Food and Hospitality World (Vol.4, No.16) May 1-15, 2016

EDITOR’S NOTE

Beyond the basics

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n general there are two ways in which a hotel stay can be looked at - one which offers the user basic vanilla requirements of a clean and comfortable bed and bath facility, especially for businessmen or professionals who are on the go. Second, there are clients who ask for more than just the basics.

Sensing the increasing demand of the Indian global traveller, hotel companies in India are working smart to offer special attractions to this segment of guests, who look forward to that exclusive service and offers.

Hotel companies in India are increasingly understanding the advantages of engaging with corporates in the city and the local elite crowd by introducing the club concept through attractive membership benefits. While the corporate members look for business meetings/conferencing venues, their families are happy with the usage of facilities like swimming pool, fitness centre, etc. From corporate lunches to Sunday brunches, F&B becomes a major factor for both these segments, with hotel restaurants assured of a steady stream of guests. The fact that this revenue is not dependent on room occupancy gives a fillip to the business even during the lean season. Our cover story this issue exam-

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Our Associate: Dinesh Sharma Mobile: 09810264368 E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com CHENNAI: A K Shukla, The Indian Express Ltd, New No.37/C (Old No.16/C), 2nd Floor,Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600 014 Tel: Board: 28543031/28543032/ 28543033/28543034 Fax: 28543035 Mobile : 09849297724 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in BENGALURU: Sreejith Radhakrishnan, The Indian Express Ltd, 502 Devatha Plaza, 5th Floor, 131 Residency Road Bengaluru - 560025 Ph 080-22231923/24 Fax: 22231925.

Mobile: 08867574257 E-mail: sreejith.radhakrishnan@fhwexpo.in

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

May 1-15, 2016

“From corporate lunches to Sunday brunches,F&B becomes a major factor,with hotel restaurants assured of a steadystream of guests ”

HYDERABAD: A K Shukla, The Indian Express Ltd, 6-3-885/7/B, Ground floor V.V. Mansion, Somaji Guda, Hyderabad - 500 082 Tel: 040-23418673/23418674/ 23418675 (Tele-fax)/66631457 Fax: 040-23418678 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in KOLKATA: Ajanta Sengupta, The Indian Express Ltd, National Highway 6 (NH 6), MouzaPrasastha & Ankurhati, P.H. Domjur, Dist Howrah Kolkata - 711409 Mobile: 09831182580 Email: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com KOCHI: Sreejith Radhakrishnan, The Indian Express Ltd. Sankoorikal Building, 36/2248, Kaloor, Kadavanthara Road, Opp. Kaloor Private Bus Stand,

ines what's the club advantage.

Our 'Life' section provides you with an insightful article on luxury brand management in hospitality. With luxury brands in every field, from automobiles to fashion, to tourism and hospitality, the opportunity is immense. Professionals need to consider this as one of the leading career possibilities for the future. Every industry wants to set its own niche in the luxury sector, thus necessitating the need for well trained and niche focused professionals. One part of this is the global luxury hotels market that was valued at US$ 148.6 bn in 2014 and is expected to reach US$ 195.3 bn by 2021, rising at a CAGR of 4.0 per cent from 2015 to 2021.

Indians have also made an impression globally as entrepreneurs. Girish Jhunjhnuwala, the Indian origin owner and founder of Hong Kongbased lifestyle hospitality brand, Ovolo Hotels, is looking at attracting the experimental Indian traveller and expanding his brand to different countries, including India. Further, Arjun Gadkari's opinion on the global hot sauce market and India's position in the business is worth a read.

REEMA LOKESH Editor

Kaloor - 682 017 Mobile: 08867574257 E-mail: sreejith.radhakrishnan@fhwexpo.in JAIPUR: Prateek Sahay The Indian Express Ltd. C-7, Dwarika Puri,Jamna Lal Bajaj Marg, C-Scheme,Jaipur - 302001 Mobile: 09899003030 BHOPAL: Prateek Sahay The Indian Express Ltd, 6,Vidya Vihar, Professors Colony, Bhopal - 462002, Madhya Pradesh Mobile: 09899003030 AHMEDABAD: The Indian Express Ltd. 3rd Floor, Sambhav House, Nr.Judges Bunglow Bodakdev,Ahmedabad - 380 015.

Important: Whilst care is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,it is not possible to verify its contents.The Indian Express Ltd cannot be held responsible for such contents, nor for any loss or damages incurred as a result of transactions with companies, associations or individuals advertising in its newspapers or publications.We therefore recommend that readers make necessary inquiries before sending any monies or entering into any agreements with advertisers or otherwise acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever.

CONTENTS Vol 4 No 16 MAY 1-15, 2016

SPA & WELLNESS

Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Editor Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor Steena Joy Senior Associate Editor Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM

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New Delhi Saloni Bhatia Kolkata Joy Roy Choudhury CEO (Global Fairs & Media Pvt Ltd) Sonia Chawla DESIGN National Art Director Bivash Barua

EDGE

Assistant Art Director Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer Rushikesh Konka Senior Designer Rekha Bisht Senior Artist Ratilal Ladani Kiran Parker Scheduling & Coordination Ashish Anchan Photo Editor Sandeep Patil NATIONAL HOSPITALITY SALES Dattaram Kandalkar Rajan Nair Ashwani Kumar Shukla Sreejith Radhakrishnan Prateek Sahay Ajanta Sengupta NATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES Sujoy Gomes INTERNATIONAL FOOD & HOSPITALITY SALES Dhananjay Makharia

THE CLUB ADVANTAGE Whether corporate,recreational or wellness,the club concept in hotels is a smart business strategyfor ensuring steadyrevenue,attracting a loyal clientele and creating an exclusive brand identityfor the property (26-29)

MARKETS

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US$ 20 BLLN GLOBAL HOT SAUCE MARKET UNTAPPED IN INDIA

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The Great Eastern Home

P 18: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis

P35: MOVEMENTS

Oaks Bodhgaya, Bihar

InterContinental, Mumbai Scene and Heard

HOW A FOOD TECHNOLOGY STARTUP IS USING ANALYTICS AND IOT TO ENSURE FRESH MEALS EATFRESH, IS BANKING ON ITS TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE TO UNDERSTAND MEAL PREFERENCES

HIT COOL THIS SUMMER!

P 17 PRODUCT TRACKER

P 45: WEEKEND

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INTERIORS & DESIGN LIFE

MARKETING Darshana Chauhan

Manager Bhadresh Valia

WELLNESS OF THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL ATMANTAN, A LUXURIOUS WELLNESS RESORT IN MULSHI REGION IN MAHARASHTRA, INTEGRATES THE TRADITIONAL WITH THE INTERNATIONAL

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REINVENTING DECOR WITH JUNK SPREAD OVER 12,000 SQ FT, THE JUNKYARD CAFE IN NEW DELHI IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW JUNK CAN BE REUSED IN AN INNOVATIVE MANNER, BY USING RECYCLED AND JUNK MATERIAL IN THE CAFE’S INTERIORS

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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).

Copyright © 2016 Global Fairs & Media Private Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the Publisher's permission is prohibited.

LUXURY BRAND MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITALITY AN EXCITING AND FULFILLING CAREER AWAITS YOUNG HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS WHO WANT TO SPECIALISE IN THIS NICHE FIELD

MARKETS

US$ 20 blln global hot sauce market untapped in India Sudipta Dev Mumbai WITH PROBABLY the highest per capita consumption of chilli, it is surprising that India is yet to fully exploit the full potential of the US$ 20 billion global hot sauce market. “We see this as an incredible opportunity that is waiting to be captured. We want to become the number one hot sauce brand in the country,” said Arjun Gadkari, president, Nilgai Foods (PICO & Cocofly), pointing out that in the country the entire sauce category (which is dominated by plain ketchups) stands at a mere `1200 cr.

Gadkari believes that what

Arjun Gadkari

differentiates brand PICO from its competitors is that it is the only dedicated hot sauce brand in the country.

“Our range of six signature

sauces celebrate the flavours of Indian cuisine through the increasingly popular and convenient form of a hot sauce,” he stated.

Since its merger with R&A Foods last year, PICO no longer operates cafes. Instead, the brand is entirely focused on retail and institutional sales of its sauces. “Modern trade continues to dominate our revenue contribution, although recently we have expanded our general trade reach to over 2000 outlets in Mumbai alone,” remarked Gadkari, adding that the products are available in restaurants, bars and hotels. PICO has also been served on Vistara airlines. He believes that

PICO has become known in the HORECA segment for its sophisticated and unique product offering that other brands cannot offer. “Despite the continued growth of our HORECA sales, we see this vertical strategically from a marketing and visibility point of view rather than for pure revenue generation. That is why we have stayed away from white label opportunities where our brand goes unnoticed,” he added.

The company aims to establish itself as the go-to sauce brand in the country, expand the portfolio and reach out to consumers beyond the major metros. “We want to appeal to a wider and

more mainstream audience, but at the same time retain our positioning as India's leading hot sauce brand. To do that, we have set our sights on the under-served area of chutneys. After all, a chutney is essentially India's own version of a hot sauce - a condiment that gives that final kick of flavour to anything you are eating. Over the next five years we plan to enter the chutney market in a major way and present a modern interpretation of India's favourite condiments,” informed Gadkari, adding that he hopes to leverage technology to expand the reach rapidly across the country.

Italy eyes 27%-30% growth in food and wine exports to India Saloni Bhatia New Delhi THE TRADE Promotion Office of the Italian Embassy will organise a workshop on Italian food and wine – “The Sweet Taste: Business Opportunities & Perspectives for Italian Food and Wine in India” in Delhi. There will be sessions conducted by Indian and Italian experts on olive oil, fruits and wines, debating both sides of the Indo-Italian business and market coin. To give an Italian essence to the workshop, there will be live cooking demonstration by famous Italian chefs and an Italian wine tasting session.

Talking about the work-

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shop, Dr Francesco Pensabene, trade commissioner, Trade Promotion Office of the Italian Embassy, said that, “The aim is to both present and update on the technicalities, relations, customs and guidelines on importing from overseas and at the same point present market and business opportunity.

We will promote some traditional sectors such as olive oil and some niche sectors like food, vegetables and wines.

The idea is to promote Italian brands and products and envisage a business corporation with the Indian companies.

The current share of Italy’s exports in the food and wine industry of India is 0.5 per

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cent, but we are looking forward to a growth rate of 2730 per cent in the next four years.”

The workshop aims to host some of the renowned and knowledgeable names from the agro-food and wine sector in Italy and India as speakers including, H E Lorenzo Angeloni the Ambassador of Italy to India; Dr Francesco Pensabene, trade commissioner of the Trade Promotion Office of the Italian Embassy; Paolo Bruni, president, Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli (CSO); Michele Bungaro, director, institutional relations, UNAPROL; Giuseppe Martelli, president, National Wine Committee,

Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry; and Rakesh Banga, founder direc-

tor, Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI).

