Food & Hospitality World August 16-31, 2014

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 ER ST W H I L E E X PR E S S H O S P I TA L I T Y •

CMYK

F O R T N I G H T LY I N S I G H T F O R T H E F O O D A N D H O S P I T A L I T Y T R A D E

August 16-31, 2014 Vol 2 | No. 23 | Pages 52 | `50

EDITOR’S NOTE

Promising zones

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or quiet sometime there have been robust discussions on the potential of India’s upcoming towns and cities and how it is prudent as a business plan to seek opportunities in these new emerging hubs, namely in Tier II and Tier III cities. Few homegrown players have taken a decision to venture into budding zones with a vision to cater to the future demands and also enter into unexplored territories. The Taj Group, The Lalit Group, The Park Group, Sarovar Group, Pride hotels amongst others have gone ahead and set foot in new zones. Hotel developers such as HHI, Sayaji Group, CGH Earth have also entered regions that are not mainstream.

My recent discussion with hospitality consultant HA Mishra revealed some pertinent and promising stories on arguably India’s most visited pilgrim destination, Varanasi. This internationally recognised destination has been pushed into further prominence after the 2014 elections and it is soon converting itself into a city that is going beyond pilgrimage, pandits and prayers.

HHI has its presence in the city and the company seems to be pleased with the RoI, especially after the upgradation of the city airport as per international standards. The Union Cabinet granted

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“ Few homegrown players have taken a decision to venture into budding zones with a vision to cater to the future demands and also enter into unexplored territories”

international status to Varanasi Airport in 2012, renaming it as Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport.

The fact that it connects well with Kolkata and other major cities in the country and abroad through direct flights has helped the region. UP and Bihar are also receiving attention, especially with respect to Buddhist tourism with the World Bank showing keen interest in developing the hospitality sector in that region.

Plans are also underway to build a world class convention centre in Bodhgaya lead by Arun Saraf. Building convention centres seems to be the next big plan in few regions. Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) has plans to make Ponda, a meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) tourism hub. This decision follows the Union Budget 2014, when Arun Jaitley, union finance minister, allocated budgets to make Goa the MICE tourism hub of India. Plans are also under discussions to build a convention centre in Jaipur. The city is also attracting interesting hospitality investments as local developers are roping in international brand names to manage hotels. The growth story seems to be gathering pace.

REEMA LOKESH Editor

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August 16-31, 2014

CONTENTS Vol 2 No.23 AUGUST 16-31, 2014

CHEF’S PLATTER

Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Editor Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor Steena Joy Senior Associate Editor Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee New Delhi Archana Sharma Kolkata Joy Roy Choudhury DESIGN National Art Director Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director Surajit Patro Chief Designer Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist Ratilal Ladani Kiran Parker Scheduling & Coordination Rohan Thakkar Photo Editor Sandeep Patil MARKETING General Manager Sachin Shenoy Marketing Team Dattaram Kandalkar Rajan Nair Ashwani Kumar Shukla Sreejith Radhakrishnan Pranshu Puri Yoginder Singh Ajanta Sengupta NATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES Sasi Kumar G Keshav Barnwal INTERNATIONAL FOOD & HOSPITALITY SALES Soumodip Ghosh Dhananjay Makharia PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis Manager Bhadresh Valia

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GETTING

FLOORED

HIGH SPIRITS

Colour,texture and type of flooring can increase the 'wow' factor for hotel guests.Understanding the importance of floor designs is half the job done in creating a complete finished lookto design ideas.Food & HospitalityWorld speaks to the industryto get insights on whyhotels are moving awayfrom traditional floorings to laminates and hardwood floors (22-25)

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P12: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Spring Hill

P14: PRODUCT TRACKER Petricor Fragrances

P34: LIFE Education jewel

P36: MOVEMENTS Hyatt Regency Chennai

P46: WEEKEND Scene and heard by Marcellus Baptista

A REFRESHING TWIST MONSOON MAGIC, THE THEME FOR THE ONGOING FOOD FESTIVAL AT RADISSON BLU HOTEL NEW DELHI DWARKA, PROMISES TO OFFER A REFRESHING AND INNOVATIVE MENU

MARKETS

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PONDA TO BECOME MICE HUB OF GOA

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THE HEART OF SWISS HOSPITALITY

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CITY BARS TO SERVE LIQUOR UP TO 1:30 AM IN MUMBAI AND SUBURBS

QUALITY FOR MASSES A RECENT ENTRANT INTO THE INDIAN BROWN SPIRITS MARKET MARKET, I BRANDS BEVERAGES HAS MADE A MARK WITH ITS PREMIUM PRODUCTS IN A SHORT SPAN OF FOUR YEARS

EDGE

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INTERVIEW WITH TARUN JOUKANI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STAAH – INDIA

Food & Hospitality World Published for the proprietors, Global Fairs & Media Private Limited, by Vaidehi Thakar at Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, and printed by her at Indian Express Press, Plot EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai. Editor : Reema Lokesh* (*responsible for selection of news under PRB Act). @ 2012 Global Fairs & Media Private Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the Publisher's permission is prohibited.

MARKETS

Ponda to become MICE hub of Goa Akshay Kumar Mumbai GOA TOURISM Development Corporation (GTDC) has plans to make Ponda, a city located 28km from Panaji, a meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) tourism hub. This decision follows the Union Budget 2014, where Arun Jaitley, finance minister, Government of India allocated budgets to make Goa the MICE tourism hub of India. GTDC will commence the work for this project from August first week.

Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitallity World,

Nikhil Desai, managing director, GTDC, said, "We are planning to convert the temple town of Ponda into a MICE tourism hub. Ponda is conveniently located near the capital city of Panaji. We will facilitate all necessary infrastructure for MICE tourists and also develop infrastructure for larger conventions."

Also, GTDC is looking aggressively into the wedding event segment. Realising the potential in their state for destination weddings, the tourism board recently announced a wedding show in New Delhi from August 16-17, 2014.

Dilip Parulekar, minister of tourism, Government of

We will facilitate all necessary infrastructure for MICE tourists and also develop infrastructure for larger conventions

Goa, said, "The Indian wedding market is valued at US$ 38 billion a year and is expected to grow 25-30 per cent annually. We hope that this initiative will serve as a platform to bring together the best of Goa and showcase what makes the state such a viable wedding destination.

We are optimistic about the success of this event and plan to organise it annually."

When asked about the incentives which will be provided for the wedding events in Goa, Parulekar, added, "We will provide a single window system for all the wedding events in Goa. This will be ap-

Nikhil Desai

proved in a month or two. After the implementation of this system we will plan to introduce incentives into this space."

HHI Group to increase pan India presence Joy Roy Choudhury Kolkata HHI GROUP of Hotels, which presently owns five properties at Kolkata, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Pune and Bengaluru, will be soon launching another leisure property in Goa. “We have a pan-India presence and will soon be launching a leisure property in Goa. We have already acquired land for this purpose. Though, we are yet to firm up the plans, it is likely to be a mid-sized leisure property with around 40-45 keys providing all the modern amenities along with a slew of luxury villas,” said Vinay Jaiswal, director – Operations, HHI Group of Hotels. In the coming years, the company plans to explore the opportunities to set up set up mid-sized business hotels in other upcoming Tier-II cities like Patna, Raipur, Siliguri, Indore, etc.

The first quarter of the current fiscal was much better for the HHI Group in terms of business compared to the same

Vinay Jaiswal

period of the corresponding year. Jaiswal informed that the group's property in Varanasi is performing well after the upgradation of the city airport as per international standards. The Union Cabinet granted international status to Varanasi Airport in 2012. Now, renamed Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, it is connected with Kolkata and other major cities in the country and abroad through direct flights. “We have witnessed a steady rise in the number of Buddhist tourists visiting Varanasi

mainly from the ASEAN nations with the starting of a direct flight from Bangkok and connecting flights from Kolkata,” mentioned Jaiswal.

“We are optimistic about the growth prospect of the Varanasi property after prime

minister Narendra Modi announced a slew of initiatives to develop Varanasi as an international destination and clean the river Ganges,” stated Jaiswal.

Jaiswal is also positive about the growth prospect of

the Pune property as well, which is a 50-key 'trendy-luxury-boutique' five-star hotel.

The group also plans to set up a hotel management institute in Kolkata and is in the process of identifying land for the project.

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MARKETS

'We are targeting all segments in the Indian market' One of Europe's leading hotel companies with an Indian CEO, Steigenberger Hotel Group has 100 operational or under construction hotels across Europe, the Middle East and China, along with three Nile cruise ships. Puneet Chhatwal, CEO, Steigenberger Hotel Group, talks about the company's new focus on the Indian market.

By Sudipta Dev Does Steigenberger Hotel Group have a focus on attracting the Indian outbound traveller? Which segments - leisure / business / MICE? We are targeting all segments in the Indian market.

Primarily we focus on MICE and corporate travellers. We also see very high potential for both of our brands, Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts as well as InterCityHotel, by Indian leisure travellers, especially for the summer season.

Have you been actively promoting the brand in India, for which European markets?

We have started by establishing a sales office in India to work locally with all relevant B2B partners. We are now adding PR, marketing, socialmedia and more sales actions. We receive business for all our markets in Europe such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Which of your properties

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have been attracting maximum Indian clientele?

This would include our hotels in Frankfurt such as Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof and Steigenberger Airport hotel, as well as our InterCityHotels in the region of Frankfurt. The Steigenberger Hotels in the German capital Berlin, we see a very good demand as well. Also very popular are our resorts in Switzerland: Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédère in Davos, Steigenberger Alpenhotel and Spa in Gstaad-Saanen and Steigenberger Hotel Bellerive au Lac in Zurich.

Indians grow up with Bollywood movies, which often use the Swiss scenery as film location. As a result Switzerland is one of the favourite destinations for Indian travellers – particularly for honeymoon.

Germany being among the top MICE destinations for Indian corporates, which hotels are ideal MICE destinations for this segment?

Within Germany there are many attractive cities for

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

August 16-31, 2014

up hotel projects in India?

In my opinion India provides an excellent and very interesting market for hotel business and this is of course a project which is close to my heart. There are preliminary discussions with potential partners in India but nothing concrete yet.

Puneet Chhatwal

MICE groups with great culture, history and always excellent accessibility, due to close and perfect infrastructure. Only to name a few for MICE groups: Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart or Dresden and Leipzig. With its portfolio Steigenberger Hotel Group covers all relevant cities in Germany.

Are you looking at setting

Your InterCityHotel brand with properties at transport hubs is an excellent concept for the Indian market. How do you think this model can be replicated in this country?

InterCityHotel is an innovative brand which comprehensively meets the requirements of price-conscious business and leisure travellers by providing a range of modern city hotels. Their perfect locations at transport hubs such as intercity railway stations and airports

make them the ideal starting points for business meetings and city explorations. InterCityHotels meet the expectations of cost-conscious business travellers and city trip enthusiasts by offering contemporary conferencing and accommodation services at attractive prices. It is a great concept that would nearly fit into every functioning infrastructure around the globe – and of course in India as well.

Any other significant factor ?

With our new focus on the Indian market we have initiated trainings for our employees on property level regarding the needs and wants of Indian corporate and leisure travellers. As global hoteliers with passion we work every day to exceed the expectations of our guests.

MARKETS

The heart of Swiss hospitality Sudipta Dev Mumbai THERE HAS BEEN a huge change in the hospitality scenario in the winter sports capital of St Moritz, Switzerland in the last few decades. Of the 54 hotels in St Moritz, there are only five local hoteliers left, including Peter Marky, the owner of Steffani Hotel. “About 50 years back there were only private hotel owners in St Moritz, now large companies have taken over the properties,” said Marky.

