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ALL THE LATEST FROM THE MIDDLE EAST HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AUGUST 2020 P34 - A RADISSON HOTEL GROUP CLUSTER GM ON MANAGING TWO VERY DIFFERENT PROPERTIES Milky Ways THE STORY BEHIND KOITA DUBAI’S NEWEST COOKHOUSE LEVANTINE JEWELS Big Moves BULLDOZER GROUP CEO EVGENY KUZIN ON THE F&B AND ENTERTAINMENT GIANT’S NO-DETOUR APPROACH
WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM AUGUST 2020 To request a free demo from our chef please contact us: 600 595950 www.nestleprofessionalmena.com /NestleprofessionalfoodMENA /Nestleprofessionalfoodmena Nestlé Professional brings to you Buitoni® Tomato Coulis; only the best tomatoes are picked at their pear freshness to guarantee the highest quality. Buitoni® Tomato Coulis will enhance your pasta, pizza, soups, sauces and is great for salsas, helping you create your own Mediterranean f lavours.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 3 CONTENTS FEATURES On the web 28 Read the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com AUGUST 2020 // ISSUE #026 News Openings & Launches GM Interview Opinion 08 14 34 50 NEWS HOSTMILANO MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE Nestlé Professional MENA SUPPLIER WATCH Chef Middle East COVER STORY Lincoln Hospitality GM INTERVIEW Radisson Hotel Group SUPPLIER WATCH 08 // 16 // 20 // 24 // 28 // 34 // 38 //
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 4 46 42 WEBINAR CHAIN FOCUS Radisson Hotel Group MARKETPLACE Koita WHAT’S COOKING 40 // 42 // 44 // 46 // CONTENTS AUGUST 2020 // ISSUE #026 On the web Read the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com FEATURES
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HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 6 AUGUST 2020 EDITOR'S LETTER ubai is open. And so are our hearts. Oh, what a relief after so many months of change to finally experience some sense of normality. While things were rocking back and forth, we’ve been busy conducting some rather interest- ing webinars, in attendance of some of the most important figures. From the way forward for F&B, to top negotiation skills with hotel suppliers, we’ve discussed everything that needed to be talked about, and reached some rather exceptional conclusions, in hope of helping the industry in the wake of COVID-19. Now, let’s talk trends. Allow me to share with you some of my favourites. According to EHL Insights, standardi- sation can no longer be the norm. It’s becoming critical to personalise and tailor services to travellers’ needs and preferences – a factor which is of utmost importance now. To create value, focus on niche markets. More customisation and specialisation may enable increased value creation for hospitality compa- nies. But be careful, as the study said, as this requires genuinely consider- ing the value proposition of your offer and not “simply branding and rebranding.” Did professionals in the region fall into this trap? Exploit technology as an accelera- tor for business. Technology will be at the core of the hotel experience both in room, before and after the trip. This will lead to the development of new concepts and more innovation in the in- dustry, and contribute to the emergence of an ever more individualised offer. Social responsibility is a moral and an economic obligation. It’s thus criti- cal for governments, but even more so for businesses, to become more sustainable: “not just green, but real sustainable business models.” We’ve seen how the Earth can turn against us. Additionally, develop more respon- sive and resilient business models. Tourism has become riskier and more prone to crises, and the number of travellers continues to fall. This must be accompanied by increased regula- tion, as a response to a dispropor- tional fall, all over the world. Actively manage talents. The days of long-lasting employee retention as well as passive, hierarchical man- agement styles are definitely gone. “Attracting, developing and keeping the right talent into and within the hospitality industry continues to remain a core challenge.” Let’s soak in all the good advice, and I will see you next time! A note from the editor D I N A M A A T Y S U B S C R I B E subscriptions@bncpublishing.net Director Rabih Najm Rabih@bncpublishing.net CEO Wissam Younane Wissam@bncpublishing.net Group Commercial Director Samer Alloush samer@bncpublishing.net Editor Dina Maaty dina@bncpublishing.net Art Director Aaron Sutton Aaron@bncpublishing.net Photographer Ahmad Al Khader Marketing Executive Aaron Joshua Sinamban Aj@bncpublishing.net PO Box 502511 Dubai, United Arab Emirates P +971 4 4200 506 | F +971 4 4200 196 For all commercial enquiries related to Hotel & Catering News ME contact samer@bncpublishing.net T +971 55 776 4670 All rights reserved © 2014. Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors. Hotel & Catering News ME and all subsidiary publications in the MENA region are officially li- censed exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region by Hotel & Catering News ME. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher. Printed by UPP
Rise to the top with French Cream In pastry and other branches of the culinary arts, there is no denying that cream is an essential ingredient. As a cooking element, it adds an incredible depth of flavor. European dairy cream, especially French cream, enhances the flavor of all preparations. It has an unparalleled melt in the mouth, and its softness on the palate is uniquely smoothing and comforting. No matter the level of the cooking skills, anyone can incorporate French cream to a range of dishes, from savoury to sweet. The content of this advertorial represents the author’s point of view only and is the sole responsibility of the author. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made from the information contained herein. Chocolate and orange entremet, pistachio whipped ganache By Chef Ida Martin Chef Ida Martin moved from London to Dubai to work as the Head of Pastry Chef of Queen Elisabeth II. She created a dense chocolate and orange pastry, featuring a delectable pistachio whipped ganache. French dairy cream is featured in almost every element of the dish, including the crémeux, mousse and ganache.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 8 NEWS AUGUST 2020 FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, VISIT WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE BREAKING NEWS READ THE LATEST EDITION ON WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM Aiming to address issues such as the shortage of skilled stuff, cost pressure, and digi- tisation, Rational has created the iKitchen. “Under the name iKitchen, we have combined iCombi Pro, iVario Pro and ConnectedCook- ing to form a system solution,” says Thomas Hofer, Managing Director RATIONAL Kitchen & Catering Equipment Trading FZCO, explaining the basic fea- tures. The aim is to make work easier, especially in large kitch- ens with a volume of 500 meals per day or more, to streamline processes and save space, mon- ey, energy and raw materials.” Hofer also knows a good ex- ample: “If you take a kitchen originally equipped with a tip- per, boiler, deep fryer, pressure cooker, hot-air oven and cooker, you can replace all appliances except the cooker with iCombi Pro and iVario Pro. And achieve space savings of up to 40 %. At the same time, both cooking systems together cover up to 90 % of all conventional cooking applications.” For some applications, such as cooking pasta or preparing food using the sous-vide meth- od, they can even take over tasks from each other, thus consider- ably increasing the flexibility of a commercial kitchen. As a rule, cooking is also healthier. As Hofer says: “With the iCombi Pro, for example, RATIONAL LAUNCHES NEW iKITCHEN FOR THE CATERING INDUSTRY you can deep-fry without fat. This means that the fries are as crispy as desired, but have considerably less fat. And steaming with the iCombi Pro preserves vitamins and nutri- ents much better”. The fact that both cooking systems are made for coopera- tion is also shown by the iden- tically designed user interfaces, which guide the user through the menus according to the same principle. Both also have intelligent functions that make handling even easier and thus signifi- cantly reduce the error rate. Even semiskilled workers have easy access to various cook- ing applications. The fact that iKitchen makes optimum use of all resources is demonstrated, for example, by overnight cook- ing. Both the iCombi Pro and iVario Pro feature this applica- tion, thus saving a great deal of production time, which takes a lot of pressure off the kitchen. The third component, Con- nectedCooking, also serves to increase productivity, as the net- working solution can be used to centrally manage and transfer cooking programs, for example, HACCP data can be retrieved and stored by both cooking sys- tems, and the iCombi Pro can even be controlled remotely. This saves many ways, reduces the er- ror rate and ensures a constant standard in food production.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 9 NEWS AUGUST 2020 Fintech startup PayBy is partnering with the LuLu Group. Following a pilot project in Abu Dhabi, Pay- By’s contactless payment solutions are now opera- tional across more than 60 LuLu hypermarkets and stores in the UAE. When shopping in LuLu stores and hypermarkets, customers present the QR code in the PayBy app, let the cashier scan it and wait for the payment confir- mation. After entering their PIN, TouchID or Face ID on their device, they can check the payment confir- mation – the quick, contactless transaction is thus completed. For online shoppers too, PayBy reduces transaction time. On the LuLu website at checkout, shoppers se- lect PayBy as a payment method, scan the QR code on the screen with their smartphone to process the pay- ment, then enter the password, TouchID or Face ID. LULU GROUP PARTNERS WITH FINTECH STARTUP TO BRING SHOPPERS CONTACTLESS PAYMENT SOLUTIONS TECHNOLOGY Reimagined. Reinvented.. Register now and experience more. rational-online.com iVario Pro. The new performance class. It convinces with highest performance, Precision and flexibility. So that you have a simple answer to every challenge.