MARKETS

FHW 2016 Bengaluru to witness events in association with SICA FHW Staff Mumbai THE BENGALURU edition of the B2B trade show Food Hospitality World (FHW), will be held from June 9-11, 2016, at White Orchid Convention Centre, Bengaluru. The trade show, spread across over 5,000 sq m, will see participation from over 200 exhibitors. A footfall of more than 5,000 visitors is expected.

South India Culinary Association (SICA), in association with FHW, will organise three special events, facilitating industry networking opportunity, a culinary competition, live demonstrations and workshops. Chef Lounge will serve as the meeting place for master chefs, executive chefs, restaurant owners and new talent; South India Culinary Challenge will feature 200+ star hotels and restaurant chefs showcasing their finesse and culinary skills; and Live Cooking Bengaluru Chefs, featuring master class sessions by distinguished culinary experts of south India.

Conferences at the event will include Hospitality Knolwdge Exchange, a knowledge initiative focusing on future trends in F&B and hospitality by senior management; Hospitality Think Tank, panel discussion led by GMs, directors and top management on insights in the food and hospitality business; and The Power of Purchase, a power panel by procurement decision makers and professionals from leading hotels, restaurants, clubs and cafes across the country. The event will also feature an exclusive theme pavilion – BakeryWorld, an exclusive showcase of food and bakery ingredients and equipment suppliers.

Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce (BCIC) and South India Culinary Association (SICA) are the two main partners for the event.

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May 1-15, 2016

MARKETS

'OUR BRAND IS HIGHLYFOCUSED ON THE MILLENNIALDEMOGRAPHIC' Girish Jhunjhnuwala, the Indian origin owner and founder of Hong Kong based lifestyle hospitality brand, Ovolo Hotels, is looking at attracting the experimental Indian traveller and expanding his brand to different countries, including India

By Sudipta Dev What is the USP of Ovolo Hotels brand?

We make hospitality effortless from check-in to check-out. Ovolo guests never had to worry about such things as whether they will be charged for the can of coke at the minibar, because it’s all inclusive with their rate in our suite of signature freebies. In addition to a free fully-stocked minibar, the suite includes free daily happy, high-speed WiFi in the hotel and the city, self-service laundry, flexible checkout and much more.

Our eight hotels ensure that the utmost effort is made to all of life’s necessities are an arms-length or phone call away.

Your expansion plans in the next five years?

To continue growing the Ovolo brand overseas, particularly in the Australian market. We see great poten-

tracts or owned properties?

Our business strategy has always been focused on owned properties. Every property (currently 10 in total: eight hotels; two serviced apartments) in Ovolo’s portfolio is both owned and operated by us. This will continue to be our development focus for the foreseeable future.

Girish Jhunjhnuwala

tial for our boutique concept in established markets, and aim to open more hotels in the country, while keeping a close eye on opportunities elsewhere in APAC, Western Europe and the US. Will this expansion be through management con-

How focused are you on India, as a source market for your properties?

There’s incredible potential in India’s every-growing middle-class market. We’ve had significant interest in recent years for Ovolo hotels, particularly in Hong Kong, from the Indian market, and have also begun seeing upward trends in interest for Australia from Indian business and leisure travellers.

Our goal is to show Indian travellers, who are already spoiled for choice in premium hospitality within their own country, that Ovolo is a brand that count on for consistent quality with a unique approach, when travelling overseas, every time.

Do you have any plans to introduce Ovolo Hotels in India? If yes, then where?

We’re very keen on expanding the Ovolo brand to India, and it’s certainly in our five-year plan to introduce our game-changing, exciting brand to India. Our brand is highly focused on the millennial demographic, a sector

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which India is expecting to have more than 700 million constituents in the coming years. We couldn’t be more excited to introduce the Ovolo brand to them.

Your perception of the evolving trends in APAC's hospitality market.

Customisation and individuality are becoming more and more highly demanded in APAC’s hospitality market. The age-old idea of creating one hotel brand, and copying it across various markets for consistency is no longer valid, especially with millennials. They want to stay at hotels they can ultimately “call their own”. Hotels that cater to their various needs. We firmly believe Ovolo’s leading this rising trend.

Any other significant factor you would like to highlight on ?

When we started Ovolo, everyone doubted our ability to succeed with our allinclusive vision. But we’ve proved over and over the concept works. There’s nothing worse than checking out from a hotel, and finding additional charges for things you didn’t even know were billable. Transparency can come in a lot of ways. For the hotel business, we firmly believe letting your guests know what they’re paying for upfront, is the guaranteed path to customer loyalty.

Marriott and Starwood stockholders vote to approve merger FHW Staff Mumbai STOCKHOLDERS of both Marriott and Starwood Hotels & Resorts have approved proposals relating to Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood, which will create the world’s largest hotel company. Holders of over 97 per cent of Marriott shares present and voting at the meeting, representing over 79 per cent of outstanding shares, voted in favour of a proposal to issue shares of Marriott common stock in connection with the transaction, and holders of over 95 per cent of Starwood shares present and voting at the meeting, representing over 63 per cent of outstanding shares, voted in favour of a proposal to approve the transaction.

Arne Sorenson, president and CEO, Marriott, said, “With this successful stockholder approval milestone, we are much closer to completing our transaction. Our teams continue to plan the integration of our two companies, and we are committed to a timely and smooth transition. We appreciate the stockholders’ vote of confidence in our ability to drive long-term value and opportunity as a combined company.”

At closing, Starwood stockholders will receive 0.8 shares of Marriott common stock plus US$ 21 in cash for each share of Starwood common stock.

BAKERY FOCUS

A MARKETING INITIATIVE

Hit cool this summer!

Customers are ready to give their kitchens a mini break as the summer heat doesn’t mix well with long drawn out cooking, it is then the perfect time to indulge them in their quest for the new and yummy, and old classics from Puratos' extensive range that are regular crowd pleasers

H

oliday seasons are invariably that time when parents find it hard to keep the youngsters’ bellies filled.

Coupled with the unhurried nature of holidays, and the rush of everyday living that continues in spite of vacations, it is that perfect time to produce and stock your shelves with new and wonderful eats.

A readier market to try new foods hardly exists.

When the temperature rises across the subcontinent, the need to reach for that cool dessert to cool off is perhaps the one really appealing idea.

One idea that is truly too cool is that of the Red Velvet.

An idea that seems to have taken the country by storm, and doesn’t seem to show any signs of slowing. Whether it is the cool winter months, when the Red Velvet is representative of the Christmas season, to the New Year parties, to being the epitome of the season of love, Valentine’s Day to now the holiday season. The Red Velvet, often like the hot summer is a truly hot winner.

Puratos’ “Tegral Satin Red Velvet Egg Free” a premix that marries chocolate and cheese into a velvety soft mouth watering delicacy with its unique, hard to miss colour. A colour that is all natural - an impor-

tant aspect to consider when consumers are looking to move towards more natural food choices and less food colouring in what they consume.

The Puratos’ Tegral Satin Red Velvet Egg Free is super moist and comes with a long shelf life, impeccable finish and

10 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD May 1-15, 2016

great volume. It’s egg-free nature makes it suitable for all consumers regardless of their food preferences. This all American favourite is a crowd pleaser that simply cannot be ignored.

Add another dimension to cakes by choosing to

The Puratos’Tegral Satin Red Velvet Egg Free is super moist and comes with a long shelf life, impeccable finish and great volume

BAKERY FOCUS

A MARKETING INITIATIVE

experiment with the Puratos’ Cremfil. These creamy high quality bake stable fillings add that necessary oomph to baked products adding to the wow factor of each presentation.

The Cremfil provides that convenient, consistent tasting flavouring that is both versatile and healthy.

With its reduced fat, the Cremfil is that go-to product that gives consistent results every time. Available in Orange, Pineapple, Mango, Strawberry, Lemon and Blueberry variants as part of the Silk range and Vanilla Irish Creme and Caramel as part of the Classic range.

While the desserts hold firm, often becoming the go to option in this heat, the savouries cannot be far behind, in this vacation season. When food holds little appeal and the heart looks for that something different to enjoy the freedom from the daily grind of schools and colleges. Or maybe just a

short break from the humdrum of daily life.

As consumers become more experimentative while choosing to stick to their roots, to familiar flavours as is seen in our Taste Today survey.

Helping set the tone for the holiday sales are the savoury

snacks from the Puratos’ stable. Replete with fail safe premixes, and indulgent mouth watering savoury options that are bound to fly off the shelf.

The Easy Savoury Snack is easily customisable savoury offering from Puratos that simply melts in your mouth. Its rich

mouth feel, coupled with its high yield nature makes it perfect for quick production. Simply customise it with a variety of flavours to produce a range of mouth watering indulgent snacks with its long shelf life.

Combining Puratos’ attention to detail along with their

focus on bringing all that is truly world-class to Indian bakers makes Puratos the partner of choice. Come test this for yourself and feel the difference.

Come explore all that is worldclass at cost effective prices.

Come be a partner of Puratos, and be world-class.

SERVE UP A SUMMER BLAST

Tegral Satin Red Velvet Egg Free The hottest cake from U.S.A All purpose red velvet cake mix that gives a longer freshness with notes of chocolate and cheese taste.

Easy Savoury Snack Creativity, simplicity and unique taste High performance mix designed to easily produce soft savoury snacks of high quality.

Shelf Life 6 Months ; Pack Size 8 X 2.5 kg in a bag

Shelf Life 6 Months; Pack Size 8 X 2.5 kg in a bag

Cremfil High quality bake stable fillings Ready to use custard cream type fillings. Low water migration and evaporation. Available in orange, blueberry, mango, strawberry, pineapple, lemon, irish cream, vanilla and caramel which is new in the family.

Shelf Life 9 Months; Pack Size 4 X 2.5 kg, 2 X5kg in a carton box

The Taste Tomorrow consumer survey of Puratos reveals that consumers appreciate the freedom of choice & looks for variety around the year. Whether it be summers or winters variation is a key for them. A cake made with Tegral Satin Red Velvet Egg Free along with Cremfil Vanilla will add a difference & variety during this summer!

Puratos Food Ingredients India Pvt. Ltd. Centrium Building,4th Level,Phoenix Market City.

LBS Marg, Kurla (west), Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400070.

Phone: 022 61240808, Website: www.puratos.in, Email: smb_india_sales1@puratos.com

MARKETS

India, the top market for Address Hotels in Dubai Saloni Bhatia Mumbai THE ADDRESSS Hotels and Resorts recently organised a road show in India with the aim to reposition the brand in the India market. They also introduced two new properties: The Address, Boulevard in the five star segment and Rove hotels for the budget travellers. Chris Newman, corporate director – operations, Emaar Hospitality Group LLC, and Pascal Dupuis, general manager, The Address, Boulevard, Dubai were present at the event.

