Caterer Middle East - Nov 2009 by ITP Business Publishing

Serving the region’s catering professionals

The festive food fight Outlets prepare for a fierce fight for festive business

November 2009 • Vol 05 • Issue 11

Out with the old

Careful repositioning can give your brand a new lease of life

Haute cuisine Airline food standards soar as travellers demand quality in-flight cuisine

An ITP Business Publication

URBAN NATURE NEW DIMENSIONS IN HOSPITALITY

Associated Member

Get in touch: www.urban-nature.com Villeroy & Boch 路 Hotel & Restaurant Division ME Lloyd Lamprecht Al Thuraya Tower #2, Office 1906 Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Address: P.O. Box 125846 路 Dubai, U.A.E Mobile: +971-50-798 7233 路 Fax: +971-4-885 0069 Email: lloydl@eim.ae HOTEL & RESTAURANT

VLH_1446_UrbNat_205x275.indd 1

20.10.2009 18:01:22 Uhr

Contents Volume 5 Issue 11

Cover story

Contents November 2009

05 News Japanese cuisine boom highlights supply progress; HACCP mandatory for Dubai; Caterer Awards shortlists revealed 10 Flying high Top airline industry professionals discuss the advances made in in-flight catering 12 Mystery shopper Ethos Consultancy reveals the true standard of customer service at UAE outlets and offers advice on how to better your business 22 Culinary confessions Marcus Gregs shares his kitchen tales; this month, a tasty trip down memory lane 26 Food safety first Dubai Municipality’s Food Control Department director on staying safe

28 Roundtable F&B professionals assess the standard of service in the region’s outlets 38 Industry insight As the festive season approaches, the culinary competition is heating up 47 Harvesting halal benefits Suppliers from around the world explain why they are embracing halal practices 58 Topping tableware The ultimate in tabletop fashions 62 Product showcase The latest and greatest tea and coffee items to hit the region’s restaurants 72 Last bite Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire shares his thoughts with Caterer

38 47

68 26

For the latest news and stories go to www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

Web contents www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Online The online home of Editor’s pick

In pictures

World’s largest candy shop Dubai, home to the world’s largest building, hotel and shopping mall, can now boast one more record: the world’s largest sweet shop. Candylicious, a 10,000ft² candy store, is located in Dubai Mall.

Get re real al o orr ge gett ou outt o of the kitchen Today’s ’ chefs h f h have llostt ttouch h with public eating habits, according to columnist Aidan Keane, using far too much butter, sugar and unhealthy ingredients in their dishes. Here he explains why it’s high time chefs take a step back from their professional kitchens and find out what consumers are cooking in their own homes.

Features

Raising the bar

Dressing for dinner

Death of organic?

Beverage professionals assess the highs and lows of the region’s bar scene

Events organisers share their decorative expertise and tips for dazzling dining

In a tough climate, can the organic market recover or has rot set in?

Most popular largest food show for Abu Dhabi 1. World’s Micheel crowned 2. Uwe king of the kitchen restaurant team 3. Ramsay joins the navy staff 4. McDonald’s ‘not robots’ 5. UNDERCOVER: The food fight

For the latest news and stories go to www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Caterer Middle East November 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

A leading name in the foodservice channel brings you more than a century of premium Italian pasta.

Horeca Trade is proud to team up with De Cecco to provide you with all the essential ingredients needed to ensure your reputable name in the hospitality channel. • • • • • • •

Consistency of Supply from the Official De Cecco Distributor Marketing & Promotional Support HACCP & ISO Certified Quality of Service Consolidated Ordering & Delivery of Complementary Supplies Continuously Updated Range of De Cecco Products Complete Loyalty Program Benefits 24 Hours a Day, 6 Days a Week Customer Service

HORECA Trade LLC A Company of Bidvest Group P.O. Box 73021 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 340 3330 / +971 4 347 7166 Fax: +971 4 340 3222 Email: mail@horecatrade.ae www.horecatrade.com Toll Free 8003210

News November 2009

Story of the month

Japanese trend highlights F&B supply chain success Improved supply chain sees quality Japanese cuisine boom in Middle East The Middle East may have been slower to embrace Japanese food than other major gastronomic hubs, but today, with the region’s chefs enjoying a vastly improved supply network, interest in this internationally popular cuisine has boomed. Scott Hallsworth, executive chef at Souk Al Bahar’s Mirai restaurant, explained: “Japanese cuisine has been making a huge impact all over the world, so it was only a matter of time before it took off in this region.” However Zuma Dubai executive chef Colin Clague pointed out that it was not simply a case of being slown to pick up on international trends. As Japanese dishes rely heavily on quality fresh ingredients, the improving supplier network in the Middle East has been instrumental in paving the way for the cuisine’s rise in popularity, he noted. “The standard of the ingredients coming into Dubai has definitely got better,” said Clague. “Initially the standard of fresh produce was not high enough; if I pay European prices I expect European quality, which sadly was missing from this town. But thankfully, huge strides have been made in this area.” This greater accessibility of key fresh ingredients is due in part to a handful of international Japanese brands opening in Dubai, prompting improvements in the Japanese supply chain, with a slew of new outlets now reaping the benefits. Okku Restaurant and Lounge co-founder Markus Thesleff commented: “With time, it has become easier [to source required ingredients]; the demand for top products has increased as more quality operators enter the market.” At Gulf Hotel and Convention Center Bahrain’s Sato restaurant, assistant F&B manager Nikolai Calleja agreed sourcing was becoming easier as more supplier companies emerged to meet demand. “However the price tag is consistently on the increase as well,” he pointed out.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Headline grabbers p6 Cyber service Social networking is the future of F&B marketing p6 Mandatory safety measures HACCP to be made compulsory for Dubai outlets p6 Service verdict Online poll shows what readers really think of F&B customer service p7 Size matters Venue limitations stifling region’s events scene

Zuma Dubai’s Colin Clague. Another long-term challenge weighing on operators’ minds has been consistency of supply and availability, according to Okku’s Thesleff — as well as the environmental impact this growing demand for so much seafood could have. “As professionals and industry leaders, we have a responsibility to educate customers and influence their purchasing and consumption habits to gain long term sustainability,” he advised. A further issue resulting from this trend is that of increased competition. According to Mirai’s Hallsworth, “hard work, passion, the best ingredients available and a commitment to being the absolute best” is the answer. Innovative promotions also prove valuable in capturing market share, as Maki Restaurants founder and managing partner Mohamad Zeitoun pointed out. “Maki uniquely allows its guests to become ‘part-chefs’,” he explained. “We allow them to create their own maki, which at later stage may be featured on the menu and sold to other guests.” At Zuma Dubai, Clague notes that having a “tried-and-tested formula” to work with was a bonus for the brand’s first Middle East outlet. “Most importantly, we never rest on our laurels: with so much competition, that’s a must,” he said.

p8 Shelve the showiness please! Bars need more than gimmicks to attract custom, say experts

For all the latest ..... News, features, surveys, interviews, comments, power lists, jobs, picture galleries and more... LOG ON TO: www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

News November 2009

F&B marketing set for cyber success Customers of the future will ‘tweet’ orders and preferences through before even arriving at the venue The world of F&B marketing is moving steadily online, with industry experts predicting that cyber-savvy guests will even be able to ‘tweet’ their preferences to a venue prior to arrival in future. Raffles Dubai director of marketing and communications Dima Ayad explained: “Today we can engage with our customers via our social networking pages. “The direction online could and most likely will move towards guests highlighting their preferences by ‘tweeting’ what table they prefer or special dietary requests from their personal Smartphones, which front-of-house teams will receive within seconds via their respective web pages. “Similarly, the importance of an online element to any front-of-house team is definitely growing stronger,” she continued. “If you can Google your guests before they arrive, you can maximise on knowing who they are, what they like, their

she added.

Raffles Dubai’s Dima Ayad.

Mandatory HACCP for F&B operators

How do you rate customer service in Middle East F&B outlets? Hit and miss; from fast food to five-star, it’s inconsistent.

47%

Not great; I rarely dine out without experiencing bad service.

27%

Fairly good; there are odd mistakes but nothing major.

14%

Excellent; I have no complaints.

Terrible; operators clearly don’t bother to invest in staff training.

Source: HotelierMiddleEast.com online poll

preferences and so on before they arrive — thereby surprising them and creating a bond on their first visit, guaranteeing them a memorable experience.” The Monarch Dubai director of communications Yvonne Luedeke agreed that involving clients in online processes was becoming increasingly popular. “For instance, clients and guests are often required to create their personal profile when booking online — then such data can be used for the internal systems,” she said. “Just as airlines are encouraging their passengers to check-in online and to select their seats themselves, hotels and restaurants might offer their guests similar services in the future. “There is no limit to the online marketing angle — however five-star operations in particular will not be able or willing to completely reduce their personalised service in favour of doing everything online.”

Caterer Middle East November 2009

The food safety management system Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is to become mandatory for all F&B operators in Dubai, a government official has revealed. Dubai Municipality Food Control Department director Khalid Mohammed Sharif Al-Awadhi explained: “We’re going to have HACCP in place for intermediate level F&B operators and above; these people will not be able to get a license to operate an outlet unless they have this. “This year, we are start-

ing to look at restaurants that have more than one branch; then next year we go step-by-step for all food premises. So [this measure will be in place] within five years, I’d say. “Some of the smallest premises can’t implement HACCP exactly, because they’re too small — but they can at least have similar rules to HACCP. And our inspectors will judge that,” he added. Al-Awadhi revealed that the Department had held discussions with “international companies and

consultants from the UK” regarding the roll-out. Al-Awadhi noted that Dubai had been the first emirate — and indeed Middle East country — to implement the HACCP standard as mandatory for select operators. “Back in 2006, we made it imperative for hotels and manufacturers,” he said. “Now, the focus for us is that the HACCP certification is not just seen as a piece of paper that operators get then forget about. We want them to follow through properly.”

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

News In brief

Caterer Awards 2009 shortlists announced The countdown to this year’s Caterer Middle East Awards has begun, with category shortlists being revealed at the magazine’s online home, www. hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b. After a long process of whittling down the hundreds of nominations submitted by outlets around the region, between three

and six outstanding nominees have been shortlisted in each category — with the exception of the highly-anticipated Chef of the Year title, for which 10 candidates are in the running. After all the shortlisted nominees have been revealed, the winners — judged by a panel of industry experts from around the region — will be announced online in the third week of November. The trophy presentation ceremony and photo shoot with the winners will feature in the December issue of Caterer Middle East.

according to a Dubai-based events organiser. “At a glance, it seems as if there a hundreds of event venues available because of the sheer number of hotels — however this is not the case,” said event agency D’Events managing director Lucy d’Abo. “If you consider groups larger

Venue size matters

Who do you think should win?

The surprisingly limited spectrum of Middle East venues is impacting the scope for events,

The DWTC’s Najah Al Mulla.

than 300 to 400, there are only a handful of venues available, particularly indoors,” she pointed out. “Then when you assess the outdoor facilities, the new legislation in the UAE to prevent live music after 11pm creates a real issue for events here.” At Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), one of the few local venues which can accommodate large numbers, manager for weddings and OSC Najah Al Mulla says the venue is in greater demand than ever. “What hotel in Dubai regularly serves for 1500 or 2000 people?” she questioned. “We can cater from around 250 to up to 7000 covers and this flexibility is why DWTC remains such a popular venue.”

SwissClassic

Victorinox AG, Schmiedgasse 57, CH-6438 Ibach-Schwyz, Switzerland, T +41 41 818 12 11, F +41 41 818 15 11, info@victorinox.ch MAKERS OF THE ORIGINAL SWISS ARMY KNIVES I WWW.VICTORINOX.COM www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

News In brief

Give up gimmicks, advise bar experts Thee region’s eg o s ba barss must ust provide p ov de a “customer journey” for the long term rather than showy gimmicks if they are to drive business, industry professionals have said. Simone Hopman, manager

Burj Al Arab’s Felix Hartmann.

of The Exchange Floor at Fairmont Dubai, commented: “You need USPs to draw in guests in the first place, yes — but after that it’s the quality of the product that will keep them there. “While anything demonstrative, like flairing, is fun initially, it takes away from the time the bartender can spend perfecting the drink,” she reasoned. Emirates Leisure Retail bar development manager — licensed division Nick Hancock agreed: “Simple working flair is great behind a bar, but I don’t want my guys bursting out into some routine. That’s going to be detrimental to business on a Friday night! Definitely your main aim should be to focus on the customer journey.”

Felix Hartmann, manager of Burj Al Arab’s Skyview Bar, added: “It’s very important to have that fun element, but there are other parts of the service which are more important — such as having an actual conversation with the guest and being able to make a proper drink. “In my opinion, these are the elements that are really important to the customer.”

“But if we look closely, in this region, our F&B human resources are actually a little thin in regards to depth of knowledge and experience.” Wells compared the Middle East with more established regions such as Europe, noting that young recruits in these markets grew up in a hospitality culture and as a result had “a lot more enthusiasm” for their roles.

Shortage of quality staff The region’s F&B market is suffering from a lack of talented professionals to draw on, according to JW Marriott Dubai F&B director Kevin Wills. “In the hotel market we have a little more depth than other industries, so we are able to pull from larger resources,” he said.

JW Marriott Dubai’s Kevin Wills.

Spectra: Bringing individuality to the next level – day in & day out

The partner at your side all across the Middle East:

Taste is unique to all of us. Even more so when talking about coffee. It lies within the capabilities of a great machine to evoke the sheer endless product variety it enholds. Combine this unimaginable level of enjoyment, paired with versatility that could previously only be dreamt of, in one great looking piece of art. May your wishes become reality – with Spectra. Astonish your guests with this ﬂexible and sleek looking machine.

Franke Kaffeemaschinen AG Franke-Strasse 9 4663 Aarburg Switzerland Phone +41 62 787 36 07 Fax +41 62 787 30 10 www.franke.com

The art of excellent coffeemaking www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

P O N T H I E R , F R U I T O F YO U R C R E AT I V I T Y P O N T H I E R , F R U I T O F YO U R C R E AT I V I T Y Distributed by GREENHOUSE P.O Box 5927 Sharjah – UAE Tel: +971 6 533 22 18 Fax: +971 6 533 66 31 Email: ghse@eim.ae

Steamed sponge, lemon verbena, strawberry semi-pris

Caramel emulsion and coconut sorbet

Crisp tuile biscuit with passion fruit centre

Passion fruit emulsion and ivory crisp

Recipes elaborated by Thierry MARX

PONTHIER, from father to son Natural and balanced coulis Purées closest to fresh fruit The secret? 60 years of expertise dedicated to fruit excellence.

PONTHIER ZA les vieux chênes - B.P. 4 - 19130 OBJAT - FRANCE. Tél : + 33 5 55 25 82 14 e-mail : info@ponthiersa.com - site internet : www.ponthiersa.com

LE MEILLEUR DU FRUIT

News analysis In-flight catering

Haute cuisine As the world embraces air travel, airlines are pulling out all the stops to woo today’s travellers, resulting in increasingly high quality in-flight cuisine Today’s travellers are picky creatures: they know what they want and if they don’t get it in one place, they will go somewhere else. The impact that this demanding customer base has had on in-flight catering has been monumental: gone are the days of lumpy mash reheated in a plastic carton: today’s airlines recognise that food is a major deciding factor for customers choosing an airline.

