spread out across the private coastal setting with breath-
taking views of the sea. Spread over 25 acres of land overlooking the Arabian Sea, W Goa is a pristine natural paradise. At W Goa, you can bask in the view from your spacious balcony or terrace. We have custom furniture which evokes eclectic local traditions and infuses thoughtful contemporary nuances. The property boasts of rooms and villas discreetly spread out across the private coastal setting; over 350 sq m of event space at the Great Room; delightful dining and fabulous facilities at Spice Traders and The Kitchen Table, and Rockpool for the
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best parties. Lined with dramatic red cliffs and scenic panoramas, W Goa is the ultimate place to unwind. One can unwind in the secluded settings surrounded by spectacular scenery, dappled by golden glows of sunshine. The guests can lounge in vivaciously designed private seaside accommodations, or revel in scintillating dining as sensational art and music unfurl throughout beautifully landscaped grounds. From dazzling sunrises to one-of-a-kind sunsets, every moment at W Goa exudes exuberant resort living. Born from the bold attitude and 24/7 culture of New York City, W Hotels has disrupted and redefined the hospitality scene for nearly two decades. With a mission to fuel guests’ lust for life, W ignites an obsessive desire to soak it in, live it up and hit re-
peat. The brand’s provocative design, iconic Whatever /Whenever service and buzzing living rooms create an experience that is often copied but never matched. Innovative, inspiring and infectious, W Hotels’ supercharged energy celebrates guests’ endless appetite to discover what’s new/next in each destination, to see more, feel more, go longer, stay later.
My Management Mantra I strongly believe that a leader is only as good as his/her team. After all, we are an industry “of people, for people and by people”. Technology, in my opinion, will only govern the industry’s proficiency and never take over the front-facing guest experience which will be the cornerstone of our industry. (As told to Akshay Nayak)
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STRATEGY
The Tree in the courtyard A 130 year old mango tree in the centre of the open courtyard at DoubleTree by Hilton Goa Panaji serves not only as a meeting place for hotel guests to mingle with each other over chai and snacks, but also as a venue for many team building activities for member staff, reveals Swati Dhir, GM of the property, adding that this is just one of the 'close to nature' aspects of the luxury hotel By Steena Joy
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lose to nature. From the use of laterite, a stone indigenous to Goa in the architecture of the hotel to the use of natural light in many of its public areas and a goodnight note written on a leaf, DoubleTree by Hilton Goa Panaji has the guest connected to the natural elements throughout his stay. As you enter a river facing room, you are welcomed by stunning views of the Mandovi River, flowing adjacent to the hotel. Even the fitness centre near the infinity swimming pool is a glass enclosure where a guest can have outdoor views while sweating it out. The hotel is located a short drive from the capital city of Panaji and is minutes away from the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Goa Velha. DoubleTree by Hilton Goa Panaji offers 160 guest rooms, including nine suites and an expansive Presidential Suite with two bedrooms and what's more, a private terrace with a jacuzzi! The only hotel in Goa to have one. Most of the hotel guestrooms feature a private balcony with river or landscape views. The rooms also offer DoubleTree Sweet Dreams bed and smart lighting with motion sensors. Executive Rooms or Suites have access to the Executive Lounge.
It's all in the location
Swati Dhir
Speaking about the USP of the property, Swati Dhir, GM, DoubleTree by Hilton Goa Panaji says, “Location. For us it’s all about our location. Everyone comes to Goa multiple times - it is not a one-time holiday destina-
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tion. So most of us have come to Goa, we have done the beaches, the drinking, the partying but as you evolve you want something more. That’s what the destination offers, that’s what our hotel offers - peace. When you wake up in the morning you can actually hear the silence and the chirping of the birds which is a different experience. And this is such a different part of Goa which most tourists have otherwise not seen. What we offer is the location, and the peace to spend time with yourself and your loved ones and rejuvenate yourself with scenic views of the Mandovi river. In addition we are very very close to everything. So when you are in the hotel, it looks like you are away but if you actually step out most tourist attractions like the Old Goa church are right there. The
spice plantations, the Mangeshi temples all of that belt, we are the closest hotel. We are also the closest from the airport and 10 minutes from Panaji city. We are 12 to 13 minutes from Miramar beach. So, it’s not like we are far from the beach, it’s just a perception because we are not where everything else is. Which is a benefit in itself. So you go, party, see the tourist sites and then come back, that’s what the resort offers, that’s our biggest USP.” The hotel has three dining outlets. There is Feliz overlooking the river which is open only for dinner. During the day, it serves as a bar for the poolside. Chef Lawrence Amalraj, executive chef, says, “Most of the names of our restaurants are colonial inspired. Feliz (means celebration) has a seafood concept and it serves more Mangalorean (60 per cent) than Goan (40 per cent) because we are located more in the Manglorean belt. The all-day Comida (meaning food in Portuguese or Spanish) offers a buffet breakfast or delicious bites through the day. For an intimate experience, Rio Salao (meaning river lounge) has an eclectic menu of light bites and beverages, and ‘grab and go’ options.” Commenting on the food preferences of guests, Chef Amalraj adds, “Earlier people wanted exotic food but now they just want simple, fresh food - no drama in the food, no experimenting. We procure most of our raw ingredients from Goa itself and only a few stuff is imported. We buy the local poi (bread) from the local bakery. This way we not only support
STRATEGY the local community but also retain the authenticity and maintain sustainability.” The hotel does a lot of corporate events in its large ballroom, Sunset Lawn, and two boardrooms equipped with state-ofthe-art equipment and amenities. Not surprisingly, the mango tree in the courtyard is used for events too. The chef reveals that the hotel is set to host its first wedding event of 150 to 200 pax for a Gulf NRI. Elaborating on the hotel architecture, Dhir explains, “It is Goan Portuguese inspired. The architect was very enamoured with the Goan churches which he has duplicated in the lobby with a high roof and a steeple in the centre. But he has combined that with a modern feel so our tiles have an authentic Goan Portuguese feel and still have a modern contemporary look. Lot of our stuff is local. In the kitchen, our crockery, cutlery is artisanal, nothing is imported - everything we use is as much local as we can do except for anything that is a brand standard.”
The Goa market dynamics Dhir has been in Goa since 2004 and from that time till today she feels that the market has just gone up. “The number of tourists has changed from international to domestic - hoteliers’ reluctance to say that Indian tourists are noisy and they don’t pay are today banking on these very Indian tourists. So in season, a 70 per cent international and 30 per cent domestic ratio earlier, has just moved the other way round now. Goa is now a 12 month market. Previously, in 2005-2006, smaller hotels used to close in summers. Now that does not happen. There is demand through the year. Goa is one market that has not seen a dip in the last seven or eight years. And with new inventory, big or small hotels still continue to grow and sustain tourism.” Dhir opines that in terms of numbers, the Goa market has grown. “But in terms of the destination per se, I think we have devolved. Goa had this certain charm, that’s what people came for. Now Goa only has people who don’t respect what Goa is all
about. The ban on public drinking is a very very important decision that has come two years too late. You don’t want Goa to be known about by someone who sits topless on a bike with a beer can in his hand and posts an instagram picture. That’s not the Goa we are talking about. Almost everyone in Goa drinks but you will not see a local misbehave after having a drink. We need to be respectful of the places we visit. But having said that, from a business perspective, Goa is still a very very buoyant market,” she believes. According to her, room occupancies or the Revpar has also grown consistently year on year. Hotels have opened at different levels, people find their niche. “Even if you look at competition figures, over the last year occupancies have grown. ARRs have sustained in the five-star segment. This year will pretty much stagnate in terms of rates but occupancy is still growing. The
number of people coming in are growing. But the rates are holding on to last year’s levels so we currently don’t see that kind of an increase,” Dhir predicts.
Team building When you look at attrition in Goa you will see, specially with the established hotels, that attrition is highest at the entry level, it is highest with the local team members who join - they will work with hotels for two to six months then take a break and work on the cruise liners. Dhir agrees, “In our case because we opened at a very odd time, local college batches were already placed, so we did offbeat colleges- we went to the East of the country which nobody goes to like Darjeeling, Kolkata, etc. So you will see that a lot of our team members are not local, which is not by choice - it just happened like that. We are now hiring more. And majority of our team members are first timers - for 60
per cent of them, this is their first job. They are driven to prove something and so we feel fortunate as far as attrition is concerned. It is much lower than acceptable industry norms which is about 35 per cent plus.” As a company the group has CARE (Creating A Rewarding Environment) a programme that takes care of team members and all other stakeholders. “So whether it is training or team building activities, we have something all the time. This team building is very important and we even do it near the mango tree,” adds Dhir.