Talking to Food & Hospitality World, Newman, said, “India is an important market for us and is now the number one market. Dubai has over 1.6 million Indian tourists which has seen a 25 per cent increase from 2014-2015. For us, the India market in 2015 was approximately 10,000 room

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nights. With the launch of some new properties and brands coming on board for us, we feel we shall be able to double the room nights by 2017.” Talking about plans to pitch to the Indian customers, he said, “ We have three different brands and distinct hotels that offer three different price points. Starting at the Address Hotels and Resorts which is our premium luxury lifestyle brand, we then have Veda hotels and resorts which is our boutique lifestyle brand and finally Rove that we will be launching on May 1, 2016 which is a contemporary midscale brand. With a varied portfolio, I think it would widen our potential to tap into the India market.”

Newman also stated, “The business coming from India comprises of 55 per cent leisure travellers. I think there is not much of challenge to bring them to Dubai. Figures

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May 1-15, 2016

Chris Newman

tell us that India is already the number one market entering Dubai and the growth is going to continue. Historically our offerings may not have been strong enough, but now we have services, food and beverages is more tailored for Indian clients. We are now offering tea along with Arabic coffee to our guests at the entrance and even the buffet has items cooked by Indian chefs.

Those little touches would make us more friendly and dynamic for the India market.”

Dupus further informed, “The Address is the second largest building in downtown and we have 196 rooms and 532 apartments. We are largely focusing on families on vacation. I feel the restaurant section would particularly appeal to the Indian travellers since we have Indian chefs preparing dishes for the guests and also live kitchen section.”

Ecole Hoteliere at Lavasa signs MoU with AHLEI FHW Staff Mumbai ECOLE HOTELIERE at Lavasa (LEH) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) to offer AHLEI’s professional certifications for hospitality professionals. This marks the first time in India that a third-party provider will administer these hospitality industry certifications in country.

Some of the programmes that will be offered are the Certified Hospitality Administrator (CHA), the apex certification for general managers across the world; the Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), for those who teach hospitality at the post-secondary level; and Certified Hospitality Supervisor (CHS).

Nathan Andrews, direc-

tor, LEH, said, “We welcome this MoU with AHLEI for the mutual development of the hospitality industry.

These programmes will provide, for the first time, an opportunity for Indian hospitality professionals to benchmark themselves to a global standard and also acquire global professional certification in a cost and time effective manner, working through a respected university.”

Joori Jeon, CPA, CAE, chief executive officer, AHLEI, commented, “AHLEI is delighted to partner with Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa to extend the reach of our internationally-respected hospitality certifications to India’s hotel executives and educators. This is a true reflection of the commitment of both AHLEI and LEH to providing the hospitality leaders of today and tomorrow with the tools they need for success.”

MARKETS

Local product sourcing: A catching trend in restaurants

MHG announces Oaks Bodhgaya in India FHW Staff Mumbai

Saloni Bhatia New Delhi THE KITCHENS at The Claridges, New Delhi, are led by Chef Sahil Sabhlok, who has over 12 years of experience in the industry. Sabhlok handles the six restaurants at The Claridges, including Aura, Pickwicks, Dhaba, Seville, Ye Old Bakery and the Claridges Garden. His past experiences include numerous restaurants including Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur; The Westin, Hyderabad, and Taj Lands End, Mumbai. Speaking to Food & Hospitality World about his oneyear journey at The Claridges, he shared, “The journey has been good so far. We have done a lot of changes, keeping the heritage of the hotel in mind. But at the same time, we don't want to be termed as an outdated hotel, so you will find a lot of food in our outlets that is inspired by the current trends.”

There are always new trends in the industry that seem to change the food habits. Talking about such trends, Sabhlok said, “One of the trends that I never see dying is the need for healthy

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Chef Sahil Sabhlok

food. The only thing is that 50 per cent of people could not consume desired food because their palates had not developed. Over the time, chefs have evolved dishes and made products available to the guests. The second thing which now I firmly believe is sourcing out local produce.

This is because now the local

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produce is at par with imported products. The pricing is also comparatively low and the quality is better, as it gets delivered faster than foreign products.”

Ye Old Bakery will expand and introduce more products.

Ye Old Bakery plans to incorporate a lot of savouries and a proper menu that people can indulge in with coffee, at the lounge itself. “We are going more into bistro style food which also compliments the location of the restaurant. In order to celebrate 30 years of culinary journey at the Dhaba, we have planned to send some chefs and a truck on NH22, starting from Kolkata and ending in Punjab. We will start a parallel menu that will focus on the experiences of each city that the truck goes to. The journey will start in May and end in October,” he added while sharing about the expansion plans at The Claridges, New Delhi.

MINOR HOTEL Group (MHG) has announced the development of Oaks Bodhgaya in Bihar, India. The project is in partnership with GP Group and Top Travel & Tours (TTPL). The overall project investment is US$ 6.7 million.

Oaks Bodhgaya is in the final stages of development and is slated to open in Q4 this year. The first phase of the property will have a total of 78 keys, in addition to a restaurant, a conference hall, a terrace with meditation area and landscaped gardens. The second phase is also under development which will add a further 60 keys and will bring the total to 138 keys. The hotel is located along the main road in Bodhgaya between the Mahabodhi Temple and the airport. Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, Minor Hotel Group, commented, “Hot on the heels of our first Oaks India an-

nouncement earlier this year, we are thrilled to be bringing the Oaks brand to Bodhgaya.

Religious tourism is a huge market and represents a great opportunity and Oaks Bodhgaya will be well placed to capitalise on this when it becomes the first Oaks in India upon opening towards the end of the year. We are pleased to be partnering with GP Group and look forward to working closely with the team to bring this new hotel to the market.”

Sanjog Modgil, vice president – hospitality, GP Group, said, “The GP Group has long recognised the potential of the Indian Buddhist circuit and the opportunities for developing branded hotels in all the major destinations within the circuit. We are delighted to partner with Minor Hotel Group and Top Travel & Tours to launch the Oaks Bodhgaya, which marks our first step in establishing our presence in the world famous Buddhist circuit in India.”

MARKETS

'WE AIM TO MAKE INDIAHEALTHY' In a bid to promote healthy snacking, Vijay Uttarwar, CEO, Naturell India sheds light on healthy snacking habit amongst Indians, through the launch of Naturell's RiteBite Max Protein Chips

By Kajol Somaya What inspired you to introduce 7 Grain Max Protein Chips?

Chips are popular snacks, but there is always a guilt that lingers; potato fried chips are high in fat and not nutritious.

We wanted something healthy, yet tasty, that gives you a wholesome snack. Max Protein Chips 7 Grain Snacks contain 10 gm protein, three gm fibre, 65 per cent less fat than your fried chips, has low GI, and is low in refined carbohydrates as compared with other fried chips. We are into health snack business with products such as protein bars, nutrition bars, healthy snacking bars and now into healthy snacks – chips, so we aim to make India healthy with a wide variety of products, especially with our newly launched, India’s first sevengrain protein chips How do you plan to eliminate fear of packaged food among Indians?

There is always a negative feeling about packaged food in terms of health benefits. People want fresh food, they prefer hot cooked food. But you can’t ignore packaged food, when you don’t have an option; you have to opt for packaged food. If you are busy in your meetings and have no time to have food or when you are in gym, you tend to go for packaged healthy food. Packaged food is now filled with health benefits, have hygiene factor and moreover, it is convenient for consumption on the go. So can chips be healthy? Can healthy be tasty? Yes, with Max Protein Chips, you can be healthy and guilt free with a yummy feeling. Healthy yet tasty!

Vijay Uttarwar

Are you considering partnering with online stores?

We are already associated with major e-commerce platforms.

Which Indian cities are you targeting for your product?

The pan-India distribution network of Naturell built up over a decade is a key factor in RiteBite products' availability.

As a result, one can find RiteBite protein snacks and bars at all major and small outlets. Gradually, we are spreading our wings to expand and strengthen our distribution network. Currently, RiteBite products are sold at modern trade, general trade, standalone stores, chemist and pharma outlets, airlines' catering, five star hotels and hospitality companies, schools and colleges and corporate canteens. Naturell India mainly serves domestic markets, but also has its presence in international markets such as the USA and other countries. Some of our top major retailers are Food Hall, WH Smith, Hyper City, Spencers, Nature's Basket, Aditya Birla

Retail, Reliance Retail, Wellness Fresh and many more.

Do you think this line extension of 'Naturell' will lead to profitable turnover for your company?

Being the market leader in nutrition/protein bars and with the new product launch in chips category, we have achieved 28 per cent growth in 2015-2016.

The company is already in profitable mode.

Are there plans to introduce more flavours?

Since taste and health are the driving factors for us, yes, we are exploring different flavours that suit the taste buds of Indian consumers. Fairly soon, you will see more flavours of Max Protein Chips.

tion are: Focus on retail branding, consumer awareness, sampling, running various offers and schemes, approaching the influencers like gym trainers and dieticians, launching loyalty card/membership programmes, sponsorship in various sports events, organising various events like a marathon, cyclothon, etc, one to one approach on social media and website and PR activities. Our marketing strategy revolves around awareness programmes and events where we also have a lot of sampling sessions.

In terms of branding and packaging for Ritebite Max Protein snacks, we undertake various steps such as simple and precise communication addressing the current unhealthy snacking problem. The solution to it is our communication message: people munch on chips and namkeen with a guilt.

Whereas at RiteBite, we give them “Guilt Free Snacking”.

Comparison with other products is also one of the key elements of our focus. We are creating a distinct image of the product – a product to stand on its own rather than just a “me too” product. Some elements like non-fried, non-baked, “guilt free” are the terms on which we focus more, even on the packaging. We follow the philosophy of giving the packaging a premium look and feel, de-cluttering from the other products in the same category, using more of imagery in the POP materials rather than simple text. People tend to forget what is said, but remember what is seen; and introducing innovative POP material in the India market for the chips segment serves the purpose.

What is your marketing strategy?

RiteBite is the pioneer brand in health and nutrition industry having a market share of more than 60 per cent, and has the vision to reach 100 crores within five years. For taking the brand equity further, some of our marketing efforts for brand promo-

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MARKETS

Ariane Porcelain has lot to offer in calendar year 2016 FHW Staff Mumbai ARIANE FINE Porcelain recently unveiled SOKKO and HIVE collections at Ambiente Show 2016 in Frankfurt, Germany. The collection is designed by renowned Japanese designer, Hiroshi Tsunoda, who brings a strong geometric character to his designs and provides them with a big honesty in relation with their function and the material used. Hiroshi finds the inspiration to design new products in this closer surroundings, in the small problems of daily life and exploring continuously new formal and conceptual fields.

The futuristic design and aslant shape makes SOKKO collection perfectly suited to adapt to ever-changing food trends and settings, offering a unique dining experience with its co-ordinated pieces. The collection is designed for serving Japanese, Chinese and other speciality food. Nowadays, India witnesses more flow of global visitors under the ‘Make in India’ initiative; and Japan, China and European countries are major partners in this mission. SOKKO collection offers them distinct dining experience and homely feel.

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Peruma Reddy

The idea of HIVE collection is based on having different sizes of plates and bowls placed together to create different atmospheres on the table through the versatility of their hexagonal shape. They are suitable for a range of uses, from serving a high end cuisine, to a dinner party at hotel, and can also be used individually.

