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Hotel&Catering NEWS Middle East ALL THE LATEST FROM THE MIDDLE EAST HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY FEBRUARY 2021 The Culinary Connoisseurs on launching the largest restaurant in Downtown Dubai CHEF BURAK ÖZDEMIR AND DIVES HOLDING CHAIRMAN RIZGAR SAK IT’S HERE Experience the F&B world’s revolutionary shift at Gulfood 2021 COLD CUTS A Dubai business’ bold move in times of pandemic NINE-STAR EATS The King of the Michelin Guide Italy is ready for Dubai
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3 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 IN THIS ISSUE HCNME THE CULINARY CONNOISSEURS COVER STORY CZNBurak, Chef Burak Ozdemir’s first restaurant outside of Turkey, opened last December on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard in Dubai, with a menu boasting more than 150 dishes. 22 OPINION Stars Come Out in a Crisis; Don’t Let Them Fade Faced with Covid-19, companies have put their best talent on their most critical projects 24 MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE Executive Chef Chikku Renji and Sous Chef Lovedeep Singh share their top recipes, brought to you by Nestlé Professional MENA 30 F&B FAR AND NEAR The Perfect Brew Mikah Coffee founder and CEO Massimo Hakim gives us an overview of the brand’s unique proposition 32 EVENT REVIEW Gulfood 2021 The competitive global sourcing platform welcomes the world’s leading industry players to set the food agenda for 2021 and beyond 46 SUSTAINABLE HOTELS New Space A new offering for hotel owners and investors, with a socially responsible solution for the survival of empty property buildings 48 F&B FAR AND NEAR The Fabrique Monaya Fayoumi, co-founder of the new venue, is passionate about good food and good vibes 50 CELEBRITY CHEF The Superstar: Enrico Bartolini For one night only, Chef Bartolini showcased his flawlessly executed contemporary classic cooking at Roberto’s DIFC in Dubai 52 MEET THE GM Luxury-Conscious Hospitality Slim Zaiane, General manager, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Dubai 54 ON THE DAILY Yunus Emre Aydin Executive Chef, Marea Dubai 38
4 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM IGH HOTELS & RESORTS CHAIN FOCUS 62 TECH FOCUS Aiming for The Bull’s Eye By Rami Darwish, founder and chief executive officer, Arrow Labs 64 OPINION Hospitality, Digitisation and the Guest Experience By Ali Manzoor Partner, Head of Hospitality and Leisure, Knight Frank Middle East 66 REVIEW Good Eats Marks & Spencer’s plant-based ranges offer a healthy alternative for home or restaurant cooking 56 IN THIS ISSUE HCNME IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 6,000 hotels in more than 100 countries
6 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM SUBSCRIBE Contact subscriptions@bncpublishing.net to receive Hotel & Catering News ME every issue EDITOR Dina Maaty dina@bncpublishing.net CEO Wissam Younane wissam@bncpublishing.net DIRECTOR Rabih Najm rabih@bncpublishing.net GROUP COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Samer Alloush samer@bncpublishing.net CREATIVE LEAD Odette Kahwagi 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 Alloush, Group Commercial Director samer@bncpublishing.net | T +971 55 776 4670 All rights reserved 2021. Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors. Hotel & Catering News ME and all subsidiary publications in the MENA region are officially licensed exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region. 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 United Printing and Publishing | upp.ae Images used in Hotel & Catering News ME are credited when necessary. Attributed use of copyrighted images with permission. hotelnewsme.com ACCESS FRESH CONTENT DAILY ON OUR WEBSITE! HotelNewsME @HotelCateringME Hotel & Catering News Middle East HotelCateringNewsME In addition to our print edition, we’re bringing you all sorts of industry news on our web mediums. We’re looking forward to interacting with our readers on all of our social media and web platforms. See you on the web! Hotel&Catering NEWS Middle East Hotel&Catering NEWS Middle East
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8 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM W ould it really be the month of love in Dubai if it weren’t for AED 8,000 staycation packages, luring us in with the promise of a romantic helicopter ride or gold-crusted steak with a pinch of Salt (Bae)? It certainly would not… However, you can read all about those magnificent (and totally accessible) offerings in the magazine, and on our brand-new website. Today, I have decided to discuss something entirely different. Aimlessly browsing Netflix for the next big watch, I stumbled across Voyeur – a documentary which tells the story of a journalism icon, as he reports on Gerald Foos, the owner of a Colorado motel who allegedly secretly watched his guests with the aid of specially designed ceiling vents, peering down from an “observation platform” he had built in the attic. There’s no denying that Foos is a very disturbed individual and that his behaviour was unacceptable on all levels. What I found to be very interesting about the whole story, in reality, was how it has brought together the worlds of media and hospitality – uncovering the many ways through which the industry produces amazing content for the pages of newspapers and magazines. It has also made me think of myself as an insider, looking into each and every hotel lobby, room and restaurant (not literally, like Foos, but figuratively). What I observe as I visit different properties and delve deeper into what makes them unique is very different from what people think when they envision what it might take to do my job. I have a friend who is a senior IT director at one of the city’s biggest hotels. He once told me: “Hotels are smart buildings; everything is connected through a very advanced system, from the smallest of details, to the biggest of security setups.” According to him, what we know is only half of the story; there’s a whole world inside each and every property, and this mysterious aspect of these wondrous buildings, where guests come and go every single day, leaving bits and pieces of their lives behind, is precisely what makes this sector one to explore. Foos may have been delirious in his pursuits, but truth is, this is an industry that we’re not afraid to love unconditionally, caviar chocolate and Rolls- Royce rides included… DINA MAATY EDITOR dina@bncpublishing.net I love hospitality (oh yes, I do!) EDITOR’S NOTE HCNME
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12 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM SHARJAH ATTRACTS $220 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS AND CREATES 1,117 NEW JOBS IN 2020 NEWS HCNME On the business side, the pandemic has revealed the resilience of cities like Sharjah, which continued to grow amid crisis by allowing global investors leverage opportunities offered by its diverse economy, business-friendly environment and low oper- ating costs, among other competitive advantages. At the end of 2020, the emirate attracted 24 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth $220 million (AED 808.6 mil- lion), as per a Wavteq study on Sharjah’s FDI annual perfor- mance. There has been a 60 percent increase in the number of FDI projects between Q3 and Q4. While certain sectors were impacted, others witnessed remarkable growth, offering substantial investment opportunities for businesses in the fields of e-commerce, health and medical research, and personal protective equipment, among others. This boost in economic activity in new and emerging sectors led to the creation of 1,117 new jobs in Sharjah. Over the year, Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), the invest- ment promotion office operating under the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), continued to bolster investment activity in Sharjah with a wide range of services and facilities, including a real-time analysis of local markets, which helped incoming businesses identify suitable opportunities. Investor confidence in Sharjah continued to grow in 2020, with 24 new investment projects worth $220 million 2020. Reflecting on how IIS quickly adapted to the volatility that characterised the year, Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of Invest in Sharjah (IIS), said that 2020 had, “taught us the competitive advantage of adaptability, which will continue to inform the manner in which IIS would leverage future invest- ment trends.” “The Covid-19 outbreak caused global foreign direct invest- ment (FDI) to shrink by 21%-61%, according to a WAVTEQ’s report. It also states that job opportunities in the medical equipment manufacturing sector increased by 53.4%, and in life sciences by 45.4%, the highest since 2012. Jobs in e-commerce, financial technologies and logistics also grew at a quick pace during 2020,” he added. Al Musharrkh remarked that WAVTEQ had forecast an increase in FDI in various vital primary sectors in the next 12 months, predicting a 74% hike in life sciences, 55.6% in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), 49.7% in food and agriculture industries, 46.2% in logistics and distribution, while the cleaning technology industry is expected to grow at a rate of 30.2%. Secondary sectors, including e-commerce, medi- cal technology, education technology, cybersecurity, financial technology, and smart logistics, is expected to bring high-yield investment opportunities for innovation-driven SMEs.
13 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 CapitaLand’s wholly owned lodg- ing business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has added a record number of over 14,200 units across 71 proper- ties worldwide for 2020, with the aim of growing its global portfolio to 160,000 units by 2023. Despite Covid-19, this exceeds the number of units secured in 2019, mark- ing a fourth consecutive year of record growth for the group. Mr. Kevin Goh, CapitaLand’s chief executive officer for lodging and Ascott’s chief executive officer, says: “Covid-19 has validated the resilience of Ascott’s business model as property owners continue to sign new management and franchise contracts with us, allowing us to achieve our fourth consecutive year of record growth in 2020. Through these new contracts, we continue to build our future recurring fee income stream. In 2021, over 80 properties with about 17,000 units are slated to open across the world. We will continue to look for opportunities to expand our pres- ence through management contracts, franchises, strategic alliances, and stand ready to seize good investment oppor- tunities.” Ascott has also announced its new tar- get for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey (MEAT) region, aiming to enhance its current portfolio by an additional 6,000 units over the next five years, to reach a total of 10,000 units by 2025. Ascott currently has 16 properties un- der development and an additional 2,003 units in the pipeline that will be opening over the next two years in the region. After establishing itself as a behemoth in the Middle East, Ascott aims to further strengthen its geographical presence in emerging markets in Africa, with five properties currently in the development phase. Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s regional general manager for Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India, says: “Despite the challenges the hospitality industry faced across the world in 2020, our sustain- able business model has allowed us to stand firm performance-wise. While we continue reinforcing our position in the Middle East, where we have established a strong presence in key markets such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, our focus over the next five years is to strengthen our geographical presence in the emerging markets within Africa.” In July 2020, as part of its ‘Ascott Cares’ initiative, the group entered into a global agreement with Bureau Veritas, the world leader in testing, inspection and certification, becoming the first serviced apartment owner-operator to receive the Bureau Veritas Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label certification. ASCOTT SETS NEW TARGET OF 10,000 UNITS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND TURKEY BY 2025 NEWS
14 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM A lan Faena and Len Blavatnik of Faena Group, together with Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor, today announced the launch of a global strategic partner- ship focused on expanding the Faena brand around the globe. Faena, one of the world’s most im- pactful brands in the luxury lifestyle and hospitality industry, and Accor, a hospitality group with a brand portfolio and more than 5,000 properties across 110 countries, have partnered to expand the Faena brand to strategic destinations worldwide. Alan Faena will work in partner- ship with Accor to break new ground, developing Faena Districts in select global destinations. This new venture will strengthen Faena’s approach and become a catalyst for exponential growth. Dubai is slated to be the first international destination. “We have found in Accor a perfect partner; we have a shared vision and passion. As Faena expands, we plan to continue rethinking hospital- ity lifestyle and shaping the path for ground-breaking concepts, setting new industry standards in the creation of inimitable environ- ments rooted in culture, positively transforming cities, shifting old paradigms and becoming new international cultural epicentres. It has always been our dream to share the Faena ethos and artistic vision around the globe, and with Accor we’re turning this dream into real- ity,” says Alan Faena. “Accor is building an experience- based hospitality platform and in doing so, we greatly value the en- ergy and ideas that entrepreneurs, creators and visionaries bring. Alan Faena is a clear leader in the luxury lifestyle sector with his transforma- tive concepts. Faena Districts are shifting the gravitational centers of the cities where they reside, making a true difference in their communi- ties. These will serve as our model as we work hand-in-hand with the Faena team to help achieve their vision and global expansion ambi- tions. We look forward to a long and rewarding future working with Alan, Len and the entire Faena group,” says Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO, Accor. The new venture will manage Fae- na Buenos Aires and Faena District Miami Beach, which was named as the #1 hotel in Miami, #2 hotel in the wider United States and twelfth highest ranked property in the entire world by readers of Condé Nast Traveler in their 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards, as well as all future projects created in collaboration together. This endeavor will result in businesses which specialise in the development of socially responsi- ble, holistic environments, anchored in cultural experiences ranging from residences and hotels, art and cultural spaces. ACCOR ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH FAENA NEWS HCNME Evian Middle East has revealed a new bottle with an engraved logo, as the brand looks at innovative ways to reduce its use of virgin plas- tic. The bottle, which has been almost two years in the making, is a first of its kind for the brand; cre- ated from 100% recycled plastic, without the need for any label. This new stripped-back bottle reflects what’s on the inside. evian’s uniquely sourced natural mineral water. A 15-year journey through the French Alpes gives evian its naturally low mineralised composition and a cool, crisp taste. The new design will be available as a 400ml bottle and features an ‘evian pink’ bottle cap; both firsts within the evian product range. It will be distributed across Starbucks, select hotels, Airports and E-commerce. The new bottle is a key milestone in evian’s journey to becoming a ‘fully circular’ brand by 2025- making all of its bottles from 100% recycled plastic. Shweta Harit, evian global brand VP, says: “Today’s announcement positions evian as a pioneer in sustainable design solutions, with the bottle made from 100% recycled materials and label-free, acting as tangible proof of our commitment to becoming a fully circular brand by 2025. It’s now more important than ever for us to bring consumers our natural mineral water in the more sustainable way as we owe everything to nature.” EVIAN INTRODUCES NEW LABEL-FREE, 100% RECYCLED BOTTLE
CAMPAIGN FINANCED WITH AID FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION The content of this ad 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. There is no doubt that French butter makes almost everything taste better. From pan-fried fish to sautéed vegetables, it’s a well-known fact that it naturally exhausts aromas, and there’s no more versatile ingredient than butter. Adding heat to dairy butter develops a rich, nutty flavour as the milk caramelizes. Cooking with butter adds flavour to meat cuts, while using it with a spice blends compliments and enhances the flavour of any dish.
