Express Hospitality December 1-15, 2012 by Indian Express

I N D I A’ S F O R E M O S T H O S P I TA L I T Y P U B L I C AT I O N December 1-15, 2012 ` 40

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FORTNIGHTLY INSIGHT FOR THE HOSPITALITY TRADE

VOL 8 | NO. 4 | PAGES 48

Contents December 1-15, 2012

Vol 8 No.4 December 1-15, 2012

Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Editor Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor Steena Joy Associate Editor Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai Sayoni Bhaduri, Kahini Chakraborty New Delhi Heena Mahajan Kolkata Joy Roy Choudhury Editorial Associates Marcellus Baptista, H A Mishra, Harpal Singh Sokhi, P S Sundar, M S Ram Advisory Board Anil Madhok, Rajeev Chopra, Santosh Shidhaye, Homi Aibara, Param Kannampilly, K V Simon, Jiggs Kalra, Jose Dominic, Raju Shahani, N S Bhuie, Nirmal Khandelwal, Muralidharan Menon, Narendra Verma, Prakash Mankar, M Narayanan MARKETING Deputy General Manager Sachin Shenoy Chief Manager Pankaj Shende Marketing Team Dattaram Kandalkar, Rajan Nair Marketing Coordination Darshana Chauhan Asst.Manager - Scheduling & Coordination Arvind Mane

MANAGEMENT

MARKET

Parag Milk Foods looks at promoting dairy tourism ................................................................05 Duet India hotels and IHG bring in first Holiday Inn Express in India, with 18 due over time ..................06 Great Eastern to open in its new avatar in early 2013 ....................................................................07 Marine Life Park, new hotels add to Resorts World Sentosa's MICE capacity ......................................08 All Things Nice presents Indian Wine Consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice Awards 2012 ......................................................09 Kamani Oils introduces five special products for the F&B industry......................................................11 INTERIORS & DESIGNS

Eclectic escape..........................................................21 Interview with Scott Thomson, GM, Hilton New Delhi-Noida Mayur Vihar and Double Tree by Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar ..........24 EDGE

CIRCULATION Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis Production Manager Bhadresh Valia Layout Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker Asst. Art Director Surajit Patro Chief Designer Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer Rushikesh Konka Photo Editor Sandeep Patil

Express Hospitality Reg.No.MH/MR/SOUTH-44/2010-12 RNI Regn. No.MAHENG/2005/21391. Published by Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of the Proprietor The Indian Express Limited from Express Towers, 2nd floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 and Printed by her at the Indian Express Press, at Plot No.EL-208,TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400 710 (Editorial & Administrative :The Indian Express Ltd, 1st floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021). Editor Reema Lokesh* (* Responsible for selection of matter under PRB Act) Copyright @ 2011

December 1-15, 2012

Aesthetic innovations ..................................................14 Chelsom goes to a third dimension ..............................15 SPA & WELLNESS

Interview with Commodore S K Sawhney, president and CEO, Dolphin Group of Companies ....................25 LIFE

A city haven .................................................................16 Spa tourism in Leukerbad .............................................17

A man with many roles ............................................27

REGULARS

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note ..................................................................................................................................................................4 New Kids......................................................................................................................................................................12 Products ......................................................................................................................................................................13 Movements ..................................................................................................................................................................28 Weekend ......................................................................................................................................................................45

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Progress, not pauses he end of the year brings in a spirit of festivity and celebrations. The service industry especially the hotel and restaurant sector, design menus and decors to match the festive spirit. But if one chooses to believe what restaurant owners had to share, this year's Diwali was declared as one of the worst that they have seen. Restaurants were reasonably empty with people opting to be rather conservative than carefree in their spending. Now fingers are crossed on what the New Year has in store for them. The restaurant segment along with this dampener has always been the one facing challenges from most quarters be it human resource issues, unethical practices, theft and robbery by insiders or civic licensing and harassment issues by local authorities and law keepers. The challenges can be far and beyond.

T “Putting in best HR practices in place to improve employeremployee relationships is the need of the hour. Most restaurateurs are also hoping for some respite from the government and civic authorities when it comes to licensing rules and other age old systems”

Our cover story this issue highlights and addresses some of the concerns of the restaurant industry and also mentions suggestions that can bring in a better work environment. There were suggestions to set up a website for the restaurant fraternity wherein likeminded members can come together on a common platform and actively post information and details of any staff or employee who has cheated the organisation in any way. This can work as an effective tool to check the credentials of the staff and can work as a healthy reference check point in an industry that is highly competitive. Institutes in small towns and cities can be the ones who can avail the ministry of tourism’s Hunar Se Rozgar programme for the benefit of students. Further, putting in best HR practices in place to improve employer-employee relationships is the need of the hour. Most restaurateurs are also hoping for some respite from the government and civic authorities when it comes to licensing rules and other age old systems. They wish for a single window clearance and fast track systems that can provide them with a friendly work environment. The latest happening on the hospitality sector is the launch of Holiday Inn Express - a JV between Duet and IHG. This project witnessed a rather quick opening which was to a large extent attributed to a rather proactive approach by the local authorities in the state of Gujarat. A progressive business friendly system is all that the stakeholders need from the public sector. May the festive times bring in good news.

Reema Lokesh Editor editorial.eh@expressindia.com

E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com

CHENNAI: Vijay Kulkarni, FORTNIGHTLY INSIGHT FOR THE HOSPITALITY TRADE

Head Office Express Hospitality Rajan Nair, Dattaram Kandalkar Business Publications Division, The Indian Express Ltd, 1st Floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021. India Tel: 6744 0000 / 22022627 Fax: 022-22885831 E-mail: pankaj.shende@fhwexpo.in

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December 1-15, 2012

Market

T H E B U S I N E S S O F H O S P I TA L I T Y

LEAD STORY

Parag Milk Foods looks at promoting dairy tourism KAHINI CHAKRABORTY - Mumbai

une-based Parag Milk Foods, private dairy company and manufacturers of Gowardhan and Go brands, is looking at promoting its Bhagyalaxmi Dairy Farm as a tourist spot to promote dairy tourism. Speaking exclusively to Express Hospitality on this new development, Devendra Shah, chairman, Parag Milk Foods said, “We at Parag are constantly innovating and finding ways of touching our consumer’s lives with new and exciting products. I am looking at this as a concept which is new and unique. Our consumption of dairy products in daily routine consists of 30-35 per cent, hence consumers are keen to know about the making of dairy products and this tour will help them understand it.” The approximately `850

crore company has been exporting its Gowardhan brand of butter, milk powder, etc, to nearly 47 countries since 2000. Also its range of cheese products are sold under the brand 'Go' which it exports to 15 countries. Elaborating on the facilities of the farm, Shah added, “The Bhagyalaxmi Dairy Farm is spread over 40 acres and equipped with the best technology for milking and bottling. The farm boasts of a count of over 3,000 cows called Holstein-Friesian and has unique facilities and state-of-the-art rotary parlour system. The special team of personnel are trained and lead by Edmund V Piper, who has over 30 years of experience in the dairy industry and a degree in agriculture.” Talking about how the company is looking to promote the dairy tourism concept, Shah informed, “So far

Devendra Shah we are not in talks with any travel agents or state tourism boards for our promotional activities. But in the future for the larger scale we definitely need their support. We will begin by using the print media and later look at

attending trade fairs for creating awareness.” The company is continuously engaged in research and development for new products. It recently launched UHT milk, lassi and paneer in the market. “We have a large market share in institutional sales, almost 30-35 per cent,” informed Shah. On the business opportunity in dairy products segment in the market, he opined, “The milk and dairy category in India is only growing bigger. I am sure with more domestic and international players coming in, the market and demand would only expand. The challenge therefore for any brand would be to increase their distribution, create value offerings for consumers and constantly reinvent and innovate, thereby creating a differentiation in the consumers' minds.”

Swosti Group renovates Swosti Hotel, to be branded as premium boutique hotel JOY ROY CHOUDHURY - Kolkata

hubaneswar-based Swosti Group recently renovated and refurbished its existing property, Swosti Hotel and has upgraded it to a premium boutique hotel. Speaking to Express Hospitality, Pradeep Kumar Vaid, vice president-operations, Swosti Group said, “The Swosti Group has fully renovated and refurbished Swosti Hotel into a premium boutique hotel as part of its exercise to renovate and refurbish all its existing properties in Odisha.” Swosti Group owns three properties in Odisha. The 159keys Swosti Premium, is another hotel situated at Bhubaneswar having the largest convention centre of Eastern India. It also owns,

December 1-15, 2012

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Swosti Palm Resort, the only luxury resort at Gopalpur-onsea. He said that the group has ambitious plans to open up several new hotels and resorts at other important tourist locations of the state like Puri, Chilika and Satapada. “Setting up world-class facilities along with providing best quality food and services will be our aim,” he added. The hotel has been completely renovated and facelift has been given to the lobby area and the guestrooms. New F&B outlets like a multicuisine restaurant, a 24-hour Coffee Shop and a pub have been added. Oceana, the 45-seater theme bar is the latest addition to the hotel. The newly opened 79-pax family restaurant offers Indian, Chinese, Continental, Odishi and Bengali cuisine. EXPRESS HOSPITALITY

M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

'Being a mid segment player the project cost of the property is extremely important' Sucheta Goenka, director, Citrus Hotels and Resorts emphasises on the youthful nature of the hotels and how that in itself is their biggest USP. By Sayoni Bhaduri Please describe brand Citrus? Citrus has evolved as a young and vibrant brand. It always connected to the youth. It is a young at heart brand; vibrant, trendy and cheerful, quite unlike what you will find in other hotels. Citrus managers do not wear ties, they are willing to strike up a casual conversation and even help with shopping for a guest's wife. Citrus menus are never complicated. They are clutter free and you would recognise classics like Fish and Chips to the homely Maggi. We might not have a selection of Champagnes but one will always find one brand of Champagne available and to go easy on your wallet, there are also Indian Sparkling wines. We are value for money; our mini bar for example is not something which we make money on, it exists for guest convenience only and is therefore very fairly priced with everything just 10-15 per cent above MRP. We give pre-packed breakfast to all our guests if you check out between five am to eight am. Internet is free and with good speed. We

and Nagpur in business segments and in Tadoba, Pench, Thekkady, Alibagh, Jodhpur and Munnar in leisure segments.