Umberto Ceramics International is the only porcelain tableware plant in India producing international quality products under Ariane Fine Porcelain brand, having world class manufacturing facilities at Prantij,

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Gujarat. The state-of-the-art plant has over 30,000 sq m of production area with 10 million pieces per annum capacity of warm white porcelain tableware.

Dr Khater Massaad, partner and chairman, is the creative mind behind Ariane Fine Porcelain. He has lent his 30 years of experience and extensive expertise in the field of tiles, sanitary-ware and tableware.

Peruma Reddy, CEO of Ariane Fine Porcelain, a pioneer in the field of porcelain and ceramics, has combined his 26 years of experience, competent skills and ingeniousness to develop and evolve Ariane into a fine porcelain tableware brand of world class quality and standards.

Reddy stated, “Ariane Porcelain has lot many new collections and series in calendar year 2016. Our all new product launches at Ambiente 2016 show at Frankfurt, Germany have received amazing response from visitors and industry experts.”

He further added, “SOKKO collection is a futuristic design.

The aslant on geometric shape tableware bring a distinguished look to your table, offering a memorable meal with co-ordinated pieces of SOKKO collec-

tion. Whereas HIVE collection can gear up stylish table with our vast array of statement bowls and plates with its versatile hexagonal shape.”

Ariane Fine Porcelain meets the stringent global quality standards such as physical tests certification from SFC France and quality tests (dishwasher safe, edge-chip resistant, microwave and oven safe, steel/metal marking test) certifications by LUCIDEON, UK for its superior quality porcelain tableware that lives up to world-class standards. Ariane Fine Porcelain has been certified the ISO 9001:2008 for quality management and SA8000:2008 for social accountability by TUV, Germany.

Ariane Fine Porcelain products have been approved by the Vegetarian Society of UK for being 100 per cent vegetarian.

Every article of tableware contains no bone ash. Ariane Fine Porcelain thereby provides an absolutely hygienic vegetarian solution to markets that are exclusively vegetarian. It has also been certified by Halal Committee, Mumbai, India.

Sunil Malesha, managing director, Ariane Fine Porcelain; and a professional chartered accountant, having wide experi-

ence in the field of finance, mentioned, “Ariane is today one of the preferred tableware brands across the world throughout the hospitality sector, thanks to the efforts of its business partners across the globe. We are supporting the Make in India campaign, a national objective, by exploring the underlying potential of Indian Porcelain Tableware business in a very positive way.

More than 60 per cent of our products are exported in many parts of the world including major European countries. Villeroy & Boch, a world-renowned brand, settled a new partnership with Ariane Fine Porcelain as the exclusive distributor of Ariane Fine Porcelain to the food service markets in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.”

With a steady rise in the number of fine-dining restaurants and hotels in India and globally, it can be said that tableware makes a statement. Connoisseurs of the kitchen and the hotel industry appraise that most fine hospitality establishments replace on average, 30 per cent of their original tableware every year. With an aim to offer the finest experiences to their guests, the majority of five-star luxury hotels opt for porcelain tableware due to their functionality and durability. However, till date there is no such porcelain tableware manufacturer in India. The country only witnesses the production of bone china tableware and low-end stoneware products, both of which have hygiene and quality related problems. In contrast, porcelain tableware offers high strength, chip and scratch resistance, and longevity. However, Ariane Porcelain has reduced the dependency of the Indian hospitality and food service industry on imports of porcelain tableware.

PRODUCT TRACKER

The Great Eastern Home THE GREAT EASTERN HOME has introduced a new range of room dividing screens that are functional, versatile and dynamic. Room dividing screens enhance a room’s theme and help separate a large space into smaller ones and allow for dual room functionality in the same floor area of space. Available in various shapes and sizes, these screens are made from wood, leather and stained glass which can be customised as per clients need.

Belvedere Vodka BELVEDERE VODKA launched Belvedere Spritz collection made of 100 per cent natural and low-sugar cocktails.

Crafted from just two ingredients – Dankowskie rye and artesianwater – Belvedere does not contain additives or enhancements. The recipe is in accordance with the Polish geographical appellation, which protects a 600year-old vodka making tradition.

Gits GITS has introduced a wide range of 'heat and eat' ready meals, aiming at providing a solution for travellers who miss the traditional Indian comfort foods. Gits range of ready meals includes Dal Makhani, Paneer Tikka Masala, Veg Biryani and Pav Bhaji.

Campari Group CAMPARI GROUP has introduced Skyy Vodka, which lends a cool, crisp and refreshing flavour to summertime sips, making it ideal for poolside parties, terrace parties, or picnicking with friends. The product is also considered ideal for cocktails such as Skyy Starlight, Skyy Fizz, Skyy Sunset, and Skyy perfect Martini. Skyy Vodka is available across all leading stores in India, price at `2,475 in Mumbai and `1680 in Delhi, for 750 ml.

Pergo PERGO has introduced water repellent flooring Pergo Sensation, the new range in Pergo Laminate

Usha International USHA INTERNATIONAL launched its next generation cold press juicing technology in India with Usha NutriPress Cold Press Juicer. Usha NutriPress does juicing in a natural way, extracting juices at low temperature to retain nutrients instead of high speed grinding that happens in normal centrifugal juicers. Beyond fruit juices, it extracts juice from hard vegetables and green vegetables in addition to making frozen desserts, and milk from nuts and grains.

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Oaks Bodhgaya, Bihar Minor Hotel Group (MHG) has announced the development of Oaks Bodhgaya in India, in partnership with GP Group and Top Travel & Tours. The overall project investment is US$ 6.7 m. Oaks Bodhgaya is in the final stages of development and is slated to open in Q4 this year. The first phase of the property will have a total of 78 keys, in addition to a restaurant, a conference hall, a terrace with meditation area and landscaped gardens. A second phase is also under development which will add a further 60 keys and will bring the total to 138 keys. The hotel is located along the main road in Bodhgaya between the Mahabodhi Temple and the airport.

Hyatt Regency Chandigarh

CheruthuruthyEco Garden LORDS HOTEL & RESORTS has announced the signing up of luxury boutique resort Cheruthuruthy Eco Garden in Thrissur, Kerala. Situated on the banks of Bharathapuzha, second largest river in Kerala, the scenic resort offers guests a unique stay in natural beauty. Spread on 20 acres, the 57-room property boasts of butterfly farms, two swimming pools and specially built couple spa. The resort also has a banquet with a capacity of 1,400 pax to meet the requirements of corporate and social functions. The property also features a tree house and a honeymoon cottage by the pond.

Larger families can accommodate in separate villa consisting of four bedrooms. Guests can also enjoy other facilities like on-site spa, fitness centre, two swimming pools, restaurant, etc.

HYATT HOTELS & RESORTS has announced the official opening of Hyatt Regency Chandigarh. Located 246 km away from Delhi, Hyatt Regency Chandigarh is the first Hyatt-branded hotel to open in Chandigarh. The hotel is central to the city’s business hub and is part of a premium development that includes the ElanteMall and an office complex that houses key multi-national companies and diplomatic missions. The 211-room hotel is a 20-minute drive from Chandigarh International Airport and eight minutes to the Chandigarh Junction railway station. The hotel features five restaurants and bars, offering Northern Indian dishes, Chinese, Western, and Italian cusines. The hotel features 36,000 sq ft events space, including an 8,711 sq ft pillar-less ballroom.

Opening in early June, Amaira Spa will provide a holistic approach to health and fitness.

Anantara Hotels,Resorts & Spas ANANTARA HOTELS, RESORTS & SPAS has announced the opening of two luxury resorts in the Sultanate of Oman in mid-2016 – Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in the north east of Oman and Al Baleed Resort - Salalah by Anantara in the southern province of Dhofar. Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort will offer 82 Premier and Deluxe rooms and featuring private balconies or terraces. Whereas the 33 one, two or three bedroom villas will feature private swimming pools, separate living spaces and personal butler services. The resort will have six restaurants and lounges. Al Baleed Resort – Salalah by Anantara will feature 40 Premier and Deluxe Rooms, offering views of the Arabian Sea, lagoon or gardens. Additionally; 88 one, two and three bedroom villas will offer private pools, spacious living areas and personal butler services. Guests will be able to choose from three dining options, with a selection of cuisines available including South East Asian and Mediterranean.

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Grappa SHANGRI-LA’S - EROS HOTEL, New Delhi has introduced its new bar, Grappa. The concept revolves around an indoor-outdoor setting which keeps the ambience dynamic, casual and friendly; Grappa takes advantage of the picturesque alfresco terrace overlooking lush green lawns as part of its seating plan. Grappa showcases an Italian inspired bar menu and experimental cocktails, including barrel aged cocktails, Negronis, bitters and sours. The cocktails have been curated to work well with the cicchetti menu at the adjoining Italian Restaurant, Sorrento. The hotel has appointed international mixologist Mario Gonzalez Cabildo along with Gaurav Dhyani at Grappa.

Minor Hotel Group Minor Hotel Group (MHG) has announced the addition of two new properties to its pipeline in the United Arab Emirates – Anantara Jebel Dhanna and AVANI Jebel Dhanna in Abu Dhabi, which will soon begin development; both are scheduled to open in 2018. The owner and developer of these two properties is Dhabi Contracting LLC and Aecom has been appointed as the lead architecture and interior design consultant for the project. Jebel Dhanna is located along the coastal area of the Al Gharbia region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, close to the ferry departure point for Sir Bani Yas Island. Anantara Jebel Dhanna Villas will have a total of 60 keys across three villa types: 20 one-bedroom villas, 38 twobedroom villas and two three-bedroom villas. The new Anantara will offer two restaurants and a pool bar, a gym, a swimming pool and an Anantara Spa. Whereas, the neighbouring AVANI Jebel Dhanna Hotel will have 230 keys across two different room types: 170 deluxe rooms and 60 superior rooms including a kitchenette. Facilities at the AVANI will include multiple dining options, a gym and a swimming pool.

Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort ANANTARA MEDJUMBE ISLAND RESORT has reopened following an extensive refurbishment. The 12-villa, adults-only African island hideaway now features refreshed décor, luxury villa upgrades and new signature experiences, including a Robinson Crusoe-style star bed surrounded by lanterns, underneath the night sky. Now, with a host of enhancements, the resort has reopened to offer more signature experiences and natural attractions and will soon be the only African island resort to use 100 per cent solar energy. The resort has been restyled using colourful patterns to depict the vibrancy of local culture. Adding to a range of ocean experiences, the resort’s new dhow sailing boat lesson offers couples a 90-minute experience on the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, with the option of both taking up the challenge of mastering traditional techniques, or relaxing onboard.

Whitefield Bar and Grill BENGALURU MARRIOTT HOTEL, Whitefield unveiled its signature restaurant, Whitefield Bar and Grill (WBG). The pool-side restaurant offers guests with an ideal location to sit back and unwind in the relentless summer heat, while enjoying tandoors and grills and drinks. The cuisine offers a spread of salads, starters, burgers and desserts. Grills like half baby spring chicken, drumstick 'tangri 'kebab, salmon, lamb shoulder kebab, beef sirloin and portobello mushroom are available to guests, along with other preparations like Vallombrosa buratta salad, Kerala coast green lip mussels, pulled pork burger, grilled beef burger and grilled chicken burger. WBG has a seating capacity of 62 pax.