Caterer Middle East November 2009

Sarah Klatt Walsh, director — head of in-flight for Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) agreed in-flight F&B had become “a big selling point” “It comes after network, frequency of flights, prices and the seat comfort — but F&B is still a main form of entertainment on a longer flight and customers have plenty of time to reflect on what they are dining on,” she noted.

Emirates vice president aircraft catering Robin Padgett expanded: “For us, in-flight F&B is one of the primary touch-points we have with our customers, so there needs to be a full range of food and beverage experiences on offer, like you’d expect in any top-quality dining environment. “We try to tailor the experience to the cabins — for example, we would see first class

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

News analysis In-flight catering

as fine-dining; imagine going to The Ivy or a Meanwhile, SWISS’ Klatt Walsh cited the Gordon Ramsay outlet — that is where we’d carrier’s ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ conwant to pitch that experience. cept as setting it apart from the crowd. “Then business class we see as a really great “We are the only airline to provide a truly bistro experience, something incredibly pro- regional culinary concept on board, whereby fessional. And we don’t of course forget econ- we work together with the tourist boards omy either; that should be substantial and every three months to promote a different satisfying, not some thoughtless meal that SWISS canton on board,” she explained. is going to have passengers feeling like they “We then select a guest hotel or restaurant haven’t been looked after. to work with for those three months, and their “In our minds, the last thing chefs prepare menus from the we want to offer is a traditional region and in line with the seaOn-board airline meal,” he continued. son for our first and business “We don’t look at competitors kitchens are a class customers. because we’re not particularly “The concept won a Merconcept we’re interested in what other airlines cury Award for Innovation a are doing; we see our competi- interested in” few years ago, and is still very tor set as restaurants, as hotels. popular today. Consequently, Those are the kind of venues we we have extended the concept go and look at — when we’re looking at new to be able to offer vegetarian meals as part of concepts, we’re not looking at what other air- the SWISS Taste offering,” she said. lines are doing, we’re looking at what’s being But Klatt Walsh revealed today’s increased down on the ground,” he revealed. customer expectations had created new chal-

“

lenges for the airlines. “The biggest issue is to provide a high quality product at lower unit costs,” she explained. “The airlines are under tremendous cost pressure — and they pass this on to their caterers, who are requested to respond with creative solutions; not only in terms of F&B, but also in terms of operations and handling.” Emirates’ Padgett also noted that the volume of passengers flying today had increased pressure on in-flight caterers. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate over the

Did you know? In March 2009, UAE-based luxury executive flight service provider Royal Jet launched a personal in-flight chef service, to provide passengers with bespoke gourmet dining in the sky.

SUPPLIERS OF PLANT SYSTEMS & MACHINES FOR THE BAKERY & FOOD INDUSTRY Sales & Marketing • Consulatancy Services • Design & Installation • Service & Maintenance • Seminars & Test Technology Center Founders of

Consultancy Services

Test Technology Center

Official suppliers for world class brands

Tel: +971 4 885 7557 Fax: +971 4 885 7558 • PO Box 262702, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. info@baking-technologies.com • www.baking-technologies.com

News analysis In-flight catering

SWISS’ authentic in-flight menu has proved popular. last few years, but growth of something like 20% annually is always going to be a challenge,” he pointed out. “One of the typical issues in this instance is maintaining quality, because when you’re experiencing significant growth, it’s very difficult to maintain that growth in a consistent way all the time. “So that’s become a bit of a passion within the organisation, making sure that as we grow we maintain this quality focus, as when we were a small airline,” he said. Despite the challenges, the burgeoning Middle East airline catering industry is going from strength to strength, according to SWISS’ Klatt Walsh. “The standard of Middle-Eastern airlines is very high, in line with their overall positioning. They are tough competitors to the rest of the industry and, in my opinion, they will only continue to get better and will be setting the standards going forward,” she predicted. “They have certain advantages that the legacy carriers (in the USA, Europe and Asia) do not have — and this will help them keep their top positioning in the future. The standard of in-flight catering is now one of the top three deciding factors for passengers choosing what airline to fly with, according to research conducted by the International Travel Conference Association.

Caterer Middle East November 2009

“However they will need experienced people to help them attain and keep that advantage,” she added. Emirates’ Padgett noted more of a mixed bag internationally. “It’s hard to comment on competitors, but looking at macro-trends there are certainly some airlines who have lost interest in the F&B side and don’t really see it as an integral part of the proposition,” he noted. “Having said that, there are other airlines who see it as an incredibly important part of what we offer to passengers — and I hope we’re recognised as being part of that.” Padgett also predicted that, for those airlines following changing consumer trends, a more traditional dining experience would come online for aircraft in future. ITCA Dubai 2009, a dedicated travel catering services exhibition for the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent, will take place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 16-18, 2009. The show is to run in conjunction with the ITCA Dubai Conference. For more information, please visit: www.itcadubai.com

“Food-wise, we certainly see the trend going towards a lighter, fresher, more natural dining experience,” he said. “Equally we see choice becoming wider and going forward our aim is to offer even more choice to our passengers, so they can build an experience around themselves. Some want a five-star dining experience, some will want beans on toast, and we want to be able to deliver whatever they want at that time. “With this in mind, the challenge is of course to find space on board,” he continued. “I’ve recently had a look at some of the aircraft we might have in future; finding the space is an incredibly technical challenge, but one we’re already working on.

Did you know? Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) was honoured earlier this year with Delta Air Lines’ ‘Caterer of the Year’ award, beating off 53 of the world’s top flight catering facilities to take the title.

“In fact, on-board kitchens are a concept we’re interested in and looking at,” he added. “We’re starting to see microwaves and toasters on board, even ovens that are able to steam-cook so the food can stay fresher for longer. So it’s not a million miles away from a scenario where we’ll be able to cook from raw — take the ingredients on board and cook a completely fresh meal,” he said. SWISS’ Klatt Walsh agreed: “For the premium sectors, especially in long-haul, I see more and more of a tendency to move away from ‘airline service’ to more of a restaurant and hotel-like offering. “There will be more partnerships with restaurants and hotels, and maybe even brand-name franchises in the sky someday,” she suggested. “Then for the shorter routes, especially in onomy, I see the trend of go oing aw aaway ay ffrom rom economy, going aditional catering and movin ng into in traditional ing thee new operating odel of working model th third-party with oducers such producers as supermarkets or specialty relers to provide tailers od, with logisfood, ticss experts orgasing the handling nising d transportation.” and Emirates’ Robin Padgett.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b www ww w ww w w.ho .h ho otel telier elie iier errm e miiid mid dd dllle dle eeast.c t.com om/ m/f& m/ f&b &b

News analysis Brand repositioning

Moving with the market With new F&B outlets constantly coming online in the Middle East, even established eateries need to look to their laurels — which is why operators in the know are rebranding to remain competitive

Constantly changing, filled with superlatives, the Middle East’s range of F&B offerings is vast and fast-moving. The result is an extremely demanding clientele — one which, thanks to the financial downturn, now expect not only a ‘culinary experience’ from their top-quality meal, but also one that comes at a reasonable price. Consequently this region has some outstanding restaurants; but with new ones coming on the scene all the time, even established eateries should not be complacent. At the Park Hyatt Dubai, the well-known restaurant Traiteur has recently been rebranded to reflect a traditional French brasserie style, as assistant food and beverage director Kenzo Posth explains. “In terms of interior design we’re really not changing anything; it’s more a case of focusing on bringing good value for money and traditional French dishes, to meet the preferences of today’s consumers,” he said. Meanwhile the two-year-old Raffles Dubai has also embraced change, relaunching its Fire & Ice restaurant. General manager John Pelling pointed out: “The interior design is moody, with lots of brick and timber over two floors; it could easily be lifted and placed down in the centre of New York’s ‘Meatpacking District’. “So guess what: it’s become a steakhouse instead of the former, modern European style. “Nothing complicated, nothing pretentious, simply amazing steaks and side dishes and a few surprises on the menu to keep our guests interested,” he said. The Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai’s established Italian outlet La Veranda is also making way for a fresh concept, explained executive assistant manager Nicolas Pezout. “Our new signature restaurant, Chutneys, is an authentic restaurant offering exquisite

North Indian food. We’ve basically drawn on “Today, the service is more relaxed, we now principles that are rooted in our hotel brand play more upbeat music, and that makes the — upscale, delivering quality service with a overall venue seem slightly buzzier and fun; personal touch,” he said. plus we have more diverse menu options. One outlet enjoying the fruits of a past “All these different modifications have successful rebranding is The China Club at eased up the place and The China Club is Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek. now positioned as a traditional restaurant The property’s director of that promises a great experikitchens Uwe Micheel expandence for anyone who enjoys If you’re going Chinese cuisine in a good ated: “When we first opened in 2003, The China Club posi- to make changes, mosphere,” said Micheel. tioned itself as an elegant, luxWith a large proportion of then make them ury restaurant, where we had the region’s F&B outlets in loud and proud” hotels, it is not unusual for an an à la carte menu only. “The music was on the slow outlet to be refurbished every side, quite refined; the staff few years, to keep the décor uniforms were somewhat conservative; in attractive and fresh. But when is it that the brief, it was a fine-dining Chinese restaurant. concept itself needs a make-over? But we identified market trends and customRaffles’ Pelling said the interior design was ers preferences moving away from that style, “not the problem” for Fire & Ice. so we decided we needed a more ‘relaxed’ “I honestly think the way it looks is perfect concept,” he explained. for the steak house concept we are introduc-

Caterer Middle East November 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

The jazz band entertains guest at the exclusive relaunch party for Fire & Ice at Raffles Dubai.

“

News analysis Brand repositioning

ing; what we needed to do was to improve all the other components,” he explained. “Entertainment through jazz and soul music, a more relaxed service style to help create a really buzzy atmosphere and great value for money.” According to Park Hyatt resident manager Paul Wright, the focus for the new-style Traiteur went far deeper than appearance. “We want to change the feel of the outlet, so the focus was on the value of what we were offering the guest and the authenticity of that dining experience,” he said. “To do that, we’ve obviously brought in a French chef — Franck

Detrait from Park Hyatt Vendôme in Paris — then our beverage manager’s French and Kenzo also has a French background, so we have a lot of talent from a human resource aspect to inject into it.” Considering the ideas of redesign versus brand-overhaul, Mövenpick’s Pezout asserted: “There’s nothing worse in F&B than a halfhearted alteration — the Mexican restaurant which still has Greek designs on the walls, the new German restaurant with food by the same Italian chef who ran the Tuscan place before. “If you’re going to make changes, then you should make them loud

Ask the expert

^^^ TRU L\ ^^^ OHUZKHTWM L\

MKN – The German specialist in professional cooking appliances.

Captivate Restaurants managing director Guy Holmes What are the reasons for an operator to rebrand an existing F&B outlet? Simply put, no operator will rebrand if the business is doing well — rebrands happen when the business is struggling and the concept is deemed not to work in that location.

HansDampf Compact The SpaceCombi

The main wrong reason would be low sales without finding out why; without learning from mistakes, they will be repeated.

What steps should operators take to ensure the change does not alienate their previous loyal customer base? Find out what key elements existing customers like, whether that’s the service, music, menu selection or something else. Try and incorporate those elements into the new concept.

Sensational 55cm width only!

What are the major challenges of repositioning an existing offering? Unless it’s very different, then customers may well think that it’s the same business (with the same problems as before) that has just been given a make-over. To avoid this problem, it can be advantageous to give the impression that the business is under new ownership or fresh management.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

MKN Maschinenfabrik Kurt Neubauer GmbH & Co. P.O. Box 1662 D-38286 Wolfenbuettel/Germany

Phone +49 (0) 5331 89-207 Fax +49 (0) 5331 89-418 e-mail: km@mkn.de

News analysis Brand repositioning

Top tips “Research the market, keep it simple and never over-engineer things. Pricing is critical to get right: people are conscious of how much they want to spend, so don’t be greedy. Let your team be natural — most guests don’t care if they are served from the left or the right, so give the staff some freedom. Budget sufficient funds to hit the market with a bang, make them notice you and make it interesting. Finally, always always think of it as your own business and make sure you deliver perfection every time.” John Pelling, general manager, Raffles Dubai “You just have to stay sensitive to what the customer wants and be prepared to adapt — I

French chef Franck Detrait is heading the kitchen team at the repositioned Traiteur, at Park Hyatt Dubai.

think the problem comes when you’re stagnant and can’t change and move forward.” Kenzo Posth, assistant food and beverage director, Park Hyatt Dubai “Go back to the drawing board, come up with something intelligent, exciting and new; halfhearted rethinks are worse than no rethink at all!” Nicolas Pezout, executive assistant manager, Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai “First, start with a cold hard review of previous performance. Bring in a third party to help conceptualise the concept and consider a broad range of aspects, from quantifying your target market to gaps in the market. Spend your CAPEX wisely and re-enforce this by investing in a quality brand identity.” Stefan Breg, chief executive, TRIBE Restaurant Creators “Think very carefully about why you are considering it. Why has the existing concept failed to reach its potential? Make sure that there is real demand for the concept you are introducing, rather than just changing it for the sake of it.” Guy Holmes, managing director, Captivate Restaurants

Caterer Middle East November 2009

and proud and give people a new and excit- open for the past five years, it was “really ing experience.” the right time to reposition Traiteur” — but But these outlets, as the operators are keen agrees becoming less of a ‘special occasion’ to emphasise, were not in any major trouble outlet was also a key aim behind the change. before: they had their regulars, they were “Creating a real value-for-money experinames on the dining scene. So why rebrand? ence was important for us — there are various According to Raffles’ Pelling, F&B is all French restaurants in Dubai which are fine about moving with the times. dining, so instead of that we want to move to“Any manager needs to keep pace with wards the kind of thing we’re doing with the what the market is doing and, Thai Kitchen: more of a wholeequally importantly, adapt acsome, family atmosphere with People have cordingly,” he said. really good value,” he said. “Another major factor that told me they felt The property’s Wright addmay influence an operator to ed: “You have to move with intimidated by rebrand is to focus objectives. the times and adapt to how the Our aim, for example, was to the menu” market is changing. emphasise frequency as op“Since Park Hyatt first posed to occasion for customopened, a number of new ers dining at Fire & Ice. restaurants have entered the market, with “In the past it served great food, albeit with cutting-edge concepts and designs. Traiteur an expensive price tag, in a visually attrac- is obviously older than those, so we had to tive venue. However, it was not appealing to think, in light of everything going on with a sufficient audience,” Pelling admitted. the economy, what was the best way to take “Now we have made some changes to the the outlet forward. concept, the menu, the staff uniforms, the “People don’t have the same disposable inmusic — we want to see our patrons coming come that they used to; plus nowadays there back to Fire & Ice, as opposed for them to are a lot of outlets in Dubai fighting for that think that the restaurant is a ‘special occa- high-end dining market, so we thought why sion only’ kind of outlet.” not be more price-appealing, offering value Park Hyatt’s Posth added that, having been for money and remaining quality-driven? So

“

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

News analysis Brand repositioning

that’s the main vision for the future: value for money along with authenticity.” Such feedback puts rebranding in a very positive light — but of course there are, as always, challenges that stem from change. Raffles’ Pelling pointed out that “changing the market perception and also colleague perception” is no mean feat. “Fire & Ice has a reputation in Dubai for offering exquisite yet very expensive food — a ‘celebration’ venue. In the past, people have told me they felt intimidated by the menu, unable to understand it and too shy to ask. “I’ve been involved in food and beverage for some 30 years now and I also struggled with some of the terminology used. Who needs that when you’re out for a fun evening? “I regret it was a case of the hotelier being too clever and too pretentious, telling guests how and what they should be enjoying. It’s not my job to educate guests, but to entertain and provide a great experience,” he said. Park Hyatt’s Wright agreed that changing public perception of an established outlet that has changed its offering could be tricky. “The main focus for us now is to expose Traiteur to a new market, who in the past might’ve thought of it as a very expensive experience,” he said. “So we’re doing a lot of promotional offerings, such as deals for wine through MMI, the opportunity to win a flight with Seawings — it’s really about working with a lot of different partners to reach new markets.” According to Radisson’s Micheel, the danger with rebranding is that “if customers identify an outlet with something in particu-

lar, it can take them a long time to remove that association from their minds”. “Consequently, when a concept is drastically changed, it requires a big marketing push,” he noted. “It also needs to be convincing, as it should not be perceived as the result of the failure of an old concept, but an upgrade.”

Mövenpick’s Pezout admitted rebranding any outlet was “not straightforward”. “You need to know your hotel, your market and your clients very well,” he noted. “But with real passion for creating a firstclass offering, repositioning an outlet can really pay off in the long run.”

Ask the expert TRIBE Restaurant Creators chief executive and self-appointed ‘chief worrier’ Stefan Breg What are the reasons for an operator to rebrand an existing F&B outlet? All sorts of factors drive rebranding, from profit

What steps should operators take to ensure the change does not alienate their existing customer base?

performance to peer pressure (suddenly your com-

It takes a brave operator to accept he may lose

petition got good!) It’s not uncommon for customers

some existing customers!

to grow bored with a concept and the market is

The first step is to identify how big this customer

moving so fast that what was hot in 2005 may not

base is, whether it is dwindling and exactly how

work for 2010. What often happens is the initial

loyal it is. Losing some of these customers may

concept wasn’t thought through; there is a science

not be such a bad thing, if it is in return for a wider

to choosing the right concept and few get it right.

target market.

Why rebrand not refurbish? but in our experience it doesn’t lead to a huge jump

What are the major challenges that go with repositioning an existing offering?

in revenue. Rebranding is a bolder move, meaning

The biggest obstacle is making bold decisions,

you have to cut ties with the past. This route has

such as dropping what doesn’t work and having

higher risks and costs associated with it, but the

a long hard look at service and staff.

Refurbishing an interior can give you a cosmetic lift,

returns can be higher — as well as the benefit of

Another challenge is choosing the right con-

galvanising your staff with the prospect of working

cept and design to deliver a return and getting

on a shiny new brand.

the right people to deliver the change.

Did you know that I am a 100% Grade 1 Arabica bean?

Mystery shopper Hotel lobby lounges

Service spy This month, Ethos Consultancy’s team of mystery shoppers visited lobby lounges at four of Dubai’s top hotels — so was it shining five-star service, or did some of the luxury lose its lustre in the lobby?

This month:

Dubai hotel lobby lounges cafés • The Monarch Dubai Arcadia Lobby Lounge • The Address Dubai Mall Karat Lobby Lounge • Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates Aspen Cafe • Mina A’Salam Al Samar Lounge

THE WHAT: Caterer Middle East has partnered up with customer service experts Ethos Consultancy to highlight F&B service standards at outlets across the UAE. Each month, we’ll reveal mystery shoppers’ assessments of four different F&B outlets, to explore what these venues are doing right and what could be improved. THE WHY: This isn’t about catching F&B outlets with their trousers down: by measuring performance and providing expert advice on areas for improvement, we want to help better these operations — and the industry in general. THE HOW: Ethos Consultancy’s trained mystery shoppers are given a specific selection of outlets. Each shopper visits their assigned restaurant and dines as usual. Within 24 hours of every experience, each shopper fills out an online report, providing Ethos consultants with the information they require to offer constructive advice.

Caterer Middle East November 2009

Each mystery shopper is instructed to look out for the following:

Appearance

• How satisfied were you with the overall quality of service delivered? • What could have been done to better your entire experience?

• Did the outlet appear clean and tidy? • Were menus clear and easy to follow?

The expert analysis:

Sales and service • The greeting and farewell received from staff • The appearance of staff • Time taken to be served • Did the waiter ask questions to establish his customer’s preferences and needs? • Was the waiter knowledgeable about the items on offer? • Did the waiter offer undivided attention while serving? • If an item was not available, did the waiter provide other helpful suggestions? • Did the waiter attempt to up- or cross-sell by suggesting complementary items?

Overall Experience • Would your experience encourage you to visit this outlet again? • Did you leave the outlet with a positive impression of the venue? • Would you recommend this outlet to friends, family or colleagues?

This month, Service Spy is all about the five-star experience, with our mystery shoppers visiting four of Dubai’s most luxurious hotel lobby lounges. Let’s start by congratulating each and every hotel lobby lounge included in this study. Reading this month’s mystery shopping reports was an absolute pleasure, as the standard of service and level of customer interaction was brilliant. All four hotel lobby lounges scored above 78% — with this month’s winner, Aspen Cafe at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, achieving a whopping 95%; the highest service quality performance score since Service Spy began in September. Now, don’t go assuming our shoppers walked in, had a coffee and quietly disappeared! All waiting staff were put through their paces with a number of tricky questions being thrown their way. What’s the difference between a café latte and latte macchiato? Do you sell good quality coffee? Do your cookies contain nuts? Are

Appearance

Sales & Service

Did the outlet appear clean and tidy?

How long did you have to wait to be served?

Visit 1

Visit 2

Visit 1

Visit 2

Kempinski

Yes

1 minute or less

The Address

Yes

1 minute or less

Mina A’ Salam

Yes

5 minutes or more

1 minute or less

The Monarch

Yes

1-3 minutes

1 minute or less

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Mystery shopper Hotel lobby lounges

Restaurant Appearance

Sales & Service

Overall experience

100

ABOUT ETHOS CONSULTANCY Originating in the UK in 1995, Ethos Consultancy relocated to Dubai in 2003, where a team of five has grown to 50 — with an Abu Dhabi office opening in 2008. Our consultants have come from some of the most mature customer service markets in the world, ensuring experience and best practice in everything we do.

20 0

Kempinski

The Address

your mochas made with chocolate powder or syrup? All valid questions — and all answered politely and with confidence which indicates these staff have been trained well. Just what we like to see! Each of our eight mystery shoppers indicated they would happily return and even recommend their visited hotel lobby lounge to family and friends, which is a fantastic result. Let’s have a look at why our shoppers would be so willing to do this: • No one had to wait longer than five minutes to be served; • All lobby lounges were clean, tidy and smelled pleasant; • All waiting staff were well presented, in uniforms and wearing name badges; • All shoppers except one reported that their waiter had great product knowledge; • All staff were happy to chat and interact;

The Monarch

100%

Ethos prides itself on being at the forefront of online customer service solutions and was awarded Most Innovative Small Business in the UAE at the 2008 Lloyds TSB Small Business Awards.

54%

67%

78%

100%

88%

100%

88%

Through years of experience, Ethos has developed a variety of services to help clients understand how their business is performing. Our solutions include mystery shopping, satisfaction surveys and a range of benchmarking services. Once clients have a clear understanding of how they are performing, we help them improve via training, consulting and implementation of The International Customer Service Standard.

Mina A' Salam

• All shoppers indicated they were very satisfied with their purchased food items.

What could have been done better? • One of our shoppers missed out on the side cookies that would normally be served with a coffee purchase, because she told the waiter she was allergic to nuts. Instead of removing the item completely, the waiter should have found an alternative. • One of our shoppers walked directly to a table within the lobby lounge without making eye contact with any of the waiting staff. This was done on purpose to see if they would be noticed. Unfortunately, having sat there for about two minutes, our mystery shopper had still not been attended to and was forced to approach the staff to place their order. We suggest placing staff in charge of different table sections within the lounge, so

that every table is closely monitored 100% of the time and situations like this are avoided. • Although all of our shoppers reported the lobby lounges as clean and tidy, there were one or two instances where they noted cups or plates still on tables after clients had finished and departed. Dirty dishes should be cleared as soon as a customer leaves.

Overall Assessment Was the sales person knowledgeable about the items on offer?

Did the sales person try to up sell or cross sell ?

Would your experience encourage you to visit this outlet again?

How satisfied are you with the overall quality of service delivery?

Visit 1

Visit 2

Visit 1

Visit 2

Visit 1

Visit 2

Visit 1

Visit 2

Yes

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

...for bigger savings and a better cleaning system! Introducing the NEW J-Flex all-in-one grime unit!

NEW!

Now you can have the big muscle power of a concentrate, a simple-to-use dosage dispensing system and mind-blowing economies too! So stop throwing away all that money on disposable containers and concentrate on better cleaning at a better price. The complete kit is available from your local distributor.

JohnsonDiversey Gulf FZE

JohnsonDiversey (SumaChem L.L.C)

P.O .Box 61485 Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai - U.A.E. Tel: 971 4 881 9470 Fax: 971 4 881 9488

P.O. Box 2404 Dubai - UAE Tel: 971 4 3452636 Fax: 971 4 3453132

For more information please visit www.johnsondiversey.com

Editor’s comment Volume 5 Issue 11

Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 (0)4 210 8000 Fax: +971 (0)4 210 8080 Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham VP Sales Wayne Lowery Publishing Director Diarmuid O’Malley Editorial Senior Group Editor Gemma Greenwood Tel: +971 4 435 6262 email: gemma.greenwood@itp.com Editor Lucy Taylor Tel: +971 4 435 6275 email: lucy.taylor@itp.com Assistant Editor Ben Watts Tel: +971 4 435 6289 email: ben.watts@itp.com Advertising Sales Director Alexandra Knight Tel: +971 4 435 6143 email: alexandra.knight@itp.com Commercial Director Sarah Worth Tel: +971 4 435 6374 email: sarah.worth@itp.com Int. Sales Manager, Hospitality & Catering Middle East & India Amanda Stewart GSM: +44 7908 117 333 email: amanda.stewart@itp.com Skype: amandajanestewart Studio Group Art Editor Dan Prescott Photography Director of Photography Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer Nemanja Seslija Senior Photographers Efraim Evidor, Khatuna Khutsishvili Staff Photographers Khaled Termanini, Thanos Lazopoulos, Leila Cranswick, Jovana Obradovic, Rajesh Raghav, Ruel Pableo, Lyubov Galushko Production & Distribution Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Production Manager Eleanor Zwanepoel Production Coordinator Sophia White Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami Circulation Head of Circulations & Database Gaurav Gulati Marketing Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell ITP Digital Director Peter Conmy ITP Group Chairman Andrew Neil Managing Director Robert Serafin Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Board of Directors K M Jamieson, Mike Bayman, Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 435 6000 Certain images in this issue are available for purchase. Please contact itpimages@itp.com for further details or visit www.itpimages.com. Printed by Color Lines Controlled Distribution by Blue Truck The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.

BPA Worldwide Circulation Statement Average Qualified Circulation 8,209 (July - Dec 2008)

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Slaves to the wage? I came in for a fair bit of flak following my editor’s comment last month — Put the fun into F&B, a light-hearted piece urging operators to inspire and encourage staff through the use of motivational measures in the workplace. This comment piece was prompted by our August issue’s F&B industry survey How happy are your F&B staff? in which 31% of respondents said their managers had taken no steps to boost morale and motivation in the workplace this year. Fairly innocuous, you might think; but it has provoked a tidal-wave of emails into the Caterer Middle East inbox! I don’t think anyone disagreed with the idea of trying to create a happy workforce in principle — none of the emails I got actively extolled the virtues of having miserable staff, at any rate. But the overwhelming point raised was that, by concentrating on additional proactive measures to boost employee happiness, we are simply tiptoeing around the elephant in the room — namely money. I’m sure it won’t surprise anyone to learn that getting comments ‘on the record’ about the fairness or unfairness of salaries paid by employers in this region is not an easy task. No one wants to be the whistle-blower or the one pointing the finger — particularly when, in some cases, that finger may be directed towards their own employer. So taking a more general view, you may recall that our online home, HME.com, ran its inaugural hospitality industry salary survey in May this year, in which almost 500 hospitality industry professionals took part. Top earners were, predictably, executive chefs, taking home a salary of US $8696 per month. Standard chefs earned around $3125, while earnings for food service staff came in at around $2310. Bar staff were the lowest-paid in the field, with an average salary of $1250 per month. In last issue’s roundtable, the group of bar professionals taking part actually raised the issue of underpaid staff in one of the most candid on-record discussions I have heard during my time here — and I applaud them for that. To the rest of you: do you think wages paid by Middle East F&B operators are a scandal? Or is it that money-hungry employees expect too much too soon? To voice your opinions on this subject, please email our letters page: caterermiddleeast@gmail.com

Lucy Taylor, Editor

To subscribe please visit www.itp.com/subscriptions November 2009 009 Caterer Middle East

Comment Culinary confessions

Marcus

Gregs Food for thought. Able to move a grown man to tears or provoke feelings of total euphoria, chefs know food is a powerful tool when it comes to evoking memories What is your favorite food, and what memories does this dish conjure up in your mind? Scientists have proven that all the senses are connected, heightened by the others: without each other, they do not give you the big picture. And I think you’ll agree that the most vividly-recalled memories you can conjure up usually revolve around smells, tastes and sight; because memories aren’t black and white but full Technicolor, with smells and tastes helping to paint the big 3D picture. As a child, I remember my favorite meal was meatloaf with cauliflower mornay — a dish so imbedded in my memories that even thinking about it puts me back into my parents’ avocado-green 1970s kitchen, watching my dad cut the meatloaf with the aroma and the steam wafting through the kitchen; mmmm! And my favorite fruit is raspberries, because they bring back memories of me and The senses of taste and smell have strong ties with our memories.

Caterer Middle East November 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Comment Culinary confessions

my cousins racing around in the warm sunlight in my grandparents’ back garden, eating the juicy, warm, sweet berries right from the canes before the birds got them, getting red hands and mouths while my Nan half-heartedly told us off for the mess, with a big smile on her face. I have several kitchen colleagues from Indonesia and it is interesting to know that the one particular dish they all talk about fondly is nasi goereng. They all have different memories linked to this traditional dish, whether it’s of their mum grinding the shrimp paste, or their gran frying the sambal, there are specific aromas and tastes that trigger these flashbacks. Often, desserts and baked products will elicit a response quicker than anything — including arguments over whose gran makes it better! For any self respecting Aussie or Kiwi, the sight of a pavalova will induce memories of family get together; it’s one of those cakes that is always present at family

parties, with the castle of meringue smothered in fresh whipped cream and decorated with strawberries and passion fruit pulp. For my wife , every time we walk past a Cinnabon shop the smell reminds her of specculas (spiced cookies) she used to get after school in Holland. A freshly-baked apple pie — another Dutch favorite — will conjure up similarly happy memories. But the smell and flavour that evokes the most vivid memories for me — and a fair number of others from my hometown, I’d guess — is that of chocolate. I grew up in a suburb of Hobart in Tasmania, which was built after World War II for the sole purpose of housing the families of the workers at the local Cadbury’s chocolate factory. It is still the largest chocolate factory in the southern hemisphere; indeed, at one time more than 15,000 people worked in this factory, with many more living around it. And before HACCP and hygiene regulations were invented and enforced, they would release the stem vents and air conditioning vents and purge the air from the factory at 4pm every day, so by half past, the entire suburb smelt enticingly of hot chocolate.

For locals, it was a delicious-smelling handy time-keeper; for tourists and visitors, the smell was a source of amazement and confusion, as they tried to work out its source. But due to HACCP, hygiene measures and pollution restrictions, the factory had to stop ‘purging’ itself after 1983. The University of Tasmania did a study in the 1990s on all the people who grew up as children in this suburb from 1948 till 1996 and an interesting trend appeared: of the 32,743 people who grew up in this area during this period, every single person born before 1983 adored chocolate with a passion, while those born after that date most are not really that fussed about it. Today, not only does chocolate evoke fond memories for me, it is one of my favourite foods — and a favourite ingredient to cook with. So remember: next time you see a diner smiling and staring blankly into space, leave them to it: they are probably just enjoying the happy memories that delicious food can bring back! Culinary regards,

Marcus Gregs Marcus Gregs is executive chef at Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai.

Comment Designer column

Nigel

Witham Original or bust! Copy-catting design may seem like a sure-fire recipe for success, but in the long term it will do F&B outlets more harm than good Here is the content of an email I received recently from a reader in Saudi Arabia: Dear Nigel, I am an owner of coffee drive-through and recently I opened a dine-in shop. I designed my coffee shop to be modern, basing the style on pictures from the net and getting ideas from some famous restaurants — but the final result is not really very attractive, in my opinion! I have opened the shop, but business is slow and I feel an improvement in the design would go a long way towards attracting more customers. How would you suggest I do this? I often receive letters like this, from outlet owners who have copied designs and ended up with unsuccessful outlets. To be fair, you can find these kinds of short-lived, derivative, copy-cat designs pretty much wherever you go in the world, not just in the Middle East — but it is true that most of the outlets that have sprung up in the hotels and malls of Dubai have been done before elsewhere. If you’d prefer a new, exciting, successful outlet then you should adopt the MAYA principle: ‘Most Advanced Yet Acceptable’. I don’t claim to have invented this ethos; it was first used by famous American industrial designer Raymond Loewy, who made fortunes convincing the corporations

Caterer Middle East November 2009

New UK coffee outlet Café Leoni, designed by Witham. of America to be original by simply asserting that “ugly doesn’t sell”. My message is that if you want to create a truly successful, recession-proof concept, you have to break the mould. Frustratingly, my attempts to convince operators in the region to do anything new and original have nearly always been met with scepticism. I have come to the reluctant conclusion that this comes down to a cultural division: despite its veneer of modernity, the Middle East remains obstinately conservative. Businesses operated via the ‘command, control and procurement’ school of thought are ultimately cost-driven and out-moded, compared with the flexible and imaginative methods seen in Europe and America. This applies across business generally, but F&B outlets in particular can benefit when creativity is at the centre of their propositions.

The problem is that to originate a truly new MAYA café or restaurant, a lot of ‘wrong’ ideas have to be discarded, so there’s no way of shortcutting with a quick, cheap design pitch. No matter how hard you stamp your feet in front of your designer, an original idea will take time and money. Here’s the nub of the problem: it’s all about trust. Designers offering MAYA are in effect saying, ‘pay us a lot and we’ll deliver something we can’t yet picture and we’re not sure how long it will take to deliver’. For most operators with bosses or banks to please, on tight budgets and timescales, this is not a very attractive message! It’s far more controllable and comfortable to buy in a well-worn franchise. And what makes originality even harder to implement is that all operators have a tendency to revert to the emotional safety of what they already know works, even though the idea may be old hat. This may help your business meet shortterm objectives, but is unlikely to be a safe and successful long-term strategy — after all, you can’t lead by following. At the end of the day, a MAYA design will always outperform a boring, tried-andtested, ‘safe’ formula. So if your outlet is quiet, maybe it’s time to stop looking outwards to see what new ideas the world can give you. Instead, why not trust and empower your designer and look inside yourself to see what new ideas you can give to the world? Nigel Witham is a chartered designed who has run his own design practice for 20 years. For more information, email: nigel@nigelw.com

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Interview Dubai Municipality Food Control Department

Culinary control

Dubai Municipality’s Food Control Department director, Khalid Mohammed Sharif Al-Awadhi, talks exclusively to Caterer Middle East about the department’s plans for a food-safe future — not just for Dubai, but for the entire Middle East What is the current status of food are working on developing a new plan to safety standards in Dubai? run from 2010 to 2014. In that, we have inOur key objective here is to keep Dubai cluded a performance indicator for Dubai, safe in terms of food; so we work with all looking specifically at reducing contaminaconcerned departments in the Municition and food-borne diseases. This is our pality to improve food hygiene standards central aim. across the board. As your current strategic plan The reason this issue is so vital for Dubai draws to a close, how is because tourism is a key successful do you feel it focus here: it is Dubai’s It’s not just has been? aim to keep tourism It’s gone on track; but one of in top condition, and the quality of the key problems we still face of course one of the here in Dubai is that our food things people like the food, it’s the when they visit is human element” is predominantly imported from other regions. to enjoy the wide If you look at Europe or range of food we America, 80% of their food is manufactured can offer here. there; here, it’s more like 80% imported. It’s vital to protect this exSo that means we have a lot of different cellent reputation that we foodstuffs coming in, and we have to enhave built; if there is any sure they are all of high quality; this is a big reason for people to be unchallenge for us, because there are so many happy with the standard of different sources. food, they will not enjoy eatWe have put a performance indicator to ing here. That is why we work our strategic plan, according to internatogether to maintain Dubai’s tional standards, to maintain it at less than high standards. 5% contamination in food entering Dubai. We have a strategic This year, we are at 6.5%, which we want to plan which started improve upon. in 2008 and runs That’s why the new strategic plan is more until 2010, so focused and more in-depth with regards to right now we

“

Caterer Middle East November 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Interview Dubai Municipality Food Control Department

actual numbers — statistical progress on contamination, as well as incidences of food poisoning and pathogenic bacteria, and looking at how we can control those things. Is this emphasis a response to the recent spate of food poisonings reported in the UAE? No, we were planning to take this stance anyway, but these incidences of food poisoning underlined to us how important it was to focus on this side of things right away. What we found in these cases was that it was not to do with contaminated food as such, but about how the food was dealt with by food handlers. So that’s our other challenge: it’s not just the quality of the food, it’s the human element that’s an issue. Because you can have the best quality ingredients in the world, but if just one person stores it incorrectly, it could make the consumer ill. Consequently, another area that we need to really focus on is improving knowledge among food handlers. How exactly are you going about informing and educating handlers? Firstly, we have our awareness programme, which tries to convey safety from the most basic level — because not all food handlers are hugely qualified and we don’t want to over-complicate things for them, so we start at the beginning. One learning aid we have is our ‘Mr Safe’ character, which of course is an Arabic name, but also holds its English meaning.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

We want to promote this character as a representative for food safety and awareness. He will offer easy-toremember advice on how to store food or prepare it, avoid cross-contamination and so on. What we have also done is to approve the training programmes at 15 companies in Dubai; then we ask all restaurants, cafes and so on to get approved in food hygiene by one of these companies. This initiative started in 2008, and now we have 40,000 people certified. We have also ensured that these companies can offer such training in different languages; so it can be done in Arabic, English, Hindi and Urdu. In addition to these measures, we are also using online methods: we have a Facebook group, which helps to raise awareness among consumers and customers as well, and is a great tool for promoting Mr Safe. How do food safety standards in Dubai compare to other areas of the Middle East? It’s definitely one of the most advanced places — this is because we are one of the main tourism and business hubs for the area, and one of the biggest importers and exporters of food in the region. We have the biggest logistics market here as well; we have the biggest port, in Jebel Ali, and a major airport — it’s a real hub for the region. Every year we have four million tons of food coming through Dubai and going on

Mr Safe: reaching out to Dubai’s food handlers. to neighbouring countries. In fact, 70% of the UAE’s food comes through Dubai. What are the Dubai Municipality Food Control Department’s goals for the future? It is our aim to harmonise food safety right across the GCC, with one formalised set of procedures and regulations. If we can do that, and all the systems in the GCC are one, it will run far more smoothly. We are working on that now; there are many measures we are already sharing. We want to harmonise import and export systems and standardise outlet safety — and there is already a GCC committee working towards this goal. By sharing experience and best practice, we’ll improve the industry for everyone.

HAVE YOUR SAY

What do you think of the food safety standards in Dubai — and across the Middle East? Share your views; email caterermiddleeast@gmail.com

Roundtable Customer service

Savvy service or slack standards? Every outlet in the region is trying to eradicate it, but time and time again, poor service standards crop up as a key customer complaint. Caterer Middle East brought together a collection of experienced F&B customer service experts from across the region at YO! Sushi, Dubai Mall, to address and evaluate one of the major issues dominating discussions on the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality scene What do you make of the general standard of customer service in the Middle East? Halima Anderson: Coming from a restaurant background, I can say it is a bit distressing at times. I have seen restaurants where the service is absolutely amazake an absolutely ing and the bartenders can make fantastic drink. On the other hand, I have seen the exact opposite where you have the wrong people in the wrong places. They could be eautiful atmoworking in an outlet with a beautiful rvice just seems to sphere, but sometimes the service be in utter chaos. Sunit Agale: The service levell changes from restaurant to restaurant. The hospitalst has ity industry in the Middle East nd we grown a lot in recent years and al chains have experienced international entering the region, bringing with them a hiring process that hass been

Waleed Haj Ali, human resources director, Gourmet Gulf

Caterer Middle East November ember 2009

both external and local. A lot of staff coming into the region do not find themselves confident enough or comfortable in terms of adjusting to the service level or the service requirements. Joachim Textor: Basically, there is a lack of o consistency. At Rotana we train staff for six months or one o year but then l of transfers and often they will move on. We have had a lot star all over again. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a process that means we have to start b itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a process Customer service training is effective, but ove we have to keep restarting, over and over. Subhash Chandra Kumar: I train my staff for six months, after which new hotels open up and half of my staff will leave. Trainimporta but maintaining is very important, ing a consistent se service level in this challeng region is challenging. tra Every hotel trains its staff but evd ery hotel has a different standard. And staff turnover turno in this region is simply higher highe than anywhere aff else, which affects customer service standards. standa Waleed Haj A Ali: In that case it is important to t have a proper

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b www.hotelie

Roundtable Customer service

Issues that dominated proceedings included the language barrier, the lack of a tipping culture and staff training. succession plan within the company and to fill vacancies from within the company. We often hire and promote people from within the company at Gourmet Gulf. Mahmoud ahmoud Harb: The standard of service in ubai is simply not there. I come from LebaDubai n, where you will find a specific level of sernon, ce you cannot find in Dubai. Unfortunately vice we have noticed that customers are accepting it, but I think everyone should definitely be oking at revising their service standards. looking Textor: xtor: I would say customers are accepting it cause what choice do they have? because

Sunit Agale, acting food and beverage manager, Coral Beach Resort Sharjah

Anderson: People are lowering their expectations; what’s important is to recruit the right people, as this is where bad standards start. If you have a member of staff whose personality doesn’t lend front-ofitself to working in front-of-house, then maybe they’re better back-of-h being placed in back-of-house. First of all, put the people sec in the right place and secondly take care of them — if they’re happy you’ll get llongevity out of them and in the long run you can save on resources. How important is customer service in regards to other operational a aspects in an outlet — for example, is the qualit quality of the food more important than the service? Anderson: I’d sa say that food and service are equalimportant I’m a lover of food and I’m very ly important. critical aabout the food I put in my mouth, wou you return to a restaurant if but would ser the service was poor? Textor For me, food is more important Textor: o in an outlet; however it is important that the th service complements the food. Harb: I believe the food quality comes first. If you like the food at a restaurant

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b ww.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

November 2009 Caterer Middle East Novemb

Roundtable Customer service

Mahmoud Harb, senior brand manager, Cravia

but d didn’t like the service, then the next time you can order take away. Sometimes the service can be bad, but people will be queu queuing up because the food is so good. Agal The best chef can serve the best food, but if the service Agale: is ba bad the customer will not come back; there should be a harm harmony between the food and the service. Ho Hospitality cannot be bought from a shop, so we need to cont continually train our staff. The food can be top class, but the serv service has to be in line with that. Kumar: Service and hospitality has to go hand-in-hand. If anyKum thin from either side goes wrong then the customer will not thing com back to the outlet. If the service is slow, there’s a possibilcome t ity they may no longer want their meal. The quality of the food is as important as the quality of the service, in my opinion. Kev Wills: Every outlet and menu we have is customised. In Kevin one outlet, service could be more important than the food and

Would customer service improve if staff from more established hospitality markets such as Western Europe were encouraged to join Middle Eastern outlets? Halima Anderson: I think a new set of problems would arise, different to the issues we currently face. I believe there would be minor issues and a lot of frustration, but generally I think service would improve. We would, however, have to pay them the same as they get in Europe to get them here. Sunit Agale: It’s about give and take: you would have to give these staff the right packages. If you give them training and mentor them, in return you will get a quality service.

Holiday Inn Dubai’s Kumar raises a point.

Did you know that we are part of a distinctive premium blend?

Roundtable Customer service

in another, the food could be more important. They are often so interlinked that they cannot be separated. Service begins in the kitchen and it isn’t just about taking care of the guest: service is about everything from taking care of the server who’s taking care of the guest, to ensuring the steward in the kitchen has enough material to clean the dishes in the backroom. What are the best ways of ensuring staff are comfortable in their roles and can confidently deal with customer complaints? Anderson: The floor manager should be able to feel the pulse of what’s going. They need to let the staff know that they can be open with each other and that a problem can be fixed before it leaks. If it can be solved, then there is a chance that the customer will return to the outlet. I think it’s important to let the staff know that if there is a problem it will be OK, and then to nip it in the bud before it becomes a bigger problem.

Ethos Consultancy’s Anderson listens to Al Murooj Rotana’s Textor.

Agale: As a manager, time management is important, as are table revisits. You need to be aware of your business times and when you’re going to get busy. Make sure you know your business inside out and pass this information onto your staff. Be a role player to your staff.

this, but the staff should also take some responsible action. We train our staff and support them in taking decisions before going to the managers. Table visits are the most important thing and anyone running the shift should be very specific in asking questions to find out if anything went wrong.

Haj Ali: It’s important to get customer feedback from complaint forms or from a table visit by the store manager. Then analyse that data; we have a special team that is doing this in eting team. We explain collaboration with the marketing ant to apologise to the to our staff that it is important customer and thank them forr coming to the outlet.

Does the lack of a tipping culture affect standards? Anderson: In the US market, you have career waiters and bartenders who have taken care of their thei families and put their children through college, than thanks to the great T money and great tips they earn. They are encouraged to up-sell and they want to push the bill higher, as it will improve their tips. In the US tips work out fin check and in the at a minimum of 15% of the final current culture it’s about 20%. It’s an incentive to up-sell and to give impeccable service. In this region, there is no tipp tipping culture whattak some pressure off soever. If there was, it would take yo would be able to an organisation, because you pay a lower salary and because staff would be taking home bette better tips — it would be a win-win situation.