Sucheta Goenka make money on rooms, every other thing we would use is an add-on to get a guest to stay with us. What is your growth plan for the future? We currently have seven Citrus Hotels and we have 11 more on the anvil. These are all in work-in-progress mode. In fact we are increasing our inventory in our existing locations to cater to demand as well. In the coming years we will see Citrus opening in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai

How do the hotels imbibe the local culture of the destinations? We have properties in both, resort and business districts. The locations are critical and to give a guest a feel of the place is extremely important. In Alleppey we have regular classical dance performances of Bharatnatyam and Mohini Attam. The walls in the rooms have Kerala motifs on them. The furniture goes with the local feel and the cuisine matches as well. In Goa we have live singer by the pool side and in Lonavala we have regular Ghazal evenings. Our business hotels are in the heart of where the business is. The Pune hotel is five minutes from Tata Motors and close to business hub of Chakan and Bengaluru hotel is across the road from tech-parks like Salarpuria and Prestige Tech Park. How important is the selec-

tion of a destination for Citrus hotels? We are looking at becoming pioneers in a location but we will have to see that we can drive enough occupancy to sustain the business. Being a mid segment player the project cost of the property is extremely important. It has to be justified. So about `50 lakh a key for Category B cities and `one crore per key in Category A cities is what we look at. In Category C cities, we do anywhere between `25 lakh to `35 lakh a key. The prices are inclusive of land costs. We play the volume game and hence would always want to give our teams the advantage of price when they sell our properties in the market. What is your opinion on the fact that mid-segment hotels segment has a lot of competition? I am all for competition. Hotels who do not have quality offerings will definitely fall by the wayside but brands who give quality for price will give them a run for their money.

Duet India hotels and IHG bring in first Holiday Inn Express in India, with 18 due over time REEMA LOKESH -Ahmedabad

he Indian hospitality industry has witnessed a new joint venture partnership in the recent times between Duet India Hotels (DIH) and IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group). The partnership will witness the opening up of 19 Holiday Inn Express hotels with the first already being launched in Ahmedabad recently. DIH holds 76 per cent stake and IHG has 24 per cent equity stake in this partnership. Naveen Jain, president, Duet India Hotels said, “We are totally focussed towards making this brand a success in India. We have got the right partners and together we are committed to provide the consumer a smart hotel with all the right needs for the business traveller.” Reiterating the company’s faith in

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the India market and its launch in Ahmedabad, Dougles Martell, VP operations, South West Asia, IHG, added, “We found the city right for the brand and are confident that the clients will

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value the service the brand provides, namely free WiFi across the hotel, free breakfast, good sleep and shower facility. We are committed to India and have great partners in the India market.” December 1-15, 2012

M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

Great Eastern to open in its new avatar in early 2013 JOY ROY CHOUDHURY- Kolkata

fter nearly seven years of restoration work, the erstwhile Great Eastern Hotel (GEH), is now set to open. Now, rechristened 'Lalit Great Eastern, Kolkata', The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group's (TLSHG) will open the hotel in phases with the first phase being launched in early 2013. “We are happy to bring back the Great Eastern Kolkata in 2013,” said Jyotsna Suri, chairperson and managing director, The LaLit Suri Hospitality Group. She was in

rate contemporary international hospitality trends, enhanced by local Bengali art, craft and culture,” according to a company official. Spread across 2.3 acres, the hotel in its new avatar will

offer 221 rooms, 21 deluxe suites, two presidential suites, besides a ballroom, two speciality restaurants including the famous Maxim’s bakery. Commissioned in 1840, it is said to be India’s first luxury hotel. Although it changed

hands many times, it was never closed down till now and its reputation ran across the British empire. Great Eastern opened first in November 19, 1841 as Aucland Hotel. Located at the corner of the Governor’s

House, it got the nickname of Savoy of the East. In the preand post Independence era it played host to famous personalities like Queen Elizabeth, Mark Twain, Nikita Khrushchev, Frank Worrel and Nikolai Bulganin.

Great Eastern opened in November 19, 1841 as Aucland Hotel. Located at the corner of the Governor’s House, it got the nickname of Savoy of the East the city recently to participate in the 'puja' conducted by the Group in connection with the opening of the hotel. The ‘puja’ conducted at the hotel coincides with the inception of the hotel on November 19, 1841. Except for the façade, the heritage building is being rebuilt. The cost of rebuilding and restoration is estimated to be around `260 crore. TLSHG acquired 90 per cent of the Great Eastern Hotels from the West Bengal government for `52 crore in 2005. Till the closure due to the current restoration programme, GEH was Asia’s oldest-running hotel. The original building — the heritage block — will retain the architectural style of the British era. The new wing, however, has been designed to sport a modern look designed by a Singapore-based designer. The new wing will incorpoDecember 1-15, 2012

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M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

Marine Life Park, new hotels add to Resorts World Sentosa's MICE capacity

SUDIPTA DEV - Singapore

With an inventory of more than 1,500 rooms, Resorts World Sentosa has opened two new hotels this

year - Equarius Hotel and Beach Villas. “We will soon open Marine Life Park - the world’s largest oceanarium – by the end of the year. This would enable us to

host even bigger events with our increased capacity. At the same time, there would be even more unique event spaces and venues such as the Ocean Gallery. These will no doubt give a boost to our MICE offerings and provide different experiences for returning business travellers,” said the MICE spokesperson of Resorts World Sentosa. He pointed out that the location of the resort allows business guests to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, yet remain a stone’s throw away from it, making other attractions and facilities easily accessible from the resort. Given the strong presence of multinational companies in Singapore, most of the MICE clients for Resorts World Sentosa come from Singapore as well as the Asian region. “These include Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Greater China and India. We also have a

dynamic and dedicated MICE team that will be able to offer comprehensive packages to our Indian clients, with global and local knowledge of different cultures, sited at the heart of Asia. Cookie cutter events are definitely not our signature,” added the spokesperson. Resorts World Sentosa has also been participating in trade shows in India to create awareness of the product and services. Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore is one of the most unique MICE destinations in Asia that can cater to as many as 35,000 delegates at one time, and more so because of the interesting MICE options that are no where else available in this part of the world. For instance, a column-free ballroom that can seat 6,500 delegates, 37 function rooms and 20 varied event venues, Southeast Asia’s only Universal Studios theme park, and the upcoming oceanarium.

METRO Cash & Carry India launches Vijayawada wholesale distribution centre EH STAFF - Mumbai

ETRO Cash & Carry has announced the opening of its Vijayawada wholesale distribution centre at Mogalrajpuram. This is METRO Cash & Carry India’s 13th wholesale distribution centre in the country, and its third in Andhra Pradesh, after two in Hyderabad at Moosapet and Uppal. METRO has invested

close to `60 crore in infrastructure, supply chain, customer support programme and employee training and development at its Vijayawada outlet, which is spread across 56,000 square feet. It will cater to a wide customer base that includes small and large kirana stores, entrepreneurs, small businesses, offices, companies and institutions, as well as hotels, restaurants and caterers. Rajeev Bakshi, manag-

ing director, METRO Cash and Carry India expressed his confidence in METRO’s ability to address the varied needs of business customers in Vijayawada. “METRO Cash & Carry has forged a special relationship with many business customers in Andhra Pradesh, and we hope to deepen this bond further with our offerings in Vijayawada. We want to ensure that Vijayawada’s business customers max-

imise their profits with our low wholesale prices on a wide and high quality assortment, a host of convenient and customised services, and the unparalleled experience of buying at METRO,” said Bakshi. “We are set to expand our network of local suppliers and drive benefits to the overall economy by increased employment generation, local procurement and training of customers and suppliers on various

aspects impacting their business,” he added. The company recently expanded to include a new line of food and non-food products, METRO’s exclusive Own Brands include labels such as Aro, Fine Food, Sigma, Authentic, Horeca Select and Tarrington House, which are targeted towards offering customers a sharper assortment of high quality products across a broad price range.

Matrix partners to expand in Vietnam EH STAFF - Mumbai

atrix has partnered with Citek Corporation to expand its security business in the Vietnam market. “We at Matrix are happy about joining hands with Citek Corporation which is also committed to providing superior solutions. Together we will deliver technically superior products with excellent service to satisfy to the requirements of the users of Vietnam” said, Abhay Joshi, business manager- International Security

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Sales, Matrix Comsec. “We are looking for quality suppliers to provide a total security solution. And now, Matrix Comsec is one of the important partners for our system integration,” said Thomas Tran, CEO - Citek Corporation. Matrix has developed a comprehensive range of door controllers, DVR’s, NVR’s and feature rich software’s to suit the requirements of small businesses to large enterprises. Matrix Comsec is a

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manufacturer of security products such as access control and time-attendance, video surveillance and fire alarm panels. Citek Corporation believes in providing complete solution package with advanced technology and prompt aftersales support. Some of the solutions it provides are Video Surveillance, Access Control, Smart Home and Core Network Component for Video Surveillance, Access Control, Fire Alarm and Elevator. December 1-15, 2012

M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

All Things Nice presents Indian Wine Consumer’s Choice Awards 2012 EH STAFF - Mumbai

he first ever Indian Wine Consumer’s Choice Awards 2012 (IWCCA) was presented by All Things Nice at ITC Grand Central Parel. The aim of the IWCCA 2012 was to give Indian consumers an opportunity to judge for themselves and on behalf of other consumers the best Indian wines available in the country. All Things Nice brought together all domestically produced wines (premium category) and had these wines tasted and assessed by the actual consumers themselves. Premium Indian Wine Labels were registered into the competition. The judging panel for IWCCA 2012 included wine consumers from the All Things Nice community of wine and drink aficionados. Wines were tasted blind, with the bottles kept in opaque bags. The

scores were given on the basis of appearance, nose, palate and finish and the results were calculated and

verified in an unbiased manner leaving no room for error and 100 per cent accuracy in the results.

Winner's List GOLD Category White Sparkling Rose Sparkling Chenin Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay

Vintage 2011 Non Vintage 2012 2012 2011 2010 2012 2012 2012 2010 2011 2012 2012 2011

Shiraz Reserve Dessert Wines

Wine Zampa Soiree Brut Sula Brut Rose Sula Chenin Blanc Sula Sauvignon Blanc Reveilo Chardonnay Reveilo Chardonnay Reserve Nine Hills Viognier Sula Riesling Nine Hills Shiraz Rose Nine Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Alpine Oro Cabernet Shiraz Myra Shiraz Reveilo Nero D’Avola Vallonne Merlot Reserve Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon (Reserve) Vallonne Cabernet Sauvignon Classique (Reserve) Chateau d’Ori Cabernet Syrah Alpine Vindiva Reserve Estate Shiraz Sula Late Harvest Chenin Blanc

SILVER Category White Sparkling

Wine Sula Seco

Vintage Non Vintage 2012 2011 2011 2012 2009 2011 2011 2011 2009

Viognier Other white varietal Rose Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Shiraz blends Shiraz Other red varietals Merlot Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Sauvignon Based Blends (Reserve)

Chenin Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay Viognier Rose Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Other Red Varietals Merlot Reserve

Shiraz Reserve

December 1-15, 2012

York Chenin Blanc Fratelli Sauvignon Blanc Big Banyan Chardonnay Sula Dindori Reserve Viognier Vinsura Rose Fratelli Cabernet Sauvignon Reveilo Syrah Fratelli Cabernet Franc Shiraz Vinsura Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Sauvignon Based Blends (Reserve) Good Earth Basso Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Grover La Reserve Pause Shiraz Reserve

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2009 2009 2008 2010 2012

2009 2011 2011

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Event Tracker Hospitality Trade Shows in 2012-13

