ISSUE 3
Adam Tihany
From pupil to master: reflecting on a life in design
Alex Kratena
On success, sustainability and life after Artesian
Pierre Koffmann
Marking 50 years behind the pass, why the kitchen is still home
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CONTENTS
Setting
SPECIALS
Entrée 015
Starters
Room for Thought
The Restaurant
SIPPING Cocktails 043
Santoro
Appetizers 019
Grace Santorini
Trends and concepts impacting the world of
Oratorio
global hotel F&B
Elma Arts Complex, Zichron Ya’akov Saltz
Asia
076
The Donovan Bar, London
Amanemu Hotel, Shima 044
The Fallen Garden
078
Hendricks Bar 046
Be Healthy
080
Be Bop Bar, Prague 048
Dolder Gran, Zurich Rofuto
050
SERVICE
Drinks Blakes Restaurant Bar
Park Regis, Birmingham
A Modern Classic Main Course The One Who Got Away
82
Blakes Hotel, London
024
Paper Daisy
Pioneering restaurant designer Adam
Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach
Tihany reflects upon a life in design
Ocean
86
Ginaissance 90 052
P(OUR)
96
Jameson’s New Family
98
056
Vila Vita Parc, Algarve Väkst Koffmann’s Kitchen
030
064
SP34, Copenhagen
Marking 50 years in the industry,
Restaurant Le Cinq Codet
chef Pierre Koffmann discusses hotel
Le Cinq Codet, Paris
restaurants, pig’s trotters and why
Giardino
retirement didn’t suit him
Palazzo Versace, Dubai
068
SIDES
072 Coffee Culture 106 DIY Cocktails 110 Events 114
Czech Please
036
Petit Fours
122
Renowned bartender Alex Kratena on success, innovation and life after Artesian
005
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Setting
“People like titles and statuettes but they don’t really mean anything. Just as the best restaurant in the world can be the café next door if you enjoy the food.” Pierre Koffmann on praise and subjectivity.
THE GOLDEN DRAM Distilling since 1898 in the town of ABERFELDY stands one of the last remaining PERTHSHIRE distilleries. The ABERFELDY DISTILLERY sources its water from the PITILIE BURN, prized locally for its purity and rich deposits of gold and minerals. The unique water source, combined with Scottish malted barley, creates adeliciously rich but easy drinking dram. Aberfeldy is famous for its particular honeyed notes - they come from the patient process of longer fermentation, which allows for more flavour development. We then distil in COPPER POT STILLS, HANDMADE by the same family for over a century, and age to perfection in oak casks.
ABERFELDY, ITS TRADE DRESS AND THE LAST GREAT MALTS DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS
ENTRée
Room for Thought
I
t’s a miserable night in the French capital. Outside torrential
are other cocktail options in the room’s minibar, ripe for the
rain is blanketing the streets and, combined with the wind,
taking. Heavy crystal glasses lie in wait. Whether room service
the last of the late night stragglers meandering the 9th
or minibar, both are ultimately options that allow the guest
arrondissement have been driven inside.
freedom to eat or drink without stepping outside the door, if
It’s my third visit to Paris in as many weeks. I’m holed up
they so wish.
in my room at Le Grand Pigalle after a lengthy day involving
In many ways my own evening cut to the core of the in-
a train, another train, a misadventure on the metro and
room F&B experience: one decision driven by need, the other
eventually a drawn-out walk through backstreets, suitcase
by desire. What hotels are rapidly realising is that the room
in hand. Like many travellers – business or pleasure –
service and minibar models are becoming untenable when
eventually stepping into a hotel room on such an evening is
attached only to need. Had I arrived a few hours earlier,
an unrivalled bliss.
had the weather been better and had my knowledge of the
In my own case, the one pressing issue was that aside from
neighbourhood been more substantial, I likely would have
a woefully inadequate St Pancras sandwich hours earlier, I
made a different dining choice. But desire is a very different
was running on an empty stomach. The only convenience
guest motivation.
store offering a hot meal ‘nearby’ was neither very near nor
Take Blakes Hotel in London. We explore its new restaurant
very open. The thought of dusting myself off and propping
bar later in the issue, but when it comes to the rooms one
myself up at a dinner table downstairs with only minutes
will no longer find the staple selection of highly priced,
until service stopped was unappealing. So I did as so many
undersized alcohol supplies. Instead, if guests fancy an in-
do, I scanned the in-room menu for whatever seemed hearty,
room pre-dinner drink, a nightcap or even hair of the dog,
unfussy, relatively economical and called to reception. And
they can phone through an order. The bar will whisk up a
there, no more than 20 minutes later, was a pleasantly
cocktail of their choice and deliver it straight to the room. In
presented tray of relief.
this instance convenience needn’t trump choice or quality.
Now, fed and watered, I can’t help but think about the vital
Room service becomes a desirable option. At the Ace Hotel
role that room service played in both the experience of my
New Orleans, guests are presented with an in-room cocktail
day and, more specifically, my experience of the hotel. When
bar complete with cocktail shaker, cutting board, glassware,
we think of room service we often think about a hotel F&B
cocktail recipe guide and mini-sized bitters. The ‘minibar’
offer that is reaping ever diminishing returns. Some hotel
becomes a desirable option.
groups are deleting the service altogether whilst others are
Arguably the future of in-room hotel F&B now lies in how
scaling back, offering food and drink only during restaurant
hotels hope to motivate guests to use and experience their
opening hours.
services. Expecting that convenience will outbalance cost is
My own choice was arguably one of necessity. What wasn’t
perhaps no longer sustainable. But encouraging guests to
necessity however, was to sample the hand bottled, specially
order in or open up through the provision of creative concepts
mixed Negroni that had been left for me beside the bed. A
could reinvent the in-room model. And in that, there’s
handwritten brown manila tag lists the ingredients. There
certainly room for thought.
Harry McKinley | Editor
015
THE BRIGADE
Editorial
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Finance Director
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Rachel Chadwick
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Editor Harry McKinley
Marketing
h.mckinley@mondiale.co.uk
Group Credit Controller Lynette Levi l.levi@mondiale.co.uk
Editorial Intern
Brand Director
Group Financial Controller
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Amy Wright
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Contributors Design
Accounts Assistant Kerry Mountney k.mountney@mondiale.co.uk
Angus Winchester Dan F Stapleton Dominic Roskrow
Design
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Supper Magazine, Strawberry Studios, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK Tel: +44 (0)161 476 5580 • www.suppermagazine.co.uk
SIX DECADES OF DESIGN Email: hospitality@welch.co.uk
Online: robertwelch.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1386 840880
The food organisation behind all great kitchens
KILNER SUPER CLUB.indd 1
17/06/2016 15:07
APPETISERS
Breaking out in Hives
With sustainability becoming a vital element in contemporary
the colonies provide bees with much needed safe spaces, and
hotel design, development and management, innovative new
keep hotel chef’s supplied with regular batches of the complex
methods to achieve a green reputation have emerged. From
flavour option, but also significantly aid the surrounding area,
recycled materials being utilised in the construction process, to
with the bees pollinating landscaped elements of hotels and
solar energy powering the guestrooms, hotels across the planet
keeping the views serene.
have taken steps to increase the efficiency of their developments,
Rooftop bees provide honey for two of Waldorf Astoria’s
whilst decreasing their effect on the wider environment.
most popular dishes, providing wild strawberries with a wonderfully thick dipping sauce, and the field and forest
In recent years, brands such as Fairmont, Firmdale and
mushroom chowder with subtle tones of natural flavour.
Waldorf Astoria have introduced beehives to the rooftops of
Waldorf’s Park Avenue New York property boasts a hive of
their hotels in an effort to simultaneously address the insect’s
300,000 bees alone and, since the ban on beekeeping in the city
rapidly decreasing global population, and provide guests with
was lifted, over 300 colonies have sprung up around the city.
organic, homegrown honey to accompany their respective food and beverage programmes.
Rooftop gardens have become commonplace in many independent developments and chains alike, but becoming
Fairmont in particular has become a leading chain in this
similarly popular are these expansive hives that not only
respect, with its Fairmont Bee Sustainable Platform spanning
benefit the dwindling species so integral to our ecosystem, but
22 properties in North America, Asia and Africa, and many
allow hotels to give something back to the space around them,
hiring staff specifically to maintain the hives. Not only do
and serve their own unique honey straight from hive to jar.
019
APPETISERS
Penne to the dollar
Over the course of five years, consumer reports have
With over one hundred million people now claiming that they are
highlighted that - despite its historic status as a staple of
actively working to eliminate gluten from their diets, a large dent
diets worldwide - pasta may be a failing dish. These worrying
has been hammered into both the popularity and profitability of
documents confirm that consumption has dropped by 8% in
pasta, a trend that now threatens to spread uncertainty into the
Australia, 13% in Europe, and a staggering 25% in Italy. With
potato and bread markets also.
quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, spelt, barley and chia becoming
However, a conflicting report from New York based research
more appealing as healthier and more nutritious alternatives to
firm Nielsen has provided a ray of light in these dark times,
carbs, and the emergence of vegetable spiralisers pandering to
suggesting that sales may have been up 2.9% this year, signaling
the increasingly large health-conscious market, the foodstuff
a resurgence of interest after a long period of decline. Google
could slowly be edging towards a slow, starchy demise.
searches of rigatoni and other short cut pastas have risen, and, according to the search engine giant, “It’s time for marketers to
A combination of the recent gluten free movement, lingering
020
refocus their attention on pasta.”
historical elements including the popularity of the Atkins and
The pasta market has been volatile to say the least, and, though
South Beach diets, the demonisation of carbs by those looking
a recession looked likely, perhaps a crash is avoidable. It is still
to shed a few pounds, and a collective shift towards protein rich
too early to tell if bread will recover quite so swiftly, but after
foods present in many new diets, could all prove to be pasta’s
years of uncertainty, worrying numbers and a sullied reputation,
death knell.
pasta may just be back with a vengeance.
5689 WWRD Sleeper Magazine advert 0616 AW.indd 1
07/06/2016 12:53
APPETISERS
Coravin
A
allows
strong results, with an average of only 3 professionals out
restaurants, bars, and wine drinkers at home,
new
device
has
been
created
that
of 15 currently being able to correctly identify the difference.
to serve a glass without ever breaking the seal.
Jancis Robinson comments: “I cannot fault Coravin technically and I can easily see its applications for
022
The Coravin wine extracting system operates by penetrating
restaurateurs who would like to offer particularly fine wines
a thin needle through the cork in order to extract the wine
by the glass,” whilst Anthony Rose of the Independent notes:
and propel it into a waiting glass. Subsequently, the cork
“It’s a Godsend for me and wine geeks everywhere.” The
automatically reseals itself, and the remaining wine in the
system is gathering pace in the food and beverage industry
bottle is perfectly preserved by the inert gas injected into it
and is available widely in the US whilst shipping to over 20
by the device.
countries worldwide.
Invented by Greg Lambrecht, a medical inventor whose
Significantly cheaper than an enomatic dispenser,
previous best-sellers included a spinal implant device, the
the current market standard, Lambrecht’s device is set
product could potentially provide a solution to the age-old
to revolutionise the wine industry with its innovative
problems of unnecessary alcohol waste and the swift dip
mechanism. With little interruption to, or altering of the
in quality of an opened aged wine, and will allow wine fans
wine’s development process, and coming with an easily
everywhere to sample without ever having to technically open
cleanable spout and needle, a nuclear engineer without a
the bottle. Developed over the space of 10 years and 4,000
single wine qualification may just have changed the face of
bottle tests, the Coravin system has produced consistently
the industry for years to come.
SERVICE
“You don’t have to spend a night at a hotel to enjoy its bar. It’s a way to communicate with design, to see what’s happening in the world.” Adam Tihany on the democracy of hotel F&B design.
SERVICE
The One Who Got Away One of the most prolific names in global F&B, Adam Tihany has been widely credited as a pioneer of restaurant design. From Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental to One&Only and Westin, he has embarked on hotel projects that have defined the industry and bridged the gap between design and hospitality.
Words: Harry McKinley
A
few minutes after arrival and we’re
Nonetheless his stature and international
somewhere that was accepting students from
shifting tables to follow the sun. It’s
renown is likely to provide a focal point for
Israel in the 60s. But, imagine, there was no
a blazingly warm day in Paris and
conversation and, as such, he’s feeling a little
Internet. Research was a very different ball
the starched white tablecloths of
trepidation about the whole affair. As he readily
game from today.” In the end the only option
admits, he’s the ‘one who got away’.
he could find was Italy. Two faculties were
the terrace at La Réserve are playing host to glasses of chilled wine, iced teas and al fresco
taking on students and the contrast was stark:
lunches. It’s an apt spot to meet. The hotel
Israelis of his generation, he was often defined
one was architecture in Milan and the other
is, in many ways, much like Tihany: classic
by a desire to chase the bright lights of Europe
veterinary medicine in Bologna. “As I always
but characterful, expensive looking but not
and America where, it seemed, opportunities
say, the only thing I knew about architecture
ostentatiously so.
were plentiful and life was more cosmopolitan.
was that I didn’t want to be a veterinarian,” he
“I joined the military service in 1966 and in
says with a smile.
He’s in a bright mood. On a day like this, so
024
Tihany grew up in Jerusalem and, like many
are most people, but it’s clear from the way he
1967 the Six Days War broke out. So instead
immediately springs into conversation, having
of two years long, my military service became
success stories, there’s no pretense that he
cheerfully debated table arrangements with
three,” he explains. “By the time I was finished
was a protégé from birth, instead he admits
the waiters, that he’s an affable kind of guy.
the only thing I knew I wanted to do was to
the initial stages of his journey were as much a
Prime eating site secured, trademark spectacles
leave the country and go somewhere else.”
matter of circumstance as choice. He certainly
swapped for shades and we’re already in full
Of course, four decades ago, that was a far
didn’t disembark in Milan with a wealth of
flow. He has a school reunion coming up and
from straightforward goal. The world seemed
knowledge and a burning desire to design, nor
it’s dominating his thoughts. It’s been 50 years
a much larger place and resources were less
does he imbue his experience with a rose tinted
since he’s seen many of those attending and,
accessible. “My parents weren’t well off
hue. “I didn’t speak a word of Italian and I
by all accounts, they’re a successful bunch:
enough to send me to the United States or
didn’t know anything about architecture,” he
members of parliament, doctors, lawyers
to the UK, so I had to find a place that had
says. “I just happened to arrive in 1969, which
- a veritable checklist of lofty professions.
public universities and subsidised education,
was the height of the student movement and
Tihany’s candour is refreshing. Unlike many
Adam Tihany at the bar of The Grill by Thomas Keller on Seabourn Quest Photography: William Hereford
SERVICE
xxx
Oro at the Belmond Cipriani Hotel, Venice
the social revolution. So from one war, which
the world and that which inhabits it. “This was
international in between in terms of style,”
I understood, to another war I had no clue
the beginning of plastic furniture, of lighting
says Tihany. “So after that exhibition a couple
about, it was a pretty grim transition. This
design as we know it, it was the beginning
of American firms came to Milan looking to
was the time when all of the great architects
of everything,” he says. “Being a part of
import a designer and start an Italian design
were unemployed and they changed their focus
that time, of that movement leaves a hefty
studio.” Already one foot on the plane, he
to furniture design, packaging and graphics.
sediment and it will always stay with me.”
seized upon the opportunity and volunteered
Because the universities were dysfunctional I
immediately. Suddenly the idea of the Big
had to work and study the profession the old
dream remained. The skyscrapers, smoking
fashioned way, like an apprentice. Eating and
sidewalks and urban cacophony of New York
breathing it everyday you could say I became a
City were etched on his mind. It was the idea
but, after landing a large residential project,
designer by osmosis and training, rather than
of the place that continued to call to him, the
opened his own New York office in 1978. Back
by reading books.”
vision of a world far removed from the dusty,
in Paris, almost three decades later, he drops
wheat brown streets of Jerusalem and even the
another ice cube into a glass of rosé and, with a
progressive but Euro-centric Milan.
broad smile, leans back and notes, “and this is
What only becomes clear with the benefit of hindsight and the context of time is that
026
Throughout these years Tihany’s American
Apple was usurped by the real thing. Tihany worked for the firm for several years
Tihany had hit a swelling cultural wave that,
By 1973 he had completed his studies and
when it broke, would sweep across the global
was working at a Milanese studio tasked with
design industry. The likes of Umberto Eco,
designing part of a major new exhibition at
Tihany exudes the charisma of someone who
Aldo Rossi and Paolo Portoghesi were all
the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
has spent his life in a person-driven industry.
professors at the time and Tihany notes that it
Curated by Emilio Ambasz, the Argentine
In many ways he’s also a salesman: selling his
was the craft and culture of design that proved
architect who would become known as an
ideas to clients and convincing them of their
most formative as opposed to the structured,
early proponent of ‘green architecture’, The
logic and appeal, then crucially having guests
formal education process. Riding on the crest
New Domestic Landscape was an introduction
sold on the final design experience. Yet in his
of revolution but battling a financial crisis,
to Italian design for the US. “It had a lot of
early days the greatest struggle was selling
designers were using constraints to fuel
resonance because, before that, the last big
himself to those who couldn’t figure out which
innovation, spurred by a new way of looking at
wave of design was Danish. There was nothing
box to put him in. People would ask if he was
where the adventure really begins.” A storyteller at heart, and arguably by craft,
SERVICE
a product designer, a furniture designer, an
embarking on projects throughout the world
but a very noisy flea.” The main restaurant,
architect or an interior designer. “All of the
and working with numerous hotel groups.