Steffani Hotel is also one of three properties open all around the year. December to March and July to mid September are the main seasons at St Moritz.

A third generation hotelier, the property was built in 1869 and bought by Peter Marky's grandfather in 1929. The restaurant in the building was the first public restaurant in St Moritz as

there were no public dining rooms in those days. Since 1930s nothing has been changed in the Lapin Bleu restaurant as far as decor is concerned.

The hotel has 64 rooms and three restaurants - Lapin Bleu, Le Mandarin and Stüva Grill. 70 per cent of Marky's revenues come from these restaurants. “It is the most popular restaurant in St Moritz. Lapin Bleu has 220 seats and is frequented by locals and visitors. I cannot gamble with prices. In the morning if you come you will find locals sitting here having coffee as we offer the cheapest coffee. I have to work the whole year round and so really have to depend on locals,” mentioned Marky.

Pointing out that real Swiss cuisine does not really exist, he said that there are some local specialities at the restaurant along with international spread, that is mostly Italian cuisine. “I

Peter Marky

have 18 cooks who are Italians, while I hire three Chinese cooks in winter time and two in summer,” he mentioned .

St Moritz is also a conference destination, but according to Marky, it has been declining lately in the region because the Alpine village is tucked away from the centre. But, he asserted, it is a perfect destination for high-end small conferences.

These small conferences are also

organised in Steffani Hotel.

Marky used to actively promote his property in other countries, he hopes the next generation – his daughter will focus on marketing the property in the future.

Will St Moritz ever be a 365

days destination ? Marky does not believe so. “There is a saying that if you have enemies send them to St Moritz in May and November. If you come out of the season most of the shops are closed and it is not of much interest,” he stated.

MARKETS

City bars to serve liquor up to 1:30 am in Mumbai and suburbs FHW Staff Mumbai AS PER A SPECIAL police order, restaurants in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane can now serve food and beverages till 1:30 am; discotheques in 4star and above hotels can operate till 3 am; lodging house licenses to be open 24 hours; and managers’ names can be included in the entertainment licenses. The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has welcomed this new directives given by the Commissioner of Police (CP) to his officers, providing major reliefs to the hotel and restaurant industry in Mumbai.

Kamlesh Barot, immediate past-president, HRAWI, said, “Prior to the issuance of the police order, many local police

stations in Mumbai would ask bars and restaurants to close at 12:30 am, so that the premises could be vacant by 1.30 am, since that was an assumed deadline. Almost all restaurants complied with this deadline even though it was in contradiction to the government resolutions issued on June 5, 1999 and December 3, 2011, which allowed establishments to serve liquor till 1:30 am. For many years we have been petitioning the police to allow bars and restaurants to stay open till the official deadline. We are glad that the current Police Commissioner has finally accepted our petition and given a clear directive to all police stations that they should not enter any premises on this pretext before 1.30 am.”

DS Advani, president,

We are seeing a refreshing change of attitude and intent.

The approach is to solve problems and seek clarity.

We, as hoteliers are not seeking any special favours, but a healthy business atmosphere to grow in HRAWI, said, “It is not about one action or one directive, but we are seeing a refreshing change of attitude and intent.

The approach is to solve problems and seek clarity. We are certain that going forward, the new Police Commissioner will be able to streamline a lot of procedures related to police

permission, licensing and other issues. We, as hoteliers are not seeking any special favours, but a healthy business atmosphere to grow in.”

The CP has also promised to simplify the procedure for change in the name of the manager in licenses through an owner’s affidavit by the

HRAWI member and would look at affecting the change upon a mere submission of Form 32 in case of a Director’s change in a company, without stalling any operations of the hotel or restaurant member.

Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, vice-president, HRAWI, said, “On the issue of closing time of restaurants the CP was very positive about extending the time from 1:30 am to 3 am, but said that it was not within his powers and we should approach the Government of Maharashtra for extension of timings. He was also forthcoming about our proposal for special tourism zones at Powai, BKC and Kala Ghoda and conveyed that he would readily give his consent to it if the Government of Maharashtra was expecting his approval.”

Sattviko plans to open 10-12 outlets by end of 2014 Archana Sharma New Delhi SATTVIKO, Launched in February 2014, plans to open around 10-12 outlets by end of 2014. Presently, Sattviko has four outlets in different formats, in Delhi at GK-2, Vasant Kunj, Gurgaon and Rajendar Nagar. Another outlet will open at Kamla Nagar in early August. Speaking on their expansion plans, Ankush Sharma, director and founder, Sattviko stated, “We have already made an investment of

`1.5 crore so far and we have plans to further it by another `two crore and have at least 10-12 outlets by the end of the year. Since there is no specific formula, we want to figure out which format works best at a given location. Presently, the company is making an overall business revenue of `10 lakh a month.” The company is also exploring the option of taking the brand abroad.

Besides this, the company plans to launch a mobile application for live time tracking of delivery services. “Keeping

10 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

our IIT background in mind, we are trying to provide as much transparency as possible for our customers with the help of technology,” mentioned Sharma. The company's main target clientele is the employed segment.

“Nowadays, there is a necessity for healthy eating which is increasingly being recognised by the employed segment.”

Keeping a location wise marketing strategy in place, Sattviko wants to establish personalised services for its customers for ordering as well

Ankush Sharma

as for receiving feedback.

When asked about the concept behind their brand, Sharma opined, “We wanted to create an option of eating out every day. And after a lot of research, we found the Sattvik method of food preparations, one of the earliest methods enlisted in the Vedas.

We practice the Sattvik way to the very core. The use of oil, ghee, etc is kept at the optimum level and everything is prepared without onion and garlic, even the ketchup.”

MARKETS

Shanti Metal Industries strengthens portfolio of hospitality products FHW Staff Mumbai

Hatco, Scotsman, Roller Grill, Santos, Waring, etc.

SHANTI METAL Industries, is one of the largest manufacturers, importers and suppliers of hospitality equipments and amenities to leading hotel chains and resorts, under their brand Melange. It provides a one-stop solution to its clients, having a wide range of products in varied categories.

It has its own manufacturing unit, located in Bengaluru.

Apart from local manufacturing, it also has tie-ups with several overseas factories to produce products. The company even customises its products as per the client's requirement.

Shanti Metal Industries was established in 1985, starting with the manufacture of stainless steel utensils for the domestic market. Gradually it shifted its focus to institutional and corporate supplies and finally hospitality supplies became the core segment as this industry requires very high level of competence and organised functioning. The company is helmed by the Jain brothers, with a combined industry experience of 73 years.

As hospitality industry professionals are exposed to some of the top brands in the world, it has become imperative to provide those top brands under one roof. Hence the company has tied-up with some renowned brands like SICO, EuroChef Asia, JVD, Standard Textile, Cambro, Ocean Professional, Lucaris,

Standard Textile: Founded in 1940, Standard Textile has more than 70 patents and the products are engineered to deliver durability, longevity and value, to help drive out excess operational costs for laundry and linen system. It delivers the lowest cost per use through pre-laundered products with unprecedented strength, extended service life and tools that deliver maximum efficiency.

EuroChef Asia: EuroChef Asia was established in Hong Kong under Matfer Bourgeat Group. Matfer began manufacturing professional chef’s tools in France in 1814. The group has grown to become the Matfer Bourgeat Group after the successful acquisition of Bourgeat. Established in 1918 Bourgeat is a famous French manufacturer of professional cookware. EuroChef Asia meets the complete kitchen utensil requirement of any food service establishment.

SICO: SICO is the global leader in mobile folding and rolling, space efficient products that help customers optimise their use of space. The engineering and manufacturing that goes into every SICO product is supported by a warranty programme and customer service.

JVD: JVD is the first French manufacturer of hotel accessories such as electronic door locks, safes, minibars, kettles, hairdryers and more.

Ocean Professional: Ocean Professional offers a portfolio of quality glassware and professionalservices that provides assistance in selecting glassware for specific drinks, outlets, and occasions to food service operators.

Shanti Metal Industries provide end-to-end solutions under different categories like kitchen equipments and cold room shelving, kitchen accessories, pots and pans, food service equipments, banquet furniture, restaurant furniture, poolside furniture, housekeeping and front office equipments, all kinds of rolling equipments, guest room amenities, guest room leatherites, flatware crockery, glassware, holloware, staff lockers and shelving, cafeteria furniture and back- end office furniture.

Recently, the company has successfully completed projects with the Marriott Whitefield Bengaluru, JW Marriott Bangalore, Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum, Novotel Kolkata, Radisson Blu Kandla, Renaissance Powai, Fairfield Mariott Bangalore, Double Tree by Hilton Bangalore, Brigade Sheraton, Prestige Oakwood, etc. The company has showrooms and offices in Bengaluru, New Delhi and Pune.

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Unismart Apparels Pvt. Ltd.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Spring Hill INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP and international investment group, Pro-Invest have signed a franchisee agreement for a 226-room Holiday Inn Express hotel in Brisbane’s Spring Hill. The hotel will be the first Holiday Inn Express property in the city and marks the company's return to Brisbane. The new Holiday Inn Express hotel will be located near the 'Golden Triangle' of Brisbane’s CBD, with easy access to the city’s business, retail, entertainment and leisure hubs. Surrounded by a number of restaurants and bars, the high-rise Brisbane hotel will have two meeting rooms, on-site parking spaces and a breakfast area, called The Great Room.

Four Points by Sheraton Bengaluru Whitefield STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS Worldwide has opened Four Points

by Sheraton Bengaluru Whitefield. Rebranded after extensive renovation, the hotel is managed by Starwood Hotels and owned by Savannah Hotels. The opening marks the second Four Points by Sheraton hotel to open this year, following the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Dehradun in April. The hotel has 102 well-appointed guest rooms including seven suites. The rooms feature the brand’s signature Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort Bed. Four Points features 260 square metres of function facilities with two meeting rooms, a fully equipped business center and 483 square metres of open rooftop space for business meetings as well as social gatherings.

The Westin Zhujiajian Resort, Zhoushan, China STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS Worldwide has opened The Westin Zhujiajian Resort, Zhoushan, marking the Westin brand’s debut in the city of Zhoushan in the Zhejiang province of China. The beachfront resort features 263 guest rooms and 12 villas, innovative dining options and leisure facilities, and all the Westin brand’s signature amenities and services designed to inspire well-being. The resort’s all-day restaurant, Seasonal Tastes features a nourishing and imaginative menu, while the Chinese restaurant, Five Sen5es provides the setting for celebrations, as well as CHOKO which is a separate dining area for guests to enjoy vegetarian cuisine. At The Lobby Lounge, guests can indulge in a cocktail, a freshly brewed coffee or a cup of Westin Jing Tea. In-room dining is also available 24 hours a day.

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MARKETS

Nature Trails Resorts open to franchising model Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai NATURE TRAILS Resorts is open to franchising model for its expansion in major metros on pan India basis. Presently having five properties- Durshet Forest Lodge, Kundalika Rafting Camp, Koyna Backwater Camp, Dabhosa Waterfall Resort and Sajan Nature Club, the company is looking at introducing newer adventure activities and upgrading the existing properties.

Speaking to Food & Hospitality World, Chinmay Divekar, director, Nature Trails Resorts said, “We are open to franchising with anyone who already has established properties in unique and unexplored destinations which

Chinmay Divekar

are two-three hours drive from metropolitan cities. This year our focus will be on Maharashtra and next year we would look at Bengaluru and Hyderabad for expansion.”

About 40 per cent of the company's clients consists of families and FITs, 30 per cent are be corporates and another 30 per cent comprise of schools.