Date

Event

Venue

December 3 – 5, 2012

Food & Hotel Oman

Muscat

December 4 – 6, 2012

DDTE - Dubai Drink Technology Expo

Dubai

December 7 – 9, 2012

Salons Des Vins et de la Gastronomie

Le Mans (France)

December 20 – 29, 2012

Food Show

Mishref (Kuwait)

December 23 – 26, 2012

Hong Kong Food Festival

Hong Kong

December 14 – 17, 2012

Gluten Free Expo

Brescia (Italy)

January 2013

TRAFS – Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services

Bangkok

January 1, 2013

Mondial Du Pain

Lyon (France)

January 10 -12, 2013

Food Hospitality World

Mumbai

January 14 - 15, 2013

HIFI

Delhi NCR

January 2013

Viticulture & Viniculture

Budapest

January 15–17, 2013

Sival

Angers (France)

January 20 -24, 2013

FBK - Swiss Trade Fair for bakery and confectionery

Bern (Switzerland)

January 22 – 25, 2013

Laundry and Dry Cleaning

Minsk (Belarus)

January 23 – 26, 2013

ANFAS Hotel Equipment

Antalya (Turkey)

January 27 – 30, 2013

Prosweets Cologne

Cologne

January 27 -30, 2013

ISM - International Sweets and Biscuits Fair

Cologne

January 29 – 30, 2013

Bocuse D’Or - World Cuisine Contest

Lyon (France)

February 6 – 9, 2013

SIHER (International Exhibition for Hotel & Restaurant Equipment, Products)

Tunis

February 7 – 10, 2013

Top Gastro

Prague

February 13 – 15, 2013

Hotel Gastrotech

Zagreb (Croatia)

April 3 - 4, 2013

HICSA

Mumbai

April 7 – 9, 2013

China International Green Food & Organic Food Exhibition

Beijing

June 6 - 15, 2013

Sweet Eurasia

Istanbul

June 25 – 28, 2013

Fispal Cafe

São Paulo (Brazil)

August 15 – 17, 2013

Hong Kong International Tea Fair

Hong Kong

September 8 – 10, 2013

Speciality Chocolate Fair

London

September 11-13, 2013

Food Ingredients Asia

Bangkok

September 17-20, 2013

Food & Hotel Malaysia 2013

Kuala Lumpur

September 20-23, 2012

Caribbean Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange

Jamaica

September 23-24, 2013

South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference

Bogota (Columbia)

Sept 29 - Oct 1, 2013

The Hotel Show

Dubai

October 18 - 22, 2013

HOST 2013

Milan

November 23 - 27, 2013

IGEHO 2013

Basel

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December 1-15, 2012

M|A|R|K|E|T IN THE NEWS

Kamani Oils introduces five special products for the F&B industry SAYONI BHADURI - Mumbai

umbai-based Kamani Oils Industries have introduced new range of oils and fats in the nutrition category. These include Flaxseed oil or FlaxOmega (richest plant source of Omega-3 fatty acid). It is available as cold pressed and refined. Hi-Life is a high Oleic Sunflower oil – a high MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acid) oil which is healthy and heart friendly. Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) are used in dietary and nutritional supplements. FlaxOmega, Hi-Life and MCT have specialised applications in food and nutrition. K-Lite is transfat free all purpose bakery shortening. It is a multi-purpose fat for wide range of bakery applications (cakes, cookies, biscuits, butter cream, etc). “We at Kamani have a responsibility towards society especially children who we give an

40 DAYS TO GO

December 1-15, 2012

Prakash Chawla option of a transfat free cake or pastry. K-Lite offers a threesome advantage of pleasure, health and taste,” said Prakash Chawla, director, Kamani Oils Industries. The other product that they have introduced is Foodlite which is a premium culinary oil for frying. The oil offers taste, health and it has less polymerisation hence is less sticky and greasy thus user friendly.

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Kamani Oils Industries have a state-of-art production facility at Khopoli. “We process around 500 mt/day of vegetable oils and fats. The processes are automated and there is a high degree of traceability. We can do refining, hydrogenation, blending and fractionation,” explained Chawla. The company is FSSC 22000 certified and offer a wide range of products for specialised applications in the food, pharma, cosmetic and nutraceutical industry. “Oils and fats form an integral part of a healthy and balanced diet. It provides - the highest energy source (nine cal/gm), essential fatty acids like linoleic and linolenic fatty acids and many other health benefits. Consumers are also gradually becoming aware about health and nutrition and hence are increasingly demanding healthier oils and fats. Since eliminating oils and fats can upset the nutritional balance, researchers are constantly try-

Researchers are trying to develop innovative methods to improve the health properties of oils and fats ing to develop innovative methods to improve the health properties of oils and fats. This is driving R&D towards developing healthy foods without altering traditional eating habits,” he added. Due to the increased awareness amongst consumers, demand for organic food products, health or fortified drinks, nutritional supplements, herbal products, transfat free products, Omega-3 enriched products has increased.

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M|A|R|K|E|T QUICK BYTES

New kids on the block Oval, Vivanta by Taj - President, Mumbai

150 people.

Vivanta by Taj President has launched its business centre in a new avatar. The business centre ‘Oval’ has been renovated to meet international standards of conference facilities for global travellers. The business centre consists of four meeting rooms – Agenda I& II and Strategy I & II. The hotel also provides facilities like world-wide courier service, hi-speed broadband connection, access to wi-fi, office equipment like computers, laptops, cell phones, dictaphones, projectors, audio-visual facilities.

Fisheteria Westcoast group has launched Fisheteria in all the major malls of Mumbai. The restaurant has a unique menu and offers classics like fish and chips in addition to several seafood specialties like grilled fish, fish paratha roll and fish burger. For the first time a QSR outlet is offering variety of dishes in prawns like prawn torpedo, prawn burger, prawn paratha roll, and crisp prawn tandoori skewers. The menu ranges between `20 to `125.

Park Plaza, Shahdara CBD, New Delhi Sarovar Hotels has opened the Park Plaza in Shahdara CBD (Central Business District) - New Delhi. The hotel provides 91 rooms and suites equipped with LCD television, minibar, tea/coffee maker, wi-fi etc. While all rooms have bathrooms with rain showers, the suites also feature jacuzzis. Park Plaza Shahdara offers 6,000 sq ft state-of-the-art banqueting space.

Vaikunth, Udaipur Adamo Hospitality, the hospitality arm of the Ajmera Group, has opened Vaikunth hotel for people who travel to popular pilgrimage destination, Nathdwara, near Udaipur in Rajasthan. Vaikunth is located just 500 metres from Shrinathji Temple; opposite Varsha Vatika, Tehsil Road, Nathdwara. The hotel has 40 rooms and a restaurant serving Satvik vegetarian food and Jain food on request. It also has a wedding banquet hall, which can cater to 100-

INTERNATIONAL Pudong Shangri-La, East Shanghai

51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites & Residences, London

Pudong Shangri-La, East Shanghai has announced the opening of The Summit Room, the latest addition to the hotel’s collection of versatile meeting and event room options. Located on level one of the Grand Tower, The Summit Room is the ideal venue for exclusive or high-powered meetings, modern and chic dinners or events. With an area of 360 square metres, The Summit Room is designed by LRF Design of the United Kingdom, and is pillar-free and has a luxurious residential setting-a living room, an 18-seat boardroom, an 18-seat dining hall and a built-in terrace.

The Heron Portico in Nairobi – Kenya Sarovar Hotels has opened The Heron Portico in Nairobi Kenya. With the opening of this 108 room hotel, Sarovar Hotels has further strengthened its connection with this region. This is company’s third hotel in East Africa after Ole-Sereni (also in Nairobi) and New Africa Hotel in Dar-EsSalaam – Tanzania. The hotel features an international cuisine restaurant, bar, banquets for conferences and events, business centre, fitness centre, swimming pool, sauna and a souvenir shop.

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51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites & Residences, London will unveil its new Cinema Suite created by acclaimed Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. The 1,832 square ft, two bedroom suite, with dining room, study, powder room and kitchen, has been designed in tribute to the history of film and takes inspiration from motion pictures across the globe. Aptly, the Cinema Suite will open just ahead of celebrations marking 100 years of Indian film in 1913. The suite is inspired most notably by 1940s and 1950s Hollywood as well as the Indian Cinema era of the 1950’s. The 85 inch plasma cinema screen, with a 3D state of the art home theatre system, is one of the biggest private screens in any London hotel suite.

The Stones Hotel Legian, Bali Autograph Collection, Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio of independent hotels, has opened The Stones Hotel Legian, Bali. The hotel offers 308 guest rooms and 22 suites, including a palatial presidential suite. Spread across three floors with a total size of 1,950 sq m, the presidential suite features the latest in-room entertainment systems, four guest rooms, luxurious rain forest shower, stylish artwork, and many other extraordinary touches.

www.expresshospitality.com

December 1-15, 2012

M|A|R|K|E|T

Vinsura Port Wine

ing Pergo’s new Embossed-In-Register (EIR) surface texture. Decors vary from light Blonde Oak to dark Coffee, with Grey and Taupe in between. Other patented technologies found with these floors include PerfectFold for easy installation and Compact SoundBloc for built-in sound reduction. The planks are available in 1288 x 195 mm and are priced at `220 per sq-ft.

The Nasik-based Vinsura Vineyards has launched a naturally fermented ‘Vinsura 100% Premium Port Wine’ in three pack sizes i.e. 750 ml, 375 ml and 180 ml. While a pint (375 ml.) of Vinsura 100% Premium Port Wine with higher alcohol content (15% v/v) is available at `95; a big bottle or 750 ml of mild beer (alcohol content 5% v/v) is starting at `100; ‘Vinsura 100% Premium Port Wine’ is available in sizes 750 ml, 375 ml and 180 ml at `185, `95; `55 respectively.

Nourish Organics Nourish Organics has introduced three new products: Amaranth & Buckwheat Cookies and Onion Poha. The Amaranth Cookie is a blend of amaranth, honey, raisins, almonds, sunflower seeds, cashewnuts, olive oil, dates, figs, hints of sugar and vanilla powder while the Buckwheat Cookie is a mix of buckwheat, almonds, dehydrated apple, combination of vanilla, coconut and cinnamon powder, honey, raisins, sunflower seeds and rice bran oil and hints of sugar.