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 10 NEWS AUGUST 2020 HOTELS ASCOTT BECOMES FIRST SERVICED RESIDENCE OWNER-OPERATOR TO INK AGREEMENT WITH BUREAU VERITAS The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has entered into a global agreement with Bureau Veritas to certify the hygiene and safety standards of its properties worldwide. As the first serviced residence owner-operator to enter into such an agreement, Ascott has embarked on the project as part of its ‘Ascott Cares’ programme, which focuses on nine commit- ments to continue providing safe homes for its staff and guests. The Ascott Cares x Bureau Veritas Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label is a holis- tic programme developed in partnership with Ascott by leveraging Bureau Veritas’ health, hygiene and safety expertise of more than 190 years in providing testing, in- spection and certification. In June, the brand’s property in Turkey, Somerset Maslak Istanbul, was rewarded the Safety Tourism Certificate for hygiene measures within the property and its food & bever- age outlets. Additionally, its two Dubai properties – Ascott Park Place and Citadines Metro Central Dubai – were recently added to the official list of ‘Dubai Assured approved establish- ments’, a COVID-19 health and safety compliance stamp awarded to hotels within the emirate that are compliant with the strict safety and hy- giene measures, in line with international health and safety standards and protocols. Marriott International has an- nounced the appointment of Tol- ga Lacin as area general manager. In his new role, accord- ing to Marriott, Lacin will be overseeing nine Dubai hotels including The Westin and Le Méridien Mina Seyahi, Le Jannah Hotels and Resorts has appointed Anna Luisa Asistio as assistant director of market- ing & communications. According to the group, Asistio is all set to take charge of the overall management of the marketing Department, developing and executing stra- tegic plans and budgets as well as spearheading the digital marketing team. MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL APPOINTS AREA GENERAL MANAGER TO OVERSEE NINE PROPERTIES IN DUBAI JANNAH HOTELS AND RESORTS APPOINTS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Méridien Dubai, Aloft and El- ements hotels. A hotel veteran with over three decades experience, he began his career in Istanbul at the Hilton Hotel in 1992. From there, Lacin joined the opening team of Hyatt Regen- cy in Istanbul. Over the following years, Tolga held Food and Beverage Manager positions in hotels from Kazakhstan to Kanuhura in the Maldives and enjoyed a brief stint in the Middle East in 2001 as the food and beverage manager at the Sheraton, Doha. APPOINTMENTS APPOINTMENTS
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 11 NEWS AUGUST 2020 AWARDS MKN, a professional kitchen equipment and cooking tech- nology supplier, has won The German Brand Award for 2020, an award for brands and their makers. The award honours brand success, and with a contact list of more than 315 million names, it’s the marketing prize with the widest coverage in German- speaking countries. MKN has won the award this year for the relaunch of its com- pany website in the category “Brand Communication – Web and Mobile”. The award pays particular tribute to the excel- lent achievements of the manu- facturer of professional cooking MKN WINS ‘GERMAN BRAND AWARD’ FOR MARKETING technology in market strategy and creation. About the award, Corinna Düe, Head of Communications at MKN says: “The main aim of our international website relaunch was to make MKN – world of cooking a tangible ex- perience and move our market image into the digital age with a new online presence. We have certainly done that. We’re im- mensely proud of this achieve- ment and are thrilled to receive this award!” MKN is moving forward on the digital path and focusing particularly on digital marketing activities, given their importance in current times.
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HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 14 OPENINGS & LAUNCHES AUGUST 2020 LAUNCH NOON.COM TO ROLL OUT PLATFORM IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUSINESSES noon.com, a homegrown digi- tal marketplace, has announced during an exclusive webinar with Mohamed Alabbar its plans to launch a new platform dedi- cated to supporting local food and beverage businesses. “There is no denying the im- pact of the coronavirus crisis of 2020. This year has been a chal- lenge on all fronts. Small and local businesses that have been built over decades with love have been badly impacted,” says Alabbar. “When the virus hit, our F&B industry had little choice, but to turn to aggregators who were charging up to 35 per cent com- mission structures. Can we, as businessmen, survive with this? No. We have been held ransom by food aggregator platforms. And that’s not acceptable. Our F&B industry is a part of the beating heart of this economy, and it has been severely im- pacted. We must do all we can to support and protect it. This is out of love for our businesses, families, nation and economy. We must think beyond profit.” “noon was born to serve the people of this region,” adds Al- abbar. “Thirty five per cent com- mission on food delivery services cannot be right. We will not al- low food operators to be held at ransom. We will not accept that. We will work with you fairly and openly. Our people, businesses and region deserve better.” noon Food will be built into the noon.com app. It will be a restaurant-first platform, dedi- cated to giving local businesses the opportunity to thrive beyond these times. The platform prom- ises to ensure fair commissions that will dramatically alter the playing field for F&B deliveries, in addition to additional incen- tives for businesses who choose to onboard with them. noon Food will be rolled out across the region in the coming months. The Minister of Tourism and An- tiquities in Egypt, Dr. Khaled El- Enany and Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communi- ties, Dr. Assem El Gazzar have inaugurated Address Marassi Golf Resort in Sidi Abdelrah- man bay on the North Coast in the attendance of Matrouh Gov- ernor Lt. Gen. Khaled Shoaib, Mohamed Alabbar, represent- ing Emaar Properties PJSC, Ja- mal Bin Theniyah, representing Global Village has announced the opening date for Season 25 as Sunday, October 25, 2020. In addition to the dining, shop- ping, entertainment and attrac- tions on offer, including the ever- EMAAR MISR OPENS ADDRESS MARASSI GOLF RESORT IN EGYPT GLOBAL VILLAGE ANNOUNCES OPENING DATE FOR SEASON 25 IN OCTOBER Emaar Misr, in the com- pany of key tourism and media figures. Address Marassi Golf Resort, located in Sidi Abdelrahman bay, which boasts an investment of EGP 950 million, is the second of nine hotels that Emaar Hospitality Group will open in the area. The development of the resort comes in line with the Egyp- tian government’s directions to develop the North Coast area, which in the past years has witnessed a notable increase in investments and urban de- velopment and depends on the development of hotels to ac- commodate the occupancy rates year-round. OPENING OPENING popular Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museum attraction, Global Village promises enhancements in guest experience and some surprises that will unfold as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 15 OPENINGS & LAUNCHES AUGUST 2020 OPENING OPENING Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara is set to reopen on August 15 with enhanced leisure, wellness and family offerings. The hotel has ad- opted a 360-degree approach to hygiene and safety, includ- ing sanitising stations, physi- cal distancing and health checks for team members. An Anantara Guest Guardian has been appointed to oversee the programme, which has earned the resort the Go Safe Majid Al Futtaim has unveiled Carrefour Central Kitchen. The new facility will prepare and supply Carrefour stores across the UAE with ready- to-eat meals alongside grab- and-go items, and chopped vegetables. Spanning 7,000 square me- tres, the Central Kitchen is locat- ed at the Carrefour Regional Dis- tribution Centre in Jebel Ali. It’s set to provide new food options while creating a taste unique to QASR AL SARAB DESERT RESORT BY ANANTARA TO REOPEN FOLLOWING RENOVATIONS MAJID AL FUTTAIM UNVEILS NEW KITCHEN FACILITY SERVING CARREFOUR STORES ACROSS THE UAE Certification from the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism. The resort has also en- riched its children’s offer- ings, including upgrades to the kids’ club, a new soft- play zone in the pool, nutri- tious and delicious menu options, and complimentary activities and experiences de- signed to keep younger trav- ellers engaged throughout their stay. Carrefour, with a head chef regu- larly preparing and testing new recipes in a purpose-built inno- vation kitchen.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 16 EVENT PREVIEW AUGUST 2020 HostMilano: Dining vs. Delivery in the Wake of COVID-19 HostMilano is a trade fair dedicated to the HORECA sector, a reference point for industry operators and a driver of quality business. The contribution of top players and professionals who share their know- how and express their reflections becomes interesting food for thought for everyone involved in the world of hospitality who is looking to discuss the future of the industry. The global catering sector is facing new dynamics in order to cope with the current health emergency situation. The keywords are sanitation, safety and health protection for customers and employees, but also a search for new business models. Different countries are facing different stages of the pandemic, and operators have already taken action by promoting initiatives to restart as soon as possible Nowadays, the delivery service, especially in countries that are still facing the early stages of the pandemic, is perhaps the only operational mode for the HORECA sector and the only way to maintain contact with customers. Bars and restaurants in different countries are, in fact, going through what in Italy has been considered “Phase 1” to contain the spread of the virus, following the guidelines dictated by the World Health Organization and local administrations. To cope with forced closures, restaurants and fast food chains, which had already implemented delivery services, had resorted to technology, expanding systems beyond the classic concept of home delivery. One of the latest models developed is the cloud kitchen. A cloud kitchen is when and at maximum capacity, in compliance with hygiene protocols and social distancing rules. The new strategies, monitored by HostMilano, a privileged observatory on the trends of the sector, evolve towards alternative formulas of service and consumption with innovative management approaches. Catering and technology: the surge in delivery services, between cloud, ghost and virtual kitchens A 2018 analysis by research company Frost & Sullivan on online food delivery has already predicted significant growth by 2025, driven by constant global penetration, new acquisitions and the adoption of new technologies. The prediction is proving to be truer than ever – also because of the inescapable need to manage the COVID-19 emergency.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 17 EVENT PREVIEW AUGUST 2020 an operator utilises a co-working space equipped for two or more restaurateurs that work for one or more delivery platforms, each with its own brand. Plus, the ghost kitchen: in this case, the restaurateur creates a kitchen where he supplies delivery platforms with his own brand or develops a delivery system on his own. A dark kitchen, on the other hand, is managed by a traditional restaurateur who dedicates a space to delivery, while in a virtual kitchen an established brand enters a market where it isn’t present yet, through a franchise agreement. These temporary solutions can’t certainly replace the concept of restaurant, but represent a momentary way to go, that may also continue in the future along with the actual restaurant business. John Lettieri, founder, president & CEO of the HERO CERTIFIED chain, is witnessing the situation in Canada for this particular segment. Within his chain, he’s promoting the formula of the Virtual Kitchen, a model to increase business. “Virtual kitchens are set to disrupt the industry eatery industry in Canada. Revenue from food delivery is estimated to grow by 2.5 million per year at a rate of 23.3% for approximately 95,000 operators. What are the benefits? Taking advantage of existing fixed assets, expand franchise formulas without start-up costs and investments reduced to a minimum. The virtual Kitchen gives access to new dining trends and changes consumer preferences. Operators in the sector are currently looking for different ways to increase their business. The online delivery of food is part of a macro trend today characterised by the on-demand formula, and millennials are especially the audience at which we aim the most: from research, they are three times more likely to ‘order in’ than their parents”. What about fine dining? The return to out-of-home consumption, fine dining, with due precautions, arises as consumers’ first wish. For example, Middle Eastern countries, whose hospitality is recognised worldwide and accommodation facilities are a symbol of a futuristic architecture, are looking to the future with optimism. In order to reopen, restaurants and hotels are activating to rethink the space, thus reducing the number of tables available and providing the customer with a safer option en place, using disposable products. Naim Maadad, founding member of the new Middle East Restaurant Association