Last year, the company launched Saturday night breaks packages. “We look for unique and unexplored destinations which are easily accessible. Nature and adventure related activities are our key positioning factors,” he added. When asked about the promotion of adventure tourism in Maharashtra by the state government, Divekar informed, “The Maharashtra government has come out with a GR which focuses on regulating all adventure tour operators. Going forward, compliance to the GR is compulsory. Hopefully it

should not cause losses to the business.”

He further opined that Maharashtra is the biggest contributor to adventure tourism segment. “Mumbai and Pune have

The Maharashtra govt has come out with a GR which focuses on regulating all adventure tour operators

huge potential and there is a strong demand too, but unfortunately the state government is not actively promoting this segment. But tour operators like us are promoting this segment aggressively,” he pointed out.

Taking about the trends seen in adventure tourism so far, Divekar opined, “There are three factors contributing to the healthy growth of business, firstly the advent of the internet which has affected our business in a positive way, secondly changes in the economic scenario and corporates demanding for outdoor adventure activities for team building exercises, and lastly more number of people nowadays are opting for 'active' holidays.”

MoT urges to boost supply of hotel rooms FHW Staff Mumbai THE MINISTER OF state (independent charge) for culture and tourism Shripad Yesso Naik recently highlighted that as per the report of the ‘Working Group on Tourism’ for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017) set up by the Planning Commission, for a projected annual

growth of 12 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals, the requirement of additional hotel rooms under classified category in 2016 over 2010 is estimated to be 1,90,108 including budget hotel rooms.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Naik said, construction of hotels is primarily a private sector activity. The ministry of tourism, however,

has advised the state governments/UT Administrations to follow tourism friendly policies for augmenting Hotel room supply like allotting land sites for hotels on revenue sharing basis, granting extra Floor Space Index(FSI)/Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for hotels, adopt single window approach for clearing hotel projects, rationalisation of taxes. The min-

istry of finance, Govt. of India has also included the following in the “Harmonised list of Infrastructure Sub – Sectors” to boost supply of hotel rooms in the country: i) Three Star or higher category classified hotels located outside cities with population of more than one million. ii) Hotels with a project cost of more than `200 crore

each in any place in India and of any star rating. This clause is applicable with prospective effect from 07.10.2013, the date of notification and available for eligible prospects for three years from the date of notification i.e.

07.10.2013, the eligibility cost of `200 crore excludes cost of land and lease charges but includes interest during construction.

Luxury Academy to provide free training in India FHW Staff Mumbai LUXURY ACADEMY, a British training company has, announced their intention to conduct a series of free training workshops in supervisory skills for students, staff and management of luxury hospitalty companies and colleges in Delhi and Mumbai in September. The workshops will be held at the India International Centre in Delhi

on September 1, 2014 and at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO) on September 8, 2014.

Commenting on the move, Paul Russell, director, Luxury Academy, said, “The free training workshops will be a unique way for us to introduce ourselves to the luxury hospitality market in India whilst also providing an excellent opportunity for those working in luxury hotels and hospitality to take advantage of training that nor-

mally costs in the region of one lakh.”

The workshops will not only cover a wide range of subjects essential to enhancing

leadership and management skills such as problem solving, delegation, time management, leading teams and effective communication but also will fo-

The workshops will be a unique way for us to introduce ourselves to the luxury hospitality market in India

cus on more practical elements usually not taught to supervisors and managers such as effective complaint handling, dealing with difficult staff and how to give professional feedback.

The training will be led by Paul Russell who has extensive experience as a senior manager in luxury hotels having worked for companies such as Marriott International, Renaissance International and Ritz Carlton.

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PRODUCT TRACKER

Vat 69 VAT 69, A SCOTCH WHISKEY brand has launched a collector’s edition pack that depicts the journey of the brand. This new designer pack has the brand assets - The Casks, Talbot Hound Seal, William Sanderson’s Crest, the Stenciled Vat 69 logo and also includes a serving glass. The pack (750 ml) will be available at `1290 in Bengaluru, `1350 in Hyderabad, `1320 in Kolkata, `1665 in Mumbai, `840 in Goa, `1100 in Delhi, `1150 in Haryana and `1450 in Ludhiana.

Kara KARA by The Aditya Birla Group has introduced Kara Sunscreen Wipe enriched with rich aloe vera and plum extracts that nourishes the skin with Vitamin E and antioxidants. Each Kara Wipe is made from Birla Cellulose, a 100 per cent natural fibre. It is pure, soft and has high moisture absorption capacity. Kara wipes are dermatologically tested.

Tranceforme TRANCEFORME HAS introduced a range of bathroom accessories which includes soap cases, hand wash, steel and wooden towel holders, towel paper holder and more.

Square Foot Square Foot has launched Primo Premium, a range of highquality vinyl flooring from Tarkett. Primo Premium is a compact, homogenous vinyl flooring, that has a polyurethane (PUR) reinforced finish which eliminates the need for polishes or waxes and can substantially reduce the maintenance costs throughout the life cycle. The Primo Premium range includes 16 base colours with a total of 47 colours and two contrasting accent colour chips. Primo Premium is priced at `150/sq ft.

OSIM India Petricor Fragrances PETRICOR FRAGRANCES has launched a selection of premium fragrance brands from France, UK and Thailand like Les Lumieres Du Temps and Branche d’ Olive, Art Lab and Breathe. The range includes - green apple and rose, water lily, champagne, black currant fragrances. These are environmentally friendly products developed with high quality standards.

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OSIM INDIA HAS introduced uShape, a full-body vibration exerciser that helps to burn off calories efficiently. The uShape provides strong vibrations to the whole body which results in increased muscle strength, improved flexibility and blood circulation.

There are nine full body work outs (three auto programmes X three standing positions). OSIM uShape is priced at `55000.

HIGH SPIRITS

QUALITYFOR MASSES A recent entrant into the Indian brown spirits market market, I Brands Beverages has made a mark with its premium products in a short span of four years

By Archana Sharma

T

he Indian liquor market, the third largest in the world, with 95 per cent being brown spirits, stands as a US$ nine billion liquor business. After launching the products in the Indian market in August 2010 with flagship Granton whiskey in Uttarakhand state, I Brands Beverages currently has distribution rights in eight states of India including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Puducherry.

In an endeavour to take the ‘mass market premium’ spirits – Three Royals Whisky; Granton whisky; Rum 99, Jamaican flavoured dark rum; and Granton XO Brandy, a French Brandy – to pan-India level, Lisa Srao, chairman and MD, I Brands Beverages is planning to launch the products in markets like Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura and Meghalaya. Apart from these new markets, Srao is also looking to appoint distributors in key markets like Delhi and Rajasthan.

Having been able to achieve consumer acceptance for its premium products within a short period of four years, the company is now trying to consolidate its brand presence and distribution in the country in the coming years. While consolidating its domestic presence, the company is also keen to take the products to overseas markets like Africa and Russia in the future.

Srao informed that her company has achieved 450 per

cent growth in the first quarter of 2013 till the first quarter of 2014. Taking the semi-urban village route, and having a crystal clear strategy, the company is growing steadily.

Bridging the gap Noticing the lack of quality international products for the premium segment back in 2008, Srao states, “I found a very specific gap in the Indian liquor market. The premium liquor segment in India’s mass market was completely under-utilised, either good quality products were extremely expensive, or af-

fordable products were of bad quality. I kept thinking why we can’t have good quality products available in India at affordable prices. The segment I chose is lucrative as whiskey is 80 per cent of India's liquor market.

However, I didn't find any top of the line quality products in the premium mass market segment, and that is where I found my niche and positioned my products.”

Before she launched I Brands Beverages, Srao spent two years in research and development to ensure that she had the right product for the

right market. “In 2008, when I started researching I realised that each state was like a separate country when it comes to taste and choice of liquor. It was not like UK, the market that I understood very well.”

Srao attributes the reason for her company's success to the fact that it caters to quality. “We have set standards in packaging and those are being followed by big players as well,” she asserts.

She further points out that I Brands products have a superior quality which is blended with visually appealing pack-

ages and value for money, making the product achieve such favourable response. “The top of the line design innovation, canister packaging, embossed bottle and finest quality closures make the products completely unique to the segment that we are focusing on currently,” states Srao, adding that, the company will continue to focus on this niche positioning of ‘mass market premium’ tagline.

Planning to reach the `100 crore mark in the next three years, Srao aims to become one of the top five players of the industry.

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HIGH SPIRITS

THE BETTER BEER Bottled beer has always dominated the Indian market. With the coming of craft beer, a chunk of bottled beer fans have shifted their loyalties. While many companies are making a mark in this growing Indian market with new variants of bottled beer, many pubs are adapting the concept of brewing their own craft beers

By Akshay Kumar

B

eer has always been at the top position amongst the alcohol consuming population in India. India's beer market by sales and volume is growing at the rate of 17 per cent due to factors like the country's tropical climate that

16

is best suited for the cooling properties of beer and the social perception of beer as a more healthy alternative to hard liquor. Bottled or commercial beer has always remained a huge hit in the Indian market. But, with the growing concept of craft beer, which is a

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more niche product, many beer drinkers have adopted to this evolved drink. Many new western concepts are becoming popular amongst the youth in India, like the PYOB (pour your own beer) and the microbrewery or the brewpub concept.

Indian beer market Indians are becoming more aware of the varieties of beer available. Corporates and expats are well travelled and are demanding for a wider choice in quality beers. People are learning more and getting a better understanding of beers

and what goes into making a great quality one. The range available is higher now and beer companies are promoting it extensively and making it more accessible and therefore well accepted.

Speaking about the latest trends in the beer industry globally and in the Indian market, Rahul Singh, chief executive officer, The Beer Cafe, says, “The Indian consumer is increasingly showing greater affinity for beers. Though, the drinking out culture is not strong right now but it holds a lot of potential. Earlier, people used to go out as long as they had a reason. While 'going out' largely involved eating out, drinking became a part of the experience. However, this scenario is changing and is largely seen in the metros-it is no longer taboo to just go out for a beer, though 10 years ago, it was not the case. With greater urbanisation and growth in disposable incomes, better exposure through travel and dining out, increase in social acceptability of drinking amongst both genders and an increased availability of an ever increasing range of imported beers has contributed to this trend.� The

Craft beer can never take over the commercial beer segment, as sales of commercial beers in retail vendors, upcountry locations will always outstrip speciality beers

Beer Cafe is India's first PYOB (Pour your own beer) chain, which is growing rapidly with 13 more outlets to be opened in Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Delhi, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Bengaluru within this financial year.

Gregory Kroitzsh, owner of the Barking Deer, Mumbai's first microbrewery pub, added, “The Indian market is very different from the rest of the world. The Indian beer drinkers are slowly evolving

Rahul Singh

and want something new. We brew various styles of beer in our pub, one of the favourites of our customers is the 'Flying Pig Belgian Wit', which has an unusual spicy edge with the likes of coriander seeds and cumin seeds and a citrus twist by the orange peels. The Indian market used to prefer much lighter beers, but now the trend has been changing. One of our popular brew is the 'India Pale Ale', which is more bit-

Gregory Kroitzsh

ter and robust.”

Rohit Jain, chairman, CMJ Breweries, the Indian partners of the authentic German beer 'Kaltenberg says, “We believe that India will grow strongly in the super premium sector mainly in the urban cities.

Kaltenberg being the only German Purity Beer in India will command its own niche and place among the beer drinkers.

Konig Ludwig International would be seen as a drink to be

Rohit Jain

toasted among high level meetings, parties, get-together, etc.”

Craft beer vs bottled beer Globally the trend of beer drinkers has gradually shifted as consumers want something new to satiate their palate. The trend of craft beer has been very popular in countries like the US. But India still remains a commercial beer or a bottled beer market.