As for sustainability, for a hotel this size,DoubleTree by Hilton Goa panaji has no boilers. All the hot water comes from residual waste energy. The hotel also does its own composting for manure and avoids plastic as much as possible. It also works with an NGO - Sundara for recycling waste soap. Her management mantra? “Any leader is as good their team. You have to have people who are driven because if your team is not driven at the ground level, they will not challenge you upwards. Challenges are what make us better,” asserts Dhir.
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LIGHTING FEATURE
LET THERE BE LIGHT The hospitality industry has always been a guzzler of energy in a bid to provide guests with hassle-free services, be it in terms of attaining the desired temperature, seamless entertainment, or keeping the hallways and rooms well-lit. In any operational hotel building, electricity accounts for more than 50 per cent of total energy utilisation and is used for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting system, etc., as reported in the guidebook titled 'Energy Management In Your Hotel' by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Express Food & Hospitality spoke to industry experts to learn the current trends and the role of technology and their insights on sustainability By Akshay Nayak
RADEESH SHETTY FOUNDER,THE PURPLE TURTLES
Trends in hospitality lighting segment Hospitality industry has come a long way in terms of the keen interest and the sheer awareness of lighting and ambience for a space. Lighting plays an important role in setting the mood and creating a look. Industrial appearance for all bars is passĂŠ, designers and architects are spending a lot more time and money in carefully curating the looks of
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any site such as specialised thematic looks from a Japanese, Korean restaurant to an Italian cafe, recreating the look of their origin and with modular concepts such as Social, a co-working space during the day and restro-bar by night, the decor and lighting has really enhanced the overall aesthetics.
Sustainability There are two aspects to look at sustainability in terms
of lighting. One is the type of light fixtures such as the use of ecofriendly LED. Secondly, the conscious choice of companies to source locally. Not just the material but also working with artisans for products and graffiti, etc. People these days are well travelled and are a lot more aware about different sustainable materials like various fibres such as jute, cane, bamboo, paper.
LIGHTING FEATURE
“We have a large sustainable material palette of cane, fabric, all manufactured and sourced locally”
At The Purple Turtles, all our lights are LED compatible. We work with architects for thought-through lighting plans from functional to decorative lighting. Also, we have a large sustainable material palette of cane, fabric, all manufactured and sourced locally.
Role of technology in lighting There’s a huge shift in LED segment because of research with newer products, constant innovations, variety of colours, quality, and even automation which is no more an expensive or a rigorous task. These LEDs are appcompatible with smart phones and can be easily used to create moods. Lighting plays an important role in setting the mood of a place and creating an ambience.
Recent projects We work with brands who customise large fixtures. We have an extensive material palette: from paper to glass to fabric, there’s a wide variety to choose from. We have done a lot of projects with tailor-made lighting for brands like Burma Burma, Koko, Foo Mumbai, 1Q1, Hangover, Reservoire, Bombay Brasserie, etc.
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April 2019
LIGHTING FEATURE
RAJESH UTTAMCHANDANI DIRECTOR,SYSKAGROUP
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LIGHTING FEATURE Trends in hospitality lighting segment Hotels and restaurants form a huge industry and lighting plays a very crucial role in the overall aesthetics of a hotel/ restaurant. Additionally, with government regulations having become more stringent, the expectation from hoteliers to incorporate more environmentfriendly solutions in their construction and operations is increasing. There is a whole new shift towards LED today, which was earlier for CFLs due to benefits such as energy efficiency, long-lasting properties and cost effectiveness.
From an overall perspective, the lighting of hotel spaces needs to be well managed. Today, many organisations conduct business meetings, events and seminars in hotels, hence there is a need to help facilitate presentations and other requirements. Interestingly, IoT-enabled LED smart lights are also gaining momentum and are attracting attention of the hospitality sector.
Sustainability We at Syska, believe in creating a sustainable environment by promoting and accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient and environ-
ment-friendly lighting solutions. In keeping with this mission, we offer a vast range of specialised greenfield ecofriendly LED lighting solutions, which consume up to 70 per cent less power. They are designed to have a negligible impact on the environment. In fact, these lights are completely free of toxic components like mercury, lead and glass. We are constantly upgrading our products and solutions to cater to the growing needs of hospitality brands. We also offer ceiling lights, down lights, dĂŠcor lights that are used in hotels and restaurants which are aesthetically appealing.
Role of technology in lighting Smart lighting technology has witnessed the arrival of voice assistants tailored for hotels and restaurants. Whether it is a massive hotel chain or a single boutique hotel, hoteliers cannot ignore the latest trends that are emerging in the hospitality industry. Smart lighting makes it possible to experiment with endless arrays of colours and temperatures, and as such, one single bulb - or a set of bulbs on the same network - can cater to every scenario, season, or event. Syska offers smart lights that are controlled by voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google As-
sistant. Each and every device is becoming smart now and hence hospitality sector needs to be at par with new technologies to serve customers better.
Recent projects We have an in-house team of light planners and experts who study the light requirements for various projects like airports, townships, commercial setups, hotels, railway stations, etc. Basis the detailed reports, we suggest the LED applications which not only delivers the fundamental benefit of light consuming lesser power but also elevates the overall aesthetics of the setup.
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April 2019
LIGHTING FEATURE
RITU BAJAJ DIRECTOR,ABBYLIGHTING
Trends in hospitality lighting segment The hospitality industry is growing in leaps and bounds which is apparent from one of the recent KPMG reports which says that the tourism and hospitality industry is contributing to 7.5 per cent to the country’s GDP. While trying to stay on top of the competition and ensuring maximum customer comfort and enhancing experiences, hoteliers are faced with harsh realities of high energy bills. A shift towards efficient lighting is one way of energy saving, where LEDs are playing a huge role over the earlier halogen bulbs and fluorescent lighting. Moreover, the modern traveller today (largely the millennials) is defining the hospitality trends, and smart and connected lighting is one such necessity which is fulfilled by LEDs. Eco-friendly practices are becoming the norm and many hotels are installing solar panels as they focus on renewable energy sources.
Sustainability Sustainable environment is not an option, it is a responsibility. Thus by adopting LEDs
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“LED lamps and tubes not only consume a fraction of the energy consumed by halogen bulbs, they have a much higher lifespan and contain no mercury thus reducing the carbon footprint”
for their lighting requirements, the hospitality industry is doing its bit towards a greener environment. LED lamps and tubes not only consume a fraction of the energy consumed by halogen bulbs, they have a much higher lifespan and contain no mercury thus reducing the carbon footprint. Being one of the pioneers in the country in LED manufacturing, Abby Lighting started the journey by slow but constant mentoring of its
clients towards embracing LED lights. We are committed to helping our customers meet sustainability goals today, by providing them with knowledge & solutions. At our work premise, we pay equal attention to sustainable practices. As part of our commitment, we follow the three ‘R’ principle i.e. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for waste management thereby reducing any adverse impact on the environment.
LIGHTING FEATURE
Role of technology in lighting Lighting controls have assumed a lot of significance in the hospitality industry. Every hotelier recently, is trying to compete to provide personalised experiences to their guests. Creating a unique and memorable experience for them becomes a key to ensuring customer loyalty. With influx of LEDs, we are looking at lights that can be controlled creating an ambience at the touch of a button on
a smartphone. Dimmers can be used for adjusting the lights as per moods, intensity of light can be tuned from warm to cool and many more such possibilities. This means a space can be stretched from a meeting or a conference room to a party room with appropriate lighting controls thus enabling a visionary hotelier to create properties with multi-dimensional concepts.
Recent projects Architectural lighting forms the backbone of any ho-
tel. Having partnered for many years with a number of leading hotel brands and architectural firms, we at Abby understand the unique needs of this industry and are able to meet the challenges through our bespoke solutions which are environmentfriendly and energy-efficient. We are proudly associated with some major projects viz. Marriott, Hyatt Place, ITC Luxury Hotels, Residency, Holiday Inn, Ramada, Novotel, Radisson, etc, to name a few.