Harb: From my point of view, ew, it is very important to make sure everythingg is ready for the hift. You have to recustomer rush during the shift. hift’s target and how mind your staff about the shift’s hroughout. You need much they have achieved throughout. ob they have done, to thank staff for the good job he target and thank them for achieving the push them if necessary. nt-ofAs for the customer’s point-ofview, mistakes will happen. It’s the manager’s problem to take care of

Halima Anderson, director of operations, Ethos Consultancy

Caterer Middle East November vember 2009

Kumar: The US sys system is similar to the one in South Ko Korea. I was working in a restaurant ther there and we would exAlth pect a 10% tip. Although we only had eight staff, we knew we would be able to share the tips an and take more money home. In a coffee shop or a casual

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b www.hoteli

• Meet over 130 exhibitors from over 15 countries under a single roof. • Be the ﬁrst to discover latest product & service launches during the show. • Be part of daily seminars that are open for all. • Network, interact and ﬁnalize business deals.

VISIT US Organised by

Co-organiser

Supported by

+971 2 4090 334 Gold Sponsor

info@equiphotelme.com

Strategic Partner

Media Partners

MIDDLE

E AST

www.equiphotelme.com

Can you afford to miss it? We are opening four hotels in the next year and it is through The Hotel Show that we are able to stay ahead of the game and source the latest and most innovative products.

Mike Scully Managing Director, Seven Tides Hospitality

Book now!

18-20 MAY 2010 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

Roundtable Customer service

Joachim Textor, executive chef, Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai

The taste of tradition... ...crafted by hand

Would employing more local staff improve the standard of service across the region? Kevin Wills: All those little nuances you have, for example placing knives and forks on the correct side, would benefit by at least having somebody on the floor that understands the guests better than anyone else. This would actually improve the service level and help the other associates who can learn from this experience. Joachim Textor: It would be an option, but not many Emiratis want to work in kitchens. We have five nationals working in the hotel, but they’re in different departments, not in the kitchen.

dining outlet however, you are not getting any tips so you have to live off your salary. In this region, tipping is simply not as strong.

Bakemart presents made-to-order chef’s rolls in a variety of ﬂavours, shapes and sizes. Choose Kaiser Roll and many, many more.

Wills: There’s no recognition with tips. It’s pooled together and the worst employee will often get the same as the best. It’s the same with salary; if the guest is not recognising staff members for their service, then the employer should recognise them for their efforts. Do service staff in this region lack personality? Wills: I think the personalities are probably there, but with English in many cases a second or third language it can be difficult

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Dubai

Doha

Bahrain

P.O. Box: 18926, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 2675406 Fax: +971 4 2675409 Email: bakemart@emirates.net.ae Website: www.bakemart.net

Roundtable Customer service

The panel agreed that service standards could be better in F&B outlets across the Middle East. for someone to convey their emotions, personality and character to the customer. They have to choose their words wisely when describing a dish and sometimes staff will read from scripts; then they start sounding like robots, even if they don’t mean to.

Arabic country, after all. In Dubai, Arabic has to be involved in everything and therefore we have to put translations on the menu, for example. Arabic speakers are also in high demand and we’ve placed more emphasis on that with our staff.

Kumar: We have a Thai restaurant with some very good staff from Thailand, but it can be very difficult for them to communicate with the customers. Therefore I have put staff from different nationalities on the floor so they can communicate with different categories of guests. We also insist on teaching staff Arabic and English. It’s important they know English 100%, but if we want to capitalise on the Middle East market we need staff to be able to converse in Arabic too.

Anderson: The language barrier is definitely an issue, but my feeling is that smiles and body language are universal. If you smile you can hear it over the phone and if I smile at you, you will feel my sincerity. These types of things can be addressed at the start of employment, before addressing the language issue.

Haj Ali: This is important — we are in an

Kevin Wills, director of food and beverage, JW Marriott Dubai

Subhash Chandra Kumar, assistant food and beverage manager, Holiday Inn Dubai

New CF2 Cascade

www.gilesandposner.com

GILES&POSNER Tel: +44 (0)1923 234040 sales@gilesandposner.com

Industry insight The festive season

Fighting for

a piece of the

festive pie With so many operators vying for a slice of the action this celebratory season, there’s going to be a serious fight for consumer attention among the region’s F&B outlets

he end of the year always holds something of a festive feel for the hospitality industry, with Eid, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations all providing prime promotional opportunities for hotels and F&B outlets, and boosting business around the region. As always, food and beverage play an integral role in these seasonal celebrations. But this year, with consumers remaining cautious about their spending and shopping around for top-value offerings, the region’s outlets are going to have to work harder than ever to earn their festive business.

Seasonal success Featuring several internationally recognised holidays and events, the winter months have long been an important annual focus for the F&B industry. “During the festive season, people get time off from work and are more likely to plan outings and gatherings,” notes Hotel JAL Fujairah Resort and Spa hotel executive assistant manager Rachid Assoudi. “Plus the festive season means getting together with family and friends for good food, good entertainment and a special atmosphere. “Consequently those of us in the hospitality sector must target that market by preparing catchy and interesting stay packages, themed food events and entertainment for these customers to have an array of choices,” he observes. Mövenpick Hotel Kuwait communications manager Dina Ghazali adds that this period is “the only season in the year when there are a lot of different celebrations taking place in a very short space of a time”. “These all require a great deal of preparation to meet the expectations of all the different nationalities celebrating them,” she says. In addition to meeting consumer demand, the revenue obtained during the festive season them has a major impact on a company’s year-end financials, as Emaar Hospitality Group culinary operations manager Simon Barber points out.

Caterer Middle East Novemberr 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Indu In Industry dust du sttry ry iinsight nssig n ight ht Th The he festive fe festi f st stiive season season se s n so

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

Industry insight The festive season

“The festive season is also an opportunity to build relationships, make contact with future customers and drive new business to all our outlets,” he adds.

Party time problems

Xmas wish... “The support and company of my family, friends and team is the best gift one could ask for all year round.” Dominique Jossi, director of food and beverage, Al Murooj Rotana

Although special celebratory dinners, events and parties will undoubtedly take place this year, the consumer caution generated by the global economic downturn may well take its toll on the holiday season, with certain F&B operators predicting less footfall and reduced spend-per-head. Hotel JAL Fujairah’s Assoudi expands: “One of the major challenges that may impact this season is the global financial instability that is still a pilot factor in any individual’s decision for spending, in both the local and the international market. “The regular spender will think twice about the price-tag before picking their venue, while others will be either considering staying at home for a more casual and less costly celebration or not celebrating at all. “This is why we have to take into consideration the actual financial situation and come up with affordable, quality offers to suit everyone’s budget. “But our predictions remain positive,” he insists. “After all, figures dropping due to the reduced flow coming from the international market will be picked up by the local market, which has turned to more local offers in the shape of short breaks and dining options.” Mövenpick Resort Tala Bay Aqaba’s director of F&B, Hakim Karoui, agrees that “many people won’t be travelling like in pre-

Distributed in the UAE by: Tel: +971 6 5344554 Email: info@classicfinefoods.ae Web: www.chocca-mocca.com

Staff will soon be decking the halls at Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

lls !

Ro nd Rouhaped S

Industry insight The festive season

Meet the supplier Five minutes with… Barry Tilley from The Original Candy Company, owner of the Chocca Mocca brand Tell us a bit about the lines you supply to the Middle

Xmas wish... “My wish for Christmas is that my family and friends are all healthy and enjoy a fabulous festive season.” Stefan Lehmann, assistant F&B manager, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments Dubai Green Community

East market. Chocca Mocca is a new entrant to the HORECA market,

“People will naturally want to make the most of the festive season; we just need up-market department stores around the world, such as to make sure that all our promotions are Harvey Nichols in England, Galeries Lafayette in Paris and cost-effective and executed smartly.” Mitsukoshi in Tokyo, its award-winning chocolates and In addition to dealing with the reperpackaging have been a hit with consumers for many years. cussions of economic turmoil, there are Following positive comments from visitors at Gulfood in of course more operationally-based chal2007 and 2008, it was decided to introduce a Chocca lenges to face during this period. Mocca pack aimed specifically at quality hotels and restauAs Al Murooj Rotana director of food rants. The result is the new 25g pack, with the top-selling and beverage Dominique Jossi points Chillout: offering a warm reception with a cool twist. ‘Strawberries and Cream’ and ‘Cranberries’ flavours. The out, this is a time of year when operators shelf life is 10 months from manufacture. must fight to stand out. vious years and the revenue forecasted is “The major challenge is to create a lower than before”. How do you think your products could enhance an festive atmosphere in a way that exceeds However Karoui remains optimistic, preoutlet’s festive F&B offering? our customers’ and competitors’ expecdicting people will still be going out to a Chocca Mocca chocolates, whether in the new 25g size tations,” he says. certain degree and that “Christmas brunch or the classic 100g ribboned box, are the perfect treat for Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott the Christmas season — perhaps as a gift to customers will be as popular as previous years”. Executive Apartments Dubai Green in hotels and restaurants or as a show of appreciation By contrast, Mövenpick Kuwait’s Community assistant F&B manager for loyal guests. Ghazali does not expect to see any slide Stefan Lehmann has also seen an Executive chefs will want Chocca Mocca in revenue. increasing number of hotels as a high-quality decoration, while hotel “In our part of the world we do not coming on the scene, “all offering boutique shops will want 100g boxes to see that it will really be effected; in competitive festive season packtempt hotel guests — especially fact, some people say that the business ages and promotions”. the Strawberries and Cream might increase here in Kuwait, due to “So our biggest challenge is not flavour, with its festive red the fact there may be a certain percentto loose our guests to these new and white colours! age of people unable to travel abroad to outlets,” he points out. celebrate this year,” she says. Meanwhile Mövenpick Kuwait’s Parvinder Singh, business manager at Ghazali notes that, with such a Sharaf Hospitality — owners of Chillout, the region’s first ice variety of celebrations taking place lounge, located in Dubai — says he is also “upbeat about this within a comparitively short space of year’s festive season”. time, it’s a case of all hands on deck for the F&B department. “We are looking forward to increased revenue growth com“The span of time between one celebration and the other is very pared to last year,” he says, explaining this will be achieved short, which means shifting from one mood to another must be through special rates and group deals offering guests a better done in swiftly,” she points out. value proposition. “But at the same time, the décor for each celebration needs to be Emaar Hospitality’s Barber expounds on this line, saying busigiven the same level of attention and uniqueness.” ness is improving in the region and that people will undoubtAt Renaissance Dubai Hotel, executive chef Andy Kurfuerst is edly venture out to celebrate: “The difference is they will be preparing for the drama of last-minute bookings. looking for the very best deals,” he explains. “Many people tend to book at the last minute over the festive both in its home country of England and also in the Middle East. As a supplier of its premium chocolate range to

Caterer Middle East November 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Taste of Arabia

The Gingerbread House at Courtyard by Marriott.

Made in UAE by the Swiss Chocolatiers of the desert with a local vision. Your Solution for Excellency in Chocolates with a local taste.

Xmas wish... “A Ferrari Testarossa!” Hakim Karoui, director of F&B, Mövenpick Resort Tala Bay Aqaba

season, particularly for New Year’s Eve celebrations,” he explains. Then there are some who face unique challenges all of their own. “The main thing for us at Chillout is to ensure we have a good stock of hooded parkas, fur shoes, gloves and fur caps to keep our guests warm, since each item apart from the gloves which are disposable needs to be laundered after use,” says Sharaf Hospitality’s Singh.

Unique Yuletide The challenges are clear — fewer consumers, spending less, with more options to choose from. So what are Middle East F&B operators doing to put themselves ahead of the competition and get themselves a piece of the pie? At Al Murooj Rotana, Jossi is hoping the property’s blend of “theme decoration, fine cuisine and live entertainment” will at-

Christmas time is around the corner! Contact us for an exclusive proposal; every single day of December, you will find another surprise by CHOCOLAT! Swiss International Chocolates LLC P.O. Box 6485, Ras Al Khaimah P: +97172444984 F:+9712444985 chocolat@chocolat.ae www.chocolat.ae

Turkey dinners are a big festive seller for Renaissance Dubai Hotel.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Industry insight The festive season

Xmas wish... Meet the supplier

“To be on the Pimp my Ride TV

and live show with my Jeep Wrangler.” Andy Kurfuerst, executive chef, cooking Renaissance Dubai Hotel Five minutes with… stations. Daniel Hutmacher, “We started managing director, our ‘all-you-canSwiss International eat-and-drink’ package in 1997 and Chocolates that combination is still unbeatable to this day, although many have tried to Tell us a bit about the lines you supply to the copy it,” adds Kurfuerst. Middle East market. Chillout will be adding to its already We supply the region with three regular lines, all fairly unique offering with live icehand-made by our master chocolatiers. carving sessions to entertain guests. Firstly there is Taste of Arabia, local products and Sharaf Hospitality’s Singh expands: local vision transformed with our skills as Swiss “We will also conduct special activichocolatiers for local tastes; the Classic line, an ties for children during this season, to international selection of exclusive chocolates with enhance the festive appeal.” flair, suitable for the true chocolate connoisseur; According to Emaar Hospitality’s Christmas cheer at Courtyard’s Cucina outlet. and the .DOT line of sugar-free chocolates, which is Barber, the various locations of the our response to the growing demand for sugar-free group’s properties are a key attractract customers, but adds: “I am conproducts for the diabetic market and those with tion — and a point of difference in fident that our New Year’s Eve theme special dietary requirements. the crowded marketplace. party is an event not to be missed.” We also have a Winter Collection — a limited “Our hotels are located in vibrant Hotel JAL Fujairah is catering to edition of 24 different chocolates to suit the festive hubs like Downtown Burj Dubai and season, with products taking our customers back to the current climate, offering both lowDubai Marina, which are already attheir childhood favourites. and high-scale F&B options to suit tracting a lot of people,” he notes. In addition to our current ranges, which are any purse — a sensitive approach also “But we will also have celebrations all proving very popular, we also have plans to taken up by Mövenpick Kuwait. in our leisure clubs — like Arabian introduce a kids’ line in the near future, with some Ghazali explains: “This year all of Ranches, The Montgomerie Dubai, surprising ideas for the little ones! our F&B promotions are somehow Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club and focused on discounts in one way or Dubai Marina Yacht Club; again all How do you think your products could enhance another — early birds, ladies nights, of these offer something different to an outlet’s festive F&B offering? and so on. celebrating in a hotel, purely because The festive season is the highlight of the year for “But what we are trying to do to of the kind of surroundings they’re discerning diners, with all those wonderful tradidistinguish ourselves from our comin,” he points out. tional flavours to experience. petitors is to create theme nights in As this range of promotions, valueOur Winter Collection reflects this, featuring our restaurants that are not available added options and seasonal deals spiced gingerbread, candied ginger, dried apricot elsewhere,” she says. demonstrates, the region’s F&B operafrom Syria, fig and star anis, golden truffle, and Mövenpick Tala Bay will run a tors are to be lauded for their ongoing other classics — they are a great way to round off ‘Turkey to Go’ deal, allowing people, creativity and determination to offer a special, celebratory meal! to enjoy dinner in the comfort of their value-for-money to their guests. own homes, and in-house guests will But they are right to do so: people be able to enjoy themselves while may be filled with festive spirit over their kids are entertained by a range of festive activities. the coming months, but it’s going to be an intensely competiMeanwhile at the Courtyard by Marriott, Lehmann reveals a tive few weeks in the world of F&B. truly original take on turkey: “As unique Christmas promotion, Those who do not work hard to attract what custom there is we will offer deep-fried turkey, which is very popular in the will find themselves facing a rather bleak new year. southern part of the USA,” he explains. But for those who pull out all the stops and make the most of The Renaissance Dubai will play to its strengths, making their F&B offerings, building revenue in the final quarter of the most of the Spice Island buffet’s variety of food offerings this year, 2010 will not seem nearly so daunting.