McDowell’s No. 1 Diet Mate

Natural Variation by Pergo Pergo has introduced its latest Patent design Natural Variation. The Natural Variation is offered in Classic Plank format with four bevelled edges and featur-

December 1-15, 2012

United Spirits has unveiled grain whisky containing Garcinia, McDowell’s No.1 Diet Mate. Garcinia is known to contain active ingredient which burn fat and control cholesterol. McDowell’s No.1 Diet Mate comes in new attractive bevel shaped monocarton. The brand is available for retail and institutional sales throughout the country. Diet Mate is available in Quart, Pint & Nip size bottles, which are priced at `290, `145 and `75, respectively in Delhi.

www.expresshospitality.com

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HAUTE TALK

Aesthetic Innovations Wooden flooring is increasingly becoming popular across all category of hotels – for rooms, public spaces and outdoors. Gaurav Saraf, joint managing director, Square Foot talks about the upcoming trends and diverse design options. By Sudipta Dev

Gaurav Saraf

quare Foot offers highend wood based flooring solutions to diverse industries, offices and homes - ranging from laminate flooring to engineered wood to solid wood and outdoor flooring. The hospitality sector is one of the key clientele for the company. “We can cater to all aspects of the hospitality sector. We have a range of entry level laminates from the three-star category called basic with normal wood colour designs. For the four-star and boutique hotels we have laminates with EIR (wood look), designer products, glossy ranges like bravo. For five-star hotels we have a range of engineered and solid wood flooring,” says Gaurav

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Saraf, joint managing director, Square Foot. These products are made to order for each hotel and customised to width, length and lacquer specifications as needed by the properties. “For the outdoor we provide affordable composite available and for the higher end chains option of palm as well as options of ipe are available,” adds Saraf. The large number of hotels coming up across the country has given a fillip to the demand for wooden floorings. “As the hospitality sector grows and the number of rooms required grow this becomes a pretty large sector for us to address. We have a special team in every zone that looks after this sector,” www.expresshospitality.com

states Saraf. Every year the company does many projects in different parts of the country. Some of the hospitality clients have EPCG (Export Promotion Capital Goods) benefits and they can buy duty free from Square Foot.

New trends The new trends in wooden floorings include the resurgence of red hues in design and this can be seen across all hospitality chains. Designer flooring like herringbone and basket weave are becoming popular again especially for public areas. “People are also using different flooring in different floors of hotels, making each floor a signature/designer floor. We also see a lot more

use for the outdoor areas for most chains wherein every hotel at least has an outdoor restaurant bar or some sort of recreational area,” mentions Saraf. Innovation in design is a business necessity. Every year the company launches 25 per cent new products in terms of the latest design and colour. “We are in the business of ensuring that all our customers are abreast of the latest design trends. If you see this year's collection we have launched a rustic laminate series in 12 mm. We have launched olive colour wooden flooring in the engineered flooring range and the composite floorings starts to be introduced in tiles making December1-15, 2012

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them part of a portable floor collection,” states Saraf. Outdoor wooden floors are increasingly becoming important in the hospitality sector. Today all hotels have a terrace bar/terrace pool/outdoor restaurant, etc. Maintenance being a significant factor Saraf states, “You have an option of natural woods like ipe in planks or in tiles and also composite outdoor decking. Natural woods have an infinite life but need to be oiled twice a year. Composite needs no oiling but generally works

for seven-ten years.” Saraf believes that the new developments in wooden flooring space will see more and more hotels moving to sustainable and green flooring options. “So licensed product companies will become bigger. Lots of inlay products, textured products as well as handscraped products are in the offing. We would see a lot more products on the outdoor cladding space as well,” he adds. The market in India is expected to grow 15 per cent to 20 per cent year-on-year for the next 10 years. “We already today have a large shortage of rooms in most metros and state capitals,” says Saraf. All hospitality flooring is made to order. Saraf explains that this happens because a lot of wood is needed so that there is no perceivable variation when the same is installed. “The attick stock left behind is also from the same lot. We need to do different lacquer grades and different finishes depending upon usage class. For example, we

have provided solidwood flooring for Hotel Leela Palace, Chennai. The whole hotel has solidwood walnut plank, a very premium product as this is a luxury property but for all areas and types of rooms the treatment done to the flooring is different,” he mentions, pointing out that the rooms have walnut solidwood in 127 mm width with general commercial lacquer. The entrances have the same walnut with a black hue to it as the veneer at the entry is darker. The apartments have walnut solidwood in 150 mm width with general commercial lacquer with a cappuccino hue in terms of colour. The public areas have the same walnut solidwood in 127 mm width with a special extra tough commercial lacquer which is scratch resistant for public areas as they are more used. Consequently, for the whole hotel although they have used the same species walnut, the colour tones and hues differ depending upon the area. When buying a wooden flooring for a hotel, it is advis-

able to acquire a higher grade guaranteed flooring. To change a flooring the hotel loses revenue generated from the room, even if it is a wood to wood change it still takes approximately a week. “The revenue loss is far higher than the additional money you would have spent buying the correct floor for your guest room. In my experience hotels do not renovate for 10 years minimum which is the average renovation cycle for an Indian hotel. The flooring to change is one of the most difficult thing in a room so if you buy a flooring keeping five years in mind you will have a huge issue as the flooring will then force you to renovate,” explains Saraf. The company procures its wood floors and finished materials from 11 different manufacturers worldwide, from countries like Canada, Malaysia, USA, Italy, Sweden and Germany. Most of the production, cutting-edge R&D and innovation is outsourced to the German counterparts.

Chelsom goes to a third dimension As the demand for virtual reality in drawings increases, especially in the cruise ship sector, UK-based Chelsom continues to invest heavily in interactive 3D design technology, further strengthening its position as a market leader in the field of hospitality lighting design and bespoke manufacture o offer clients a fully integrated design service, a dedicated skilled technical project team has been created at the Chelsom head office in UK. Through the use of e-drawings, sent electronically to clients worldwide, all parties working on a project have the chance to view designs on screen and make comments and amendments on the actual drawing which is automatically updated, revised and renumbered. The visual language of the 3D drawings is understood worldwide, giving less chance for misinterpretation and error. Detailed views can be shown of any area of the fitting and the model can be rotated around 360 degrees in any direction. The use of 3D technology takes out all the guesswork out of viewing complicated design proposals, as the client can see the proposed product in much finer detail. Errors and design modification requirements are caught early rather than after samples have been made.

December 1-15, 2012

The benefits of 3D modelling are vast; the images are more realistic, with the addition of colour, texture and lighting effects; the virtual product can be displayed against a specific background, an in-situ backdrop, or dropped into a 3D model of a building; manufacturing timescales can be drastically reduced as conventional sampling is no longer required. Said Bob Neville, operawww.expresshospitality.com

tions director, “Chelsom is a major supplier to the worldwide cruise industry. Some of the feature luminaires we are quoting for are spectacular in terms of design and enormous in scale, so this technology really puts us ahead of the game.” 2012 is a special year for Chelsom as it reaches another business milestone - 65 years trading in the hospitality industry. Said managing

director Robert Chelsom, "I am very proud of the business my parents started in 1947 and my son Will has now been in the business for the past five years. We moved from having one retail shop to supplying Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and other top name retailers and the Chelsom of today supplies lighting to the leading hotel groups of the world." EXPRESS HOSPITALITY

SPECIAL FEATURE IN FOCUS

A city haven The Angsana Spa Sheraton Bangalore at Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway prides in the fact that it is a haven for a fast paced city life and that they have been able to inculcate the values of the parent company Banyan Tree Spa

he Angsana Spa Sheraton Bangalore housed at Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway gives all its guest 30 minutes of calm time. The spa has 10 treatment rooms, including four single standard rooms, two double standard rooms and three double deluxe rooms complete with shower facilities. All deluxe treatment rooms are equipped with a spacious bath tub. In addition, the spa features a rain mist room where guests can look forward to the spaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature and own innovation Rainmist experience - a combination of steam and shower experience at the massage

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bed. The treatments at the Angsana Spa Sheraton Bangalore has a selection of holistic healing therapies. The spa has treatments which emphasise the use of natural ingredients such as native flowers and fruits. It is based on the use of aromatherapy, the therapeutic sense of touch, and a fusion of techniques from the East and West. Treatments like the 150-minute Duet package for couples is a combination of a body massage, face massage, body polish, and body conditioner, with specialised choices for men and women is quite popular. The Rain mist is also a favourite www.expresshospitality.com

between both men and women via the 120-minute Rainmist Beauty package for women or Royal Rainmist package for men. The steam and shower is further combined with body polish, conditioner and choice of body massage. The spa takes its name from the Angsana Tree, a tall, tropical rainforest tree noted for its crown of golden fragrant flowers, which bursts into bloom unexpectedly. The perfect massage according to the spa is simple with massage categories Signature, Classic, Soothing and On The Spot - where guests can select their desired treatments. Busy spa-

goers can opt for On The Spot treatments, which are 60-minute session massages that focus on the head, back or feet for instant relief. The spa products and ingredients used for a spa therapy will define the uniqueness of each spa experience. All spa treatment ingredients are freshly grounded and mixed on the day of the treatment. These ingredients are specially prepared for the various treatments such as body scrub, facial and body moisturising. Angsana Spa oil and spa products are created in close collaboration with three laboratories in China, India and Thailand. They pride in the fact that the products are exclusively formulated with all-natural ingredients and have been awarded certification by the respective local ministries of Health; the products also undergo stringent tests. Angsana Spa Sheraton Bangalore also merchandises exclusive Angsana products including specially-blended essential oils, massage oils, incense sticks, body, foot and hair care toiletries and spa accessories inspired by the range of therapies from Angsana Spa. Therapists being the heart and soul of a spa Angsana pays utmost attention to them. All spa therapists are formally trained with the art of touch based on stringent curriculum of the accredited Banyan Tree Spa Academies located in Phuket, Thailand; Bintan, Indonesia and Lijiang, China. The dedicated training and facilities ensure that therapists deliver consistently December 1-15, 2012

S|P|A | S|P|E|C|I|A|L

high quality of service to exceed the expectations of the most discerning spa enthusiasts. There is a keen focus on training with regular refresher courses and tests to continually train and develop the Spa staff. Their own academy, The

Banyan Tree Spa Academy has trained over 1,300 therapists for its spas worldwide. It actively functions to identify international trends, develop experienced trainers, and carry out research and development for new treatments, recipes, tech-

niques and products, in order to maintain its leadership position in the spa industry and to meet the demands of its rapid worldwide expansion plan. The Banyan Tree Spa Academy Phuket is accredited by Thailand’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health. Within 18 years, as a mark of strong sustainable growth, Banyan Tree Spa has expanded globally to 69 spas in 27 countries under its Banyan Tree Spa, Angsana Spa and Elements Spa by Banyan Tree brands. It comprises 26 Banyan Tree Spas and 43 Angsana Spa. In India, the company now has five Angsana Spas and next year, there will be openings of the popular Angsana Spas and the opening of Banyan Tree Kerala with its dedicated Ayurvedic Centre.

The new SelfCookingCenter® whitefficiency®

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Spa tourism in Leukerbad Leukerbad's spa history which goes back to Roman times proves that wellness is not a modern invention but originated many centuries ago springs in Leukerbad, invested in bathing facilities and had a splendid inn built. From his castle in Leuk the churchman liked to ride to the beneficial springs, to soak away the troubles of the day in the company of political and church notables from all over Europe.

Development of tourism

and the settlement of the area dated back merely to the 13th century. However, this assumption was refuted not long ago, as a significant number of archeological finds was made at various sites in the Dala valley. This served to prove that Leukerbad and the region around the medicinal springs had already been populated in RomanHelvetian times, at the latest in the second scentury AD.