16 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM OPENINGS & LAUNCHES HCNME R as Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is inviting visitors to book a stay in the emirate through its new ‘Funderful’ campaign. Whether looking to enjoy its hospitality, adventure attractions or authentic cultural experiences, anyone who books a well-earned break in one of Ras Al Khaimah’s participating 4- and 5-star hotels for two nights or more between January 24 and May 31 will be entered into a series of special draws to win an array of prizes. Guests will also get the chance to tackle the campaign’s quirky tongue- twister ‘absoluxuchillexcitinfunderful’ via dedicated radio competitions to test how well they can get their tongues round the word that so deftly captures all that the emirate has to offer as well as winning prizes. Created together with its hospitality partners to give guests a truly unique and memorable stay, ‘Funderful’ supports the UAE’s first domestic campaign – ‘World’s Coolest Win- ter’ – that encourages residents to explore the hidden gems of the seven emirates. With the ‘Funderful’ campaign, one lucky winner will walk away with the grand prize – the keys to a rent-free ocean view apartment for a year, courtesy of RAK Leisure, a subsidiary of RAK Hospitality LLC. Meanwhile, other experiences up for grabs across bi-weekly draws include complimen- tary hotel stays, restaurant experienc- es and tickets to the Emirate’s famous attractions such as the Suwaidi Pearls farm, Jebel Jais Flight, Jais Sky Tour and Jais Sky Maze, and the recently opened Bear Grylls Explorer Camp. The bi-weekly raffles will kick off from Tuesday, February 9, running until Tuesday, May 18, while the lucky winner of the grand prize will be revealed in June. Upon checking into the hotels during the campaign period, guests will receive one raffle ticket per booking that enters them into the draw. Radio listeners can also get in on the fun and tackle the ‘absoluxuchillexcitinfunderful’ tongue-twister on air, for the chance to win even more prizes. Ras Al Khaimah became the first city in the world to be certified as safe by Bureau Veritas and the first emirate to receive the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp. All 45 hotels in Ras Al Khaimah have received the Bureau Veritas certification. Ras Al Khaimah launches new prize-filled campaign
OPENINGS & LAUNCHES sbe, a lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates global brands, in collaboration with World of Wonders Real Estate Development, has announced that SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences is set to welcome guests, residen- tial, hotel and local alike, in the second quarter of 2021.The project soars 75 floors to the sky and is located in Down- town Dubai’s Burj Khalifa District. Split between 254 hotel rooms, 321 hotel apartments and 371 branded residences, the new hotel property is one of the tallest in the city. SLS Dubai features sbe’s signature culinary concepts Fi’lia, an authentic Italian restaurant, and Carna by Dario Cecchini, a contemporary steakhouse from Tuscany, Italy. S Bar, sbe’s mixology lounge is located in the lobby, as well as signature rooftop nightlife venue, Privilege. EllaMia is a sophisticated café that brings its dedicated Los Angeles-based coffee culture to Dubai and at 12 Chairs Caviar Bar, caviar takes centre stage, reserved for only 12 guests. A fitness centre, salon and the exclusive Ciel Spa will cater to guests’ beauty, wellness and fitness needs. Chadi Farhat, chief operating officer, sbe says: “We’re excited to open our first SLS hotel in the Middle East in collaboration with Mehmet Nazif Gunal, founder and chairman of World of Wonders Real Estate Development, and his incredible team. We’re excited to open our doors to Dubai’s diverse travellers and residents, welcoming them with the signature SLS style of luxury, hospitality and comfort. Naturally as a major destination for global travellers, Dubai was the ideal location for our next SLS hotel. Home to over six of sbe’s signature culinary and nightlife experiences, SLS Dubai will be the ultimate lifestyle destination in Dubai.” Designed by Dubai-based designer Paul Bishop, the interiors are sleek yet contemporary with unique artwork, accents and aesthetics that are at the very essence of the SLS brand. sbe subsidiary Dakota Development, led by Presi- dent Joe Faust, provided original concept development and design management services for the luxury project. sbe announces the opening of SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences in Q2 2021
18 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM OPENINGS & LAUNCHES HCNME Fatafeat channel, the region’s home of Arabic cooking, has partnered with Costa Coffee to launch an exclusive range of new menu items. Available at Costa Coffee stores across the UAE, the six new menu items are a unique twist on traditional, Arabic dishes. Specially crafted for Fatafeat fans in the UAE by Chef Mohammad Orfali, the new menu includes a Vegan Moroccan Salad, Harissa Beef Moussaka, Spiced Beef Kofta, Grilled Halloumi and Zaatar Panini, Slow Roast Lamb Sourdough Baguette, and Ashta Kunafa. Henry Windridge, senior di- rector: Marketing, Digital & Creative, EMEA Pay TV & Global Brands at Discovery says: “Fatafeat is a brand which resonates with so many people in the region, and we are constantly looking for new ways to bring the brand to the people who love it most. This partnership with Costa Coffee allows us to further engage with our audience and deliver the work of Fatafeat’s great chefs directly to their tastebuds, as we continue on our journey to inspire a passion for food across the region. The Fatafeat range of menu items is now available at Costa Coffee stores across the UAE, also through Costa’s delivery partners: Talabat, Zomato, Deliveroo, and Careem, with prices from AED 20-28 per item. Fatafeat and Costa Coffee collaborate to roll out new menu items This February, ANNEX, the stand-alone entertainment space at The Abu Dhabi EDITION is introducing all-new ANNEX Unplugged every Tuesday and Amapiano Brunch every Friday, additions to the weekly line-up. From Tuesday to Saturday, as the sun sets the marina-front venue comes alive, whilst maintaining experience adjust- ments for the safety of guests. Choosing between sophisticated al-fresco evenings on the Rooftop or refined, urban Club vibes on the ground floor, guests can en- joy an array of the latest music, signature cocktails and light dishes served to the table. Kicking off the week, the all-new ANNEX Unplugged presents live performances on the Rooftop, putting the spotlight on Abu Dhabi’s up-and-coming talent. There will be a variety of artists throughout the season, one performing each week along- side intermittent DJ sounds. Undiscov- ered Keyali sets a powerful tone singing favourites and originals from Tuesday, February 9. Fridays welcome Amapiano Brunch, a sunset-to-night brunch set against marina skyline views. Straight off the decks of Cape Town’s beach bars, the rhythmic music genre taking international clubs and lounges by storm is set to find a new home in Abu Dhabi’s hottest social space. A hybrid of deep house, jazz and lounge music it provides the perfect soundtrack for laid back sundowners. Expect DJ EYJEY mixing the tracks, sunset marina views, a smoldering fire pit and free-flow- ing bites and beverages. The new experiences complement Wednesdays for the ladies with She Is ANNEX kicking off from 6pm, and the weekly wind-down ANNEX Saturday Session, where bites beverages and Balearic beats are free flowing, set against marina views. The Abu Dhabi EDITION entertainment space ANNEX launches new offerings
THE SAFEST AND MOST COMPETITIVE GLOBAL SOURCING EVENT IS NEAR. Get ahead of the world at the most competitive, diverse sourcing platform for global food & beverage Face-to-face, in a safe space Rest assured, Gulfood 2021 takes place in accordance with all the health & safety regulations set out by the local authorities. Only advance, online registration and Print@Home badges are issued. Strictly no registration on-site at the event. Attendee numbers to be monitored due to social distancing protocols, book your pass sooner to not miss out. Organised by Silver Sponsors Lanyards Sponsor Carrier Bags Sponsor Headline Media Partner GULFOOD.COM #GULFOOD2021 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE 21-25 FEB 2021 • 85 Countries • 20 Halls Packed With Thousands Of New F&B Products • Learn From Industry’s Best, Live On-Stage • Only Place To Meet Michelin-Starred Chefs
20 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM APPOINTMENTS HCNME Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA named Hamid Sidine as its new chief operating officer for the Middle East and Africa region. Sidine has been instrumental in cultivating success for the Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Africa and with this new position he will leverage his expertise in the regional operations of the company, says the group. With more than 30 years of experience, he’s a seasoned hotel- ier and has held several leadership roles in renowned international hotel brands such as Accor and Sofitel. His experience also covers countries including Morocco, Tunisia, France, Jordan, Lebanon, Senegal, Chad, Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia. Sidine has been the managing director for Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for over a year. And, in his current role he will oversee all operational aspects of the brand’s strategic expansion in the Middle East and Africa. Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi, presi- dent of Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and Africa, highlighted the importance of this appoint- ment: “Sidine is a great asset and a qualitative addition to our regional management team. His interpersonal qualities and vast experience will help us go forward as our brand continues to flourish in the region. His role will involve overseeing operations in the Middle East and Africa, and we are thrilled to support him in creating a positive impact on the operations of Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA.” Commenting on his appointment, Hamid Sidine, said, “It’s a privilege to head the consolidated efforts of Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA, to a new chapter of success. Despite the minor setbacks that affected the hospitality industry on a global scale last year, the company has been performing very well.” Hamid Sidine named chief operating officer of Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA Alto-Shaam has appointed Florian Von Schulte as its new regional sales manager in Germany as a continued investment in this key market. Florian, a former head chef and trainer in the supermarkets and grocery sector, will lead and execute Alto-Shaam’s sales growth strategies across Germany including strategic account management and develop- ing new sales opportunities in line with the strategic goals and expecta- tions of the company. He will also be responsible for establishing and building long-term working rela- tionships with key target segments including channel partners, chains, key accounts and end users. Florian will report directly to Simon Parke- Davis, Alto-Shaam vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “Florian joins us with extensive experience in the foodser- vice industry,” says Parke-Davis. “I look forward to working closely with him as we look to continue to grow and achieve our objectives across the region whilst delivering superior levels of support and new, innovative products.” Alto-Shaam appoints regional sales manager in Germany