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April 2019
LIGHTING FEATURE
VIKAS GANDHI BUSINESS HEAD & VP – LIGHTING,TISVA
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LIGHTING FEATURE Trends in hospitality lighting segment The overall hospitality industry can be divided into two parts, one is definitely the hotels and the others are the restaurants. If we look at the hotels, there are three areas where generally lighting plays an important role, firstly the back of house – office space, secondly lobby, followed by guestrooms. All three types need different kind of lighting solutions. The office space can focus more on energy saving and optimal lighting, for which LEDs can be the best bet here. Secondly, there are also products in the market now which are equipped with motion sensors, a new trend in lighting in the hospitality industry. Coming to other trends, hoteliers are readily investing in products like table lamps and floor lamps which are responsible for indirect lighting as well as are aesthetically pleasing in order to create the desired ambience in the room. These lights can also change colours according to the mood, season, preference, etc., because a guest staying at a hotel can be of different profiles from a family to business travellers, and hence tunability of brightness and colours plays an important role in lighting in hotels. If one is looking at the landscape area, solar lighting is trending there, which also looks aesthetically appealing and is in harmony with the overall design of the hotel, for which we at Tisva customise the designs. We also provide a lot of customised lighting solutions to our hospitality clients due to which production of smaller volumes pushes the costs high which is a challenge for us.
are further increasing sustainability aspect in hotels.
Role of technology in lighting With the guestrooms directly impacting a hotel's business, 'smart guestrooms' have become the trend of the day. When we look at smart, they can be individual smart appliances, but they can also be integrated through the IoT solutions, for which there are many system integrating players. So, a patron can operate several functions within their
hotel rooms through their smartphones, be it closing or opening of the curtains; switching the TV on and off, and also toggling the light switches through their smartphones.
Recent projects We have recently provided lighting solutions to a hotel in Nepal, and also worked with W Resort in Goa and Tavleen Resort in Chail. We have also tied up with Lemon Tree Hotels group.
“There are also products in the market now which are equipped with motion sensors, a new trend in lighting in the hospitality industry�
Sustainability If we look at the guestrooms, when a guest moves outside of the room, the lighting should be able to perceive the same and switch off the lights. A lot of old hotels also are moving towards sustainability and smart technologies
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April 2019
SPOTLIGHT - HOUSEKEEPING
Pure Room: Sanitising technology What began as a novel technology for niche use in the pharmaceutical industry, has now evolved to include the hospitality industry with implementation at large in various luxury hotels, including Taj, North Goa By Anmol Ahluwalia
F
or every housekeeper and general manager, one of the most important aspects of running a hotel is cleanliness and hygiene. Coupled with microbiology and so many international standards, it has now become extremely prudent that all hotels follow utmost care in providing, clean, hygienic and defect free rooms to their guests. Keeping this in mind, one of the many things which we have introduced in Taj, North Goa is a Pure Room concept. Pioneered by the ever evolving and demanding pharmaceutical industry, this concept has now found space in the Indian hospitality landscape. The backbone of Pure Room is the technology - DSX, which
Anmol Ahluwalia
puts sanitisation levels at par with pharmaceutical clean rooms. Having been test-piloted at a couple of Taj properties, this technology is now being implemented across Taj in North Goa. As the weeks progressed, the hotels have now witnessed first-hand efficacy of this new technology and have expanded the scope of work, giving access to full rooms, common areas and kitchens. Pure Room works on sanitising hotel surfaces in a “pure” manner, without the use of any chemicals or other toxic compounds. Pure Room is a WHO and Diversey E-Cristal compliant sanitisation service that makes rooms allergy-free and visibly as good as new, eliminating pathogens and odours. It is similar to an advanced deep cleaning process and makes the housekeeping department's job easier. The results are outstanding, assuring high customer satisfaction. This can also be validated by performance using real-time swab test meters, which is particularly useful during audits - provide placards for placements in guest rooms (for customer awareness) and certificates to client hotels. Each room needs to execute the Pure Room procedure only once a month.
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“Having been test-piloted at a couple of Taj properties, this technology is now being implemented across Taj in North Goa. As the weeks progressed, the hotels have now witnessed first-hand efficacy of this new technology”
SPOTLIGHT - HOUSEKEEPING
The delpoyment Pure Room deployment includes one DSX Dry-Steam Sanitiser, one OZ3 Ozone Sanitiser and two trained operators i.e. Sanitisation specialists. The DSX converts four litres of water into 400 litres of super-heated drysteam, releases it onto the surface at a pressure of 600 kilopascals, thereby killing all pathogens upon contact and loosening any dirt. Consequently, the OZ3 uses palladium plates to replicate the
process of a thunderstorm in order to naturally convert atmospheric air into low-concentration ozone gas, which kills all air-borne bacteria and neutralises odours before disintegrating into pure oxygen all within ten minutes. ATP bacterial validation swab-test meters are available to Pure Room teams in each city, whenever needed and have standardised perroom pricing across all properties. Pure Room operators report to the deputy executive housekeeper or the assigned executive from the housekeeping department on a dayto-day basis. With the Pure Room sanitisation process, each room takes between 45 to 60 minutes to complete, including flooring, tiled surfaces, carpets, curtains, beds, sofas chairs, interior glass and bathrooms. The Pure Room technology is also useful for kitchens, where DSX machines clean everything from chopping boards to stainless steel (SS) fixtures, eliminat-
ing grease and sticky surfaces, thereby making the SS surfaces shine like new. Continuous implementation of Pure Room makes rooms allergy free and reduces the required frequency of carpet shampooing, curtain washing, upholstery polishing and glass cleaning, thereby creating significant cost savings for users
as well as helping hotels achieve their sustainability goals by saving water and reducing usage of chemicals. Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa and Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa within the IHCL Group uses Pure Room across conference and banquet halls, elevators, lobbies and other common ar-
eas. Apart from this, the resorts have also put in place various other measures to enhance the look and feel of the individual properties. (The author is GM- Taj North Goa, Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa and Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa)
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April 2019
SPOTLIGHT - HOUSEKEEPING
HOUSEKEEPING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY: TRENDS & OPPORTUNITIES The hospitality industry is a service-oriented industry where guest experience and satisfaction are uncompromisable. Therefore, it is quite important that high standards are maintained in terms of safety, security, cleanliness & hygiene to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction. And, this puts a great amount of responsibility on the shoulders of housekeepers in the hotel industry By Reetha Thomas
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T
he housekeeping department is vital for the overall success of a hotel as it not only enhances each and every element of the hotels ‘face’ but is also the highest revenue generator. With advancements in technology and modernisation, the face of housekeeping has changed and is no more considered to be a back-of-the-house department of the hotel. Housekeeping department ensures the cleanliness, safeguarding and aesthetic entreat of the hotel. However, with the passing time, housekeeping services are increasingly becoming scientific and mechanised and technology has brought a substantial change in
efficiency and product quality in the housekeeping department as it leads to a reduction of manpower and time. Earlier, the housekeeping department was considered responsible only for maintaining basic cleanliness and maintenance of the property and very less emphasis was laid on analysis-reports, software, training of staff related to the latest happening in the field of housekeeping. However, in the last few years, a lot of focus is being laid on creativity, innovation, training, use of the latest equipment and technologies and software in the housekeeping sector. Some of the latest trends pertaining to housekeeping department are as follows:
Reetha Thomas
Go Green Going green is the latest trend and housekeepers are using eco-friendly amenities, commodities to conserve water and energy. With the focus progressively on responsible tourism and green practices, there is much more to being ecologically friendly than reusing sheets and towels. For example, the energy management system in the hotel helps to analyse data from major energy-consuming appliances like compact fluorescent lamps and ceiling motion sensors are used in meeting rooms, conference rooms, and public areas to reduce energy waste.