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 18 EVENT PREVIEW AUGUST 2020 (MERA), reports on the situation in the UAE. Restaurants and cafés have been open since the last week of April, although with strict restrictions to maintain the social distance of two metres between tables, and therefore operating with a limited maximum capacity compared to the usual number of seats. Seating times will have to be fixed within restaurants and the takeaway service will have to be actively encouraged, including in-room dining through hotel room service. Therefore, the buffet system will no longer be allowed for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. However, points out Maadad, delivery for restaurants will not be the only source of profit. There are fast food chains that can switch over more effectively as the brands were renowned for the delivery option even before the pandemic. For fine dining restaurants – delivery will hugely affect the experience and the menu has to be recreated to include items that would travel the delivery distance without losing taste. Fine dining restaurants would only make minuscule revenue and would not be a path of sustenance for the industry. It’s just an interim arrangement to survive the pandemic, he adds. Italy towards Phase 3 Encouraging and successful examples from the world of fine dining arrive from Italy, which is now hoping to soon enter the so-called “Phase 3”. During the months of lockdown, delivery seemed to be the only anchor of salvation, thus inevitably losing the experience lived on-site and the menu had to be “modified” for transportation needs. A few weeks before the reopening, bars and restaurants developed alternative solutions, in full respect of the health regulations in force. Some of the great names of the Italian-starred restaurants carefully analysed the situation and proposed innovative formulas to attract customers to start eating out again, such as the “restaurant bond”, that is a “pay one, get two” voucher, expendable until the end of the year, or online bookings with 20% discount rates. Once Phase 2 finally started, the next step was to manage the resources, without changing the style of a starred menu: customers have shown a strong desire to return to the conviviality “in person”, while paying close attention to the safety and security aspects and by giving priority to large spaces or the outdoors. For this reason, many Italian-starred restaurants have focused even more on quality, while also exploring new and interesting solutions in “outdoor” consumption. Here are some: take advantage of open air spaces or poolside in full respect of social distancing with a menu that speaks of renewed conviviality, with pizza and barbecue, always in fine dining style. With the arrival of the summer season, restaurateurs were equipped with innovative ways to create dinner or lunch, such as the “fine dining picnic” or “in Berber tent” tastings. So what will the world of post-COVID catering look like? No one knows for sure, but the changes dictated at first by necessity, will probably be incorporated into the “new normal”, proving this highly social value sector to be vibrant and capable of generating innovation. The next edition of HostMilano will take place from October 22-26, 2021.
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HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 20 Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far? It all started on a trip to the USA, where I worked as a cook for four months in a restaurant at a ski resort in California. I went back to Brazil, graduated from Law School, and worked as a lawyer for a few years, but my heart was in the kitchen. So, I gave up on my career and went to study Culinary. I worked for a few restaurants in Brazil and, in 2018, came to Dubai to work as MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE AUGUST 2020 Ane Patrice Treib an executive chef for Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steakhouse. Now, I’m operations manager at Tropicool, a new company in the UAE which works with açaí berry, from The Amazon. What’s your favourite dish to eat and why? I love pasta and bread; I believe in sim- plicity. A nice pasta with a rich, flavourful tomato sauce and some nice cheese on top is the best dish to have. Also, even a simple fresh bread with a nice crust served with a good olive oil can become a meal on my table. What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish. Nowadays, my cooking is more focused on healthy products. The idea is to main- tain balance, allowing the food to have good flavour without losing the richness in vitamins that the body needs daily. As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days? The top ingredients I’m using these days are açaí berry, fresh fruits, condensed milk, peanut butter, pistachio and many others. What are some of the most recent, important food trends you can tell us about? I believe that, nowadays, people are being more conscious about what they are put- ting on their plates, with less ultra-pro- cessed products, adding more ingredients of quality and freshness. Also, veganism is a strong food trend, which creates a challenge in crafting tasty recipes with limited ingredients. This is already prompting big changes in the food industry and I believe it will do much more. What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand? I would advise them to always maintain product quality and high standards of service, as simple as that. Additionally, hygiene should always be prioritised. Chef Ane Patrice Treib, from Brazil, is operations manager at Tropicool, and has seven years of culinary experience, two and a half of which are in the UAE
• Tapioca flour 1 kg • 3 eggs • 1 1/2 cup of milk • 1 cup of oil (cooking oil or olive oil) • 1 tbsp. of salt • Mozzarella cheese shredded 150 g • Parmesan cheese grated 100 g • 1 tbsp. cream cheese Brazilian Cheeseballs INGREDIENTS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE: HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 21
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 22 MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE AUGUST 2020 Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far? I’m a Chef, and I have loved to cook since a young age. After school, I chose to be a chef, and I have been cooking for six years ever since. I love to cook and that's my passion. What’s your favourite dish to eat and why? That would be lasagne Bolognese because I love beef. What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish. I'm cooking scallops and seabass. I will be using a green pea puree with the scallops, as well as lemon and butter dressing with cress. For the seabass, I will be using green pea puree, green peas, and green beans with tomato relish, chives, and parsley. As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you're using these days? There are plenty; to give your food good taste, you need to use vegetable stock, MAGGI Chicken Powder Stock, beef stock, bay leaf, sage, dried basil, nut- meg powder and MAGGI Coconut Milk Powder. What are some of the most recent important food trends you can tell us about? I would say healthy food. Companies are changing products which were being used Oloyede Moses over the past 100 years and recreating popular items with no-sugar alternatives, free of saturated fats, artificial colouring, GMOs, and with less preservatives. Recently, we've seen rising demand for probiotics, collagen, and protein as well as plant-based foods and beverages. What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand? The foodservice industry’s main challenge is Design. As with product-oriented com- panies, a service business can't last long if the offering itself is totally flawed. It must effectively meet the needs of an important group category of customers. Chef Oloyede Moses is chef in charge at Coppasta and has six years of culinary experience
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 23 • Green peas purée 80 g • Scallops 90 g • Cress 1g • Lemon butter dressing 3 g • Green peas 150 g • Leeks 20 g • Red onion 20 g • Garlic 10 g • Salt and pepper 2 g • Red onion 20 g • Tomatoes 50 g • Capers 5 g • Lemon 2 g • Garlic 5 g • Pepper 1g • Salt 1g • Olive oil 5g • Green peas purée 80 g • Green beans 70 g • Seabass 150 g • Tomatoes relish 20 g • Chive 1 g • Parsley 1g Scallops and Seabass COOKING OF GREEN PEAS PURÉE SAUCE FOR SEABASS TOMATOES RELISH SEABASS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE: INGREDIENTS
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 24 SUPPLIER WATCH AUGUST 2020 Among the foodservice and HORECA industries’ strategic partners, in this exclusive interview, Chef Middle East’s management team CEO Steve Pyle, Head of Sales & Category Georges Louis, and Head of Supply Chain & Procurement Alwin Andrews share their insights on the hospitality industry in the wake of and post-COVID-19 Hospitality Insights from Chef Middle East How has the COVID-19 pandemic altered the foodservice industry in the region? Pyle: This pandemic has had a huge impact on our industry. Hotels, restaurants and caterers, along with their supply chain, have been operating globally at around 20% of normal levels of business. There has been a huge human impact, too, as people have lost jobs and or suffered reduced incomes. In the supply chain, inventory expiry and market liquidity have become huge, overbearing challenges. Andrews: With the soft reopening of fine dining restaurants and hotels, we’ve observed a gradual movement of gourmet and speciality ingredients lately. However, we believe that the product mix that we will need to source and stock in the future will be different to that from pre-COVID times. A rise in domestic sourcing, local partnerships, building homegrown brands and concepts, and supporting food sustainability and security initiatives could be the new shift moving forward. Developing and securing a well-defined product range that adapts to ever-changing customers’ needs and demands will be key under current circumstances. Such worldwide crises tend to have implications on the supply chain; what was the biggest impact you’ve observed on business and what further challenges do you foresee? Andrews: Managing the inventory effectively and collecting outstanding receivables have been two of the main points of focus, as we started navigating through the crisis. We’re using the momentum of the outbreak as an opportunity to reform our supply chain model to operate and adapt to new changes. The closures and partial operation of many factories worldwide due to containment measures and furloughs resulted in raw material shortages and supply constraints. With many of them rebooting with new demand planning, product mixes and longer lead times, there have been further shipment delays. Containing the pandemic with improved hygiene measures will be a challenge for