Kroitzsh, says, “Coming from the United States, I find there is a major trend for craft beer in the US. More microbreweries are opening up and are brewing many new variants for the sophisticated drinkers. The market has grown into a million dollar business in the US with around 2500 breweries. But in India it is still a niche market, only a tiny population has adapted to craft beer, whilst the major chunk is still a big fan of bottled beer. We are the first and the only pub in Mumbai with our own microbrewery and we do serve many variants of self

brewed beer which suits the Indian palate, for example we have come up with a new Masala Chai flavoured beer which is quite popular with our customers. In this beer we have infused all the spices or masalas which goes into a chai.

But the good news for us is that the craft beer market is growing and the bottled beer segment is shrinking slowly.”

Singh exclaimed, “Craft beer can never take over the commercial beer segment, as the sales of commercial beers in retail vendors, upcountry locations will always outstrip speciality beers. However, in urban areas the demographics is different. Beer lovers want to experience variety and better produce. So, craft beers are bound to proliferate. At Beer Café we have higher sales of craft beer than commercial beers. Our guests know that unlike bars who prefer to serve a mass produced commercial beer, Beer Cafes provide them almost 40 brands to choose from.”

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CHEF’S PLATTER

A refreshing twist Monsoon Magic, the theme for the ongoing food festival at Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka, promises to offer a refreshing and innovative menu this season. Chef Rakesh Sethi, executive chef of the hotel talks about these new innovations and more.

By Rituparna Chatterjee

A

PART FROM the rains, the monsoons this year has brought a fresh experience to the city of Delhi, with a specially designed monsoon menu being introduced by Chef Rakesh Sethi, executive chef at Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka. The menu which is a mix of Indian and international cuisine, prom-

18

ises to tantalise the taste buds of its guests not only through a range of delectable fare but also through innovative presentations, assures Chef Sethi. The monsoon festival titled, Monsoon Magic, started in the second week of July and will continue throughout August. “The main idea behind this concept is to offer a taste of the monsoons to our in-

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house guests and Delhiites since during this season people usually prefer having tea and a wide selection of snacks and bakery items. Hence, we decided to introduce this concept across all our F&B outlets. From the décor to the menu, everything has been arranged to recreate the feel of the monsoons when one enters the hotel lobby. For in-

stance, we are serving Indian tea in earthen kullars,” states Chef Sethi. Along with this, the chef has also introduced a new way of serving hot chocolate wherein a chocolate ball stuffed with drinking chocolate is placed at the middle of a glass. Then hot milk is poured over the chocolate ball, which melts the latter allowing the drinking chocolate

to ooze out and mix with the milk. To add to the effect further, a spoon is coated with frozen chocolate, which once stirred in the chocolate mixture, melts to give a double chocolate effect. “This dish and its presentation is our USP for this monsoon festival.

This entire presentation is made in front of the guests so that they can experience the

double chocolate effect. This we are serving at the lobby, across all our restaurants and in the rooms as well,” mentions Chef Sethi adding that, they are also being creative with the beverages by using unique garnishing for them.

“We want to ensure that each beverage that goes out of our kitchen has a garnish even if is as simple as an orange juice.

This we are doing to bring in the wow factor,” he adds.

Though these menu offerings have been introduced as part of the Monsoon Magic festival, they will continue to be offered post August. “Tea served in earthen kullars will be removed from the menu post Monsoon Magic, but the other dishes will continue to remain and will become part of our regular menu. Instead of the tea, there would be unique waffle creations, maharaja thalis, etc,” points out Chef Sethi.

Revamping the menu To offer guests a unique F&B experience at the hotel, Chef Sethi has also revamped the menu across all its F&B outlets. For breakfast, he has introduced a concept called the 'Super Breakfast' which features breakfast delicacies from across the world. “This Super Breakfast offers guests double the choice of what other hotels are giving. Also, keeping the local demand in mind, we have also added local Punjabi dishes to the menu. The breakfast menu contains cuisines from across the globe like Middle East, Europe, France, etc. We have also introduced live cooking stations. In addition, we are also focusing on the health aspect. For instance, instead of cooking parathas on tavas , we are doing it on the tandoor, which helps in reducing the fat content,” says Chef Sethi.

All these combined forms the USP of the hotel's F&B outlets, boasts the chef adding, “Each hotel has its USP. Like the adjoining hotel has an expatriate chef which is their USP and hence there is more emphasis on western food.

RAPID FIRE Favourite cuisine: Regional Indian cuisine Hobbies: Dramatics Favourite restaurant: Ego Thai, Delhi Favourite book: Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

by Anthony Bourdain

Another hotel next to us is more into Indian cuisine.

However, we are offering a mix of Indian and international cuisine.” Apart from revamping the menu, Chef Sethi has also introduced a new concept of live cooking counters. “Instead of guests coming to the live counters, we go with a trolley to their table and cook the food in front of them,” points out the chef.

When asked about the recent challenges being faced by chefs in India, Chef Sethi opines, “Today, customers are more well-travelled, intelligent and knowledgeable about different cuisines and ingredients. And hence it has become a challenge for chefs to cook good food.” The chef also went on to highlight about the growing popularity of live cooking counters in India since chefs have become the front-line staff of hotels. “Another interesting trend in India is that international cuisines have gained substantial popularity in India. As a result, your menu cannot be complete unless you are offering all cuisines. Hence, most coffee shops that are opening in hotels have interactive kitchens, different sections for different cuisines like Indian, Italitan, etc.”

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CHEF’S PLATTER

ARTIST C FUS ON

Catering to guests is like a mother's meal - where love and care is more important than spices and other ingredients, says Chef Inderjeet Singh, executive chef, Country Inn & Suites, Mysore. A veteran in the industry, he talks about his experiences and changing trends in the market.

By Kahini Chakraborty

B

ELIEVING THAT cooking is a versatile and venerable art form, Chef Inderjeet Singh, executive chef, Country Inn & Suites, Mysore says, “Every culture has a unique food philosophy and the way we cook our food tells a lot about who we are.” A veteran with nearly 25 years of bestin-class experience in the Taj Group, ITC Hotels and Carlson Hotels, chef Singh still has the exuberance and enthusiasm of a child while engaging in his passion of conjuring eclectic culinary delights. “My signature style being ‘creative fusion’, I believe in coming up with new ideas and putting in time and effort into every dish rather than just one.” With passion for cooking literally in his blood, after learning the basics from his mother, chef Singh honed his culinary skills at the Taj, and holds a Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering from Goa. “My interest in becoming a chef came from my mother who was a phenomenal cook and that’s where my love for cooking started. Growing up, eating her food which had all the love and care she used to put in the meals for our dining

20 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

table is what inspired me and thereafter my interest in becoming a chef kept growing,” he reminisces, adding that, “The course helped me to inculcate the capacity to engage in all sense with original recipes and realise that the presentation of a dish is as important as the taste, aroma and texture of what is served.”

According to him, the best part about being a chef is that there is freedom to experiment and try a hand at preparing dishes, also one gets to know and interact with the ‘crème de la crème of society’. And luckily, he emphasises that there has been no change in perspective of a chef's job, adding further that, there has to be more creativity involved and the new emerging trends have to be kept in mind while preparing dishes along with its presentation.

His gastronomical skills made him go on to become the executive chef of the Taj Hotel, Nashik, his leadership and management skills helped him move into a key management role at the Kohinoor Hotel. Adept at maintaining service standards and operational policies, planning and implementing effective control

measures to reduce running costs of the unit, chef Singh earned the reputation of being a ‘start-up specialist’ – be it a gourmet restaurant or a banquet hall or an F&B outlet or even a large new hotel. He deployed his experience in planning, implementing and executing process improvement initiatives, streamlining production activities, maintenance planning and management, and ensuring timely completion of production activities to meet delivery targets all through his career in the hospitality sector.

When asked about how he sees his journey as a chef so far, he opines, “Ups and downs are a part of every profession, but apart from that my overall journey as a chef has been pretty exciting and satisfying.”

His entire meal for guests is designed to capture a delicious and exciting range of flavours, textures and aromas because he believes that fresh organic produce is not just better, because of its purity and freedom from additives but because they taste better too.

“Catering to guests is like a mother‘s meal - where love and care is more important than spices and other ingredients,” he adds. On the increasing popularity of cuisine among Indian customers, chef Singh points out, “There was a time when Chinese cuisines were popular and high in demand, but today customers prefer and love to have a variety in cuisines from all over the world, especially European countries.” He continues to highlight that, there has been a phenomenal shift towards a casual setting form of fine dining, as the white tablecloth culture is out – the casual atmosphere is in. The main focus is now being an exquisite cuisine along with outstanding services.

RAPID FIRE Favourite cuisine: European and Continental Hobbies: Wood Intarsia Favourite restaurant: Florentine, Goa Favourite book: The Man, By Irwin Walls

Accolades Having an excellent communication, inter-personal relationship management and problem solving skills, chef Singh has been recognised for his organisational creativity, artistic display, public relations and the ability to consistently exceed guest expectation. Giv-

ing his message to aspiring chefs, he says, “Keep experimenting as it is the key to success’ and remember cooking is tiring and stressful. But if you are passionate about it, you enjoy every day of life, even after 30 years.”

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cover )

floored GETTING

Colour, texture and type of flooring can increase the 'wow' factor for hotel guests. Understanding of the importance of floor designs is half the job done in creating a complete finished look to design ideas. Food & Hospitality World speaks to the industry to get insights on why hotels are moving away from traditional floorings to laminates and hardwood floors.

BY KAHINI CHAKRABORTY

22 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

(

THE MAIN FOCUS

“Flooring should be decided based on the climatic conditions in that area. There are lots of options for floorings for hotels in stone, wood, carpets, eco friendly and designer flooring. The choices should be based on the concept, budget, climate and maintenance” Monica Khanna The Delhi Store

“Most of the people do not understand the importance of floor designing as they just consider it as the base of any room or space but one should always appreciate the surface with good work and nice design ideas” Anup Dey Chief engineer, Westin Mumbai Garden City

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cover )

C

onsidering the daily pounding that hotel floors are treated to, choosing the right kind of flooring material plays a key role in increasing the functionality of a hotel.

With today's technology, flooring companies are offering hotels a variety of materials so that they don't have to choose between functionality and aesthetics. Unlike the typical global renovation cycle, which is every seven years, in India hotels go in for a revamp only after more than 11-13 years.

Hence it has become imperative for hotels to look for higher specification of floorings. Walnut and darker colours are preferred by most hotels for personal areas like guest rooms, while for public spaces hotels prefer using designer floorings.

Gaurav Saraf, joint managing director, Square Foot highlights, “In terms of designs, Indian hotels have three categories - The Palace, where everything is ornate and design flooring in deep reds or red tone for rich looking flooring is used. Luxury hotels wherein dark hues are used and Business hotels where the flooring provides a neutral pallet for everything else. We have specialised ranges and products for all these categories of hotels.”

From an interior designer's point of view, Monica Khanna of The Delhi Store says that floors of hotels vary based on the concept and budgets. “If the concept is heritage, then Indian stones like Jaisalmer and green Udaipur are popular.

Floorings are also decided based on the activity. Hotel lobbies usually go with the most expensive stones for example, Spanish or Italian stones. Hotel rooms can have carpeting or wooden floorings, bathrooms usually have granites. Concept or design oriented hotels are more experimental, a beach

carried without hampering the area of operation.”

Wood is good

side hotel may go for expensive hard wood flooring, carpets maybe specially designed based on the themes. Some hotels are using eco-friendly products like bamboo floorings.” She further adds that stone flooring that are finished/polished are the easiest to maintain and most hygienic.

And while giving a word of caution, she emphasises, “Flooring should be decided based on the climatic conditions in that area.