Technology savvy housekeeping Most of the hotels are investing heavily in information technology (IT) infrastructure and networking that deploys the latest technical advances in their operations. New technologies like Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), radio frequency identification, GPS (global positioning system), VOIP (voice over internet protocol), handheld communication devices and WLAN (Wireless local area networks) are developing rapidly. Also, the adoption of products like air purifiers, remote curtains, 810 inch mattresses for ultimate sleep experience, high thread count linen, plush pil-
lows, shower cubicle, and bathtub combinations, branded amenities, bath salts, aromatherapy products & aromatiser has accelerated. Many types of software having comprehensive housekeeping applications are being used today in the hotels. With the help of technology, the customer’s involvement in service delivery has been increased.
Outsourcing of services Housekeeping is a labourintensive department and most of the hotel chains perceive outsourcing as an effective business strategy. Outsourcing proves to be the best solution for many specialised tasks as it
is highly cost-effective and is a good business strategy to meet the demands of hotel standards. It also helps in reducing manpower-related issues like filling the gap due to attrition of manpower, unavailability of suitable personnel & trained manpower. However, retaining employees in the hotel industry is a major challenge due to long work schedule, less compensation, physically demanding tasks, high-pressure environment, and uncomfortable work culture. Generally, people say housekeeping job is a thankless job which results in low morale of the employees. Therefore, housekeeping sector needs to focus on formulation and implementation of dynamic reten-
tion strategies to reduce the employee turnover. In this scenario, training and motivating employees is a fundamental tool to stabilise new staff.
Conclusion Housekeeping is not only about ensuring cleanliness but also consistently maintaining the upkeep of the hotel by adopting innovative trends and practices in housekeeping. Therefore, to stay ahead of the curve, unique and advanced technologies must be implemented and incorporated in hotel housekeeping. (The author is executive housekeeper at Radisson Blu MBD Noida hotel)
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April 2019
TECH BYTES
DISTRIBUTION TECHNOLOGIES B As technology continues to disrupt existing businesses and newer business models emerge, it is only imperative for hoteliers to leverage technology and maximise revenues via a mix of distribution channels. Needless to say, success of a hotel is largely the function of its distribution strategy By Zahid Memon
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ook direct’ may be the mantra for every hoteliers, however the distribution landscape is far wider and complex. Direct channels (such as websites and contact centre) are more profitable and preferred however the intermediaries have their own merits. Technology is constantly re-shaping the distribution channels for hotels. Let’s look at various distribution channels and how they are powered by technology.
Zahid Memon
TECH BYTES Direct channels The hotel website Fondly known as brand.com, the hotel website is the hotels cost efficient, high yielding channel for selling rooms online. The website is an online shop which enables digital marketing and ecommerce. Hotel websites seamlessly connect with an internet booking engine and payment gateways which in turn enable the consumer to make bookings. A mobile-optimised website is crucial for the success of the brand.com as 70 per cent of travel related searches happens on a mobile device. Several techniques such as SEO, paid ads and social media channels can bring traffic to the website. Omni channel contact centre Traditional reservation centres are giving way to Omni channel contact centres. In addition to answering booking enquires via voice channel, consumer requests are also handled via email and chat. Such contact centres are technologically powered to identify consumers (new and repeat), record their preferences and offer personalised products. The cloud infrastructure and systems (cloud PMS, CRS) make it viable for hotels to have the contact centre either in-house, off-site or outsourced. The direct booking channels are also leveraged as the booking platform for the corporate bookers who book at contracted rates.
Traditional reservation centres are giving way to Omni channel contact centres. Such contact centres are technologically powered to identify consumers (new and repeat), record their preferences and offer personalised products
Intermediary channels Online travel agents Online travel agents (OTA) are third party e-commerce websites which cater to various travel related needs of a consumer i.e. flights, rooms, local transportation, tour packages. OTAs invest in technology such as SEO and digital marketing initiatives which makes them rank higher on search engine result pages (SERP) and get traffic to their websites. OTAs offer several deals and options across hotels for the con-
sumer to choose from. They are a crucial source of business for hotels and operate on a commission basis. Global distribution systems (GDS) GDS are computerised reservation networks which offer a single point of access for booking flight seats, hotel rooms and travel services in real time and co-ordinated into one itinerary. The GDS was originally setup by the airlines which was soon ex-
tended to travel agents, hotel chains and car rentals. The GDS exposes the hotel to thousands of travel agents terminals and travel websites. Hotels have the opportunity to reach out to newer market segments through consortia programs and participating into online RFP bidding process over the GDS platform. Metasearch engines Metasearch engines connect with several booking
sites (OTAs and hotel websites) across the internet and provide a list of best deals to the consumer to choose from based on their search criteria. The consumer can then select the best option and get directed to the online channel and complete the booking. Of late, meta-searches are offering ‘instant booking’ option to the consumer which may blur the difference between a meta-search and OTA. Websites such as Kayak, Hipmunk, Trivago, TripAdvi-
sor and Google Hotel Finder are examples of metasearch. With the number of indirect intermediaries in the online space ever increasing, managing rates, inventory and ensuring parity across channels can be a challenge. This is simplified by a channel manager software which connects with channels via web-services to offer a consolidated management console to distribute rates and inventories. Modern-day consumers have more options to shop and book. Consumers cross over channels during their booking journey i.e. research on one channel and book on another on a different device. Changing the consumer behaviour may be a daunting task. However, understanding the consumers shopping and booking preferences can assist in creating a channel distribution strategy thereby ensuring right inventory available, at the right channel at the right price. (The author is IT director, Keys Hotels)
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April 2019
CHEF'S PLATTER
'INDIAN CUISINE IS FUNDAMENTALLYVERYSTRONG' Renowned culinarian and celebrity chef Ajay Chopra began his career with Cecil Oberoi in Shimla. Over the course of 20 years, Chef Chopra has worn various hats across segments like heading the culinary department in hotels and restaurants, to hosting TV cook shows, to being a restaurant and food consultant and of late also building his own personal brand in the digital space. Steena Joy speaks to Chef Chopra to learn more about his 20-year journey in the industry How has the journey been for you in the culinary industry? I can only say that it has been rewarding because 20 years, when I look back it’s a long time but each year has been very different, very rewarding. There is a song that I sing in the church, “Step by step we are moving forward, little by little taking ground”, and I think that’s what has happened in the whole industry as well as my career. The food industry is growing immensely. So, from the times where we were sitting in offices as executive chefs, or even going back to cooking in the kitchens of various hotels, life was very, very demanding. It’s not any less demanding now, but it is just that now it is a very different kind of thought process that we apply. Building restaurants that is what I really do, while also doing events, television and a whole lot of other stuff. The journey has been very rewarding, I can’t complain. Who has been your inspiration? Well, in every stage there have been many people who have really inspired me. I have had many mentors, not just one - who have been like a pillar and a rock throughout my career. If I have to name a few ...there is Elton Hurtis who is currently the general manager of Weligama Bay - Marriott Resort and Spa in Sri Lanka. He was earlier a chef and my boss. He was a tough boss and that is the reason why I stand here today. Another person whom none of the F&B people can forget is the late Vinay Jayaraj,
who was a workaholic and amazing at his work. There have been many other mentors like Chef Rajiv Gulshan, Chef Vanidharan, so many people who came my way and since the time we actually came out of the hotels and moved to television and the other stories, I think life changed a little bit, and gradually the mentors also changed. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is one of them, from whom I received mentorship on how to wear many hats - to be a businessman and entrepreneur as well as a chef. Having witnessed the industry for the past two decades how has the community of chefs changed over these years? Tremendously, I can say. From the time that I entered the industry, it was a phenomenon of Ustadgiri, where as trainees or people who had just entered the culinary industry, we had to work our way through right from making tea to getting cigarettes for the Ustadji, which at times also included the likes of some massages, that’s how life was. But, from thereon, moving to a more identified culture in the kitchen, people were trying to learn the cuisine through actually jotting down things. Recipes were never documented earlier. So we actually witnessed the transition phase from non-documented cuisines to documented ones and moving forth. Today I think the world is going very fast in terms of food where everything just changes instantaneously. The last 20 years, I think that the
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of chefs, a lot of restaurants coming in who are bridging that gap, more like in the West. Now people are looking at India and at food with a very different vision. Also when Chef Marco Pierre was here he did say that Indian food is a jewel hidden somewhere which needs to be brought out. And I feel that’s what the world needs to know, that Indian cuisine is not just flavoursome but fundamentally very strong and that it has so many layers to itself that unless one actually knows each and every layer they can’t get to the top of it. I think the world is realising this so our cuisine has a very bright future and I am really excited about it.