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 25 SUPPLIER WATCH AUGUST 2020 food production, while further issues with harvesting and raw material unavailability threats should lead to some price increases. This will become clearer throughout Q4, but we have already seen increases in the cost of global freight forwarding. Transparency and flexibility with suppliers will be key drivers to avoid the disruption of the food supply chain. When do you think the market will recover to pre-COVID-19 levels and how do you plan on supporting your customers in the meantime? Louis: The Chef Middle East team anticipates that the market won’t fully recover before end of Q4 2020, to beginning of 2021. Market requirements are changing, and the distributor is committed to act as a key strategic partner for its customers and support them by providing culinary expertise and services through its team of experts and facilities: this is to help operators recover and develop their menus in the most effective way, in order to cope with current and future challenges. The hospitality sector requires a structural rethinking that promotes efficiency, effectiveness and safety, not only for this particular period, but also for the future. Foodservice players have to be fast enough to build competitive agility to win amid new challenges, understand the needs of their customers, and innovate, which Chef Middle East offers to fully undertake. What’s your sentiment for Q3 and Q4 2020 in regard to the F&B market in the region? Pyle: Cautious optimism. Louis: The hospitality industry will witness an increase in demand through Q3 and Q4 2020 versus Q2 2020. We’re already seeing month-on-month progress, as more restaurants and hotels are reopening with different operational formats and deals to attract customers. The UAE government is taking strong measures to control the COVID-19 situation, which will further boost customers' confidence and grow this positive momentum. Will there be a consistent shift towards delivery and away from in-restaurant dining as a result of the ‘new normal’? Pyle: I believe it will remain a feature of how the industry operates forthwith. The consumer is driving this, but it will not replace the social experience, nor the superior food quality of a restaurant. Louis: Food and social interactions are extremely tangled. Most people want to explore a memorable dining experience in a unique, unforgettable restaurant. The culinary and social dining experience that a restaurant offers are two crucial factors that cannot be replaced. We’ve seen a rise in meal kit offers, what do you forecast for this segment in the coming period? Louis: In such pressing times, where customers are looking at capturing more value from every purchase they make, this line of the offering will continue to increase. Some food operators might keep it in their menus, as this initiative has enabled them to access a new tier of customers, which they may not necessarily have had access to before. What changes are we expecting to see on operators’ menus? Pyle: A more pragmatic approach to menu propositions in the short-term, as changes in availability and food costs are evaluated. Ultimately, the creativity of most able restaurant operators will surface, and they will lead the regeneration of the F&B industry across the globe. Louis: Some of our customers are still considering whether to reintroduce their old menus or not. They want to recalibrate their proposition to find the right balance between high gross profit dishes vs. less popular items. They are also looking at cross-utilising ingredients on a menu: a ‘less is more’ approach to reduce potential wastage. Some are also moving to ready- to-eat products instead of house-made to lower labour costs. What message would you like to give your customers? The Chef Middle East team reiterates that the company is taking all the necessary precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its employees and customers alike. Additionally, the distributor acknowledges how important it has become to stay close to their customers and understand their fast-changing needs. The CME team would like to highlight that it’s ready to support the hospitality industry in bouncing back from this situation more robust than ever, and is currently developing new programmes aimed at delivering extended assistance to key customer segments in all the markets they operate in, to promote enhanced collaboration and provide smart solutions to current and upcoming challenges.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 26 THE BUSINESS AUGUST 2020 The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced the establishment of the Restaurants Business Group, a new organisation that will support the restaurant sector in Dubai by unifying the voices of member companies Dubai Chamber announces formation of Restaurants Business Group The business group, operating as a non- profit body under the umbrella of Dubai Chamber, will serve common interests and tackle sector challenges through cooperation with relevant authorities in the emirate. Joined by a wide variety of restaurant businesses in Dubai, the group provides a platform for member companies to share knowledge and make policy recommendations, with the aim of improving ease of doing business in sector. During a recent virtual meeting, Mubarak Bin Fahad, owner – The Tashas Group was appointed as chairman of the Restaurants Business Group. Founding Executive Committee members were selected, while the business group outlined its objectives and plans for 2020. For his part, H.E. Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber, said that the establishment of the business group comes at the right time as the business community deals with the impact of COVID-19. As restaurants reopen under new guidelines, the group will play an essential role in addressing common issues and helping industry players navigate new challenges and adjust to the new normal, he explained. H.E. Buamim noted that the business group advances Dubai Chamber’s efforts to get business back on track and help companies prepare for the post-COVID recovery. He stressed the crucial role that business groups and councils play in driving sustainable growth and enhancing economic competitiveness, adding that Dubai Chamber is working closely with the Restaurant Business Group and other sector-focused business groups to support the development of business in Dubai, promote constructive dialogue and foster public-private sector cooperation. Mubarak Bin Fahd, chairman of the Dubai Restaurants Business Group, noted that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, industry players are coming together to address common challenges, embracing innovation and creating new delivery platforms. “The Dubai Restaurants Business Group will help this cause, bringing the private and public sectors closer together to create a sustainable and even more positive future for the F&B industry in the city. Dubai is the leading food destination in the world, and I’m proud to be part of this exciting phase in its development. Together we will not only get the industry back on track, but forge a new and exciting future,” said Bin Fahd.
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COVER STORY AUGUST 2020 HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 28 SUCCESS AHEAD Having proved his success with franchising prestigious brands including Cipriani & Scalini and tailoring them to suit the markets in which they operate, Kuzin is now focused on developing homegrown concepts, such as GAIA and Shanghai Me, which were designed to enhance the culinary landscape on a global scale, with the aim of exporting them from the Middle East to the world. Kuzin has spearheaded the international expansion of his brands with strategically located pop-ups in renowned locations across the globe, including Punta Del Este, Monaco, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, Mykonos and Miami. By ensuring his brands had a presence at key events across the global circuit, Kuzin has built trustworthy and credible venues, and gained an A-list following. Tell us a bit more about Bulldozer Group – your most unique guest experiences and how the venues came to be. Bulldozer Group began in 2011, when we made our first foray into the nightlife and entertainment industry in Dubai. We started by importing internationally recognised brands, such as Cipriani, to raise the profile of the dining and entertainment landscape in the UAE. We wanted our friends and family to realise how up and coming the region was, to know that they could come to Dubai and enjoy the same luxury experience and service as they could expect in key markets around the world, such as Europe, the UK and the US. The restaurant, nightlife and entertainment industries are very fast- paced, and it’s important to remain agile and ensure you are ahead of trends. I’m proud of everything we have learned and achieved, and feel that our brands have played a significant role in the development of the UAE into a globally recognised tourist destination. An aggressive approach to artist bookings in our nightlife venues, BASE and 1 OAK, led to a surge in entertainment in the region, with weekly performances by international names, and other venues increasing their own offering in order to compete. By creating strategically located pop- ups on the global events circuit, we’ve gained exposure with an elite, celebrity crowd. We have an annual residency at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi and Monaco, and hosted the official after-party to the FIFA World Cup in Moscow in 2018, which was attended by Naomi Campbell, Mick Jagger, Alessandra Born in Russia, Evgeny Kuzin was raised by a family of skilled entrepreneurs across all industries, an environment that developed his keen eye for detail and business acumen from a young age. In 2008, Kuzin relocated to Dubai and ventured into the luxury dining and entertainment industry with the inauguration of Bulldozer Group
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 29 COVER STORY AUGUST 2020 LISTENING IS ONE OF OUR GREATEST VALUES, WE HEAR WHAT OUR CLIENTS WANT AND NEED, AND WE ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.”