21 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 APPOINTMENTS Hilton Garden Inn, Ras Al Khaimah appointed Rahul Mishra F&B ser- vices manager. Mishra has over 12 years of experi- ence working in the hospitality sector in his native India and the UAE, including roles at Dubai properties The Atlantis, The Palm and One & Only Royal Mirage ho- tels, plus Hilton’s Ras al Khaimah Resort & Spa. Familiar with the operation of a wide range of both high-end and more casual F&B venues, he worked as team leader at The Atlantis’ busy Kaleidoscope Res- taurant where he oversaw 600+ covers each day before moving to the role of outlet manager at the hotel’s Ronda Locatelli venue, an Italian restaurant operated by celebrity chefs Michel Rostang and Santi Santamaria. Mishra’s new role will see him assume responsibility for all of the hotel’s F&B operations. He will also be in charge of implement- ing the Hilton Garden Inn, Ras Al Khaimah’s corporate vision, devel- oping strategic opportunities and boosting financial performance. Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah appoints F&B services manager Swedish hotelier Kristoffer Nordström has been appointed operations manager of Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah. Nordström will be responsible for ensuring effective operational management of the beachfront resort, as well as maximising revenue and ensuring guest satisfaction targets are exceeded. One of Nordström’s most important responsibilities will be working with the hotel general manager to oversee key issues, including capital projects, customer service and refurbishments. He will assist with hotel budgets, as well as short- and long-term hotel strategic goals. In his role, he will plan, direct, and coordinate the service delivery of all operational departments. This involves guaranteeing that costs are controlled, and results are analysed to highlight problem areas and required action. He boasts an extensive portfolio that includes roles in Switzerland, China, Seychelles, Rwanda, French Polynesia, and the UAE. His career at Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah began in 2017 when he was appointed front office manager. Kristoffer Nordström joins Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah as operations manager Ghaith Dalati has been appointed as hotel manager at Ibis Dubai Al Rigga; Sumit Gupta has been appointed as hotel manager for Novotel Suites Dubai Mall of the Emirates and Ibis Dubai Mall of Emirates. According to the group, within his new role, Dalati will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the hotel, providing leadership and strategic planning to all operations departments and maximising guest and Heartist satisfaction. He will be reporting to Nishan Silva, cluster general manager at MAF Accor Hospitality Services. Gupta will be responsible for managing overall operations, also reporting to Silva. He’s a dynamic professional with years of experi- ence in the areas of Revenue Management, Pricing and Distri- bution and Hotel Operations. Accor’s Ibis and Novotel appoint hotel managers for three Dubai properties
22 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM W ork has never changed this much, this fast. The sever ity and speed of Covid-19 has forced a radical change in the way busi nesses organise their workforces. With the utmost urgency, businesses have had to get their best talent working on their most critical tasks, from business survival to growth and innovation. In times of crisis, talent reveals itself, and Covid-19 is helping companies rec ognise those who create disproportional value for the organisation. Freeing up critical talent to combat a challenging situation, restaurant chains have galva nized behind delivery services, consumer products companies have focused on get ting key items to customers, and hotels have begun to reimagine what hospitality looks like—all while moving to virtual working. Now, the key will be to make sure that this critical talent, these differ ence makers, don’t, once again, get spread too thinly after the crisis has passed. While researching their book Time, Talent, Energy, our colleagues Michael Mankins and Eric Garton quantified the difference between an average performer and a top contributor in a number of different types of work. The best corporate attorneys, they found, perform 12 times better than average; the best software developers, nine times; the best cardiac surgeons, six times. They also found that top companies make the most of their best people, with top talent filling 95% of their business-critical roles, while other companies fail to focus their best people on their most important work, spreading their stars evenly across all roles. Not all talent is created equally—the best ones are often a lot better than the rest. Naturally, great performers are who you want when launching any business- critical assignment. Yet, how many frustrated managers have identified a rock star to lead a critical strategic initiative only to struggle to break them free from the less essential role they already occupy? One common workaround is to position the new role as a great “step up” opportunity that should only require 10% of the star’s time. Excited about the work and committed to getting results, the stars and their teams make great progress at first. But as time passes, progress slows, and energy and focus start to wane. Employees, piled with work, struggle to keep up and even burn out. What happened? Every company has to simultaneously run its business and change its business. But when it comes to human capital, those “change the business” growth projects more often than not are denied the resources they need. Ten percent of the time of a star employee who already has an important “run the business” job is not going to cut it. When push comes to shove, “running the business” always feels more urgent. No surprise then that these “change the business” efforts rarely do. TOM DE WAELE MANAGING PARTNER OF BAIN & COMPANY MIDDLE EAST, JOOST SPITS, PARTNER, BAIN & COMPANY BOSTON AND DAN SCHWARTZ, PARTNER, BAIN & COMPANY WASHINGTON Stars Come Out in a Crisis; Don’t Let Them Fade Faced with Covid-19, companies have put their best talent on their most critical projects; keeping that up will be crucial. OPINION HCNME
23 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 Some companies have broken out of this pattern by focusing on four things: > Know your most important roles. Lead ers must have a clear grasp of mission-crit ical positions across operations (“run the business”) and innovation (“change the business”) if they hope to ensure that the best people are filling the most important roles in both. > Know who your top talent is. Who are the best people in the organisation? > Know what your top talent is working on. You should have as clear a view of how and where your human capital is deployed as you do of your financial capital. Whether you have a fancy HR system with all the bells and whistles or a simple spread sheet, this can be tracked and used in a disciplined way. Absent this holistic view, leadership simply can’t get the best people in the key roles. > Make the tough trade-offs. Ten percent of someone’s time is rarely going to be adequate. Top talent will have to spend less time on their day job if you want their growth initiatives to have a real shot. A consumer products company deployed this approach successfully. The company generally keeps its centralised functions lean, believing that most work should be done in local markets. But when launch ing companywide innovation initiatives, management wanted to attract local mar ket high performers to lead them. To get them, managers ensured that the star’s next step after the innovation work would take them back to local operations but in positions of greater authority. So, once an innovation is successfully launched, its leaders begin to transfer responsibility for its further growth to the local market, in effect making their own job redundant. The results of this approach have been strong. The innovations launched so far have a strong record of success, and the company has forged a repeatable model for attracting top talent to the centre to run important initiatives without delay ing their long-term career trajectory. With the rapid changes forced by Covid-19, many companies have a sense of momentum and a fresh understanding of what is possible. Challenges and opportunities arise constantly in business. Swift and successful response depends on knowing who your most valuable players are and being able to deploy them. Trade-offs will have to be made to get them where they are needed most. STARS COME OUT IN A CRISIS | DON’T LET THEM FADE While researching their book Time, Talent, Energy, our colleagues Michael Mankins and Eric Garton quantified the difference between an average performer and a top contributor across different types of work.
24 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far? I started my career with TAJ Group in India. Then, I worked with Kuwait Airways Flight Kitchen, Festa Bakes & Grills Resto, Abu Dhabi and I’m cur- rently executive chef at Sarj Art Cafe & Restaurant. What’s your favourite dish to eat and why? I’m a foodie, and also a seafood lover. One of my regional breakfast combos is the puttu and spicy Kerala fish curry, and it’s my favourite. I like spicy dishes, and also coconut flavour; for fish, this is the best combination. What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish. Today, I’m cooking French trimmed lamb cutlets, with mint pesto and orange-glazed baby carrots and bal- samic roasted celery. As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days? Truffle oil, avocado oil, Grana Padano cheese, truffles, Japanese Kobe Wagyu beef, baby cress, soft shell crabs, and more. What are some of the most recent important food trends you can tell us about? As Dubai is considered one of the world’s top food hubs, trends are always changing. For me, it’s healthy breakfasts, plant-food products, vegan food, and also, as a result of the pandemic, anti-inflammatory beverages. What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand? Always try to bring new products to the market; keep introducing, not only primary, but also secondary cuts of meat which are cost effective, with- out compromising on quality. Also, keep in mind reducing food wastage and promoting more local products and new resources. MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE HCNME CHIKKU RENJI AN INDIAN NATIONAL, RENJI HAS 14 YEARS OF CULINARY EXPERIENCE, SEVEN OF WHICH ARE IN THE UAE. EXECUTIVE CHEF “As Dubai is considered one of the world’s top food hubs, trends are always changing. For me, it’s healthy breakfasts, plant-food products, vegan food, and also, as a result of the pandemic, anti-inflammatory beverages.”
25 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 • 3 to 4 chops Australian lamb rack • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • 1/2 tsp Honey • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt • 1/2 tsp Crushed black pepper • 1 tsp Minced garlic • 20 ml Olive oil • 1 tsp Dried herbs mix • 1/2 tsp Peeled orange skin • 50 ml Orange juice • 1/2 tsp Julienne ginger • 1 tsp Butter • a handful Parsley sprigs • 200 g Trimmed baby carrots INGREDIENTS LAMB ORANGE GLAZED BABY CARROTS FRENCH TRIM LAMB CUTLETS WITH MINT PESTO, ORANGE GLAZED BABY CARROTS AND BALSAMIC BRAISED CELERY FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE: MINT PESTO • 3/4 cup Basil leaves • 3/4 cup Flat parsley • 1 1/2 cup Mint leaves • 1/2 tsp Crushed black peppercorn • 1/2 tsp Salt • 2 cloves Crushed garlic • 1/4 cup Pine nuts • 1/4 cup Olive oil • 1/2 cup Grated parmesan LAMB JUS LIE • 30g CHEF® Demi-Glace • 500ml Water • Crushed black pepper BALSAMIC BRAISED CELERY • 200 g Celery chunks • 100 ml Balsamic vinegar • 1/2 tsp Black peppercorn • 2 Crushed garlic • 2 Fresh Thyme • 1 tsp Butter • 1/2 tsp Honey
26 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far? I started my career with Radisson Group in India and, two and a half years ago, I arrived here to join the O’Pao team; I just love it. O’Pao itself is a budget-friendly con- cept specialising in Indian sliders, served with a gourmet twist. The first-of-its- kind in the UAE, our homegrown eatery celebrates the humble pao (bun) with a creative menu which combines premium ingredients with familiar Indian fillings. We were shortlisted at the Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2020 as Best Budget Restaurant and as Best Street Food Restaurant at the Masala Food Awards 2019. What’s your favourite dish to eat and why? I grew up having Indian cuisine a lot and so I have a strong affection for it. The sheer variety of dishes is what impresses me the most. Out of it all, my all-time favorite would be biryani. What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish. I will be preparing a butter chicken pao, which is an all-time favourite of our guests. It consists of a soft potato bun filled with creamy butter chicken. Trust me, it’s delicious. As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days? Quality ingredients are important for any food and beverage establishment. Out of the Maggi range, I would say my favourite product would be the Coconut Milk Powder; the Buitoni Tomato Coulis is of really good quality as well. What are some of the most recent important food trends you can tell us about? Recently, the demand for plant- based foods has increased. Having a vegan or a plant-based dish on the menu is a must. What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand? Supply quality products for a reasonable price: that would be the first thing. We also look for on-time delivery, so that there are no items missing from the menu and availability of products is at 100% for both delivery and dine in. MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE HCNME LOVEDEEP SINGH AN INDIAN NATIONAL, SINGH HAS SEVEN YEARS OF CULINARY EXPERIENCE, TWO OF WHICH ARE IN THE UAE SOUS CHEF “Our homegrown eatery celebrates the humble pao (bun) with a creative menu which combines premium ingredients with familiar Indian fillings.”