Caterer Middle East November 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Airstar's know-how is unique. We are proud to manufacture not only products like lighting balloons, but turnkey offerings, bringing solutions to obstacles and problems faced by our industry-leading customers.

Considering the increasing requests to enhance spaces, Airstar now offers Permanent Lighting Solutions. Airstar products can be customized and integrated into any environment thus creating the perfect enhancement to fit your needs.. Airstar manufactures and distributes lighting balloons for sale or rental which can: • illuminate a particular place • enhance a site as décor lighting • signage • or even be used as safety lighting

Airstar Middle East LLC P.O. Box 37832, Dubai Investment Park, Dubai, UAE Phone: +971 4 8854907 Fax: +971 4 8854906 Email: airstar@emirates.net.ae Web: www.airstar-light.com

International Bartenders Association World Wide Champion

Great fruity drinks so easy to make Banana Mango Passion fruit Peach Raspberry Red berries Strawberry

Smoothies

Teas

Cocktails

Sodas

Le Fruit de MONIN is a fully innovative fruit purĂŠe concept. It is the easiest and most profitable solution for creating ama zing smoothies and cock tails. Just add Le Fruit, no need to add sugar. Especially designed for professionals, Le Fruit de MONIN brings you the true taste and texture of fruit... for great fruity drinks!

More info and recipes on www.monin.com MONIN Middle East & India Dubai - United Arab Emirates export@monin-france.com T: + 971 50 728 9167

Ingredient focus Halal

Reaping the rewards As international demand for halal products rises, Ben Watts examines the size and potential of a market that is attracting attention from operators around the world — in F&B and beyond

oday, with a rising number of Muslims living in countries outside the Islamic world, a growing number of Shariah-compliant hotels coming online and increased cultural understanding from non-Muslims, the market for halal foodstuffs is flourishing. According to statistics from the organisers of the 3rd Halal Expo 2009 — Dubai, set to take place this November, the halal food market constitutes some 12% of the global trade in food products. By 2025 this figure is forecasted to reach 20%, with Muslims expected to account for 30% of the world’s population. Today, many national trade missions are realising the great potential of halal products and are starting to capitalise on an industry that can no longer be ignored. Jose Ma Dinsay, commercial attaché for the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre, UAE, revealed that the south Asian country was among those targeting the Middle East market. “Given the food supply requirement and high per-capita income of the leading GCC nations, we have identified the tremendous opportunity in tapping into their burgeoning demand for halal products,” explains Dinsay. “In line with this we are taking significant

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

efforts aimed at increasing our halal exports, including the establishment of a local body to certify products and ensure that they meet stringent Halal requirements.” Robert Earley, Pureland brand manager for Food Service Trading, regional distributors for the US foodstuff supplier Rastelli Foods, notes: “The marketing of halal products has improved over the past five years or so, as western manufacturers and producers strive to promote their brands in the Middle East. “When sourcing halal products, it’s vital to be able trace the product back to the facility where the animal was harvested in order to verify that the process was conducted in accordance with the halal process.” As a result, Earley explains that manufacturers and processing plants must be able to provide care-certified documentation. “At Rastelli’s, all the cattle for our Pureland Black Angus beef programme are harvested in accordance to the Zabiha, a process that requires the animals to be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter,” he explains. “A Muslim cleric pronounces the Tasmiah in person and uses a sharp knife to cut through the neck in a certain way, so the blood is drained thoroughly from the carcass before processing of the animal commences.”

In case there is any doubt that the process has not been followed through with strict compliance, Earley suggests importers or distributors should visit their supplier’s processing plants to “physically verify the Halal harvesting process”.

Tradition and beliefs In most states in the Middle East, the failure of a supplier, manufacturer or an F&B outlet to observe halal procedures can result in a fine, closure or even criminal proceedings. Al Ain Rotana executive chef Mauro Seu comments: “Halal products are very important in our establishment, as is adhering to Muslim traditions and beliefs. “Since the health authority is very strict on the import of food to the UAE, most of the products entering the country have a certificate stating the product is halal; it is

US$

43.8 billion

GCC halal forecast for 2009 Source: Orange Fairs and Events

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

Ingredient focus Halal

therefore not exactly difficult to procure halal products here.” Because of the importance of halal compliance to Muslims — and also because of the growing Islamic presence in countries outside traditionally Muslim nations — it is becoming ever more commonplace for international suppliers to observe halal regulations. In the last few years, even McDonald’s has trialled halal-compliant menus in the US and UK markets. Food Service Trading’s Earley agrees with

2.1

US$

trillion annually Total global halal industry projection for 2009 Source: Orange Fairs and Events

the argument that all meat products should meet halal standards, not only providing a route into the profitable Middle East market but also increasingly holding appeal on the international scene. “At Rastelli Foods, all our Pureland Black Angus cattle are harvested halal for both the US domestic market and the international markets we supply,” Earley reveals. “The demand for halal products is growing — but there is still room for further growth, as some manufacturers or producers only have a limited halal portfolio.” Nafees Ahmed, director of Orange Fairs and Events, the organisers of Halal Expo — Dubai, observes: “Halal is a very important concept in the Middle East. “When companies have a halal certificate consumers have confidence; it also means the product is safe. “Halal is not only about the slaughter, it is about the source and the whole chain

Al Ain Rotana executive chef Mauro Seu.

MOHAMED HAREB AL OTAIBA #1 in commercial kitchen equipment & hospitality solutions Six decades of local experience The most exclusive clients The most experienced international team Tailor-made custom-fit solutions Completed Projects MHAO & you - the undisputed winners! Strategic Partnerships . . . Local Advantage

P.O.Box 5009 | Dubai | U.A.E. | Tel: +971 04 3414900 / 3474944 | Fax: +971 341 3223 / 3473499

5IF 6MUJNBUF JO 3PPN $PGGFF 4PMVUJPO

Coffee Maker for Soft Pods

Coffee Maker for Coffee Capsule

Versatile Coffee Maker

Ingredient focus Halal

— from the food given to an animal to the packaging, it all has to be halal-compliant.” The exhibition is entering its third year and remains one of only a handful of shows dedicated to the halal industry. This year, the show is expecting 85 exhibitors from 34 countries — an increase from 52 exhibitors last year, demonstrating a sizable expansion despite the turbulent financial climate. “Exhibitors from countries as diverse as Singapore, Korea, Italy and the Philippines demonstrate that halal is a worldwide business, going beyond the borders of the Muslim world,” comments Ahmed.

The halal brand Despite a plethora of national and regional halal-certification organisations, Orange Fairs and Events’ Ahmed insists the procedure for achieving compliance is fairly straightforward.

US$

million The amount of recorded business deals made at last year’s Halal Expo — Dubai Source: Orange Fairs and Events

Caterer Middle East November 2009

Halal F&B products cover a broad selection.

Orange Fairs and Events’ Nafees Ahmed.

Almost all certification organisations share a level of communication, he explains, preventing the rules from becoming too fragmented or confusing for importers, governments and buyers to understand. Al Ain Rotana’s Seu, however, notes that those purchasing a wide variety of imported foodstuffs can face problems. “Most products have a clear label, which shows the authenticity of halal certification,” says Seu. “Sometimes, however, we are forced to reject products without halal certification, which creates problems for a smooth operation.” Seu adds that if all suppliers and manu-

factures adhered to halal standards, these problems would not exist. “It definitely would benefit business, especially since we adhere to the tradition of our Muslim guests — especially in this part of the world,” he affirms. Halal has no borders, according to Orange Fairs and Events’ Ahmed. “The practice stretches beyond the recognised market of meat products, with all aspects of F&B, cosmetics, hospitality, logistics and even insurance now offering halal services and products,” notes Ahmed. “However 94% of our show will remain within the realm of F&B.”

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Ingredient focus Halal

Stands at the last edition of the Halal Expo — Dubai. With such a variety of routes and avenues to explore, the halal industry appears to be an unstoppable force that will soon dominate markets outside the Middle East and Muslim world. Some food firms outside the region are producing halalcertified products “just to strengthen their brands”, according to Orange Fairs and Events’ Ahmed. “It is about brand development,” he argues. “The Halal Expo will be a place to target your audience — for example Sharia-compliant hotels. “The show will continue to grow because people use halal products as it is a sign of safety and comes with quality assurance — it is not just limited to Muslims; it is beyond that,” he asserts. Food Service Trading’s Earley concludes: “We believe there is always room for expansion and we are always welcoming future business and long-term relationships with new clientele. This year, we have signed several new contracts to supply our customers with halal products — and we predict the demand for halal will continue.”

3600

The number of confirmed pre-registered visitors for the 3rd Halal Expo — Dubai. The organisers say they are expecting the attendance to pass the 4000 mark for the three day event

Because milk inspires the coffee world Schaerer’s automatic espresso machines encomcompass everything that is important in today’s demanding world of coffee including professional milk preparation in all its variations – from fully automatic to manual. To ænd out more, contact us at: M. Schaerer Ltd. phone +41 (0)31 858 51 11, fax +41 (0)31 858 51 40 www.schaerer.com

Source: Orange Fairs and Events

SWISS MADE www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Supplier news November 2009

Supplier news

Seafood exhibition continues growth Exhibition organiser wants further expansion for the Middle East’s largest seafood trade show The 3rd Seafood Expo 2009 – Dubai witnessed an increase in exhibitor numbers this year, highlighting the fortitude of the region’s seafood industry. The fair demonstrated “tremendous growth”, according to Nafees Ahmed, director of show organiser Orange Fairs and Events. “This is the only platform in the Middle East for this industry,” noted Ahmed. “Exhibitors have been impressed with the quality of visitors and they have been successfully closing deals.” Ahmed pointed to the growing interest in the region’s seafood market from Chinese firms, highlighting the contingent’s growth from three companies at last year’s show to 18 companies at the 2009 edition. Canadian Sable Fish Association marketing director Mark Baggio, who was exhibiting at the Madinat Jumeirah event, said the quality of the show’s visitors had been of a high level. “This show has been good, especially for airline contacts,” noted Baggio. “While other shows we normally attend, such as those in Brussels or China, tend to be busier, this show has been really focused on quality, with many buyers present.” Last year’s show saw approximately US $5-6 million worth of business take place, according to its organisers.

National Prawn Company’s Laurence Cook.

Canadian Sable Fish Association’s Mark Baggio.

“We are expecting that figure to have increased at this year’s show,” said Orange Fairs and Events’ Ahmed. “A lot of deals took place at this expo.” Ahmed went so far as to predict that the final figure, in terms of deals effected at the Seafood Expo would come close to the US $10-11 million mark. Laurence Cook, director of corporate communications at Saudi Arabian-based seafood firm National Prawn Company, commented: “This is an important show for us. Dubai is a market we like — but other markets in the region are a bit slow. “We would liked to have seen more chefs however, as we are really looking for endusers,” he added.

Orange Fairs and Events remained bullish, declaring the show a success and on track for expansion in future. “It is a growing industry and we want to gbuild this show to around 500 exhibitors — especially if we can get the World Trade Centre as a venue,” declared Orange Fairs and Events’ Ahmed.

140

The number of exhibitors at this year’s Seafood Expo, Dubai — increasing from 127 at the 2008 show.

Omani poultry firm set for market expansion A’Saffa Poultry has announced plans to increase its market share in Oman to 35%, by expanding its operations in the Sultanate. Among the company’s plans is a state-of-the-art farm in the south of the country,

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

designed to meet the growing domestic and international demand for high-quality natural chicken products. A’Saffa Poultry already produces 17,000 tonnes of poultry products for Oman, the GCC and other countries.

State-of-the-art poultry farm planned.

A’Saffa chief executive officer Nasser al Maully said: “We are confident that demand across Oman will continue to grow as consumers recognise the quality and flavour of our chicken compared to imported chicken or that of other producers.”

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

Supplier news November 2009

Chocolate boutique café opens in Dubai Belgium chocolate café concept owner declares new outlet in mall musical store a sweet success Belgium chocolate brand Galler launched a new-look outlet last month in the Mall of the Emirates, one of Dubai’s largest shopping centres. The brand’s owner, Belgian Royal Warrant holder Jean Galler, declared himself pleased with the customer reaction to the outlet, which is situated as a concession in the mall’s Virgin Megastore. “The reaction from the customers has been very good,” said Galler. “We were expecting less traffic so we are very happy with this opening.” The Chocolat-Thé concept, pioneered by Galler, offers customers chocolates made from natural ingredients, chocolate drinks and a healthy-eating menu. Founded in 1976 by Jean Galler, the Galler brand has witnessed success in the Middle East with chocolate boutiques now open in Kuwait and a selection of locations across the UAE. Galler claimed the brand could attribute 40% of its profits to the region’s F&B market. “I think we are one of the only outlets to offer our full range across the F&B market, so hotels can purchase a good quality product with a decent selection and a beautiful image,” he commented. Galler also noted that the standard of the

Galler praised the competition his brand faced in a highly competive market. competition, which has emerged in recent years across the region, was forcing the company to stay on its toes. “I have been very impressed with the stan-

dard of the retail chocolate business here,” he said. “Across chocolate outlets one can see a high level of competition in the present market — they all have something to offer.”

Food expo giant set to come to capital emirate The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) will host the inaugural Middle East edition of SIAL, one the world’s largest food industry exhibitions on November 15-17, 2010. Bernard Becker, chairman of SIAL organisers Comexposium, said: “The Middle East is one of the most buoyant markets and we look forward to introducing the brand in Abu Dhabi.”

Caterer Middle East November 2009

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company marketing director Paul Vincent added: “We are very pleased to be chosen as the host venue for this important industry event. “We believe SIAL Middle East is an excellent new addition to the expanding portfolio of exhibitions hosted at ADNEC.” Held every two years in Paris, France, SIAL attracts more than 147,000 visitors from 185 countries.

ADNEC gears up for food extravaganza.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Supplier news November 2009

Green ovens introduced A taste of Wales in UAE Combi-steamer manufacturer Convotherm has developed a cooking programme that consumes less energy. Developed by the German company, the ecoCooking feture saves up to 25% of energy and is accredited by industry standard DIN 18873. A spokesperson for the firm said: “Continuing rising energy costs induced Convotherm to develop ecoCooking. “The principle behind this innovation is as simple as it is ingenious,” he claimed. “Advanced Closed System, which is integrated in every Convotherm combi steamer, prevents heat from escaping

Convotherm’s energy saving machine. out of the cooking chamber — ecoCooking uses this feature and continues to cook in preprogrammed impulses, while the food continues to cook with the existing residual heat.” From November 2009, ecoCooking will become a standard feature of every Convotherm combi steamer.