Ajay Chopra
chefs have come out of a tremendous pressure which is obviously built for the need for change and bringing out something new because everything is changing fast and I feel it’s great, and I accept the challenge very gladly and I am enjoying it. With the millennial travellers well-travelled over the world and aware of different international cuisines, how many of them do you think might know about a Michelin star and what it means? I think the world is moving faster than we realise and India is also now exposed to terms like Michelin star, thanks to
programmes like Masterchef where Chef Vikas Khanna, a Michelin star chef, was a cojudge along with me. There are a few other names like Chef Vineet Bhatia, Chef Atul Kochhar, Chef Alfred Prasad, who are Indians and have received Michelin stars. India is getting there but a majority of the country still doesn’t know what a Michelin star means. Earlier our whole food scene meant going out either to a fivestar hotel or a street-side restaurant - we never thought of food as a science and an art, but always saw food as taste so there was nothing in between this and the gap remained for a long time. Today there are a lot
Indian millets were one of the trendiest ingredients of last year, and there is a lot of people going back to legumes, seeds, etc., what are your views about this trend? Cuisine always takes a full circle. If you look at the French cuisine in the 1750s and 1850s, a lot of roasts and big platters were often used, which is now coming back. A lot of wholesome dishes, for example, Fondant Potato, a 120-year-old dish, adaptation of which, like the Fondant potatoes-styled cooking is also coming back. So also millets which were consumed during the 1800s and 1900s but somewhere along the way these humble grains were overpowered and pushed to the back seat. But now people are realising that health is a bigger form of food and the most important aspect. Also each of these grains actually gives a lot of health benefits. So whether it is
CHEF'S PLATTER
a superfood; keeping one filled satiated for a long time; is clean or about the energy quotient, all of these qualities are present in the humble grains like jowar, bajra, etc., this trend is here to stay and probably will for a long time. In the international market too, look at quinoa, an ancient grain from South America - it has become a fad throughout the world. Soon our millets too are going to retake the market in a big way. Is it easy to open your own restaurant in India? Opening one’s own restaurant anywhere across the world is very tricky, difficult, timeconsuming, and also ‘you-consuming’, because a restaurant can never be run by somebody else. It is a given fact that one has to put their heart and soul
and their passion into it, they can’t leave and depend on somebody else’s passion to drive their business. He/she will drive it but they might not do an absolutely brilliant job out of it because at the end of the day what the founder can feel and believe, the employees can’t. So in totality, it is a very tasking job but on the other hand, one does have options where there are chef partnerships in which we see that a chef brings a lot of passion to the table and the investor brings a lot of money which put together is going to be a great success model. But, if it is my own restaurant and I am a chef and I am driving it, then I better focus on it 200 per cent. What is your advice for aspiring chefs?
The very first tool that a chef handles is a knife, and I must tell that any knife across the world even if one buys the best and the most expensive knife it will get blunt if you don’t keep sharpening it. So the number one lesson in learning is that one has to continually keep learning and sharpening your skills. The second is when one sharpens something, it is painful. Sharpening a knife might also mean getting the rough edges off which means a lot of hard work. When one sharpens the knife, it is going to erode the rough ends and that is what hard work does, because as these aspirants go forward, they work diligently, passionately, all of which integrate to them becoming better chefs. What do you think about sus-
tainability and its impact? We have opened a new restaurant in Pune called ‘Paash’ which in Sanskrit means nature. This space is a boutique 50-cover restaurant and will serve pure organic food; sustainable food; food for which ingredients have been sourced from a 50-mile radius; food which is clean because I know that the farmer, who sources the ingredients, uses no pesticides, it is 100 per cent organic, and furthermore I am also going to use my own homemade sauces which means that no bottled products will be used. So, if everybody starts thinking in that direction, then sustainability will have another meaning. It’s like an emotion, a belief and not a pattern, which needs to be worked through.
What is your most unforgettable wow food moment? There have been 20,000 wow food moments, whenever a dish that one thinks will probably not turn out the way they would want it to be but turns out to be impressive. There was a time where I was cooking a large volume of biryani and I was not really sure that the ratio of rice, moisture, and the meat will kind of blend in and the biryani would come out the way it should. I am not Imitiaz Qureshi and I have not made as much biryani as he has, so I was obviously sceptical that when I open the pot is it going to be okay or not? And the moment the biryani came out, like the flavoursome one in its own way that was the moment I said, Bravo! There are thousands of such moments.
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HIGH SPIRITS
White Owl: CRAFTING AN INDIAN BEER With a singular aim of creating top-notch, locally-handcrafted beer, White Owl Brewery which started brewing in October 2014 at a tiny craft brewery in Mumbai, has now grown by leaps and bounds serving unique chilled craft beers across restaurants, bars and retail stores. Javed Murad, founder, White Owl Brewery shares his journey from that small brewery to launching India’s first locally brewed bottled cider By Akshay Nayak
“I
stumbled upon some great beer when I was in the grad school in Boston in 2007. At the time, craft beer really started picking up in the US. It was so easily available everywhere and so well priced that whenever I visited Mumbai for a holiday, it became glaringly apparent that we needed a better beer,” reminisces Javed Murad, founder, White Owl Brewery, about the spark that initiated the idea to start White Owl. A few years later, after having discussed this with friends, mentors, and colleagues, he decided to actually do something about it and moved back to put together a detailed business plan that culminated in the birth of the company.
Plugging into the craft beer segment Although the beer space in India may have many brands already, the skew is very lopsided, Murad feels. “On the one hand, our consumer has a large number of options for a typical low-cost, mass-produced beer that will always form the bulk of every market. In stark contrast, there are almost no options
available in the premium beer segment, where quality and craft supersede cost. In my opinion, this phenomenon completely mismatches the trajectory of our young, growing, urban population that has begun to earn well, has its finger on the pulse at all times and is continuously making finer, more evolved consumption choices. This is the gap that White Owl is addressing in India,” he explains the reason behind entering the craft beer segment. While all the start-ups harness various challenges, Murad too faced several headwinds while setting up the brand White Owl. “Most of the obstacles I faced were the obvious ones that most entrepreneurs face when they start out, including raising some sort of seed funding; stretching budgets to put together a basic operating team, and eventually executing a business plan to begin generating revenues. Moreover, in my case, even though I had grown up in Mumbai, I had absolutely no work experience in India or in F&B/ FMCG. So, I had to learn almost everything from scratch. This included
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The trajectory of our young, growing, urban population that has begun to earn well, has its finger on the pulse at all times and is continuously making finer, more evolved consumption choices. This is the gap that White Owl is addressing in India
HIGH SPIRITS
navigating through complex legislation in a highly-regulated industry as well as constantly recalibrating my expectations for how long a particular task should take. Honestly, these obstacles remain even today - especially as White Owl is expanding into new markets with new products where things are always new and constantly changing - but my methods of managing through them have evolved considerably with experience,” he informs.
Crafting the notable tasting notes Talking about the unique tasting notes exhibited by White Owl beers, Murad says, “Our brewers have mixed both old-world and new-age styles to create a portfolio covering the likings of the Indian audience. A few of our flagship brews include Spark, a classic Belgian Wit, characterised by summery orange-citrus notes; Diablo, an Irish Red Ale, known for its unique amber appearance and hints of caramel, and Ace, a bubby Apple Cider Ale that is brewed with Himalayan apple and Champagne yeast. Interestingly, Diablo is the first Irish Red Ale in Asia to be bottled, and Ace the only locally-bottled Apple Cider available today in India.”