27 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE: • 80 g Chicken • 80 g BUITONI® Tomato Coulis • 20 g NESTLÉ® Cream • 15 g Sugar • Salt • 10 g Kashmiri chili powder • 5 g Coriander powder • 15 g Butter • 1 Bay leaf • 3 g Cinnamon • 2 Cloves • 3 g Cardamom powder • 10 ml Cooking oil • 20 ml Water • 5 g Fenugreek • 2 Potato pao INGREDIENTS BUTTER CHICKEN PAO
Digital technologies, data mining and analytics tools are dominating the modern economy, transforming nearly every aspect of how we operate. Businesses are beginning to realise the power of data and how it can be used to improve the customer experience, grow market share and improve operational performance — all culminating in what’s commonly being referred to as the digital transformation. This transformation has the potential to bring significant benefits in the areas of food safety. EDITORIAL Food Safety Goes Digital By Liza Zagrabchuk Emerson Cargo & Temperature Monitoring Solutions Middle East & Africa 28 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM
EDITORIAL 29 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 WHAT’S AT STAKE? According to World Health Organiza tion estimates, 1 out of every 10 people (600 million) get sick and 420,000 per year globally die from eating contami nated food each year. Although this could potentially happen to anyone, those who are especially vulner able include children aged five and under, adults 65 and older, those with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women. However, the potential costs of foodborne illness outbreaks go far beyond their tolls on human health. Researchers have found that res taurants have incurred costs of up to $2.5 million for a single outbreak of foodborne illness. This may be in addition to brand reputation impact, which is more difficult to calculate. Studies have shown that 44 per cent of consumers will avoid a brand for a few months after an outbreak, while 20 per cent have reported in surveys that they never intend to make a return visit or purchase anything from that brand again. THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING There are many areas along the processing chain where food may be compromised. Storing, receiving and holding food-related items at a temperature that prohibits bacterial growth are required parts of your company’s food safety plan, making integrated, wireless environmental monitoring systems a must-have. Processing facilities that invest in integrated, wireless temperature monitoring systems offer numerous benefits: • Eliminating manual labour • Streamlining the collection of environmental data • Creating custom reporting • Complying with new FSMA laws and FDA rulings Emerson’s Remote Temperature Sensing System (RTS) from Cooper-Atkins is a facility-wide solution that can monitor multiple points in multiple locations — all from one software platform, sending out alerts when pre-set limits are exceeded, saving time and labour while protecting your inventory and, more importantly, brand integrity. BLUETOOTH THERMOMETERS – THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOOD SAFETY Creating daily temperature logs is an important, but labour-intensive process. Bluetooth-enabled thermometers effectively register internal, surface, and air temperatures – hot or cold – and transmit that data to any approved food safety software app. This helps eliminate the old manual process of taking and recording temperatures in a hand- written log, freeing up employees to focus on customer service and other important tasks. Bluetooth-enabled thermometers, like Emerson’s Lumity Multi-function Thermometer, also help keep your food-safety compliance records up to date. They capture who is taking the temperature, apply a date/time stamp, and assign a clear pass/fail to every product reading, helping enable timely, corrective action. Your data is now visible, providing you with insights for continuous improvements. COOKING OIL TESTERS GO DIGITAL Fried foods such as chicken nuggets, French fries and doughnuts taste good and are popular all over the world. To help ensure that these favour ites always taste good, the quality of cooking oil should be regularly tested. Instead of old chemical tests, it can now be tested safely and easily using a Bluetooth-enabled tester with a probe, like Emerson’s Lumity Cooking Oil Tester, which quickly detects the aging of frying oil. The TPM value (Total Polar Materials) reflects the deterioration of edible oil due to high temperatures during the frying process. This value can be measured and stored to help ensure superior oil and tasty products. AN INVESTMENT IN PROTECTION When you look at the human cost of food poisoning outbreaks, as well as the millions of dollars in recall costs and destroyed reputations, digital solutions like facility-wide environmental monitoring, digital temperature monitoring and digital cooking oil testers become a highly cost-effective investment. With food safety digital solutions, you can not only prevent foodborne outbreaks, but also help verify compliance and protect your brand. ielizaveta.zagrabchuk@emerson.com
30 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Tell us a bit more about Mikah. Mikah Premium Coffee is an Italian coffee brand with its own roasting facilities. Established in 1984, it has always aimed to deliver high quality coffee. The brand took off thanks to the pas sion and determination behind it, which aimed to bring the Italian coffee tradition to the world. Up until today, we have been able to share the true Italian espresso experience in over 43 countries, working hard within our values for further expansion in other territories. However, Mikah roasts all types of coffee; we have 10 gourmet blends available, plus more than 160 others for different markets and customers, including espresso, drip coffee, moka, pods, capsules, etc…The latest launch in December 2020 was the single-serve specialty coffee, which is a must-try. Italian coffee is known around the globe to be of quality; what makes your coffee ranges unique? From field to cup, the quality of the product has always come first for us. We carefully select the best raw coffee for our blends. Those who know us also know that we’re a team of dreamers, who are inspired by the love of our international customers. For this reason, in our line of products, you can find blends and various methods of enjoying coffee. As with the coffee we produce, we also put a lot of effort into packaging. What range has been generating the highest demand and why? HORECA and gourmet stores for retail, as well duty-free shops at airports, in addition to Amazon and our online store; those have been our main channels. Given the delicate and unpredictable situation we’re facing during this period, and our extreme flexibility in approaching consum ers, we have intensified the production of our line of products for homes, and so have had a significant increase in online sales. How has demand been from the GCC, especially the UAE? The Middle East has always been one of our flagship markets. In addition to the GCC, we also export almost everywhere in the Middle East. Our regional office in Dubai enables us to maintain contacts and support marketing and training activities. Why have you decided to venture into the coffee market? My origins have always made me feel connected to the precious, fascinating culture of coffee. Where do your beans come from and what are the notes? What roasts do you mostly use? We carefully select the best quality of coffee from 24 differ ent origins – Mexico, Colombia, India, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Yemen, Panama and many others. F&B FAR AND NEAR HCNME ROASTED IN ITALY, MIKAH COFFEE BRINGS THE BEST OF THE BEAN TO THE WORLD. HERE, FOUNDER AND CEO MASSIMO HAKIM GIVES US AN OVERVIEW OF THE BRAND’S UNIQUE PROPOSITION. The Perfect Brew
31 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 Our blends have unique aromatic bouquets, ranging from chocolate notes, caramel and vanilla aftertastes, and hints of flowers and spices. Slow roasting enables us to obtain a well-defined aromatic profile. What are your upcoming plans? We have just launched our specialty coffee line, which has garnered great success in Asia and Northern Europe. We’re also working on making all of our packaging eco-sustainable; this has to happen in 2021. Our objectives also include direct expan sion in other countries, always developing new and modern marketing strategies, so as to increase brand awareness. Dedicating more resources to specialty coffee, our team is constantly striving to introduce new brewing methods, along with delicious recipes for those who are new to the coffee world, for a smooth and enjoyable introduction. We’re in the process of launching our coffeeshop franchise; we have partnered with a leading F&B company in Dubai to develop the brand “MAX Caffe Italiano”, which will be launched in the end of 2021. MASSIMO HAKIM, FOUNDER AND CEO, MIKAH COFFEE “The Middle East has always been one of our flagship markets.”
32 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Gulfood 2021 OFFERS BUSINESSES AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAP INTO GLOBAL F&B PULSE The competitive global sourcing platform welcomes the world’s leading industry players to set the food agenda for 2021 and beyond EVENT PREVIEW HCNME D ubai will once again welcome the great and the good of the global Food and Beverage (F&B) industry when Gulfood returns to the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) for its 26th edition this month. The show will provide a crucial, unmissable plat- form for industry players to make up for lost time, strengthen current partnerships, capital- ise on new business opportunities and acceler- ate the future of food following one of the most challenging years ever for the sector. Running from February 21-25, Gulfood, the most competitive global F&B sourcing plat- form, is the first major in-person trade event since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Local, regional, and global F&B powerhouses have ac- knowledged the opportunities available across 20 exhibition halls at DWTC – with participants from 85 countries bringing latest product in- novations and insights to meet ever-changing consumer demands and behaviour.
33 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 GULFOOD 2021 | TAPPING INTO GLOBAL F&B PULSES Alongside new business opportunities, participants will discover innovative products and technologies designed to address massively changing trends towards organic, natural, and healthy products, contactless F&B transac- tions, plant-based protein, sophisticat- ed and proven providence ingredients, as well as convenience meal kits and environmentally friendly packaging. With so much changing over the past 12 months, Gulfood 2021 represents a watershed moment for the F&B sector, where exhibitors can expect to meet with buyers eager to place orders and kickstart the new normal for F&B. Furthermore, Gulfood 2021 will underline the show’s endearing appeal for setting the global agenda with more than 70 high-profile industry thought leaders set to address the latest sector shifts and provide precious insights at the much-anticipated Gulfood Innova- tion Summit. Running from February 22-24, the Summit will attempt to unpack the way forward for the indus- try from east to west, north to south, through a series of panel discussions and presentations. With the challenges of the past 12 months accelerating food security to the top of government and consumer agendas, Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, the UAE Minister of State for Food Security, will highlight the importance of the topic when she addresses the Summit on February 22. The Minister will outline the UAE National Food Security Strategy that visualises the country ranking among the top 10 of the Global Food Security Index Product innovation at Gulfood 2021 will be matched by innovation in the kitchen as the popular Tastes of the World returns – an opportunity to engage renowned chefs and distin- guished food change-makers who are revolutionising cuisines through new- age techniques and a drive for zero waste. Some of the leading lights that will be showcasing their skills include Gal Ben-Moshe, Israel’s only Michelin- starred chef, Gregoire Berger, head chef at Ossiano, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai; Matthijs Stinnissen, head chef, BOCA, Dubai; and Saradhi Dakara, group executive chef, New England Brasserie Company, among others. Coffee aficionados are in for a treat with the Brewers Cup Championship giving visitors insights into the secrets of brewing filter coffee by hand and raising awareness of manual coffee brewing. Innovation is at the core of Gulfood and so it is fitting that the Gulfood Innovation Awards return to celebrate initiative and excellence across brands, products, and solutions. With over 500 entries already having been received, the judging panel, comprising of in- dustry leaders will reward the winners. New industry innovators will showcase proprietary solutions at the Gulfood Startup Programme, which provides a platform to entrepreneurs to demon- strate the impact their breakthroughs are likely to have for the wider F&B industry. The Future Zone will bring together the Middle East’s most innovative products and foods of the future, allow- ing visitors to learn more about, net- work, and explore business opportuni- ties with exhibiting enterprises, SMEs, and start-ups. The show is a trade event open strictly to business and trade visitors only. Gulfood 2021 doors will open from 11am-7pm. For more information, visit www.gulfood.com
34 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Tell us more about this edition of Gulfood. Gulfood has been at the forefront of setting the global F&B agenda for more than three decades. Gulfood 2021, the show’s 26th edition, takes on even greater significance fol- lowing one of the most challenging years ever for the sector. It’s the first major global, in-person trade sourcing event since the start of the pandemic and an opportunity for F&B players to make up for lost time and missed business opportunities to accelerate the future of food. Last year, Gulfood was the only global F&B sourcing event to take place in 2020. As the most competitive global F&B sourcing platform and first live in-person event of 2021, the 26th edition of Gulfood is being met with great anticipation globally. Exhibitors can expect to meet buyers keen to fill their order books and get their year off to a strong start; visitors can expect to see the most diverse and innovative F&B solutions with manufacturers, eager to show they have their fingers on the pulse and have the product lines to meet evolving consumer demand and behaviours. With participants from more than 85 countries, Gulfood 2021 presents an unparalleled opportunity to reconnect with the global F&B community, strengthen current partnerships and explore a range of new business opportunities. Much has changed in the past 12 months, but the industry has responded with innovation in products and processes, determina- tion and desire to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly transformative industry. Alongside the multitude of business opportunities on the show floor, more than 70 high-profile industry thought leaders will gather to address the latest issues and offer precious insights on the best way forward for F&B at the much-antici- pated Gulfood Innovation Summit. One of the key topics under the spotlight on day one of the Summit (February 22) is food security, an issue that has made its way into the conscience of more consumers and risen up government agendas given the global challenges of the past year. Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, the UAE Minister of State for Food Security, will highlight the importance of the topic when she addresses the Summit on 22 February. The Minister will outline the UAE National Food Security Strategy that visualises the country ranking among the top 10 of the Global Food Security Index. Elsewhere, it’s a pleasure to bring back Gulfood’s huge popular inter- active features, including Tastes of the World – an unparalleled op- portunity to engage renowned chefs and distinguished food change- makers who are revolutionising cui- sines through new-age techniques and a drive for zero waste. Some of the leading lights who will take centre stage to showcase their skills include Gal Ben-Moshe, Israel’s only Michelin-starred chef, Gre- goire Berger, head chef at Ossiano, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai; Matthijs Stinnissen, head chef, BOCA, Dubai; and Saradhi Dakara, group execu- tive chef, New England Brasserie Company, among others. Underlining the sweeping changes in the global F&B supply chain in the past 12 months, the Gulfood Startup Programme will once again provide a platform for entrepre- neurs and disruptors to demon- strate the impact their break- throughs will have on a reimagined industry. MARK NAPIER Show Director, Gulfood 2021 EVENT PREVIEW HCNME Gulfood 2021
35 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 How has the pandemic impacted the F&B industry and what are some of the safety measures which will be in place at the exhibition this year? The past 12 months have been one of the most challenging ever for all sectors, includ- ing the F&B industry. The pandemic has impacted global supply chains, from produc- tion and transportation, to processes and stock availabil- ity for end consumers. However, the sector has re- sponded in a robust manner with innovation, determina- tion, and product and process transformation, all of which will be front and centre at Gulfood 2021. Flexibility and adaptability have proved to be the key driving forces for the industry to successfully overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic. Businesses that embraced change and kept evolving will come through uncertain times with greater resilience and capacity to grow.Technological advancements and the emergence of virtual meetings and conferences have helped facilitate business continuity. However, there is no doubting the value of physical, in- person meetings, which is why Gulfood 2021 takes on greater significance as the first in- person event for the industry since the pandemic started. We have been extremely encouraged by the response of businesses across all our sectors and industry professionals are relishing the opportunity to meet in- person again, to reconnect and explore a range of new business opportunities after a year of missed prospects. Dubai World Trade Centre has proved its capability to curate the safest face-to-face business environment and deliver world-class events with the highest safety protocols. This was validated as recently as December “EXHIBITORS CAN EXPECT TO MEET BUYERS KEEN TO FILL THEIR ORDER BOOKS AND GET THEIR YEAR OFF TO A STRONG START; VISITORS CAN EXPECT TO SEE THE MOST DIVERSE AND INNOVATIVE F&B SOLUTIONS WITH MANUFACTURERS.” GULFOOD 2021 | TAPPING INTO GLOBAL F&B PULSES Michelin-starred Chef Gal Ben-Moshe