Firebird Diner, is a collaboration with chef and
above,” he would say. “Give me a problem and
But the biggest difference between then and
restaurateur Michael Mina and is an elevated
I’ll design the solution.”
now, thinks Tihany, is the sheer popularity
take on classic Americana. From its windows
of food and drink. Eating out or grabbing a
one can take in an impressive view of the
years,” he says; now making light work of
drink at a bar has become the lubricant for
Downtown skyline. The juxtaposition between
a club sandwich. “Because people were very
modern social interaction. “F&B spaces are
American diner and the polished, monolithic
concerned about giving contracts to someone
really one of the main places that afford public
buildings of the Middle Eastern cityscape
they couldn’t give a very narrow definition to.
access,” Tihany says. “You don’t have to spend
just beyond the glass highlights another
But I completely refused to pigeonhole myself.
a night at a hotel to enjoy its bar. It’s a way
of Tihany’s dividers: the ability to balance
I didn’t want to succumb to the system. I
to communicate with design, to see what’s
authenticity and pastiche.
adopted a stubborn mentality and an attitude
happening in the world. It used to be that every
of ‘I am how I am, you take it for what it is’,
great architect always wanted to design a chair
or more to the point an overly misused word.
starving or not starving.”
and it’s a great tribute to the industry that now
For him there can be no ‘authentic’ French
it’s a restaurant. Which still has a lot of chairs
bistro in New York City. Authenticity is about
of course.”
the reality, not the looks. “Authentically Rome
“Needless to say, I was starving for
Had it backfired we’d call it hubris of course, or idealism. But the fire in Tihany’s belly kept the hunger at bay and life would subsequently
For Tihany the downside of a blossoming
For Tihany authenticity is an overused word,
is the obscure trattoria where the mother
deal him an Ace, setting him on a trajectory
trade is the glut of those hopping on board
painted the walls herself and where the brother
towards international recognition. The year
who don’t ultimately add value. Amateurs he
is bringing the food. You can’t duplicate that.
was 1980 and the setting was Studio 54. Tihany
calls them, rather bluntly. It sounds direct,
You can have a New York style trattoria, for
was approached by someone familiar with
harsh even, but it doesn’t come from a place
example, but don’t call it authentic. However, I try to avoid pastiche as much as possible. When I was designing the Mandarin Oriental in Las
“I was the first person to ever call themselves a restaurant designer, so I have to take credit for the lowsy invention”
Vegas the client wanted contemporary with only a whiff of Asian. I had to explain to them that the location, Las Vegas, was as important as their brand identity. Las Vegas is ground zero for ‘theme’. I wasn’t going to produce a replica of a Chinese temple, but I wanted to
his work and asked if he’d be interested in
of conceit or even judgment, but out of his
play up two words: Mandarin and Oriental.
designing a restaurant. Driven by a thirst to
deeply held conviction that design should first
When people hear those they don’t imagine
work and a desire to eat, he was definitive in
and foremost be good design. He categorises
a cold, cerebral, Armani-ish hotel. I had to
his response: “I’ll design anything.”
the pros and the not-so-pros by splitting
convince the brand to amp up their image
The restaurant, it transpired, was a New York
them into two camps: those who work in two
otherwise people wouldn’t get it. So that’s
offshoot of Paris’s La Coupole and would be the
dimensions and those who work in three. The
authentic, because that’s Las Vegas. When we
first grand café in the city. The 225-seat Park
third key dimension is depth. It’s not enough
worked on the King David Hotel, the question
Avenue spot would emulate the Art Deco style
to cut and paste the ideas of others, or even to
was always, what is the essence of Jerusalem?
of the original, with Tihany responsible for
merely deliver exactly what the client asks for,
Well, for someone who grew up there, it’s one
everything from the interior architecture and
there has to be substance and a point of view.
thing. For someone who visits, it’s another.
furniture, to the graphics, lighting and china.
“Let me use an analogy,” says Tihany. “I’m
Good design is about taking both of those
“The restaurant opened in a huge snowstorm
a portrait artist. I create a portrait of my client.
perspectives into account. You can deduce
in 1981 but still people flocked. Andy Warhol
It’s my point of view, but it’s still a portrait.
which buttons you need to push to make the
couldn’t get in and from that point onwards it
Take a hotel chef, it’s important that when
guest feel as though they are experiencing
was the hottest ticket in town.”
they walk into their space, they feel it’s like a
something local.”
Tihany was doing what he loved to do and
custom suit. As though somebody took their
For all of this talk of hotel F&B design, the
the success of the project encouraged him to go
measurements. Then from the guest side, the
interesting thing is that we’re having the
and have a sign printed. It read: Adam Tihany,
space should be level with the expectation
conversation while sat on an outdoor terrace.
Restaurant Designer. In one fell swoop he had
of what they’re going to get. You don’t want
Essentially the Paris streets, obscured by
defined himself and birthed a profession. “I
to walk into a place that screams formality
hedgerow, are our backdrop. Interior design is
was the first person to ever call themselves a
and elegance and get served a grilled cheese
playing little role in our current experience of
restaurant designer, so I have to take credit for
sandwich.”
the hotel or indeed of the meal we’re sharing.
the lowsy invention,” he says. Now of course, restaurant design is a
Tihany’s most recent hotel project was the
When we raise this with Tihany he’s pragmatic
Four Seasons DIFC in Dubai, for which he
in addressing the overall role that design plays
thriving, self-sustaining industry and Tihany
designed the interiors. He describes it in terms
in hotel F&B. “I can’t be presumptuous and
has progressed to global design stardom,
of the market as “a flea on a camel’s back,
say that a restaurant begins and ends with the
027
SERVICE
Per Se, New York City
design. People don’t go to restaurants because
reaction is to say, ‘Why do you want to screw
job’ he’s on the boards of the Design Museum
they’re hungry. If they’re hungry they can
up an architectural marvel? You’re going to
Holon in Tel Aviv and the Pratt Institute in New
open the fridge and make a sandwich,” he says.
kill the space. The developer looks and me and
York; and he is the creative director of both the
“We go to restaurants, number one, to be with
says, ‘Well what would you do?’ Of course I
Culinary Institute of America and Costa Cruises.
other people. So that experience is helped by
had no idea but he gave me until 9am the next
His studio, for which he remains fully hands
service, by the food and then by design. Even
morning.”
on, is in the process of renovating the Oberoi
now though, design is playing a role because you’re sitting in a comfortable chair.” This sense of perspective came when
Hotel in New Delhi and continues to work
brain for inspiration that wasn’t forthcoming.
on the design of the luxury Seabourn cruise
Defeated, at 2.30am he turns on the television
vessels, collaborating with chef Thomas Keller.
Tihany opened his own restaurant, Remi, in
only to find Mission Impossible playing. “Tom
1987. He describes the first five years of the
Cruise is hanging in the middle of a white room
the world and how it’s moving,” he says. “I’m
restaurant as the most formative of his career.
and I realise, there it is. We’re going to do a
waiting patiently for filament lamps to fade out.
Every designer that worked for him had to
skyscraper in the middle, all glass, put the wine
That and farm-to-table. Some trends really do
work at least once in the restaurant to gain
inside it and have girls fly up and down getting
swallow the whole mid-market. I don’t go for
an understanding of operations and it was
the wine, like wine angels. So I sketch it at
trends. Something trendy is already passé.”
here that he learnt that the front of house was
3.30am and I have a meeting with him at 9am.
only as good as the back of house. “A lot of
I’m describing it to and he’s looking at me like
the steady shuffle to collect belongings before
designers think of the restaurant - the front
I’ve lost my mind. He picks up his phone and
heading into the Paris sun, we return to the
of house - as a showroom,” he explains, “and
I’m thinking, OK, security is on its way. But he
school reunion. Is it really so worrisome? From
they don’t really understand what it takes to
connects to his assistant and says, ‘Sally, cancel
Milan to Studio 54 he has quite the tale to tell.
run a restaurant. It really is a marriage between
the bloody stairs.’ Those are the moments. You
But for Tihany his story is perhaps the other
the two spaces. It’s not just a flirt.”
either soar to the occasion or you get kicked out
way around. Having spent his younger years
of an office.”
dreaming of escape, rising he says, “Someone
His most formative project meanwhile was the Aureole Wine Tower in Las Vegas, which
028
A long night ensued as Tihany dredged his
“More importantly I’m always curious about
As the waiters clear the table and we begin
Listening to Tihany recount both his entry
very wise told me a long time ago, you’ll
was the result of an unlikely inspiration. “I will
into the F&B design industry and discuss some
never know where you’re going to unless
never forget the first day I was taken to see the
of his notable projects serves as a reminder of
you remember where you came from. That
space. There’s a 50ft by 50ft hole in the ground
the sheer breadth of his work. He has no plans
summarises it for me. Wherever you came
and we are entering it at mid-level. I’m shown
to retire of course, but he is at the stage where
from will always be relevant. Celebrate it and
where the stairs are going to be and my gut
he’s considering his legacy. Outside of his ‘day
pass it on.”
Creating Hospitality
Professional Glassware Selection Always up to the job
Villeroy & Boch S.à.r.l. Hotel & Restaurant 330, rue de Rollingergrund 2441 Luxembourg Tel.: + (352) 46 82 11 · Fax: + (352) 46 90 22 E-mail: info.hr@villeroy-boch.com www.villeroy-boch.com/hotel
VLH 16463 SUPPER_MAG_ 236x275cm_glassware.indd 1
23.05.16 15:56
SERVICE
Koffmann’s Kitchen Marking 50 years in the industry, we speak to celebrated chef Pierre Koffmann about hotel restaurants, pig’s trotters and why retirement didn’t suit him.
Words: Harry McKinley
O
ur first introduction to Pierre Koffman isn’t at a
Food has always been a part of Koffmann’s life from an
carefully arranged dinner table or coffee-ready
early age and he’s quick to recall how his mother would
bar. He’s chopping vegetables in preparation
overfeed him and also time spent with his grandparents:
for lunch service at his eponymously titled
farmers who had little interest in newfangled concepts. His
restaurant at The Berkeley Hotel, London. This year the 68-year chef old marks 50 years in the
grandmother would often cook over an open fire. “At the time, in the 50s, food was very important,” he
business, but unlike many of his peers he hasn’t migrated
says. “It was after the war and so there were few of the
to a comfortable job as the ‘face’ of a restaurant, enjoying
luxuries of today: cinema, or TV. Everything was about
long lunches from the guest side of the pass. No, the
time spent around the table and food. As soon as my
kitchen is still firmly his home.
grandparents had finished lunch they would say, ‘What do
Despite moving to London in 1970, Koffmann still has the easy, self-possesed demeanour of a Frenchman, not
you want to have for dinner?’” This relationship with food was merely a part of family
to mention the accent. Decades across the Channel and
life at the time, of course. It was only when Koffmann was
international repute haven’t pulled him too far from his
in his teens that the prospect of a career in the industry
upbringing in France’s sun kissed southwest.
presented itself. Even then it couldn’t be said it was a path
When we do sit, there’s little formality. He reclines into
he chased. He was ‘hopeless’ at school, he says, except for
a chair with a comfortable nonchalance. He embodies
sport. The headmaster would push and encourage him,
the spirit of someone relaxing on a beachside lounger in
assuming potential, but in the end – whether beaten down
Saint-Tropez, not a busy chef less than an hour from a
or recognizing that that potential lay outside of academia
fully booked lunch sitting. It’s the kind of energy that puts
– he gave up. “The headmaster used to say I could do
others at ease. Whether those who work in his kitchen feel
better. Always, that I could do better. But then eventually
the same is another thing, but certainly on first impressions
he simply said, ‘perhaps Pierre would do better somewhere
there’s a warmth amongst the staff at Koffmann’s, both
else’. And that was that,” Koffmann says, with a shrug.
front of house and back.
Although problematic at the time, it pushed him onto a
031
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Soufflé aux Pistaches
SERVICE
journey with food. From a small town of 2,000 people where
they don’t really mean anything. Just as the best restaurant
opportunities were scant, and not quite knowing what to do
in the world can be the café next door if you enjoy the food,
next, he applied for cookery school. Although he’d retained
so a chef’s chef can be anyone.”
his love of food he made the decision because, ultimately,
He may not enjoy titles or sycophantic praise, but it’s
it was still a school. He didn’t feel ready to tackle the world
hard to argue that 50 years in the business hasn’t given
head-on as a teenager. He wasn’t ‘a man yet’.
Koffmann a distinct perspective on the evolution of the
After three years at the school Koffmann embarked on
restaurant trade. He’s seen London, in particular, develop
his regional studies, moving around France to learn the
from a city were the food was ‘just terrible’ in the 1970s
various cuisines and techniques. It was a different time,
– all ‘smoked salmon and roast beef’ - to a gastronomic
when regional food was truly regional and knowledge of
capital. He’s seen the world open up so that ingredients
different food cultures could only be gleaned by heading to
that would previously have been impossible or prohibitively
their source, absorbing the spirit of the place and learning
expensive to obtain, are now available year round. And he’s
from those around.
seen his own profession transformed from an unfashionable
It was not a love of food that took him to London, however, but a love of rugby. “I wanted to see the French
trade to a career that can turn chefs into celebrities. He’s also seen the peaks and troughs of the hotel restaurant. “When I came to England the only restaurants that had good reputations were in hotels,” he says, “The Connaught
“People like titles and statuettes but they don’t really mean anything. Just as the best restaurant in the world can be the café next door if you enjoy the food”
and The Savoy for example. But then hotel restaurants disappeared and the best chefs opened their own places. It was a big change. Now the hotels are hiring the top chefs to attract people. In some ways it’s a full circle.” Just like hotel restaurants, Koffmann has had his own blip, albeit a voluntary one. In 2003 he decided to bid au
against the English at Twickenham,” he says. “That was
revoir to the kitchen. Fed up, tired and with an insurance
the most interesting game, the only one to win - to beat
policy that would provide him a comfortable retirement, he
England. I’m sure it was the same for the Irish, the Scottish
packed up his knives and unpacked his fishing rod. “I went
and the Welsh.”
all over the world for a year,” he says. “Then I came back
That was 1970 and the plan, albeit a loose one, was to
to London and I was still in bed at 9 o’clock and waking at
move to London for six months. Plenty of time to take
9 o’clock. I would go for a cappuccino somewhere, think
in a game, continue working as a chef and then process
about where I could have lunch with some wine, go home
paperwork to move on to Australia, or perhaps the USA.
to have a little siesta and in the evening see my girlfriend
What he didn’t bank on was falling for the country he so
at the time. But I knew if I kept living that way in two years
desperately wanted to trounce on the field. “I came and I
time I’d be dead. The problem with me is I know nothing
enjoyed it,” he says. “46 years and I’m still here.”
and I don’t enjoy anything except cooking.”
Those 46 years have proved fruitful for Koffmann. First
Struggling with retirement and in an effort to fill his
head chef of the Roux brothers’ Waterside Inn in 1976, he
time with more than cappuccino and siestas, he took a
would meet his late first wife who was the restaurant’s
consultancy job. The money was excellent but he found the
manager. He subsequently opened his own restaurant, La
role dull. Along the way he met Claire, now his wife. “You
Tante Claire, which would go on to earn three Michelin
know women, they want to organise your life, so Claire
stars. During this period he also worked with the likes of
found a job for me. It was a popup restaurant on top of
Marco Pierre White, Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay,
Selfridges. It was supposed to be for a week.”
all of whom went on to stellar careers in the kitchen. Yet he speaks of the time in an offhand manner. His
The restaurant went on to stay open for eight weeks during which Koffmann worked seven days a week from
accomplishments were not, as he says, ‘life changing’. As
morning until midnight. He lost 12 kilos and shifted 3,200
with most things work, Koffmann is unperturbed. When
of his signature pig’s trotters. “It was a bit like Frank
we bring up Michel Roux Jnr’s comment that Koffmann is
Sinatra coming back from the dead,” he jokes.
a ‘chef’s chef’ he bats it away. It’s a nice thing to say, but
When they finally announced that the popup was to close
invariably meaningless. “It’s lovely, but there is no exam
he was inundated with offers. Almost two-dozen people
to be a chef,” he says. “People like titles and statuettes but
offered to finance the opening of his own restaurant. In
033
SERVICE
Koffmann’s at The Berkeley, London
the end, he would head to The Berkeley. “That was in 2010 and was
People are very stupid. We always make the same mistakes. I think if
supposed to be for three years. It’s 2016 and I’m still there, so you can
I had to start again tomorrow I would make the same mistakes,” he
see I haven’t learnt anything.”
says, but then with a flicker of good humour, “I’m getting grumpy
Koffmann’s restaurant, the aptly titled Koffmann’s, is really a labour
the highlight of my life. It was nice, but not a highlight. When the
one condition for taking on the project was that he ‘just gets to cook’.
restaurant is full and I see the same people coming back, that’s what I
This caveat not only means that he gets to spend time in the kitchen
enjoy. So I don’t like to go too deep. It’s the simple things.”
but that he has the freedom and time to coach and nurture new talent.
Koffmann may love the kitchen, but at 68 even he is weighing up what
He believes that his prominence comes with an obligation to pass on
the next step in his life and career will be. Firstly, before retirement he
his knowledge to a younger generation and he’s particularly proud of
has to stop telling journalists he finds life at home boring. It annoys his
those he has mentored. “I had a beautiful young man, Ben Murphy,
wife. That being said he stands by his earlier thought that it’s important
who opened a restaurant a few months ago in Woodford and he’s very
to keep busy and find a purpose.
successful. That’s lovely for me.” Behind that joy, there is something else lurking, however. Over
“In March my wife and I spent a month in Australia for the Melbourne Food Festival. I had ten days of cooking and it was wonderful. So I’m
the years the industry has evolved and one gets the impression that
wondering if we should retire there. Perhaps have a large garden and sell
Koffmann doesn’t rate some of the changes. “Now the food is not the
what we grow at the Saturday market. Or maybe a food truck: something
most important thing. You’ve got to have food, service and ambience in
original, not a burger. But who knows when this be, eh?”
equal measure. That’s the recipe for success but it does mean the food
And so, with dreams of Down Under lingering in the air and talk of
can be a little lost,” he says. There’s also the issue of having a public
retirement quickly fading back into oblivion, Koffmann departs for the
profile, something Koffmann, ‘couldn’t care less about’. When pressed
start of lunch service. Donning his apron again and rallying his team,
on what has been his greatest lesson he turns despondent.
something tells us it may take more than the promise of regular sun and
“You think we learn something? I don’t think we learn anything.
034
aren’t I? Let me put it this way, even getting three Michelin stars wasn’t
of love. Not interested in paperwork, recruiting or bottom lines, his
a large garden to take Koffmann out of his kitchen.
SERVICE
Czech Please Renowned bartender Alex Kratena on success, innovation and life after Artesian
Words: Harry McKinley
E
ven on a weeknight the lobby bar at The London
It was an audacious move that sent tremors through the
Edition has a healthy buzz. The music is upbeat, the
industry and set tongues wagging. And whilst we’re keen
post-work crowd boisterous and the cocktails suitably
to delve deeper into the bar’s success, Kratena’s work there
pithy. We’re sharing a Negroni with Alex Kratena, the
and his views on the hotel bar scene, his departure is the
Czech Republic born, London-based bartender and global
elephant in the room that needs acknowledging before we
force in mixology.
can steer the conversation backwards. So, what happened?
He’s fresh off a plane from Oslo and is due on another
“My team, Simone and my business partners came to a
early flight in the morning, not that the crippling schedule
point where the whole thing started to slow us down,” says
shows. Snapback on, drink in hand, he’s full of energy,
Kratena, “and we wanted to go faster. In order for that to
waving to the occasional familiar face and openly excited to
happen we had to take ourselves out of it. Looking back I
talk about his new projects.
feel that there couldn’t have been a better time. We were
Before that of course, there’s the matter of his old project. Formerly head bartender at Artesian at The
Luck, in all truth, had little do with it. Kratena’s talent
Langham London, Kratena led the bar to international
had secured him a reputation that opened doors and which
recognition. His creative approach and flair for the
would eventually nurture a desire in him to tackle projects
theatrical brought a new dimension to the notion of
over which he had full control. It was his strength of vision
the hotel bar and saw him become a figurehead for the
that defined Artesian and saw him credited with reinventing
bartending industry at large.
the hotel bar.
Looking back to 2015 it seemed that everything was going
036
lucky and we just nailed it.”