Oldest deed

ntil recently it was generally believed that the discovery of Leukerbad's (Switzerland) medicinal springs

December 1-15, 2012

The oldest deed in the local archives of Leukerbad dates from 1315. In 1380 as many as 50 families lived in today's spa town. In 1478 the first inns appear in Balnea leucensia or Baden as it was called. The year 1501 was decisive for spa tourism in the town: Matthäus Schiner from Sion, who was cardinal at that time, bought the rights to the hot

Although over the centuries avalanches repeatedly damaged parts of the village and thus also some of the baths, the oldest spa resort in the Valais managed to rebuild the infrastructure time and again. In 1850 the village had 577 inhabitants and finally a road made Leukerbad accessible from the valley. In 1896 a hotel and spa association was founded, it was the first hotel jointstock company in Switzerland. The construction of the first ski lift 1948 marked the beginning of winter tourism in Leukerbad. Then things began to happen in quick succession: in 1957 the Gemmibahn was constructed, a rheumatism and rehabilitation clinic was built between 195961, followed by the paralysis institute in 1962. The outdoor pools were opened in 1968. The Torrent mountain railways were established and erected between 1970-72. The thermal bath centre of the community was opened in 1980. The year 1989 saw the completion of stage three of the new spa. The Lindner Alpentherme was officially opened in 1993. It is Europe's largest high-altitude medical and Alpine wellness, beauty and thermal spa. www.expresshospitality.com

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Management

INSIGHT INTO HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS

COVER STORY

With reservations Those with the knowledge and unadulterated passion for the food business enter the restaurant scene. But they soon find out that business is tough and it is getting tougher. To streamline and have a profitable venture, they will need to tread with caution and have checks and balances in place. By Reema Lokesh t sounds fashionable to have a desire to set up a restaurant. Celebrities are often quoted saying they would love to enter the restaurant business sometime in the future. Amongst them some have indeed put plans into action but have seldom succeeded. From human resource issues ranging from the quality of staff, employee turnaround, poaching, unethical practices, to civic licensing and harassment by local authorities and law keepers, the challenges are in plenty. This business needs a trusted lieutenant who keeps a watchful eye on the everyday finances to avoid pilferage and cheating. The success of the Udipi restaurants is a clear example – their success formula rests on the fact that there is someone from the inner circle who has a watchful eye on that crucial cashier's desk. Most restaurateurs are in sync with the fact that this line of business calls for serious hard work, with hands-on experience and control. There need to be checks and balances in place and a constant vigilant eye on the business. As Anup Gandhi of Auriga Hospitality (Bonobo) puts it, “It is probably one of the toughest businesses to be in. It is highly competitive which requires serious commitment to ensure one offers a quality product.” This business is people oriented and human resource plays a vital role in the functioning of every segment of the business. Staff training and education cannot be compromised. Unlike in the past where people worked in a restaurants for years with senior staff members serving as waiters, the trend today is about fast money and fast growth especially in the new age restaurants, cafés, bistros, etc. The approach is

“I noticed a drop in sales at one of my South Mumbai outlets, which was rather unnatural and that got me thinking about what could have gone wrong. I then decided to depute a reliable person in that store to check

on the everyday working of the business and to my horror we discovered that our two staff members were the culprits. They would print false bills and hand it over to the clients which naturally went unregistered as everyday sales,” articulated Moshe Shek, chef, restaurateur, Moshe’s. What

saddens him further that the same employees who cheated him got a job in no time in another restaurant in the same area. One is forced to question the crucial element of reference checks before hiring an employee. He further adds, “It is rather unfortunate that passionate and serious players like me have to suffer because of few unscrupulous staff members who take to robbery and theft to make fast money. Such practices break the restaurant and dishonesty can kill the business. The fact of the matter is that the owners are in a fix and not much can be done about it. I feel a true passionate restaurateur may not be able to survive in the future and it is the big groups that will lead the way in the business.” There have been outlets that have been shut due to excessive pilferage, loss of cash and unethical billing and records maintenance. It is interesting to note that often especially at quick service restaurants have a placard stating, 'You get the meal free, if you don’t get your bill.’ This is clear indication to bring in some control and check within the system. Anjan Chatterjee, founder and chairman of Speciality

Anjan Chatterjee

Sumit Gambhir

Sartaj Bedi

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short-lived and employees move on to the next best opportunity for a few thousand dollars more. The sector is highly disorganised and it is time some systems are put in place to address the misgivings of the industry. There are some restaurateurs who have put systems in place but there is

Moshe Shek

more that needs to be done.

Crime check

www.expresshospitality.com

December 1-15, 2012

M|A|N|A|G|E|M|E|N|T Restaurants Group has a training centre in Kolkata that has been in existence over 11 years. According to Chatterjee, training of staff is important to maintain the quality of food and service. “Staff should be trained to not only know the right way of serving but also to be hospitable - know how to react in different situations. We started training in the back area, a refresher course is done,” he says. Sameer Uttamsingh, brand head,

Dish Hospitality, agrees that staff turnaround is high in the business and loyalists are rare to find. But he also mentions that it is crucial and mandatory to put in proper training modules in place and different types of tools for training such as a training calendar, wherein the staff go through different sectors of training for four days of the week, from bar menu to food menu, etc. They also have a mystery shopper system in place and

a regular audit is conducted that provides the required guidelines for these training programmes. Most employees who work in restaurants are not highly educated, hence it is important to explain concepts and systems to them in their language of comfort. Out of the Blue have designed training programmes in vernacular languages for their staff to feel comfortable and hence bring in better results. They

have set up video based training with voice over in regional languages. Sartaj Bedi, general manger, Out of the Blue, says, “It is a big challenge, no doubt, to retain staff in our industry. Meeting staff expectations, salaries, etc, coupled with the lack of quality supply of talent in our business is a challenge. We have also invested in technology to overcome these issues. For example, we have invested in high end ovens that cook faster with

Anup Gandhi

Sameer Uttamsingh Restaurants also faced similar experiences in the past and learned the hard way. Chatterjee says, “We have invested heavily in technology and we have tried our level best to leave no scope for any unethical practices to prevail. As your business grows, one has to have extremely sound systems in place to ensure that untoward incidences do not take place. Adds, Shek, “One of the leading security service companies are creating a system to track and control the number of cups of beverages being served at cafes.” But however fool proof the system is there are times when the crooked human mind gets better of technology. To counter this, the need for soft management skills, sound training and education, HR best practices and talks of integrity and defining a career path comes into play.

HR best practices The common grievance across the board is the stress of training and retraining the staff as this business faces very high staff turnover. Most restaurant chains have put some sound training modules in place using their own inhouse training systems and formats. The Speciality December 1-15, 2012

www.expresshospitality.com

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M|A|N|A|G|E|M|E|N|T increased consistently and productivity. We also lay emphasis on being method oriented and train our staff as per a set method from cooking to serving. It is important to invest in people and train them on the company philosophy and work culture.” Gandhi brings in a new angle wherein he firmly feels, “There is high attrition, systems are not yet in place and the staff is uneducated but we need to talk them. As employers who should also keep to our commitment of timely payments and also pay them their due, not underpay or under value the staff. Our company has also paid bonus during the tough times.” The top management role is essential to define the goals and direct the staff in the right functional path. Apart from training and building staff integrity, staff selection also pays a vital role. Reference checks need to be done thoroughly and minutely, all the more as this industry has been a victim of thefts and robbery at work place. Says Sumit Gambhir, co-owner, Neighborhood Hospitality: Woodside Inn/Woodside All day Bar & Eatery, “We also feel it is important to build a career path for the people which requires a dedicated effort by the top management to achieve the same.” Further, he also makes a valid point wherein the company has

hired an HR manager, auditors, specialists in their field within the company to take charge of core functional areas. “It is important for medium sized companies to employ specialists within the business. We have an HR manager who communicates with the staff on regular basis. Sometimes it is not comfortable for owners to take up the role of HR heads hence it is best left to the specialists. We also have an outsourced controls team in place to look into other important functioning on the business,” he adds. Shek also feels that it is important to give the staff an opportunity to work in different departments and give them a career path to grow. He proudly says that his head of bakery today, started his career with the company as housekeeping staff. Designing courses to suit the requirement and need of the restaurant industry needs to be catered to. Ministry of tourism, Government of India started Hunar se Rozgar programme in 2009-10 with great success with courses in F&B Service and Food Production. New courses in housekeeping, bakery and a composite multi skilled course in Food Production and F&B Service is also scheduled to start. Many hotel management institutes and private players are already tied up with the project; what is required now is to for more industry players

Diwali dampener Most restaurant owners have expressed their view that the Diwali of 2012 can be recorded as one of the worst Diwali for the restaurant fraternity as business was at its all time low. Says Shek, “This was the worst Diwali in the history of Diwali.” Chatterjee, echo’s his sentiments, wherein he says that this was the worst Diwali ever. During these times it is important to focus on the middle line and ensure the brand standards are maintained.

understand our problems but the system needs to be made more friendly and approachable.” Gandhi adds that, there needs to be an authority to put systems in place. Apart from government apathy, escalating costs on electricity and base work as major dampeners to business, adds Shek.

Suggestions in place ●

to come ahead and take this initiative ahead.

License Raj Apart from dealing with human resources and dishonest practices, another issue that restaurant owners have to deal with is the age old issue of licensing and constant questioning by civic authorities on minor matters. Most restaurateurs are of the opinion that it is time archaic rules are amended to cater to present times. Chatterjee puts it rather strongly, “We entrepreneurs are a cursed lot. The list of licenses works as a major discouragement, from excise issues (which is a state subject) to a host of others. The government needs to understand that our business is a major employment generator, we are creating value and opportunities for growth and we need to be given a friendly work environment. Single window clearance is

the need of the hour, licenses renewal needs to be seen with a long term approach.” The owners are asking for a little more concern from the civic authorities toward their business. “We are ready to work and abide by rules, and would like to conduct our business peacefully. It would be nice if the authorities can have a dialogue with us, help and advice us and request us to make amends on small matters, instead of penalising us for trivial issues,” expresses Shek. Sharing his view and that of Chatterjee’s is Gambhir, “Our industry is not valued enough and though our business is extremely interesting it is also tough at the same time. There are random reasons as to why we can’t open in right places and further the license clearances take longer than expected that leads to delay in opening of the outlet. At times we have also met reasonable officers who

Shek strongly feels it is vital to set up a website for the restaurant fraternity wherein like minded members can come together on a common platform and actively post information and details of any staff or employee who has cheated the organisation in any way. This can work as an effective tool to check the credentials of the staff and can work as a healthy reference check point in an industry that is highly competitive. ● Start training courses, with short modules designed especially for the restaurant industry. These modules can be designed along with the help of the restaurant owners and HR heads. ● Request the government, civic authorities to provide the industry with a better and friendly work environment to perform as it is a service industry. ● Put in best HR practices in place to improve employer-employee relationships

Service Tax Based on inputs from National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) members, the association had asked for clarifications from Commissioner of Service Tax, on the new Service Tax Regime which became applicable from July 2012. The points raised for clarification and the response received is as given below:

What items of purchases, expenses and capital goods, the restaurants are entitled

Whether excise duty paid on purchase of capital goods, if any shall be entitled to

to input credit of service tax paid by them on the above items?

input credit or not and if yes, the ratio thereof.