Keeping the bar taps chilled White Owl beers are currently available across Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Bengaluru, and Delhi at over 1,500 restaurants, bars and retail stores. As for the outlets that already mark the presence of White Owl labels, Murad adds, “Some of our partnering outlets in Mumbai include - The Irish House, Social Offline, British Brewing Company, Sofitel, Renaissance, Tunga Hotels, Indigo Deli, Pop Tates, Agent Jacks, Warden Wines, Deepak Wines, Aaradhana Wines, Peekay Wines and Pankaj Wines, amongst many others. In Bengaluru our beers are present in - The Humming Tree, The Black Rabbit, Smoke House Deli, Taj Hotels, Hilton Hotels, LaLiT Ashok, Sheraton Grand, Bangalore Turf Club, Madhuloka Group, Spencer’s Supermarket, JW Marriott, The Beer Café, Dewar’s Wine Shop, Sam’s Wines, Drops and Liquor Mart. Likewise in Delhi - The Beer Café, The Irish House, Yes Minister, Café Tesu, C Suri, Ashok T Gulrajani, Raasta, What A Comic Show, The Taste and Ashok T Gulrajani, etc., have our beers stacked. In Pune, we are present in The Urban Foundry, The
Daily, Shisha Jazz Cafe, One Lounge, British Brewing Company, Boteco, Krustys, Mineority by Saby, Hippie at Heart, Prems, Swig, Elephant & Co, German Bakery and Pandora, including many more. And, last but not the least, in Goa, one can find White Owl in Black Sheep Bistro, Thalassa, Route 66, Starlight, Purple Martini, Santorini, Escobar, Novotel Hotels & Resorts, Novotel Dona Sylvia, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Planet Hollywood, Delfinos, Newton’s and Toms Wine.”
The way ahead About the future expansion plans of White Owl, Murad concludes, “We have exciting times ahead! Our expansion plans include new geographies and new product formats for our established, award-winning craft beer portfolio.”
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April 2019
STARTUP ZONE
'THE INDIAN GOVERNMENTIS PROMOTING MILLETS BIG TIME AND IN FACTHAS DECLARED 2019 AS THE NATIONALYEAR OFMILLETS' InnerBeing has introduced millets like ragi, jowar and bajra in a contemporary avatar of ready-to-eat and cook mixes ranging from breakfast mixes, hot drinks to protein bars and snacks. The ingredients for the products are sourced directly from the farmers, to make sure that they remain in the purest form. Sandesh Pandhare, co-founder and chairman, InnerBeing Wellness, speaks to Steena Joy about the brand's commitment to bring alive ancient grains and the future roadmap What is the aim and vision behind InnerBeing? At InnerBeing what we are basically aspiring to do is bring back the ancient grains, particularly millets, to the consumers in a format which they are already accepting. For example, idli, upma, poha
these are all standard items. We are bringing them in millets which are very good for health and they offer very good nutritional benefits. There are about eight varieties of millets like for example jowar, bajra, nachni or ragi. Millets are basically gluten
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free, they also have very low glycemic index and they are good for diabetics. India is now the diabetic capital of the world. Obesity wise India is now number three in the world. So these millets are helpful for such consumers. They are also very good in
proteins. Especially foxtail millet. Ragi is very good in calcium. So what we have done is we have created this product a ragi chocolate drink. This is a fantastic thing for mothers to give to their children. For all our products we have basically focussed on five pillars.
Sandesh Pandhare
STARTUP ZONE
Because we have done research and realised that people are looking for certain health attributes. All our products are gluten free. They are fortified with plant protein. They have no added sugars, so even the cake mix that we have is good for diabetic people because it will not have any sugar. We also have our quinoa and millet blended porridge which is good for young children. So InnerBeing products use a lot of natural ingredients? Yes, natural ingredients such as dates or maybe honey. Our products have no added preservatives and are high in fiber. So the idea is not only to have these foods or millets in traditional formats like poha and idli but also in modern formats like say, millet pancakes. My 21-year old daughter who will shy away from idlis and upmas and pohas will readily eat pancakes, waffles, etc. That's the trend. Our packaging is also stylish so that it appeals to such millennials. Turmeric milk is a known remedy for generations but children these days refuse to have it. But now Starbucks has launched their turmeric latte and it's hugely successful now all over the world. Ironically, India is the largest producer of turmeric in the world. So our idea is we have to take our ancient heritage like millets and bring it to consumers in modern formats that appeals to them. Do you retail? Yes we go through retail. We also sell through institutional sales. We also have our online store. These are our three distribution channels. How much part is institutional sales as of now? Institutional sales account for almost 40 per cent. Rest 40-45 per cent is retail and online is still small. But we are catching up. We are headquartered in Hyderabad where we have most of the big hotels like ITC, Hyatt, Novotel, Radisson,
etc. We work very closely with the dietician fraternity as well as the chef fraternity, fitness sector like gyms etc, even marathons, the education sector and corporate canteens for our institutional sales.
“Our products have no added preservatives and are high in fiber. So the idea is not only to have these foods or millets in traditional formats like poha and idli but also in modern formats like say, millet pancakes�
What are the main markets right now regionally? We started in Hyderabad in 2014. Now we want to get into top 10 cities in India like Bengaluru. IT people don't have time but are very health and lifestyle conscious and they are well travelled. They are our target segment. We want to map that. We want to come to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Pune and Kolkata. So rather than saying east, west, north, south as zones we want to get into these top 10 cities first because that's where bulk of the market is. I just want to add one more thing. We are the first company to be incubated with a-idea NAARM (National Academy for Agricultural Research & Management, a Government of India agriculture arm) and receive seed funding from ICARNAARM. We were also the first company in which they have actually made an investment. It's a small investment but they saw the power of what we are trying to do. Hyderabad is the nutritional capital of India. We also have a technical tie-up with the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), the apex body for all millet research in the country. We get a lot of help from them in popularising millets in different food formats. The Indian government is promoting millets big time and in fact has declared 2019 as the National Year of Millets and globally also the FAO has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Initially in India there was a concern of food security, now it is of nutritional security - are people getting enough of good food? So it is not just the quantity but the quality of food that is a concern now.
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BUSINESS AVENUES
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CAREER SCOPE
FOOD STYLING:
A journey to visual appeal As much as food holds value for its nutritional aspects, the visual appeal of a dish enhanced by food presentation is equally crucial as it is helps the diner decide to consume the food or not. Speaking on the importance of food styling, Chef Michael Swamy tells us how food styling differentiates an artist from a creator
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Michael Swamy
S WELL-STYLED food relegated only to advertisements on a printed page or is it just to be instagramable? The Japanese have perfected the art of plating food, with techniques that chefs take years to master. Many chefs have done much by way of making food more accessible
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through visual means. Famous artists to chefs like Charlie Trotter, have shown what eating with one's eyes, is all about. It's nothing more than uplifting one’s senses by way of visual appeal. As a chef and stylist, one has come to realise it's something that goes beyond the plate. It's about creating a
visual experience. Breaking the barriers of plating Indian food is a talent owned by too few chefs. It is being done however in Indian restaurants in Europe where food is being presented in a totally different style. Every second restaurant continues to have the same style of plating their dishes.
Where has creativity and ingenuity gone? A great food presentation speaks volumes; it shows what a chef can do. It raises a chef from a creator to an artist. This is something we realised when we were invited by Chef Thiru to teach at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of
CAREER SCOPE Hotel Administration Manipal, the only college in the country concentrating on giving its students more than just a culinary education, taking the students beyond the realm of a plate and discussing with them the nuances of crockery and cutlery and how as chefs they have to learn about colours and textures and lines on a plate. Showing them the works of great artists and how they saw the play of light and shadows and how they painted food across huge canvasses. Another example of creating plating experiences giving us a challenge was when we were asked to improve the dining experience of food at Pugdundee Resorts in Madhya Pradesh and Te Aroha in the mountains. We used the elements around us to create the mood and the story. The jungle menu and the mountain menu arose and created a visual story. How does one take tribal cuisine and make it presentable to an international audience? Or for that matter how to train staff to rethink food and look at it from a new dimension? At times a stylist's role is to create the audible experience, wherein the food stories mesmerise the audience and they visualise an image even before the plate is put in front of them. International travellers want to know more about food, cuisines, and cultures and creating that experience is the job of the chef and the management. At times we have had to explain to staff what their own cuisine is all about so that they are able to give a visual picture to a guest. Getting naturalists to discuss local ingredients with guests during the game drives, showing them unique trees and ingredients, walking through the organic farm, showcasing the farm to fork concept all this is part of creating the culinary experience.