36 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM when DWTC safely welcomed tens of thousands of visitors for GITEX Technology Week, the only live tech event, globally, in 2020. Some 96% of visitors recorded a ‘safe’ or ‘very safe’ experience. And exhibitor feedback points to Gulfood being a timely boost for the F&B industry to kickstart face-to- face meetings to spur a business resurgence. Gulfood 2021 will be held under strict safety and hygiene protocols. Wearing of masks will be mandatory, with social distancing in place to ensure the wellbeing of all delegates. On-site registration will not be avail- able; registration must be completed in advance via www.gulfood.com. What are the key trends you’re expecting to see in F&B this year? The F&B industry is in a constant state of evolution and development. The challenges of the past 12 months have given rise to multiple trends emerging across this sector. Some of the key trends that we expect will shape the future of food sector in 2021 include: Transparency: Whether clean ingredients or ethical and responsible sourcing, consumer demand for transparency in supply chains has never been greater and that is set to continue beyond the pandemic. Increase in home delivery and on-demand consumption: Omni-channel consumption has soared during the pandemic. Con- sumers now have more access to what they want to eat, whenever and wherever they want. Manufac- turers are acknowledging this and are also bringing restaurant flavours to home cooking. Addressing convenience and demand for richer experiences will be key as we move through the pandemic. Focus on immune health: The pandemic has taken the trend for prioritising immune health to new levels. With continued uncer- tainty surrounding Covid-19, we can expect more consumers to be on the lookout for foods that boost immune health. Food security: The challenges of the past 12 months have seen food security rise up both government and consumer agendas and we expect the topic to be a key trend for 2021, particularly in the GCC. The UAE National Food Security Strategy visualises the country ranking among the top 10 of the Global Food Security Index. Immediate food security goals include enhancing local food production and engaging partners to diversify F&B resources, while enacting policies and processes to reduce waste and improve nutri- tional impact. EVENT PREVIEW HCNME Chef Vinu Raveendran
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38 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM COVER STORY HCNME opened last December on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard in Dubai, with a menu boasting more than 150 dishes. Chef Burak Ozdemir’s first restaurant outside of Turkey, the venue has become known for its day-long queues of hungry diners – waiting to get a taste of the Instagram star’s food. CZNBurak The Culinary THE CHEF Born in Hatay province, Turkey on 24 March 1994, Chef Ozdemir got started in the kitchen at 10 years of age, helping his grandfather, a renowned ‘kunafe’ master, at a restaurant owned by his grandfather and father; Zeytindali. By the time he was 13, he had started his career, learning from his grandfather while working alongside him in the kitchen. Chef’s Burak dishes blend Turkish and Arabic cuisine and are known for their big portions reflecting the sense of family and community. Later in his career, and with the rise of social media, Chef Burak saw a lack of cooking content on these platforms, and as he was eager to share his passion with people, he had an idea of posting videos to showcase some of his special dishes cooked by himself, and that’s how it started. His videos soon went viral both in Turkey and other parts of the world, mak- ing him a culinary sensation. Chef Burak now has six restaurants in Turkey, with the one in Downtown Dubai being the 7th and the first outside Turkey. THE CHAIRMAN Born in 1976, Rizgar Sak has been involved in the F&B and carpet trading sector from a young age, through his family business which has been operating since the 1980s in Erbil. His career started in 1995, as he took over the family business along with his siblings, with a vision to grow it globally, and further expand its branches, currently covering several sectors including real estate, general trading, logistics, hotel management and customer service, and based in Dubai, UAE, Turkey and Erbil, Iraq. Sak founded Dives Holding in 2020, with a vision of establishing the brand’s name and presence as one of the leading F&B companies in Dubai, and eventually the entire GCC, which is a key market for Dives Holding and CZNBurak brand. An avid believer in corporate social responsibility, he has been involved in many philanthropic projects, using the companies he has been involved with as a platform to promote awareness towards creating a more socially conscious business model, with an emphasis on education by supporting high potential students with scholarships, in addition to regular food donations to several charity organizations. With his new role as a chairman at Dives Holding, Sak plans on widening the company’s CSR reach through their popular brand, CZNBurak, which shares the same values he has preached throughout his career, a more sustainable, socially responsible business for communities to benefit from and embrace. His vast hospitality experience has fuelled his competitiveness and drive to establish Dives Holding as one of the key players in the region. HERE, THE CHEF AND CHAIRMAN SPEAK WITH HOTEL & CATERING NEWS MIDDLE EAST, REVEALING THE SECRETS TO THE NEW VENUE’S SUCCESS IN THE EMIRATE, UPCOMING PLANS AND MORE. >>>
39 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 CZNBURAK | THE CULINARY CONNOISSEURS
40 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Tell us more about the journey to bring CZNBurak to Dubai; why have you chosen the city and how did the localised concept and choice of location come about? We’ve set our eyes on Dubai since we started planning on ex- panding outside of Turkey, because of its thriving F&B market, the government’s support to new investing companies and the competitive atmosphere created by all the international and local brands set up in the emirate. Dives Holding wanted to present a brand that resembled Dubai’s grandeur and lavishness, and we chose CZNBurak, which has established itself in Turkey as one of the most sought-after F&B outlets, opening its first restaurant in Dubai as the biggest in Downtown, with the biggest oven in the GCC. Why have you chosen this restaurant in particular to bring to Dubai, and what challenges have you faced in times of pandemic? Opening a restaurant outside Turkey has always been my goal; this dream has become a reality. Despite the difficult circumstanc- es, you have at times to seize the opportunities that are knocking on your door, so the decision to open a restaurant in Dubai was not difficult for both of myself and Chef Burak, especially with the emirate’s keenness to provide support and the right environment to ensure a safe opening for our customers and for us as well as a new project. In addition, the huge amount of love and appre- ciation that we received from the customers in the region, with which all of our restaurants in Turkey were flooded, was a decisive factor to move forward, as the time has come to take a new head- quarters closer to them, while waiting for the opening of stations in other cities in the future. What is your motto/philosophy when it comes to maintaining the best standards? Our motto is “Happy people can make people happy!”, which is something we strongly believe in; there’s nothing stronger than the human power when it comes to any service-related industry, it helps nurture the relationship between businesses and custom- ers, enhancing their trust in the product and cultivating their loyalty to the brand. You have hired a specific type of staff/team to handle the restaurant in Dubai; tell us more about them. Building a successful company starts with hiring the right talent. Whether it’s at Dives Holding, or at CZNBurak, the team has been handpicked, and the hired team members represent the best in their field, with extensive experience in the GCC market, which allows them to better understand current trends and customer behaviors, enabling them to provide better and higher value ser- vices, shared with respect, comfort, care and a genuine smile. We view our team as our family, serving our customers’ families. What training have you given staff to be able to handle such a high number of guests every day? Our team comes with extensive experience in the F&B industry, which helped them contribute to our opening success in a very short period of time. Apart from job skills, we made sure that the communication ran smoothly, keeping an open-doors policy to discuss new ideas where everyone can benefit from others’ experi- ences, resulting in better working dynamics between our staff members, which reflects in the effectiveness of our busy opera- tions on a daily basis. COVER STORY HCNME Rizgar Sak
41 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 “While we were thinking of where to open next and expand to other parts of the world, Dubai was the first destination we thought about.” CZNBURAK | THE CULINARY CONNOISSEURS How do you see the venue evolving? We’ve had high expectations for the restaurant opening which we’ve seen fulfilled from day one. For the time being, our main goal is to provide high-quality food and service to our customers, while working on developing new projects such as CZNBurger, which will be opening at The Dubai Mall soon. What are your future plans in Dubai and the region? Dives Holding’s vision is to create a well-known restaurant group that represents the best, most highly demanded and profitable brands. We’re looking forward to get- ting ahead of our competition by becoming a trendsetter in the F&B industry, while globally expanding and creating a solid and sustain- able business model, which will provide profitable investments for our shareholders. >>> 41 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021
42 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM COVER STORY HCNME Tell us more about your journey; readers would love to know more about your beginnings. I started at 10 years old, helping my grandfather at his restaurant; I was young and excited to experience this kind of environment, the enjoyment of customers and the way they liked the food ignited my passion to learn more about this profession. By the age of 13, I started to take this career more seriously, learning from my grandfather while still helping him in the kitchen. Years after that, I found myself more eager to grow, so here I am, opening my first restaurant outside of Turkey. How have you become so successful at a young age? There’s no shortcut to success, and nothing comes easy to anyone. Like other successful individuals, I had a dream, and I worked very hard to make it come true, constantly challenging myself and overcoming obstacles. I’m happy to say that the love I receive and the happy moments I help create for others have made all the hard work worth it. How do you feel about bringing this concept to the region? I feel so blessed to have this huge welcome in the region. I’ve always had many followers from the UAE and GCC, constantly engaging with me through social media. I’m beyond happy to finally come closer to them with this new restaurant opening and get to meet them and share this significant milestone. The restaurant has been well-received, and people are happy to see you here; what does opening a venue in Dubai signify to you? Opening a venue in Dubai is a dream that came true. While we were thinking of where to open next and expand to other parts of the world, Dubai was the first destination we thought about; the diversity of the community, and the emirate’s healthy business environment have encouraged us to take this step and reach out to our customers in this region. Since opening in December, we have been showered by the love and support of customers here, which is something that we’re very happy about, and we look forward to bringing more experiences to them. Tell us more about the venue’s concept, menu and culinary performances. We wanted to create a comfortable and elevated dining space concept for families and groups to enjoy; the setup reflects the Ottoman style with a contemporary interpretation, while the food merges the Turkish and Arabic cuisines, which represent my diverse heritage. Apart from the obvious similarities between both cuisines, they represent the moments shared between families and friends, which is why I love cooking extra-large dishes; food is meant to be shared, and that’s an experience I enjoy by performing live shows to our guests, as it creates an intimate bond relating good food to warm memories. How do you plan on developing the menu even further – and the restaurant? I’m constantly working on developing my menu and expanding my food offerings. With our brand, people can always expect new things. We have so many new ideas we’re working on, which will make our food experience even more exciting to customers. What are your upcoming plans? For CZNBurak, we’re looking forward to more openings in the region, specifically in Saudi Arabia, with other dining concepts as well such as CZNBurger, which will be our next project. Chef Burak Ozdemir
43 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 CZNBURAK | THE CULINARY CONNOISSEURS 43 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021
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46 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Tell us a bit more about NeuSpace; how did the idea come about and how has the pandemic contributed to this? NeuSpace is a collaboration between three women entrepreneurs. Margarita Kaske, Barbara Lindermann and Anne Schaeflein have many years’ experience working in hospitality (architecture, real estate and operational projects) and could not sit idle watching this beautiful industry derail due to Covid-19. We set the goal of enabling hotels to adopt a new perspective through a modern and socially responsible concept, which was formed around three key pillars – namely, value preservation, new housing spaces and innovative housing concepts. In detail, underperforming or closed hotels would benefit from a change in purpose – for a period of time until market demand is back. Utilising the ordinary lifespan of hotel interiors (10-15 years), it was key to conceptualise adoptable living spaces, which can easily be reversed. With a larger portion of hotel properties suffering a drop in occupancy, the question from investors or owners was often raised – what else could bring a great ROI? To find a solution which could deliver the retention of services from the operator (in parts), the positive impact a property has on the wider community, as well as increasing ROI, was part of the core think tank around NeuSpace, in light of Covid-19. The art of urbanisation is the key ingredient to make it attractive to live in cities, sustainably. What makes this an important offering for the GCC market, and specifically the UAE? We go with available stats, such as those provided through STR and hospitality.net, which foresee a delay in construction due to Covid-19 and only 25% of the new hotel inventory coming to the GCC market until 2023. Pandemic aside, the economic slowdown and with the shrinkage of tourism to the GCC, NeuSpace is not only rel evant, but we feel very timely. Average occupancy has been back to 65% for December in Dubai, which is encouraging, but the ADR is not holding up. It seems, domestic tourism will be the main driver over the next coming years. For hotel properties, in particular in the completion phase, we feel that it’s best to evaluate the perspective, and diversify. Dubai saw a 500% influx in demand for villas and townhouses in 2020, which makes NeuSpace even more relevant. SUSTAINABLE HOTELS HCNME New Spaces NeuSpace is a new offering for hotel owners and investors, offering a socially responsible solution for the survival of empty property buildings. Here, Co-Founder Anne Schaeflein tells us more about the new company
47 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 NEW SPACES | ANNE SCHAEFLEIN The law changes of unmarried couples being able to legally live to gether, and attracting expat entrepre neurs with offering full ownership of their business, will only increase the demand for living spaces. We see NeuSpace as a vital ingredi ent to aid revival of the tourism, since it’s not good for any industry to have too much competition on the mar ket. Diluting occupancy and room rates are just one effect, job uncer tainty another. By actively seeking to diversify as part of a sustainable urban strategy, NeuSpace is also highly individualised. We’re adopting the view, that espe cially with global workers and teams coming together, aid has to be given for extending communities, and to encourage them to form organically. Is there a better possibility to active ly increase the availability of quality and centric housing with commodi ties such as roof gardens for organic produce in-house, or nurseries and residential amenities such as a pool or spa? What are some of the most impor tant projects you have worked on so far? NeuSpace was formed collabora tively between BoldBrain, Octo and QANNIK, the latter being one of the three independent businesses which already looks after GCC clients. However, we can only tease you, since we’re working alongside our clients, but it’s not our secret to tell… yet. QANNIK is collaborating with new innovative hospitality brands in the GCC, one being with a clear fo cus on the active, eco and technolo gy-driven consumer, whereby we aid to define the guest journey and the overall service delivery (out with the ordinary so called ‘hotel-experience’). They are looking to launch later this year. Another client seeks to build a new affordable brand, which looks to the roots and encompasses a homey feeling in a modern translation. Quite different, and not yet seen. Both brands are exiting, exhilarating and so diverse – it’s great fun to be part of their individualised journeys – and exactly what QANNIK specialises in – unique projects. What are your future plans and how much of a role does sustainability play in your company? We’d like to see our concept in 5% of the currently dormant or under performing hotels applied – spread across the region. NeuSpace sees itself as a catalyst for others to take inspiration from and with that to inject a sense of urgency to start a movement of the art of ur banisation – something which each and every one is concerned with - in one way or another. When making the NeuSpace concept fully reversible, the co- founders feel like it leaves a sustain able option - for change of use - back to a hotel when the time is right, and the market demands an increase “WE SET THE GOAL OF ENABLING HOTELS TO ADOPT A NEW PERSPECTIVE.” FITNESS SUITE & MOTORCYCLE STORAGE A large single garage custom-fitted with Fumed Oak bespoke cabinetry and panelling, creating a rich, exclusive finish. The finished project shows how NeuSpace can create a multi-usage space as an overall design concept.