The service tax assessee can take input credit of service tax paid by them on the items

Yes, in accordance with the Rule 3 of CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004.

of purchase, expenses and capital goods used specifically as inputs for providing the taxable output services, in accordance with the Rule 3 of CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004.

If the input credit of service tax/ excise duty for a period (quarter) exceeds the

Whether service tax paid/ payable on the rental charges of restaurant premises

amount of input credit is allowable to refund or carry forward of the amount to

amount of output service tax payable for the same quarter, whether the excess shall be entitled to input credit of service tax and if yes, then whether it would be

the next following period/ quarter.

allowed 100 per cent or a partial amount and if partial amount, then the ratio

Yes, the input credit of service tax/excise duty may be carry forward to the

thereof.

subsequent quarter / period.

Yes, the rent paid exclusively for restaurants by the assessee, can avail the CENVAT

Any specific records, the restaurants are required to maintain under the new

Credit of such rent paid.

service tax regime, please provide a list of that. Whether service tax paid/to be paid on the rental charges pertaining to the period

The assessee may maintain their records in accordance with Rule 5 of the Service

prior to July 2012, under (the Exemption Scheme of Interest & Penalty of Service

Tax Rules, 1994 and Rule 9 of the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004.

Tax Department) is entitled to input credit or not and if yes, the ratio thereof. The renting charges were liable to service tax before June 30, 2012 as well as after

Any other compliance or requirement of new law which the restaurants are

June 30, 2012, too and hence, the assessee are entitled for taking input credit.

required to take care of.

NOTE:This point is pending since a further clarification has been sought as to what

In accordance with The Finance Act, 1994, as amended from time to time.

period before June 30, 2012 would this input credit be available from.

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Eclectic escape Set amidst the backdrop of the majestic Aravali mountains, the Monsoon Palace (Sajjan Garh Palace) and Lake Pichola, the Ramada Udaipur Resort & Spa combines traditional with contemporary architecture to play the perfect host to leisure or business. By Steena Joy popular leisure destination but in recent times the city is also attracting a lot of MICE business. Commenting on the hospitality scenario in

Udaipur, Rai says, “Potentially Udaipur is the strongest Rajasthan destination, but currently weaker than Jaipur because it is not a part of the

Golden Triangle. We need to promote Delhi-Agra –JaipurUdaipur as the Golden Rectangle. However, with the emergence of mid-market

pread over 6.5 acres of undulated land, Ramada Udaipur Resort & Spa is the first key initiative to open under Wyndham Worldwide and Unique Global Group's MoU signed early this year. Located just five kms from Sajjan Garh, the 18th century monsoon palace, the hotel is a fine example of a fusion of classic with the contemporary.

Traditional touch To go with the topography of the terrain varying in height by approximately 40 metres from the lowest point to the highest, the hotel has been built in an amphitheatre style

Rajkumar Rai creating spectacular views. Using the traditional construction known as Tekri work that maximises the use of traditional materials, artisanship and locally available stones, the resort's architecture pays tribute to the native heritage of the region. To ensure that the resort blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings, open courtyards, verandas and terraces have been integrated with the Tekri facade. “Because of the hilly terrain and the Tekri work, the project took a longer time to fructify. But the result is worth the effort and time,” says Rajkumar Rai, chairman and managing director, Unique Global group. Udaipur has always been a December 1-15, 2012

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hotels in Udaipur selling at half the price of the luxury hotels, we expect buoyant occupancies this winter above 75 per cent.” After Udaipur, the next project under the MoU will be in Bengaluru. Rai adds, “In the pipeline are Hyderabad, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Shirdi and Tirupathi. All these hotels will fall under the Howard Johnson brand. We have a franchise agreement for setting up 35 Howard Johnson Hotels (including the one Ramada at Udaipur) by 2017, where Wyndham will give us technical expertise and knowhow as well as market the hotels internationally, and we will build the hotels and operate them under their brand. As we move forward the relationship will only strengthen, and become a win-win proposition for both companies.” On an average, each room is expected to require an investment of `60-65 lakh and each of the hotels are expected to have around 100 rooms. The overall investment is projected at `2,275 crore. Rai believes that the franchiseedeveloper model will drive hotel development in India. “This is one of the models which will be used, and will positively accelerate hotel development in our country in the mid market sector”, he opines. Ramada Udaipur has a total of 72 rooms all opening out to spacious balconies. The Meridian (250 pax), is the indoor banqueting and meeting space while outdoor venues include Sajjan Terrace (up to 1000 pax), Monsoon Deck (up to 800 pax), Rock arena (up to 500 pax), Sariat (a 1,680 square ft central garden with a gazebo), Trego, Bonsoir Garden and Wind Garden. Dining outlets include Myra all day restaurant, Zu: Ma, Ambar and Liquid Lounge, the bar.

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Value for money Outlining his plans to promote the hotel, Sanjay Pasricha, CEO, Unique Global group says, “We will position Ramada Udaipur as a great value for money mid-market upscale hotel that offers facilities (like heated pool, outdoor jacuzzi, large gardens as banqueting areas, two swimming pools, etc) that many luxury hotels do not offer - at almost half the price and in a location that truly makes you feel that Udaipur, other than being the most romantic destination of India, is also the Kashmir of Rajasthan.” This positioning will be achieved through consistent communication, rate parity, and targeting consumers principally in Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad, as well as the global markets through the trade and the hotel's website. Commenting on whether F&B is a major revenue driver in midmarket hotels, Pasricha opined, “This will happen more in metros and other cities which have a large client base that use restaurants due to locational convenience for special occasions like celebrations. This trend will be lesser in pure leisure destinations where hotels are located in scenic places or close to areas of heritage and tourist interest but away from central locations which can be easily accessed by locals. But overall, as disposable income in India rises, local F&B will account for a larger share of revenues.” Connectivity to Udaipur is still a problem as there are very few daily flights. “Yes, it is the chicken or the egg situation for the airlines and after Kingfisher shut down operations for Udaipur, it has left a gap. Though the hotel iers’ lobby in the region is trying actively to rectify the problem, more needs to be done, and we plan to press the necessary levers in due course,” affirms Pasricha. December 1-15, 2012

14-15 January 2013

The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon Delhi (N.C.R.), India

Patrons

Media Partners

Hilton Worldwide Hotel Leelaventure Limited Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Asian Hotel + Catering Times DDP Publications â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Trav Talk Express Hospitality Global Destinations GlobalHotelNetwork.com HA Emerging Markets Hospitality Biz Hotel Interactive, Inc. India Hospitality Review ITP Publishing India Pvt.Ltd. Perspective Magazine Sleeper Magazine TravelBiz Monitor, Saffron Media Pvt. Ltd. Traveltechie.com TTG India

Platinum Partners Accor Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group IHG JA Resorts And Hotels Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces

Gold Partners The Ascott Limited Canyon Equity LLC Fortune Park Hotels LTD. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Interglobe Hotels Pvt. Ltd. MGM Hospitality Premier Inn India Pvt Ltd Rotana Hotel Management Corporation Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Pte Ltd. STR Global Wyndham Hotel Group

Supporters American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute Asian American Hotel Owners Association Hotel Association of India International Finance Corporation International Society of Hospitality Consultants International Tourism Partnership PATA India Chapter World Travel & Tourism Council An Official Publication of BHN HOTELSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Investment Outlook as of 2 November 2012

www.HIFI-India.com

M|A|N|A|G|E|M|E|N|T GM SPEAK

The double benefit Scott Thomson, general manager, Hilton New Delhi-Noida Mayur Vihar and DoubleTree by Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar throws light on the opportunities opened up in Noida and East Delhi, and what is there in store in the current situation for the hospitality industry. By Heena Mahajan ilton New DelhiNoida-Mayur Vihar & DoubleTree by Hilton New DelhiNoida-Mayur Vihar are situated in New Delhi’s business district and is close to Noida in NCR. Located just 15 minutes away from New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan Convention and Exhibition Centre, government offices and Embassies the hotels are also in close proximity to the Formula One race track, which makes them an ideal choice for the business traveller, while the extensive dining, shopping and recreational options make it a delight for leisure travellers as well. Talking about his understanding of the market, Scott Thomson, GM of the hotel says, “We feel that Mayur Vihar and the area around it has a lot of potential that remains untapped and has not been explored by other hotel brands. The domestic markets show keen interest due to its strategic location. Moreover, the area has a large business potential from South Delhi and Noida which embrace as the main source markets for the hotel.” Both the hotels are strategically located. The opening of the new Yamuna Expressway has opened wider doors for guests to visit Agra and we expect large amount of takers for the same,” he adds.

Scott Thomson The Hilton New Delhi Noida Mayur Vihar has a total of 169 rooms including four suites that are among the largest in the city. The rooms offer a classy contemporary decor with state-of-the-art amenities like a king-size bed, a workstation, wireless highspeed internet and an exquisite marble bathroom with separate tub and shower. For leisure the hotel offers a host of facilities like a modern health club, an outdoor pool and a full service Eros Spa, a business centre and executive lounge for the guests’ business needs. DoubleTree by Hilton, right opposite the former has 196 rooms and four suites. Resonating with the brand DoubleTree’s unique care culture, each guest is served

signature chocolate chipped cookies at the time of checkin. The hotel also features a 24-hour business centre and a 24-hour fitness centre and swimming pool for the recreation of its guests. Both Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton offer an array of restaurants for their guests to indulge. While Hilton has an all day dining restaurant featuring international delicacies, and a lobby level bar that serves portions of sandwiches, pastries and other snacks along with alcoholic concoctions, DoubleTree boasts of Roadhouse Bar and Grill, a New York style restaurant that offers range of American cuisine, from steaks, burgers and sandwiches to the famous buffalo wings to crispy onion ring, and Café on 3, an allday dining restaurant with deli and pastry shop, serves buffet comprising of exotic Asian and Mediterranean cuisines. Speaking on the response of the restaurants, he says, “The response of all the four outlets has been over whelming. We are positive about the response in future as well.” Thomson feels that there is immense space and potential for everyone in this industry. “While we boast of our product for quality, guest satisfaction and elegance we are complacent about our position,” he emphasises.

Revenue strategy Apart from the local walk-ins, the hotel receives guests from across all parts of the world especially from North America and European markets. The services and facilities provided by the hotel encourage people to come back. “The domestic markets show keen interest due to its strategic location. Moreover, the area has a large business potential from South Delhi and Noida which embrace as the main source markets for the hotel. The ratio of business traveller and leisure travellers would be 75:25,” he mentions. Speaking on the developments within the property, he informs, “We foresee a boost in the

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hospitality industry this year with the burgeoning travellers in the Indian market. We believe in keeping with time and that’s why Hilton and DoubleTree Mayur Vihar provides you the best amenities and services for an excellent experience. Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar will soon be with an authentic North Indian dining restaurant called S.P.I.C.E.D by the end of the quarter this year.” According to him, “India as a destination is not really affected by exchange rate changes, high taxes and increasing airfare, as motivations for travelling are quite specific. For business purposes, the trip is commercially justified, for leisure people are interested to come and explore this interesting and unique country. In coping with the exchange rate changes, we review our pricing throughout the year as is done in many countries around the world to make sure that we are optimizing our returns and are in step with the market.” The MICE market is indeed an important segment and can by no means be ignored as it contributes to the revenue generation by all areas of the hotel from rooms, food and beverages to conference areas. According to ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association), the inbound MICE segment in India is growing at 15 to 20 per cent annually which is one of the main reasons for the growth in the demand for luxury hotel destinations. “India has developed a reputation as a unique conference destination, with its historical, cultural, architectural, wildlife, culinary, spiritual and therapeutic attractions. Better infrastructure, new airports, hotel MICE facilities, improved air, road and rail transport now make India an excellent conference destination. Therefore, many Indian state governments are keen on establishing convention centres near large metro cities,” he adds. December 1-15, 2012

Edge

T E C H N O L O G Y F O R H O S P I TA L I T Y

TECH TRENDS

‘Indian hospitality sector is just awakening to the advantages of using RFID’ Dolphin Group of Companies (Dolphin EM Technologies, NU Special Solutions, Dolphin RFID ) are leading service providers of safety, security and surveillance solutions. Commodore S K Sawhney, president and CEO of the company talks about the wide ranging products and services for the hospitality industry. By Sudipta Dev What are your specific products and technologies for the hospitality sector ? Dolphin Group of Companies is a leader in providing latest technologies for security in the hospitality sector. These include hotel electronic locks – magnetic stripe, smart technology and contactless RFID technologies. Dolphin also provides both analogue and IP based CCTV systems and integrated high level, security including X-Ray machines, crash rated barriers and metal detectors. For hotel locks Dolphin has been partnering with Kaba for last 18 years and provides most cost effective E760 locks at the low end to the Marlok System at the highest end. Dolphin has full technical capabilities of supplying, installing and maintaining all technological products through the lifecycle on a pan-India basis. Dolphin Group of Companies have also taken the lead in providing the Indian hospitality industry with productivity improvement products in using the cutting edge UHF C1 G2 products in the field of guest recognition, asset management, vehicle management and laundry management. What are the new trends in usage of RFID technology in the hospitality industry worldwide ? The new trends in usage of RFID technology in the hospitality industry worldwide includes: ● RFID hotel locks ● Room energy management using Zigbee mesh networks ● Asset management and loss prevention ● Laundry management ● Vehicle management ● RFID lockers ● Guest recognition system How many of these new technologies are being implemented in India ? All of the above technologies are being implemented in India and December 1-15, 2012

Commodore S K Sawhney Dolphin Group of Companies prides itself in being able to provide all these solutions for the hospitality sector in the country. Most of these technologies have been implemented in the hospitality sector whilst discussions are on at a very advanced stage for the remaining solutions. Dolphin Group of Companies has their own patented/copyright solutions for these areas. Please give detailed information about any new solution / product that you have launched and its benefits (in terms of cost savings and ease of operation) for hotels. RFID chain for hotel management: Dolphin can provide full RFID chain solutions which uses HF RFID (MIFARE Technology). In this solution the hotel RFID lock key card given to the guest in the hotel is uniquely used in the energy management slot in the room (only the guest card switches on all facilities in the room – the staff card is limited to the lighting circuits). This card is further used to gain access to guest common areas like swimming pool, spa, gym, etc.

In the common areas the same card is used for temporary use of RFID based locker system. This then becomes the complete solution using RFID for enhanced guest experience with a single card. Guest recognition system: The loyalty cards presented to the lobby manager would have an UHF RFID chip embedded which would be read by the RFID antenna at the front desk and can be picked up even with their cards in the pockets as they approach the bell desk or front desk. As soon as the card is picked up their photograph with their name would be flashed on a combo client screen in the front desk and they can be immediately greeted by their name and made to feel welcome. Whilst there may be some cases where the card may be in a purse along with some metal items and may not have been read, the minute the loyalty member takes the purse out the card would be read and the details flashed on the screen. In such cases there could be a slight delay in recovering the data. Laundry management: RFID will automate the major task of counting of outgoing soiled linen and incoming washed laundry – the major source of pilferage/losses; implementation of an RFID system will improve operational efficiencies in the laundry through real-time visibility of linen inventory in the hotel; RFID will be able to automatically track the number of times a linen article has been washed; availability of real-time inventory data will aid in business planning and inventory rationalisation; by being an early adopter hotels will be able to use the learnings to bring about operational efficiencies in other areas of their operations like asset management, vehicle management, loyalty card management, etc; the cost reduction of lost and damaged garments as also in saved manpower will go

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directly to the bottom line. Asset management and loss prevention: The solutions as envisaged for the hospitality would consist of seven steps :1) All expensive and removable items in the guest rooms would be tagged using UHF RFID tags. In addition to loss prevention, the tags would also facilitate frequent audits of the expensive in-room items. 2) UHF/RFID readers and antenna would be installed at the bell desk and

the cashier desk in the main lobby, the main doors and the staff entry/exit doors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in short at all egress points. Additional reader and antennae in the lift lobby would ensure a much higher rate of detection and subsequent loss prevention. 3) Installation of a display at the cashier desk which would display the item details like description, cost etc, if the same is detected in a bag belonging to guests. 4) The cashier/front

desk staff would politely ask the guest if he would like to put the items on normal room bill or a special bill to be prepared for the items which he likes and he is carrying with him. 5) For group tour guests, a hand held reader will be used to scan the luggage by the bell boy. As this is a close proximity reader, it would be possible to identify the hotel items in a bag and take necessary action. The hand held reader works on existing Wi-Fi. 6) For the staff egress points, an audio visual alarm would be integrated in the RFID system which would indicate the presence of a RFID tag. 7) Using a hand-held reader, regular weekly audits will be carried out for all tagged items. Whichever item is not traced, with the help of the video footage, an effort would be made to find the culprit who has removed the item. The audit for more expensive items in public places could be done on a daily basis. What is the awareness level in the Indian hospitality sector about the advantages of RFID technology ? How are you trying to advocate the same ? Indian hospitality sector is just awakening to the advantages of using RFID in their property. Whilst all the major chains have already taken the decision to use only RFID for future projects, the small chains and individual hotels, given

their compulsions to keep the cost per room as low as possible, are still a long way away from using RFID for the locks. However, even these hotels are finding advantages in energy management and, eventually for outsource laundry for use of RFID. Dolphin Group of Companies is taking part in various and special seminars and conferences and educating the industry through intensive interactions. On the anvil are plans to conduct road shows to bring in more awareness on how RFID can automate the processes, reduce losses in pilferage and save costs on energy management whilst enhancing the guest experience. There has been a lot of talk in recent times about RFID in laundry management. Are Indian hotels implementing the same ? RFID in laundry management will definitely revolutionise the Indian hospitality industry whilst there is a lot of talk about such systems there is no hotel which has implemented this technology to date. Though Dolphin is in advanced dialogues with a number of chains once a first few hotels use this technology, we expect that this would be implemented across board as this system increases productivity immensely, helps in loss prevention in terms of exchange linen, highly reduces the time spend by the hotel staff in managing their uniforms and eventually reduces the need for a high PAR due to total visibility. What are your security/ access control solutions for the hotel industry ? Any interesting new developments in this space? Post the terrorist attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, security has definitely become a priority for the hotel industry. International chains like Marriott are insisting on stringent security system like crash rated barriers at the outer periphery, X-Ray screening for all baggage and metal detectors for personal screening. All this leads to some degree of inconvenience to the guest which has to be accepted. Loss of aesthetic entrances due to door frame metal detectors is another area which has lead to more aesthetic single pole metal detectors coming up in the market.

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Hospitality

Life

ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS

A man with many roles Thomas Pritzker named 2013 Cornell Icon of the Industry he Cornell University School of H o t e l Administration has named Thomas J Pritzker the recipient of the 2013 Cornell Icon of the Industry Award in recognition of his outstanding success in the hospitality industry and his extraordinary philanthropy. Pritzker will receive the award at the fifth annual Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards gala and dinner at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City on June 4, 2013. “We created the Cornell Icon of the Industry Award to honour individuals who are both outstanding hospitality leaders and great humanitarians. With these criteria in mind, Pritzker was a clear choice for our award winner this year,” said Michael D Johnson, dean and E M Statler professor of Hotel Administration. “His business acumen reaches well beyond the hospitality industry, and his philanthropic contributions have helped spur economic development, advance the arts, and promote scientific research. We look forward to honouring Tom at our fifth annual Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards.” Pritzker is executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation and chairman of Marmon Group, a diversified manufacturing concern. He is chairman and CEO of The Pritzker Organisation and on the board of directors of Royal Caribbean Cruises. Pritzker is also a founding member and chairman of the board of managers of Bay City Capital, a merchant bank specialising in biotech and

December 1-15, 2012

Thomas Pritzker with family patriarch Jay Pritzker life sciences. Over the course of his career, he has built companies in a range of industries including container leasing, pharmaceuticals, and managed care. In addition to his business interests, Pritzker is active in a broad array of civic, cultural, and scientific organisations and institutions. He is a member of The Business Council, a national organisation of CEOs, and the Civic Committee, a notfor-profit organisation whose mission is to encourage economic development in the Chicago area. Pritzker is chairman of the Art Institute of Chicago and a member of www.expresshospitality.com

the board of trustees of the University of Chicago. He is also chairman of the Hyatt Foundation, which sponsors the Pritzker Architecture Prize, recognised globally as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in the field of architecture. Pritzker serves on the board of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC. In addition, he organised the Pritzker Neuropsychiatric Disorders Research Consortium, a unique collaborative effort involving leading scientists from Stanford, Cornell, UC Irvine, UC Davis, and University of Michigan focused on research into the

biology and genetic basis of psychiatric disorders. The Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards began in 2009, and previous recipients of the Cornell Icon of the Industry Award are J W “Bill” Marriott, Jr, Charles “Chuck” Feeney, the Hilton family and the Conrad N Hilton Foundation, and the Tisch family. This special event, the largest on the School of Hotel Administration’s calendar, raises funds for the school's scholarships and programmes. In 2012, more than 900 guests from 17 countries attended the awards ceremony. EXPRESS HOSPITALITY

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Movements The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, Gulmarg

Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield

Accor Hotels, Andhra Pradesh

Hilton Mumbai International Airport

Alex Koshy joins The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, Gulmarg as the general manager. He brings with him knowledge and skills in diverse areas of hotel operations, finance management, revenue management, human resources and sales and marketing. Koshy graduated in 1997 from the Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Chennai, and later earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Studies from the Dublin Business School, Ireland.

Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield has announced the appointment of Matthew Cooper as the general manager of the property set to be open in January 2013. Cooper will lead the management team towards the opening of Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield. In his new role, he will be responsible for the operational set up and steering of the overall management of the hotel. He will also play a vital role in employee training and development.

Accor Group has announced the appointment of Peter Frawley as the general manager Delegate for Accor Hotels, Andhra Pradesh. In his new role, he will be responsible for the overall vision and future direction of all the properties of Accor in Andhra Pradesh including Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and HICC, Novotel Hyderabad Airport, Mercure- Abids, & Novotel Vishakapatnam Varun Beach.

Hilton Mumbai International Airport has announced the appointment of Kasturi Deo as executive housekeeper. She brings more than 15 years of experience to her new role. In her former position at Bombay Dyeing & Manufacturing Co, she was heading housekeeping operations.

Savannah Sinclairs, Bengaluru Swajib Chatterjee has been appointed as general manager at Savannah Sinclairs in Whitefield, Bengaluru. His last assignment was with Radisson Blu, Ranchi as executive assistant manager.

onefinestay onefinestay has announced the appointment of John Clarke as its first head of worldwide sales. In this new role, he will be responsible for the building the company’s relationships with the travel industry and charged with executing the roll-out of a worldwide sales organisation. He will be responsible for defining a global sales strategy and building a sales team across key international markets.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts

Sutera Harbour Resort, Malaysia

Raffles Hotels & Resorts has appointed Peter French as president, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, with effect from January 1, 2013. French succeeds John Johnston, who has held this role since 2009 and will be retiring at the end of the year. French was most recently regional vice president - Europe, Middle East & Africa for Raffles Hotels & Resort and general manager of Raffles Dubai, the group’s first hotel in the Middle East.

Mayang Ismail has As the newly been appointed as appointed group the director of director of sales marketing and marketing for communications at Sutera Harbour Sutera Harbour Resort in Malaysia, Resort, Sabah. She Nicolas Reschke brings with her over heads up the sales 15 years of and marketing experience, garnered from her postings team and is overlooking two 450+ rooms hotels, a with various publishing houses in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Marina, a 27 Hole Graham Marsh golf course, and the eco retreats Sutera Sanctuary Lodges.

Ritz-Carlton DIFC The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has strengthened its leadership team with the following appointments: Rania J Keedy, director of sales & marketing: She joins The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC with 12 years of sales and marketing experience from InterContinental Hotels Group.

resources: Darsana brings nearly 30 years of hospitality experience to The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, including 18 hotel openings across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He has been with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company for 16 years, having first joined in 1996, as front of house manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Bali.

Lorenzo Maraviglia, director of F&B: Following three years as director of F&B at Armani Hotel, Dubai (20092012), Maraviglia joins The RitzCarlton, DIFC with extensive experience in the luxury food and beverage market.

Hannah George, director of public relations: George joins The RitzCarlton, DIFC with nearly 10 years of PR and marketing experience in the UK and the Middle East.

Centara Grand Resort & Spa Pattaya Dominique Rongé has been appointed as general manager of Centara Grand Resort & Spa Pattaya. He has 15 years of experience in the hospitality, restaurant and luxury cruise sectors.

Benny Darsana, director of human

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December 1-15, 2012

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December 1-15, 2012

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ChocoMan Two Cute

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December 1-15, 2012

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39 & 40, Municipal Industrial Estate, Gandhi Nagar, Opp. Nehru Science Centre, Worli, Mumbai - 400 018 TF: +91-22-2496 8482, +91-22-2492 1998 Email: uniforms@uuindia.com www.uniformsunltd.co.in December 1-15, 2012

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December 1-15, 2012

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#3, Woodwarf, 5th Lane Walltax Road, Chennai- 600 079 Ph:+91-9840 393466, Telefax:(044) 2539 0673. Mobile: 0988414562, Delhi 09650606424. Email: maxellplastindia@hotmail.com Website: www.maxellplast.tradeindia.com Mumbai Showroom : #G-90, Sarovadaya Nagar, 1st Panjarpole, Mumbai â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 400004. Ph #+91-22-2242 7778. Telefax:+91-22-22422442. Mobile : + 91-9892721331. Email : maxellplastmum@rediffmail.com, Website : www.maxellplast.tradeindia.com Delhi Showroom : #4781/26, Deputy Gunj, Sadar Bazar, Delhi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 110006. Tel : +91-11-2352 4455. +91-9650606424 Email : maxellplastindiadel@hotmail.com

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December 1-15, 2012

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Bouillon Strainer

Wire Skimmers

Spoon Rest

Tongs

Tea Pots Food Covers

Cutlery Chaf fing Dish Spoons

Salad Tong & Fork

Cake Server

Sword & Stand

Whisks

Chopping Board Rack

MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS OF STAINLESS STEEL

Napkin Holder

KITCHEN WARE

TABLE WARE

Trays 1/1 - 2/1 - 60/40

BAR WARE

Prerana Metals, 111/C, Govt. Industrial Estate, Charkop, Kandivali (W), Mumbai - 400 067. Office: +91-22-2867 4915 / 17 | Fax: 91-22-2867 4945 | E-mail: preranametals@gmail.com | Website: www.preranametals.com

Tel : +91-11-2352 4455, +91-9650606424. Email : maxellplastindiadel@hotmail.com

December 1-15, 2012

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Business Avenues Please Contact:

Mumbai: Rajan Nair - 09821076065

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Delhi Associate : Manoj - 09818073441

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Chennai: Vijay Kulkarni - 09940047667 ■ ■

Bangalore: Sreejit : 08867574257 Hyderabad: Shukla : 09849297724 ■

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Delhi: Pranshu - 09810841431

Kolkata: P Basu - 09830130965 www.expresshospitality.com

December 1-15, 2012

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THE DEFINITIVE HOTEL SUPPLIERS’ DIRECTORY • India’s most Comprehensive & Referred Hospitality Suppliers’ Directory

• Eleven categories, 170 sections, over 15,000 entries

• Now in its ten year, the complete hospitality industry update

• Published by Express Hospitality,

India’s Leading Hospitality Fortnightly

BOOK YOUR COPY NOW To Free List Your Company details in HPF 2012, please visit www.expresshospitality.com/hpf. For more information, Contact +91 22 67440499 or write to, darshana.chauhan@fhwexpo.in, express.hpf@gmail.com

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December 1-15, 2012

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December 1-15, 2012

W|E|E|K|E|N|D

Fusion fare overs of Bengali cuisine rejoiced at the launch of Bong Bong from Surjapriya Ghosh along with Kanika Mohan Saxena. The pre-launch dinner saw the likes of foodies Bipasha Basu, Umesh Pherwani, Pavan Anand, Shama Sikandar, Siddharth Kannan, Nivedita Basu. Pragati Mehra and Akshay Sethi. Everyone was all praise for this 500 square foot restaurant with its distinct Calcutta vintage in the inclusion of kerosene lanterns, an old radio, framed Boroline and Murphy Radio advertisements and the sepia-toned walls featuring hand-painted murals of hand-pulled rickshaws. And everyone relished the decidedly contemporary fare with a fusion of Bengali and European cooking.

WEEKEND SCENE AND HEARD

Marcellus Baptista

Kanika Saxena, Bipasha Basu and Surjapriya Ghosh at the launch of Bong Bong

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MUMBAI’S HOTELS? A PEEK INTO THE PARTY CIRCUIT AND EVENTS IN THE CITY...

Getting started

Wine and dine t was time to sip and savour some fine wines at Vinoteca by Sula as Cecilia Oldne, global brand ambassador at Sula Vineyards/Sula Selections hosted a Hardys wine and Vinoteca tapas soiree to celebrate almost a decade of Hardys existence in India. Catherine Gwynne, regional director – Americas, Middle East, Central Asia & Africa, Accolade Wines and Australian Consul General Steve Waters were present along with guests like Jade Jagger, Anil Chopra and Bandana Tewari. And besides the wines everyone thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic food fare crafted by chef Silvia Grimaldo.

The final fling hina House at Grand Hyatt was the happy venue for the after-party of the last leg of the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour that traversed several cities around the country. The last show featured Vikram Phadnis showcasing his creations and the beauty of textures. Beige, lime green and coral shades caught your eye with Malaika Arora Khan as showstopper. On day one, Kangana Ranaut was the heavenly showstopper for Gaviin Miguel’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ show. Other showstoppers at the two-day event included Sonakshi Sinha, Evelyn Sharma, Celina Jaitley, Esha Gupta and Sania Mirza.

Nidhi Choudhary and Nidhi Jani at the India Resort Fashion Week party at F bar ou had a glimpse of exciting things to come at the pre-party of the India Resort Fashion Week (IRFW) 2012 coming up in Goa, presented by Dheeraj Realty and powered by Gitanjali. The action was at the fashionable F bar with the sound of DJ music and the flow of hors d’oeuvres and 100 Pipers and other spirits. Spotted having a good time were Rocky S, Nidhi Munim, Marvie Ann Beck, Hard Kaur, Riyaz Gangji, Shouger Doshi, Babita Malkani, Deepali Sontakkey and Jacky Bhagnani among many others. Also present were Nidhi Choudhary, MD, IRFW and Nidhi Jani, chief relationship officer, IRFW. The fashion bites like tawa fish with tequila lime glaze, chicken teriyaki pizza, pav bhaji vol au vent among other items were much appreciated. And the talk was on the fashion extravaganza where music and fashion culminate for a one-of-a-kind beach experience.

Jade Jagger and Silvia Grimaldo at the Hardys evening at Vinoteca December 1-15, 2012

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Kangana Ranaut at the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour at Grand Hyatt

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Beer passion

WEEKEND E V E N T S

Festivity preparation

Chetan Tiwari, GM, Royal Orchid Central Grazia, Vashi along with chef Dhairyashil N Raibagkar and the children from Kanchan Foundation at the cake mixing session

George Reisch, brewmaster at Anheuser-Busch and director of the Brewmaster Outreach for Anheuser-Busch hosted a zythology session for all beer lovers at Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai

Generate awareness

Winning streak Hyatt Regency Chennai won the coveted 'Best International Hotel Marketing' in the World Award at the grand ceremony held at London

Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar associated with Sanofi Diabetes Blue fortnight 2012 to fight against diabetes

Commitment to excellence

Thematic menu

Indigo Pearl was awarded ‘Asia’s Leading Design Hotel’ at the 2012 World Travel Awards held at the InterContinental Singapore

Barista Lavazza has tied up with fashion designer Rina Dhaka to infuse a nuova vita into its menu, F&B offerings

Logged on

Grand opportunity

Edenred along with SOS Children’s Villages of India commenced the second grand edition of ‘Art from the Heart’ an art competition for more than 400 underprivileged children across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Pune

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The new website of Quilon Beach Hotel - www. qresorts.in was recently inaugurated by Anil Kumar, minister of tourism, Kerala

December 1-15, 2012

REGD.WITH RNI NO.MAHENG/2005/21391, REGD.NO.MH/MR/SOUTH-44/2010-12,PUBLISHED ON 2ND & 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 3,4,5 & 18,19,20 OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT IND.EXP.PSO.