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INTERIORS & DESIGN

Reinventing décor with junk Spread over 12,000 sq ft, The Junkyard Cafe in New Delhi is an example of how junk can be reused in an innovative manner, by using recycled and junk material in the cafe’s interiors

By Saloni Bhatia

A

T THE JUNKYARD Cafe, the ambience is in perfect sync with the theme of the restaurant as everything, starting from the seating to the walls is made entirely of junk material. The guest is welcomed by a large recycled airplane hanging from the ceiling. The bar on the left has walls decorated with old stereos and automobile parts. The lighting of the place is also done in the same manner, wherein some old things are used as holders across the restaurant. There are mason jars, kitchen graters, inverted buckets used as lamps for the bulbs.

Despite the use of junk, the place is well designed with scrap. The seating arrangement includes sofas made of old barrels, boot of a car and cycle tyres. One side of the wall is decorated with recreated art murals, one of which is the famous Mona Lisa, recreated with the back covers of Blackberry smart phones.

The entrance through the stairs leads you to an enlarged robot-like structure made from used materials from an old automobile.

The cafe has been divided into three sections. The one right next to the bar under the airplane roof is exposed to more lighting and best suited for day meetings. The second section in the middle has a live stage with two private VIP zones. The live stage is often used for special shows on the weekends. The space has been used well and done in a manner where everyone can enjoy the stage

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Umang Tewari

view. The third section has a roof covered with over 1000 green bottles that make it apt for a brunch seating. The pillars dividing the space are either covered with tyres or broken pieces of colourful tiles and there are old drums as table stands. The entire place offers a rustic feel with its décor where even in the smallest of the details have been taken care of.

Junk as art Umang Tewari, cofounder, The Junkyard Cafe, who conceptualised the idea,

INTERIORS & DESIGN says, “My initial thought was to open a place with the name of Junkyard, whether it shall be a garage or an art piece.

We wanted to use junk as an advantage and show how it can also be something pretty and useful. You can see glimpses of the idea everywhere in the cafe, be it the walls or the furniture. I thought about the concept and brought along two other designers Tutu and Vishal who furnished the place. It took us about eight months to do the place but there were several other changes done by the end.”

There are several artworks, be it the Mona Lisa or a robot at the entrance that has been made out of scratch.

Small pieces seen around are

made from folded steel and wires. There is minimum lighting in the cafe which adds to the rustic feel.

The menu reflects similar

innovative ideas. Drinks like edis on bulb and English central monitor are presented in a very eccentric manner that attracts the attention of

guests. One of the sections on the menu has also been dedicated to healthy food. Tewari adds, “ The place might be called junkyard but the food

has been carefully selected to suit the visitors' palate. We also created a separate healthy food menu to serve the best of food.”

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SPA & WELLNESS

WELLNESS OFTHE MIND,BODYAND SOUL Atmantan, a luxurious wellness resort was launched in the Mulshi region of Pune in Maharashtra, which integrates the traditional Indian healing practices with international therapies and modern fitness techniques for holistic healing

By Saloni Bhatia

A

TMANTAN was conceptualised by ex-Ironman triathlete, Nikhil Kapur, and his wife, pranic healer, Sharmilee Agarwal Kapur in 2008. Atmantan is the divine amalgamation of Atma (soul), Mana (mind), and Tann (body) that encompasses the resort’s integrated approach to wellness. This can be achieved by creating the perfect equilibrium of wholesome wellness for the guests; physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially.

The 106-room centre offers eight scientifically researched and customised all-inclusive wellness programmes. The first phase is launched with 73 rooms including a single bedroom villa.

Owner and founder, Nikhil Kapur speaks about his dream project and explains, “There is no better time to get into wellness. It took us over seven years to build the property, but we are proud of what we have to offer. We are taking wellness to the next level in the country. We had a very talented set of architects from

Thailand who built the property. The challenge of building a property over 40 acres was that each structure had to be functionally relevant as you go about bringing out the aesthetics of the place. Every building that you enter you are welcomed with breathtaking views. All the systems that have been installed here are technologically advanced and yet the environment has been well thought of.”

Initial visualiser of the concept, Sharmille Kapur shares, “ Here at Atmantan, we celebrate wellness. We wanted someplace with natural beauty, but also accessible where the city people could go and enjoy wellness.” Talking about the location she says, “Nestled in the Sahyadris which are crystalline mountains, the place is naturally healing that speed up and assist the wellness purpose. We want to help people maintain the balance in life. We assist you through the journey of the wellness. This is not just a hotel but a wellness property where the core attention is your well being.”

The 106-room centre offers eight scientifically researched and customised all-inclusive wellness programmes. The first phase is launched with 73 rooms including a single bedroom villa

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SPA & WELLNESS

Wellness retreat A minimum of three night stay is available at the centre that enable the staff to concentrate on complete wellness of the guest. The place helps one understand the relation between sound nutrition and functioning of the body. The eight retreats include Atmantan Living, Spa Life, Master Cleanse, Weight Balance, Journey through Yoga, Ayurverda Panchkarma, Holistic Health and Fitness Challenge. These retreats focus on four elements of well being through proper food, sleep, exercise and positive environment. The stay starts from three days extending up to 28 days where the guests are offered a mix of wellness programmes where they can focus on complete rejuvenation.

Elaborating on the services, Athena Salim, general manager, Atmantan informs, “We have a beautiful wellness pavilion where all the indoor activities happen. We boast of 23 treatment rooms, two of which are facial rooms that have been specially designed according to the treatments and therapies that the guests would go through. Be it the Thai massage or Kerela therapy treatment, each has rooms which you would find in no other space that are tailormade to suit the therapies.

The ambience of the room, the massage bed and all the facilities are just for that particular treatment.”

There are eight doctors who provide consultation to the guests based on a questionnaire they fill while they come in. “The therapies and treatments are based on these advices and choice of the guest. One of the specialty of the resort is the spa cuisine which is devoid of the three white devils that is the refined flour, refined dairy and refined sugar,” mentions Salim.

tara, the barbeque lounge; and Te'-jus the juice bar. The restaurants bring in produce from the local gardens or the nearby farms to retain the freshness of meals. The outdoor meditation pavilions Dhyana and the ampitheatre Prana, provide with some inspiring places to meditate, relax and indulge in soul searching. The first phase launch also includes a 60 seater conference hall and a 10 seater boardroom facility.

Joy Menzies, managing director, Destination Spa Management has been appointed to take care of the property.

The resort is at a 40-minute flight or a three-hour drive from Mumbai and Pune.

Talking about the ecological aspect of the resort, Kapur mentions, “We have a solar project on water heating. We are proud that we are the largest in the country to heat 42,000 litres of water through solar energy. We also have natural system of treating our sewage where we don’t use chemicals. We have been using rain water harvesting systems at the property which has yielded great benefits to us as well as to the villagers.”

Extensive facilities There are three food and beverage venues including Vistara, the main dining; Chan-

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cover )

THE CLUB

ADVANTAGE Whether corporate, recreational or wellness, the club concept in hotels is a smart business strategy for ensuring steady revenue, attracting a loyal clientele and creating an exclusive brand identity for the property

BY SUDIPTA DEV

H

OTEL COMPANIES in India are increasingly understanding the advantages of engaging with corporates in the city and the local elite crowd by introducing the club concept through attractive membership benefits.

While the corporate members look for business meetings / conferencing venues, the families are happy with the usage of facilities like swimming pools, fitness centre, etc. From corporate lunches to Sunday brunches, F&B becomes a major factor for both these segments, with the hotel restaurants assured of a steady stream of guests. The fact that this revenue is not dependent

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on the rooms occupancy gives a fillip to the business even during the lean season.

Executive club Earlier this year, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar jointly launched ‘Sphere’ – a by-invitation-only executive club programme catering to discerning guests who seek to do business in

style. “Sphere offers great business space to the elite corporate heads in Mumbai for meetings and business networking in the well spread out Executive Lounge areas with breath taking views with one nestled in the scenic Powai and the other at walking distance to the international airport, making it convenient for them,” says Megha Ajgoankar, director of sales & marketing, Re-

naissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel. She believes that with the corporate scenario continuing to grow in Mumbai, many luxury and lifestyle hotels see the opportunity of providing the finest business space to senior corporates to having their meetings, network better and get some leisure time out.

“CMDs and CXOs find these hotels as perfect addresses to be in and so it becomes an ideal

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THE MAIN FOCUS

business proposition," adds Ajgoankar. They get special discounts on food and beverage, spa, room reservations and suite upgrade, business centre and Platinum Elite Marriott Reward membership.

Currently while the Sphere is limited to the JW Mumbai Sahar and the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre, based on the feedback and response in Mumbai, it will be

considered extending to other Marriott properties as well.

Recreational hub While standalone recreational clubs often take great pride in their distinguished legacy, clubs in hotels provide more extensive facilities to its well heeled and discerning clientele.

Waterstones Club at Waterstones Hotel in Mumbai has close to 300 members across

28 nationalities, out of which, 70 per cent are expats. “The clientele that we cater to at the club is very niche and belongs to the crème-de-la-crème crowd of Mumbai. These are people who don’t just have the money but also have a taste for class. And that is exactly what Waterstones is all about. It has its own peculiar style which is classy and very different from any other property. When you

have such a beautiful property adjoining your hotel, it is definitely a big plus for the hotel.

Also the kind of audience that we cater to at the hotel and at the club is very similar in terms of profile,” mentions Saket Gupta, head of sales and marketing, Mars Enterprises.

Guests have access to an Olympic sized swimming pool and sports facilities like squash, tennis, basketball and

badminton courts. There is a gym with state-of-the-art facilities and professional trainers.

“One can choose to have a fun weekend by watching a movie at the movie lounge or just pampering oneself to some soothing therapies at our spa and salon. There is 24-hour coffee shop and a bar. We also offer an exclusive dining for four in a glass chamber at ‘Room with a view’. It is meant to

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cover )

“Sphere offers great business space to the elite corporate heads in Mumbai for meetings and business networking” Megha Ajgoankar, Director of Sales & Marketing, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel

celebrate special occasions and only accessible to club members,” informs Gupta.

Club membership is a status symbol, however the guests want to experience luxury without always spending exponentially. According to Amit Kumar Sahu, general manager, operations and sales, Club Orchid, The Orchid Pune, there is a constant growing demand within the age group of 35-65 years where they regularly look out for social joints to celebrate their moments of glory and achievements. “Foreseeing this trend, we initiated this concept termed as Club Orchid at The Orchid Pune. This club membership concept allows the members to access the property on regular basis and avail some amazing benefits and offers which include stay and dining options at the properties. To acquire the membership, the guests initially have to pay a certain fixed amount depending on the category chosen i.e. Individual/ Family / Corporate Membership. The membership period can be of one year only," he says.