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 30 COVER STORY AUGUST 2020 Ambrosio to make a few. We have also hosted pop-up events at Art Basel Miami, Courchevel, as well as a summer in Mykonos. International exposure allows us to reach a wide audience and showcase our brands and abilities on a global scale. Now, as the UAE market has matured, we are focused on developing unique and authentic concepts with the aim of exporting them from Dubai to the world. The UAE is an amazing place to build a brand, the cosmopolitan blend of nationalities and expats from all corners of the world forces us to consider our audience and tailor our offering to suit them. We try to incorporate flavours, tastes and attributes that resonate with a wide range of cultures, so that each guest feels catered for and looked after. What core brand values do you believe are an indispensable part of your group? Relationships are one of the most important parts of our business, both with our clients, our suppliers and our team. It’s through building honest relationships that people feel comfortable enough to share their true feedback, and this is so important to our brands and concepts. Listening is one of our greatest values, we hear what our clients want and need, and we adjust accordingly. In terms of our team, we value integrity, people who are impeccable with their word and are trustworthy, both at work and outside. We really try to take care of our employees, train them, and give them the opportunity to learn and upskill across our different venues. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected business, and how did you manage to turn things around as restrictions were being eased? This year has been a challenge for the whole industry: a phase that none of us were expecting or had the chance to plan for. The temporary closure of our brands and venues affected us greatly, but it was important to put the health and safety of our employees and guests above all else. We’re grateful for the gradually reduced restrictions that allowed us to return to work and our livelihoods in a safe and controlled way. As our restaurants reopened, it was so clear that our guests had missed dining at restaurants, enjoying a meal out and socialising after not being able to for so long. It was really heart-warming to see friends and family come together, sharing food and laughter. It made me realise the joy that our concepts bring to people, myself included. What sort of new measures have you implemented, and which ones do you think are here to stay even after the pandemic has passed? Our restaurants are fully compliant with the regulations put in place, and although our health and safety procedures were strict pre-pandemic, we’re placing extra importance on this now so that guests have a safe and enjoyable experience. Although clients must be seated at an extended distance, we have kept all of our tables in place so that they aren’t put off by any visual representations of the pandemic, and to create an inviting ambiance. This year has really shown me how important our habits are to our productivity. If you have the right team around you, the capacity for work can actually rise when outside of the office. We used to spend a lot of time holding face- to-face meetings and travelling to different countries to meet our partners and Scalini WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 31 COVER STORY AUGUST 2020 associates in person. Now, with the use of video calling and online meetings, we can easily schedule a conversation and move forward with our business plans at a much faster rate. This is definitely something we will continue to do moving forward. How have you managed to iron out any issues with suppliers in the wake of COVID-19? We’re grateful to work with so many incredible suppliers that have supported us throughout the crisis and are continuing to do so. The temporary closures had a direct impact on our financials, and we have worked hard to reduce risk for all of the people and companies we work with. We understand that our business affects theirs and so our priority is to maintain our venues and recover as soon as possible, so that our suppliers can, too. Your F&B experience goes way back, what sort of intricacies have you found to be of utmost importance in this market? From every venture and project, we have gained more insight into what works in this region, the things our clientele like and the parts that they don’t. Our experience has become really valuable to us, we have learned so many important things, and interestingly, it’s usually our mistakes that teach us the most. In the F&B industry, there needs to be the perfect balance between location, ambiance and cuisine. Venues need to speak to their audience, make them feel welcome, important and well cared for. In Dubai, we have found that residents are looking for premium casual concepts, somewhere they can enjoy exquisite cuisine, really tasty food with good quality ingredients, at a reasonable price. Traditional fine dining concepts can put be off-putting and unrelatable for a lot of people, so we wanted to create dynamic, luxurious restaurants that diners actually enjoy, and that make them feel at home. We aim to make every client feel like the royalty and celebrities that dine at our WE STARTED BY IMPORTING INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED BRANDS, SUCH AS CIPRIANI, TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF THE DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE IN THE UAE.”
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 32 restaurants, there’s no “special treatment” because every guest should have the same, excellent and unparalleled experience. We pay attention to the finer details and weave this philosophy throughout every part of the concepts, from the kitchen to the floor staff, the branding through to the messaging, and so on. Our employees play a significant role in the success of every venue. When you have a happy team that works well together and supports one another, you really can achieve anything. It’s obvious when there’s negative energy or a sombre mood within a restaurant or lounge, and this has a direct impact on the experience of every guest, so it’s important that our workforce feels valued and listened to. They are the spokespeople for our restaurants and the point of contact between every client and the brand, so we really work hard to promote a healthy and happy workplace. GAIA has hosted members of the UAE royal family on multiple occasions. Tell us more about what this “seal of approval” means for a venue? We’re so humbled and grateful for the support of the UAE Royal family. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum are regular guests at Gaia and Shanghai Me and we’re thankful for the endorsement and approval they have shown us. When the National Sterilisation Programme came to an end, the Royal family dined with us and posted on social media to boost the restaurant industry and make residents feel safe and encouraged to visit. The UAE and its inspirational leaders have given us a unique platform to grow, expand and showcase our skills, and I feel very lucky to call it home. Have you jumped aboard the digitisation wagon? Do you think it’s one of the answers to the “new normal” in F&B? With our restaurants, we want to provide an escape from the pandemic and the GAIA COVER STORY AUGUST 2020 stress it causes. We have opted against the digital menus that many other venues have implemented and give our guests the choice of holding the printed menu or having one of our expert waitstaff read it out to them. The menus are sanitised before and after every new client, and our employees wear full PPE, with gloves and masks for safety. As we own and operate premium restaurants, we want to ensure we’re offering a luxury experience, from the presentation of the menu and throughout the customer journey. From a broader, industry perspective, there has been incredible growth in the digital and delivery space. Many restaurants have moved online and are available through aggregators and app-platforms in the region and across the world. This is something that we’re currently in the research and development phase of, and as with all of our projects, we like to take the time to plan properly before moving into production. Our vision is to create a platform that delivers high quality cuisine and matches the experience guests can enjoy within our venues. How will promotional messaging change in the future, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic? Following the pandemic, and with our reopenings, our communication focused on introducing the new health and safety procedures and ensuring that guests felt safe and comfortable when dining with us. After being told that we must stay at home in order to be safe, I think we all felt anxious when re-entering society and going out. It’s important for us to reinforce the message that safety comes first at our venues and encourage residents to gradually resume to their pre-pandemic routines. We have tried to maintain a sensitive approach during this time and will remain to do so for the foreseeable future. Although our industry is based around human interaction, sharing meals, and meeting and greeting one another, we
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 33 want to ensure that we’re not promoting anything unhealthy or unaligned with the advice of the government or health authorities. You have steered clear, mostly, of pushing out discounts and offers: what are your views on such tactics? One of our greatest priorities is to maintain a clear line of communication, one that benefits the brand and creates a trustworthy and approachable reputation. With prestigious venues, we tend not to participate in any activations that may reduce their credibility, but we do listen to our clientele and make sure we are adjusting our offerings based on their needs. At Shanghai Me, for example, we launched a business lunch throughout the week to benefit and suit our DIFC-based location. Chinese and Asian cuisine can be associated with a heavier meal, so we created a special, lighter menu that can be enjoyed for lunch with friends, colleagues or business partners, without it resulting in guests being too full to concentrate afterwards. What’s coming up for Bulldozer Group? Moving forward, we will dedicate ourselves to maintaining our premium dining and entertainment concepts, and recovering from the economic and health crisis. In the future, we aim to expand globally, with plans for GAIA London, as well as the first international export of Shanghai Me. One of our goals is to facilitate the growth of Saudi Arabia and raise their tourism profile through becoming the biggest F&B operator in the Kingdom. We have 10 renowned brands planned across the country and are so excited to see how the region will change over the next five to 10 years. In Dubai, we have a few exciting projects in the pipeline, including a beach club, café concept and a food-focused technology start-up. Shanghai Me Cipriani Dubai COVER STORY AUGUST 2020