“I never personally said that Artesian reinvented the hotel
swimmingly for Kratena, as Artesian scooped the top spot
bar,” he says, with trademark modesty. “But I did feel that
on the list of World’s 50 Best Bars for the fourth consecutive
that room was meant to be a different breed of animal. I felt
year. Just a few hours before the ceremony, however,
that the classic hotel bar with its strict door policy and dress
Kratena and his creative partner Simone Caporale had
code was outdated and boring. It was one of the last places
handed in their notice. Nine of the bar staff would follow.
someone would actually want to drink. The key to Artesian’s
SERVICE
Aquavit, Sherry, Grapefruit and Dill Pollen
success was the element of fun. It was exciting,
there was a sense of purpose and that it never
schedules has changed. If someone comes in
experiential and we understood that no matter
felt gimmicky. When I started at Artesian a
on a Tuesday morning and wants to crack open
what you do at the table, with the food or with
place like that would have been a novelty,
a bottle of champagne because they’ve just
the drinks, it’s about how you make people feel.
but today it’s what people expect. London in
finished the most important project of their
People would come in with £20 and for an hour
particular redefined what hotel bars could be
life, provide that for them.”
they would feel like a millionaire.”
and what they can be.” It would be easy of course to wrap Artesian
He’s devoid of much of the self-aggrandizing
up as part of a collective bar movement or as
surprisingly little in actual drinks talk. It could
chatter that can sometimes flow from
part of a vanguard of hotel bars that sprouted
be that he’s simply bored of talking about
bartenders of his stature. He takes his trade
because of shifting guest tastes. Something,
spirits, but he openly likes to think of the big
seriously, by which we mean he takes the
ultimately, set Artesian apart. It was for
picture. Even when discussing cocktails the
enjoyment of others seriously. One thing he’s
many ‘the best’. Kratena is grateful for the
thrust is more on inspiration than specifics:
particularly attuned to is the changing nature
recognition. As he says it ‘changed his life’.
how a drink was inspired by an Aesop handwash
of the customer. He notes that not only do they
However he’s also quick to admit that it’s an
or how he famously designed much of the
want great quality and to be entertained, but
idea he doesn’t really subscribe to. For him the
glassware used at Artesian. John Jenkins no less.
they also expect value. “These days it’s not
best is always subjective, but he does have one
The breakage bill was apparently painful.
only about the flamboyancy on the surface,
tip: consistency.
everything needs to have a solid foundation,”
038
For a bartender noted for his captivating
Kratena’s commitment to the guest is clear.
“For me it’s simple things like keeping
concoctions, Kratena gets bogged down
“Albert Adriá told me once, if you want to be creative you need three things: money,
he says. “Artesian was over the top. We
track of your regulars, which comes through
money and money,” he jokes. “Not that I agree
wouldn’t do standard bottles of champagne,
consistent training. Print out pictures and
with that. I think you can achieve beauty and
we would do magnums. We had the most
put them on the noticeboard. If one waitress
creativity through restraint.”
dramatic interior. It was like a movie scene,
knows someone is vegan, why should it be so
where everything is a little too much in ‘real
difficult for the whole team to know? Artesian
project, we’re curious to find out what Kratena
life’ but looks great on camera. That was our
was always consistent: open everyday 11 until
thinks of the machinations of the hotel F&B
philosophy, but the important thing was that
late. The whole preconception about time and
industry, now that he’s had some time apart
Before moving on to discuss Kratena’s latest
SERVICE
Olive & Fennel liqueur
from it to reflect. He takes a perceptibly larger
brewers – it aims to provide insight and
disseminate information to the industry
inspiration with a purpose: to help the industry
it’s unlikely he’d go back to a similar setup.
and support worthwhile causes, P(OUR) is
operate more sustainably and encourage those
“Where I think a lot of hotels are failing is
Kratena’s ‘love project’.
within it to work better and work smarter.
that they cannot make timely decisions and
“With all of the changes in the industry we
With his name attached to one behemoth of
hotel companies have no idea how to operate
need to be responsible so we can maintain
a project, the next question on everyone’s lips
F&B. The ones who do it well – Mandarin
it long term. We want to expand everyone’s
of course is when we can expect to see Kratena
Oriental, Sydell and Four Seasons for example
knowledge and unite the industry. Alcohol
back behind the bar. Well, your guess is as good
– outsource. You have to think about the
and cocktails are only a smart part. People
as his. Whilst the plan for a bar is absolutely on
changing role of the hotel bar. A great bar
can be mad about coffee or mad about water.
the agenda it all depends on finding the right
is not just an incredible revenue stream,
Sometimes we forget to communicate and
space. This could be now or in five years time.
it’s something that puts the hotel on the
so we hope to establish a platform that gives
After all, what’s the rush? The one thing he
map. What would the Regent in Singapore
everyone a space to share what they do.”
knows for certain is that it won’t be another
be without Manhattan Bar? What would The
This ultimately manifests itself in an online
Artesian.
Langham be without Artesian? What would The
platform through which all of the information
With the ice melting at the bottom of our
Connaught be without Agostino Perrone at the
P(OUR) collects is offered free of charge in the
glasses and time getting on, the conversation
bar? Just more luxury hotels. So the function of
form of videos and podcasts. For an industry
winds down. As we bid goodbye any thoughts
the bar has been elevated for a reason. You’re
often dominated by corporate interests and
that Kratena might be headed for an early
not selling a £25 drink, you’re selling the
brand secrecy, it’s a pioneering and egalitarian
night before an early flight are quickly dashed,
brand and, actually, you’re selling the rooms.”
move.
as he walks away and sidles in beside a
Luckily for Kratena, bureaucracy and a
040
A not-for-profit project that aims to
gulp of his drink before weighing in. For a start,
Another strand is the P(OUR) symposium,
recently arrived group of friends. We’re not
complicated distribution of decision making
which launched this year in tandem with
surprised. As he said earlier, “For me, a bar
powers – he prefers a holocracy these days –
Cocktails Spirits Paris. A series of presentations
is where all of the beautiful things happen.
are issues he doesn’t have to navigate, with the
and seminars featuring a broad spectrum of
My night would rarely be as exciting if I just
launch of his own endeavour: P(OUR).
industry innovators – from chefs to artisan
headed home.”
Specials
“People want to find their own hidden gems, they want to be part of the local environment.” Karim Nielsen, CEO of Brøchner Hotels, on the philosophy behind new restaurant Väkst at SP34 Copenhagen.
WGS_ToTheTable-Ad copy.pdf
4
11/3/15
2:37 PM
STARTERS xxx
The Restaurant Amanemu Hotel, Shima
As the name suggests, The Restaurant at Amanemu Hotel shirks
microclimates ensure local suppliers are able to provide the resort with
complication and channels a distinctly Japanese appreciation for
an array of fruit and vegetables, with the prefecture previously known
refinement, simplicity and directness.
as the ‘breadbasket of the Imperial Court’. Locally reared cattle supply
Located in the Ise-Shima National Park – three hours by train from
Matsusaka Wagyu, a region-specific variety noted for its fine marbling.
Kyoto and four from Tokyo - it’s open only to guests of the resort’s 24
Head bartender Shinichi Hagimori works with drinks supplier Yamajin
suites and four two-bedroom villas. Despite the captive audience, The
Co. Ltd on the beverage offer, which combines Japanese craft beers with
Restaurant demonstrates a commitment to quality and concept.
locally inspired cocktails.
The Kerry Hill Architects-led design makes full use of the surrounding
Tableware is a mix of Japanese and Western brands. Plates from
scenery with large-scale windows framing pearl rafts and greenery.
Yamaguchi Ceramics and glassware from Toyo Sasaki sit alongside cutlery
Banquette seating affords the dining area a structural flow whilst a low-
from Sambonet, while the restaurant’s wooden tables are by Cassina.
key colour palette and natural materials ensure a coherent relationship
Echoing the ethos of understatement, practical but style conscious uniforms
between the restaurant space and the national park in which it sits.
come from Japanese brand M’s Collection.
Executive Chef Masanobu Inaba (also of the Conrad Tokyo) and his team of 12 oversee a menu that utilises locally grown produce and translates it into traditional Japanese cuisine with a twist. The region’s varied
www.aman.com/resorts/amanemu
IN A BITE Covers: 54 • Interior Design: Kerry Hill Architects • Operator: Amanresorts International • Executive Chef: Masanobu Inaba • Head Bartender: Shinichi Hagimori • Tableware: Yamaguchi Ceramics • Glassware: Toyo Sasaki • Cutlery: Sambonet • Suppliers: Yamajin Co. Ltd • Uniforms: M’s Collection
043
STARTERS xxx
Santoro Grace Santorini
Opened following a full renovation of boutique hotel Grace Santorini,
With interiors from Fifth Element Interiors (London) and SMK Interiors
Santoro has been billed as an ‘iconic view restaurant’, benefitting as it
(Greece), the restaurant sticks close to classicism, with crisp white alcoves
does from its clifftop position and an unobstructed outlook across the
and sea-blue detailing. Guests can opt for either intimate covered seating
Aegan Sea and island coastline.
or dine al fresco beside the hotel’s picture-perfect infinity pool.
Led by executive chef Spyros Agious, the 50-cover restaurant features a
The tableware continues Santoro’s white colour story, with plates and
menu influenced by the flavours and produce of the Cycladic islands and
dishes from Schönwald, glassware from Spiegelau and cutlery from La
Greek village cooking. Already an internationally established name, Agious
Tavola.
has previously held roles at The White Barn Inn, Le Gavroche and Gordon
Greek fashion label Zeus + Dione worked with Grace Santorini on the
Ramsay at Claridge’s, while in Greece he nabbed the Young Talented Chef
creation of bespoke staff uniforms, using local craftsmanship and tapping
award for 2016.
artisans across the country. The result conveys a simplicity and elegance
The restaurant’s name is derived from the name of the island and the Latin word for gold, ‘oro’, in homage to Santorini’s spectacular golden
that manages to speak to the restaurant’s customer whilst retaining the unostentatious charm of the hotel and its surroundings.
sunset, and this propensity for tradition, storytelling and romance is echoed in the menu and design.
www.gracehotels.com/santorini
IN A BITE Covers: 50 • Architecture: Divercity Architects, MplusM Architects • Operating Company: Grace Hotels (Libra Group) • Interior Design: Fifth Element Interiors, SMK Interiors • Tableware: Schönwald • Glassware: Spiegelau • Cutlery: La Tavola • Uniforms: Zeus + Dione
044
„Skyline“ - The Original!
GERMANY
“Rough!“
“Konkret!“ & “Vaganza“
“Capiz“
Visit us: Equiphotel Paris hall 7.2 booth H056 6.-10.11.2016
N O V E LT I E S
2 0 1 6 “Classy“ & “Reef“
W W W. Z I E H E R . C O M
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Oratorio Elma Arts Complex, Zichron Ya’akov
40 miles along the coast from Tel Aviv sits Elma Arts Complex, a member
the ingredients for his Mediterranean menu within a 20-mile radius of the
of Design Hotels and one of the region’s most ambitious creative hubs. An
site, whilst sommelier David Warner champions local wines, some of which
imposing example of post-war Brutalism set on the rim of Mount Carmel
originated from wineries within toasting distance of the hotel.
Ridge, it overlooks vast sloping forests and out across the Mediterranean Sea.
The 190-cover space features a sprawling bar, whilst restaurant seating features a mix of individual and communal tables, and counters with views
A near-forgotten architectural gem, its architect Ya’akov Rechter won
onto the central atrium. Contemporary artworks from the complex’s
the Israel Prize of Architecture for the building in 1971. After years in
collection dot most walls, while another is given over to a display of the
the wilderness, philanthropist and art collector Lily Elstein has seen the
comprehensive wine selection.
complex returned to its original majesty and transformed into a 95-room
Service is relaxed and unfussy, with cured meats sitting flush to wooden
luxury hotel, gallery space and 450-seat concert hall close to prime wine
boards and tin bowls holding homemade bread. Classic, functional cutlery
country. The renovation was overseen by Amnon Rechter and Ranni Ziss,
comes from WMF, glassware from Schott Zwiesel, while serving dishes are
whilst Baranowitz + Kronenberg were responsible for the design of the
provided by Schönwald.
hotel’s restaurant, Oratorio. Capitalising on its location, Oratorio head chef Boaz Dror sources all of
www.elma-hotel.com/oratorio-restaurant | www.designhotels.com
IN A BITE Owner: Lily Elstein • Operator: MusicArt • Collection: Design Hotels • Covers: 190 • Interior Design: Baranowitz + Kronenberg • Cutlery: WMF Tableware: Schönwald • Glassware: Schott Zwiesel
046
Passion for fine dining and professional buffet equipment.
Visit us online on hepp.de
STARTERS xxx
Photography: Nico Schaerer
Saltz Dolder Grand, Zurich
The new all-day dining restaurant at the Dolder Grand in Zurich, Saltz
and olive oil – to Middle Eastern and Thai - with a Lebanese mezze and
features a sharp, impactful design from Rolf Sachs Studio. Drawing
red tofu curry – the menu leapfrogs from continent to continent, pulling
inspiration from the Swiss landscape, the 280m2, 102-cover restaurant
varied inspirations together in a thoughtfully curated array of world tastes.
combines neon lights depicting mountain peaks, salt, rock and soft felt to
Plates and serving dishes are predominantly all-white, from Wedgwood’s
create artworks and custom furniture, which are paired with classic chair
Connaught range. Riedel glassware and cutlery from Sola and Victorinox
designs from Eero Saarinen and Jean Prouvé. Searing red and blue accents
complete the neat tabletop, with Craster providing the setup for buffet
are offset with neutrals and wood features prominently throughout. A
service.
500kg rock is suspended by red climbing rope in a creative flourish befitting a hotel that holds one of Switzerland’s largest private art collections. Chef à la carte Patrick Hetz has drawn inspiration from the design in his menu, mixing Swiss and international elements in confident combinations
Creating a distinctive visual vocabulary for Saltz, branding agency Source Associates AG designed the menus and developed the illustrative elements that grace the restaurant’s matchboxes, napkins and contact cards, with Italian company Maurel providing uniforms.
that stand apart from current Zurich fare. From Japanese and Italian – such as yellowfin tuna sashimi with bloody dock and yuzu, and burrata with basil
www.saltz.ch
IN A BITE Operator: Dolder Hotel AG • Architecture: Küchel Architects • Interior Design: Rolf Sachs Studio • Covers: 102 indoor, 80 terrace, 46 bar • Tableware: Wedgwood, Rochini • Glassware: Riedel • Cutlery: Sola, Victorinox • Buffet: Craster • Menus and logos: Source Associates AG • Uniforms: Maurel
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Dining Culture. Pleasure. Experience. Everything for the perfect sense experience.
WMF Professional | www.wmf-professional.de
STARTERS xxx
Rofuto Restaurant and Bar Park Regis Hotel, Birmingham
The latest venture from restaurateur Des McDonald, Rofuto sits atop
The restaurant’s interior, designed by Tibbatts Abel, transitions from
the recently opened Park Regis Hotel, some 141ft in the sky and with
industrial and light in the restaurant area to a warmer, lounge-like space
360-degree views of the surrounding city skyline.
at the bar. UK supplier Goodfellows provided the restaurant with its table
With a Japanese concept spearheaded by McDonald, the space combines
and barwares, with menu design from local agency iDC.
a 120-cover restaurant and 100-cover bar. The food menu riffs off modern
Speaking of the opening and Birmingham’s growing hospitality industry,
Japanese staples and is divided into six sections: sushi and sashimi,
McDonald said, “I am delighted to be opening my first modern Japanese
tempura, robata grill, mains, sides and desserts. The bar features a bespoke
restaurant, with my partners at Park Regis Birmingham. I love rooftop
cocktail menu and a varied sake offering unique to the city. Koshua aged
spaces, having opened four successful restaurants on the roof of Selfridges
sake from Shiraki Brewery in central Japan will be on offer, along with
in London. I fell in love with the unparalleled dramatic views from the
sake from Takashimizu Brewery in the country’s north. Rofuto’s wine
16th floor, Birmingham is a great, vibrant city and I’m excited to become
offer showcases unusual varieties such as Pecorino, Gewürtztraminer and
part of its dynamic and diverse dining scene.”
Pinot Blanc in the whites and had a particular focus on low alcohol, low tannin reds.
www.rofuto.co.uk
IN A BITE Operator: Park Regis in conjunction with Des McDonald Restaurants • Investment: £3 million • Covers: 120 restaurant, 100 bar • Head Chef: Pedro Miranda • Interior Design: Tibbatts Abel • Menu Design: iDC • Key Drinks Brands: Kirin Ichiban Beer, Suntory Whisky, Takashimizu Sake
050
TIGERHOTEL ANNIVERSARY 1996-2016
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Tiger uses the highest quality materials in the market today to meet or exceed all European and American food safety standards. Tiger’s vision for the future is to bring value through quality in a larger range of table top product to become a reliable partner for the best hotels worldwide.
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Adv_Supper-Magazine_Trim-236x275mm_3.indd 1
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Paper Daisy Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach
Words: Dan F. Stapleton
H
alcyon House is an unusual proposition on the
says. “We also want the restaurant to be a good reflection
brash, family-centric Gold Coast: a luxurious yet
of region – something that we can be proud to show to
understated hotel with just 20 rooms and few kid-
visitors.”
friendly amenities. Owned by two Brisbane-based
Spiro, Devlin and the hotel owners all agreed that Paper
sisters and their husbands, the property, which opened in
Daisy would only succeed – both financially and creatively
2015, is reflective of the Gold Coast’s emerging reputation
– if it magnified the best aspects of its location. With
as a holiday destination for sophisticated older Australians.
the furniture in place, Spiro reached out to high-profile
Its restaurant, Paper Daisy, has quickly become the social
Brooklyn-based illustrator Wayne Pate, who contributed
heart not just of the hotel, but also of the town of Cabarita
a selection of sophisticated yet whimsical prints themed
Beach and the surrounding residential areas, which have
around leisure. She complemented these contemporary
seen an influx of wealth in recent years.
works with antique seascapes that were collected from
Designer Anna Spiro has created a chic, breezy atmosphere at Halcyon House by favouring shades of cream and sky blue
Using Spiro’s aesthetic as a starting point, Devlin has
and using plenty of soft fabrics and light wood throughout
created a menu that he hopes will appeal to hotel guests
the property. Paper Daisy is very much in keeping with
and area residents alike. Unsurprisingly, fish and seafood
this aesthetic: the 90-seat dining room has a touch of the
feature prominently, as does produce from Halcyon House’s
Hamptons about it, thanks in part to the input of New York-
organic garden, including native bush foods, greens
based interior decorators John Derian and Madeline Weinrib.
and herbs. Devlin is treading a middle path between the
The floor plan is compact enough to create a sense of
conservative menus found in traditional hotel restaurants
intimacy, while several sets of double doors, which open
and the eccentric pairings that dominate fine dining in
onto a wrap-around verandah with scattered tables and
2016: his meals are both comforting and engaging, with a
glimpses of the beachfront, provide seamless indoor/
combination of familiar and unusual ingredients. A recent
outdoor flow. The hotel bar sits within the restaurant,
menu item, Australian clams (known as pippies) served
encouraging guests to linger.
with semolina pasta, lemon myrtle and native pepper, got
At the helm is head chef Ben Devlin, who most recently worked as chef de cuisine at the well-regarded Esquire in
the balance just right. “We want to offer our guests an experience that is
Brisbane and was previously part of René Redzepi’s team at
shaped by the area that we are in,” Devlin explains, “so it
Noma in Copenhagen. Devlin says he was attracted to the
makes a lot of sense for the menu to be very seafood and
role because of the lack of comparable dining experiences
vegetable driven, and for us to put a focus on the quality
in the vicinity of Cabarita Beach. “With Paper Daisy, we are
and sustainability of the ingredients that we use.”
hoping to do something that will be unique to our area,” he
052
across Australia.
With such detailed design and decoration in the dining
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Salted raw fish with sour cream
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room – and robust flavours and ingredients on the plate – it makes
and honeycomb, alongside in-vogue items like coconut and chia with
sense that Devlin has chosen plain uniforms and aprons from Sydney
honey, mint and strawberries. A condensed version of the dinner menu
company Fraser & Hughes and unobtrusive tableware, including Riedel
is offered at lunchtime, and there are additional light options such as
glasses, “to minimise distractions.” The plates and bowls, made by Gold
green fried rice with prawns and a chilli and ginger pickle salad.
Coast ceramicist Marloe Morgan, are sturdy and generously sized, but the tones are muted and the finishes are often matte.
While Halcyon House has positioned itself in the top tier of Australian luxury accommodation through its room pricing, Paper Daisy is
The Paper Daisy menu changes seasonally, which Devlin says is for
affordable enough to appeal to diners who may be staying in less swish
the benefit of both staff and guests. “I have always had a preference to
accommodation nearby. For hotel guests, the restaurant offers 24-hour
be as flexible as possible with menus, in the hope that you will always
room service, and breakfast is included in the room rate.
have the best dishes and the best produce, and that you will keep your staff constantly learning and growing,” he says. But there are key continuative dishes, such as the catch of the
Early reviews of the food at Paper Daisy have been glowing, and occupancy rates at the new hotel are high. But Devlin and his team know that in order for the restaurant to succeed in the long term, it will need
day grilled in paper bark and served with onion, seaweed and beach
to attract and retain diners who live in nearby towns. For this, Devlin
plants – a wonderful evocation of Halcyon House’s beachfront setting.
hopes to create an atmosphere that is both upscale and inviting.
“Being part of a hotel has shown me the importance of both variety and
“Relaxed formality is a good way to think of the style we are hoping
consistency,” says Devlin. “We have frequently changing parts of the
to give,” he says. “We want to be a business that is minding the finer
menu to keep long-staying or repeat guests feeling that there is a new
details of our guest experience, and providing something that is of the
reason to dine with us, as well as consistent dishes that give people a
absolute highest quality from every aspect. But it is also important to
favourite to come back for.”
us that people feel warm and welcome. It is very much in the DNA of
Although Paper Daisy is busiest in the evening, it also serves breakfast and lunch, and these menus each have a distinct focus. Breakfast taps
Halcyon House to be friendly, accommodating and deliver intuitive service. The restaurant should be a reflection of that.”
in to Australia’s growing interest in wellness, offering wholesome takes on classic fare such as whole wheat crumpets with ricotta, roast fruit
www. halcyonhouse.com.au
IN A BITE Covers: 90 • Interior Design: Anna Spiro • Architecture: Virginia Kerridge • Owners: Elisa Bickle, Siobhan Bickle • Tableware: Marloe Morgan Ceramics • Supplier: Delta Hospitality Supplies • Glassware: Riedel • Uniforms: Fraser & Hughes • Cooking Equipment: Pujadas • Cooking Units: Waldorf • Refrigeration: Skope
054
Ocean Vila Vita Parc, Algarve
Words: Harry McKinley
P
ortugal’s Algarve was once seen as something of a mixed bag. Areas like Praia de Rocha, in the southern section of Portimao, garnered a reputation for hard partying, karaoke bars and cafs with plastic seats. But in recent years the
region has undergone an image overhaul internationally, putting its best foot forward as the home to idyllic villages, world-class resorts and as the country’s culinary heart. The Algarve now holds roughly half of Portugal’s Michelin stars.
Vila Vita Parc is one resort appealing to an affluent and sophisticated demographic, with its eight restaurants, six bars and underground wine cellar. Comprised of 170 rooms and villas over a sprawling 22,000m2 clifftop site, it embodies both old Portugal and new. Its most prestigious restaurant, the two Michelin star Ocean – one of only three two star restaurants in the country - has recently undergone a complete refurbishment, with a slick new design intended to better reflect and showcase the work of executive chef Hans Neuner. “Now was the time for a deep change,” says Vila Vita Parc’s managing director Kurt Gillig. “In the past the restaurant didn’t reflect the evolution and style of Hans. So when you have a contemporary style, the cutlery, tabletop, ornaments and
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Photography: Vasco Celio
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Photography: Paulo Barata
the overall aesthetic have to reflect that to create a full
in its ability to draw in guests, not just to sleep but to
experience. It’s a mirror of the work the team is doing.”
eat, it’s understandable why a hefty dose of importance
Having worked in three Michelin Star restaurants and
is levied upon the diamond in its dining crown. Ocean’s
having visited more than 50 around the world, Gillig
refurbishment isn’t simply a facelift but a complete
understands the constant attention required to firstly
reimaging of the space. There’s talk that the aim is an ever-
obtain, and then retain, the accolade. Stars aren’t simply
elusive third star. Mention that, however, and one gets the
a recognition of the quality and scope of the restaurant,
impression there’s a fear of jinxing the whole thing if it’s said aloud. Regardless of intention, the new-look restaurant is a
“It’s important for the hotel business and for the region to have Ocean here. It’s why it’s fully booked everyday.”
remarkable feat of design. Contemporary, assertive and imbued with a distinct personality, its impact is immediate and lasting. As much a part of the ‘decoration’ as the precious African coral that nestles in shelving along the main wall, the view isn’t so much a backdrop as a focal
058
they’re an important asset in appealing to visitors and
point. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the ocean from
gaining exposure to a global audience. “Gaining a second
which the restaurant derives it name: a captivating slice of
star put us on the radar of an important culinary customer
horizon compelling guests to pull up a seat and stare. These
and that has an impact, not just on the restaurant, but on
can be fully opened to allow the sea breeze to billow in.
the property and the destination,” he says. “It’s important
Despite the complexity and detail of the interior design,
for the hotel business and for the region to have Ocean here.
no agency was used and the refurbishment was an in-house
It’s why it’s fully booked everyday.”
endeavour.
Of the resort’s business, approximately 40% is derived
A short gangway leads guests into the restaurant,
from its F&B operations. So with such a large stake invested
hanging crystals from Murano lining either side. From
‘Odeon’ cutlery. One of our exclusive modern cutlery designs.
Sheffield, England Design and craftsmanship. Fine cutlery for the global F&B industry. trade@davidmellordesign.co.uk +44 (0)1433 650220 davidmellordesign.co.uk
DM-Supper Ad.indd 1
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Photography: Vasco Celio
Italian glass specialist Barovier & Toso – one of the oldest
the grandiose to the subtle, feels considered and purposeful
family businesses in the world – they’re intended to reflect
– even if the purpose is simply to add an additional visual
the omnipresent blue of the sea and sky, and the golden
dimension.
sands of the Algarve itself.
This balance is ultimately a reflection of chef Hans
In the restaurant proper, seating is widely dispersed, with
Neuner’s culinary approach. His tasting menu features
a 30-cover capacity. A 300-year old piece of solid oak forms
the now almost essential array of foams, broths, gels and artfully carved vegetables. But no element is the awkward
We grow much of our produce on site so I have control over what is going into my dishes
guest at the party. Every component is there for a reason and fully at home. “My philosophy is to bring the product to the plate in the most genuine way possible,” says Neuner. Nonetheless in their presentation each dish provides the all-important Instagram moment.
060
the chef’s table, accommodating six guests and overlooking
The menu itself is a complex one. Seasonal and local,
the kitchen.
many of the ingredients come from the resort’s own farm.
The crafted wooden flooring and silk carpets are from
“We grow much of our produce on site so I have control
Fashion for Floors; custom-designed tables, chairs and
over what is going into my dishes,” says Neuner. “This year
banquettes from Boffi Fratelli and Baxter and Maxalto; and
we will add a few thousand square metres to our garden and
large bronze circular ceiling lamps that hover just overhead
increase the number and diversity of products.”
from Henke.
The emphasis is on a lighter, more modern interpretation
The overall impression is dramatic but thoughtfully so.
of Portuguese cuisine. Langoustine is teamed with cabbage,
There’s little theatrics for theatrics’ sake. Each detail, from
and beef with grapefruit. Specially created serving dishes –
OLD FASHIONED EV EN IN 18 91
A STYLE SELDOM MET In 1891 a whisky expert noted that Craigellachie represented a style of whisky “seldom met with now,” which we took as a compliment. Today we still use old-fashioned worm tubs to cool our spirit and bestow it with extra flavour, creating a dram to rival whiskies twice its age.
ENJOY OUR SINGLE MALT RESPONSIBLY. CRAIGELLACHIE AND ITS TRADE DRESS ARE TRADEMARKS.
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Photography: Vasco Celio
from JL Coquet and Fürstenberg – add an artful element. Sticks holding
proved a pull for staying and non-staying guests alike, with a roughly 50 /
crispy morsels jut from white porcelain fashioned into coral shapes;
50 split. With the refurbishment complete and a bold stage to call his own,
bulbous spherical bowls hold precisely placed seafood; and intricately
chef Hans Neuner admits that it takes a combination of factors to create
styled combinations of meat and veg sit in vast expanses of space on
a successful restaurant and deliver an experience that will impress. “It’s
oversized plates. Cutlery from Sambonet is religiously whisked away and
a perfect balance of good company, good produce, good products and
replaced between each course.
setting. At Ocean we bring all of these together – the unique atmosphere
With the resort holding one of the largest private collections on the
of the dining room with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, where the
Iberian peninsula, wine is also a key element of the Ocean experience. A
kitchen and dining area are seamlessly integrated. The good company, of
specially created wine room at the restaurant holds 560 carefully selected
course, is up to the customers,” he says with a laugh.
vintages. Handpicked and paired by sommelier Nelson Marreiros, they
So what of that third star? Time will tell if the new look and menu will
are available by the glass thanks to the revolutionary Coravin extraction
deliver but Gillig still, coyly, has his eye on the prize. “Design is fine, but
method. Guests can enjoy rare vintages, such as the 2001 Château Mouton
it’s important that the restaurant delivers an experience. With Michelin
Rothschild (Bordeaux) or the Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha (Douro), in
Stars comes attention and with 1.6million visitors to the Algarve every year,
glassware from Zalto and decanters from Riedel – should they decide that
I wouldn’t be doing my job if I wasn’t interested in tapping that potential.”
‘by the glass’ just won’t cut it. Thanks to its creativity, cuisine and reputation Ocean has ultimately
www.restauranteocean.com
IN A BITE Covers: 30 • Operator: Vila Vita Hotels • Executive Chef: Hans Neuner • Tableware: JL Coquet, Fürstenberg • Glassware: Zalto, Riedel • Cutlery: Sambonet • Decorative Crystal: Barovier & Toso • Flooring and Carpets: Fashion for Floors • Tables and Chairs: Boffi Fratelli, Baxter and Maxalto • Lighting: Henke
062
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INTRODUCING
DIA_13785 T10 BF (236x275mm).indd 1
19/11/2015 14:13
Väkst SP34 Copenhagen
Words: Lauren Ho Photography: Chris Tonnesen
F
or all of its virtues as a destination – not least
right path. “We have Denmark’s largest port wine
the hoopla surrounding its swathe of Michelin
selection, so Copenhageners are coming here to use the
star restaurants – Copenhagen’s hotel offerings,
bar, which is a really small step in the right direction,”
in contrast, are curiously not up to scratch. Sure,
says Nielsen.
there is the usual sprinkling of bog-standard chains
successfully sustaining a restaurant – in a city not shy
grande dame, but individual, affordable boutique
of culinary offerings and where, it is still unusual to
accommodation is woefully lacking and, unlike in other
eat at a hotel restaurant – is a whole new ball game.
international cities, hanging out at a hotel for leisure is
So after a couple of attempts, one of which included a
virtually unheard of.
Spanish eatery, Nielsen wisely sought reinforcement
One game changer though, is on a mission to bring
from Cofoco, Copenhagen’s leading restaurant group.
the city’s hospitality landscape up to par with its global
“Cofoco has a really good development department,” he
counterparts. “We are very static in the Danish hotel
justifies. “They are very good at bringing people in and
industry,” says Karim Nielsen, CEO of Brøchner Hotels.
they never have empty restaurants.” For Cofoco, it is a
“But I am trying to change this.” Indeed, when Hotel
collaboration that has been a long time coming: “For a
SP34 opened its doors in 2014, it marked a significant
while now, we have been looking for a project to do in
shift for the industry. Located in the city’s thrumming
cooperation with Brøchner Hotels,” says Christian Lytje,
Latin Quarter, surrounded by colourful boutiques and
CEO of Cofoco. “When we got the chance, we didn’t
lively cafés, the 118-room property with its easy-going
hesitate for a moment. The experience Brøchner wishes
lobby bar and slick, design-led aesthetics, adopts the
to provide for its guests is very much in line with how
current trend for the modern traveller seeking a unique,
we think at Cofoco.”
local experience. “Our main objective is to create a place
064
Enticing revellers into a bar is one thing, but
and of course there is d’Angleterre, the city’s legendary
Widely credited with transforming the city’s local
both for locals and guests,” explains Nielsen. “People
dining scene, Cofoco’s modus operandi is to provide
want to find their own hidden gems, they want to be
high quality food at affordable prices in distinct,
part of the local environment.”
design-led venues. “10-15 years ago, the Danish dining
And while the lobby isn’t heaving with hipsters
scene did not really offer anything in the middle price
tapping away at the obligatory laptop just yet, the
range,” explains Lytje. “We decided ‘value for money’
buzzing bar is evidence enough that Nielsen is on the
had to be integrated in all of our projects.” Now with 14
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Dishes: Brรถste, Serax Glassware: Libbey (Duratuff) Cutlery: Kay Bojeson
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restaurants – that run the gamut from Italian to Peruvian
rich, creamy mussel sauce that accompanies the spaghetti-
– under its belt, the brand, riding on the success of its New
like strands of squid makes for a rounded balance,
Nordic restaurant Höst, decided a sister venue at Hotel SP34
emphasising Cofoco’s ethos to cater to everyone’s appetite.
would be the answer to tempt both locals and visitors alike.
“The reason I started at Cofoco, was because I wanted to
Called Väkst - the Danish word for ‘growth’ – the new
make food for everybody,” affirms Christensen, who comes
concept is based on summer garden party vibes and fresh,
from a Michelin star background. “Cofoco makes excellent
rustic Nordic dishes where vegetables take centre stage.
food accessible to everyone at a fair price.”
This is further underlined by the interior, where charming
Undoubtedly, not straying from its winning formula
outdoor string lights illuminate a space that, furnished
has once again proved fruitful, as judging by the constant
with an abundance of verdant pot plants, unexpectedly
flow of diners, it seems Väkst is another victory for the
features a greenhouse at its heart. “It was about designing
restaurant group. Whether this has impacted the hospitality
a restaurant that creates an atmosphere that compliments
landscape and the local mentality towards hotel restaurants
and enhances the experience of the food we serve,” explains
is still to be seen, but for now, the collaboration between
Lytje.
Brøchner Hotels and Cofoco was a shrewd move. “We are
In the kitchen, chef Jonas Christensen, who is also behind
working hard on it,” says Nielsen emphatically. “Although
the food at Höst, serves up a lighter, less challenging
we are a little bit alone on the scene because there are
menu than at its sister restaurant, but still with the same
no new hotels that are doing nice bars or restaurants.”
fresh, clean Nordic taste. With vegetables as the main
But with a number of new properties in the pipeline and
focus, expect meat dishes such as the pork cheeks to be the
with plans to continue driving the F&B arm of the brand,
sideshow to a substantial plate of greens. “For us, it’s the
Nielsen has at least kick started his one-man mission to up
vegetable that has to be the main and then the meat is like
Copenhagen’s hospitality game. Watch this space.
the side,” notes Christensen. “Vegetables are good for you. And then we use a kilo of butter,” he jokes. Certainly, the
www.hostvakst.dk/vakst
IN A BITE Covers: 90 • Executive Chef: Jonas Christensen • Head Bartender: Henriette Thorsen • Architect: Cofoco with Genbyg • Tableware: Bröste, Serax • Glassware: Libbey, Luigi Bormioli • Cutlery: Kay Bojeson
066
GRAND MAÃŽTRE Visit us at victorinox.com MAKERS OF THE ORIGINAL SWISS ARMY KNIFE | ESTABLISHED 1884
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14.06.16 09:26
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Restaurant Le Cinq Codet Hotel Le Cinq Codet, Paris
Words: Harry McKinley
O
n the corner of a quiet street in the 7th arrondissement sits Le Cinq Codet. From the outside it is attractive but unassuming; the Art Deco façade offering only a hint of the design-led hotel that occupies the building.
Of course the neighbourhood is known as one of the most prestigious in
the city, and indeed France. Government ministries, foreign embassies and art institutions are clustered within its quaint streets and the general pace is more languid than in the traffic-heavy, tourist-rich districts that lie within walking distance. Yet Le Cinq Codet is not a grand hotel, in the traditional sense. The ornate Baroque buildings of Les Invalides sitting at the top of the street only serve to emphasize its relative modernity and the comparative austerity of the exterior. An interior from Jean-Philippe Nuel (Agence Nuel), is equally contemporary, not just in style but in approach. Recognising that guests just don’t engage with spaces in as narrow or linear a way as they used to, multifunction is key. It’s something boutiques often do better than larger hotels. Limited space means the need to develop areas that can operate on multiple levels and cater to a range of needs. The restaurant at Le Cinq Codet is a prime example. It’s not simply a restaurant; it’s a bar, a lounge, a terrace, a place to grab breakfast, a place to grab coffee and a place to fire up a laptop and work through the day’s emails. For guests it is the public heart of the hotel: a social, work and relaxation space. “The F&B spaces have been designed as a global space of living,” says Jean-Philippe Nuel. “In the same room, several typologies of spaces answer to different but complementary F&B needs.” The 30-cover interior features classic seating areas for dinner, relaxed chairs by a nifty digital ‘fireplace’, bar stools and a breakfast room - or ‘show kitchen’ - with a central island from which the chef may liaise with guests during morning service. A central courtyard with outdoor tables and chairs, and cushioned communal seating holds another 30.
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Visually the restaurant draws from the same inspiration as the rest of
diners. “Our patio is popular for its intimacy and discretion and the
the hotel. It’s undeniably of the present, but notes of Art Deco linger
restaurant is a perfect place for informal business,” says Pawlik. “So we
throughout in the use of angular lines; in the curve of the chairs; and in
try to attract outside customers from both the 7th district and also other
the motifs that adorn carpets and cushions.
parts of the capital. We organise many business meals, cocktail parties,
“The premises itself really informed the look and feel,” says Nuel. “The hotel was a rehabilitation project in a building full of technical
seminars and press conferences. We also offer evening cocktails and workshops every first Thursday of the month.”
constraints. We had to separate the public areas into two parts, which
The new concise, one page dinner menu from executive chef Ricardo
is why the lobby is completely separated from the F&B spaces. So we
Lucio keeps it relatively straightforward. A selection of pastas, sandwiches
particularly worked on the patio as a natural link between the lobby
and salads sit alongside hotel staples such as a burger and cheeseboard.
and the F&B area. Visually we thought about the building - industrial
A catch of the day is one nod towards seasonality, while for slightly more
Thirties - but also its surroundings: the secluded, residential and
substantial dining there’s steak, foie gras and Baltic wild smoked salmon.
exclusive 7th arrondissement. These two characteristics guided
Petrossian caviar comes with a glass of Grey Goose vodka.
the design, which was directly inspired by loft spaces and then the combination of art and industrial.” Although less than two years old, the hotel has seen a steady ramping up of its F&B offer, with the introduction of a new seasonal menu and a
While the menu makes use of artisan producers and features a few rare products, dinner is ultimately a relaxed occasion. Tables are simply set with stiff white napkins, Rosenthal glassware and Sambonet cutlery. Like many large cities, hotel F&B in Paris is increasingly diversifying
focus on attracting a diverse audience of non-staying guest. “Breakfast
and the boutique sector is an especially creative one. From the avant
represents 20% of the turnover of the space,” says Elodie Pawlik,
garde to the traditional, there’s a wealth of options available to both
commercial manager at the hotel. “But the general restaurant and bar
locals and travellers. Through its combination of design, location and
is 80%. The F&B offer is very important to Le Cinq Codet and we’ve
product, Le Cinq Codet manages to maintain an offer than appeals,
partnered with some big names in gastronomy, such as Griffon, Le
and with its seasonal menu is now able to continue to provide a sense
Bourdonnec, Petrossian and Ladurée.”
of ‘newness’ and sustain the momentum generated from its much-
Not relying on guests to simply come to them, the hotel is taking
vaunted launch.
steps to pull customers through the doors by developing events and an overall persona that appeals as much to corporate clients as casual
www.le5codet.com
IN A BITE Covers: 30 inside, 30 outside • Interior Design: Agence Nuel • Executive Chef: Ricardo Lucio • Head Bartender: Carl Barre • Glassware: Rosenthal • Cutlery: Sambonet
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maldonsalt.co.uk
Supper Magazine.indd 1
16/06/2016 09:24
Giardino Palazzo Versace, Dubai
Words: Juliet Kinsman
I
n 1942, Don Loper created the now-iconic Martinique Banana Leaf wallpaper for the Beverly Hills Hotel and at this 215-room hotel and its two wings of condos, the House of Versace channels the same tropical aesthetic. In many ways Giardino is the restaurant
equivalent of Jennifer Lopez’s iconic plunging dress from the brand. The Italian fashion label is rarely associated with minimalism or
restraint when it comes to colour, pattern or personality. And when it comes to destinations that display an appetite for ‘more is more’ interiors and conventional gold-plated interpretations of luxury, Dubai is front and centre. But for those whose tastes veer towards simple, low-key and humble the bold jade-and-white wallcovering - the same as the shirts and ties worn by the servers – of the maximalist Giardino may prove surprisingly appealing. Dubai Creek, where the hotel is situated, is an area of an everdeveloping city that is primarily still under construction. It’s yet to flourish into the picturesque, leafy, saltwater-side neighbourhood it is forecasted to become, with Palazzo Versace’s own landscaped enclave at the centre of what’s labelled the Dubai Culture Village – with plans for a mixed-use district of Arabic architecture and traditional-style souks. The huge 16th-century-inspired ‘palazzo’ is a many-floored behemoth amid dual carriageways. Walk into the hotel’s soothing main lobby though and it’s a refined display of craftsmanship. Above, three tons of Czech crystals sparkle from a chandelier, and below, a million and a half mosaic tiles were hand-placed to create the magnificent signature Medusa flooring. Handcrafted mosaics
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MAIN COURSE
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MAIN COURSE
throughout the hotel are designed in conjunction with the renowned
be described in similar terms. Executive chef Fabrice Lasnon prioritises
Italian mosaic company Fantini Mosaici.
freshness and flavour and, despite the staggering array, also a
Amid a forest of buildings and cranes, Giardino at Palazzo Versace is a
simplicity of execution. The menu features a mix of Italian, Levant and
sanctuary of fresh potted plants and frond-emblazoned interiors; what
international favourites. From glassware to plates and cutlery, tableware
Dubai lacks at the moment is green spaces, and it is just what diners
is a collaboration between Versace and Rosenthal.
may crave. As the Italian name suggests, the ground-floor restaurant is
It is becoming more and more popular for hotel restaurants to claim
themed around a garden. It’s an uplifting scene full of style and easy-
their concept is based on a food market-style layout, but hosting a
on-the-eye tableaux. Planters and dinky palm trees allow the space to
substantial buffet, as in the case of the Friday brunch, isn’t a new
be versatile and adjustable, depending on the size of bookings that filter
idea. What makes it imaginative and relevant is displaying the fresh
through. For most of the year, bar three months when it’s simply too hot
ingredients artistically and enticingly, and offering interactive cooked-
and humid, the front windows are folded back entirely so that the space
to-order experiences. Diners enjoy having their chosen dishes prepped
feels airy and Giardino spills out to the family-friendly pool area.
and served in front of them, with what used to be behind the scenes now
House of Versace has matched placemats and candleholders to the
part of the theatre of eating out. Lunch is an à la carte choice of Italian
bold fabric wall panels. The latter interior-design feature is especially
classics – burrata, heirloom tomatoes, Mediterranean sea bass, fregola
welcome during the boisterous brunches. Brunch on Fridays in Dubai is
pasta – but for dinner, the action is brought to the foreground. Sushi
an institution and the ex-pat community often indulges in long over the
and sashimi are conjured in front of guests, with Arabic grills and Asian
top, all day lunches. DJs spin dance music tracks and the atmosphere
night market delights such as Pecking duck whipped up to order.
is spirited. Thankfully interiors here absorb some of the sounds of that
As Donatella Versace says: “I think glamour all the time. I wake up in
conviviality without detracting from the atmosphere. Attempt to spend
the morning, and I’m already thinking glamour.” No doubt the designer
time at other five-star rendezvous when a brunch is in full swing and,
would want to provide a thrill to the eye morning, noon and night and
however upscale the address, it can be deafening.
Giardino is Versace all over. Quite literally.
Since Versace as a brand is often associated with flamboyance, indulgence and ostentation, it seems fitting that the food here could
www.palazzoversace.ae
IN A BITE Developer: Enshaa Group – joint venture • Covers: 222 indoors, 72 outdoors • Executive Chef: Fabrice Lasnon • Interior Design: Donatella Versace • Tableware: Rosenthal meets Versace • Uniforms: House of Versace
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SIPPING
“As mixology has become more established, credible, creative and widespread, so the number of signature cocktails has increased.� Angus Winchester on the modern cocktails set to stand the test of time.
COCKTAILS
Asia The Donovan Bar Brown’s Hotel, London
The work of Damian Kwiatkowski and Riccardo Vecchio, Asia is part of the recently unveiled ‘Around the World’ cocktail menu, featuring seven cocktails for seven continents. The menu is presented via individual scented cards, intended to draw the guest to their desired cocktail through their ‘instinctive senses’. Asia is served in one of three different coloured traditional Chinese cups - all of which hold dried flowers in their lids – and the colour of the cup will be determined by the bartender according to what qualities radiate from the drinker. The black cup will be served to those who exude power; yellow will be given to cheerful guests; or red for those who give emanate energy and passion. Star of Bombay Gin is shaken with Antolia cherry bitters, a touch of violet liqueur and a dash of homemade oolong tea syrup. This mix is stirred with grapefruit zest. www.roccofortehotels.com
DOUBLE AGED F O R E X T R A S M O OT H N E S S
The quality of the article should be its greatest achievement. JOHN DEWAR; FOUNDER OF DEWAR’S & SONS, ESTD. 1846.
A crafted blend made of over 40 grain and malt whiskies and winning more than 500 awards. The smooth and heather honeyed taste of Dewar’s is iconic.
Enjoy Responsibly ©DEWAR’S, WHITE LABEL, ITS TRADE DRESS, TRUE SCOTCH, THE CELTIC DEVICE AND THE JOHN DEWAR SIGNATURE ARE TRADEMARKS.
COCKTAILS
The Fallen Garden Hendricks Bar Four Seasons Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
A reimagined take on the classic British club, Hendricks Bar fuses European and Middle Eastern influences in a rich and dramatic space. With a focus on gin cocktails and speciality whiskies, a ‘gin and tonic’ trolley circles the cigar bar, featuring classic staples and a range of homemade infusions. Devised by Bar Manager Marco Corallo, the signature Fallen Garden features Tanqueray No. TEN, homemade rose liqueur, clarified pink grapefruit juice, homemade lavender bitters and yuzu. The blend is shaken, double strained, served over a single block of ice and garnished with dried rosebuds. www.fourseasons.com/dubaijb
SPIRIT ENHANCER
COCKTAILS
Be Healthy Be Bop Bar Radisson Blu Alcron, Prague
Located off Prague’s popular Wenceslas Square, the Art Deco Be Bop Bar forms part of the lobby of the Radisson Blu Alcron and has become a signature spot for creative mixology in the city. From the golf-centric ‘Be on the Green’ to the quintessentially Czech ‘Be Bohemian’ – made with local herbal liqueur Bechervoka – the cocktail menu flits between wit, theatricality and classicism. The ‘Be Healthy’ strikes a balance between all three, conveying its medicinal theme through tongue in cheek presentation. Made with bourbon, Campari, honey and cranberry juice, it comes with a syringe of sweet cherry juice to complete. www.radissonblu.com
FIT FOR A KING
HONOURED WITH A ROYAL WARRANT The distillery at Brackla was founded in 1812 by Captain William Fraser. As its calibre gained acclaim in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London, King William IV, having developed a taste for fine liquor, granted Brackla whisky a Royal Warrant in 1833 – the first time a whisky had been so honoured. ENJOY OUR SINGLE MALT RESPONSIBLY. ROYAL BRACKLA AND ITS TRADE DRESS ARE TRADEMARKS.
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DRINKS
Restaurant Bar Blakes Hotel, London
Words: Harry McKinley
B
lakes is where a stylised version of the East meets West London. Credited as one of the first boutique hotels in the world, it is synonymous with designer and hotelier Anouska Hempel, a celebrity clientele and its eclectic design.
With 44 rooms, and a private mews house with its own separate
entrance, the hotel sits somewhere in the middle of the boutique category - neither particularly large or particularly small. Nonetheless, for its scale its F&B offer has always punched above its weight. A popular Kensington and Chelsea hangout spot, its bar and restaurant have long provided a base for local creative types, well-heeled ‘yummy mummies’ and familiar-faced businessmen to eat, drink and mingle. Following a refurbishment, the hotel’s F&B spaces have been completely reimagined with a lower lounge bar and club, and a new restaurant and cocktail bar on entry level, expanded into the space previously occupied by suite 007. As with the other F&B spaces, the design of the restaurant bar was undertaken by Hempel herself. Staying true to expectation the interior is rich but refined. Dark walls provide a base for gold detailing, high stools congregate around a marble bar and Asian detailing presents itself in plant pots holding tall stretches of splayed green leaves that jostle for attention. Zalto glasses hang in open display and a shelved back bar is suspended just above the preparation counter. The restaurant as a whole can hold 60-covers but the bar by itself is a
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much more intimate space, with room for just
little bit, to make it more relaxed. We don’t expect
eight people on stools, a corner booth and a few
anyone to feel as though they have to dress in a
standard Biedermeier tables hugging the wall.
£5000 suit to walk into Blakes anymore.”
Windows look out onto the outdoor patio with its black-framed gazebo. “We’re able to contain the size and volume so
Another F&B evolution is the relationship between the restaurant bar and the rooms. The alcohol minibar has been ‘deleted’, with rooms
quality can be managed, from the welcome and
now only holding a stock of water and soft
service to the drinks,” says Daniele Pampagnin,
drinks. If guests fancy a tipple they simply ring
director of operations.
down to the bar and a cocktail will be hurried
At the moment the hotel’s business is split
their way, with the same preparation time as if
roughly down the middle between beds and F&B,
they were perched facing the barman. “It’s about
and yet when it comes to the restaurant bar
telling one story throughout the hotel,” says
its audience is almost entirely outside guests.
Pampagnin. “After calling, the guest will receive
“Perhaps 95%,” says Pampagnin. “We’ve got
their drink within five or ten minutes - same
hotel guests of course, but Blakes has always
speed and service. We can do it because it’s a
been a lifestyle destination. I think we have the
fairly small hotel, but it heightens that element
balance right. Sometimes a massive hotel won’t
of bespoke and personal attention to the guest.”
concentrate on F&B because it’s driven by room
The cocktail menu, devised by bar manager
revenue, but for the guest the offer is just a
Giuliano Bini, is equally narrative driven. Each
room. Then there are hotels driven by F&B, but
mix comes with own tale and the menu is
if I’m a hotel guest I don’t want to step into
Anouska Hempel inspired with its plethora of
somewhere that is too busy and too crowded.
Asian ingredients and flavours. The Chai Tea
Here, thanks to the garden, the bar and the roof
Martini was created by Bini for a glamorous
terrace, we have a perfect equilibrium between
Indian wedding and immediately made it onto
the amount of hotel guests you can have in the
the menu during development. It features saffron
house and people from outside.”
gin, Junmai Daiginjo Akashi Tea, chai tea and
With such a predominant proportion of
rice syrup; apple and lemon juice; egg white and
guests non-staying, part of the logic of the new
Peychaud’s Bitters. The Direct, meanwhile, was
restaurant bar is not just a shift in design but a
fashioned in honour of Pampagnin and features
shift in ambience. The space is intended to be
Campari in ode to his Italian heritage, along
welcoming and a little less formal in approach
with Monkey 47 Sloe Gin, Chartreuse Green,
than may have been expected from the hotel. For
maraschino and Fernet-Branca. “We couldn’t
Pampagnin this means people feeling free to make
very well call it the Director of Operations, so we
themselves at home. “No one is going to ask you
settled on The Direct,” says Bini.
to leave if you want to come in jeans,” he says.
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“Blakes has always been seen as dark, sexy and
www.blakeshotels.com
quite mysterious. I think we’re trying to change a
www.designhotels.com
DRINKS
IN A BITE Covers: 60 • Head Bartender: Giuliano Bini • Head Chef: Peter Del Campo • Interior Design: Anouska Hempel • Owner: Navid Mirtorabi • Operator: Blakes Management • Tableware: Wonky Ware • Glassware: Zalto • Suppliers: Passione Vino
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A Modern Classic
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We explore what it takes to design a cocktail that will stand the test of time and highlight seven modern classics destined for longevity.
Words: Angus Winchester
O
ne of the best parts of my career is creating training modules and presentations to roll out at bar shows and bartender education sessions around the world. I’m generally given a free hand, or am trusted to come
up with interesting and educational topics. I want to help inspire bartenders to be creative and raise their standards, or to teach them valid practical lessons. I’ve found the key to this is to research heavily, to choose wisely and to have a structure that creates a flow and a credible dialogue. I never intend my words to be slavishly followed and am pleased when attendees form arguments or raise points that I hadn’t considered. I love it when a discussion creates ripples throughout the world of bartending, or at very least the attendees. I bring this up because I recently gave a talk entitled The Seven Wonders of the Modern Cocktail World, in which I attempted to show that in the time I have been involved with the world of cocktails and bartending there have been only seven drinks that have been created and are destined to be (or already are) cocktails that all bartenders will need to know in the future. Inevitably, it ruffled some feathers and started some rather intense conversations.
My theory was this: 90 years ago the list of ‘must know’ or ‘classic’ cocktails was very different to 40 years ago, and in turn is different to now. At the turn of the 20th century, drinks like Clover Clubs, Cobblers, Sazeracs and Silver Fizzes were the bartenders’ staples. Skip forward 50 years and Mojitos, Margaritas, Mai Tais and Bloody Mary’s were on everyone’s lips. Yet which drinks have been created in the last 25 years that will stand the test of time (I chose the beginning of my bartending career as a realistic start date) and be added to the roll-call of Espresso Martini
great cocktails? As mixology has become more established, credible, creative and widespread, so the number of signature cocktails has increased, and surely there are many great new cocktails out there. Or are there? The key - other than being a dedicated and well-travelled bartender who has drunk a fair amount of new cocktails - was a series of criteria I used to decide what made for a Modern Classic. Firstly the drink had to have a practical side: it must use ingredients that are relatively common globally or can be substituted fairly easily. Although you might love your new drink that uses Australian finger Limes, I fear you may find it hard for other bartenders around the globe to recreate it. Secondly, it must also work with any decent brand within a category and not be based on just one, utilising the specific flavour notes that exist in singular product. You might be keen to
“As mixology has become more established, credible, creative and widespread, so the number of signature cocktails has increased” harmonize with the delicate hints of peach in Nolet’s Gin, but if a bar doesn’t stock Nolet’s and the drink doesn’t work without it, then it won’t be adopted widely. Thirdly, of a practical nature, it must have a name that is easy to say and ‘call’ in a bar, and is amusing or memorable. There are very few classic cocktails that have more than four words in their name, and remember, brevity is the soul of wit. Try to stay away from the modern mixological malady of puns, as well as any part of the human body that is normally covered with underwear. If in doubt, think about shouting it in a bar when the music suddenly cuts out, or getting your grandfather to order it for you. Fourthly, it must taste great, often meaning that the exact proportions can be varied successfully to accommodate a range of palates. This generally means that stirred drinks are out. We, as alcoholics with bartending problems, may adore ‘see throughs’ but your average punter struggles with them, whereas any drink with ‘citrus and sweetener’ can be modified and tinkered with to suit most tastes.
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Fifthly (and this one may cause some furrowed brows)
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Basil Smash
modern classics can also come to pass due to innovation
Thus, with those ideas in mind, I give you the Seven
– either in new or irregular combinations of flavour
Wonders of the World:
combinations and ingredients or in new techniques being used to create those flavours. Salvatore Calabrese’s Breakfast Martini with marmalade as a key ingredient, or Dick Bradsell’s espresso-based beauty show this perfectly, yet still conform to rule one. Sixthly, it must be popular, by which I mean not just drinkers must love it but other bartenders must love it and
The The The The The The The
Bramble Cosmopolitan Tommy’s Margarita Penicillin Green Basil Smash Espresso Martini Breakfast Martini
- although they did not create it - are willing to showcase it, and thus it starts to show up around the world on
I chose seven because I honestly believe that there are
cocktail menus. Too many drinks have been lost by
fewer than 10 drinks that have been invented in the last 25
bartenders keeping recipes secret, and it is a feather in any
years that will stand the test of time and fulfil my outlined
bartender’s cap when colleagues in other bars like a drink
criteria.
so much they drop their pride and ask for the recipe. This leads to the final criterion I used to select the
One of the downsides of modern bartending is new bartenders desperately clinging to the idea that totally new
drinks: they must inspire bartenders to copy or tweak
drinks are the key to guest satisfaction. I have sampled
the recipe in much the same way that the great classics
thousands of ‘new’ drinks that, tasty though they may be,
have done with twisted Negronis, Manhattans and Old
are relatively forgettable and, according to the ‘market’,
Fashioneds.
are unworthy of the title Modern Classic.