Wellness focus

“Whatever the guests are looking for, the hosts will always exceed expectations of the visitors” SM Azmat, President, S&M, Jaypee Hotels

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Fitness facilities is one of the biggest draws for members joining hotel clubs. A property like Four Points By Sheraton Navi Mumbai Vashi focuses on creating a balanced lifestyle environment within the hotel vicinity – a perfect place to relax and rejuvenate. “Rooms and F&B being the basic required faculty, we provide a well equipped fitness centre, a unique blend of outdoor swimming pool, kids pool and jacuzzi, spa and salon,” says Subhabrata Roy, GM, Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai. The hotel offers three months/six months/12 months membership facility for gym and swimming pool with per-

sonal trainer facility. Members get discounts on F&B and spa facilities. The property also organises free seminars and events for them.

“Healthy lifestyle is the need of the hour. In this era of being surrounded with technology, work pressure and stress in every aspect of life, it has become essential to

walk on a healthy track and give time to yourself. Such club facilities play a significant role in promoting and maintaining the well-being," states Roy. The extensive Six Senses Spa at Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida covers 90,000 sq ft area across three floors. The facil-

ities include state-of-the-art fitness centre, changing rooms, juice bar, yoga studio, aerobics pool surrounded by an indigenous herbal garden, 18 treatment suites, steam sauna, experience shower, ice fountain and private pools.

There are also private nap suites, relaxation areas, specialist treatment suites for Ayurveda, Watsu, colonic hydrotherapy, Thai therapies, male and female hammams, meditation cave, and Ladies Club. “The guests may also benefit from personalised advice from the wellness consultants, get in shape with qualified personal trainers or just simply enjoy some time out. Whatever the guests are looking for, the hosts will always exceed expectations of the visitors to ensure that the time they spend at Six Senses is truly memorable,” states SM Azmat, president, S&M, Jaypee Hotels.

Two types of memberships are offered – spa membership and fitness membership. Azmat informs that in both memberships, the guest is allowed to use all facilities and attend wellness classes like yoga, fitness or aqua sessions. “Spa members have an

(

“There is a growing demand within the age group of 35-65 years for social joints to celebrate their moments of glory and achievements” Amit Kumar Sahu,

Revenue benefits It is a known fact that a club significantly enhances the revenue of a property. If a property has the space then investing in a club has long term benefits. Gupta avers that a club is an independent property by itself and generates revenue by selling memberships. He reminds that a lot of hotels offer recreational facilities like gym, salon, spa in the hotel itself. However, there is

no focus on these services since they do not contribute much to the hotel’s revenue.

But an independent club offers a lot more than just the basic services. “Obviously, since you treat this as an individual property, your club members expect you to offer these services. But what this also does is it allows us to offer a whole range of services to our hotel guests. At the same time, business guests who attend workshops and conferences at the hotel do not really have the liberty of time to enjoy these club facilities. In such cases, we offer a ‘no-club access package’ which is priced lower. Thus it works out well for all our guests including the club members,” adds Gupta.

It is a win-win situation for both the property and the

amount is adding to the hotel's profitability. “We also get regular events from our members celebrating special occasions or private parties and corporate events,” he adds.

Growing network

GM - Operations and Sales, Club Orchid, The Orchid Pune

edge over the fitness members as their package includes complimentary treatments, if they take membership for a year. They also get special discounts on various spa services. We strive to exceed the expectations of our guests through our bespoke and highly differentiated services,” states Azmat.

TT H H EE M M AA II N N FF O O CC UU SS

guests. While the hotel gets regular business from the guests, the latter are able to take advantage of the best available discounts as members. “Having club membership in the property has definitely worked out for us and brought more business by getting new customers where the revenue is already collected at the start of the membership.

These customers in turn become my repeat customers as to avail the facilities which were entitled to them at the time of enrollment such as stay, F&B, swimming pool, spa, etc,” states Sahu, adding that this helps in giving a fixed business apart from their regular membership fees. For example, every guest visiting a restaurant will get the fixed discount which is availed to them for their membership, but rest

Not just the organised hotel sector, even standlone properties are today understanding the business advantage of having a club. Kamat Hotels plans to start similar club facilities within its network properties where all the properties have similar club plans available to their guests. “This will definitely help our corporate guests who constantly on the move to enjoy and experience same facilities at our other properties as well. Thus, it gives more weight age to the membership program,” says Sahu, adding that at The Orchid Mumbai, they are practicing a different concept such as ‘Orchid Rewards’; which earns guests petals (points) and which can be redeemed at any of the other group properties under the brand Kamat Hotels.

Guest demand is one of the factors for upgrading the facilities or adding new features. According to Gupta, Waterstones get a lot of requests for conferences as well as social events at the club.

Consequenly, they launched a new banquet hall called ‘Moon Girl’ at the club to help them cater to a few more requests.

“On a monthly basis, we try to organise some special workshops for the members. In the past few months, we had Bollywood dance workshops, yoga workshops, Zumba workshops etc. We are open to guest feedback and change our offering based on that,” he says, adding that there are no plans of replicating the model in any of their other properties as the club concept fits well for the Waterstones Hotel but may not do so for the other properties.

“Healthy lifestyle is the need of the hour and such club facilities play a significant role in promoting and maintaining the well-being” Subhabrata Roy, GM, Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai

“The clientele that we cater to at the club is very niche and belongs to the crème-de-lacrème crowd of Mumbai” Saket Gupta.

Head of Sales and Marketing, Mars Enterprises

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SPOTLIGHT

Good food, Good France!

The second edition of the Goût de France/Good France event held across the globe had over 1,500 chefs paying tribute to the excellence of French cuisine by preparing a special menu of recipes inspired by French expertise

By Rituparna Chatterjee

F

ollowing the success of its first edition last year, the second edition of Goût de France/Good France event was held on March 21, 2016 across the globe with a view to make it an annual spring event. The Goût de France/Good France event, organised on the initiative of Chef Alain Ducasse and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, showcases the French way of life, regional products, and France as a tourist destination. Chef Auguste Escoffier, also called 'The Chef of Kings and The King of Chefs' born in the Riviera town of VilleneuveLoubet, France in 1846, launched the 'Dîners d Epicure' (Epicurean Dinners) initiative in 1912 (i.e. creating the same menu on the same day in several world cities for as many guests as possible). The Goût de France/Good France event is a recreation of Chef Escoffier's idea by involving restaurants from around the world.

In this second edition, over 1,500 chefs from across the globe paid tribute to the excellence of French cuisine and its

emphasis on sharing by preparing a special menu of recipes inspired by French expertise. The participating restaurants were invited to design their menu based on the following sequence : aperitif and canapes, starter, main course(s), cheese, dessert(s), French wines and champagnes. Each recipe was based on a cuisine that uses less fat, sugar and salt, to promote health and environment. The price of the dishes was decided by the restaurant and each par-

ticipant committed to donating five per cent of the proceeds to a local NGO promoting health and the environment. In addition, French embassies also participated in the event by organising dinners at the residences of its ambassadors prior to March 21.

For instance, as a preview to the Goût de France/Good France event, the consul general of France in Mumbai, Yves Perrin and his wife, Caroline Perrin, hosted a reception at their residence on March 17 wherein the

THE CHEFS WHO ATTENDED THE PREVIEW PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING DISHES ■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Botticino,Trident Bandra Kurla – Chef Ashish Bhasin – Coq au vin Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai – Chef Peter Coelho and Chef Zeeshan Memon – Oven Roasted Lamb Rack, Perigord Quinoa and Merlot Jus Olive Bar & Kitchen – Chef Rishim Sachdeva – Chicken Liver Pate with Toasted Brioche, Caramelised Fig and Port Wine Reduction and Chef Abhijeet Bitla – Confit Asparagus, Smoked Young Cheese, Sunflower Seeds and Poached Egg Yolk The Sassy Spoon – Chef Irfan Pabaney – Cheese Souffle and Apple Walnut Salad Trendz,The LaLiT Mumbai – Chef Aungshuman Chakraborty – Chevre Chaud, Petite salade de carpaccio de radis, Tartare de tomate et coulis de fruits rouges Sofitel Mumbai BKC – Chef Manav Kaul – Confit de canard et pommes sarladaises.

30 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD May 1-15, 2016

participating chefs from the city were invited to prepare their signature ‘plat du jour’ (a dish that for them represents France).

Speaking on this year's event, Yves Perrin stated, “Last year we received a good response.

This year we decided to have it on March 21 and make it an annual event. The aim of Goût de France/Good France event is not only to highlight French cuisine but also the ambiance, wine and other aspects associated with it. We had organised another reception with Indian travel agents before this one to

promote French gastronomic tours.”

The participating restaurants from the diplomatic constituency of Mumbai included – Botticino, Trident Bandra Kurla; Artisan, Sofitel Mumbai BKC; Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai; Olive Bar & Kitchen; Ratatouille Diaries; The Sassy Spoon; Trendz, The LaLiT Mumbai; Olio-Italian Bistro, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach; Vetro, The Oberoi, Mumbai; Olive Bistro, Pune; Le Poisson Rouge, Goa; and Love Restaurant, The Park Calangute Goa.

IN FOCUS

'ALLCITCO PROPERTIES HAVE THEIR DISTINCTFEATURES' Hotel Mountview in Chandigarh occupies a place of pride in the CITCO (Chandigarh Industrial & Tourism Development Corporation) portfolio. Rakesh Rawat, GM, Hotel Mountview talks about the evolving hospitality scenario in the region and the challenges of guest/talent retention

By Reema Lokesh How do you witness Chandigarh as a business destination and growth city?

Chandigarh aka City Beautiful is a growing destination. The domestic traveller is still discovering the city. An excellent IT park is awaiting its full bloom and the advantages of having the business areas of Mohali, Panchkula and Zirakpur make it an ideal destination for social events and incentivised MICE. Does the city hold potential for a vibrant hospitality business. If yes, why?

Yes indeed, Chandigarh happens to be a midpoint halt for people visiting Shimla and nearby destinations. Even a one night’s stay leaves the traveller enchanted with what the city offers with respect to the parks, Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden and heritage structures like Capitol Complex designed by Le Corbusier. It would be unfair not to mention the efforts of the administration in maintaining traffic discipline and cleanliness in addition to other services provided for the citizens of Chandigarh.

What is the USP of your property and the others in the CITCO portfolio?

All CITCO properties have their distinct features. Hotel Mountview Chandigarh is a five star hotel, the first one of its kind in the city ideally situated

and easily accessible to the business district, shopping malls and places of entertainment. Shivalik View is a four star property situated in the evergreen Sector 17 of Chandigarh and Parkview is a busy mid-segment hotel and runs a full house practically. Each of the hotels has their own potential with respect to business and have their loyal guests from decades.

How do you position your property in the city and beyond?

Spread over approximately 6.2 acres, Hotel Mountview is five star business hotel suitable to hold meetings and conferences.

We have a large market share for wedding seasons as we have the best lawns in a five star hotel here. The hotel boasts of two large lawns which combined can accommodate 1,500 guests.

We definitely have an edge in this sector with our rightly priced menus.