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 34 GM INTERVIEW AUGUST 2020 James Berry, cluster general manager for Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City and Park Inn by Radisson, Dubai Motor City, showcases his properties’ best features Taking Charge Berry, 42, from Northamptonshire, England, began his management career as general manager in 2008 and brings with him over 20 years of experience in the hotel and hospitality industry. Prior to moving to Dubai, he had been serving as general manager at Sofitel London Heathrow Hotel after spending two years as a general manager at Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel. Prior to that, Berry spent four years with Guoman & Thistle Hotels, now known as glh, in London, as VC general manager at The Tower Hotel and acting general manager of The Cumberland in Marble Arch. Berry has also previously worked with Radisson Hotel Group as general manager of Park Inn Peterborough, during which, he also oversaw the opening of the Park Inn Rotherham, and at Park Inn Thurrock. What are some of the most unique points of the properties you manage? Park Inn by Radisson, Dubai Motor City is a vibrant hotel overlooking the Dubai Autodrome Racetrack and the only motor- themed hotel in Dubai with a Ferrari hanging in our lobby ceiling. Motor City's sense of adventure and fun is reflected in the modern design and philosophy of the hotel. The 146 colorful hotel rooms have all Apple TV with our superior rooms offering a thrilling track view! reporting, are only a few to mention. The right balance is key in today’s business, otherwise you will miss something that may damage it. What’s the importance of online hotel reviews and social media feedback, and how much of it do you take on board? It’s very important and has to be done right. Ultimately, what your guests says about your business in their online reviews and on social media, and how you respond to these reviews, will influence purchase decisions more than ever and much more so than brand-driven marketing messages, paid advertising, and traditional customer acquisition efforts can. Our guests are always our top priority. How do you evaluate employee performance, and keep your team motivated? Performance is measurable so as long as you have a fair and balanced set of criteria communicated properly and understood by the recipient, so there are no surprises, normally. A performance evaluation is not personal, there should be no emotion that effects your opinion.Team motivation starts with self-motivation; if you aren’t honest and trying to fake it, they will see it and you will lose their respect. I’m very lucky in that I have chosen The hotel is ideally located a 30 minutes’ drive from Dubai’s two international airports and the perfect base for visitors wanting to explore Dubai’s stunning souks, beaches, golf courses, and the world-class range of cultural and modern attractions such as IMG Worlds, Global Village and Dubai Miracle Garden. Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City, on the other hand, is a well-established hotel in the heart of Dubai Media City, the region’s most credible media community that houses the largest global and local media brands. Having been around for more than 14 years, the hotel is well known among the local community and a popular base for returning business travellers. Tell us more about some of the challenges you face in hotel management. A balance of priorities and time: hospitality is about hosting, Hotels are about service, this is a People business, but even through my twelve-year career as general manager, the role has changed significantly into a financial business leader, Health & Safety specialist, oracle who can see the future, relationship broker, and even political advisor. Today, it’s important to balance many factors, looking after your team as well as your owner, checking on quality and service as well as business analysis and
GM INTERVIEW AUGUST 2020 HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 35
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 36 a job that I loved, that became a career (probably more so because I can’t do anything else) and I still love my job, mainly because I like interaction with people and making people laugh or smile, and this drives and motivates me, which is portrayed as leading by example, which motivates my teams. What systems do you have in place for resolving guest complaints? Many: verbal communications between staff, with guests obviously, written handovers, questionnaires, apps and real time interactive systems that mean you can address something quickly. The best system is the proactive approach, the preventative one, the one that never lets the complaint leave the building in the first place. And that is mine, and you’re not having it, it’s top secret… What would you like to tell visitors about the hotels’ F&B offerings? Radisson Blu Hotel. Dubai Media City is home to well-known iconic F&B outlets, Certo and ICON Bar which most people have fond memories of. We recently launched a ladies’ night for the very first time in Certo called “La Vita Bella”, which offers our guests three Italian beverages and non-stop pizza every Monday for only AED 89 and it was a highly successful launch. ICON Bar is an institution in the area and after listening to our guests’ feedback, we’re now offering happy hour all day everyday with beverages for AED 29 and a daily brunch as well. Park Inn by Radisson, Dubai Motor City caters to the local community and has a fantastic rooftop pool with views overlooking the Dubai Autodrome The hotel is also home to Live Inn Room, which is the all-day dining outlet, the venue is a cheerful, relaxing, and a fun dining area serving delicious food made with the freshest produce and the perfect spot for getting the family together for a meal. Tell us a bit more about any new measures that are in place for COVID-19. While the current situation has had a profound impact on daily operations, GM INTERVIEW AUGUST 2020
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 37 we’re taking advantage of this time to refine various elements and procedures to ensure our teams and hotels are fully prepared to maximise their potential. There are many factors we’ve had to consider from an operational perspective, adapting new strategies and expanding hygiene, sanitation and precautionary measures, as well as implementing social distancing. One of our highest priorities at Radisson Hotel Group is the continued health, safety and security of our guests, team members, and business partners, which is why we recently launched the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol, a new programme of in-depth cleanliness and disinfection procedures, in partnership with SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. These enhanced protocols, operational guidance and comprehensive health and safety procedures validated by SGS, will be adapted based on local requirements and recommendations, to ensure guests’ safety and peace of mind from check-in to check-out. We will soon be announcing an extension to our brand commitment which includes 20 Steps and an additional 10-Step protocol for Meetings & Events. How has your strategy shifted? The plan for 2020 has effectively been paused, reset, changing the “0” for a “1” and starting again, when it’s the right time to do so. The planning phase changed to an action phase, the long-term plan was suspended and the focus shifted to the short-term plan, and the short-term plan became now. The first thing is safety and security: protect your team, protect your guests. The second thing is, protect your owner, make the right calls at the right time and take the tough decisions if you have to, but be ready to bring the business back properly when the time is right. I think that was very much Q2 this year. Q3 is more of the unknown, but will be different from Q2 because the process is the opposite: what’s coming back, when is it coming, and how much of it is coming. If anyone knows the answer to that, please give me a call. GM INTERVIEW AUGUST 2020
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 38 SUPPLIER WATCH AUGUST 2020 Sean Dennis, CEO and co-founder of Seafood Souq, tells us more about the digital platform and its innovative offerings Catch of the Day Tell us a bit more about Seafood Souq Seafood Souq is a technology company focused on supply chain digitisation for the seafood industry, providing an online marketplace to streamline the procurement/ sales process, as well as full traceability to prove the provenance of the fish. My co-founder, Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi and I, started this company out of a mutual love for the ocean and our belief in the fact that there had to be a better and more sustainable way forward for the seafood industry. As a life-long entrepreneur, my background has always been in technology and so I looked to the efficiencies it could bring to the seafood supply chain. Has COVID-19 given rise to more businesses digitising the supply chain? Why do you think that is? COVID-19 has encouraged many businesses within the supply chain space to further explore digitisation. However, it’s not a simple task, particularly for a legacy business that had already established those lines of trade, and so may be more reliant on a single-source market. In light of recent events, this has proven to carry a high risk to our food security; as we’ve seen from the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, it can cripple production, cancel flights, and close borders – businesses need to be able to adapt. It’s clear that, to safeguard the industry and minimise disruption to food security, we need to rethink, redesign and harness technology to strengthen our supply chains; innovation and technology are key. Digitisation will allow a business to become risk competitive, eliminating the unnecessary steps in the supply chain that too often cause the most tension in difficult climates. During the peak of the global pandemic, Seafood Souq was able to quickly pivot and utilise multiple source markets to satisfy both business and consumer demand for seafood products with complete supply chain traceability at a time when it’s more vital than ever. What differentiates your offerings from others on the market? The Seafood Souq platform provides businesses with an online marketplace to order directly from the source, giving them the choice of multiple supplier options for seafood products which can be filtered by price, harvest methods, country of origin and more to suit business needs.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 39 SUPPLIER WATCH AUGUST 2020 Where Seafood Souq differs from many other players in the industry, is that not only do we provide a digitised supply chain with complete oversight (traceability), but this comes at no extra cost to the supplier or buyer (in fact, savings through efficiencies both in terms of time and money are seen). Through providing an online marketplace as the sales/procurement channel, there is an incentive on both sides to take part in the supply chain digitisation. It literally becomes a win-win for all involved, including the end consumer – although we’re a B2B operator. Our business buyers are able to simplify procurement, operate with consistency in supply, gain access to a global marketplace of seafood products and sellers and ultimately pass on the traceability and increased quality and freshness of the product to their consumers. Please tell us more about how you ensure traceability and value for money. We’re now working with a number of our buyers to provide traceability to their end consumers; we call this product SFS Trace - this includes our QR code being printed on product packaging, which will be in supermarkets across the UAE, as well as on restaurants menus, which is a very exciting next step for us in providing certified 100% traceable seafood to the region. The end customers deserve to know, and want to know, about what they are eating: is it safe to eat, is it fresh, is it responsibly sourced? As one of the highest valued, most highly perishable items of food traded globally, this is particularly relevant for fresh seafood. Through working closely with suppliers as they are onboarded onto Seafood Souq, we verify practices and certifications and make this information available to the buyer via seller profiles. We then track in real-time, the journey of that product through the supply chain all the way to delivery (both location and temperature) through a combination of IoT enabled devices and flight/airway bill information made available to us through our partnership with Emirates SkyCargo. Anything else you would like to add? Sustainability is at the core of our beliefs at Seafood Souq. When I hear figures in the region of 20-25% wastage of seafood within the supply chain (this is a global issue, not unique to any one region), it makes me want to stand up and do something about it. We need a more efficient supply chain to minimise wastage and ensure food security; we need better data to limit the risk of over-fishing our oceans and we need to utilise the features this digitisation of the seafood supply chain provides to source responsibly and sustain food sources for future generations. Through what the team at Seafood Souq have built, and continue to develop, we can address these issues and, in turn, our buyers can know that they are contributing to a more sustainable future, both in terms of ocean life, as well as cost savings for their business and a fresher product that they can prove the provenance of to their customers.