Supermarket chain Spinneys brought a taste of Wales to the UAE at a recent food showcase. The event, held last month at the Desert Palm Resort and Spa, Dubai, featured products from a number of Welsh firms, including lamb, hand-cooked snacks and a selection of dairy products. Organic yoghurts and deserts producer Rachel’s Organic Dairy was also present among the suppliers and manufacturers from the country. International Business Wales Middle East vice president Lee Jennings said: “We were delighted to be able to showcase the best food Wales has to offer and strengthen our regional ties.

K EA P S U O? O Y ESS LAVAZZA is the only Espresso coffee company O D PR in the world able to offer the widest range of ES products/solutions focused on the ESPRESSO

Wide range of machines adapt to every segment Reliability and functionality of the EP and BLUE systems Easy maintenance of the machines Wide range of high quality products: precious blends of coffee Complete offer of complementary products to satisfy any needs and consumption situation Optimal preservation of the product Constant quality of the product from the first to the last brewing

Ruth Kirwan Tel: +971 50 5959385 Fax: +971 4 3211274 Email: ruth@lavazza.ae Web: www.lavazza.ae

“Wales currently exports over US $10 million worth of food and beverage products to the Middle East and relationships such as this will allow further expansion into other markets.” The brands on show were originally introduced to Spinneys at Dubai’s Gulfood exhibition early this year, where they were selected to feature in its stores.

Welsh products take centre stage.

Le Lavazza espresso machine Ho.Re.CaVending

HO.RE.CA

VENDING

International Recognition. Great results start with great equipment. Hamilton BeachÂŽ Commercial products are known worldwide for top-rated blending and mixing performance. For more information, visit www.commercial.hamiltonbeach.com or email export@doriandrake.com

ÂŠ 2007 Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.

F&B essentials Tableware

Tableware key to region’s F&B success Middle East F&B outlets ahead of other markets in selecting stylish tableware Ensuring an outlet’s tabletops feature top-of-the-range, stylish tableware is an essential component for success, according to one industry expert. “Today, tableware and restaurant ambience is just as important as the quality of the kitchen or the quality of the service,” said Eisch Glaskultur owner Eberhard Eisch. Eisch, whose company has been producing tabletop products since its formation in 1946, noted that outlets and suppliers in the Middle East were “focusing more on tableware design and quality than in most other regions in the world”. Gavin Dodd, managing director of hospitality supplier A Ronai, continued: “Most new tableware trends find their way to the Middle East quickly, considering the influences from Europe, Asia and Africa.”

Dodd added that the preference among F&B buyers was still predominantly for white tableware products. “Like the rest of the global food service market, the focus remains on white products with differences created by innovative shape and surface treatment, along with smaller tasting portions and individual service for buffet presentation,” he said. “Shape, as opposed to surface pattern, has been the main area of evolution of products over recent years, allowing a different look in terms of style and form, while still allowing the food to remain centre stage.” Eisch added that the trend today was heading towards “unique and innovative products that offer a difference from all the general products that are available”.

ONE TO WATCH Haif Hospitality Furnishings Having worked with some of the largest hotel operators in the region, Haif Hospitality Furnishings is one tableware supplier to keep an eye out for. The hospitality supplier has recently introduced two new tableware ranges to the region’s F&B outlets, from renowned French porcelain manufacturers Pillivuyt and British firm Dudson.

“The firm has to be top of its game when it comes to tableware,” says the firm’s assistant general manager, Nathalie Berberi. Berberi notes that chefs in the Middle East are quick to catch onto global tableware trends, because they come from different parts of the world, bringing with them an assortment of different styles and tastes.

Simple white tableware is a classic choice.

The supplier you should know… A Ronai is one of the region’ss rs, leading tableware distributors, re with products from tableware l manufacturers Steelite International, Oneida and Glass & Co within its extensive portfolio. A Ronai Tel:+971 4 331 3390 Email: info@ronai.co.uk Web: www.ronai.co.uk

The Alizee range by Pillivuyt.

Haif Hospitality Furnishings Tel: +971 4 337 2456 | Email: management@hhfuae.ae | Web: www.hhfuae.ae A Ronai’s Gavin Dodd.

Caterer Middle East November 2009

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

F&B F &B e essentials sse entiialss Tableware Tab ablew l are re

[Meat at the top...

Art de Cuisine Miniatures

...fish at the bottom]

These compact additions to Churchill China’s Art de Cuisine Menu range come in a wide variety of eye-catching shapes and offer great scope for artistic table set-ups. There are 10 miniature dishes in the line, including canapé models and sauce dishes Churchill China Tel: +44 1782 524 361 Email: glenn.ewart@churchillchina.plc.uk Web: www.churchillchina.com

mini 2in1

Cera This expressive range from Villeroy & Boch features clear shapes, unusual formats and an assortment of individual items. Villeroy & Boch AG Tel: +49 6864 81 1344 Email: kloeckner.kristina@villeroy-boch.com Web: www.villeroy-boch.com

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

The unbeatable combination – two cooking chambers with only one operation panel Visit our training center at Raffles Campus in Dubai! For more information, please contact: marketing@convotherm.de

www.convotherm.com

F&B essentials sentials Tableware

Peugeot Acrylic Mills

Dining ing in Style & Dining ing with Luxury Porcelain in manufacturer RAK Porcelain has strengthened its portfolio of products by cing two new collections — Dining in Style and Dining with Luxury introducing Luxury. Featuring in the collections are the All Spice range by French designer Alain Vavro and a new buffet dining, finger foods and cocktail range called Mazza.

These stylish salt and pepper mills come in a variety of sizes and are available from Dubai-based distributor 4 Homes, who also supply a wide range of chinaware, porcelain and cutlery.

RAK Porcelain Tel: +971 7 244 7758 Email: rakporcelain@rakceram.com

4 Homes Tel: +971 4 336 4900 Email: 4homes@4homes.ae

Breathable Glass

Spyro

Nexus

This range from German glassmaker Eisch Glaskultur has been recognised by wine experts for its innovative oxygenising treatment. Once manufactured, the glasses undergo an oxygenisation process that provides each piece with innovative ‘breathable’ properties.

Steelite International’s Spyro range, available from A Ronai, combines contemporary forms and traditional finishing. Each piece is styled with a swirling embossment that catches light, to create an optical effect of highlights and shadows.

The Nexus range from UK-based ceramic tableware specialists Dudson is a distinctive and versatile line available from regional partners Haif Hospitality Furnishings. The Nexus fine china, glass and cutlery collection is a multifunctional concept combining practicality with food presentation.

EverStyle Trading Tel: +971 6 531 4106 Email: estdxb@eim.ae

Caterer Middle East November 2009

A Ronai Tel: +971 4 331 3390 Email: info@ronai.co.uk Web: www.ronai.co.uk

Haif Hospitality Furnishings Tel: +971 4 337 2456 Email: management@hhfuae.ae

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Product showcase Ovens

Some like it

hot

As an integral part of most kitchens, an oven is more team member than appliance. Here, Caterer Middle East showcases a selection of some of the finest models available

Convotherm Mini 2in1 Convotherm Elektrogeräte offers a fully-equipped combi steamer, which features two separate cooking chambers and requires only one control panel. Measuring only 51.5cm it ranks among the smallest combi steamers on the market. The operation of the combi steamer is easy due to the machine’s easyToUCH touch screen.

SelfCooking Center These comprehensive self-cleaning machines even boast a cooking monitoring system.

Hounö has introduced the central dosage station CombiWash Logistics, which can be customised and works automatically.

Convotherm Elektrogeräte Tel: +971 56 6047 411 Email: g.eichhorn@convotherm.de Web: www.convotherm.com

Rational Tel: +44 800 389 2944 Web: www.rational-UK.com

Hounö A/S Tel: +45 8711 4711 Email: houno@houno.com Web: www.houno.com

Combitherm

HansDampf Compact

Whirlpool AVM 840

The Combitherm oven features a patented smoking capability in addition to standard combi-cooking modes. It can also clear any smoke residue in one cleaning cycle.

This oven utilises modern combi technology in a small space and is compatible with kitchens of all denominations.

This medium duty combi-microwave oven, available from Valera, can reduce cooking times by up to 50% and combines grill and microwave functions.

Alto-Shaam Tel: +1 262 509 6556 Web: www.alto-shaam.com

CombiWash Logistics

Caterer Middle East November 2009

MKN Tel: +49 5331 89 208 Email: export@mkn.de Web: www.hansdampf.eu

Valera Tel: +44 845 270 4321 Web: www.valera.co.uk

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Product showcase Tea and coffee

Beverage brilliance Get a caffeine kick with Caterer Middle East’s product showcase of the latest and greatest tea and coffee products on the market

Concordia Coffee System

Rocket Espresso

This fully-automatic coffee machine, available from Coffee Planet, can serve more than 1000 drinks continuously without compromising temperature or taste.

The espresso equipment package from Dubai-based roaster Raw Coffee Company consists of a coffee machine from Italian manufacturer Rocket Espresso and grinders from Eureka Mignon Instantaneo.

Coffee Planet Tel: +971 4 341 5537 Email: coffee@mycoffeeplanet.com Web: www.mycoffeeplanet.com

Raw Coffee Company Tel: +971 50 553 6808 Email: kim@rawcoffee.ae Web: www.rawcoffeecompany.com

Nestea Iced Tea

Twinings range of pure and flavoured green teas are rich in anti-oxidants. The green tea range includes green tea and mint, jasmine, lemon, orange, earl grey and pure green.

This refreshing iced tea product, available from Nestlé Professional, is described as an everyday drink and is available in a 145g pouch. It comes in two flavours — peach or lemon — and is delivered with a free on-loan EZ Care machine, which comes with two bowls.

Baqer Mohebi Tel: +971 4 396 9777 Email: bme@mohebi.com

Nestlé Professional — Middle East Tel: +971 4 883 8000 Email: nestle.professional@ae.nestle.com

Twinings Green Tea

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Mahlkonig Pro M Grinder The Pro M Grinder from Mahlkonig comes with a compact design and features that increase efficiency and precision. The grinder offers precise portioning and is easily adjustable for varying coffee blends. BonCafé Middle East Tel: +971 4 282 8742 Web: www.boncafeme.ae

Julius Meinl Tea Range The Meinl family is still involved in the purchasing and blending of this brand’s vast portfolio of tea products. The Austrian firm utilises longstanding supplier relationships to guarantee only the best teas are distributed. Merchant Star International Tel: +971 4 266 7447 Email: msigulf@eim.ae Web: www.meinl.ae

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

Supplier Product showcase

New products Caterer Middle East showcases the best and brightest F&B products to hit the market

Milco Fresh Milk and Yoghurt range The Milco range has been re-launched with new formulations and packaging. New-look products complement new tastes across the range. New products in the line include fresh cow’s milk in full cream and low fat, fruit-flavoured yoghurts in full cream and low fat variations, plus white cheese and labneh. National Food Products Company Tel: +971 2 558 2808 Email: info@nfpcgroup.com Web: www.nfpcgroup.com

‘akzent’ This new buffet line by Frilich combines an elaborate design with a mix of materials. The ‘akzent’ line features stylish plates, cereal dispensers and jam pots. Everstyle Trading Tel: +971 6 531 4106 Fax: +971 6 531 4460

Palet These handy mini-pastry dishes from Solia act as an up-market alternative to cardboard supports and come with a bent tongue for easy handling. The range comes in a variety of colours and shapes. Solia Tel: +33 468 642 142 Email: exp@solia.fr

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Supplier Product showcase

Monin Fig

Quadzilla S-3300

Monin has introduced fig to its beverage flavourings range. The amber-coloured syrup has an intense taste and is recommended by Monin for creating refreshing teas, sodas and other beverages.

The Quadzilla S-3300 has an output of 1506kg of dice ice and 1533 kg of half-dice ice within 24 hours. The Quadzilla evaporator system features four high-output individual evaporators.

Monin MEI Tel: +9714 374 7156 Email: tgergov@monin-mei.com Web: www.monin.com

Manitowoc Foodservice Group Tel: +1 888 235 9703 Email: andrea.pandolfini@manitowoc.com Web: www.manitowocfoodservice.com

Urban Country The casa-style Urban Country collection from Sahco offers interior designers 10 easy-care Trevira CS quality fabrics made from linen and cotten. Sahco Tel: +971 4 332 91 97 Email: dubai@sahco-hesslein.com Web: www.sahco-hesslein.com

Chocca Mocca Chocolates Chocca Mocca Chocolates from The Original Candy Company are specifically for the foodservice industry. The two flavours on offer are real strawberries in white chocolate and real cranberries in dark chocolate. Classic Fine Foods Tel: +971 6 534 4554 Email: www.chocca-mocca.com Web: enquiries@originalcandyco.com

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Distributors and supplies directory

Distributors MMI Tel: 00971 4 209 5000 http: www.mmidubai.com (Beverages) BAQER MOHEBI Tel: 00971 4 396 9777 Email: bme@mohebi.com (Marketing & distribution of food & non food FMCG, food ingredients & Cuban Cigars) GREENHOUSE SUPERMARKET Tel: 00971 6 5332218 Email: greenhse@eim.ae (Importers / Distributors of Food Items)

EMF EMIRATES

Tel: 00971 4 2861166 Fax: 00971 4 2863080 Email: info@emf-emirates.ae LA MARQUISE Tel: 00971 4 343 3478 Email: sales@lamarquise.ae http: www.lamarquise.ae (Refrigeration, coffee machines, water, chocolates, ice cream)

HORECA TRADE LLC Tel: 00971 4 3403330 Email: mail@horecatrade.ae http: www.horecatrade.com

SALAH HOSPITALITY Tel: 00971 4 3375537 Email: sales@salahhospitality.com http: www.riedel.com SHURA TRADING & HOTEL SUPPLIES

MH ENTERPRISES

Tel: 009714 3470 444 Fax: 009714 3470 972 Email: surinder@mhent.ae http: www.mhent.ae

Tel: 00971 4 320 4481 Fax: 00971 4 320 4482 Email: faria@shuraemirates.com http: www.shuraemirates.com

Suppliers BEVERAGES BONCAFE Tel: 00971 4 2828742 Email: sales.dept@boncafeme.ae http: www.boncafeme.ae

MKN Tel: 0049 5 3 318 9207 Email: km@mkn.de http: www.mkn.de MOHAMED HAREB AL OTAIBA Tel: 00971 4 3414900 Email: wissam@mhao.ae http: www.alotaibagroup.com FOODSTUFF

COFFEE PLANET Tel: 00971 4 341 5537 Email: coffee@mycoffeeplanet.com http: www.mycoffeeplanet.com FRANKE Tel: 0041 6 2 787 3607 http: www.franke-cs.com MERCHANT STAR INTERNATIONAL Tel: 00971 4 266 7447 Email: ali@meinl.ae http: www.meinl.ae MONIN Tel: 00971 50 940 0918 Email: tgergov@monin-mei.com http: www.monin.com

NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL Tel: 00971 4 408 8100 Email: npdxb@ae.nestle.com RAW COFFEE COMPANY Tel: 00971505536808 Email: kim@rawcoffee.ae http: www.rawcoffeecompany.com SCHAERER Tel: 0041 (0) 318 585111 Email: info@schaerer.com http: www.schaerer.com COOKING CONVOTHERM Tel: 0049 884 7670 Email: info@convotherm.de http: www.convotherm.de