How do you analyse the region of Punjab and Haryana as business zones for hospitality investments?

Both regions have immense potential. We need to just activate certain factors to add the leisure segments. Punjab and Haryana, both have easy access to Chandigarh and thus there is great synergy between the three regions: undoubtedly, the best example of a symbiotic re-

and Haryana. Guests here are fond of all international cuisines and an evening out to experiment is not ruled out. My take on the trends is that classical Indian food rules the region, followed by pan Asian cuisine.

Rakesh Rawat

lationship between three areas.

There is potential for which category of hotels?

With the growing desires of the youth travelling in search of challenges and the phenomenal push the start ups are giving them, I strongly feel there is a need for the mid-market and lower segment hotels. By midmarket and lower segments, I mean to say that comfort and quality need not be compromised, but have the same at no recurring costs to the hotel.

With the room aggregator business taking its toll and challenging the large operators, these segments in cities like Chandigarh are making a kill.

What are the F&B trends in the region?

Chandigarh is a city of people who are widely travelled and are well informed. It also happens to be the capital of Punjab

What are the challenges in terms of human resource, talent search and skills development?

Human resource has its fair share of challenges of bringing in the right kind of talent. Fortunately for Chandigarh, we still do manage to get good talent. Hotel Mountview has very experienced staff. This has proved to our advantage and attrition has been low for us. We are constantly, with the help of IHM and CIHM Chandigarh, trying to impart skill training and carrying out various certifications for the staff of the hotel.

'Hunar Se Rozgar' is an excellent medium of imparting skill development to the needy, so that they can be made to sustain themselves.

What are your challenges as a general manager?

As general managers, it has become extremely challenging for us to retain guests as well as talent. The guest is constantly looking to better the deal and the talent is constantly looking to move to a different property or to a different city, based on the comfort levels the individual is seeking. Thus one needs

to be innovative all the times to retain both.

What is your message, as a general manager, for future hospitality talent?

As anyone in the hospitality industry will confirm, general managers have their work cut out for them. It can take up to 15 to 20 years to become a hotel general manager. This long and bumpy road is undoubtedly filled with excitement and accomplishments as well as challenges and sleepless nights.

While some qualities of a successful hotel general manager may seem innate, such as composure, patience, being a 'people person', and leadership, to name a few; most hoteliers will tell you that a lot of blood, sweat and tears is involved to get to the top of the ladder. Years of experience in different areas of the industry have got you to a nice office, but don't get too comfortable. With so many meetings, emails, and administrative tasks to attend to, it's easy to get trapped. Spend too much time in the office and you may lose track of what is happening in the 'front of house'.

So make it a practice to spend a little time each day walking around the hotel, helping the front desk, directing and motivating employees, inspecting rooms, interacting with a guest or two. This will help you understand your employees, guests and hotel better.

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TECH TALK

HOWAFOOD TECHNOLOGYSTARTUPIS USING ANALYTICS AND IOTTO ENSURE FRESH MEALS Eatfresh, a food technology player, is banking on its technology expertise to better understand meal preferences

By Srikanth RP

T

he food industry is a tough and complex business as meals need to always remain fresh. Most meals once prepared cannot be carried forward. Hence, meals once prepared have to be sold, and delivered quickly. Predicting the right quantity of meals that will be ordered or consumed is also tough, as meal preferences change frequently.

Can technology play a role?

Eatfresh, a food technology player, is banking on its technology expertise to better understand meal preferences.

Launched in August 2015, Eatfresh is an online platform which delivers high quality meals created by top rated chefs. The startup has sold more than 1 lakh meals till date.

Similar to Uber in the cab industry, the startup has a chefcentric marketplace. It improves quality through a feedback and rating mechanism that is integrated in every order.

The firm uses technology in a big way – right from procurement to delivery. It uses analytics to predict item wise menu and preferences on a daily and hourly basis. For example, it uses analytics to plot the historic data of meals ordered up to 10 am, 11 am,12 noon etc, in a particular hub, which tells it how many meals the firm needs to have ready at a particular time on any given day. This algorithm further adjusts the production patterns based on hub location, time of day, weekend/ weekday/holiday based on weightage and formula.

Jipy Mohanty

From the predicted quantities obtained, the information flows to a recipe management system which maps raw materials to quantities so they can be procured from certified, local vendors. Each chef's recipe is

32 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD May 1-15, 2016

mapped to a detailed weight based formula which drives the entire production process.

Explaining the challenges of a food e-commerce business, Jipy Mohanty, CTO, Eatfresh.com, says, ”FoodTech or food-commerce is a very unique e-commerce business.

Our product catalog changes daily, the inventory is replenished on the hour, we produce what we sell, and deliver in under 30 mins. That’s little crazy for an ecommerce business isn’t it? Unlike traditional e-commerce, we have two huge spikes of order volume right around 12 pm for lunch and 8 pm for dinner. And, delivery has to be done within 20-30 minutes. So, imagine a system that has to orchestrate taking 100s of orders each hour, routing it to the delivery hub closest to the cus-

tomer, then helping the chef prepare and pack the right food for the right order, and then having a rider get it to the customer, all within 30 minutes or so.” The firm has ensured that order related data and other consumer data flows seamlessly through to planning, sourcing of each ingredient, and to production control.

Internet of Things (IoT) for ensuring quality Eatfresh has 6-8 devices (ovens and freezers) at each delivery hub that need to maintain their temperature within a very narrow error margin throughout the day. A significant temperature change means that the firm loses quite a bit of food and turns away lot of customers.

With the constant flow of orders, it is humanely impossible

to keep track of the functioning of these devices. To monitor the temperature, the firm has placed high quality sensors (tolerant of the heat and humidity inside devices) that monitor the temperature every minute of the day and alert the firm as soon as there is a variation. This also helps in ensuring food safety at every step of the product cycle and maintain product quality.

The system also auto-allocates and transfers order details and GPS coordinates to the delivery rider app, which allows the firm to track location of each delivery rider, performance, and delivery times. The real-time geo-location data of every delivery driver flows back into central systems for monitoring and escalation whenever an order gets delayed.

TECH BYTES

Booking a table is noweasier!

With new online pre-ordering system, UK restaurants in trial reported 44 per cent YOY increase in covers; roll out of system to take place in second half of 2016

B

o o kat a b l e.co.u k revealed a significant boost in sales to its restaurants that trialled the restaurant booking platform’s exclusive partnership with EasyPreOrders – ahead of a wider roll out of the system set for this year. The online prebooking system removes wasted time and hassle from the group booking process, allowing restaurant teams and group organisers alike to arrange their bookings via a clear and simple platform.

The trial, which took place during one of the busiest periods of the year for the restaurant industry in November and December 2015, saw four of Bookatable’s major chain restaurant partners - Busaba Eathai, TGI Fridays, Las Iguanas and Belgos - test the technology to assess its impact on efficiency across 120 sites.

The findings of the trial reveal success with venues that took part reporting a 44 per cent increase in covers across the board when compared to the same period in 2014.

Benefit to business One of Bookatable’s key restaurant partners, Las Iguanas, is a particular success story following the trial with the average venue reporting more guests, increased bookings and higher conversion rates. The uptake of the EasyPreOrders system was very high with 89 per cent of bookings over eight covers pre-ordering at their Royal Festival Hall branch. On average, pre-orders were submitted 19 days ahead of the booking giving venues around 2.5 weeks to prepare for larger

groups.

Gemma Holmes, Brand Communications Coordinator of Las Iguanas, explains, “We found the EasyPreOrders technology easy to use and it was a great benefit to our business, particularly in the run up to the festive season when we experience a huge increase in group bookings which can be challenging to manage for the kitchens and front of house staff. Having more time to plan ahead for larger group orders meant we reduced food wastage and also significantly cut down the amount of time our restaurant staff had to spend servicing tables, meaning that we reduced cover times during a very busy period.”

EasyPreOrders estimate that restaurants that utilise the technology save on average two hours of administration time on group bookings with the system reducing phone calls, email

correspondence and food wastage as well as reducing table time by approximately 30 minutes allowing restaurants to capture an additional 80 covers a month on average. Venues using the EasyPreOrders technology also benefit from upselling with 75 per cent of diners purchasing ‘add ons’.

The benefits of the technology do not just boost the restaurant’s takings and efficiency but also enhance the guest’s experience - particularly the organiser of group bookings. Using Bookatable and EasyPreOrders’ integrated system, organisers are able to email all group members and request individuals pre-order their menu choices saving them time, something that 89 per cent of existing EasyPreOrders organisers say is a benefit to using the system.

According to EasyPreOrders research data, 98 per cent of organisers also

find the technology easy to use and 90 per cent would prefer to dine in a restaurant which uses EasyPreOrders.

Joe Steele, CEO, Bookatable.co.uk, comments, “We’re really pleased to see that the trial of EasyPreOrders has been an overwhelming success.

Our priority has always been on innovating our technology to ensure we offer the best possible system and service to our restaurant partners and beyond that, our diners. The thing that is abundantly clear from our trial of this technology is how much the group booking system benefits the restaurant but also the overall guest experience, by making the process of organising and ordering for a group simple and smooth.

Given the positive news following our trial, we will be rolling this technology out to several hundred of our restaurant partners this year.”

Mark Roberts, CEO,

EasyPreOrders, says, “With people now leading increasingly hectic lives, making the process of pre-ordering as simple as possible is key and the main priority of our business. It’s great to see the results of this trial with Bookatable which has revolutionised the group bookings process for those taking part.

We have had positive feedback since introducing the new booking system from both restaurant partners and diners alike.

We have taken onboard feedback from all those involved and plan to continue to improve the system as well as training restaurants in how to further maximise the technology for their business. We are looking forward to rolling this out to many more of Bookatable’s restaurant partners in the coming months.”

The online preordering system is available now and can be accessed via PC, tablet or mobile 24 hours a day.

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CAREER WATCH

LUXURYBRAND MANAGEMENTIN HOSPITALITY An exciting and fulfilling career awaits young hospitality professionals who want to specialise in a niche field like luxury brand management, says Manaswini Acharya

G

LOBALISATION and the growth of luxury brands all over the world have happened together. This growth has created a demand for professionals who would bring in a new perspective to luxury branding with their expertise. With luxury brands being witnessed in diversified fields, from automobiles to fashion, to tourism and hospitality, the opportunity is immense. Professionals need to consider this as one of the leading possibilities for the future.

Every industry wants to set its own niche in the luxury sector, thus necessitating the need for well trained and niche focused professionals. One part of this is the global luxury hotels market that was valued at US$ 148.6 bn in 2014 and is expected to reach US$ 195.3 bn by 2021, rising at a CAGR of 4.0 per cent from 2015 to 2021.

The growing importance of luxury branding in hospitality management is imperative.

With people having a desire for enjoying and experiencing luxury there is a growing need for professionals who can carve a niche within the hospitality sector. Thus, there is a huge opportunity for professionals to undertake courses on luxury brand management so as to be able to serve such unique customers with an experience that is exclusive for them. Exclusivity can be provided in various aspects of the hospitality business. Food and beverages, spa and wellness, hotels at locations that are novel and services that customers have never experienced before are some of those.