48 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM AN ARTISANAL BUTCHERY AND DELI, THE FABRIQUE HAS OPENED ITS DOORS IN JLT LAST YEAR. THE HOMEGROWN CONCEPT WAS LAUNCHED BY THE TEAM BEHIND SAUSAGE FABRIQUE. A FASHION DESIGNER, MONAYA FAYOUMI, CO-FOUNDER OF THE NEW VENUE, IS PASSIONATE ABOUT GOOD FOOD AND GOOD VIBES. Why have you made the switch to The Fabrique after establishing the brand as Sausage fabrique? We had the opportunity to launch the concept at Beach Canteen in 2018 and we initially tested the market by starting with our con tainer and only serving hot food. We named that concept Sausage Fabrique because we were only serving our sausages. We wanted to see if people would like the fresh sausages because it was a new con cept here in Dubai. However, the full concept is called The Fabrique. There is a full deli, a butchery and an eatery and also encompasses Sausage Fabrique. It’s not a rebrand. Sausage Fab rique is the cooked food concept. In the shop, you will see Sausage Fabrique above the hot section and The Fabrique is the whole deli and butchery. People love Sausage Fabrique as the cool, small container at events. We would play loud music and our staff used to dance and we would serve convenient, festival-type food. With the change in market demand and the changes we saw in our cus tomers requirements, where they wanted a wider range of products, we decided to expand the brand to its full potential. Basically, you do what your cus tomers love, right? So, we decided to keep Sausage Fabrique as the cool, convenient festival food concept and we will be looking to participate in some events and pop ups this year. F&B FAR AND NEAR HCNME The Fabrique ‘Meat Me’ at
49 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 The butchery and deli have quite an extensive offering; tell us more about the products. The Fabrique is specialised in sausages. We take care of the details and we only use the best meat and spices. We don’t use breadcrumbs or leftovers. We create the recipes our selves; we buy cuts of meat and grind them and mix them with our very own spice mix. So far, we have launched eight of them and every few weeks, we’ll introduce more. We’ve done a Chinese sausage, lamb merguez, Polish kielbasa and we have a lot more to offer in this area. Also, it’s important for us to please our customers and provide them with what they want for their barbecues and home gatherings. We’ve added other products in our butchery to serve their requirements. We also have cold cuts: some are imported and some we make in house. Finally, we can’t forget the prime cuts that we offer to our clients – tenderloin, striploin and the full range of the butchery. Whatever our customers want, we have them covered. What sets your concept apart from its competitors? It’s an artisanal deli, an authentic one, where u can find a “taste from home”. The Fabrique is a butchery and an eat ery, where you buy your supplies and grab a tasty sandwich or burger. We care about convenience. What I mean by convenience is that we provide an easy way for customers to purchase a product and to cook it at home. We have a lot of products, in our frozen range including meatballs, arancini, mac and cheese and beef wellington. So, we focus on convenient food, but we know exactly what has gone into our products. Everything is made in- house and you feel good feeding it to your family. You’re not just opening up a packet from the supermarket. What’s the most common diner profile at Fabrique? It’s a mix of everyone. In the evenings, we get younger peo ple coming to dine in and, in the morning, we have more customers for the butchery; we get a lot of orders for cities across the UAE. It’s everyone who likes convenient food and good quality food to cook at home, so it’s everyone. We have young guys that take our BBQ boxes to the desert and, at the same time, we have mums who love our deli range, because it’s free of nitrates and preservatives, and buy our products for their kids. There’s something for everyone. How are you working on new concepts to appeal to more consumers? We are working on The Fabrique Deli Shop, which is cur rently a lineup of deli sandwiches and will also be available for delivery. Also, we’re going to be cooking the meat cuts that we sell and we’re trying to make the price as accessible as possible so that everyone will taste our amazing meat. What do you think makes the Dubai market special? The diversity in the market has given us a lot of ideas and is one of the main reasons why we’re creating the best sau sages from around the world to cater to different nationali ties. Also, the whole value chain and the ecosystem of the F&B industry in Dubai really helped grow. What are your upcoming expansion plans? We have the upcoming deli sandwiches, but other than this, we’re working hard to make the shop as good as it can be. We want to build our customer base, get to know it and expand our offering according to what it needs. THE FABRIQUE | MONAYA FAYOUMI “WE FOCUS ON CONVENIENT FOOD, BUT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAS GONE INTO OUR PRODUCTS.”
50 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM O n January 16, 2021, renowned Chef Enrico Bartolini of Michelin three-starred MUDEC Restaurant in Milan, Italy, hosted an exclusive gala dinner on the Cortina terrace at Roberto’s DIFC in Dubai. For one night only, Chef Bartolini showcased his flawlessly executed contemporary classic cooking, inspired by the past and the present. Hailed as the Italian-starred Chef, Bartolini proves why he holds the title of ‘King of the Italy Michelin Guide’, carrying nine Michelin stars to his name, three of which are within MUDEC, the Museum of Culture in Milan. Born and raised in Tuscany, he received his first Michelin star at just 29 years old, followed by his second at age 33. Chef Bartolini honed his culinary craft in Europe, under the tutelage of world-class masters like Paolo Pertini and Mark Page. Always enterprising, ingenious and imaginative, he enjoys collaborating across a variety of bespoke culinary projects, partnering with luxury brands such as Hermes in creating dishes for the launch of their collection in Milan, as well as developing a menu for Emirates Airlines’ first-class travellers. Chef Bartolini’s cooking style celebrates the merging of modern, pioneering culinary techniques with traditional culinary values. The gastronomic blend of present with the past, perfectly creates the original flavours and philosophy that he’s known for. Joining Chef Bartolini were Ascani Donato, resident chef of Glam Restaurant in Venice and Davide Boglioli, executive chef of MUDEC in Milan. THE SUPERSTAR ENRICO BARTOLINI CELEBRITY CHEF HCNME
51 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 CELEBRITY CHEF | ENRICO BARTOLINI Tell us more about your journey, and your Michelin recognition throughout the years. In 2016, I opened the Enrico Bartolini restaurant at MUDEC. In November 2019 came the three stars surprise; it was exciting and emotional, and my greatest ambition was to continue studying and cooking at my best for guests. What are some of your most famous dishes and why do you enjoy cooking them? Some dishes are iconic for me, as they taught me to have a personality and always improve. Among these are risotto with beetroot, oil and lime buttons in cacciucco sauce, anchovies, and oysters. Tell us more about the Roberto’s visit. Every time I come to Roberto’s, I discover the magic of Dubai’s atmosphere, the people, the ingredients; cooking with Chef Francesco Guarracino is wonderful. How do you see the Dubai culinary landscape? Dubai is rich in cultures and cuisines; this gives you the pleasure of choosing and a bit of healthy competition. “Becoming a chef- entrepreneur often takes you away from the stove and you always have to find the right balance.” What do you think are some of a chef’s most important skills? Knowing how to recognise one’s mistakes, listen to people, convey pleasure and deepen your knowledge of each topic. What are your upcoming plans and what’s the next step in your journey? I want to consolidate my position and that of my team. I’m proud of the goals achieved and, in Dubai, I hope to be able to tell guests more and more about my vision and cooking.
52 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM What’s the latest at Kempin ski Hotel Mall of the Emir ates? With the lockdowns and stresses of 2020 now behind us, at least in our region, we’re looking forward to greeting our luxury-conscious clientele with offerings and experiences that will satiate their refined senses. Dubai is at its best in winter, and we have prepared alluring room offerings for those seeking to enjoy Dubai’s spring-like winter. We also recently celebrated a new addition to our bouquet of venues. SENSASIA Stories, our newly opened flagship destination spa, is a destination experience in and of itself. It allows cli ents to script their own escape to deeply transformative total body journeys. While SENSASIA Lab express spa offers them a quick luxury fix that can neatly fit in their daily itinerary - including VR voyages to idyllic beaches and sweeping mountains in the spa pods. As for outdoor activity lovers, we’re pre paring to welcome them soon at the Ten nis Academy. Our state-of-the-art court and facilities will cater to seasoned ten nis players and beginners alike. We’re excited to welcome our guests to pick up the racquet and bask in the sunshine on our lush Kempinski grounds. Last, but most certainly not least, I’m proud to share that Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates has been awarded the Platinum certification by the Lead ership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), making us the first Kempinski hotel to qualify for Platinum level. At Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, we’re conscious of our respon sibility to create a sustainable yet luxuri ous guest experience. Our environment, after all, is our most gracious host. And as members of the hospitality commu nity, we value all that our environment provides for us and are committed to being sustainability-oriented guests. How do you see the travel and tourism landscape now? It varies from one part of the world to another, but overall, I’m very optimistic about the upcoming months. Whatever happens, the landscape has changed. From virtual tourism and ‘safecations’, to live-streaming faraway destinations and nowhere flights, I think that the ingenious solutions that 2020 pushed us to create are here to stay. I believe they will evolve from trends to norms and integrate into the physical travel and tourism experience. What sort of developments are you foreseeing this coming year in the GCC, specifically the UAE? The GCC is arguably one of the safest tourism destinations in the world at the moment. I believe we will see an uplift in travel demands as vaccine programmes continue to be rolled out. The GCC states are in a position to capitalise on their health and safety advantage with a cascade of events and new and reopening attractions. Expo 2021 is back on track, which is something that we’re all excited about. Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has, already, unveiled a comprehensive calendar of vibrant events and activities for the first quarter of 2021. Saudi, a regional tourism gem, has done the same. We’re also excited to welcome back visitors from Qatar, who have historically been one of the largest clientele groups at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates. Do you think that the worst is behind us? We might not be out of the water yet, but we’re definitely out of the deep end. We went from not knowing when or if we will find a vaccine to having at least three vaccines approved and more in the pipeline. I believe that we can overcome whatever challenges may lie ahead. Churchill once said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” We’re more aware and better prepared this time around. HOSPITALITY MEET THE GM HCNME SLIM ZAIANE GENERAL MANAGER, KEMPINSKI HOTEL MALL OF THE EMIRATES LUXURY-CONSCIOUS
53 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 How can hotels move forward at this point? By remaining positive. We must continue to uphold the health and safety measures we applied during the pandemic, recon- ceptualise our business processes, and evolve our approach to client service and luxury experiences. Like I mentioned earlier, experiential trends of 2020 in leisure and recreation are here to stay. The better we incorporate them into our hospitality models the more successful we will be moving forward. You have further transformed your F&B offerings; what more can we expect, and what would you advise the industry? We’re always looking for innovative dining concepts to serve to our guests. One is our Immersive Fine Dining Experience. Using cutting-edge 3D visual technology of story-telling theat- rics, it’s a delectable spectacle of talking plates, levitating serve ware, magic candles, and bedazzling animated statues. We also added new brunch concepts to our weekend and weekday offerings. Yoru Brunch at Noir offers flavoursome Japanese cuisine signature dishes, cocktails, and abstract performances. Salero Tapas & Bodega’s Friday Fiesta Brunch serves authentic Spanish fare and flair. Taste of The Levant at Olea takes our guests on a daily culinary journey to the Levant region. For the ultimate movie-night experience, VOX@KEMPIN- SKI, our private 15-seater cinema, elevates movie-going to a fine dining affair. Our guests are spoilt for choice - from juicy burgers, to regional favourite grills, premium mezze platters and a well-stocked bar featuring French bubbly. They can enjoy the latest blockbuster movie with family and friends at this exclusively crafted journey only available at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates. My advice to the F&B industry is to never set limits to their imagination when it comes to the dining experience. What is the future looking like for Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates? I think I’m warranted in my optimism when I say that the future looks bright! We will continue to apply our White Glove Services for which we received the Bureau Veritas Safeguard label. We will further our sustainability efforts to honour our LEED Platinum certification. And most importantly, we will carry on re-imagining the concept of luxury. LUXURY-CONSCIOUS HOSPITALITY | SLIM ZAIANE “We must continue to uphold the health and safety measures we applied during the pandemic, reconceptualise our business processes, and evolve our approach to client service and luxury experiences.” Slim Zaiane, General Manager, Kempinski Hotel MOE 53 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021
54 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM What are some moments in your career which have shaped you to become the chef that you are today? I have been so lucky in my career; I’ve trav elled the world and worked with so many won derful people. One of the main moments that sticks out would be in 2013, when I decided to take the chef position with Michael White, where I got to work with him in Istanbul Morini. It was one of the best (and I must say hardest) experiences in my career and catapulted me to where I am today. What can we expect when dining at Marea Dubai? At Marea, we’re focused on quality, freshness and consistency. We source only the best seafood and produce from across the globe; our pastas are all handmade daily. We like to elevate life’s moments at Marea and have cus tomers indulging their senses with some of the best food that Dubai, and the world for that matter, have to offer. What are the main differences between Marea Dubai and the NYC venue? The wonderful thing about the New York Marea and Marea DIFC, is that we work and coexist as one big family and team. From the quality control of our dishes, to ensur ing that whether you eat in our NYC or Dubai branch you will be dining on the best pasta or seafood. We all work very closely with each other to ensure that the highest standards are maintained at all time. What’s your favourite thing to cook at home? Ask any chef and he will say he doesn’t cook enough at home. I don’t have a favourite dish, but I love cooking breakfast for my family and just spending quality time with them. 8am: I wake up and have my espresso. 8:30am: I head over to the gym in my building, for my daily exercise session. 9:30am: I prepare myself freshly squeezed orange juice. 9:45am: I jump in the shower and then I’m ready to commute to work. 10am: I walk into my kitchen, make sure to greet each and every person. A quick briefing with morning team, testing daily prepared sauce and stocks. Marea has some of the best, freshest pasta; we handcraft this daily, from garganelli, gluten-free pasta options, to gnocchi and gnocchetti, if it’s on our menu it was handmade that morning. I then check in with my purchasing team on the ordering status of the fresh products, both sourced locally and from across the globe; we order and serve only the best produce which the team tirelessly searches for. 11am: I take a quick coffee break with the Marea general manager and we discuss daily operations. 11:30am: I make sure we’re ready for lunch service. Every single item, including our pasta, is prepared by hand, fresh every morning. Executive Chef, Marea Dubai YUNUS EMRE AYDIN ON THE DAILY HCNME E xecutive Chef Yunus Emre Aydin from Marea hails from Marmaris, a town on the Mediterranean coast. He began his culinary career 17 years ago, when a siren call of the culinary took him to the kitchen; his love for and experience with seafood can be tasted in each coastal Italy-themed dish at the restaurant.
55 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 12:00: Lunch service begins and we’re ever ready to welcome our lovely clients. Our “special lunch” is extremely popular; it’s a 3-course set menu featuring some of our most famous dishes, which guests travel from across the globe to taste, both in Dubai and Marea NYC. 3:00: After our lunch rush, I sit with our purchasing team and follow up on our order statuses. As Marea captures the essence of the international seafood market, we ensure we provide specific, fresh and quality products, including seabass from Canary Islands, scallop from the USA, Gillardeau Oysters, live lobsters from Canada, seabream from France, tuna from Spain, fresh clams from France, and salmon from Norway, amongst others; this is what makes Marea restaurant an absolute heaven for seafood aficionados. 4:30: I check my e-mails and daily report. 5:30: This is my quiet time, where I get to sit and enjoy dinner with our team. 6pm: We have a quick briefing with the team, and I make sure we’re ready for dinner service. 6:15pm: Preparing the setup for dinner service to be ready for operation for 7pm. 6:45pm: Daily tasting of the dishes before service. 7pm to 1am: Enjoying the dinner ser vice with team and making sure we’re creating lasting memories, with our food and service. 11:30am: Check with team before we’re about to close the kitchen if there are any requirements. Then, I follow up with the team in case there’s any feedback from guests or staff to improve our standards. YUNUS EMRE AYDIN | EXECUTIVE CHEF, MAREA DUBAI
56 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM Chain of the month HOTELS & RESORTS IHG CHAIN FOCUS HCNME InterContinental Fujairah Resort InterContinental Dubai
57 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 IHG HOTELS & RESORTS IHG Hotels & Resorts is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, voco™, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge Suites®, Atwell Suites™, and Candlewood Suites®. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 6,000 hotels and 890,000 guest rooms in more than 100 countries, with approximately 1,900 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members. Number of properties > Globally, as of September 30, 2020, IHG has close to 6000 operating hotels. > In the Middle East, as of September 2020, IHG has 95 operating hotels. With more than 100 million enrolled members globally, IHG® Rewards Club is the first and largest guest loyalty programme in the hotel industry. Named Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World for the 14th consecutive year as voted by the readers of Global Traveler magazine, IHG® Rewards Club offers sought-after benefits and is easy to use. Members qualify for Your Rate by IHG® Rewards Club, an exclusive rate offered when they book direct. In addition to flexible features like No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights, Points & Cash and free Internet with IHG® Connect, IHG® Rewards Club members have hundreds of options for redeeming points including: Reward Nights, Flights Anywhere™, Cars Anywhere, digital downloads, brand name items and retail gift cards. In the Pipeline > Globally, as of September 30, 2020, IHG has close to 1,900 hotels in the pipeline. > In the Middle East, as of September 2020, IHG has 42 hotels in the pipeline. LOYALTY PROGRAMMES IHG REWARDS CLUB Left: InterContinental Fujairah Resort Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi - Yas Island InterContinental Abu Dhabi
58 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM CHAIN FOCUS HCNME Head of Operations, Middle East & Africa, IHG Hotels & Resorts DAVID TODD Interview WHAT ARE THE NEWEST DEVELOPMENTS AT IHG? We have had exciting few months with a number of signifi cant developments across the region including key signings, openings and brand launches. True to our promise of bringing new brands to the region, in October 2020, we announced the opening of our first Hotel Indigo in the GCC – Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown. An art and design-lover’s paradise, this property is situated along the banks of the Dubai Creek, minutes away from Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall. Amongst a number of signings across the region, we debuted our upscale brand, voco, in Qatar with the signing of voco Doha West Bay and Hotel Indigo in Oman with the signing of Hotel Indigo Jabal Al Akhdar. These partnerships are testament to our commitment to the region and supports our growth ambition across key markets. In the last few months, we have also introduced a number of commercial offers and partnerships for our Rewards Club members. The latest one is our collaboration with Mr & Mrs Smith, the world-renowned travel club and boutique hotel specialists, which allows the member of our loyalty programme to choose from an even wider selection of luxury and lifestyle hotels to indulge in while they earn and redeem points. A selection of handpicked Mr & Mrs Smith hotels are available to book by IHG Rewards members through IHG’s direct channels (including IHG.com and the IHG mobile app). HOW HAS THE CHAIN MITIGATED THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC IN THE REGION, ESPECIALLY IN THE UAE? There is no doubt that the outbreak of Covid-19 has impact ed the everyday lives of billions of people around the world. From a global hospitality perspective, our industry has faced the biggest challenge in its history, with global travel restric tions and social distancing measures having severely reduced demand in many of our markets, including the UAE. However, since the easing of restrictions last year, our hotels across the UAE have done significantly better, with do mestic leisure stays driving demand. We have made gradual recovery with occupancy climbing beyond 90% by end of December at select IHG hotvels in the country including InterContinental Dubai Marina, InterContinental Fujairah and Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina. >>>
59 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 “TRUE TO OUR PROMISE OF BRINGING NEW BRANDS TO THE REGION, IN OCTOBER 2020, WE ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF OUR FIRST HOTEL INDIGO IN THE GCC – HOTEL INDIGO DUBAI DOWNTOWN.” IHG HOTELS & RESORTS
60 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM CHAIN FOCUS HCNME LEFT: NTERCONTINENTAL DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY BELOW: SIX SENSES ZIGHY BAY, OMAN OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: INTERCONTINENTAL ABU DHABI
61 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 At the centre of this recovery is our assurance of offering a safe and clean environment to our guests with our industry-leading IHG Way of Clean programme. Our hotels are continu- ing to deliver Covid-specific training and deploy best practices for operat- ing procedures, aligned to regularly monitored advice from global health authorities. We have also been introducing the right rates and promotions to specific markets, including the UAE, as guests look to rediscover travel and look for hospitality options domestically. Also, as a company, to stand besides our hotel owners during this difficult time has been a key priority. We have been deeply committed to doing all we can to offer the flexibility, support and expertise they need to protect their businesses, reinvigorate travel and bring guests through their doors as demand recovers. What are some of your latest F&B innovations? Under these exceptional circumstanc- es, to ensure the safety of our guests, we’re using technology in different ways to minimise physical interaction among guests and staff at our hotels. This is applicable to our F&B offering as well, and we’re applying QR code menus in all our F&B establishments. Additionally, at many of our hotels in the region, to maintain the breakfast experience, we are offering assisted buffets. At many places, instead of usual buffets, the breakfast is being delivered through set menus/ a la carte options through in-room dining. We’re also creating tailored menu options for the target markets to offer the best to our guests. At the peak of the crisis, we have also introduced the home delivery service for customers who don’t want to step out, but still want to enjoy a quality meal with their loved ones in the comfort and safety of their homes. We partnered with food delivery ag- gregators to make sure we have the right reach. What are some of the chain’s key future plans and openings? The Middle East continues to be an attractive market for tourism and hospitality, and we’re on track with our growth plans for the region. The majority of our growth in the Mid- dle East will continue to be driven predominantly by the UAE and KSA. We also explore opportunities more broadly across the region, particularly in Oman and Egypt. In line with our growth ambition, we have recently announced a number of signings; Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche, Holiday Inn Riyadh Busi- ness District and voco Jeddah North in Saudi Arabia, Hotel Indigo Jabal Al Akhdar in Oman and voco Doha West Bay Suites in Qatar. Further, we’re in discussions with a number of partners and expect to sign more hotels, across our portfolio of brands, in the coming months. We also have some exciting hotel openings this year including InterContinental Mina Al Arab in Ras Al Khaimah. It will be a unique beach resort hotel which is designed as a contemporary tropical resort with a lush landscape and indoor/outdoor experience of a resort. Some of our other openings include Staybridge Suites Dubai Financial Centre and Staybridge Suites Dubai Internet City to cater to our long-stay guests, voco Jeddah Gate and Holiday Inn Riyadh Al Malaz in Saudi Arabia. BELOW: MINA AL ARAB IN RAS AL KHAIMAH IHG HOTELS & RESORTS
62 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM How has the pandemic highlighted the importance of digitisation? Much debate has taken place, globally, about the changes – positive and negative - forced upon different sectors by the pandemic. For the hospitality industry, the pandemic has created a unique set of circumstances. Pressure has been forced upon foreign businesses as international travel has all but ground to a halt and borders have been closed. For domestic businesses, citizens’ movements have also been heavily curtailed. The fallout has led to significant cuts in operational costs with human capital suffering the brunt, particularly back of house staff. In turn, this has led hospitality venues – and in some cases very large facilities - to be understaffed for servicing consumers. This phenomenon has brought into sharp focus the importance of digital efficiency management tools – which increase productivity to maintain service levels expected by guests. Tell us more about your offerings, and who you have worked with in the hospitality sector. At Arrow Labs, we constantly research capabilities to deliver enhanced productivity and efficiency. Our platform provides workflow automation and productivity management for deskless workers. It optimises the deskless worker’s ‘day’ via machine learning-based scheduling, task management and collaboration, to worker safety and performance assessment. Last year, we pioneered one of the first solutions to introduce a purpose-built wearable watch device. By connecting seam lessly to our cloud software, it became an easy, cost-effective method to digitise mobile workers. Cove Beach, the leading Dubai hospitality venue, has deployed our digital tools to increase server staff efficiency and their response to customer requests. Customers use a wireless IoT button to request service (a towel or the bill). The platform automatically finds the nearest available waiter and sends request details to his wearable watch device. Our platform optimises the waiter selection to fulfil the request in the shortest period of time. Do you think that the hotel sector is yet to fully adopt the technology it requires? Whilst the hospitality sector is making progress in adopt ing technology to enhance digitalisation, there is still a lag, especially re: back of house operations. Very little has been implemented here, and investment has favoured front of house operations/the guest-facing side. Venues have adopted digitalisation in areas such as menus, allowing guests to scan QR codes to view menu content on their devices, or enabling guests to access a venue’s mobile app to book/order services. These are all important tools promoting venues to guests. Conversely, on the operational side, we still see manual and paper-based systems dominate the scheduling of staff, the safety and security of facilities, and in managing mainte nance. For hotels to fully realise the benefits of digitalisation, this disconnect between the front and back of house, must be addressed. TECH FOCUS HCNME Rami Darwish is the founder and chief executive officer of Arrow Labs. He’s an entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience in the technology sector. Aiming for The Bull’s Eye
63 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 What are some of the most advanced systems we have in the Middle East, in the hospi tality sphere? In the Middle East, the hos pitality sector has adopted some advanced systems re: facility infrastructure - e.g., centralised IoT-based building management systems, and customer interaction digitisa tion such as app-based check in, digital keys and service bookings. The region has also adopted cloud-based tech nologies, migrating what previ ously lived ‘on premises’, to the cloud - to access advanced features and collaboration across applications in the digi tal space. All of this is positive. However, the big picture is: deskless workers are the largest segment of the entire global workforce, yet very few digitisation solutions have been developed for them. Technology provides means and ways to automate work flows and reduce human error. It allows employees to focus on their core jobs rather than inefficiently allocating their valuable time to routine and repetitive administrative work. How can technology boost productivity? At Arrow Labs, some of our initiatives include machine vision technology. This uses AI in diverse ways; it can analyse surroundings to rapidly detect potential hazards, identify problems with heating/cooling systems, or even movement concentration at certain times of the day, week, or month. An optimum analysis, and un derstanding of, data – enables better planning and automated responses to different events and challenges. By allowing all relevant employees in the digital arena to access required data, when they need it - technology also provides speed and efficiency in information sharing, col laboration, and the execution of tasks. For hotels, a typical, manual, four-fold process in mainte nance repairs can involve (i) a guest identifying a problem issue (ii) the front desk logging the report (iii) the problem being communicated to the relevant department, and (iv) finally a repair technician be ing allocated to fix the issue. Technology can eliminate all the manual steps and from an IoT sensor, immediately flag the issue, log it, and auto matically allocate an available repair technician to address it. Four steps become one step. This is good for guests and good for hotels. What would you say to those who prefer to highlight the human aspect, rather than rely on technology in the industry? This increased efficiency via technology is also good for workers. It’s a short and easy journey for technology to truly bring human labour into the digital fold and transform con tributions made by employees. The productivity enhancement enabled by technology makes the human more effective in their work by eliminating the disruptive aspects of the job. The pandemic’s legacy will be good for some sectors and bad for others. For hospitality, the short-term pain is indisput able, but if improved and widespread digitisation emerg es from it – the sector will rebound better, smarter, and more efficient. That is good for all its stakeholders – from the deskless bell boy, to the holiday maker on the sun lounger and to the hospitality brands themselves. AIMING FOR THE BULL’S EYE | RAMI DARWISH “Cove Beach, the leading Dubai hospitality venue, has deployed our digital tools to increase server staff efficiency and their response to customer requests.” Cove Beach, Dubai
64 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM T he hotel industry is widely thought of as one that lags behind most others in terms of technology and digitisa tion, and this usually is attributable to both a fear of change and investment require ments. This aversion to change is often justified in the name of conserving the guest experience, as we convince our selves that hotel guests truly appreci ate standing in line to check in, repeat edly filling in their credit card details, and attempt to identify their luggage trolley in an attempt to capture some of the magic of a prison line up. As with most things that are innova tive however, the implementation of technology is a double-edged sword that has as much power to benefit guests as it does to dilute the guest ex perience, and it is up to the operators to be able to make this differentiation effectively. Digitisation the guest experience – the early years The posterchild for such innovation has to be Japan’s Henn-na “Strange” Hotel, in which you were checked in by a robot velociraptor, the bellboy was a robot and the in-room concierge could only be described as a mix between a mushroom and a cloud. It was a prop erty that did not take itself seriously and was as zany as it was futuristic. It wasn’t without missed irony in 2019, when just four years after opening, the management needed to eliminate approximately half of the ro bot workforce and replace them with humans. Issues included the in-room concierge activated by snoring guests at night, robot bellboys getting stuck against each other in hallways, and the front desk velociraptor unable to do much at all beyond checking guests in or out. Checking flight schedules or giving recommendations for example were simply not possible. Furthermore, much of the technol ogy became outdated quickly – Siri and Alexa had far surpassed the func tionality of some of the robots within a couple of years, and as a result, guests ended up falling back on their smartphones for information. The key Partner, Head of Hospitality and Leisure, Knight Frank Middle East Ali Manzoor and the Guest Experience Hospitality, Digitisation OPINION HCNME
65 HOTELNEWSME.COM | FEBRUARY 2021 lessons learnt at the property was that these robots aged quickly, were more cost effective to replace with humans rather than maintain, and most im portantly annoyed guests when they either underperformed or existed without a clear purpose. Digitising guest interaction When the execution lets the premise down Ordering food using a remote control from a hotel TV is by all accounts a form of cruel and unusual punish ment. Not only does the interface tend to be extremely slow, but it also tends to be cumbersome and the remote- controlled functionality is most often unintuitive. Most infuriating of all, if a single person requires an amended order and if said person choses to order last, the time used to fight the bloated appara tus is in vain, as a call has to be made to hotel staff in any case. The guest is not the only one who loses out due to a clumsy interface – the hotel owner loses three times – he has to deal with lower guest satisfaction, the added cost of paying for an unintuitive sys tem (designed to lower staffing costs) and often, no meaningful headcount reduction as staff is needed as a fall- back in any case. However, if the front end of such systems is designed to be as complex as they should be, there are a few benefits to be had – first, the abil ity for guests to give food orders becomes instanta neous and more accu rate– there is no longer a need for guests to call the operator, in order to be put through to in room dining. At best, each would answer within three rings, and at worse the guest would need a call back after the call has bounced suffi ciently. Second, the ability to show indicative wait times to guests before orders are made becomes pos sible which helps the eternal quest of managing guest expectations. Thirdly there is a comprehensive log of all orders that can help anticipate guest needs. Too often nothing is done with guest behaviour data which is a missed opportunity from any perspective. Digitising the guest experience When execution enhances the guest experience Ali Baba’s Fly Zoo hotel has to be one of the most successful application of digitising the guest experience that we have come across, primarily because it features digitisation as a supple mental ‘value add’ rather than a direct replacement of human interaction. Even before the guest steps foot on the property, this is apparent as the booking platform is on an app and allows complete control - guests can choose specific rooms on specific floors. Check-in too, is done through the phone app and relies only on facial recognition, as does the elevator and room door. All in-room controls can be acti vated through voice commands, room service can be ordered through voice recognising smart microphones and room service can be delivered by robots that are unlocked by codes that are shared via SMS. Finally, checkout is instantaneous, and can be done without the need to queue through a mobile phone. While there are staff on hand to assist, the headcount is limited, and the focus is on trouble shooting failures in service rather than routine tasks. Ultimately the result of digitising the guest experience is a product of how thoughtfully it has been applied – if the interfaces have sufficient function ality, and the application is designed to enhance service delivery rather than to remove human interaction, there is no reason to believe that increased digitisation is synonymous with the dilution of the guest experience. HOSPITALITY, DIGITISATION AND THE GUEST EXPERIENCE | ALI MANZOOR Henn na Hotel in Japan Ali Manzoor
66 FEBRUARY 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM F or today’s more health- conscious consumer, Marks & Spencer stocks a myriad of options – including a full plant- based range – which offers alternatives for home or restaurant cooking. First up, the Plant Kitchen selection offers over 25 vegan products featur ing meat-free main meals, plant-based ingredients and dairy-free desserts. The range was launched in 2019 to fulfil demand for high-quality, great-tasting plant-based food, and has since ex panded the offering to include several twists on British favourites such as the gloriously garlicky Plant Kitchen No Chicken Kiev and crispy Plant Kitchen Cauliflower Popcorn. Those with a sweet tooth looking for classic Marks & Spencer treats are spoilt for choice with the Plant Kitchen Chocolate Caramel Iced Lollies, as well as Chocolate and Vanilla Iced Dessert Cones for the ultimate cool me down. Plus, two flavours of delicious Plant Kitchen ice cream: Chocolate and Raspberry Ripple. Another interesting range is Made Without, which promises foodies meals, snacks and desserts made with out gluten, wheat, dairy or eggs, but packed full of flavour. Products include the Made Without Wheat gluten-free brown seeded loaf (a personal favour ite), buns, sourdough thins and even pastas in different types. Additionally, when shopping at Marks & Spencer, customers and chefs can keep an eye out for the exclusive Eat Well sunflower, which makes it simple to make healthier, but still delicious, choices – it’s like shopping with a nutritionist. An M&S product only gets the Eat Well sunflower if it fulfils evidence- based nutritional criteria reviewed by expert nutritionists, in line with healthy-eating guidelines. There are more than 1,400 Eat Well products, to help shoppers get the variety they need for a balanced diet. It’s a no-points system, nothing complicated or time-consuming – just an easy way to make healthier choices. Customers will find the different ways Eat Well products are good for them by reading the information in the yellow box on the back of the pack. The best bit about Eat Well? Because it’s Marks & Spencer, there’s no compromise on taste, either. The healthy ranges, including Plant Kitchen, are available in Marks & Spencer stores including The Dubai Mall, Dubai Festival City Mall, Fes tival Plaza, Mall of the Emirates, Marina Walk, The Springs Souk and Yas Mall. Selected lines are also available on the M&S Food, el Grocer, Deliveroo and NowNow apps. Good Eats MARKS & SPENCER’S HEALTHY AND PLANT-BASED RANGES REVIEW HCNME Plant Kitchen Coleslaw
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