BAKEMART LLC Tel: 00971 4 2675406 Email:bakemart@emirates.net.ae http: www.bake-mart.com GHRAOUI CHOCOLATE Tel: 00971 4 339 8264 Email:ghraoui.dfc@mailmac.net http:www.ghraouichocolate.com GILES & POSNER Tel: 0044(0)1923 234040 Fax: 0044(0)1923 245151 Email: sales@gilesandposner.com http: www.gilesandposner.com

LAMBWESTON Tel: 00971 50 6447837 Email:frankboering@lambweston-nl.com http: www.lambwestonmeijer.nl

THE ORIGINAL CANDY COMPANY LTD. Tel: 0044 (0)1285 711227 Email: btoriginalcandy@aol.com http: www.originalcandyco.com www.chocca-mocca.com SEAFOOD

SWISS CHOCOLATE Tel: 00971 7 244 4984 Email: chocolat@chocolat.ae http: www.chocolat.ae TULSIDAS LALCHAND Tel: 00971 4 3533736 E-mail:trade@tulsidas.com http: www.tulsidas.com

G.E.T ENTERPRISES Tel: 001 713 467 9394 Email: getinc@get-melamine.com http: www.get-melamine.com

CLEARWATER SEAFOODS Tel: 001 902 443 0550 Email: cdnsales@clearwater.ca http: www.clearwater.ca GOURMET CHEF PACKERS Tel: 001 506 532 4497 Email: mary@gcpackers.com http: www.gcpackers.com

MAXIM WORLD Tel: 0044 208 429 6822 Email: info@maximworld.com http: www.maximworld.com

GOURMET’S CHOICE Tel: 0044(0)1261 842 448 Fax: 0044(0)1261 842 884 Email: henry@gourmetschoice.demon.co.uk http: www.gourmetschoice.net

VILLEROY AND BOCH Tel: 00352 46821208 Email: info.hr@villeroy-boch.com http: www.villeroy-boch.com

ROYAL CULIMER FZE Tel: 00971 4 8817847 Fax: 00971 4 8817848 Email: jtollenaar@culimer.com http: www.culimer.com SIX BROTHERS FOODSTUFF CO LTD

Tel: 00971 6 5339644 Fax: 00971 6 5335495 Email: sixbros@eim.ae HYGIENE

NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL Tel: 00971 4 408 8100 Email: npdxb@ae.nestle.com

BAKING TECHNOLOGIES Tel: 00971 4 885 7557 Email: ton@baking-technologies.com http: www.baking-technologies.com

JOHNSON DIVERSEY GULF FZE Tel: 00971 4 881 9470 http: www.johnsondiversey.com NEWELL RUBBERMAID Tel: 00971 4 292 3444 Email: yasmin.dabbah@newellco.com http: www.newellrubbermaid.com RESTAURANT/HOTEL SUPPLIES

AIRSTAR SPACE LIGHTING Tel: 00971 4 8854906 Email: hichamlalmi@airstarme.ae http: www.airstar-light.com

CATERING EQUIPMENT HAMILTON BEACH COMMERCIAL

Tel: 001 973 263 3132 www.commercial.hamiltonbeach.com

VITAMIX Tel:001 440 782 2450 Email: international@vitamix.com http: www.vitamix.com POLO POINT Tel: 00971 56 606 6851 Email: maria.varnein@polopoint.ae KNIVES

DICK Tel: 0049 7 153 8170 Email: mail@dick.de http: www.dick.de VICTORINOX AG Tel: 0041 41 818 12 64 Email: alain.hospenthal@victorinox.ch http: www.victorinox.com

Appointments November 2009

Taking the reins of outlet operations at the remote Six Senses Hideaway, Zighy Bay on Oman’s Musandam Peninsula is its former F&B service manager, Jorrit Gerritsma. Here, he speaks to Caterer Middle East following his promotion to F&B director about what he has up his sleeve for the eco-resort’s restaurants What do you hope to bring to this new role following your recent promotion to F&B director? I hope to motivate my team to do their best. I feel my team is of great importance to the resort, because our guests will see members of the F&B team at least three times a day. It is my job to make sure they have the tools to perform the best they can. Are you planning to introduce any new F&B concepts or change the resort’s outlet outlook now you’re the boss? Yes, we are going to create something unique. If you give me six months I will demonstrate something new to the region — and the F&B world!

What do you make of Oman’s F&B scene? I feel like we are closer to Dubai, so I do not really know the scene in Oman. I do, however, feel we are behind Europe and Asia, and I believe that we need to educate our guests further when it comes to new trends.

Susy Massetti joins Sheraton Deira Hotel as the property’s executive chef. She previously worked at Sheraton Abu Dhabi Resort and Towers as executive sous chef and at The Diplomat Radisson SAS, Bahrain. She has also worked in a series of stand-alone restaurants, including Yoshi’s Downtown and Zanzare Inc in the United States. Massetti, a certified HACCP trainer, is the author of Mangia, a book of 70 contemporary Italian and Mediterranean recipes.

Caterer Middle East November 2009

What do you see as the F&B industry’s biggest problem? It is not easy to get organic products in Oman and UAE. We have to motivate producers to try new ways of growing organic and that will take time. Six Senses tries to reduce its carbon footprint in regards to food products, but in order to obtain the best products, we will have to be creative.

What will it take for Oman to become a true F&B hub within the Middle East? We have already created a great mix of local cooking methods, such as the use of spices, and top French cuisine. At Sense on the Edge we have been able to blend the two together and as a result have created something new. I believe that this attitude is the right direction to take.

Recent appointments... UAE-based dairy, juices and water producer National Food Products Company has appointed Mike Henderson as its new chief operating officer. Henderson will take on the responsibility of developing the company’s operations, as it aims to continue its growth as a market leader in the beverage and dairy sector. He brings with him 29 years of industrial experience, having worked as a partner for Accenture Global Management Consultant for seven years and Procter and Gamble for 20 years.

What is the strangest request you have ever received from a guest? Someone once asked me if they could grill their goat on the barbeque!

The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, Kuwait City and Arraya Ballroom welcomes Gerald Moutte as general manager. Moutte has a wealth of management experience, having worked for a selection of multinational chains. He joins the Kuwaiti property from the Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where he was general manager, and is a former director of food and beverage at JW Marriott Cairo. Moutte’s career has taken him to South Korea, the USA, Egypt, the UAE and France. He was also part of the launch project for Disneyland, Paris.

Giulio Brignola becomes executive chef of Carluccio’s in Dubai Mall. The Italian chef who hails from Naples was previously chef de cuisine at The Ritz Carlton, Dubai’s Italian restaurant, Splendido. He has worked as chef de cuisine in an Italian restaurant for Westin Hotels in Beijing, China, and was formally head chef at Hilton International Abu Dhabi’s BiCE restaurant. During his career he has picked up a Time Out Dubai award and worked in outlets in Glasgow and London in the UK.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

Contact Details:

SUPPLIER

Amanda Stewart GSM: +44 7908 117 333 Email: amanda.stewart@itp.com

Alexandra Knight Tel: +971 4 435 6143 Email: alexandra.knighth@itp.com

Did you know that I am a 100% Grade 1 Arabica bean?

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH A LEADING CATERING & SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDER IN SAUDI ARABIA One of the largest diversified business groups in Saudi Arabia having ambitious growth plans is looking for High caliber Professionals for the following

QA/QC MANAGER (TQM SPECIALIST): Graduate with 12 -15

COUNTRY HEAD- CATERING:

MATERIALS MANAGER:

Bachelor Degree in Hotel Management with minimum 20 years experience preferably in large Commercial Industrial Catering Companies having Operations in multiple locations. The incumbent will be responsible for Business Development, Strategic Planning, Project Execution, Resource Utilization and P&L of the Division. The position reports to the General Manager of the company and is supported by a team of nearly 1000 employees at various levels.

Bachelor / Post Graduate Degree with specialization in Material Management, with 15- 20 years hands on experience in sourcing Food , Non food and Engineering materials for large organizations from local, national and international Markets as per the requirement in a time bound manner. The incumbent shall Plan, Organize, direct, control and review schedules, programs and procedures to meet demands with respect to purchasing, material management, inventory control, warehouse, logistics and generate MIS.

years of experience in planning and implementing Total Quality Management preferably in hospitality industry. Incumbent shall be responsible for TQM Implementation and QA/QC Function of the Organization. Key responsibilities include Administration and Control of QA/QC activities. Leading, developing and driving companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quality Management systems through Quality Initiatives.

Western Nationals Preferred ( Position Code CO-P-01)

Western / Arab Nationals Preferred Code: CO-P-02

Western / Arab Nationals Preferred (Position Code: CO-P-03)

Remuneration offered Includes attractive tax free salary commensurate with the qualification and experience and will not be a constraint for the right candidate. Candidates meeting the above requirements and proven track record in similar positions in the Middle East may please apply immediately with complete details super scribing the post applied and Position Code to: vacancyinsaudi@gmail.com

Dates for the diary Calendar

DATES FOR THE DIARY... November 2009 S

M T

W T

S M

W T

S M

T W

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 November 1-4 Saudi Agro-Food 2009 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia F&B products, equipment, technology, distributors, producers and agents www.recexpo.com November 2-4 Sweets Middle East Dubai, UAE Regional showcase for suppliers and distributors from the confectionary industry www.sweetsmiddleeast.com November 3-6 HOTEX Damascus, Syria International exhibition for

hotel and restaurant equipment www.hotexfair.com November 3-6 WorldFood Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan Tradeshow covering all sectors of the food and drink industry www.worldfood.kz November 9-11 Equip’Hotel Middle East Abu Dhabi, UAE Specialised trade show dedicated to the hospitality industry www.equiphotelme.com November 10-12 3rd Halal Expo 2009 Dubai, UAE

Business platform for the global halal marketplace, featuring producers, traders and suppliers looking to crack the Middle East www.worldhalalexpos.com November 10-12 Specialty Coffee and Tea Convention Dubai, UAE The region’s only dedicated trade event for the coffee and tea industry, incorporating the first UAE Barista Championship www.coffeeandteaconvention.com November 16-18 ITCA Dubai Dubai, UAE Exhibition and conference for

in-flight catering specialists from around the world www.itcanet.com November 18-20 FNC China Shanghai, China Long-established Chinese trade exhibition for imported food, wine, beverages and hospitality equipment www.fhcchina.com COMING IN DECEMBER… December 1-3 Diyafa Doha, Qatar Qatari hotel, restaurant and food exhibition www.ifpqatar.com

Data October 2009

Where’s the home-grown talent? Each month Caterer Middle East collects data from F&B professionals across the region to bring you all the must-know industry statistics, trends and price fluctuations affecting the market

Each month, every survey participant who submits their email address will be entered into a draw to win this stylish bartender kit from gourmet flavourings provider Monin! Last month’s winner was Avinash Prabhu, assistant F&B B manager at Verre by Gordon Ramsay, Hilton Dubai Creek.

For more information about the company’s range of products, please visit: www.monin.com

of respondents said they had no nationals from the country in which their business is located working in the kitchens

Source: Caterer Middle East F&B Survey

It’s OK; when we recruit, we generally have some local interest. Whether they are hired depends on their suitability for the role

It’s difficult; there seems to be very little interest among the local population for working the long hours and going through the substantial training required in F&B

could not think of anyone when asked to name a top Arabic chef

said they did not see any need to encourage more local nationals to work in F&B

Purchaser Price Watch Are suppliers over-charging for ingredients, or has the downturn seen prices tumble? F&B buyers voice their true opinions about the year-on-year changes to ingredient costs Up to 20% higher Bakery Meat Fish Dairy

Up to 10% higher

Produce

About the same

Up to 10% lower Up to 20% lower

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Very; there is a lot of enthusiasm among nationals for working in the F&B industry

It’s impossible; there is zero interest from locals to work in this field

April 09

May

June

July

August

September

October

Source: Caterer Middle East F&B Survey

Competition

How easy do you find it to recruit staff from the country in which you operate?

Buyers' responses to ingredient prices (survey average)

This month our survey focused on an ongoing problem for Middle East outlets: the lack of home-grown, local F&B talent, both in front- and back-of-house. Many respondents felt there was room for this to change in future, with 42% suggesting local governments should promote F&B as a career path in local schools, while others advocated the establishment of local culinary academies and called for better wages to encourage local interest. The main factors discouraging Middle East nationals from entering the F&B industry were cited as the wages and working hours, garnering 58% and 21% respectively. If you’d like to take part in next month’s Caterer industry survey — for which you will receive a full anonymous break-down of the findings and go into the draw to win our monthly competition — just visit www.hoteliermiddleeast.com and click on the F&B Survey link.

November 2009 Caterer Middle East

Last bite Interview

Coffee break

Last month Caterer Middle East caught up with three-Michelin -star chef Pierre Gagnaire, in town for the first anniversary of his Dubai-based restaurant — Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire How did you originally become interested in cooking?

Being the eldest of the family, with a father who was a chef, I didn’t have much choice! Initially, I was not really interested by the job — that interest and passion came later, when I realised what I could create. What is your favourite traditional French dish to cook and why?

I do not have any favourite dish really; I try to eat everything. The roasted farm chicken my father cooks was certainly the dish I favoured when I was a kid, and I still like it very much today! What modern dish that you have created are you most proud of?

This is a very hard question because my work is always in motion. Sometimes I do stop and think “yes, this is it, it’s good”, but I have never been proud of a dish exactly, because then you feel compelled to keep it on the menu and then it slowly loses its appeal. What have been your best and worst experiences of eating out?

This I can’t say! I suppose there is always something good to draw from the worst din-

Caterer Middle East November 2009

ing experiences, even if it is only the good company. I have had some surprising food experiences, in Asia for example, but never have I faced a complete disaster.

no doubt they will lead this restaurant to great success.

A year on from opening Reflets, how do you feel about its status?

Not for the time being, at least. From Dubai, we can touch the region and actually many guests come especially from other GCC countries all the way for one dinner. It is better this way because we can preserve an

Well, it’s good. I am quite happy with the way the restaurant is going. But this is only the beginning of the story; we have won several distinctions this year, so things are good, but there is still a long way to go. This doesn’t mean any radical changes; it just has to slowly mature into becoming a real restaurant, anchored in this city. What been the biggest challenge of establishing a restaurant in Dubai?

There have been many, from the recruitment of the team, to the establishment of the chain of supply; but all in all, I am pleased with the outcome. I have a great team here, they are young, dynamic, talented and I have

Would you consider opening another outlet in the Middle East?

identity, a quality. Do you have any other major projects in the pipeline? Las Vegas in December and then Moscow in February! What advice would you give young chefs hoping to specialise in French cuisine? Be rigorous; show that you have courage and a willingness to learn; and come to work fuelled by passion.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

DISHWASHER SAFE, MOLD-AND-MILDEW RESISTANT DESIGNER POLYWEAVE BASKETS from G.E.T. TM

WEAVED WITH SOLID POLYPROPYLENE CORD. VISIT US ONLINE FOR MORE SHAPES, SIZES AND COLORS.

www.get-melamine.com G.E.T. ENTERPRISES, INC.

1515 W. SAM HOUSTON PKWY. N.

HOUSTON, TX 77043, USA

TEL. 713-467-9394

FAX 713-467-9396