If you use carpeting in humid conditions then it is a bad idea and if you use high gloss stone flooring in extra cold areas, it gives the room an additional feeling of cold which is not attractive to the guest. There are lots of options for floorings for hotels in stone, wood, carpets, eco friendly and designer flooring. The choices should be based on factors like the concept, budget, climate and maintenance.”

Adding to Khanna's points,

24 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

“Nowadays people are looking for herringbone pattern in wood flooring. Cork flooring, vinyl flooring are also in trend these days.

Natural cork flooring tiles are fast becoming the latest trend” Naresh Maheshwari CEO, Pergo

and commenting on why choosing the right flooring options and designs is important, Anup Dey, chief engineer, Westin Mumbai Garden City says, “Materials not only give good looks to floors but they also help in keeping the space cool and calm. Floor designs give a complete finished look to design ideas. Most of the people do not understand the importance of floor designing as they just consider it as the base of any room or space but one should always appreciate the surface with good work and nice design ideas. After all it is part of your spaces. Floor designing is not a difficult task to do, it’s one of the most easy and interesting part of interior designing. Moreover, with so many options available it has become much easier to select the floor patterns, materials etc. according to room, space and design ideas. The design should allow maintenance to be

As suppliers are constantly innovating to supply the best flooring solutions for commercial and living spaces, the market has seen an influx of different flooring products like laminate flooring, which is made from wood particles, HDF, resin, decor paper as raw materials. For engineered wood flooring and solid wood flooring, wood species like pine, spruce, oak, merbau, walnut etc are seasoned and then lacquered. The composite deck is made from a mixture of bamboo and HDPE to prevent fading, while vinyl flooring is made of poly vinyl, binders, resins and PUR (polyurethane). Square Foot’s varied array of product categories consists of solid wood, engineered wood, laminate wood, outdoor deck flooring, commercial heterogeneous and homogeneous vinyl, linoleum, carpet tiles and floors for sports application – both indoor and outdoor. Talking about his company's products, Naresh Maheshwari, CEO, Pergo elaborates, “The different layers used in the production of Pergo’s original laminate flooring consist of TitanX surface which is multi layers of aluminum oxide coating which protects it from stains, fading and wear and tear, followed by décor paper, core paper, high density fiber core and back stabiliser. Pergo uses virgin vinyl for its vinyl planks and tiles flooring along with the PUR (polyurethane) coating. Being eco-friendly in nature, Pergo Wood Parquet flooring is made up of recycled materials. The top layer consists of protective finish layers of UV-cured water based lacquer or quality oil, then face layer of wood along with ad-

( vanced core of hevea and balanced backing of veneer.” In terms of business revenue generation from institutional versus retail sales, for Pergo the ratio is an equal mix of 50:50, while Square Foot does a large amount of institutional sales, so the ratio is 60:40 split in favour of institutional sales.

Choice of flooring according to various locations plays an important role in the maintenance and upkeep. Flooring options and designs are mainly decided by the interior designer of the hotel. Principally, flooring is based on the concept of the hotel and accordingly patterns and designs are prepared and approved. It is said that the total repair and maintenance cost is approximately 1.5-2.5 per cent of the total repairs and maintenance budget allocated for the property. “It also depends on how old the property is. So flooring maintenance cost is less than 0.5 per cent but after certain years of operation we keep provisions under capital expenditure for replacement of flooring. This purely depends upon the condition of flooring,” says Prashant Vaidya, director of engineering, Sofitel Mumbai BKC. For Hyatt Regency Chennai almost one per cent of hotel revenue is spent on floor maintenance and floor care every month.

Flooring and functionality Trends in flooring highly depend on the needs of the customers. An immaculate floor makes a good first impression and sets the stage for the entire facility. Selecting and installing the right flooring enables to meet the expectations of customers and thereby increases the scope of your business opportunities.

Wooden flooring is also preferred because of its availability in various shades which usually matches up with the interior of any hotel and

hence it has replaced carpets in living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. Laminate flooring is generally used but nowadays vinyl flooring is in trend for Indian hotels. Vinyl flooring being water proof makes a good choice for the industry; products in this category are available in wood, stone and leather surface texture which gives more options in flooring. Technology has gravely affected the look of the floor industry. With the coming of new technologies floors can now be made more tough and safe.

“In general 2 * 2 flooring tiles are preferred for any area and for some small areas full length stones are also used depending on the area and design required,” mentions Vaidya, adding that, “Laser cut granite or multiple flooring can be used to make different patterns, metals like brass can be used in the gaps of flooring and an entire slab can be used for flooring to avoid visible joints.” It is crucial to choose the right type of flooring, as its attractiveness, durability and maintenance is totally dependent on the qual-

ity of the same. “The colour, texture and type of flooring should completely blend in with the décor of the hotel.

The guest should experience a ‘wow factor’ once he enters the lobby, room or the restaurant, as the flooring and ceiling is the first thing which instantly grabs the attention of the guest,” says Vaidya.

Karthik V, housekeeping manager, Hyatt Regency Chennai mentions, “Flooring options vary depending on the area of its use and amount of movement expected in the area. For example in public areas the most preferred flooring would be marble and for high traffic areas – granites are ideal. For guestrooms carpet and wooden floorings are the most preferred. The key to effective maintenance is using the right material in the right areas. High traffic areas and F&B areas should generally be identified and hard flooring such as granite stones should be used so that the absorbency level is less and so it is easy to keep clean.”

From a cost effective point, Vaidya opines that if it

THE MAIN FOCUS

is a high traffic area or material movement is high, granite can be used instead of wooden or marble flooring, as this will help the floor to sustain for a longer duration and will also maintain the cost.

Combination of carpet and marble can be used in the rooms and restaurants. Antiskid flooring can be used in the bathrooms.

Trendscope Elaborating on the latest trend, Maheshwari highlights that nowadays people are looking for herringbone pattern in wood flooring. Cork flooring, vinyl flooring are also in trend these days. Natural cork flooring tiles are fast becoming the latest trend. “The prime reasons you should consider cork floor tiles in your plans is its versatility i.e. cork can be stained in a variety of colours. Cork is a renewable resource and makes for a more acoustically sound room – it deadens sound.

Cork is soft underfoot, antimicrobial, resistant to mold and mildew and is water-resistant and will last forever when installed properly. Cork flooring and vinyl flooring will be the new kinds of flooring options and designs which will be trendy in the market,” he suggests.

According to Saraf, in the future there will be a shift towards longer and wider boards and planks which look nicer and also grander. “I also see brushed and hand crafted flooring coming back into vogue. People are also looking for designer flooring where guests are awed by a wow effect and not just feel its like a normal hotel room,” he states.

While hoteliers feel that in the future there could be more rigid options which have less maintenance and are ecofriendly i.e. products made from waste but at the same time attractive and do not compromise on the quality and durability, easy to replace and cost effective.

“In terms of designs, Indian hotels have three categories - The Palace, where everything is ornate and design flooring. Luxury hotels where in dark hues are used and Business hotels wherein the flooring provides a neutral pallet for everything else” Gaurav Saraf Joint managing director, Square Foot

“Artificial ranges that are less in absorbency, easy to clean and maintain that goes well with the design is something that the hotel teams would look for in the future as well” KarthikV, Housekeeping manager, Hyatt Regency Chennai

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August 16-31, 2014

GM SPEAK

Garden oasis With multiple hotels vying for a piece of the hospitality pie in the garden city of Bengaluru, Alila Bangalore in Whitefield promises a breath of fresh air. Hemal Jain, general manager, Alila Bangalore talks about what the contemporary brand has to offer the corporate and wedding segments and how the Bengaluru market has evolved over the years

By Rituparna Chatterjee

N

ESTLED IN the heart of Whitefield, the business district of Bengaluru, Alila Bangalore is one among the many hotels adorning the city of gardens. But what sets it apart is its strategic location, contemporary yet rustic ambience and unique offerings. “The lounges and bronze sculptures adorning the hotel lobby, the rooftop swimming pool, the paddy fields and the flowing river behind, all combine to convey a subtle and elegant ambience. In addition, the hotel is also an hour's drive from the airport. All these features combine to form unique selling propositions of the property,” states Hemal Jain, general manager, Alila Bangalore. Positioned as a lifestyle corporate hotel, the property has been at-

Hemal Jain

tracting small and medium sized corporates and luxury weddings. “We have corporates coming over on the weekdays and we host weddings during the weekends,” says Jain adding that they do not cater to large MICE groups since their confer-

26 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

encing venues are medium sized. The hotel offers three meeting rooms – Sunrise, Sunset and Lake View Ballroom; the first two accommodating up to 20 guests in theatre style, while the last one having a sit down capacity of 120 guests and 160 guests for standing cocktails.

The hotel also has a library where sometimes team building activities and workshops are held. Another unique offering of the property is its three F&B outlets – Tiffin Bar, a cafe and coffee bar; Tiffin Room, an allday dining restaurant; and Pasha Bar and Grill serving northwestern cuisine. “Apart from hotel guests, a lot of guests come from outside to dine at our F&B outlets. Our F&B contributes 35 per cent to the hotel revenue,” informs Jain.

GM SPEAK

Training the staff Since hospitality is a service industry, its efficient administration and successful operation is largely dependent on the quality of manpower. With the continuous expansion of national and international hotel brands in India, the demand for skilled and experienced manpower has always been high. To cater to this demand, there has been an increasing influx of Indian and international hospitality education institutes in recent times. But instead of meeting the requirement, this trend has raised serious concerns over the quality of education being imparted to the students. “The quality of education provided by these private players is not strong and the faculty are also not trained and hence only a fraction of the students who graduate are employable. This ultimately effects the hotel industry. To resolve this issue, most hotels are offering management training programmes and hotel operational programmes to the new recruits to develop their skills and knowledge,” opines Jain. For talent development, Alila Hotels and Resorts offers its hotel operational training programme under which new recruits who are fresh hotel management graduates are put on a 12 month training programme across various departments of a hotel. Once the training in complete, the employees rejoin immediately as a team leader in the department they want to speacialise in. “Un-

der this curriculum Alila Hotels and Resorts also offers cross exposure training across different properties in India and south east Asia. We at Alila Bangalore also have a staff exchange programme wherein we exchange staff with the Alila Diwa Goa property. Our motto is to complete our first hotel operational training programme successfully, which we started in April.

We currently have two candidates who are being trained. We also want to conduct a management training programme and recruit students from reputed colleges in south India,” points out Jain.

Being responsible Having a responsible attitude towards the environment and the local community is no longer an option but a necessity and obligation. Alila Bangalore, as part of the Alila Hotels and Resorts sustainability policy, has taken active measures to conserve energy, which has reduced its energy costs substantially. “Since we have an open lobby, we do not require electricity for lighting and air conditioning. The natural light and fresh air creates the natural ambience, hence saving on cost. This also goes down well with the Bengaluru weather,” states Jain. The hotel has also used natural products to decorate the hotel and its surroundings. For instance, pebbles have been used to decorate the floors of the lobby. “We have also planted trees around the hotel to

create a green and relaxed environment,” mentions Jain. Moreover, the hotel as part of its sustainability measures, has been sourcing some of the vegetables for the kitchens from the paddy fields located behind the property and is planning to start a community development programme for the local farmers.

Alila Bangalore has also tied up with a local government school wherein they conduct monthly activities. Jain takes pride in saying that, “Every month we conduct different activities at the school. For instance, one month we paint the walls of the school, another month we distribute stationary items, celebrate festivals to give them an experience.

We also send our engineering team to work out the maintenance of the school.”

Demand and supply Bengaluru being an IT hub for India has been attracting many international and homegrown hotel brands. However, this increasing influx of hotels has led to supply exceeding demand. With more brands like Sheraton and Shangri-La expected to open in the coming years, the situation is expected to either remain the same or worsen. “The market has become extremely competitive. All the hotels in Bengaluru are surrounded by Fortune 500 companies especially in Whitefield.