A visual treat One of the fundamentals of teaching styling is that the food must not only taste good but also look good. The evolution of Gardens Land and Sea created another dimension for a restau-
rant menu we had created. Currently working on Bikers Café, the menu will take the long roads and coastal highways and the famous foods along the way. Capturing those stories and creating a culinary magic around the dishes and the plating and transporting the diner within a visual map is going to be a challenge. Looking back, what is it that I want to see on a plate? Well for one, the cutlery if it’s for fine dining, had better be good. Fine cutlery shows that you care how your food is eaten. As dinner plates go, we have moved beyond the old fashioned. The choice of china available now in India is stupendous. From different shapes to different sizes,
an understanding of knowing how to serve what and in which dish is desirable. In crockery today, it seems bigger is the better. There are plenty of fine designs to be found in all shapes and materials. Bone china and porcelain continue to be the best. The colour white or earth hues complement good food. A host of shapes takes one’s fancy and with mix and match options, one can plate dishes as to one's convenience. On larger plates it’s easier to space food, keeping in mind four factors - balance, focus, flow and unity. Placing smaller portions on large plates makes food look very elegant.As a chef knowing that sauces and gravies are best served in coupe plates or pasta plates, certain
Indian dishes are best served within a coupe plate versus serving the food in a flat plate. When designing food well, what’s in season works best. The freshest fruits and vegetables are nutritious and enhance the look on a plate. Very often it’s the protein that is the focal point of a plate with everything else going around it. There are many styles to plating food. From stacking ingredients and flavours one on top of the other to the landscape style of plating where food is artistically placed flat upon a plate. From giving elements of height and liquid on a plate to a swirl of sauce, lines on a plate, or designer mounds of food all presented, well styled are a feast for the eyes. Current day chef styl-
ists have to learn with actual ingredients and play around with food. Everything on the plate has to be edible. A thorough understanding of culinary techniques is essential. Having styled for books and food shows and teaching students the art and craft of plating, I have come to realise that one has to spread one's knowledge and create a brand of chefs who are going to be strong and knowledgeable and know more about art and design and about colours, light, shadow and above all learn a sense of having an “eye for detail”.
(The author is a food stylist, food media specialist and culinary trainer)
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April 2019
MOVEMENTS Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli Chef Sidharth Bhardwaj has been appointed as the executive chef at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli. A dynamic epicurean, Chef Bhardwaj is on a quest to explore quirky and unusual ingredients to offer guests an extraordinary dining experience. His forte lies in crafting innovative creations and infusing unique flavours in conventional dishes. Chef Bhardwaj has been associated with Marriott International since 2009. Prior to his recent positioning, he headed the culinary operations at JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort and Spa in the capacity of an executive chef. He has worked his way from being a kitchen supervisor to
skills, preopening of hotels and passion for perfection. Apart from various assignments in the Taj, he has spent more than a decade with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, working in its properties across South Asia – Kolkata, Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu and Chennai. He has also worked with Hilton at its hotels in Dubai and Bahrain and also for the Swissôtel in Kolkata.
Sachin Malhotra
Vikram Singh Rathore
years of experience across a broad spectrum of hospitality functions and holds specialisation in hotel operations with an avid interest in F&B. In his new role, Malhotra will spearhead the business operations, overall implementation and business development at Novotel Imagica Khopoli, ensuring its growth and expansion through innovative strategies. He brings with him an extensive array of proficiency and a deep understanding of operational knowledge, especially in pre-opening set ups and managing the financial sustainability of hotels. Previously, Malhotra was the general manager of Grand Mercure Mysuru since its opening in April 2016. His journey with Accor began in 2009.
group of hotels and Holiday Inn. Rathore holds a Bachelor's Degree of Hotel Management from Rajasthan University.
Chef Sidharth Bhardwaj
achieving the position of executive sous chef at the first JW Marriott resort in India. He has also been associated with Courtyard by Marriott in Ahmedabad and Chennai; and is known to apply his skill set to consistently maintain Guest Voice - the guest satisfaction measurement tool of Marriott.
Novotel Imagica Khopoli Novotel Imagica Khopoli has appointed Sachin Malhotra as the new general manager, who brings with him over 18
Sarovar Premiere, Jaipur Vikram Singh Rathore has recently joined the Sarovar Premiere, Jaipur as the general manager. With an experience of close to two decades in the hospitality industry Rathore exhibits an expertise in operations management and strategy planning. Before associating with Sarovar Hotels and Resorts, he worked as the general manager of Royal Orchid Regenta Central Jalmahal, Jaipur. In the past he has worked with hospitality brands such as ITC, Carlson
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Raajkutir Swabhumi, Kolkata Ambuja Neotia Group has appointed Subrata Debnath as the business head of its upcoming hospitality project, Raajkutir - Swabhumi, Kolkata. In his new role, Debnath will lead this experiential boutique hotel inspired by legacy and heritage. In his last role, he mentored and led the F&B and culinary operations of Taj City Centre, Gurugram. With a rich and diverse experience spanning of more than 25 years, 10 unique destinations across the world and a host of international brands, Debnath is known for his exemplary hotel operations
Subrata Debnath
Fairfield by Marriott Pune Kharadi Fairfield by Marriott Pune Kharadi has appointed Vrushali Kummar as their new director of sales. She comes with 18 years of hospitality experience and has worked with brands including IHG, Berggruen, Marriott, Oakwood
Courtyard by Marriott, Siliguri Rohit Bajpai has recently been appointed as the hotel manager of Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri, the first Marriott branded property in the north east. Bajpai has been GM with both international and domestic brands like Hilton, Radisson and Royal Orchid. Over the years he has gained invaluable F&B expertise through a variety of luxury brands like ITC Hotels and Shangri-la, operating renowned outlets like Dum Pukht, Bukhara and Peshawri. In his current role, he will be overseeing all aspects of operational and strategic management of the 17th ‘Courtyard by Marriott’ branded property to open in South Asia. Bajpai brings with him over 20 years of functional managerial experience with a strong F&B knowledge being the backbone of his career. Bajpai exhibits outgoing leadership, innovative staff management, and honest handling in the development of friendly and respectful relationships.
JW Marriott Kolkata
Vrushali Kummar
and Hyatt. She also holds strong knowledge of global practices in hospitality and is well versed in establishing sales and marketing setups from luxury to business hotels in major markets such as Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. Kummar also has a long history of successes in the generation of new accounts, sales structure improvement, market share growth in existing accounts and enhanced catering revenues clubbed with ROI in marketing communications, revenue management and e-commerce.
With over 14 years of culinary experience, Chef Prakash Chettiyar brings a dynamic and innovative energy to JW Marriott Kolkata’s diverse culinary scene. In his current role, he has joined in the capacity of executive chef at JW Marriott Kolkata. His responsibilities include getting the newest trends in Kolkata and offer the best
Chef Prakash Chettiyar
MOVEMENTS
and most innovative food offerings in catering; his aim for JW Marriott Kolkata is to take the F&B offerings to an all new level, and aims at positioning the upcoming outlets at the property to again take the city by storm. Chef Chettiyar began his culinary career with specialisation in Italian cuisine and began working in the western section. Gradually, he expanded his cooking skills in Thai, Chinese, Coastal and Indian cuisine. In 2007, he became incharge of the Indian cuisine section at Oberoi Grand, Kolkata.
gree in hospitality and hotel administration. He is passionately committed to nurturing enthusiastic and forward-thinking leadership in a team environment.
naissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel as director of housekeeping. He began his career in 1997 with the Ramada Hotel Palm Grove and then worked with The Regent
Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel Ritu Rana has been appointed as the director of sales for Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet - Marriott Executive Apartments. She was heading the corporate segment at The Westin Mumbai
Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru Sandeep Naik
Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru has appointed Saharsh Vadhera as director of sales and marketing. In his new role, Vadhera will head the hotel’s sales, events,
Ritu Rana
Saharsh Vadhera
revenue management, reservations, and marketing divisions. His key responsibilities will include overseeing all aspects of hotel sales and marketing strategies, optimising the hotel’s revenue and market share. Vadhera began his hospitality career in 2008. With over a decade of rich experience, he has held various roles with notable luxury hospitality brands. He has a proven track record in achieving set targets with expertise in pre-opening, pricing strategies and market intelligence. Vadhera is an IHM Lucknow alumnus and holds a bachelor of science de-
Garden City before taking up the current role at Renaissance Mumbai. Rana has over eight years of experience in the hospitality industry, involving business planning and leadership development. She was actively involved in strategy formulation, management acquisition and retention management along with aspects of client management and budgeting. Rana has an experience of working in close conjunction with various functions such as revenue generation, marketing and front office management. Apart from work, Rana has been a national level swimmer as well. She loves travelling, exploring new destinations and cuisines. Dancing and Cycling are an addition to her other leisure-time interests. Sandeep Naik has joined Re-
Mumbai (Now Taj Lands End). Most recently, he was associated with the Omkar Realtors & Developers Ltd. at Omkar 1973 - The tallest residential structure in Mumbai in the field of facility management. In his 12 years stint with Marriott India, Naik has spent the majority of this tenure at Renaissance Mumbai where he was groomed to asst. executive housekeeper level.
people strategy, bring in and retaining top talent as well as integrate the values and the dynamic culture of W Goa. D’souza joins W Goa with a rich and diverse experience spanning 14 years in HR. He started his career in HR with Coca Cola. His journey with Marriott started at Goa Marriott Resort & Spa where he contributed a five years in various HR roles. D’souza holds enriching experiences having associated with brands like Swissotel and Hyatt. He has also held the position of HR manager at the Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield and there after moved to open Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal as HR manager. W Goa has also appointed Rakhi Mittal as director of Finance in which she will play a pivotal role in driving the finance and business operations of the hotel. Mittal brings with her over 13 years of industry experience and expertise in the finance & accounts domain. She is known for her acute skill in managing a wide spectrum of finance & accounts activities
where she managed the strategic and financial practices. With a background in chartered accountancy, Rakhi successfully handled internal audit for hotels, statutory and concurrent audits for banks, direct and indirect tax consultancy, Registrar of Company Matters like registration of company, charge filing, searching of documents with ROC records and all other procedural works.
Conrad Bengaluru Conrad Hotels & Resorts has appointed Srijan Vadhera as general manager of Conrad Bengaluru. Vadhera took charge on February 11, 2019 and is responsible for the operation, management, and growth of the 285-room luxury hotel catering to business and leisure travellers. He comes with nearly two decades of experience with expertise in all de-
W Goa W Goa has announced the appointment of John Paul D’souza as director of HR. In his new role, D’souza will be responsible to drive optimal employee performance through
Srijan Vadhera
John Paul D’souza
partments of hospitality and an avid interest in sales and marketing. Most recently, Vadhera served as the general manager of Fairmont Hotel, Jaipur. He began his journey with Taj Mahal Hotel as an industrial trainee and later moved on to be a part of hospitality brands such as Shangri-La, Marriott International, Radisson and Hyatt in different capacities. He also served as the director sales & marketing at Zuri Group Global spearheading sales offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi and Ahmedabad.
Rakhi Mittal
that encompass budgeting, forecasting, revenue strategy, finalisation of accounts, cash flow management, taxation, auditing. Mittal's journey with Marriott started at JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity and has been associated with the brand for the past five years in various financial roles. Previously, she had a successful stint at the Taj Group of Hotels
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BOOKSHELF
Without Reservations By J W “Bill” Marriott, Jr
In 1964, Marriott’s founder, J Willard Marriott, Sr, tucked a letter in his 32-yearold son’s desk drawer
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n Without Reservations, hotel industry icon, J W “Bill” Marriott, Jr, shares the story of Marriott International which began as a family-run root beer stand and grew into a leading global hotel company. In 1927 newlyweds J Willard and Alice S Marriott, along with business partner Hugh Colton, opened the first A&W root beer franchise in Washington, DC. In 1964, just before being named president of the company, Marriott’s father, founder and thenCEO J Willard Marriott, Sr, tucked a letter in his 32-year-old son’s desk drawer. The letter, printed in this book, contains guideposts that proved invaluable as Bill, Jr., blazed the trail for his company and the hospitality industry. Part biography, part business digest, Without Reservations presents a candid perspective on achieving the pinnacle of one’s profession and lessons learned. As devoted to his family as he is to his “family” of 300,000 associates at managed and franchised hotels worldwide, Marriott reflects on
compelling topics, including his three heart attacks; the impact of 9/11; and his 2011 decision to pass the CEO torch to Arne Sorenson, the first chief executive in the company’s 85-year history not named Marriott. At 80, Bill Marriott hasn’t slowed down. He is still a company leader - now serving as executive chairman. He also has a growing following as a prolific blogger onwww.MarriottOnTheMove.com.
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WEEKEND
Dish fulfilment
Scene and Heard With Marcellus Baptista
Cup of joy
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t was a trendy tale of speed and sport, style and sophistication as St. Regis hosted the third edition of the Millionaire Asia Polo Cup at the Amateur Riders’ Club (ARC) ground at the racecourse. Presented by Jeep, this exclusive event saw Chile as the winner in the game with ARC India. After the fast-paced polo game, it was time for a fashion feast from celebrated couturier Nivedita Saboo who showed off her spring/summer collection. Witnessed across the 300-feet-long ramp were prêt and couture creations with detail-intensive crafts like global surface ornamentation techniques, pattern making, layering, quilting, and pleating. Pastel hues, jewel tones, and metallics highlighted the chic collection. The evening continued with a splashy sundowner with mesmerising music by the Bangalore-based band Fernandes Fusion. Guests lived it up with Mumm’s champagne and Johnnie Walker Black Label among other luxury spirits, complemented by tasty cuisine from St. Regis.
Knight out!
Monica Dogra & Shibani Dandekar
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Nivedita Saboo, Zoya Afroz & models
Timeless treasures
T Queenie Singh and Madhoo Shah
F
oodies rejoiced at the opening of Ostaad, the Central Asian cuisine restaurant, brought to you by Neeti and Pranay Goel. Thoroughly enjoying the many dishes from Balochistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, etc., on the opening night, were guests like Avanti and Yash Birla, Monisha Jaisingh, Laila and Farhan Furniturewala, Sandhya Shetty, Poonam Dhillon and Rhea Pillai. The guests could see that the interiors of Ostaad, designed by Zara Eisa and Rohan Poojara, had a contemporary and luxurious vibe as they learned that the core team comprises three head chefs and an expat chef from Afghanistan. Ostaad has an in- house Sufi singer from Afghanistan with Sufi nights offered every Friday. And besides the fabulous food, guests can choose their pick of drinks that are ingredientbased and light like Iranian berry sangria, dates and cheese martini and the Ishtafan rose which is a mix of botanicals, pistachios and rose water in happy harmony with gin.
he old and the beautiful was what it was at the Vintage & Classic Car Rally 2019 brunch at Sofitel Mumbai BKC. Enfolding before your eyes was the spectacular sight of timeless treasures at the event hosted by Jayesh Shah, chairman, Shree Naman Group and Biswajit Chakraborty, GM, Sofitel Mumbai BKC. Making their presence felt was Ratan Tata, Indian industrialist and chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, among many others. More than 150 of the very best classic and vintage cars and motorbikes were on display at Hriday, the sprawling open-air venue of the hotel. Sula wines and Kingfisher beer kept you cool on the hot Sunday. A tasty buffet also awaited the guests. Music by Reena Vaz and Lindsay Pitter pepped up the mood. Incidentally, Sofitel Mumbai BKC, the hotel known to redefine luxury, offers a year-round display of magnificent vintage and classic cars at its front porch.
Nitin Dossa, Viveck Goenka & Biswajit Chakraborty
t was very breezy out there at the seaside lawn of Taj Lands End, the wonderful venue for the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2019 celebration, hosted by Sadhana and Shishir Baijal, chairman and MD, Knight Frank India. Alistair Elliott, senior partner and group chairman and Lord Andrew Hay, partner and head of global residential of Knight Frank were there. Pulsating percussionist Sivamani won the hearts of the audience as did the fabulous fashion from Payal Singhal who showcased a capsule collection for summer weddings. Showstoppers included Shibani Dandekar in an oyster grey georgette lehenga and choli embroidered in folk ikat and ancient Turkish patterns with tassels and tie-ups and Monica Dogra in a periwinkle blue organza lehenga and choli with hand embroidered multi-colour Turkish and ikat motifs in beads and thread with tassels and tie-ups. The drink of choice was Chivas 18 and a delightful sit-down dinner completed the affair.
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