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 40 EVENT REVIEW AUGUST 2020 In this webinar, three celebrity chefs discussed what they had been cooking up in an online discussion and open Q&A. Topics included: • The pandemic and global kitchens • Firing things up for a new era of dining • Winning recipes for success post- COVID-19 Speakers in attendance were Top Chef Judge Bobby Chinn, Director of Culinary and F&B, Palazzo Versace Dubai Chef Hotel & Catering News Middle East has hosted its third online discussion, addressing some of the toughest challenges facing chefs in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic Hotel & Catering News ME Hosts Online Q&A with Celebrity Chefs Chef Bobby Chinn Top Chef Judge Chef Mansour Memarian Director of Culinary and F&B, Palazzo Versace Dubai Chef Mohammed Al Ghazzaoui Senior Advisory Chef – Nestlé Professional MENA Mansour Memarian, and Senior Advisory Chef, Nestlé Professional – MENA Chef Mohammed Al Ghazzaoui. “It was a valuable participation in this webinar, and I was honoured to have a chat with Chefs Bobby Chinn and Mansour Memarian. We spoke about the effects of COVID-19 on a chef’s life and duties, shared our experiences on restaurants opening and our involvement, gave some tips for new, young chefs, and answered webinar attendees’ questions which provided for amazing, memorable engagement. Many thanks to Hotel & Catering News and especially to the editor Dina Maaty for the amazing organisation,” says Al Ghazzaoui. Chef Chinn remarked: “I just wanted to thank you for having me on your panel with Chef Mohamad and Mansour. I really enjoyed listening and learning from my colleagues’ perspective on this very difficult situation. These are extraordinary times, and they will pass, and in the meantime, I do hope we can all do our best to remain positive.” HCNMETALKS HOSPITALITY AND F&B EXPERTS – CONNECTED P R E S E N T E D B Y I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 41 SUPPLIER WATCH AUGUST 2020 Serah Ngunya, head of soft services at the Dubai Municipality-approved Hitches & Glitches, outlines the best ways to clean kitchen surfaces and avoid cross-contamination Clean Counters As Dubai’s hotels and restaurants start to reopen their doors once more to visitors from around the world, the maintenance and cleaning company reveals some measures that can be implemented to ensure that diners feel safe, comfortable and confident when eating out, or even dining in with deliveries. Avoiding cross-contamination in the kitchen Contamination occurs when contaminated food comes in contact with other food, either by direct contact, a contaminated work surface, cooking utensil, or via your hands. To avoid this, wash and clean everything regularly, including your hands. Deep cleaning your floor All food prep areas and floors should be cleaned daily; those often hard-to-reach areas such as under or behind the fridge should be regularly deep cleaned by being pulled away from the wall. This should ideally be done every month. However, a busy kitchen should consider doing this every week. The key is to keep pests away and customers returning! Clean food preparation surfaces effectively For commercial kitchens and food preparation areas in other facilities, it’s essential to use a recommended detergent to remove all visible stains and dirt before rinsing down with hot water and a cloth. Much like in the house, use a disinfectant, and follow product guidelines to clean all surfaces. A steam cleaner could also be used to achieve temperatures that are too hot for hands. Cleaning commercial appliances and equipment We all know that looking after your tools is the most important thing in allowing you to do a job correctly, which is why ensuring all appliances and equipment are cleaned and maintained to the highest standards is crucial. Everything from ovens, fridges, and knives to toasters and coffee makers should be cleaned routinely, at least weekly, to maintain their condition. Dishcloths – bacteria hotspots! Dirty dishcloths are terrible for spreading bacteria: every dish you 'clean' with one has the potential to be contaminated. They should be washed regularly, and every couple of days should be enough, either in your washing machine or boiling water. If it becomes discoloured or smelly, replace it with a new one. Keeping your fridge clean and bacteria- free It can be easy to focus on cleaning and maintaining the inside of your fridge; however, it’s crucial to clean the outside thoroughly, especially the handles. Use warm, soapy water to wash all shelves and compartments and dry them with a clean dishtowel. Have a good clear-out of expired food every week, too. Don’t let your sinks sink Due to the fact that everything goes through sinks when cleaned, it’s crucial to keep this area flawless. The area should be cleaned at the end of every day using a disinfectant, and don't forget the taps, sprayers and any other instruments situated around the area. Don’t forget about storage It’s not just the visible areas and equipment that need to be cleaned. Consider cleaning all shelves in the pantry and other storage areas, taking everything off, deep cleaning the shelves, and replacing them.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 42 CHAIN OF THE MONTH AUGUST 2020 RADISSON HOTEL GROUP RADISSON HOTEL GROUP HAS ANNOUNCED 15 NEW HOTEL SIGNINGS ACROSS EMEA IN Q2 2020 The fifteen new signings mark key milestones: • The addition of six new hotels in Africa bringing the total to almost 100 hotels across 32 African markets • Cementing the groups’ position in Ukraine as the largest international operator with seven hotels and 1,355 rooms in operation and under development • Further cementing the group’s position in Russia with two additional hotels • The third signing of the Radisson RED brand in Austria • Two new signings in the most renowned ski destination in Italy, boosting the group’s portfolio to 10 hotels in operation and under development • One new Radisson Blu property on the picturesque island of Santorini, one of the world´s most popular resort destinations
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 43 Radisson Hotel Group is one of the world's largest, with seven hotel brands, and more than 1,400 hotels in operation and under development around the world. The Group’s portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson. Radisson Rewards is the group’s global rewards programme, offering loyalty benefits for guests, meeting planners, travel agents and business partners. As for Radisson Meetings, it’s built around three service commitments: Personal, Professional and Memorable, while delivering on the basics and Radisson’s signature “Yes I Can!” service spirit. More than 95,000 global team members work for Radisson Hotel Group and at the hotels licensed to operate in its systems. Nofa Resort Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel Radisson RED Dubai CHAIN OF THE MONTH AUGUST 2020 IN NUMBERS UPCOMING PROPERTIES IN THE MENA REGION 126 82 Hotels in operation in the Middle East & Africa • Park Inn By Radisson Jeddah Madinah Road (September 2020) • Park Inn Hotel Riyadh (September 2020) • Bamako (September 2020) • Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre Johannesburg (Q4 2020) • Radisson Hotel Dubai Damac Hills (Q4 2020) • Radisson Riyadh Airport (Q1 2021) • Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah, Marjan Island (Q1 2021) • Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel (Q1 2021) Hotels under construction in the Middle East & Africa
MARKETPLACE AUGUST 2020 The Milky Way HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 44 American-born Mustafa grew up in Chicago, Illinois, where he went on to gain a Bachelor of Business Administration (BAA) at NIU focused in International Business. During his childhood, his father instilled a strong sense of financial responsibility in him, and while living comfortably. Koita and his three siblings were taught the value of working hard (as he started his first job as a ‘busboy’ at the age of 13) to gain life’s luxuries. This is a lesson that he has carried with him throughout his adult life and he credits with making him the tenacious businessman he is today. Please tell us a bit more about your business. Koita’s mission is to help families eat healthier, by offering the cleanest, and best tasting premium products. The company was founded on the philosophy of ‘Eat Good, Feel Good, Do Good’ - which means that if we eat good, we feel good which in turn makes us do good. Koita was started in 2013, when I found it challenging to purchase organic milk in the UAE for his three kids. By the end of 2020, Koita will have 19 products across three categories: Organic Dairy, Lactose Free Dairy and Plant-Based Milks. How has the dairy industry evolved over the years? The dairy industry has significantly evolved over the past 10 years. There has been a huge shift in consumer demand for more environmentally sustainable and ethical sourcing practices. This is why all our dairy farms are open where our cows roam around freely and are milked for a limited time per day. We’re also seeing a shift in consumer demand towards healthier, cleaner alternatives. “Organic”, “Hormone-Free”, “Pesticide-Free” are what our consumers have been asking for. In terms of categories, dairy products have seen a slight erosion in market share with plant-based milk consumption increasing as customers Entrepreneur Mustafa Y. Koita is founder and CEO of Koita Foods. He established the organic food company in 2013, with the aim of making healthy food more accessible for families in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia) region
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 45 MARKETPLACE AUGUST 2020 What has the single most successful turning point been this last year? Expansion across products and regions. Within the last year, we have launched in the East Asia region, and have also released four new products including mini 200ml Organic Oat & Almond Milks, 1L Whole Fat Lactose-Free Milk and an Organic Coconut Milk. How has COVID-19 affected business? We had to step back and get creative with our supply chain while the demand for our products was skyrocketing. A combination of being a staple product with a long shelf life and the nutritional benefits Koita stands by, we have, fortunately, seen a rapid increase in growth. Notably, we’ve also seen a 370% increase in online sales across our 10 countries. Regarding supply chain logistics, we learned to book our container shipments in advance and re-configured our demand forecasts early on to make sure we had enough inventory. What are some of your newest products and which ones have been the most successful? The most successful NEW product we have launched this year has been the Whole Fat Lactose-free 1L. The product has tapped into a market that is currently being heavily underserved (90% adults in East Asia are lactose intolerant). Our Whole Fat Lactose-free Milk, unlike anything else in the market currently, is free from all hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and artificial preservatives. It’s also enriched with vitamins to give it added nutrition per cup. At 3.7g of healthy fats per 100ml, it’s pure, creamy, healthy deliciousness. Our Coconut and cute 200ml Almond and Oat milks are also seeing increased demand. Anything else you would like to add? We’re excited to see the hotel and catering industry bounce back from the lockdowns! We have started highlighting more of our HORECA business activities on our Instagram account @koitafoods and welcoming our customers back to business as usual. demand allergen-free and healthier options. How did you diversify to cater to different tastes? A few years ago, we started noticing a shift in the consumer landscape where there was an exceptional growing consumer interest in plant-based drinks due to dietary restrictions, allergies and/or lifestyle changes. After speaking to several of our customers, we decided to launch our plant- based (Non-Dairy) milk range. Keeping true to our mission of helping families eat healthier, we made our plant-based range as clean as we could and also made sure it had a great taste profile. We now have three ranges. Today, our plant-based products are the fastest moving offering.