With the real estate rates being comparatively less in these areas as compared to the cities, every-

The market has become extremely competitive. Hotels in Bengaluru are surrounded

by Fortune 500 companies especially in Whitefield one is moving from the city and coming to Whitefield. As a result, demand is increasing but so has the supply. And now supply has come to a point when it is more than the demand,” he rues adding that the hotels are somehow sustaining themselves by having around 45-55 per cent occupancy levels. This will also be the case in the coming years as well. Not only this, the mushrooming of budget hotels has also made a significant impact on the luxury hotel segment in the city. “This is because budget

hotels provide good service at lower rates,” opines Jain pointing out that they experience 75 per cent occupancy even during the peak season that is from October to November and that their clientele is mainly aged between 25 to 45 years. Despite the grim scenario, Jain is hopeful about business since their clientele is niche. “Being the hotel that we are, we want to attract high-spenders and at the same time try and target to host at least one wedding per season,” he assures.

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August 16-31, 2014

SPOTLIGHT

Basilur Tea: Well worth the premium Positioned as a premium product meant only for a discerning clientele, Basilur Tea from Sri Lanka was launched in the Indian market about three years ago and has since then created a niche for itself with its rapid growth track and an exclusive range for gifting.

By Sudipta Dev

P

ositioned as a worldclass product at a premium price, Basilur Tea from Sri Lanka has been witnessing triple digit growth in the Indian market year-on-year. “Our products are positioned towards institutions, hotels, business class lounge at Mumbai International Airport, Jet Airways, high end restaurants like Mamagoto and Serafina. The products they get from us give them more margin than what they get from food,” says Raghav Gupta, director, SVA India, all India distributor for Basilur Tea, adding that the company stands behind the quality of the tea compared to other tea brands. “Our teas have three years shelf life while the shelf life of most of the other teas is eight to nine months,” asserts Gupta.

The USP of Basilur Tea is the fact that it is packed and shipped within a few days of harvesting. Further, the company uses Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). According to Gupta, tea has no expiry date if kept properly. “It is about how you maintain your product,” says Gupta.

Considering the fact that Basilur Tea is an expensive product, the goal is to cater to the quality conscious customers. The company believes in differentiation and innovation. “We have our own online store in India and offer free

home delivery to our customers across the country,” mentions Gupta.

A unique gift One of the significant factors that distinguishes Basilur Tea from its competitors is its exclusive packaging, which can stake claim to be the most exclusive tea packaging in the world. “In gifting we are one of the biggest companies as our

The USP of Basilur Tea is the fact that it is packed and shipped within a few days of harvesting

28 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

packaging is exclusive. To reach to the premium clientele gifting was the right approach.

Wherever we have done gifting there has always been repeat clientele,” points out Gupta.

The high quality decorative metal caddies are unmatched in the market. For instance, the ‘Island of tea’ is in the shape of Sri Lanka. The ‘Leaf of Ceylon’ is in the shape of a tea leaf, the ‘Bouquet’ is in the shape of a

flower, while the ‘Winter Book’ is actually a ‘book’. Every package tells a story creating a link at a subconscious level with the person drinking the tea.

While the major markets for the company is CIS countries, comprising almost 80 per cent of export, there is a strong focus on China and India, which are both largely tea producing and consuming countries. “We are the traditional tea drinking countries so there are so much more opportunities for growth. As disposable income increases people choose better products. The idea was to get the product placement correct. Our goal is that the brand image and positioning should be premium,” says Gupta.

The fact that the company has introduced its tea selections in the India market in less than three years and has already witnessed such a rapid growth track has further encouraged it to focus on expanding its reach in this market.

“While our focus in retail will always be present but growth trajectory will be towards institutional and gifting,” says Gupta, adding that institutional sales, like in hotels/restaurants/cafes, creates trends which will translate into retail sales. For the HORECA / food service segment the company offers a wide range of products.

The company has created two more brands at lower price point, with has reduced cost on packaging - Tipson Tea and Vazar Tea.

SPOTLIGHT

When Green pays A new study from Cornell University has found that hotels gain a revenue benefit when they are certified under the LEED sustainable building programme

B

y comparing LEED certified hotels with a competitive set of noncertified hotels, the study found substantial increases in ADR and RevPAR for the LEED hotels. The study, 'The Impact of LEED Certification on Hotel Performance' by Matthew Walsman, Rohit Verma, and Suresh Muthulingam, is available at the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the School of Hotel Administration.

"The hotel industry has embraced environmental sustainability and several hotels have registered for or earned 'green' certification under the LEED programme," says Verma, who is the Singapore Tourism Board distinguished professor at the School of Hotel Administration.

"But LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is really aimed at controlling costs by limiting resource use. So, the question was whether there also

is a revenue benefit from LEED. We found that the answer is, absolutely yes," he adds.

The study compared the performance of 93 LEED-certified US hotels (the number for which operating data were available) to that of 514 comparable competitors, and found that the certified hotels obtained superior financial performance. The authors com-

pleted this report by analysing comprehensive hotel performance data provided by STR, a partner of the Center for Hospitality Research.

Walsman, a doctoral candidate in Service Operations Management at the School of Hotel Administration, pointed out that many of the hotels had only recently been certified, so the study could compare their rev-

enue experience for a period of just two years.

"We'll have many more hotels to study in the future.

“Since companies like Marriott have now included LEED as part of their own design specifications for new constructions,” he says.

The researchers found that the revenue benefit applied in hotels of all types, although

ITC HOTELS ALL LEED CERTIFIED ■ Launched in 1975, ITC Hotels, India's premier chain of luxury hotels, has become synonymous with Indian hospitality. ITC Hotels pioneered the concept of 'Responsible Luxury' in the hospitality industry, drawing on the strengths of the ITC groups exemplary sustainability practices. Responsible Luxury personifies an ethos that integrates world-class green practices with contemporary design elements to deliver the best of luxury in the greenest possible manner.

■ The Responsible Luxury commitment of ITC Hotels blends elements of nature to deliver a unique value proposition to guests, conscious of their responsibility to be planet positive.Today, these unique interventions have made ITC Hotels the greenest luxury hotel chain in the world with all its ten premium luxury hotels LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certified. ITC Grand Chola Chennai is the world's largest LEED Platinum Green building.

most hotels in the study were upscale or luxury properties located in urban or suburban locations.

"This makes sense, because many of the LEED standards involve a hotel's connection to public transit or other resources typical of urban areas," Verma adds.

Developed by the United States Green Building Council in 2000, the LEED certification process gives commercial buildings a scorecard for meeting standards relating to such areas as location and transportation, materials and resources, and water efficiency, among others.

The more points under the program, the higher the certification level. Although the initial LEED standards were not directly aimed at hotels, numerous hotel properties nevertheless have earned certification.

The most recent version of the LEED standards specifically include hotels, along with other commercial buildings.

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August 16-31, 2014

IN FOCUS

Desi tadka in NYC The foodies of New York City have long been tempted by India’s culinary heritage. Numerous informal curry houses as well as more upscale establishments can now be found across the metropolis

F

rom the familiar smell of its tangy spices to the tenderness of tandoorgrilled meats, Indian cuisine boasts of an intensity of flavour paired with an unmatched ‘comfort food’ factor.

Here are few of the favourite Indian restaurants in NYC.

dia, with a strong focus on those from the southern states, blending the traditional flavours of its cuisine with the modern style of its ambience. On opening the menu, guests will be impressed by the ample choice. Many praise Chola’s baskets of varied kebabs, while chicken chutneywala, infused with mango puree and green masala, is a must-try main.

TAMARIND TriBeCa Ceiling-high windows allow light to flood into the two floors that make Tamarind TriBeCa, creating an airy and luminous atmosphere. Floors are covered in marble and teak wood, tall limestone columns reach high above it to wrap both the secluded booths and main hall tables with their upholstered chairs and banquettes in an elegant feel. The award-winning chefs at Tamarind are masters of India’s diverse culinary heritage, providing diners with a chance to travel across the mosaic of different traditions that populate the vast subcontinent.

and stone cooking) to offer signature flavours like the patiala shahi goat, slow-cooked in a sauce of green chillies, tomato, yoghurt and cilantro, or the Goan piri-piri shrimp, prepared with chilli sauce, avocado, and citrus salad.

JUNOON

MALAI MARKE

Junoon is the Hindi word for ‘passion’, and passion is definitely what flavours chef Vikas Khanna’s attentively picked th e blends of fresh spices, handground daily in the restaurant’s spice room. The spice room is at the heart of this luxurious, Michelin-starred Indian eatery in the artsy Flatiron district. It is here that elaborate and flavoursome combinations are mixed to create the innovative take on traditional and contemporary Indian cuisine that characterises Junoon’s approach to culinary art. Bouncing across a multitude of regional traditions, the menu spans classic cooking methods like tandoor (clay oven) and handi (curry) dishes as well as tawa, sigri and patthar (respectively cast iron, open fire,

The stretch of East 6th St between First and Second Avenue is informally referred to as Curry Row. This little corner of New York, famed as Little India, is possibly one of the best places to start a culinary exploration in the city. With drinks served in mason jars and lines of metal bowls and spice drawers decorating the rustic brick walls, Malai Marke has a light, contemporary feel that many other restaurants along the same street lack.

DHABA

THE MASALAWALA Located on the Lower East Side, The MasalaWala stands at the crossroads between high-end dining and an authentic Indian street food experience. Paintings on the walls picture roadside

30 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

food stalls typical of South Asia, while owner Roni Mazumdar brings the traditional street food from those stalls right to his tables, giving a fresh twist to the habitual idea of an Indian restaurant in New York. In a modern-style ambience, and with particular care dedicated to running an environmentalfriendly business.

DEVI A few steps away from Union Square is a top-notch destination for Indian food enthusiasts, one of the most renowned and appreciated Indian eateries in New York City. Opened in 2005, Devi welcomes diners into the soft light of its multicoloured lamps hanging from the ceiling.

With a widely acclaimed menu featuring six-course vegetarian and non-vegetarian chef’s tasting menus, Devi explores the tastes of the Indian continent by fusing traditional classics with regional specialities.

was the recreation of a Britishstyle Indian cuisine typical of curry houses in the UK. With five branches now spread across New York and New Jersey, the concept can certainly be deemed a successful enterprise.

Just like its sister restaurants, Brick Lane Curry House Downtown, located on the stretch of East 6th known as Curry Row, gravitates around curries arranged on the menu according to their degree of spiciness.

CHOTE NAWAB Named after a 1960s Indian film, Chote Nawab translates as ‘little prince’ and is partially based around the cooking style of the old Nawab kitchens in the city of Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh. Kebabs are among the specialties this town is known for, and Chote Nawab offers many palatable choices, tunde ka kebab standing out as a deliciously tender lamb patty dish.

Chola BRICK LANE CURRY HOUSE The idea that inspired the opening of Brick Lane Curry House

Opened in 1998, this restaurant offers a range of different regional culinary traditions in In-

Dhaba is designed like a chic bazaar, lined with dayglow rolls of silk fabric, its shelves stocked with jars of Indian spices. Tables are filled with young, stylish Indian professionals and discerning Westerners who recognise it as a cut above the rest on this stretch of Murray Hill dubbed Curry Hill. Cashews fired up with chiles, onions, black pepper and lime are a stimulating way to begin the feast. Goa fish curry with tamarind and coconut is sublime. And it's hard to think of a better chicken tikka masala.

JACKSON DINER The granddaddy of the Indian lunch buffet, Jackson Diner has for decades been one of Jackson Heights' primary attractions.