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Spiced Gin Atta Boy, Darnley’s View Gin
DRINKS
The Ginaissance Gin is thriving, but as more and more producers enter the market, there’s confusion as to what gin should and can be. So where is the category heading and what does this mean for hotel bars? Words: Dominic Roskrow
W
hen is a gin not a gin? Alas it doesn’t
concoctions ranging from relatively well produced Disney
command a slick, ready-made comedy
style gins, to the more outlandish representatives, which
punchline. There are plenty that think it
are the spirits equivalent of garish Japanese animé. They’re
strikes at the heart of a dilemma for the gin
all gin, the judges were told, but not necessarily as you
category. As more and more distillers enter the market, there is a growing body of people who feel that the category
know it. So what to make of it all? Is this growing wave of widely
needs to be more clearly defined. It presents a challenge
flavoured gins a good thing or a bad thing? The good news
because, on the one hand, gin lovers welcome the plethora
for gin is that it’s making waves. It’s innovative, exciting,
of quality craft gins that are creating diversity and regional
experimental and just a little bit out of control. The bad
characteristics to rival that of single malt whisky. On the
news for gin is that it’s making waves. It’s innovative,
other, there are fears that the gin category is losing its
exciting, experimental and just a little bit out of control.
identity in a tsunami of new releases that are not gin at all, but flavoured vodka and pimped up grain neutral spirits. The issue started to raise its head a couple of years ago,
Fast forward to 2016, and the issue of when is a gin not a gin is as potent as ever. Gins are springing up on a weekly basis, made by a slew of new distilleries across
when bemused and befuddled spirits competition judges
the world. They’re bringing a range of styles and flavours
were confronted by scores of gin samples that stretched
that is seemingly endless, all of which is potentially good
their taste buds to the limit. In broad terms, the spirits
for the gin category, but there is a caveat. Some producers
divided into two distinctive camps. In the blue corner were
are playing footloose and fancy free with the rules, and
the gin equivalents of the dinner jacket and black tie crowd:
are giving cause for concern as they produce spirits drinks
clean, crisp, classical, sharp and sassy - the ice and a slice
that have been dismissed as flavoured vodkas and spirit
brigade with juniper to the fore.In the red corner were a
infusions, and not gin at all.
motley crew of cartoon characters, bright and colourful
Patrick Zuidam, who produces a premium gin among a
DRINKS
huge array of other spirit and liqueur products at his Dutch
beneficial but only if they are there to guide and are made
distillery - and is a judge on various international awards
with the consumer in mind,“ she says. “They shouldn’t
panels - is clearly fed up. “It’s getting ridiculous,” he says.
hamper creativity or innovation.”
“Judging in international gin competitions is becoming a
Carl Reevey, of Bruichladdich, which makes The Botanist
difficult task. I think that some producers go overboard in
Gin, agrees. “Gin is being repositioned as a premium drink
their creativity or in looking for their niche in the market
not least because it is relatively expensive to make,” he
and they create drinks that have very little relevance to
says. “Let’s face it, vodka is boring. Lots of folk now drink
gins. A lot of gins lack balance, harmony, and the taste of
gin, and mostly with tonic, ice and a slice. That sounds a
juniper.
bit dull, but it seems to be true. Then there are loads of
“An award winning gin is about balance, harmony, crisp
aspirational gin drinks, from cocktails through foraged
clear distillation, clean stills and learning how to distil
serves to the glorious Martini. It’s all very interesting and
before bottling products. There is a level of frustration that
sometimes exciting, but these are still minority sports. It’s
comes from judging poorly made products marketed as
a bit like cricket: great fun if you know what you are doing.”
gins.” So how did this chasm between classical gin and modern
Does all of this lead to the conclusion that with its broad array of flavours, gin can offer the drinker the same sort of
gin come about? It stems from the loose definitions of gin
regional flavour diversity that single malt whisky offers?
within the European Union, and from the different rules
The industry is split.
governing gin production in different territories.
Gillrays Steakhouse & Bar is housed within the London
In Europe there are three definitions of gin.
Marriott Hotel County Hall and has offered more than 100
Standard Gin requires that the gin must be made with
gins in the past, but that number now stands at 40, with the
a base spirit distilled to 96% ABV. There is a requirement
emphasis on high quality. Head bar tender Sam Luis Mitchell says that we are witnessing a modern day craze for gin. “Anyone and
“Anyone and everyone is drinking gin now... the more choice, the more people are willing to try them”
everyone is drinking gin now,” he says. “A few months ago a gin distiller told me there was a new gin on the market every week. I would say the more choice, the more people are willing to try them. With gin such as Tarquin’s making a robust London dry then a juniper heavy navy strength, or Cotswolds using lavender and black peppercorn, and
for a predominantly juniper-flavoured taste but you can
Half Hitch using hay, tea and bergamot, there are lots of
add any botanicals you want and they can be infused - not
different ‘flavours’. I find when I do gin tasting guests
redistilled in to the mix. So they are effectively added. This
always say they never knew there were so many different
is a very loose definition.
flavours of gin.
To use this term Distilled Gin at least some of the
botanical. The rest is up to the distiller. Going back to the
though you may still add other botanicals and flavourings,
18th century when one in three houses were making gin,
as well as colourings.
they were putting all sorts in it so I think it’s good to have
Finally London Dry Gin is based on a 96% base spirit and all the botanicals must be distilled in a proper still. According to gin expert David T Smith of Summer Fruit
flexibility as a nod to the past, plus it brings creativity and innovation to the end product.” At London’s Mandarin Oriental, bar manager Sebastian
Cup, this is where the problem lies. “These definitions are
Löffler doesn’t see comparisons with single malt whisky as
not fit for purpose,” he says. “They talk about a flavour
valid, but is still excited by the category.
predominantly based on juniper, but what does that mean?
“The regulations outside of Plymouth Gin and the style
You and I might take it to mean 90% or 95% of the flavour,
of London Dry are pretty lax. Gin can be, and is, made all
but clearly others do not and there lies the problem. Where
over the world. In fact, some of the most popular gins are
is the line? And how do you police it? It’s very subjective.
made outside the United Kingdom. About 10 to 15 years ago
Even a more established and mainstream gin such as
when vodka was at its peak, the same happened with that
Beefeater has a distinctive citrusy taste.”
category; an abundance of flavours, variations and styles.
The industry is split as to whether a tightening of
But today that market has more or less gone. I don’t see
definitions would be a good thing or not. It’s a bit like the
the gin market ever reaching the levels of the single malt
current handball rule in football: the subjective nature of
industry, at least not in reference to flavour profiles or
interpretation is undesirable, but the alternatives could be a
geographical appellations.
whole lot worse. Emma Hooper, brand manager at Darnley’s View Gin, sums up the issue well. “We think some rules could be
092
“Gin is just neutral spirit with juniper as the main
botanicals have been included in the pot still distillation,
“I don’t necessarily see the loose definitions as a bad thing, as mentioned above, it gives an opportunity for distillers to create different styles across the globe within
The Botanist Gin, Bruichladdich
DRINKS
Darnley’s Delight, Darnley’s View Gin
the category. I believe that it is the ‘reasonableness’ of the
drinks now,” he says. “Theatre is a must when making
distiller as well as the merchant to inform the guest what
cocktails or serving a gin and tonic. In Gillray’s we have a
they are choosing. If it is not a gin per se, it should not be
cocktail called Two Penny Whist and we use Langleys No8,
listed or sold as such.”
Kamm & Sons and Carpano Antica Formula. We smoke it
What both bar managers agree on is that while the
produces a strong smell of juniper in the room and a visual
serve it with, as well as the ‘theatre’ of bespoke service.
effect of the smoke coming out of the bottle. The idea was
“This is very important,” says Löffler. “You cannot make a
to make the room smell like an old gin distillery if the drink
good gin and tonic with bad ingredients, but you can make
was ordered.”
a bad G&T with good ingredients. Ice is important in any
So is the gin craze here to stay, and will it thrive despite
drink that requires it because it helps maintain temperature
the potential hurdles? The consensus from those on the
and dilution. The mixer is equally important, as when it
front line is that it will go from strength to strength and, in
comes to tonic in particular, there is an abundance of not-
the long term, a range of quality gins will survive and thrive.
so-great options. In our bar, we use only Fever-Tree. For me, this is a very good tonic that really helps bring out the botanicals of most gins. “As for the garnish, this is very personal. Wedge, peel,
Desmond Payn, master distiller for Beefeater Gin - part of Pernod Ricard - sums it up. “Experimentation and innovation continue to be the cornerstone of everything we do,” he says. “The global
citrus, herb, it all depends on the gin. I like the garnishes to
‘Ginaissance’ continues to excite the category and its effect
bring out more of the botanicals or to contrast them, this
on sales will be long lasting, with an underlying interest in
is when the garnish works the best – when it adds to the
new, high end gins. With recent performances in mind we
drink.”
seen no reason to predict anything other than continued
Mitchell agrees. “People are expecting more from their
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with juniper, coriander seeds and pour on the table. This
quality of the gin is paramount, so are the ingredients you
positive growth over the next 12 months.”
A new dining experience
nudeglass nudeglass.com
simple is beautiful
P(OUR) Symposium 19 – 20 June, Paris
Photography: Addie Chinn
E
stablished this year by leading figures of the bartending
founder of The Coffeewoman, an interdisciplinary project
world Alex Kratena, Ryan Chetiyawardana, Jim Meehan,
blending digital and real life conversations to advance the
Simone Caporale, Monica Berg, Joerg Meyer and Xavier
role of female coffee professionals worldwide. She spoke on
Padovan, P(OUR) is a not-for-profit foundation devoted
the importance of sourcing, selection and sustainability.
to exploring new ideas, sharing information and exchanging inspiration.
Bar operator, educator and author of The PDT Cocktail Book, Jim Meehan also delivered a rousing address on ‘serving
An annual symposium brings together bartenders, baristas,
ourselves and each other’, in which he focused on the need
sommeliers, brewers, winemakers, distillers and drinks
for bartenders to adopt a healthy mental approach to an
manufacturers, as well as people of other disciplines, to
industry that can sometimes prove detrimental to those who
discuss the past, present and future of drink.
work within it.
The inaugural symposium was this year organized by Liquid Liquid and held in conjunction with Cocktails Spirits Paris.
Day two saw Ben Reade and Sashana Souza Zanella of the Edinburgh food studio take to the stage. On the agenda:
Across two days industry professionals descended on
entrepreneurship, working collaboratively and the way in
Maison Rouge for a series of talks and discussions highlighting
which we interact with food and the culture that surrounds
innovations in the food and drinks industry. Between
it. “It’s important to understand the processes of food and
presentations, pioneering product and produce brands – from
drink,” said Reade. “Not just the end result but the stages
coffee and tea to beer and spirits - introduced their wares,
of how it’s made. It helps to form a much deeper connection
offering samples to an eager crowd.
with what’s on the plate or in the glass.”
Opening proceedings, illustrator Alec Doherty spoke on
Speaking on the Power of Intention, Corrado Bogni, head
the importance of inventive product design, talking through
concierge of The Connaught hotel pulled from his years of
his work with London-based artisan brewers Partizan. “For
experience, telling a few stories of how he’s had to go ‘above
a long time art and branding was used to sell a substandard
and beyond’ to deliver for a guest. The moral ultimately being
product,” he said, “but with the rise of artisan labels and craft
that commitment and enthusiasm are as important for an
beers, packaging can still be used as a thoughtful medium to
established name as for a beginner.
say something authentic about the brand.”
Further speakers on day two included chef Douglas
Following a poignant tribute to Dick Bradsell, bartender
McMaster, who spoke on the ‘waste free’ movement and
Nick Strangeway discussed the cocktail revolution and the
how to operate with sustainability at the heart; and founder
evolution of the industry. Scrawling the words in black marker
of Crucial Detail, Martin Kastner who discussed his product
pen across waiting flip boards so there could be no mistake,
innovations in the field of fine dining.
he pushed home the notion that ‘modern bartenders are
Closing out the symposium, award-winning bartender
boring’. Too bogged down in the industry and insular, he
Monica Berg announced that proceeds from the event would
suggested that modern bartenders, “find something other
be used to support communities in the Amazon, helping them
than bartending to be interested in and talk about. Having a
to use local ingredients to develop marketable and sustainable
broad variety of interests and references will aid in creativity.”
products.
Other key speakers on day one included Tracy Ging, who currently leads the Volcafe Genuine Origin project and is co-
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www.pourdrink.org
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A New Family Jameson
Jameson has unveiled a new structure to its family of Irish whiskeys, including introducing a new super-premium series and revitalising the brand identity. Made up of a range of heritage whiskeys, the Makers Series and the Deconstructed Series, the portfolio is intended to showcase the brand’s heritage whilst positioning it as a modern, youthful label. Speaking at the global unveiling at Jameson’s distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork, Global Brand Director Dan Lunberg said, “What has driven that success of Jameson is the brand’s approachability. Its personality is open and inviting and its taste very accessible: smooth and versatile. It has a price point which is in the premium end but, again, accessible. A few years ago we could see that we were getting to a tipping point. We have a group of loyal consumers, but the more we talked to them the more we realised they wanted to know more about Jameson and were curious to try new things and experiment. So we decided to offer a range that gives them the story of the past. Let’s have the makers tell their stories.” The Maker’s Series is composed of three distinct whiskeys, each celebrating the people behind Jameson and their crafts. The Distiller’s Safe celebrates the role of Jameson’s Head Distiller, Brian Nation, and is a showcase of the original copper pot still distillate. The Cooper’s Croze highlights the role of Jameson’s Head Cooper, Ger Buckley, and explores the influence that maturation in casks has on whiskey. Finally the Blender’s Dog celebrates the role of Jameson Head Blender, Billy Leighton and is a tribute to the fine art of blending. “If you take the Jameson consumer base, it’s probably people that haven’t been whiskey drinkers but have found a way in and begun to appreciate the category,” says Leighton. “Jameson is a very good entry point to appreciate Irish whiskey. But as well as wanting to know how it’s made, customers want to know a bit more about the craft and even the personalities behind it. That’s what the Maker’s Series was created to showcase.” As for the best way to use Blender’s Dog, Leighton suggests adopting a purist’s approach and opting simply for a splash of water. Speaking of Jameson’s continued popularity with bartenders, Lunberg notes, “Bartenders adopted a brand in Jameson. We were lucky enough that they decided we were a friend. Now is our opportunity to return the favour by giving them products that they can do interesting things with. So if you take something like Black Barrel, it’s designed to be a strong cocktail whiskey. It has a flavour profile that allows bartenders to make the kind of cocktails they want. In the end we’re always trying to build something that will last and that will be as timeless as we can make it. We have a incredible brand that carries so much equity and so many stories, and we’re now trying to take that brand and put those ideas in a very different world, which is super-premium whisky.”
www.jamesonwhiskey.com
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Photography courtesy of Hennessy
Arik Levy
Hennessy 8 Artist and industrial designer Arik Levy has once again teamed with Hennessy on a limited edition case and bottle design to mark 250-years of the brand. Having previously designed the Hennessy X.O. Methusalem in 2012, he this time turns his hand to the commemorative Hennessy 8 cognac, devising a 60kg carafe and real oak case. Fashioned from hand-blown Baccarat crystal, the eight rings of the bottle represent eight generations of master blenders and are inspired by the tasting flacons of old. A copper silk ribbon is applied by hand and sealed with an H. The surrounding oak case, with copper inlay, uses many
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of the raw materials associated with cognac making and each of the 25 wooden layers corresponds to 10 years of Henessy’s history. Taking three years to develop, Levy’s design is available internationally in limited quantities. The blend itself is an equally complicated creation, featuring a fusion of eight eau-de-vie, seven of which were created by seventh generation master blender Yann Fillioux and one by Renaud Fillioux, his nephew to whom he handed the master blender baton this year. www.henessy.com
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Crown Jewel Beefeater
A favourite with bartenders, the previously discontinued Beefeater Crown Jewel has been revived for the on-trade market. With an intense aromatic palate and unequalled strength (50% ABV), it is produced in small batches and available in limited quantities. In addition to Beefeater’s nine classic botanicals it features the addition of grapefruit for a crisp note of citrus. To promote the spirit’s popular place within mixology, Beefeater have unveiled a series of signature cocktails from leading bartenders, such as the Sceptre Martini from Alessandro Palazzi of the Dukes Bar, at Dukes Hotel London, and Sebastian Hamilton-Mudge, Beefeater Global Brand Ambassador. Crown Jewel is already available to guests at the likes of Claridge’s and W London. Beefeater’s Master Distiller Desmond Payne comments: “Launched before the super premium gin boom, Beefeater Crown Jewel was ahead of its time. It is hugely popular within circles of gin connoisseurs for good reason: the velvety smooth gin shows superior, refined spirit notes with a delicate citrus aroma and – most significantly – a higher ABV of 50% that helps flavours hold together. These attributes won Beefeater Crown Jewel legions of fans before its discontinuation and we hope to once again excite gin enthusiasts with the limited edition relaunch.” www.beefeaterdistillery.com
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Verdejo
Marqués de Cáceres Marqués de Cáceres Verdejo comes from the winery’s own vineyards in Rueda, Spain. The 2015 vintage reveals the distinctive character of a magnificent terroir of moderate yields and leaves a mark with a very personal style. A charming bouquet of mineral notes, herbs, and citrus fruits leads on to deliciously balanced and vibrant flavours of green apples, grapefruit and passionfruit in the mouth to finish, with good length and a refreshing aftertaste. Serve at 6-8°C. www.marquesdecaceres.com
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“There is a slightly subversive and assertive quality in serving an unbranded spirit. It is a statement of confidence in your choices.� Joe Doucet on the subversive nature of glass decanters.
Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle Photography: Hubert Kang
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Coffee Culture From boutique brands like The Ace to vast global players such as the Fairmont Group, hotels throughout the world are impassioned by coffee. We look at the brands leading the charge when it comes to a cup of Joe.
Words: Emilee Jane Tombs
I
n 2014 a hospitality study by UCC Coffee UK & Ireland found that over
inspired experiences, H.C. Valentine is committed to finding farmers
a third of customers were unhappy with the coffee provided to them
who honour sustainable growing practices in order to produce the finest
by their hotel. The study showed that the UK customer specifically,
taste characteristics for their growing regions.
had become much more discerning when it came to their morning
The brand works with organizations such as World Coffee Research
brew, and that 30% of those surveyed said that a poor hotel coffee
to protect and grow the supply chain of high-quality Arabica coffees
offering would deter them from staying at the hotel again. It was a
through collaborative agricultural research and development, which
study that would have global implications and be used internationally
is something that has become increasingly important to consumers.
as a sign of sea change in the sector. Perhaps this reflects that the coffee offer has historically been seen as a by-product of the room rate, but fast-forward to 2016 and it’s clear that - much like the quality of food - consumers care more about their caffeine fix than ever before.
“It is exciting to partner with Fairmont,” H.C. Valentine’s product development manager David Strahl said when the partnership was first announced. “It seemed like a natural fit for us to offer our coffees on a large-scale level that has never been done before, and we are honoured to share a
Guests today are interested in provenance. They not only want to
unique proprietary coffee blend, featuring specialty-grade beans that
know where the beans used to make their espresso come from, but also
are sight-roasted by origin in small batches, and then blended to develop
how they arrived, where they were roasted and what type of machine
deeply complex and intense flavour profiles, with Fairmont guests.”
has been employed to brew them. This is something that has resonated
Since 2014 many more hotel brands have joined the throng, going
with hotels both major and boutique; they’ve become granular and
ever further to provide the perfect cup to their customers and even
there’s a coffee revolution afoot.
non-guests, as in the case of fashionable boutiques Ace. The hipster
One of the first companies to react to the survey results was Fairmont,
bolthole of choice has built separate cafes into many of their sites,
who announced its one-of-a-kind artisanal partnership with H.C.
partnering individually with local roasters in order to give a more
Valentine Coffee Company, an award-winning micro-roasting company
authentic, localised coffee experience.
based in Birmingham, Alabama.
In London’s Shoreditch the Bulldog Edition at the Ace is located
“Our goal is to deliver a premium experience with a personalised
between the lobby and the restaurant and has become a popular drop-
touch. Offering an exclusive micro-roasting brew ensures that promise
in spot for East London’s creative set, who turn up daily to work from
is honoured in each batch of fresh coffee brewed on-property,” says
corner tables - a steady flow of flat whites from venerated East End
Brett Patterson, vice president of food & beverage at Fairmont.
roaster Square Mile Coffee gracing their makeshift desks.
“H.C. Valentine Coffee Company is the right choice for our hotels
“Our hotels are very much orientated to the community,” says
because it provides guests with a quality artisanal coffee experience
Khuong Phan, food and beverage specialist for the brand. “As often
that will enhance their stay.”
as possible we like to partner with local artisans to offer our guests
Aligning with Fairmont’s emphasis on sustainability and locally
thoughtful and localised experiences.”
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Parcafé at The Dorchester, London
Square Mile, founded by World Barista Champion
“[Sparrow] were able to design a custom blend
serves East London roaster Alchemy’s speciality
James Hoffmann and World Cup Tasters
that matched well with many of our menu
blends on a state of the art La Marzocco FB/80.
Champion Anette Moldvaer, makes sense at the
items, including our dry-aged steak. That was
“The world’s top luxury hotels set a new
Ace, not only because of their proximity to the
a sign that they took their craft seriously and
standard in everything they do,” says Rosanna
hotel, but because a partnership of this kind
further solidified our reason for partnering
Fishbourne, area director of communications
allows the Ace to provide professional-level
with them.”
for Dorchester Collection, “and there is a
barista training courtesy of the relationship between the two brands. “The Square Mile team provide us with much more than just an extremely high-quality
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Some hotels even encourage field trips to the
certain level of expectation from guests and
roasting sites in order to fully involve the staff
neighbourhood clients. The Dorchester’s
in the process and encourage them to become
employees are not simply staff, they are
coffee aficionados themselves.
craftsman in their fields, and as such we take
product,” says Phan, “their team provides our
“We are currently looking to get our
care to have them trained by some of the
baristas a great deal of care and training and it’s
teams out to the West Loop roastery,” says
capital’s finest baristas. Parcafé is in the enviable
been great collaborating with them.”
Schwimmer, “we want them to see how the
position of offering visitors the coffee making
In the US the Ace group of hotels works with
custom blends are created and we ensure that
precision expected from a specialist coffee shop,
Stumptown Coffee Roasters, who they say bring
our staff are involved in monthly training
combined with the excellent hospitality ethic
near-obsessive detail to the process of making
that covers everything from making the
for which The Dorchester is renowned.”
coffee, which is something that their customers
perfect espresso, servicing the equipment and
are increasingly seeking out.
speciality brewing techniques.”
With coffee at it most popular and with so many speciality vendors popping up it’s
In Chicago the James Hotel has chosen to
This movement isn’t limited to the boutique
important that hotels align themselves with
work with Sparrow, an independent roaster
hotel groups; increasingly large chains around
a quality product that is distinctive and not
that only provides coffee to a small coterie of
the world are realising that their customers
available everywhere. Partnership such as
forward-thinking restaurants in the city.
want more from their morning shot, and are
this enhances a guest’s experience, caters
“We were looking for a coffee that offered
taking measures to ensure their needs are met.
to a growing customer interest in product
more than just your morning jolt,” says Jacob
In 2014 London’s Dorchester completed
and provenance, and allows the hotel to say
Schwimmer, food and beverage director
substantial renovation works that included
something about its own identity and brand
at The James Hotel Chicago.
the addition of a standalone café, Parcafé, that
through the brands it associates with.
Receive your Supper
BARTECH STANDS ALONE IN AUTOMATIC, PROFIT-GENERATING MINIBAR SOLUTIONS
The new wireless eTray by Bartech Systems is a fully standalone automated solution for in-room F&B and retail items. All consumptions post in real-time to guest folios in the hotel’s PMS, and minibar attendants know which rooms and products to restock via tablet. Wireless eTrays communicate using cutting-edge Wi-Fi or ZigBee technology, with easy setup and low maintenance. Simply place the eTray anywhere in the room, plug it in and stock with your guest’s favorite products! Only the Bartech eTray offers: • Fully integrated wireless technology- minibar is optional • eTrays are highly customizable- combine several trays to increase product selection and maximize profit • Place the wireless eTray anywhere in the room -even the guest bathroom- to stock with luxury, high-end products • Web/Windows based software controlled by tablet devices • Automatic posting of consumption charges to PMS • Automatic expiration date management
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For more information visit www.suppermagazine.co.uk
For more information, contact us at: info@bartech.com • www.bartech.com
DRINKS
Rethinking the Minibar:
DIY Cocktails The hotel minibar: that lurking presence testing the balance between cravings, cost and convenience. Like a siren song it lures guests towards vices difficult to resist. Since the minibar’s creation in 1974 at the Hong Kong Hilton, this song has been hypnotising weary travelers into paying $12 for a can of nuts under the pretense of ‘ease.’ For the modern traveler, however, the siren song is increasingly falling on deaf ears. Minibars were envisioned as a convenience for guests but if that is no longer enough to drive sales, then what will keep this long-standing concept relevant?
Words: Emily Elyse Miller
A
new wave of in-room innovators are reimagining the possibilities and adapting to the changing minibar mindset. By anticipating the needs, personality and feelings of guests they’re winning the market in this detail-obsessed space
through nostalgic, creative and comforting experiences. Darren Pound, the Chief Experience Officer at The Camby
in Scottsdale, Arizona is exploring new ways to further this customisation by creating bespoke minibar personalities. “We’re looking into providing guests with a fully stocked fridge full of snacks that would be included in the cost of our premium rooms,” he says. “Guests will choose between a selection of minibar ‘personas’, each with a set menu that perfectly suits their diet, personality, or mood.”
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Le Grand Pigalle, Paris
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Ace Hotel, New Orleans Photography: Simon Watson
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“Arguably guests want to be charmed and feel as though they’ve stumbled upon a lesser-known discovery”
Grand Pigalle Paris The Grand Pigalle hotel in the 9th-arrondissement of Paris provides bottled cocktails ready and waiting for guests with hand-written labels reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. One of the hotel’s founders, Pierre-Charles Cros, tells us, “We wanted to extend our concept of ‘bed & beverage’ to the rooms by offering home-made cocktails in every minibar. It was a quite a challenge creating pre-made cocktails. We worked on specific recipes and
Ace Hotel New Orleans
developed delicious bottled cocktails that allow our guests to start
Can the entire personality of a room be defined by the minibar?
or end the evening in their room.” The concept was created by
By thinking of this concept as an opportunity, a stale space can be
a trio of hotel owners who also launched Experimental Cocktail
brought to life. The pay-per-what-you-use cocktail menu in the
Club, one of the most lauded cocktail groups in Paris. The
new Ace Hotel New Orleans does just that, with 90% of guests
carefully designed bottles are only available to hotel guests.
purchasing items from the minibar – a colourful Smeg fridge across 245 rooms. “All of our minibars have robust offerings, including many local and regional products. The minibar at Ace New Orleans’ is
Arguably guests want to be charmed and feel as though they’ve stumbled upon a lesser-known discovery. It is perhaps why there’s a 50% minibar usage rate across the hotel’s 37 rooms. The exclusivity of the bottled Negroni (Campari, red Vermouth,
the only one in the group set up like an in-room cocktail bar,
gin Citadelle ) and Le Meilleur (Cognac Pierre Ferrand, fino cherry
complete with a cocktail shaker, cutting board, glassware, cocktail
Valdespino, Verjus, sugar syrup) is Instagram fuel and an enticing
recipe guide and even mini-sized bitters,” says Olivier Rassinoux,
purchase for cocktail lovers.
the brand’s global F&B director. “The most popular is the Sazerac, a true New Orleans original. All of the recipes in the mixing guide
Four Seasons Singapore
are classics.”
Loyalty is engendered by properties that demonstrate attention
The concept is designed to embrace the local drinking culture
to detail. The DIY Singapore Sling and Martini cocktail kits at
and playfully encourage guests to join in. As Rassinoux says, “New
the 250-room Four Seasons Singapore are a thoughtful amenity
Orleans celebrates the cocktail like no other city in the world, and
helping to achieve a 60% rate of usage from guests. “We wanted
in homage of that spirit we wanted to offer an amenity that would
to create a differentiated experience for our guests when they
allow guests to become their own craft bartenders. An added
check-in at our hotel in the evening. With these DIY kits, they
bonus: you can leave the hotel with your drink in hand — as
have the opportunity to unwind and have some fun. At the
long as it’s in a plastic cup — since New Orleans allows alcoholic
same time, our guests will learn about the innovative cocktail
beverages to be consumed on its sidewalks.” The fridge includes
program we have at our bar, One-Ninety,” says director of F&B
East Imperial Burma Tonic (created to replicate flavour profiles
and culinary operations, Mr. Giovanni Speciale. “Guests love
from the 19th century; this is what people were mixing with gin
the innovative amenities, especially since it incorporates local
and lime to prevent scurvy back in the day), Big Easy Bucha (a
elements and gives them a hands-on experience.”
locally produced kombucha), a variety of local micro brew beers, a selection of bourbons in different sizes, and whole fresh lemons
Hotel Saint. Cecilia
and limes, putting the process of mixology back into the hands of
Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, Texas uses local and exclusive
the guest.
options in their minibar to perk interest. Bar manager, Nan Sireno tells us, “We have offered the Bloody Mary bar as in-room option since the original opening team conceptualised it in 2009. It has evolved over the past couple years into a more expansive offering, with locally sourced produce and quail eggs that we pickle inhouse. A full Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar are now also offered as part of our special monthly Soul Sunday Brunches. The concept is meant to quench the soul after a late night out or to relish the day before going back to reality.” A popular amenity attracting notable guests during the South by Southwest festival, a tray for two to four guests is $75 and equals 4-6 generous pours of vodka and plenty of accoutrements.
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EVENT CALENDAR
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Tales of the Cocktail
41 Madison
Annual Hotel Conference
20th – 24th July 2016
27th – 30th September 2016
12th - 13th October 2016
New Orleans
New York
Manchester
To The Table MEA
The Restaurant Show
EquipHotel
6th – 8th September 2016
3rd – 5th October 2016
6th – 10th November 2016
Abu Dhabi
London
Paris
The Hotel Show
To The Table Asia
HX
17th – 19th September 2016
5th – 7th October 2016
13th – 15th November 2016
Dubai
Taipei
New York
Design Junction
Bar Convent Berlin
Sleep
22nd - 25th September 2016
11th – 12th October 2016
22nd - 23rd November 2016
London
Berlin
London
41Mad Supper Mag Sept 040416_Layout 1 4/4/16 12:36 PM Page 1
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Photography: Richard Pereira
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NRA 2016
To The Table MEA
Chicago 21-24 May 2016
Abu Dhabi 6-8 September 2016
NRA 2016 saw members of the foodservice sector convene in Chicago
To The Table MEA, the premier food and beverage decision makers
to experience the latest products and industry.
forum, will return this September for another year of high quality
Restaurant owners, product exhibitors and decision makers met
product exhibitions, meetings, panels and receptions. Taking place at
to network, view the latest gastronomy innovations and learn of
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, the event will see high profile decision
the changing nature of the business. Highlights included displays of
makers from across the industry converge on the luxury hotel for two
technological advancements, including a quick and efficient sushi cutter
days of networking, buying and selling.
and roller from Suzumo International; an automated, robotic fry cook
This year, the forum will feature discussions on subjects including
designed and manufactured by Middleby, Pitco and Rethink Robotics;
innovation in restaurant design, which elements come together to form
and a vending machine style salad dispenser from Casabots, that allows
the best restaurants in the MEA market, and the value of human and
guests to customise their salads with minimal effort.
capital relationships in F&B success.
Also on show were a series of forward thinking food and drink
Oliver Jackson, Executive Chef at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu
products, such as Pappami’s flavoured edible plates and cutlery, Ariake
Dhabi, will give a demonstration and tour of Pearls by Michael Caines,
USA’s grown up ramen range, organic healthy ice cream from Brio! Ice
the host venue’s restaurant.
Cream, and edible bugs as marketing tools from Terminix. Speakers and
Speakers include: James Wierzelewski, Corporate Vice President
panel guests including Restaurant: Impossible’s Chef Robert Irvine and
Food & Beverage Operations, Rotana; Stuart Nielsen, Vice President
Bar Rescue’s Jon Taffer gave insight into the broadcast dimension of
Food & Beverage MEAI, FRHI Hotels & Resorts; Naim Maadad, CEO,
the industry, whilst The Fast Casual Industry Council Meeting brought
Gates Hospitality; and Stefan Breg, Director of Food & Beverage EMEA,
together key executives serving up the most disruptive and profitable
Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
concepts in the growing fast casual segment.
Suppliers will be given the opportunity to showcase their products to
This year’s show was attended by representatives from all 50 of the
some of the most important buyers in the industry and given the chance
top 50 restaurants in the world, 98 of the top 100 restaurant brands,
to network over a series of carefully curated events. This year, Supper
and was ultimately the most attended show in the event’s history.
continues its partnership with the event as global media partner.
show.restaurant.org
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Studio 16 lobby space design Photography: Studio Jean-Philippe Nuel
EquipHotel 6 – 10 November, Paris
A
t a June press conference in Paris the organising team and panel of
as the centre of a new welcome format, taking over from the reception desk
experts and influencers laid out the plan for this year’s EquipHotel,
as guests’ first point of contact.
the leading France-based trade show for HORECA professionals.
Designer Sylvie Amar, responsible for Studio 16’s Glass Gallery, took a
With 46million tourist visitors to Paris, of which 42% are
product perspective, highlighting how glassware designers should begin
international, exhibition director Corinne Menegaux was quick to emphasise
thinking about their products as more than something to drink from, and
the importance of the hospitality sector to the city and highlight the growing
as important tools for bartenders.
number of international exhibitors expected at the EquipHotel event in 2016. This year, the event has been staged in such a way as to create a clear purchase pathway, facilitating an organised flow of visitors and making it easier for buyers to purchase during the show. Also discussed was Studio 16. For the first time, a team of experts (architects, designers and establishment owners) have taken over more than 3,000m2 of space, split vertically across multiple levels, to create a unique establishment, offering insight into new trends and their applications, as
Overall Studio 16 will showcase concepts for outdoor, lobby, room and F&B spaces. The press conference also served to highlight several key hotel projects in the city, with attendees visiting recently opened boutique Le Grand Pigalle; Mama Shelter, the Philippe Starck hotel championing egalitarian design; and Maison Souquet, a 5-star renovation project in the Pigalle district. Last year’s EquipHotel was attended by 111,000 trade visitors, with this year expected to exceed this amount.
well as showcasing how these are levers for revenue development. Billed as an ‘experience as well as a concept’, Studio 16 features the likes
www.equiphotel.com
of Jean-Philippe Nuel, who has developed an innovative lobby concept. Speaking at the conference, Nuel explained how the hotel bar could be used
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Supper readers can use the below code for free entry to the event: IUK01
OUR TABLETOP IS OVER THE TOP
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Bar Convent Berlin
Ambiente
Berlin 11-12 October 2016
Frankfurt 10-14 February, 2017
Held for the first time in 2007, Bar Convent Berlin has grown from 16
At a London press conference Ambiente, the global consumer goods
exhibitors to approximately 280, and will welcome around 10,000 trade
platform, has announced elements of its 2017 programme, including
visitors to this year’s event. Taking place from 11-12 October and located
the news that Great Britain will be named Ambiente partner country.
at Station Berlin, BCB will feature lectures, tastings, master-classes
Taking place from 10 – 14 February 2017, the show focuses on
and podium discussions with opinion leaders from across the global
tableware, kitchenware, household goods, drinks and dinnerware, as
bar and beverage scene.
well as furnishings.
At this year’s event, the United Kingdom will be named the country of
UK exhibitor products will be showcased in an extensive ‘partner
honour, and visitors from the UK will be able to enjoy a range of spirits
country presentation’ curated and designed by Scottish designer Janice
and craft beers alongside a special supporting programme. Overall 10%
Kirkpatrick, co-founder of Graven, a design studio specialising in visual
of the exhibitors will originate from the UK, and will feature alongside
and environmental brands.
a comprehensive selection of international brands and drinks-led
In addition to the presentation, there will once again be a café in the
organisations.
style of the partner country and, on the Monday of the fair, a traditional
This year’s programme includes prominent names such Beam
theme day. The Great Britain Day is being organised by UK exhibitors
Suntory, Bitburger, Borco-Marken-Import Matthiesen, Campari
and will itself feature a variety of events and presentations designed
Deutschland, Diageo Germany, Diversa Spezialitäten, Pernod Ricard
to showcase the nation.
Deutschland, Schweppes Deutschland,
Mast-Jägermeister, MBG
“I am excited to design the Ambiente UK partner exhibition, after
International Premium Brands, Ratsherrn, SAB Miller as well as
designing ‘Self-Service’ in 1998”, comments Kirkpatrick. Asked about
Schwarze and Schlichte Markenvertrie
her concept for the partner country presentation, she notes, “Glasgow
This tenth edition of Bar Convent Berlin will add an extra hall of
in Scotland, in the UK and in Europe – in all its dimensions – is the
exhibitors, highlighting the expansion of the festival, and demonstrating
perspective through which I work. Globalisation makes ‘local’ valuable
the growth of the international drinks industry at large.
because it is unique. I will search for exceptional micro-local and national products and ingredients to create the 2017 exhibition.”
www.barconvent.com
At Ambiente 2016, 4,367 exhibitors from 96 countries took part and presented their work to 137,000 visitors. www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com
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By HoffmasterÂŽ
Elegant, Vibrant so Incredibly Soft and Disposable!
www.hoffmaster.com
PETITS FOURS
Camp Nude
Nude has revealed its new glassware range Camp, designed by New York City-based Joe Doucet. Understated in approach, the range sees the renowned designer and artist instill a sense of character and originality into matching bottom heavy refined glasses and an expertly cut, hipflask inspired, decanter. “I was contacted by Nude’s creative director Gaye Cevikel and given a list of typologies to consider creating designs for. I gravitated to a decanter set as it’s something rather antiquated that needs some thought to make its way back into a contemporary setting,” says Doucet. “I wanted to create a decanter collection that was an obvious update on the classically ornate decanters of the 18th and 19th centuries. Unlike wine, one doesn’t need to decant whiskies or scotches other than to make a statement and Camp is irreverent and contemporary.” With the eventual contents imagined as an emulation of the warmth of a campfire, both the decanter and glasses rest upon integrated brass X coasters, reminiscent of burning logs. Speaking on the combination of practical function and form, Doucet says, “Firstly, one has to hold and pour from the decanter which limits width and depth.
Secondly, one should not spill when doing so and that informs the neck angle and length. But lastly, the overall impression of the collection is just as important. One should delight in both the use and display of the decanter and glasses.” With a clear and simple aesthetic, the Camp range rejects obstructive branding and opts instead for tasteful mystery, offering the user an elegant option from which to serve drinks. As Doucet says, “Brands and branding have come to dominate decisions about which spirits to drink and serve. A decanter is a clear rejection of that, as one has to appreciate the quality of the spirit rather than associate it with a price-point. There is a slightly subversive and assertive quality in serving an unbranded spirit. It is a statement of confidence in your choices and I believe that somewhat elevates the experience, versus pouring from a labeled bottle.” Initially presented at Salone 16, Camp sits alongside Alba as new Nude collections from Doucet and both series continue the brand’s commitment to timeless simplicity. www.nudeglass.com
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Mythical Creatures by Kit Kemp, Firmdale Hotels
PETITS FOURS
Bespoke
Wedgwood Since the 18th century, and a commission from Catherine the Great of Russia to design and produce a 994 piece banqueting set, WWRD (Waterford, Wedgewood, Royal Doulton) has been a leader in the hospitality industry. Specialising in the development of bespoke tableware designs, Wedgwood products continue to grace the most exclusive dining tables in the world, including those of 5-star hotels and Michelin starred restaurants. The British brand has developed an esteemed list of clients on its home soil, including The Savoy, The Langham and Firmdale Hotels, plus a slew of international names such as St Regis Abu Dhabi and the Hotel Gstaad Palace. “Queen Catherine wanted something unique and, to this day, many high end hotels and restaurants have the same requirement,” comments Tim Harper, head of hospitality at the company. Outlining Wedgwood’s creative process, Tim explains that development can take between four to six months and always starts with a brief from the customer. “Perhaps the main dining room is being refurbished or the old china is looking tired. It may even be a brand new hotel. Either way, we discuss ideas often, and our main designer will be a part of those initial meetings. If you look at London as an example - which probably has the highest density of 5 Star hotels anywhere in the world - most establishments want something different from those around them. Take Park Lane: The Dorchester wants something different to the Intercontinental, Grosvenor House something apart from Four Seasons. Hotels spend millions on creating their differing ambiences and that includes the china.”
Once the basic concept is agreed upon, the designers and technicians begin the work of interpreting the design, usually based on a dinner plate, cup and saucer, on to all of the other items in the range. The latest technology has sped this process up to the point where prototypes can be produced in days rather than weeks. After approval by the customer, fired proofs are produced and signed-off, followed by manufacturing and final delivery. There are obviously many factors to take into account in the process, from interior design and colourways to the requirements of the head chef, which may differ greatly from the initial ideas. “Our product is the blank canvas for the chef’s art and many of them don’t want too much decoration interfering with the way the food is displayed,” says Harper. “We’ve been known to complete the process from initial meeting to delivery in 3 months, but this is rare and relies on getting it right first time with no alterations from both sides,” Thereafter, WWRD carry an agreed par-stock of product and decals, enabling it to keep the establishment regularly serviced depending on their requirements. With an illustrious brand story, afternoon tea at The Savoy is only a recent chapter in a lineage that stretches back to Catherine the Great’s Frog Service - on permanent display in St. Petersburg’s Summer Palace – and which will continue with each new commission and collaboration. www.wedgwood.com
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236mm x 275mm.pdf
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PETITS FOURS
Genesis by Affinity Villeroy & Boch
The Genesis by Affinity range from Villeroy & Boch insists that colour is the new white and focuses on bringing vibrancy to the table. The multifunctional series of pots, cups, plates and platters takes inspiration from the latest interior design trends, offering original colour schemes and providing distinctive dining options for a wide range of F&B environments. Robustly made and dedicated to bringing expressive tones of red, blue and yellow to the restaurant space, Genesis provides a functional alternative to minimalism. www.pro.villeroy-boch.com
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PETITS FOURS
Deluxe Chafer
Refreshment Barrels
Manufactured to an exceptional standard in polished, heavy gauge 18/10 stainless steel Elia International’s chafing dishes are available in stainless, brass or chrome finish. Durable and designed with practicality and function in mind, the deluxe range of chafing dishes is intended to bring a heightened elegance to buffet service and professional food presentation. Elia International has been supplying the on-trade sector for 25 years, with a sharp focus on product development.
With a capacity of five or eight litres, Frilich’s Refreshment Barrels are available either as a complete presentation solution or are customisable depending on need. Bases come in a variety of options – from wood in white or ‘natural’ to black and stainless steel – and all include a cooling pack. Additionally an infusion tube that can be placed inside the jar provides an opportunity to provide multiple flavoured beverages.
Elia International
Frilich
www.frilich.de www.elia.co.uk
Sequence
Multi-Chef Induction
Featuring 40 pieces, Sequence is a modular buffet concept intended to provide an alternative to rigid square serving options. The system is available in various dimensions and material combinations, such as wood, porcelain, stainless steel, fabric, Corian and plastic. Trapezoid serving dishes can be combined with ‘frames’ to ensure symmetry, with these frames also providing a presentation platform for food products. From ice buckets to lined breadbaskets, versatility and innovation is at the core of Sequence.
An alternative to fuel burners, Rosetto assert that the precise warming technology of the Multi-Chef Induction Set heats food ‘better and faster’. The set also allows chefs and serving staff to control temperatures over time to preserve food quality, reducing waste and ensuring a more consistent quality. Sets feature patented magnetic systems to hold chafers in place and, by eliminating the need for canned fuel, lower costs for the user and can heat continuously for nine hours.
www.hepp.de
www.rosseto.com
Hepp
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Rosetto
WIDE BEVERAGE MENU BUILT-IN RELIABILITY BI-DIRECTIONAL WIFI CONTROL
LaCimbali S30 is the new superautomatic machine created to offer up to 24 different recipes. The grouphead design guarantees maximum reliability and consistent beverage quality, while the new milk circuit delivers hot and cold frothed milk directly to the cup. LaCimbali S30, the perfect way to satisfy every taste.
SUPPER_ADV_S30_236x275.indd 1
16/06/16 18:02
Domino Tiger
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the inception of Tiger, the South Korean manufacturer of high quality buffetware. Since its launch in 1996, Tiger has provided the hospitality industry with innovative designs and reliable service, becoming a key brand for the hotel F&B industry. Having emerged as a subsidiary of Daijin Enterprise Co. after chairman and founder M Y Chang saw an opportunity in the hospitality business, Tiger has grown from a small workshop in South Korea, to a 20,000m2 factory in Tianjin, China, and eventually to a design centre in Italy. Over the past two decades, Tiger has expanded under the direction of Chang, and more recently his son, to ensure a consistently personal and familiar design voice. Tiger believes that its products should be technologically advanced, elegantly designed and competitively priced, an attitude that has helped elevate it to its current position within the
130
industry - one that sees its urns, dispensers, roll-top dishes, hollowware and trolleys present in dining spaces the world over. With distributors in North America, Europe and Asia, Tiger’s presence in the hospitality industry has now spread to over 50 countries and thousands of properties including developments by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Jumeirah, Marriott and IHG. Korean engineers now work with Italian designers and Chinese manufacturers to achieve a truly global product, instilled with the same values outlined in the brand’s longstanding motto, one that states simply ‘no compromise in quality.’ Tiger’s latest range of banqueting equipment, titled Domino, is a selection of eco-friendly, induction-heated buffet components. By switching to an induction-heated system, the same level of heat is achieved as that of traditional products, but with 70% less electricity used. The Domino stackable carving station is
designed with a minimalist and modern sensibility, and incorporates a juice collecting carving board, and stackable base for easy storage. Notable for being the first dishwasher-proof carving station in the industry, the product brings together sleek design, optimal functionality and effortless storage and maintenance. The Domino range embodies Tiger’s approach to both aesthetics and performance, with a sustainable approach to contemporary buffetware and dining room products, and a design appropriate for a wide variety of environments and design schemes. Now 20 years into production, and with a legacy of reliability and innovation, Tiger continues to create products without compromising quality, and with an increasing demand for their products and designs throughout the hospitality industry. www.tigerhotel.co.kr
PETITS FOURS
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PETITS FOURS
Roro
Olympic
When German architect Walter Gropius lost a bet to Philip Rosenthal he was tasked with designing a sty for Rosenthal’s pet pig Roro. Whilst the sty was never built, generations later Gropius’s illustrations have been translated by designer Ewelina Wisniowska into a motif for the aptly titled Roro range. Variations of the pig illustration adorn multiple pieces, from plates and bowls to a teapot, which are designed to complement components from the Tac range.
Matt white and glossy black, glossy white and matt black - the new Olympic series of glasses from Stölzle Lausitz creates inspiring accents in bars and restaurants. As a counterpoint to matte or glossy outer surfaces, the brand brings gold, silver and bronze together for an element of drama. Olympic features tumblers, cocktail glasses and champagne saucers – designed to reflect the latest interior and lifestyle trends.
Rosenthal
Stölzle Lausitz
www.stoelzle-lausitz.com www.rosenthal.de
Glass-Bead Blasting
Roots, Matrix
There are currently more ways and means of surface-finishing cutlery than ever before. WMF Professional is meeting this sustained desire for out-ofthe-ordinary flatware with a new, more delicate form of finishing: glassbead blasting. Glass-bead blasted cutlery has a silky matt character, combined with a totally homogeneous surface. Every cutlery collection from WMF Professional can be reinterpreted with this process and it also works on stainless steel hollowware, such as sugar bowls, trays and bread dishes.
Opposing in form and shape but utlimately complementary, the Roots and Matrix ranges add up to a harmonic overall composition. The bowls of the Roots series reflect natural forms, whilst Matrix is geometrically constructed, using hexagons and conveying a cleaness of style. Produced using traditional sand casting, the pieces funtion both as practical serving dishes and also as decorative tabletop objects. Glass platters from the Fakir series can be placed atop to offer a variety of further serving options.
www.wmf.com
www.zieher.com
WMF Professional
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Zieher
Restaurant What do you see when you go to Sleep? Sleep 2016 presents and explores the most exciting products, technologies and ideas for the evolving values of hotel guests. The Hotel 22-23 November 2016 Design Event The Business Design Centre, London Comprising the exhibition, conference and installations including the ‘Science of Tribes’ Sleep Set competition, Sleep invites you to look again at hotel design. Register now at www.thesleepevent.com using code SLP2
The Hotel Design Event
22-23 November 2016 The Business Design Centre, London
HOTEL & RESTAURANT BUSINESS PLACE 06-10 November 2016 / Paris / France
1,600 exhibitors (37 countries) / 30 activity sectors / 111,000 profesionals (133 countries)
Get your free access badge on www.equiphotel.com CODE IUK01 From July 2016 In partnership with Organised by
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EquipHotel Office / Promosalons UK elise@promosalons.co.uk / Tel. (020) 8216 3104
07/04/2016 11:23
PETITS FOURS
Ice Ball Veen
With the Veen Ice Ball, Veen reveals an innovative new method for introducing ice to whisky. Inspired by the ancient Japanese craft of hand-cutting ice and based on Nordic ice proficiency, the ice ball minimises spirit dilution and provides an optimal temperature for both flavours and aromas to flourish. The strikingly designed, cubic Veen Ice Ball produces a slow-melting sphere of ice to offer whisky lovers a visually appealing and long-lasting frozen accompaniment to their drink. Of course, applying water changes a whisky’s flavour profile on a molecular level. Not any water – or ice – is ideal. Mineralised waters and ice taint the whisky with their own characteristics. VEEN Velvet and VEEN Effervescent offer smoothness, low mineral content and allow the drinker to detect even the subtlest of nuances in the spirit, without adding any characteristics of their own. www.veenwaters.com
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PETITS FOURS
Photography: Scott Gordon Bleicher
Gunmetal Black
W1 Coupe
Featuring a mix of barspoons, stirrers, jiggers and strainers, Cocktail Kingdom unveil a collection of practical, attractive barware in gunmetal black. As a well-known manufacturer and distributor, Cocktail Kingdom has developed a reputation for developing pieces with a style-conscious sensibility. The collection in gunmetal black has been developed in collaboration with leading industry names, from Nico de Soto to Don Lee, whilst items such as the Leopold Jigger are inspired by vintage barware of the 1930s.
Zalto’s W1 Coupe is mouth blown and ideal for water, soft drinks and spirits. With a 370ml capacity, it is formed from Zalto’s signature ultrafine glass, balancing tactility and fragility with practicality and function. Founded in 2006 and having developed a profile as an industry leader, Zalto glassware is produced without the addition of lead oxide and is resistant to clouding. The company’s understated water glasses and tumblers are a natural accompaniment to superior stemware.
Cocktail Kingdom
Zalto
www.zaltoglas.at
www.cocktailkingdom.com
Tilia Obsidian
Shine
As part of the brand’s 10-year anniversary, Studio William has released the limited edition Tilia Obsidian finish. The simple, clean flowing forms and angular notes of the series provide a durable, versatile option for tabletop, while the new finish provides a point of difference from more typical polished cutlery. Tilia Obsidian is made using the finest quality 18/10 Stainless Steel and coated in a hardwearing gunmetal grey PVD Titanium.
The stainless steel bowls of the Shine series are double walled and therefore have an isolating effect. This helps to avoid generating condensed water, even at elevated temperatures. Cold food stays cold and warm food stays warm for longer. The inside of the bowls come in three variations: fine brushed stainless steel and two food-safe coatings in ivory and taupe. Shine is also available in three different sizes, with diameters of 16cm, 20cm and 24cm.
www.studiowilliam.com
www.zieher.com
Studio William
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Zieher
PETITS FOURS
Urkiola
Georg Jensen A strikingly modern collection of Art Deco inspired tableware, the Urkiola collection from Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola brings together minimalist design with scratch resistant, durable materials. Comprising five pitchers, three bowls, two vases, two candleholders and a tray, this stainless steel range comes in an elegant, warm rose gold, with a striped ribbing texture. Drawing inspiration from the brand’s history and legacy, the Urkiola series aims to bring strict, simple lines to Georg Jensen’s diverse product portfolio. www.georgjensen.com
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INTERNATIONAL BAR AND BEVERAGE TRADE SHOW
SAVE THE DATE! 11 & 12 OCTOBER 2016 STATION BERLIN WWW.BARCONVENT.COM
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PETITS FOURS
Rocks
Yayoi
Bonna’s practice of hand painting continues with new colour options in the brand’s Rocks series. With the same edge chip and warranty advantages of the ivory white collections, Rocks was developed to bring a warmth to Bonna’s offer and reflect the growing trend for more ‘personality rich’ tableware in the HORECA sector. With a mottled visual, the Rocks collection features ‘underglaze hand painting’ to create depth of field between the solid ‘rock hard’ body and brilliant glaze.
Designed by Ana Roquero, Yayoi invites service with a focus on healthy eating and creativity. Four plates can be arranged freeform to inspire menus based on eating smaller quantities but with more varied dishes. The Yayoi dining set helps chefs plan a complete meal by valuing the volume and capacity of different foods - carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and protein. Cookplay is supplied exclusively in the UK by Continental Chef Supplies.
www.bonna.com.tr
www.cookplay.eu | www.chefs.net
RW2
Shabby Chic
RW2 cutlery has soft concave detailing on each handle and the design is an updated version of Robert Welch’s Alveston cutlery, first released in 1962. Spoons and forks are made using the highest quality 18/10 stainless steel. Knife blades are made from specially hardened stainless steel to provide the finest possible cutting edge. The collection is available in both Satin and Mirror finish and is dishwasher safe.
Schönwald asserts that the gastronomic landscape is reinventing itself: instead of perfection, the focus has now shifted to authenticity. With this ethos in mind, the Shabby Chic range has been developed to provide an alternative to sharp, ultra-minimal tabletop styles. Available in eight different variations in shades of blue, grey or stonelook - both with and without ornamentation - Shabby Chic unfold its unique charm in combination with coarse linen, accessories in gleaming matte silver or rustic woods.
Bonna
Robert Welch
www.robertwelch.com
Cookplay
Schönwald
www.schoenwald.com
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ADVERTISING INDEX
41 Madison
115
Narumi 004
Aberfeldy 014
Nude 095
AHC 145
Perrier Jouet
Bar Convent
Robert Welch
017
Bartech 109
Ron Barcelo
101
Beluga Vodka
Rosseto 103
139
006 & 007
Bonna 055
Royal Brackla
Cimbali 129
Sleep 133
Craigellachie 061
Stolze 039
David Mellor
Studio William
148
Dewars 077
Tanqueray No. Ten
063
Dick 140
The London Number One
EquipHotel 134
Tiger Company
051
Hendrick’s 042
To The Table Asia
137
HEPP 047
To The Table Europe
122
Hoffmaster 121
Vero Water
012
Hotel Show Dubai
126
Victorinox 067
HX
143
Villeroy & Boch
059
081
008 & 009
029
Kilner 018
Walco 117
Maldon Salts
071
Wedgwood 021
Marques de Caceres
035
WMF 049
MCIC 119 Merchant’s Heart
142
010 & 011
079
Zieher
045
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THE WASHING UP
They say third time’s a charm, and for issue three of Supper we spoke to three behemoths of the industry who have all benefitted from charmed careers. Adam Tihany, Pierre Koffmann and Alex Kratena are figureheads of their respective crafts: one design, one food and one drink. Individually they represent three distinct disciplines and yet each extoll the virtues of collaboration. It’s an ethos on which the global hotel F&B industry is built. At Supper we welcome collaborative opportunities and are actively seeking to work with hotel F&B outlets, chefs, bartenders, suppliers, creative agencies and food stylists. For further details, please contact us. I’d like to thank all of those involved in our third issue and, as always, we appreciate your feedback. Should you have any questions or suggestions feel free to drop me an email at h.mckinley@mondiale.co.uk. Until our next Supper.
Harry McKinley | Editor
144
AHC ANNUAL HOTEL CONFERENCE 12 & 13 OCTOBER 2016 H I LT O N M A N C H E S T E R D E A N S G AT E
Performing in Transient Times To register for the UK’s leading hotel conference, please visit
www.theahc.co.uk
Running for the 13th year and attracting over 800 delegates, The AHC is the leading event for the UK hotel industry.
Supper Editor, Harry McKinley will moderate “Maligned to Refined: The face of hotel F&B is changing, whether you are creating your own concept or franchising a wellknown brand, this session will make sure you don’t get left behind in the bar and restaurant revolution”. This session will take place on Wednesday 13th Oct at 12.30pm.
Join independent hoteliers, owners, operators and managers as well as investors, developers, designers, architects, consultants and tourism leaders for a day and a half of unrivalled practical knowledge designed to add real value to your business operations.
An exclusive discounted independent hotelier rate is available. Please contact Rowan Scahill on rowan.scahill@theahc.co.uk for further details.
• AHC Connect – Podium Bar and Meeting Areas – zones that tie in with the new and improved dedicated social media platform: AHC Connect. Delegates and sponsors can take a break, grab a bite to eat, meet up with peers and catch up with emails throughout the 2 days.
We look forward to welcoming you to The AHC
Learn. Network. Be Inspired.
• The Programme – New for 2016 are a series of operational workshops on Technology, Digital and Revenue and Distribution. Traditional panel sessions, interviews and presentations covering F&B, Asset Management, Finance and Sales and Marketing also feature. • AHC Social – an ambient zone with food and drinks served all day • AHC Innovate – a zone that brings together technology, integrated guest services and emerging design in architecture and use of space that will shape the hotels of our future
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