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 46 Tell us a bit more about your career journey. I guess I was a late starter in many ways, beginning my career at the age of 22 in my hometown of Brighton, UK. I spent around five years there cooking at some of the best restaurants in town and worked my way up to the position of head chef at Graze restaurant, Hove (now known as ‘Market’). I made the decision to move to London when I was 27, working for Gordon Ramsay, which led to me heading up two of his kitchens, York & Albany and London House over a period of five years. After London, I travelled across Scandinavia, staging in some of the best restaurants across the region, including Stud!o, Copenhagen (one Michelin star), Gastrologik, Stockholm (two Michelin stars), Maaemo, and Osle (three Michelin SOCIaL EATS stars), before jumping on a plane to Dubai to take on my role at Marina Social. How have you landed at Marina Social and what attracted you to the venue? It was all kind of out of the blue – I never really considered that one day I might live and work in Dubai, but when I got back from Scandinavia, I got in touch with the Social Company, initially for a position in the Philippines, but that was never quite the right fit and I was offered the position in Dubai. It was a risk for sure, a huge gamble, but the restaurant appealed immediately. It’s a perfect fit for me – as it has really enabled me to build on the food I already loved to cook, but here I can really push myself creatively. Jason puts a lot of trust into what I’m doing here, so that in itself is rewarding and it’s great to be able to cook my own food in such an amazing restaurant. How have you faced the latest pandemic challenge? Needless to say, the hardest part was being away from the kitchen and the team. We put so much into what we do, to have that taken away overnight is extremely difficult – two days off and I’m missing the kitchen already, so almost three months was a challenge to say the least. However, some time off to pause and to reflect is never a bad thing and I genuinely believe we’re the best we have ever been coming out of this. Workwise, of course, we have had to adapt and make some changes. I’m very proud of how the whole team has dealt with it and it’s very rewarding to see the restaurant so busy during these uncertain times. WHAT'S COOKING? AUGUST 2020 Marina Social Head Chef Will Stanyer tells us about his role at the lively Intercontinental Dubai Marina-based venue and culinary journey to the emirate
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 47 WHAT'S COOKING? AUGUST 2020 What are you looking forward to the most as we emerge from these circumstances? I think just the overall sense of ‘normality’ returning – it’s been really hard to watch so many people suffer in such uncertain times recently and it has required an extraordinary effort from everyone involved in the restaurant to see us relaunch successfully. I’m a big believer in the idea that you get out of this industry what you put in, so I’m looking forward to people being able to reap the benefits of all their hard work A bit of fun, what’s your favourite dish to eat, and cook? My favourite dish to eat probably has to be a good curry. My Junior Sous Chef makes an incredible butter chicken, that has to be right up there for me. Out of work, I love making tacos – it’s such an incredibly simple and humble way to cook, but it’s always an absolute flavour bomb, super chilled, a little bit messy, but always fun. Anything you’d like to tell diners about the “new normal”? I guess to show some appreciation to them for instilling their faith and trust in us to return to the restaurant and to show us their support; it was very rewarding to see so many happy diners leaving the restaurant after all the effort that went into making it happen. With so many new changes in place, we were all walking into the unknown and a great deal of humility on behalf of our guests as well as our staff has been instrumental to our success; I think the importance of this should never be overlooked.
Bethany Kehdy, Lebanese-American cookbook author and founder of Taste Lebanon, will be launching her new food concept DAYMA in Dubai, a Levantine cookhouse creating contemporary dishes and delivering them to homes Levantine Treasures MOVERS & SHAKERS AUGUST 2020 HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 48
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME 49 Why have you chosen a delivery-only concept? It’s clear that for the foreseeable future there’s an even higher risk lurking in the F&B industry, especially if you’re launching a new concept. While everyone is mostly out and about now post-quarantine, many are now leaning more towards food delivery. Considering the uncertain climate, that delivery is growing and as a start-up with minimal capital, it’s a suitable way to break into the market. What are some of your favourite dishes? The aubergine sfiha stars, shatta prawns sambusek, hummus with the za’atar pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, carrot & caraway mutabal with dates & shaved coconut, Beik’s lamp chops, musakhan parcels, burnt his finger on the fettuccini (horrak osbao), beet & cauliflower maqlouba and my special lazy cake made with tahini and sweetened with date molasses. Some of her popular dishes include Kalbid’s rice kibbeh, aubergine sfiha stars, prawn sambusek, carrot mutabal, cabbage tabbouleh, chicken musakhan, and sour cherry kebbeh – the dishes bridge past and present by celebrating classics and seasoning them with contemporary touches. DAYMA celebrates Bethany’s success as a renowned chef, cookbook author and champion of Middle Eastern cuisine. Her culinary tours throughout Lebanon have taken her on a delicious journey, visiting traditional homes in the countryside and curating century-old recipes handed down through generations. These discoveries into the history of Levantine cuisine have led her to revive forgotten recipes from the region, giving rise to the menu of DAYMA. “I’m very thrilled to be launching DAYMA, my newest endeavor. The menu offers all the familiar classics with fresh, comforting twists. They’re truly dishes you can’t find elsewhere and suitable for office lunches, to family dinners and gatherings. Our shared Levantine kitchen is naturally quite vegetarian-led and so there are plenty of delicious offerings in that category too!” says Kehdy. DAYMA will be available on all major food delivery apps. Tell us a bit more about DAYMA, and why it’s close to your heart. DAYMA is a cookhouse offering delicious, wholesome and contemporary takes on Levantine classics. DAYMA’s menu goes beyond modern, artificial national borders to communicate the authentic, rich and shared culinary craft of the Levant. It’s a delivery menu for now, but it’s part of an evolving set of an F&B family of concepts that are focused, not only on presenting delicious and modern takes on regional food, but also showcase the diversity and potential that the cuisine has. What are some of the most important dishes you’ll be bringing to the concept, and why have you chosen them? The idea is to bring dishes you can’t find elsewhere. At DAYMA, some dishes are inspired by the past, like the shatta prawn sambusek, others celebrate the tradition of leaning mostly on vegetables, so we offer a vegetarian sfiha made with aubergines and walnuts. In fact, over 70% of the menu is effortlessly vegetarian because the cuisine lends well to this. It’s what makes it so balanced and healthy! So, rather than offer a typical lahm beajeen, we have opted for a veg baajeen option as it allows us to control the taste and quality, while offering customers fresh options. Hummus comes with a divine za’atar pesto you can’t find elsewhere (which also is the base for our veg baajeen). We’re also selective about the ingredients we use, and sustainability is equally important to us. So, while hammour is local, it’s overfished and so I prefer to go with a more sustainable local option. MOVERS & SHAKERS AUGUST 2020
HOTEL & CATERING NEWS ME WWW.HOTELNEWSME.COM 50 OPINION AUGUST 2020 Moe Alhaj, CEO of the Dubai-based Migrate World, takes us on a journey to five Caribbean nations where investors can expand their hospitality businesses Back to the Island The Caribbean is known for having its fair share of tropical paradises, and smart investors have been turning their attention away from the crowded shores and focusing instead on smaller islands such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, and Grenada. These destinations offer all the benefits of white-sand beaches, clear turquoise waters, and beautiful scenery, but with a lot more potential for expansion. Plus, these islands all offer something that others do not—citizenship by investment programmes, which has been a key factor for the flourishing hospitality industry. While the exact details differ slightly depending on the country, the general premise is that qualified investors in the travel, tourism, and hospitality space are all potentially eligible to receive citizenship when they invest in certain government-approved projects. This includes investments in projects such as resorts, purchasing vacation rental properties, and in some cases, opening a business in the tourism and hospitality space like a restaurant, water sports rentals, and more. That’s not all, in exchange for a minimum investment from as low as $150,000, you could be eligible to receive full citizenship, which includes the potential for visa-free travel to destinations in North America, Europe, and other parts of the world, not to mention access to education and healthcare as well as the opportunity to live a more global lifestyle. In addition, the Caribbean offer good option from a business standpoint. Citizens of these counties may face fewer restrictions and less scrutiny for international travel in the weeks and months ahead—just another benefit of investing here. Beyond the safety factor, many of these countries are open for business, with governments actively seeking investors for projects that will grow the economy, tourism and hospitality industries included. And demand is only going to continue to grow. These islands hold a lot of potential, and smart investors who act now and get in early stand to gain a lot. returns on investment as labour costs are reasonable and energy is inexpensive. The government is also helping with tax incentives and favourable labour laws. Islands such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, and Grenada all have all seen an increase in demand when it comes to travel and tourism both pre- COIVD-19 as well as in the aftermath. Because of their relatively small populations, many of these Caribbean countries saw low numbers of infections. This makes them not only appealing to both wary travellers seeking safer, less- crowded destinations, but also a lucrative
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