One has to be creative to be able to figure-out what would make a customer feel

Manaswini Acharya

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exclusive. Thus, having knowledge about ‘luxury’ and then the significance of what a particular luxury brand represents is of utmost importance. The dimensions on which one must possess competence are: to be able to conduct market research for the target products, oversee and organising multimedia advertising campaigns, contribute to product sourcing and distribution plans, address and manage brand budgeting and resources, consult with outside agencies, promotional representatives and corporate executives on how best to communicate this exclusive experience to prospective

customers, collaborate with brand designers and creators and above all supervise marketing staff and assignments.

While every country has existing locations there are plenty of opportunities to develop new locations that could serve the desire of exclusive experience. There is significant scope for innovation in this domain but it something that not everyone can innovate. This is where the need for programmes on luxury brand management comes in handy as they prepare and open up the thought process of professionals to be able to visualise, develop and then provide the luxurious exclu-

sive experience. A career in luxury brand management in the hospitality sector provides a lucrative opportunity to travel the world, learn new languages, cultures and meet a variety of people. This further helps in building these luxury brands to the next level. Salaries in such a profession are also good and if one can deliver quality services on a consistent basis by means of delighting customers on a regular basis would lead to even better packages. Though it is not the salary that attracts people to such a domain of activity but the desire of being associated with a luxury brand has been seen to be valued more by people in this business.

The possible opportunities in luxury brand management in hospitality are abound from work related to concept planning by means of developing luxury packages, customising them to make them even more exclusive to the operations side of successfully executing the package beyond the expectations of the customers. The fact that leveraging on the brand established in this field would take a lot of careful planning to have the right message devised and communicated to the current and prospective customers to the business.

This is a field that as mentioned earlier will witness significant growth over the next decade for sure and thus has attractive prospects for those who choose to build their career..

(The writer is professor of marketing and dean (Placements & Corporate Relations), IMI – New Delhi)

MOVEMENTS Atmantan

across India, UAE, USA and Mexico. Some of his previous assignments include stints with The Oberoi Grand Kolkata, The Oberoi Towers Mumbai, The Kwality Inn, Dubai and the Marina Beach in Azman. Having worked with varied brands in the business, Grover's area of expertise includes food and beverage, banquet operations and sales and customer service among others.

Luxury wellness centre Atmantan announced the appointment of DR MANOJ KUTTERI as wellness director. Kutteri has spent two decades in the wellness industry, both internationally and across India, and carries extensive knowledge in the mind-body medicine, along with

Chef Deepak Lenka

Dr Manoj Kutteri

Chef Sandeep Biswas

a forte in naturopathy, Ayurveda, nutrition, acupuncture, yoga and physical culture and psychology. Whereas, CHEF SANDEEP BISWAS has been appointed as executive chef. Biswas has worked with some of the top hotels, Michelinstarred restaurants and spas in the world.

Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel. In his new role, Chef Lenka handles a team of 65 chefs overlooking daily operations of the all-day-dining, deli, in-room dining and the executive lounge at hotel. Prior to this, he worked as the banquet sous chef for the hotel. Chef Lenka has over 13 years of experience in the culinary profession and has worked worked across renowned international hotel chains in India. Prior to joining the Marriott Group, Chef Lenka was associated with brands like InterContinental, The Leela, Taj Lands End and LeRoyal Meridian.

Intercontinental, Mumbai CHEF ARZOOMAN IRANI has been appointed as the executive chef, InterContinental, Marine Drive. Chef Irani holds a diploma in hospitality from Australia, a degree in professional cooking from the Baltimore International Culinary

Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi has appointed CHEF LUIGI FERRARO as the Italian chef at the newly launched Italian restaurant, Sorrento. Chef Ferraro has over two decades of hospitality experience from across the globe. He has been working behind the scenes with the hotel’s executive chef Neeraj Tyagi and his culinary team to further define the restaurant’s food and beverage operation. Before moving to India, Chef Ferraro served as executive chef for a luxury restaurant, Café Calvados in Moscow,

where he handled the complete management of the restaurant and staff, and conceptualised menus based on the fusion of creative Mediterranean and international cuisine.

Fisherman’s Cove, Chennai; The Taj Green Cove Resort, Kovalam – Kerala; The Taj Fort Aguada Beach Resort – Goa; Vivanta by Taj – Whitefield, Bangalore and now at the Vivanta by Taj - Bentota, Sri Lanka.

Whereas, CHEF BHAIRAV SINGH RAJPUT was appointed as master chef, Kebab Korner. Chef Rajput was previously employed with Novotel Mumbai since 2010.

Sarover Hotels and Resorts, Chandigarh

Chef Arzooman Irani

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of SANJAY GROVER as the general manager of Hometel, Chandigarh. Grover has an international experience of over 26 years in the hospitality industry working with various hotels

College, USA and has a diploma in management studies from the Swiss Hotel Association - Les Roches, Switzerland. During his career as a chef with the Taj Group of Hotels, he has worked at the Taj

Sanjay Grover

Chef Bhairav Singh Rajput

Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, Mumbai CHEF DEEPAK LENKA has been recently promoted as chef de cuisine for Lake View Café restaurant at the Renaissance

Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi

Soneva Resorts and Residences, Maldives Soneva Resorts and Residences has announced the appointment of HEINRICH MORIO as the new managing director – Maldives. In this role, Morio will be responsible for overseeing its flagship resort Soneva Fushi as well as its latest luxury offerings Soneva in Aqua and Soneva Jani.

Morio's hospitality career spans more than 35 years, most of which has been spent in the management team of renowned luxury hotels and resorts. Prior to joining Soneva, Morio was the general manager of the Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai, and formerly the general manager of the Burj al Arab, as well as the general manager of the Jumeirah

Heinrich Morio

Beach Hotel, both also located in Dubai, UAE.

Grand Hyatt, Taipei Sammy Carolus has been appointed as general manager of Grand Hyatt Taipei. He was previously the general manager of the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin and The Barai in Thailand. Carolus has relocated to Taipei with more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He started as a sales executive with Hyatt Bali in 1992 and later served as associate director of business development and director of business development at Grand Hyatt Bali. In 2003, Carolus became director of marketing for Hyatt Regency Hua Hin. A year later, he was transferred to Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok.

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weekend

Scene and heard

With Marcellus Baptista

Menu matters

Polina Bosca and Cecilia Oldne at the Dia wine soiree at The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Beautiful blend IT WAS PLEASANT BY THE pool as Sula Vineyards, The Westin Mumbai Garden City and Bosca Cellars hosted a sparkling soiree to welcome Polina Bosca of the famed Bosca Cellars in Italy. Guests were happy to discover that wine and chocolate blend beautifully as they thoroughly relished the chocolate and wine pairings. Totally savoured were the Dia white and red semi-sparkling wines, had by themselves or in cool cocktails. Cecilia Oldne, vice president – marketing, Sula Vineyards, was there, holding forth on the wonder of wine and chocolate pairing. Also present was Ashish Kumar Rai, general manager, The Westin Mumbai Garden City. A relaxing spa experience from The Heavenly Spa at The Westin Mumbai Garden City added to the flavour of the evening.

THE PANTRY WAS the happy venue for Chef Shazia Khan to launch her debut cookbook ‘What’s on the menu’ along with chefs Ajay Chopra and Michael Swamy and actor Patralekha.

This book, published by Om Books International, comprises recipes innovated by Chef Khan over a period of time and exemplifies her love and understanding of food that even amateur cooks can relate to.

Each recipe in the book is accompanied by step-by-step instructions combining flavours and inventive techniques. The author’s vision for this book was extremely clear: to have recipes with easy in-hand ingredients and techniques broken down to ensure cooking ease. The repertoire includes her signature creations like Tandoori Chicken Roulade and Grilled Semolina with Mushroom.

Chef Shazia Khan at 'What's on the menu' cookbook launch at The Pantry

Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016 poolside show at St Regis

Let’s feast again!

IT WAS YET ANOTHER fashionable season for St Regis with the staging of the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016. The ballroom on the ninth level was the venue for the main show area while the eighth floor banquet section was used for the stage one shows with a shorter ramp and more intimate setting. Even the poolside was used for a couple of shows with bubbly and beer thrown in for good measure. As usual, this fashion week gave the hotel an opportunity to showcase its culinary offerings with the terrace on the ninth level providing a superb setting for a cafe and bar plus the VIP lounge. Of course, other outlets, especially Seven Kitchens on the ninth mezzanine level were the hot culinary outlets during the fashion week. All in all, it was a fantastic fashion week with guests looking forward to the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2016.

Signature look THE WINE SHINE was on as Grover Zampa Vineyards unveiled the new look of its signature wine La Réserve at the outdoor section of JW Café at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar with a pairing of this award-winning wine and barbecued delights. The new look of the brand represents the age-old tradition and reverence, international standards of quality, finesse, sophistication, elegance and maturity. Kapil Grover and daughter Karishma Grover and Sumedh Mandla, CEO, Grover Zampa Vineyards were there as was Surjan Singh Jolly, director, F&B, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. La Réserve has been created with passion and reverence for tradition, from a handpicked selection of some of Grover Zampa’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz vines. Matured in new French oak barrels, the wine gains intense structure and complexity and the finish is exquisite, long and almost magical.

Sumedh Singh Mandla, Karishma Grover and Kapil Grover at the La Reserve party at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

45

May 1-15, 2016

weekend

E V E N T S

FOR A CAUSE Duchess of Cambridge at the recent fund raising event for disadvantaged communities, organised by Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, in association with the British Asian Trust, at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

CELEBRATING SUCCESS AccorHotels recently hosted the “Masquerade in Las Vegas” theme party at Novotel and ibis Chennai SIPCOT to celebrate the success of AccorHotels’ clients and travel planners’ network in Chennai

SCORING A BIRDIE The Westin Pune Koregaon Park hosted an exhilarating evening of golf with ace golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar at Poona Golf Club

PROMISING HEALTH Anjani Kumar Gupta, director, SARL (left); Sanjjanaa Galrani, Tollywood actress (second from left); Shubham Kumar Gupta, director and senior management official, SARL (right) at the launch of Naturralle Health Rice Bran Oil and Naturralle Sona Masoori Rice

BEER AND ENTERTAINMENT Television actress Rakshanda Khan at the launch of The Beer Café live music bar in Andheri, Mumbai

CYCING FOR TOURISM As part of its ‘Developing Destinations’ initiative to promote tourism, environmental friendliness, public participation and healthy living, The Lalit Resort & Spa, Bekal in association with District Sports Council and Cycling Association, Bekal, recently organised a cycle rally – ‘The LaLiT Cycle-on’

46 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD May 1-15, 2016

REGD.WITH RNI NO. MAHENG/2012/42381,POSTAL REGD. NO. MCS/161/2016 – 18,PUBLISHED ON 2ND / 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 2ND,3RD,4TH & 17TH,18TH,19TH OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE,MUMBAI – 400001.