The soaring space is like an indoor playground, with exposed ducts and pipes and a late-'50s idea of futuristic decor. On each table is a big pink plastic pitcher of water, but if you want something stronger, hail down a waiter and get a Taj Mahal. The steam tables are stocked with charred chicken tandoori, slightly sweet chicken chili, tender goat curry on the bone, piles of naan, spinach, chickpeas and dal, plus a vat of rice pudding. There's also a man making golden dosas on a griddle, surrounded by people holding out their plates in supplication.

EVENT TRACKER DATE

EVENT

VENUE

August 21 – 24, 2014

Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival

Vancouver

August 22- 24, 2014

Food & Bev

Mumbai (India)

Aug 31 – Sept 3, 2014

Hogatec

Essen (Germany)

September 2014

Moscow International Coffee Forum

Moscow

September 1- 6, 2014

Cerveza Mexico

Mexico City (Mexico)

September 4 - 6, 2014

Expo Chocolate

Mexico City

September 7 - 9, 2014

Speciality Chocolate Fair

London

September 15- 18, 2014

Espaço Café Brasil

Belo Horizonte (Brazil)

September 15- 16, 2014

United Coffee and Tea Industry Event (UCTIE)

Moscow (Russia)

September 24 - 26, 2014

COTECA

Hamburg (Germany)

September 25 - 27, 2014

Food Hospitality World China

Guangzhou/Canton (China)

Sept 28- Oct 26, 2014

BIBAC Expo

Antwerp (Belgium)

Sept 28-30, 2014

The Hotel Show Dubai 2014

Dubai

October 9 - 11, 2014

Food Hospitality World

Goa

October 17- 19, 2014

Coffee Fest - Portland

Portland, OR (USA)

October 23- 26, 2014

Candy

Tabriz (Iran)

October 23 - 25, 2014

Triestespresso Expo

Trieste (Italy)

November 1, 2014

Seoul International Cafe Show

Seoul

November 14 - 17, 2014

Gluten Free Expo

Brescia (Italy)

January 8 - 11, 2015

Expo Natura

Istanbul (Turkey)

January 22 - 24, 2015

Food Hospitality World Mumbai

BKC, Mumbai

March 2- 4, 2015

International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF)

Berlin

March 2-14, 2015

Cornell-Nanyang Advanced Management Programme

New York

March 4-5, 2015

ScotHot

Glasgow

March 13-16, 2015

Hospitality 360°

Singapore

March 16-18, 2015

HR in Hospitality Conference and Expo

Las Vegas

March 18-19, 2015

Alternative Ownership Conference Asia-Pacific

Singapore

April 7- 8, 2015

Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA)

New Delhi

May 3 - 6, 2015

TuttoFood

Milan

May 13-15, 2015

Hospitality Design Expo 2015

Las Vegas

May 31–June 2, 2015

NYU Hospitality Conference

New York

October 2015

Organic Trade Forum

Cologne (Germany)

October 23 - 27, 2015

Host Milan

Italy

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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August 16-31, 2014

TECH TRENDS

'Technology is constantly increasing the ability to micro-manage' STAAH.com is a fast growing global provider of price and channel management software for the hospitality sector. Tarun Joukani, managing director, STAAH – India, talks about the company's focus on providing up-to-date, robust accommodation management systems to hotel companies in India

By Sudipta Dev

Tarun Joukani

many properties under one umbrella brand or even several brands truly tests whether a system will provide the necessary tiers of information for good management and ability to monitor and compare the performance of individual properties as well as the group as a whole.

How important is the India market in your global business plan ?

India is vitally important in terms of size but also because partnering with hotels in this very technologically savvy market enables us to be constantly improving

our products and services. We are always on a mission to discover new ways to employ technology to help hotel owners all over the world improve their profitability through better management and increased yields. This applies from the small boutique hotel

32 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

to large chains where you have specific needs that we are determined to meet efficiently and cost effectively.

What has been your specific strategy for this market ?

How successful have been your initiatives ?

While not wanting to give too much away we have been enjoying significant success in partnering with large hotel chains in India and proving that our systems are more progressive, more robust and yet still more flexible than our competitors.

Supporting

Which are the products that you are trying to focus on in the India market ?

Our focus in India, as with all our global markets is to promote the absolute necessity of hotels having up-to-date, robust and seamlessly integrated accommodation management systems.

It’s

TECH TRENDS extremely competitive nowadays and up-to-the minute technology will provide the ultimate management toolkit to take advantage of every operational, financial and marketing opportunity as it arises. These include: Channel management – STAAH is linked to more than 100 websites around the world which gives any hotel in India the ability to pinpoint specific markets for potential guests, flex their rates and sell their full inventory in real time through just one access point.

Furthermore rates can be loaded up to two-years ahead onto these channels which is particularly valuable for the conference market needing to confirm accommodation costs well ahead of the actual event.

A dashboard provides an easy overview of which sites in which markets are proving the most lucrative.

A clear, easy-to-use, responsive booking engine attached to a well-designed and responsive website is vital to converting browsers on the internet to actually making a reservation. Today’s browsers have little patience with lagging, low functionality or difficulty with reading a site on mobile devices. Both require crafted navigation which cleverly promotes the 'brand experience' and quality of the property. STAAH is a forerunner in designing booking engines and web sites specifically tailored to the accommodation market.

When people are booking rooms all over the world a property management system needs to be integrated to avoid any costly and embarrassing double bookings. And when they book there needs to be assurance through a quality payment system or payment gateway that credit and debit card information is safe and the funds are deposited directly with the hotel owner.

STAAH’s property management and payment technology is comprehensive. We are also PCI Certified by SISA, a global security firm, which has rigorously scrutinised our systems and confirmed objective-

Technology is constantly increasing the ability to micromanage. An example is that the dashboards as part of STAAH Channel Manager and STAAH Booking Engine give owners early warnings of nonperformance and market decline as well as early identification of potential gaps and opportunities for new business. The hotel sector has also becomes more adept at responding to external signals – whether they be economic, seasonal or social trends - and altering their offerings and rates to protect themselves against them or to capitalise.

And of course owners are now using social media more effectively for capturing interest and converting it to bookings.

ly that we are following the world best practice in online security.

STAAH also has other clever tools such as RateSTalk which enables hotel owners to nominate five competitors and track what they are charging for their rooms on any given day. This helps to ensure any rates set are meeting the market avoiding overselling which leads to price conscious guests booking elsewhere and underselling which translates to lost revenue and opportunity.

How can your products benefit various categories of hotels in this market ?

While all categories are provided with the benefits of largely the same advanced and robust software, the greatest

benefit for hotel chains is that our services and systems enable them to manage all of their properties as a group, as well as individual properties.

This way they get the efficiencies through economies of scale but also the detail so that nothing is overlooked.

Systems integration is also a huge issue for chains, especially when properties are most likely acquired over time each with their own versions of software. We have become very experienced in overcoming such challenges. With smaller properties the largest gain would be the saving in work hours – from management to maintenance to marketing. Our systems enable these properties to market to more than 100 channels globally without having to main-

tain each individually. Costs are substantially reduced through our subscription rate payment system, providing access to extensive systems and services they would otherwise not be able to afford while substantially boosting their profile and potential for increasing their profitability.

What kind of growth are you looking at from this market in the near future ?

We would be more than happy for current trends to continue and we are extremely optimistic that this will be the case.

Have you witnessed any new / interesting trends when it comes to adoption of technology by the hospitality sector ?

A clear, easy-to-use, responsive booking engine attached to a well-designed and responsive website is vital to converting browsers on the internet to actually making a reservation.

Today’s browsers have little patience with lagging, low functionality or difficulty with reading a site on mobile devices

What is your engagement with OTAs in the country ?

We work very closely with OTAs because they provide us with invaluable feedback, particularly those we’ve integrated with. Each OTA has different Extranets/Rules/API and STAAH’s success has been diligent in providing them what they need which in turn benefits our hotels. This partnership approach has benefited us greatly – and has led to some large OTAs rating us their preferred channel manager.

Any other important factor you would like to mention with reference to this market or your services ?

A huge barrier to many hotel owners is fear of technology – that it’s complicated, not dependable, insecure – and that support won’t be available when they need it. We recognise this. We have designed our systems to be very easy to install, use and adjust. We have in-market offices and support available whenever it’s needed. And because there are no lock-in contracts our clients can leave at any time. This really ensures we are focused on delivering an unprecedented level of ongoing service. We truly care about our clients and help them to build their business.

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August 16-31, 2014

CAMPUS NOTES

Education jewel Kohinoor College of Hotel and Tourism Management Studies, Mumbai functions on a two fold objective - to impart more practical based lessons and enhance personality and communication skills of its students.

Chef Kaviraj Khialani, head of academics of the institute talks about its differentiating factors Chef Kaviraj Khialani

By Rituparna Chatterjee

S

TARTED IN the year 2002, the Kohinoor College of Hotel and Tourism Management Studies in Dadar, Mumbai opened with a simple purpose – to churn out educated, experienced and skilled hospitality professionals. Educated professionals through their comprehensive and rigorous course structure, and experienced and skilled manpower through more of practical based learning. “Our focus is to bring stu-

dents out of the desk and into a practical environment to enable them to showcase their talent and help them develop their confidence. This is mainly because chefs have become the front line staff of the hotel, they want to see the guests and the guests want to interact with their chefs. Hence we do many live events,” states Chef Kaviraj Khialani, head of academics, Kohinoor College of Hotel and Tourism Management Studies adding that these live events

34 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

are theme based cooking competitions held during different seasons in a year and is part of the three-year bachelor courses they offer - BSc in Hospitality Studies, affiliated to Mumbai University and BSc in Hospitality Studies and Catering Services, affiliated to Yashvantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University. “Every second month we have a competition in the college. For instance, we have the sweets and chaat competition during Diwali, chai

and pakora competition during monsoons, a three course meal competition during Christmas,” opines Chef Khialani.

Each competition witnesses a participation of about 80-90 students and is judged by industry professionals, some of whom are alumni members.

Apart from these theme based competitions, the college also has its annual food festival called the 'Theme Dinner' which is part of the event management curriculum in the final

semester of the bachelor courses. This festival is held in January every year and is organised and hosted by the final year students. “This is also theme based wherein every final year batch is made to choose a particular theme – around the world, Malaysian cuisine, etc. The preparation starts three months prior to the actual competition. The students are involved in marketing, getting sponsorships and menu trails,” mentions Chef Khialani adding that, this competition helps in opening several placements opportunities for the students since it is judged by industry professionals. The competition is judged under different categories like Best Food, Best Cultural, Best Decorative Design and the winner is awarded with a rotating trophy called the Annual Theme Dinner Award. “After the completion of this festival, the students are required to prepare a report on it. This event gives them a practical exposure of preparing food for large numbers and also gives them the opportunity to showcase their skills and be judged out. This helps them to enhance their resume and gives them an extra edge during placements,” assures Chef Khialani.

Other courses The brand Kohinoor had an outset with the inception of the Kohinoor Technical Institute, a vocational training institute operational for around 43 years with 39 branches across the state like Dadar, Andheri,

Ghatkopar, Kalyan, Sangli, Ratnagiri, Nagpur, Akola, Amrawati, etc. The head office is the Kohinoor College of Hotel and Tourism Management Studies.

Apart from their regular three year courses, the college also offers craftsmanship courses - Craft Course in Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Craft Course in Cookery and Craft Course in F&B Service, which are affiliated to the Maharashtra State Board of Vocational Education. The vocational courses are of a duration of six months to a year The college also provides certificate courses in bakery, communication skills, fruit carving and personality development. “We are also planning to introduce a bartending course, for which we are looking at tie-ups. It will be a three month course and will start in October this year,” he re-

The college provides certificate courses in bakery, communication skills, fruit carving and personality development. We are also planning to introduce a bartending course, for which we are looking at tie-ups. It will be a three month course veals. To give global exposure to its students, the college also has a tie-up with the Swiss Hotel Management School in Switzerland.

“We offer the credit-transfer facility, wherein their faculty comes here to conduct a Swiss course in the third year. Hence, our students are required to give two exams simultaneously – one ours and one theirs. At the end of the course, students are given dual-certification – a diploma and a degree,” he mentions.

With more than a decade

into operation, the college has witnessed good growth in terms of student enrollment and placements offered. “This year we admitted around 300 plus students for the first year batch. We have grown exponentially from 45 students in our first batch to 600 students this year only in the degree courses. While in the vocational courses we have around 150 students,” boasts Chef Khialani adding that, they have also been getting students who are unable to continue their ed-

ucation in expensive hospitality colleges and often enroll with them because of the affordability factor. “Our bachelor courses are affordable `one lakh per year. Hence, we get many student from smaller cities as well like Agra, Udaipur, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Uttaranchal, Goa apart from the metros,” he adds.

Internship and placement The college offers internships in the second year only.

The internships are from four

to five months. “We place 90 per cent of our students in five star properties across Mumbai.

While the remaining 10 per cent go abroad for their internships. Presently, we are assisting students for internships in Singapore. In the past we have sent them to Germany through an external agent,” mentions Chef Khialani. The college boasts of a 92 per cent placement record and their students have been placed across top hotel brands in India and abroad. As for the recent trends in choosing a career that he has noticed among his student, Chef Khialani states, “70 per cent join hotels, 10 per cent opts for their family business, 10 per cent go abroad for further education and the remaining are a mix of students who enter the travel industry and the retail sector.”

MOVEMENTS Hyatt Regency Chennai CHEF SUBRATA DEBANTH has been appointed as executive chef of Hyatt Regency Chennai. In his current role, Chef Debanth will lead a team of around 100 chefs to create, energise and innovate culinary experiences at the award-winning specialty restaurants, the lobby lounge, bar, the gourmet deli, event spaces and streamline the processes as per the Hyatt brand standards. Chef Debanth has been with the Hyatt

has an experience of over 12 years in the hospitality industry.

Intercontinental Marine Drive, Mumbai

Renaissance Mumbai & Lakeside Chalet Marriott CHEF UDIT SRIVASTAVA has been appointed as executive sous chef of Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet Marriott Executive Apartments. With over 12 years of

Chef Marty Kindleysides

JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity

Chef Subrata Debanth

Chef Udit Srivastava

family for over a decade, working across Hyatt Hotels in Kolkata, Singapore, Bangkok and Kathmandu.

experience in the F&B industry, Chef Srivastava has played a crucial role in organising numerous food festivals.

In his current role, he will handle the entire kitchen operations of the hotel. His day-today responsibility will include taking care of the kitchen operations and maintaining food quality.

CHEF MANVINDER SINGH has been appointed as executive sous chef, Hyatt Regency Chennai.

In his new role, Chef Singh will be supervising a team of 100 plus chefs at the hotel and supporting the executive chef in ensuring adherence to brand standards, quality controls and seeing that profitability is in place. Chef Singh

Chef Manvinder Singh

Sheraton Bangalore Hotel CHEF MARTY KINDLEYSIDES has been appointed as executive chef of Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway. Chef Kindleysides has over 19 years of culinary experience. Prior to his current appointment, he was the executive chef of Seoul Palace Hotel, South Korea as well as the vice president - public relations, LTB Korea (International Chefs Association). He has also been responsible for organising special promotions for outlets and implementing food safety and training schedules.

36 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

ANTONY PAGE has been appointed as general manager of JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity Page brings with him extensive global hospitality experience, having worked in many cities around the world. His association with Marriott started in 2005 where he was the hotel manager at Sydney

CHEF KAYZAD SADRI has been appointed as executive chef of Intercontinental Marine Drive, Mumbai. He has 12 years of culinary experience and his previous assignment was with The Leela Palace Udaipur as executive chef where he played an active part in achieving 250 per cent revenue growth. In his current role, Chef Sadri aims at increasing the luxury quotient through a series of unique food events and experience standards.

League. ADRIAN ZECHA, the company's founder and visionary has been reinstated to his position as chief executive officer, effective immediately and OMAR AMANAT will assume the role of chairman of the Board of Directors.

Huvafen Fushi, Maldives

Antony Page

United States of America, Monaco, Israel, France, Seychelles, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam

MARC GUSSING has been appointed as general manager of Huvafen Fushi, Maldives.

Gussing has previously held the position of director of operations at Huvafen Fushi in 2005. Prior to and post completing his schooling in hotel management in Switzerland, Gussing's career has taken him across the globe to Switzerland, United Kingdom,

JOHN ALLANSON has been appointed as general manager of Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam following a two-year role as resident manager at Six Senses Laamu, Maldives. Allanson's has more than 20 years of experience and has worked in several luxury hotels throughout the United Kingdom including Hoole Hall Hotel and Spa, Old Course St Andrews, Macdonald Hotels and the privately-owned Taplow House Hotel.

Marc Gussing

John Allanson

Harbour Marriott. In September 2006, Page became the general manager of Melbourne Marriott Hotel and then moved to Singapore Marriott in November, 2009 as general manager.

Aman Resorts LALIT MODI has been inducted into the advisory board of Aman Resorts. Modi is also the president and managing director of Modi Enterprises and the architect and founder of the Indian Premier

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weekend

Scene and heard

With Marcellus Baptista

Going places

Dilshad and Farrokh Khambata at the launch of Joss

Joss gloss AFTER THE STUPENDOUS success of his signature properties, Amadeus Cafe at the NCPA and Umame, celebrity chef and restaurateur Farrokh Khambata launched his new avatar of Joss, his signature modern oriental restaurant, at Santa Cruz. Guests gushed over the fantastic food, creative cocktails and warm ambience of the place at the two parties before Joss could throw open its doors to the public. Foodies recalled that it was 10 years ago that Farrokh Khambata introduced the city to the orient with cuisine from Japan and South East Asia, taking the city’s culinary world by storm.

And now at Joss while he has retained some classics and old favourites, he has offered a menu that has evolved considerably with the addition of new Pan Asian delicacies created after extensive research, travels and tastings.

SPREADING ITS wings was Mahesh Lunch Home that opened an outlet in New Mumbai. Partners Suraj Shetty and Mahendra Karkera were there to welcome guests to this place just outside Vashi station.

Established in 1977, the popular Mangalorean cuisine eatery has grown from a humble beginning in Fort to eight top notch restaurants globally. This 120cover restaurant with a bar was the setting for guests to partake of delights like fried surmai, bombil and bangda, thick, flavoursome coconut gassi, handkerchief-thin neer dosas and appams, crackling crabs in butter, pepper garlic and Schezuan flavours, clams, squid, rawas fish tikka, fish balti, pomfret tandoori, chicken and mutton sukka and much more.

Savio D'Sa and Rajesh Israni at the ABTT party at Spill

Spill over

Mir Ranjan and Vinita Negi at the launch of Mahesh Lunch Home

THE CHEER WAS ON at Spill as members of the Alcohol Beverage Tobacco Trade (ABTT) lived it up at the sixth ABTT party, hosted by Savio D’Sa and Rajesh Israni. It was time to enjoy the wide range of drinks from various brands, besides relishing the array of starters and also a buffet dinner. It was nice to see people from rival companies come together in great camaraderie at this event. Yes, it was time for much networking and making merry with fun contests and fusion music by Ashish on the didgeridoo and Aaron on the cajon along with DJ Ganesh.

Simply Swiss

Narendra Kumar, Prasad Naik and models at the Swiss calendar launch at Trident

46 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

THE LAUNCH OF THE SWISS International Air Lines calendar (that runs from August to next July) in association with celebrated couturier Narendra Kumar, is always a much-awaited event on the social calendar. And so it was this time too, with the sixth edition, with Swiss hospitality as its theme, launched at The Trident. As usual the launch was not without its dose of drama, this time with the designer stepping out of a mock aircraft dressed up as the captain, followed by models that showcased the couture creations. The calendar, you saw, was filled with scenic images shot by Prasad Naik with the couture collection donned by Swiss cabin crew. The setting is Lucerne and the splendid Hotel Palace Luzern.

Markus Altenbach, GM, Swiss in India, was present at this elegant do with touches of Swiss including boarding passes as part of the invitation, welcome by Swiss Indian flight attendants, in-flight announcements and Swiss dishes on the menu.

weekend

E V E N T S

TOP HONOUR (first right) Dr Suborno Bose, founder and chairman of Indismart Group was awarded the Doctor of Science (Hon Dsc) degree at University of West London graduation 2014

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION Tux Hospitality in collaboration with Rotary Club of Indrapuram organised a blood donation camp at Mosaic Hotels, Noida

DEBUTANT’S LUCK (Left) Rakshit Talwar, director of sales and marketing; Manish Dayya, GM, Novotel Goa Shrem Resort (Right) received the trophy in the Best Debut Resort category at the recently concluded India Travel Awards

HONOURING TALENT Chef Sujan Sarkar of Olive Bar & Kitchen received the award for Excellence in European Cuisine (Standalone) at the Delhi Gourmet Club's Top Chef Awards 2014

GOODWILL GESTURE (Left) Aseem Kapoor, area director - North West India, Hyatt Regency Gurgaon with Chef Vikas Khanna (Centre) at the Cook for a Smile, a fund-raiser event held in Delhi to support health and nutrition for 1000 underprivileged children

IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE Concierge Association of India Western Region recently conducted a concierge seminar for students of Don Bosco College – Hospitality Studies

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

47

August 16-31, 2014

weekend

E V E N T S

EXEMPLARY ACHIEVEMENT The Delhi unit of TajSATS was adjudged as the 'Best Aviation Catering Unit' for the third consecutive year at the GMR-IGI Airport Awards 2014

JUST GOT BETTER (Centre left) Anuraag Bhatnagar, GM, Westin Mumbai Garden City and (Centre right) Sujeet Kumar, GM, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park along with the team of Poshter Boyz movie at the fourth anniversary celebration of KUE Bar at The Westin Pune Koregaon Park

SWISS HOSPITALITY L-R: CULINARY SPECIALS MasterChef Australia (Season 6) judges L-R: Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston and George Calombaris at the exclusive preview of the first episode of MasterChef Australia (Season 6)

THE WEDDING HUB L-R: Raj Kundra, British Indian businessman; Nikhil Desai, managing director, GTDC and director, department of tourism, Government of Goa; Shilpa Shetty, Indian actress; Nilesh Cabral,chairman, GTDC; Dilip Parulekar, minister for tourism, women and child development and protocol, Government of Goa; and Wendell Rodricks, Indian fashion designer at a press conference in Mumbai to announce the organisation of the ‘Goa Wedding Show’ to be held at The Grand, New Delhi

48 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD August 16-31, 2014

Markus Altenbach, general manager, Swiss India with fashion designer Narendra Kumar at the sixth edition of the SWISSNarendra Kumar calendar 2014/15 held at The Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai

SUPPORTING A CAUSE L-R: Prashant Tewari, managing director, USV; Praveen Pardeshi, principal secretary, revenue and forests department of Maharashtra; Leena Gandhi Tewari, chairperson, USV; Homi Khushrukhan, president, Bombay Natural History Society, Debabrata Bhandary and Sunjoy Monga, environmentalist at launch of Monga’s book 'Mumbai Safari' as part of USV's CSR initiative on environment protection held in Mumbai

REGD.WITH RNI NO.MAHENG/2012/42381, REGD.NO.MH/MR/SOUTH-383/2013-15,PUBLISHED ON 2ND & 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 2, 3, 4 & 17,18,19 OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE.