ahct july 2010
TRANSCRIPT
asian hotel& Catering times
Published since 1976 Vol 35 July 2010
hong Kong sAR hK$50 china RMb50singapore s$15 Malaysia RM30 Thailand bt300 Rest of Asia us$10
HULLETT HOUSEHistory in its making
SHANGHAI SUPPLIESToo many rooms long-term?
TOO MANY VACANCIESRegional skills shortage
THE MAIN SQUEEZEPopular, healthful juices
Mischa Moselle
AsiAn Hotel & CAtering tiMes is publisHed MontHly by tHoMson press Hong Kong ltd (tpHK)
The opinions expressed in Asian Hotel & Catering Times do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or the publication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher, editors and staff, agents and contributors for omissions, typographical or printers errors, inaccuracies or changes howsoever caused. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted at their discretion. All materials published remain the property of TPHK. Reproduction without permission by any means is strictly prohibited. Correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, Asian Hotel & Catering Times, Room 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111 Fax: (852) 2851 1933. Fantasy Print, Unit B 8/F, Tin Fung Industial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong
All rights reserved (c) 2009Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd
Welcome to a sweltering AHCT that looks at the hot issues facing hospitality.
Development resumes its frantic pace as China retains second place in the global pipeline stakes. On the operations side, the casinos of Macau have now outpaced those of Las Vegas in the revenue-generating race.
Hotel Occupancy across most of the region is back in the stratosphere, and it is highly encouraging that several consultancies have published figures showing a rapid Asian rebound, mostly led by demand from within the region itself.
Hong Kong Hotels AssociAtion
Hong Kong cHefs AssociAtion
federAtion of Hong Kong restAurAnt owners
tHe federAtion of Hong Kong Hotel owners
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BAKing industry trAining centre
AssociAtion of internAtionAl
Hoteliers sHAngHAi
singAporecHefs AssociAtion
Hong Kong BAKery & confectionery
AssociAtion
singAporeHotel AssociAtion
Hong Kong BArtenders AssociAtion
Hong Kong MAitre d’Hotel AssociAtion
sHAngHAi cHefs AssociAtion
MyAnMAr cHefsAssociAtion
MAlAysiAn AssociAtionof Hotels
MAcAu HotelAssociAtion
cluB MAnAgers AssociAtionHong Kong
HONG KONGThomson Press Hong Kong Limited/Media Transasia LimitedRoom 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre,233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong KongTel: +(852) 2851 7068, 2815 9111 Fax: +(852) 2851 1933, 2581 9531Email: [email protected]: Mr Mischa Moselle
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While the resilience of hospitality in Asia has no doubt largely been due to the far smaller cut backs taken by businesses here than in North America and Europe, to an extent it is also due to the quality and value of the continent’s hospitality offer.
The quality has to be due to the attention to detail paid by hotels, from using the latest dynamic pricing or point of sale technology, through the tiniest detail of guestroom design to ensuring the best possible amenities are on offer are the hallmarks of many of Asia’s finest luxury hotels.
Of course it is people who are crucial in
Managing EditorMischa Moselle
dEsign byKoon Ming Tang
ContributorsHelen DalleyMark GrahamZara HornerElle Kwan
Robin LynamRuth Williams
assoCiatE PublishErSharon Knowler
advErtising salEs ManagErClaire Sancelot
CirCulation ExECutivEBecky Chau
ChairManJS Uberoi
dirECtorGaurav Kumar
endorseMents
delivering anything that a hotel offers and one of the challenges facing the industry now is to recruit enough skilled, experienced management. A surfeit of sales and marketing staff may ensure a full hotel but are not much help if there is no head of IT or Executive Chef to ensure a seamless guest experience.
Agilysys provides you with unmatched insight about your guests, so you and your staff can create an unforgettable customer
experience. Control every aspect of your property including booking, check-in, tee times and more. Collect information in real time —
from food selection and entertainment preferences, to gift shop purchases and spa favorites — and use it to enhance each visitor’s
experience. Plus, take advantage of open standards solutions that work seamlessly with existing systems and share information
Find out
what Agilysys can do for you. Call +852 2526 1750 or email [email protected] | www.agilysys.com
Get inside the mind of your customer,
Ordered Chardonnay last visit.Serve two complimentary glasses.
Returning for one-year anniversary.
Requested red roses upon check-in.Decorate table with red rose.
Agilysys solutions include:
AGI 13557 HM_bleed_size_216x303.indd 1 12/1/2009 11:29:39 PM
E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E
July 2010 AHCT �
22 Using POS technology from front-of-house and down the supply chain
dEsign26 Quirky guestrooms work
around the limitations of heritage Hullett House
Food32 Choosing the right cheese for
the outlet
drinK40 Which healthful juices should you
be serving?
MarKEt rEPort16 Shanghai staff skills lag behind
magnificent properties
tEChnology 20 Dynamic pricing takes maximum
advantage of the return of business
nEWs Culinary30 Commodities price hike; Fat
shake; Wine news
industry6 Global pipeline; Accor sell off;
Investment conference
ProduCt46 Lighting; Tabletops; Chocolate
ManagEMEnt12 Recruitment: the biggest skills
shortages across the region
cover photography courtesy of Hullett House
Intriguing space
16Old kid on the block 12
EQuiPMEnt 48 Ecologically packaged in-room
amenities54 What to look for in professional knife
blades
EvEnts & Exhibitions59 Hotel Show Dubai reviewed60 ITE & ITE MICE reviewed61 SIAL China reviewed
aPPointMEnts62 See who is moving where
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UpandComing...August• Gambling• Market Report: India• Data management• Kitchen design• Ice cream• Tea & Coffee• Ice machines
September• Green issues• Market Report: Malaysia• Security• Public spaces• Olive oil• Cocktails• Laundry; Induction cookers
CONTENTSV o l u m e 3 5 J u l y 2 0 1 0
Agilysys IFC Alpha International 33 Boncafe 44 & 45 BSC 11 Cono Cheesemakers OBC Dongxing IBC Friedr.Dick 55 Global Chef 31 Global Search International 23 Guest Supply 49 Guest Supply 51 HICAP 25 International Furniture Fair Singapore 15 Lactalis 37 Ming Fai 53 National Foods 39 Restaurant and Bar 57 Schreiber Foods 29
Advert isers’ index
Accor sheds ownershipDuring an extraordinary meeting at the end of last month, French hotel group, Accor presented shareholders with the latest stage of its re-structuring programme. Since 2005 the group has pursued its ‘Asset Right’ model whereby each hotel’s ownership structure is adapted according to individual segment and geographical location. However, the economic downturn of 2009, has led to a more vigorous pursuit of this policy and in an effort to further limit a decline in earnings, Accor will now also de-merge its hotels and services businesses to create two independent companies.
The only hotel group that manages properties on its own behalf, Accor’s aim is to achieve a mix of capital intensive asset light ownership structures in order to reduce capital employed and attenuate earnings volatility by adopting management contracts, variable leases and franchise agreements instead of outright ownership.
Between 2010 and 2013 that means 450 of the 1600 hotels owned or operated under fixed leases will change ownership structure.
Based on the currently projected market environment the asset disposal programme is expected to increase cash by €1.6 billion (US$1.97 billion) while reducing adjusted net debt by €2.0 billion (US$2.47 billion).
By focussing on its two traditional core businesses: hotels and services in this way, beyond 2013 Accor, which operates 4100 hotels, nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, will continue to restructure its portfolio of owned properties in the hope of reducing the adjusted net debt by around €200-300 million (US$246-370 million) a year. By 2015 80 percent of its hotel base will be under management contract, franchise agreement or variable lease compared to 60 percent at the end of 2009.
China still dominates development pipelineThe Asia Pacific hotel development pipeline comprises an eye-catching 1,004 hotels totalling 253,815 rooms, according to analysts STR Global.
China is reported the have the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline (136,514 rooms) and the largest number of rooms in the In Construction phase (96,691 rooms).
India follows with 46,613 rooms in the total active pipeline and 30,147 rooms in the In Construction phase. Among the key markets, Shanghai logs the highest number of rooms in the total active pipeline (13,919 rooms), followed by Bangkok, Thailand (9,498 rooms), and New Delhi, India (7,436 rooms). Shanghai (11,350 rooms), Bangkok (5,599 rooms) and New Delhi (5,477 rooms) are reported to have the most rooms in the In Construction phase.
Four of the seven Chain Scale segments each accounted for more than 15 percent of rooms in the total active pipeline. The Upper Upscale segment made up 25.1 percent of the total active pipeline with 63,777 rooms, followed by the Upscale segment (23.8 percent with 60,324 rooms), the Luxury segment (18.4 percent with 46,582 rooms) and the Unaffiliated segment (18.4 percent with 46,656 rooms).
Latest global pipeline figures released by the hotel data and forecasts analysts also show the Caribbean/Mexico hotel development pipeline comprises 133 hotels of 17,172 rooms. Mexico is reported as having the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline (10,856) with 5,120 rooms in the In Construction phase, too. The Dominican Republic has 1,874 rooms and Puerto Rico 1,445 rooms. The Central/South America hotel development pipeline comprises 133 hotels totalling 21,276 rooms. Brazil’s 7,197 rooms is the largest, followed by Panama’s 5,300 rooms, which reported the most rooms in the In Construction phase (2,983). In Europe 679 hotels totaling 117,996 rooms, are in the pipeline. The region reported 322 projects in the In Construction phase with 58,617 rooms and the United Kingdom had the largest number with 26,878 rooms. Two other countries reported more than 15,000 rooms in the total active pipeline: Germany (16,881 rooms) and Russia (15,900 rooms). The U.K. also reported the largest number of rooms in the In Construction phase (11,724). (Germany: 8,722 and Russia: 7,119). In the Middle East/Africa hotel development pipeline 468 hotels with 127,938 rooms, are recorded. At 55,629, the United Arab Emirates is said to have the most rooms in the total active pipeline, and the most rooms in the In Construction phase (29,323).
RecentlyopenedEatonLuxeNanqiaoShanghai:China’spipelineremainshighlyactive
Accorrestructuresitsownership
Although attendees at the International Hotel Investment Forum in Macau last month had little to discuss in the way of trades, speakers were optimistic about increased occupancies and more slowly increasing RevPAR across Asia.
The mood was a welcome change from the pessimism expressed at the same event last year.
Jonas Ogren, Area Director – Asia of analysts STR Global told the conference that the April year-to-date figures for RevPAR showed a 21.4 percent growth over 2009 but reminded the audience that 2009 was a bad year. The Asia Pacific average RevPAR for April 2010 was US$77.3, the same as in September 2006.
Looking at individual markets, Ogren said that Hong Kong had raised its rates the quickest. In Tokyo RevPAR stood at US$172, down from a US$232 high, while in Beijing hotels were recording US$48.2 RevPAR, down from a US$89 high.
Ogren also pointed out that Shanghai had just achieved an Average Daily Rate of an auspicious RMB888 (US$131).
Bruce Ford, Senior Vice President Sales at Lodging Econometrics, gave an overview of the Asia Pacific pipeline in a global context. According to the consultancy’s figures, the Asia Pacific pipeline contains 458,000 rooms in 1,846 hotels of which 74 percent are under construction. The pipeline includes 51 percent full-service hotels in the luxury, upper upscale and upscale category. The 49 percent that do not fit there is a high proportion and Ford pointed to strong growth in the economy and mid-scale tiers. According to Ford these are
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more attractive propositions because of easier lending terms and their more stable cash flow.
Winners and losersDaniel Voellm, Director of HVS Global Hospitality Services had a different take on some of the numbers. Looking at RevPAR over five years gave a picture in which Macau is doing well, Osaka is stable, Bangkok is fairly stable and Phuket is experiencing a rollercoaster.
Looking forward Asia’s losers are Beijing and Shanghai while Seoul and Jakarta are expected to do well. In terms of absolute value Tokyo and Hong Kong came out on top and Jakarta, Manila and Bangkok were at the lower end.
Voellm also took the opportunity to give the 26 million leisure trips recorded in China last year some context. In 1990 there were 2,000 cars in private ownership in China – in 2010 there are some 20 million. Domestic tourism has increased to 1.8 billion trips over 10 kilometres and 800 million room nights. In the period 1990-2010 spending has doubled from RMB400 to RMB900 (US$59 to US$132).
A 5-star hotel, there are roughly 200,000 in the country, can generate RMB440,000 per key per year and a 4-star (20 percent of the supply) can generate RMB240,000.
Further sessions at the conference discussed the prospects for growth in newer markets, the possibilities for diverse entertainments in Integrated Resorts and issues in branding.
Robert Allender, Managing Director of Energy Resource Management, told the
conference that Integrated Resorts and mixed-use developments are intrinsically more sustainable financially due to efficiency savings.
One speaker, Michael Sengol, Chief Executive Officer of Meritus Hotels and Resorts, told the audience that the secret of success in Asia is “Location, location, location.”
A conference highlight for many was a humorous talk by travel guide company founder Lonely Planet Tony Wheeler.
The conference was organised by Questex Media.
Investment forum welcomes boosted occupancies
JakartahasseenrisingRevPAR
Tokyoremainsthestrongestperformerbutdownfromhistorichighssuchas2007
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Praise is its own rewardHotels and resorts across the region carried home a slew of prizes over the last few weeks.
In Hong Kong, the Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel was named ‘One of the Best Business Hotels In China’ at the China Hotel Starlight Awards Presentation Ceremony. The Hong Kong Productivity Council gave the hotel, a very early adopter of environmental initiatives, the Silver award of the “2009 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence” and the property was honoured as “China’s Best Green Hotel of 2010” at the Golden Pillow Award Ceremony.
The hotel also recently had the honour of hosting songstress Natalie Cole.
In neighbouring Macau, the StarWorld Hotel and Casino was the only property in the business categury in the SAR to be recognized by the Golden Pillow Awards, taking the honour of “Best Business Hotel in Macau of 2010”.
The Golden Pillow Awards are organized by leading financial publication 21st Century Business Herald and this year’s awards had an environmental focus. The organizing committee arranges for leading business people, hotel investors and the publication’s media editor to conduct on-site investigations as the basis of the awards.
Architects HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates recently received six awards for their work at the 6th Annual Hospitality Design Awards for Creative Achievement. The partnership’s Four Seasons Seychelles received the particular distinction of “Best in Show”.
The six awards went to the three properties – the Four Seasons Seychelles
Technological sales boostersTaj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has partnered with travel technology giant Amadeus, helping the chain to increase sales by up to 30 percent.
The Amadeus Partnership Programme has seen bookings through travel agents increase 12 percent in five Asia Pacific markets and an increase of bookings via travel agents in India of 30 percent, even during the 2009.
The Partnership Programme allows hoteliers to extend their contacts with travel agents through educational events and promotions. The programme in effect uses Amadeus’ marketing power on the hotel company’s behalf.
“The Amadeus Partnership Programme is a unique initiative not offered by anyone else in the industry, helping hotels to reach out to travel agents and keep their brand top of mind. Travel agents become better informed
Outrigger’sFacebookwidgetbecameavailableinearlyJune
(Best in Show, Best Overall Resort Design and Best Luxury Guestroom/Suite Design); Qasr Al Sarab (Best Luxury Public Space Design and Best Overall Spa Design) and the St Regis Atlanta (Runner Up for Best Luxury Public Space Design).
“HBA could not be more pleased by this recognition,” said Ian Carr, Principal at HBA Singapore. “We have been privileged to work with several of the world’s most extraordinary hospitality brands, and to be honored this way by our peers is a compliment nearly equal to that of the trust of our clients.”
The Asia Australasia Leaders’ Meeting 2010 in Singapore recently voted the 367-keys, new-build Holiday Inn Pattaya as the “Best New Hotel – Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.”
“Our stylish and contemporary hotel has created the winning formula of an outstanding
location, first class facilities, personalised service, and value for money for leisure and business guests. My team and I look forward to building on our recent success,” said General Manager Craig Ryan.
From properties to individuals – Swiss masters programme student Simone Hess of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne has won the Hyatt Student Prize. Hess beat off competitors from 12 other schools to win a bespoke Baccarat trophy and a business class round-trip air ticket to Chicago, where she will spend time at Hyatt Hotels and Resorts headquarters. She will then spend a week at Hyatt properties in Paris, conferring with General Managers.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for me to have the privilege of meeting leaders of this calibre who have the experience and vision to counsel me so that I may attain what has always been my dream: to one day become the General Manager of a hotel,” said Hess.
about their properties, and have access to great promotional rates and incentives for bookings,” says Kartikeya Tripathi, Regional Director of Hotel Distribution, Travel Business Group, Amadeus Asia Pacific.Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas and O-CE-N Bali by Outrigger have adopted different technology to boost their bookings. They now have room-booking widgets on their Facebook pages in an
attempt to convert the buzz about social media into revenue.
The widget gives guests instant booking confirmations and allows staff to answer queries on the Facebook wall.
“It is logical that conversations on a hotel’s Facebook wall should be supported by a user-friendly booking device,” says Pieter van der Hoeven, Director of Sales & Marketing for Outrigger in Asia.
StarWorldHotel,Macau’sonlybusinesscategoryGoldenPillowrecipient
HBA/HirschBednerAssociatesaward-winningdesignsfortheFourSeasonsSeychelles
HyattHotelsandResortshonoursEHLstudentSimoneHess
IN BRIEF
Hotel Indigo is IHG’s take on the boutique hotel and the first of the brand in Southeast Asia has been announced for Bangkok. Owners Piyasombat Property have signed a management agreement that will see IHG running a 188-room property designed by HBA in association with local architecture firm A49. The location will give the property – due to open by the end of 2012 – its name: Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road. The spot is close to the Sky Train and Lumpini Central Park.
The first of six Asia Pacific Hotel Indigo’s is to open in Shanghai later this year
Marina Bay Sands in Singapore has chosen Bartech minibars in all of its 2,561 rooms and suites. Bartech Winbart software automatically posts mini-bar charges to the hotel Property Management System, a boost for loss reduction and accurate stock control. The software also provides in-room dining staff with a report of what stock needs replacing and where, cutting out unnecessary trips to mini-bars that have not been depleted. Sands has already installed Bartech equipment in its Venetian Resort Hotel Macao and the Venetian and Palazzo complex in Las Vegas.
Hyatt Hotels and Resorts is to increase its presence on China’s resort island of Hainan with two new properties. The company has signed an agreement with Sunny Bay development Company for a Park Hyatt and an Andaz Hotel in Sanya Sunny Bay.
The 183-room Andaz Sanya Sunny Bay is the first of the new brand’s hotels in China and will offer “engaging hospitality and vibrant settings” according to a company press release. The luxury Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay will have 196 rooms and both properties are to be part of a mixed-use development with villas located near Sanya’s major tourist
Hilton Worldwide, a company with Asia Pacific expansion plans that include doubling its presence in China to 20 properties by the end of 2011, has opened its biggest property in the region.
Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk has 1,052 guest rooms and over 6,000 square metres of event space and was formerly known as the JAL Resort Sea Hawk Hotel. The property, which is located in a gateway city to South Korea, China and Taiwan, is to undergo some US$20 million of refurbishment.
TheHiltonFukuokaSeaHawkstandsnexttothehomestadiumoftheFukuokaSoftbankHawksbaseballteam
Hotsprings–oneofSanya’stouristattractions
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The School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is hosting a Global Certificate in Meetings and Business Events II in conjunction with Meeting Professionals International.
To be held August 9-13 on the PolyU campus. The course will provide meeting and event professionals with learning and development opportunities and is a stepping-stone towards the Certified Meeting Professional Exam.
Carlson Hotels is boosting the Bangladesh presence of its Radisson brand with the signing of a Development Services Agreement with owner The Clewiston Group for the 250-room Radisson Hotel Cox’s Bazar. The property is set to open by the end of 2013 and is on a premier seafront location.
The city of Cox’s Bazar is an economic hub and a tourist spot and there are plans for an international airport to complete its travel network.
The former Mangosteen Resort & Spa has been refitted since a reflag to come under the Golden Tulip brand and has reopened as the Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort and Spa.
The resort is the only one on the island to offer Ayurveda Spa techniques.
Claude Baltes, General Manager, says “The underlying principle of Ayurveda is that prevention is better than a cure. The emphasis for any programme at our spa is on individual diagnosis - Ayurveda considers diet, lifestyle and toxicity to eliminate the root cause of illness. Ayurveda is a way of life we are delighted to be able to bring to our resort.”
Evergreen Hotels has joined the Regal Circle of Alliance, a friendly alliance of independent hotel groups and hotels, designed to leverage know-how, resources and experience. The circle was created in 2008 by Regal Hotels International (RHI), the largest hotel group in Hong Kong.
RHI’s Regal iClub Hotel, its first boutique property truned carbon-neutral from the beginning of last month, according to the company. “This groundbreaking move by the Regal iClub Hotel reflects Regal Group’s long-standing commitment to make valuable contribution to the global environment. It marks an initial but revolutionary step taken to help mitigate climate change through professional and effective carbon reduction measures,” said Poman Lo, Executive Director of Regal Hotels International on World Environment Day.
The end of this month should see the re-opening of a refurbished The Langham Club at The Langham, Hong Kong. The new club, designed by Three Wise Monkeys is based on a Georgian home and divided into seven separate, typical rooms. There will be a check-in area Ante Room, a computer space in The Bureau, a quiet The Library area with antique books, the self-explanatory The Dining Room, a residential style The Lounge, The Butler’s Pantry snack area and a cocktail lounge called The Salon.
Three Wise Monkeys Creative & Managing Director, Tim Millar Shepherd says:
“The Langham Club is unique in its entirety. Guests will experience a design that is tailor-made, bespoke and utterly elegant, a true reflection of The Langham brand.”
It’s all about the kids this summer as hotels keep an eye out for younger guests.
Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott is hosting a Mini Hotel Program through to the end of August that includes a stay for two parents and two children in one room, with a raft of F&B incentives thrown in. The stay is also an opportunity for the young guests to pick up some extra knowledge.
Course include bed-making, paper and soap making, dim sum cookery and table manners.
The Summer Family Festival at the Laguna Phuket also lasts until the end of August. The Kidz Fun Zone activities are free from 2-5pm daily and include bouncy castle, flying trapeze and a Kidz lounge with movies and video games.
The afternoons are followed by activities aimed at kids and parents, including live screenings of international sports events, barbecues and a beer tent.
TherenovatedandrebrandedGoldenTulipMangosteenResortandSpa
TheiRegalClubHotel
TheLangham,HongKong
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The hospitality industry is back in business – and the Asia Pacific region is leading the recovery. According to a recent report by Deloitte on global hotel performance, RevPAR in Asia Pacific has increased by 24 percent during the first four months of 2010, if
from a low base. As a result, hoteliers in the region are now looking to expand their teams once more, particularly in those fields which drive company revenue like sales and channel development.
Asked where the major traffic is, Darryl Agon, Executive Director of Agon Hospitality Recruitment, a division of Agon Hotels and Resorts Ltd, says, “All positions continue to be quite busy, and for our China clients we’ve noted a stronger emphasis on sales and marketing backgrounds in our candidates as hotels are under more pressure to deliver financial results. Not only sales and marketing directors, but also hotel General Managers who have a background in sales and marketing seem to be in strong demand. This extends to the head offices of hotel companies, which are looking at ways to expand their reach and influence, or trying to better solidify their market position and brand identity. So many new hotels and brands are springing up and there are many challenges in delivering the volumes of business expected by hotel owners.”
Wanted: sales and marketing staffRene Schillings, Managing Director of recruitment agency Top Hoteliers, says department head positions and mid-level positions that have stood vacant for the duration of the crisis are now ready to be filled. “In many hotels either the Executive Chef or the Director
of Food & Beverage position has been kept open, or all responsibilities were covered by one person. While business volume was low, hotels could temporarily hold out like this, but now that business is back, and the competition is also working hard to be one step ahead, hotels are looking to fill these positions again.”
Schilling echoes Agon’s assertion that there are shortages in all departments of hotel operations in China. “We have seen the most severe shortage in Sales & Marketing, especially at a junior level. One reason for this is that good Sales & Marketing people are wanted in every industry in China, and
with a 5-star hotel brand on the resumé, the junior sales people are wanted by other companies than hotels. Somehow their quality as a sales person is associated with the brand they represent, which may not automatically be the case. As a result, hotels are promoting sales people too fast to ever-higher titles and responsibilities to keep or attract them.”
Similarly, Mike Game, CEO - Asia of recruitment firm Hudson, says hiring activity is most brisk in roles and departments which contribute to revenue. “For example, sales, channel management, partner development and marketing roles are experiencing strong demand whereas employers are still being cautious about departments and functions which are not ‘revenue facing’ such as IT, finance and HR.”
Andrew Chan, CEO of TMS Asia Pacific agrees that revenue-generating roles are particularly buoyant at present, adding that as a result of improved sales activities, operation departments have
China remains the region’s top hotspot, says Helen Dalley as increased
occupancies leads to shortages of senior
management
Recruitment on the rebound “Employers are still
being cautious about departments and functions which are not ‘revenue facing’” Mike Game, CEO-Asia, Hudson
MikeGame,CEO-AsiaofrecruitmentfirmHudson
Chinaisthehotmarket
photography courtesy of the intercontinental chongqing
DarrylAgon,ExecutiveDirector
ofAgonHospitalityRecruitment
Whatthemarketwillbear–buoyantcruiselinebusinessmeansvacanciesforchefs
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China leads recruitment chargeAs for which countries are most actively looking for staff in hospitality, China is still the biggest recruiter in Asia according
to Hospitality Graduate Recruitment’s Rikard L u n d va l l , M a n a g e r, Switzerland. “This is particularly because of the current Shanghai Expo, and the extensive development of hotels in China. There is strong interest to attract Western nationals for internships and trainee programmes specifically in the F&B and front office departments m a i n l y f r o m l a r g e international chain hotels and occasionally from local luxury hotels. Similar to China, India is also a country that is expanding
its hotel development rapidly, focusing their recruitment on foreign-trained locals; Delhi will soon be hosting the Commonwealth Games and that has triggered the demand for quality staff. Other strong markets for us are the Maldives, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia which are also recruiting strongly for entry-level and supervisory roles both in F&B and Front Office as well as management trainees,” he explains.
Cruiseships buoyantOut on the open seas of cruiseship recruitment, Bertrand Petyt, Business Development Manager, V. Hospitality, says the main department which presents a challenge in terms of finding talent is the galley. “We’re operating six star cruise vessels and have a
very high level of culinary standards, so our recruitment process is quite thorough. However, we find that attracting and retaining talent in culinary positions is a challenge, although we currently have great demand for engineers too.” Nevertheless, Petyt feels that recruitment within the cruise industry has fared better than its land-based counterparts. “Cruise lines have done a better job in keeping their ships full compared to hotel operators, and in addition, several top-end brands such as MSC, Oceania and Royal Caribbean have recently launched cruise vessels, which have further increased the demand for qualified staff.”
As for the biggest hurdle hospitality recruitment will face in the future, Agon asserts, “The age-old axiom, good people are hard to find, will always be relevant in our industry which is so dependent on attention to detail, meticulous service, and inviting personalities.”
also picked up, especially in China. “I think recruitment in the hospitality industry is in better shape than we’ve been in over the past 18 months. However, I’d caution that we must be on our toes as the war for talent will undoubtedly increase as we saw prior to the global financial crisis,” he warns.
Over at recruitment company Boyden, Managing Partner of Boyden China Limited, Brian Renwick shares a different experience to the other agencies, saying that HR and finance have been the busiest departments of late. He anticipates that the biggest challenge for recruiters in the coming years is making doubly sure that candidates fit a company’s unique culture. “I think demands for people who can deliver business results in good and bad times will increase. The service mentality will become even more important, and the ability of properties to train their people will be critical,” he stresses.
“The war for talent will
undoubtedly increase as we saw prior to the global
financial crisis” Andrew Chan, CEO,
TMS Asia Pacific
AndrewChan,CEOofTMSAsiaPacific
ReneSchillings,ManagingDirectorofrecruitmentagencyTopHoteliers
HospitalityGraduateRecruitment’sRikardLundvall,Manager,Switzerland
Hospitality Asia 2011 is co-located with:International Furniture Fair Singapore 2011/28th ASEAN Furniture Show | www.iffs.com.sg
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In the past decade, Shanghai has assembled an awesome collection of high-end hotels, many located in the dazzling skyscrapers that flank the
city-dissecting river. Inside, these 4- and 5-star properties boast state-of-the art rooms and restaurants, designed by some of the best-known names in the business.
So far so good. But the one element in China’s port city that falls somewhat short of world-class levels is the service: hoteliers
all agree that the guest-oriented mentality that is so commonplace in cities such as Bangkok and Hong Kong, is a component sadly lacking among local staff.
It is not just a Shanghai problem – the nation as a whole has a service industry that is still in the early stages of development. But Shanghai lays claim to be the most cosmopolitan city on the mainland, its citizens regularly boasting of how it is about to overtake Hong Kong, and even Tokyo.
Nobody can argue that it does not have the facilities to match those cities. The skyline of Pudong on the eastern side of the Huangpu River, has striking high-rises galore, many hosting world-class hotels such as the Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Shangri-La and Ritz-Carlton. The main problem is recruiting quality staff that can speak the international language, anticipate guests’ needs and resist the temptation to loll around when the boss is out of sight.
ExpansionThe slew of full-service hotel openings during the past few years has exacerbated the problem, making it an employees’ market. Staff with only the flimsiest of qualifications and experience job-hop to positions that are way beyond their capabilities, accepting offers from new hotels that are desperate to fill positions.
And many more hotels are on the way.
Some estimates put the number of top-end new rooms debuting in the next year at up to 8,000, as the Waldorf-Astoria, Sheraton, InterContinental and Ritz-Carlton all open new properties. Visitors arriving in Shanghai during the notoriously slow winter months will undoubtedly be the beneficiaries of some sweet deals.
“It will be an interesting period, it is hard to gauge what will happen,” says Hyatt on the Bund General Manager, Gottfried Bogensperger, whose hotel has hosted celebrities such as Celine Dion, Paris Hilton, Karl Lagerfeld and Nicholas Sarkozy. “It is inevitable that there will be too many rooms. Demand in China and Shanghai is growing but whether it will be enough to fill the rooms is unlikely.
“The important thing for us is to secure business, to keep our customer base, as
everyone is looking for new acquisitions. Our location is very special, we are on the Bund with a view of Shanghai which is a big draw; it is unparalleled. When they renovated the Bund for the Shanghai Expo then it was added value for the hotel, without us having to do anything!
“The biggest challenge here is finding qualified staff. There is a lot of labour here but it is unskilled and it takes time to train people up. The young generation haven’t the patience to learn, they want instant rewards.”
It proved a major problem for the Peninsula group when recruiting staff for its first Shanghai hotel in almost 70 years. The group – which has the full official title of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels – had a collection of luxury properties during the city’s heyday in the 1920s, a time when
Shanghai was widely known as the Paris of the East. The group upped sticks to Hong Kong just before the communists took over the country in 1949.
EthicsThe Peninsula made its first foray back into China two decades ago with the Palace hotel in the capital, Beijing, but bided its time before opening in Shanghai, at the northern end of the famous Bund promenade.
In Hong Kong, The Peninsula is a by-word for peerless service, a luxury property that is almost always in the top five of any best-in-the-world poll of hotels. They are big boots for the Shanghai hotel to fill, particularly when it comes to service, a fact that General Manager, Paul Tchen acknowledges.
“It is very challenging to recruit, train
The many new high-end hotels in China’s main commercial city are struggling to find suitably qualified staff, Mark Graham reports
Shanghai oversupply
“It will be an interesting period, it is hard to gauge what will happen” Gottfried Bogensperger
TheextensivelyrenovatedFairmontPeaceHotel
ThePeninsulaShanghaihasaprimepositionontheBund
LuxuryfacilitiesinspireloyaltyatthePortmanRitz-Carlton
TheFairmontPeaceHotel,positionedasShanghai’siconicaddress
HyattontheBundGeneralManager,GottfriedBogensperger
ADeluxeRiverRoominThePeninsulaShanghailooksovertheHuangpuRivertomodernisticPudong
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and retain qualified staff in China,” he says. “Income still remains very modest therefore compensation remains one of the key motivators for attracting and retaining staff.
“In most countries, an increase buys additional luxuries. In China, an increase means an improvement to the quality of life. Many companies are willing to over-pay or over-promote staff to recruit or retain them which only leads to the staff being not properly trained for their actual position. The best way to retain staff is to provide them an environment which combines work pride and ethics, fair income and good benefits.
“To sustain the continuing and inevitable growth of the Shanghainese hotel industry, hotel owners and operators must be willing to invest in proper service and English-language training. Shanghai undoubtedly has the best collection of hotels in China, but it must ensure that the service provided is at international standards.”
Despite the problems, Tchen says the 235-room Peninsula, where a deluxe room is advertised at US$470 per night, has quickly established itself as one of the prime hotels in the city with higher-than-predicted occupancies and a rosy outlook for the rest of 2010.
“Our guests are attracted to our property through a combination of location, style of hotel, reputation for the Peninsula brand and our heritage, being the only international luxury hotel company with roots traced back to China for over a century. Our breakdown
of guest mix is primarily from China, Hong Kong and the United States.”
Fair playThe other eagerly-anticipated opening along the Bund is the Peace hotel, which has endured interminable delays. The hotel, once known as the Cathay hotel, had fallen into a state of disrepair, a far cry from its glory days when it was the favoured hangout for the glitterati; Noel Coward famously wrote the play Private Lives during a stay there and Charlie Chaplin was among the famous guests.
The Fairmont group hired HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates to draw up a plan for extensive renovations at the grand dame hotel, convinced that the name, and history, allied with contemporary service, will draw in 21st century guests. Initial rates will be US$380, with an opening offer that gives four nights for the price of three.
“We position the hotel as an iconic heritage hotel, Shanghai’s landmark since 1929.” says General Manager, Kamal Naamani. “We are unique and incomparable. The Fairmont Peace Hotel history overshadows that of any other hotel in the Far East. With its origins dating back more than eight decades, this landmark served as a glamorous playground for the elite of Shanghai.
“Fairmont Peace Hotel has undergone three years of meticulous restoration to restore the property to its rightful place as Shanghai’s most prestigious hotel address.
“Shanghai is a strong destination for
leisure as well as business. I believe the future is bright for Shanghai and the benchmark in terms of facilities and, indeed, service delivery will continue to be raised. MICE business has been a key and growing generator of hotel demand in Shanghai. International events favour Shanghai for the city’s international exposure and access to state-of-the-art facilities. New leisure offerings such as Shanghai Disneyland will boost tourism and hotel demand through an increasing variety of tourist attractions.”
Naamani cites several factors to back up his optimistic assessment of the future, including the major government investment in Shanghai before the Expo that made it a more attractive city to visit. Growth in the city’s service industries will have a knock-on benefit for hotels, as will the increased demand from corporate and leisure travellers in the Greater Shanghai area. The hotelier says key projects such as the Chongming Island green tourism development and the Bund pedestrian area are just two examples of the numerous projects the local government has undertaken.
Certainly international chains are continuing to pile in to the city, even though there are already an estimated 100-plus hotels that fall into the 4- and 5-star category.
Among the 5-stars is the long-established Portman Ritz-Carlton, located along Nanjing Road, a spot that is appealing to tourists and business visitors alike.
“The Portman Ritz-Carlton has had a long and very successful history and clearly we are aiming to continue that, regardless
of how many more hotels are opening up,” says General Manager, Manfred Weber. “Obviously more hotels will open up over the next 12 to 24 months and I am not sure if demand will increase accordingly, so our strategy is to continue to fine tune our services and also upgrade our facilities constantly so we remain on top of our game.
“We have been running a very high occupancy at a very healthy average rate. The outlook for the next couple of months also looks promising and we are starting to receive leads and see demand coming through even for the month after the Expo, which is promising and reassuring that Shanghai continues to be a very buoyant market.”
The Portman Ritz-Carlton has recently been joined by a sister property, on the Pudong side of the river, right in the heart of the financial district. The General Manager of the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong, is convinced the properties will complement each other.
“It is mainly about the locations, “ says Rainer Burkle. “The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai has been in Puxi for 12 years while the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong has just set foot in Shanghai at the IFC, Lujiazui Pudong.
“As Shangha i has exper ienced exponential growth in the past decade, and many multi-national corporations have ‘migrated’ to Pudong from Puxi, we find it quintessential to have an additional Ritz-Carlton hotel in Pudong so that we can provide an option of staying location for our guests’ convenience.
“The styles of the two Ritz-Carltons are quite different. The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong has 285 rooms and suites and is a full-service luxury hotel with the second-largest hotel ballroom among luxury hotels in Shanghai. With its contemporary design and new interpretations of Shanghai Art Deco by Richard Farnell, I am confident that the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong will be another social centre for the foreign and local visitors in Pudong.”
Slim Expo pickings for top hotelsThe much-ballyhooed Shanghai Expo, which was supposed to show the city as a modern and slick metropolis, had the reverse effect. International reports showed chaotic opening scenes, long queues and surly staff.
One commentator astutely pointed out that while the slickly-organized Beijing Olympics showed how far China had come, the Shanghai Expo demonstrated how far it had to go.
Hotels in the city benefited from the Expo, although it was not quite the room-filling bonanza some may have anticipated. The Expo is largely being staged for the benefit of the Chinese people, not international visitors, and the majority of visitors opted for mid-market, or down-market, accommodation.
“The Expo is of course driving traffic into Shanghai for most of the hotels, but not as much for the high end luxury sector,” says Peninsula Shanghai General Manager, Paul Tchen. “The Expo is primarily geared towards the local market, with only five percent of the estimated 70 million visitors expected to be non-domestic.
“The long-term positive effect of the Expo is that it will have given Shanghai great exposure to the world through not only consumer visits but also media coverage for Shanghai as a destination.
“Most of the world’s consumer travel media are coming to Shanghai and are not only covering the Expo but also highlighting the other many unique attractions that Shanghai has to offer and its close proximity to a number of destinations suitable for a day trip.”
“Shanghai … must ensure that the service
provided is at international standards.” Paul Tchen
Sisterproperty,differentstyle–theRitz-CarltonPudong
AcontemporaryreinterpretationofartdecoattheRitz-CarltonPudong
ThePortman-RitzCarltonisalong-establishedbrandinShanghai
M a r k E t r E p o r t
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spreading to other parts of the region. The result is that the Asia Pacific region is currently very active and competitive, and in general is the ‘flavour of the industry’.
Demand for the hotel sector in Asia would be strengthened in the future at the mid-to low scale segment, according to Michael Sengol, Chief Executive Officer, Meritus Hotels & Resorts who said, “With the cost of travel decreasing and domestic travel increasing, I see a substantially greater demand for the mid- to lower scale hotel segment. As for the luxury hospitality sector, it will also keep gaining momentum amidst the following influencing factors:
• Growing population of more affluent and savvy international travellers (particularly from China, India, and Russia)
• Globalization and relaxation of business restrictions in countries like Taiwan and China
• Sustained levels of economic growth combined with relatively low inflation and interest rates continue to give rise to a wealthy population
• Decreasing cost of international travel (phenomenon of low cost carriers) contribute to increased economic activity”
The ability to attract and keep quality staff was identified by media roundtable participants as being amongst the biggest challenges faced by the Asian hotel sector today. Hobson commented, “The major pitfall (for the industry) is attracting and retaining motivated employees. This is probably the biggest challenge affecting our industry today, together with inexperienced governments that have no adequate tourism plans in place.” Sengol went further saying, “The potential pitfalls that the industry should be aware of include: attracting and retaining qualified staff/talents, inconsistency in branding and delivery of service standards and experience, dwindling focus of hotel companies on training and developing staff, and careless dilution of rates and underperforming segments due to lack of effective Revenue Management.”
But it’s certainly not all doom and gloom. One of the key opportunities for hoteliers in Asia over the coming 18 months was identified by Sengol: “There exists great opportunity from growing inbound travel markets and high-yield travellers from Russia and the Middle East. I see countries like Singapore optimizing the potential for their room rates to increase to the levels of other Asian cities like Hong Kong. The growing appeal of Asia as a MICE destination will also surpass that of its Western counterparts.”
Hotel pricing is always the source of in-depth conversation across the Asian hotel sector and perceptions on how the market recovery was affecting pricing delivered a range of observations. Tate said, “The speed of the recovery is an interesting factor as recovery time (from a downturn in the region) is decreasing. However, room pricing is also affected negatively in a shorter time frame than it used to be.”
Hobson also highlighted that there seemed to have been a sharp divide between North Asia and South Asia in regard to pricing in recent times. He said “During the downturn in North Asia, there wasn’t too much aggressive price-cutting, whilst in South Asia a ‘trading mentality’ took hold. Singapore, for example, saw price drops of between 30 percent and 40 percent. This takes years to recover from and will ultimately have a negative effect on the quality of the physical product over time, as owners and investors continue to look for returns on capital employed. Dropping pricing across the board doesn’t typically increase demand in the medium and long term. Asia as a whole already represents incredible value for money, and if we are to see continued innovation in both products and services, we need to charge for the guest experience accordingly.”
The issue of hotels across the Asian region slashing prices to attract guests in a soft market is contentious. Pearson pointed out that, “Rate cutting is invariably the first initiative most hotels think of in a crisis situation and unfortunately once one or two hotels start dropping rates all hotels in the competitive set follow as they are concerned at losing market share.” While indicating that the only winners in a rate war are the guests, Simon also highlighted that “Thankfully, most hotels that react quickly to market change move equally fast in removing value added benefits as market demand returns.”
A central theme of the media roundtables was that hotel guests were becoming increasingly savvy. Tate said that, “All guests are getting smarter in their booking process and know when and where to look out for deals. In a softer economy some business travellers may have a greater choice, but at the same time some might be restricted in expenses as well and are therefore actively looking for lower cost hotels. The leisure traveller that has money despite the hard times is generally looking for deals with lots of inclusions at a relatively low rate.” Tate concluded by observing that, “I don’t think guests are necessarily still expecting those deals in an economy that’s doing well. I think the market is comfortable and educated enough now to accept dynamic pricing both on a micro and macro level.”
Dynamic pricing key to recovery
A roundtable event recently convened by IDeaS looked at
challenges and opportunities facing hoteliers, AHCT reports
How is the Asian hotel sector recovering from the global economic downturn?
Whether it be recovering from over-discounting during the economic crisis, new properties opening across the region fostering an increasingly
competitive marketplace or keeping talented staff members in place – the Asian hotel sector faces a variety of challenges.
As part of the recent Travel Distribution Summit in Singapore, global revenue management provider, IDeaS – a SAS company – worked to gather some of the most influential figures within the Asian hotel sector together for AHCT for a high level discussion on the state of the current market, including what opportunities are present for Asian hoteliers over the next 12 months, and any inherent risks to look out for.
With the worst of the financial crisis having past, there does appear to be a renewed sense of optimism about the state of the hotel sector in Asia, with a few caveats. Simon Pearson, Vice President Marketing and Business Development, Marco Polo Hotels commented that, “With the majority of Asian hotels relying on the Asia Pacific market for over 65 percent of their business, I see a fairly positive outlook for the hotel industry over the next two years, however the current state of the European economy, the growing concern on
the Korean Peninsula and the recent riots in Thailand may potentially cause a downturn in the Asian economy.” This view was reflected by Grahame Tate, Managing Director Asia Pacific, IDeaS who said, “While I am fairly positive about the future, I think there are still some scenarios that need to play out to truly put behind us what we saw come to the surface in 2009. Current issues with Thailand and Greece as well as some of the volatility we are still seeing in the United States due to various financial management issues that are yet to come to a conclusion.”
Growth factorsMichael Hobson, Chief Marketing Officer, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group highlighted that it was difficult to speak about market confidence for the region as a whole given that market dynamics differ significantly from Beijing to Bali. He said, “The demand and supply of hotel rooms in any destination is seldom in perfect synch, and currently cities like Beijing, Bangkok and Jakarta are over-supplied. Over the past few years, the region has been experiencing good tourism and corporate travel growth. China has been a large contributor towards this growth, with outbound traffic making up almost 70 percent of Hong Kong’s arrivals. This large base of mainland hotel customers for Hong Kong and Macau is also rapidly
GrahameTate,ManagingDirectorAsiaPacific,IDeaS
MeritusHotels&resorts’flagshipMandarinOrchardSingapore–companyCEOMichaelSengolpredictsgrowthintheluxurysector
Hoteliersdiscusstrendsandchallenges
MandarinOrientalHotelGroup’s
MichaelHobsonsaysconfidence
variesfromBangkoktoBeijing
t E c h n o l o g y
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Inefficient POS systems make for poor time-management and sluggish
customer service. Powerful new systems run in real-time and aim to
over-deliver, reports Elle Kwan
From sales to service
Thanks to raging enthusiasm for devices such as the iPhone and iPad, handheld technology has never been more popular. Within hospitality, anyone who’s anyone is launching downloadable apps and some hotels are already using iPads to aid guest services so
it would seem natural to utilise handheld devices to extend point of sale services.
Now offered by many solutions providers, portable PDAs allow
wait staff to capture orders anywhere from the golf course to the pool, for on-the-spot ordering and payment solutions. Believers claim that palm-sized machines armed with instantly accessible information offer fluid interaction between server and customer. Another plus is that orders can be entered straightaway, minimising human error, while lost orders are tracked electronically allowing a customer faster responses to inquiries. Top tier models come complete with pictures and lists of ingredients, which means customers can see if they ‘like the look’ of a meal, or can check nutrition and allergy concerns that a server might not be able to answer.
Yet, not everyone is convinced that 2010 marks a take off for tableside ordering. “The hype is growing, that’s for sure,” says Michael Sacks, with a chuckle. Sacks is Vice President, Point of Sales Solutions with Micros-Fidelio, a leading hospitality solutions provider. “The iPhone will increase in momentum,” he says, “but whether it will become a device of choice, we’ll have to wait and see.” Sacks cites varying problems – small screen sizes and limited storage spaces being just two – which could pose as issues for wait staff.
Mother lodeSacks has bigger things on his mind. It’s the internet that he thinks will push greater innovation in POS development. In 2011, Micros-Fidelio unleashes its Simphony system – what the company calls the “first true enterprise POS product using service-oriented architecture (SOA).” The solution incorporates a suite of POS services working alongside each other and is able to be hosted off-site in one of the company’s four data centres. Billed by usage, Simphony, and cloud computing solutions like it, cut the need for systems outlay.
“This is on a scale we’ve never seen before,” says Sacks, adding that coffee giants Starbucks will launch the system in 700 of its North American stores before rolling out across another 10,000. He credits a combination of rising advances in internet capability and lowered telecoms costs as making the system possible. The advancement means computer storage and use runs similarly to utilities, obtainable almost in the same way we get electricity or gas. “The difference is that the data is not managed on a PC – a lot of chaos and drama can be avoided by not using PCs,” says Sacks.
Be mineIndustry operators are keen to incorporate loyalty schemes into their business and increasingly, this important facet runs alongside the POS. iCare is a core component of the new Simphony offering, and is a customer relations management (CRM) facility that runs loyalty programmes, gift cards and tailored promotions integrated into the POS.
“Every requirement can be programmed right into the menu,” says Sacks, outlining a scenario where a restaurant manager invites key customers to a Heineken beer promotion, available between 5 and 7pm on Mondays to Thursdays to receive triple points and waitstaff are alleviated the hassle of processing extra details into the terminal, thanks to an automated system. Options like members’ cardholder scheme processes identifying information, which adds and calculates points and automatically prints receipts and coupons as applicable. While work is lessened for servers, the onus is on managers to invent innovative promotions.
“Most think too simply,” says Norman Lee, CEO for Leading Hong Kong-based providers Infrasys, who launched their first loyalty platform 10 years ago. Despite racing technology enabling made-to-measure events, operators fail to maximise the possibilities of what can be a big value-adding service, says Lee. “You need to think dramatically to really advance,” he advises. Loyalty programmes bundled with pre-payment options offer an immediate discount when customers pay to sign-up and are, Lee says “a brilliant concept. If people pay for a card, they treasure it.”
Another hotel, he recalls, offered clients 38 percent of their quota at 38 percent of the price of a room when booked online 38 days in advance. “IT used to be rigid,” says Lee. “Now all that has changed. We’re very flexible. If a company comes to us with an idea that we agree will be successful, we will work with them to supply what they need.”
iMarkets“In 2010, the whole industry is eyeing e-commerce,” says Lee, of the move into real-time solutions, often hosted off-site. Lee, with Serman Ma, Senior Manager, Product Management and Technical Service at Infrasys, runs through the four-step process in Look4Table, one of the company’s web-based reservations services. Similar to the look and feel of a cinema or airline booking system, customers transcend boundaries of time and location to click and reserve potentially around the clock, and can even request a particular dish. “If you are away on business travelling but want to book a table for Valentine’s Day at your favourite restaurant back home, you can,” explains Ma.
“You build up a conversation with your customer, even before they have entered the restaurant,” Norman Lee
Agilysysusers-theBanker’sBarintheMandarinOriental,Barcelona
Onscreen–thebenefitsofaweb-basedsolutionfromMicros-Fidelio
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Customers receive instant email and SMS confirmations, and the booking appears in real-time in the merchant’s system, clarifying table occupancy and allowing for stock adjustments. Member customers can upload photos, allowing staff to recognize them, and log in personal details – everything from birthday to food and drink preferences – while the system records their average spends, sizes of party and even cancellation habits. That information can be used to tailor special events, without the guesswork. “You build up a conversation with your customer, even before they have entered the restaurant,” says Lee.
Front to backPOS re-invention is seeing integration extending to the back-end. Supply chain, if not successfully managed, has the power to wreck good prep done at the front. Guests that have booked and been greeted effortlessly look forward to a good meal, ruined if, for instance, the dish of the day has run out. “Often, operators focus too much attention on the point of sale side and not enough on the supply chain management side of the business. POS technology is an integral part of the supply chain and has a profound impact on it, affecting not only how stocks are depleted and replenished but also when they are replenished. This potentially has a significant financial impact on a company,” says Tina Stehle, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Agilysys Hospitality Solutions Group. The company’s InfoGenesis POS is one integrated system that runs with the POS to capture items as they are sold, again in real-time, allowing operators to make informed choices on inventory, cost of sales and profitability.
The Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona have recently adopted InfoGenesis.
The move into real-time is significant, offering up-to-the-minute information in all aspects of the business. When managed well, POS systems can be used as an outlets’ central nervous system, and managers should, say our experts, spend time exploring the possibilities new systems offer. No wonder then, these solutions have earned themselves a new acronym: POS – point of service.
“A lot of chaos and drama can be avoided by not using PCs” Michael SacksAnonlinetablereservationsystemfromInfrasys
Micros-Fidelio’sSimphonysystem
Infrasys’sLook�Tableweb-basedreservationsystem
Logical–theiGourmateEnterprisesolutionfromInfraSys
t E c h n o l o g y
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The Aqua Restaurant Group could certainly have chosen an easier property for its first hotel design project.
The former Marine Police Headquarters Compound Hullett House in Tsim Sha Tsui is one
of Hong Kong’s few remaining heritage buildings, and a Declared Monument. Lead designer David Yeo and his contractors accordingly had many more complications and constraints to deal with than would have been the case with a new structure.
“We were only doing the fitting out,” explains Yeo, who is also the Aqua Group’s founder and CEO. “Everything prior to that was between the government and [the developer] Cheung Kong. We had no choice about where the air-conditioning ducting or the hot water pipes were, or where the drainage was, so we had to work around that. Some rooms had doorways that had been blocked up because of fire regulations.”
Evaluating the spaces designated for the 10 suites in what was to be an all suite property, he says, was both inspiring and daunting.
Creating a hotel that is quirky and conforms to strict heritage regulations was a challenging task, reports Robin Lynam
Policing the
design
ArtdecodominatestheAldridgeSuite
HeritageprojectHullettHouse
TheCastlePeakSuiteisatributetotheScots
“It was obviously an honour to have the opportunity to work with this but it was also terrifying. It was very, very challenging because I wanted to preserve the original proportions of the rooms, and the grandeur, but it’s one thing to come into a big empty space and go ‘wow’ and quite another when you have to put bathrooms and wardrobes in, and all the mod cons, and hide all the air-conditioning away, which was quite a feat.”
UniqueSome compromises inevitably had to be made. Bathroom ceilings were lowered to hide air conditioning works. Some original fireplaces had to be covered up, which Yeo regretted but could not avoid doing. Getting ticks in all the boxes required for works in a Declared Monument meant the hotel was unable to check in its first guests until months after it had opened its bars and restaurants.
“Being a heritage hotel we never knew when we were going to get approval. The opening was about five months delayed and we just didn’t dare to take bookings,” he says.
In the end, though, substantial budget over-runs notwithstanding, Yeo believes that the project realized most of his considerable ambitions for the property. Central to these was the decision that each of the suites should be unique.
“You want to do what’s right for the building, something that’s sensitive, and I was very clear that I did not want to do a standard room. It’s such a rare opportunity to showcase Hong Kong, and I did not want it to turn into a Raffles where, despite its history, the rooms are all the same. I thought here’s a great chance to show the very unique design history of Hong Kong,” says Yeo.
To come up with a unique design identity for each room he and his team tried to imagine the way Hong Kong’s wealthy Chinese and colonial era British would have lived from the Victorian era onwards.
Period piecesTaking their inspiration from different design periods over the course of Hong Kong’s history, produced the Casam Suite, which is a showcase for Chinese contemporary pop art.
“That was the easy one,” says Yeo. “We wanted something bang up to the minute. The others were all hard in their own ways. We didn’t want the suites to look like replicas. We wanted them to be a little bit quirky. We tried to put some fine detail in. The general concept was this is going to be turn of the century, this is going to be slightly regency, this is going to be slightly art deco. We chose periods that we thought Hong Kong would have gone through from a design point of view.”
In recognition of the building’s Marine Police history the suites are named not by reference to their design theme but after different stretches of Hong Kong’s coastline.
The Aldridge Suite takes art deco as its theme, with aubergine-black carpets, velvet hand stitched wall panels, a silverleaf bed head, a black and white marble bathroom, and black crystal pelmets.
Ideas for the Stanley Suite came from rustic aspects of both England and China, and in this room Yeo was able to use the original fireplace as a focal point. Other features include traditional Chinese birdcages and a turquoise handpainted wall canvas depicting 26 different types of songbird from the 26 provinces of China at the
“It was obviously an honour … but it was also terrifying” David Yeo
TherusticappealoftheStanleySuite
TheantiqueshopsofHollywoodRoadinspiredtheShekOSuite
ThecontemporaryCasamSuite
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Although furniture in the rooms remains on the whole faithful to the design era being evoked, Yeo says he does not believe guest comfort has been sacrificed to design aesthetics.
“Whatever the designs, the beds and mattresses are the same, so the comfort level is there. That’s not compromised at all. All the taps and showers are bang up to the minute modern stuff. I don’t think there’s any compromise but in a hotel you can’t have everything totally built for comfort. If you’re doing regency then the chair will be of a particular shape, and if you’re doing art deco the armchair is going to be much lower, but we did try to make it all as comfortable as possible.”
Given their size and idiosyncratic interest it is likely that many of the suites will be booked as much for private functions as for overnight accommodation. They are, however, at last able to receive guests.
“One can always improve looking back,” Yeo reflects, “but given the time we had to do this I think the team did a good job. It was expensive to do well. Beyond what we could possibly afford. But it was a labour of love and it has been a great learning experience. It’s a very unique property and people are just beginning to discover its possibilities.”
time the Marine Police Headquarters was constructed. The Tsing Lung Suite, which has an imperial China theme, also
features a hand painted mural, depicting rural life during the Tang Dynasty period.
The Silvermine Suite, according to Yeo is the “honeymoon suite” and has a blanc de Chine theme with predominantly pristine white décor, while the Shek O Suite’s furnishings were suggested to him by his early memories of the antique shops of Hollywood Road.
Mad about ChinaThe largest suite, named after Castle Peak, has a Scottish theme, complete with an antler chandelier and also makes good use of an original fireplace. This, says Yeo, is a tribute to the Scots who played such a prominent role in Hong Kong’s establishment as a colony.
The Pui O Suite takes as its starting point Hong Kong teahouse design from the 20s and 30s, which in turn took its direction from art deco era Shanghai. The D’Aguilar Suite’s design theme actually pre-dates the building by half a century or so, and reflects the British regency period preoccupation with Chinoiserie. Yeo describes it as
“Chinoiserie gone mad”.The Lido Suite is perhaps the most luxuriously appointed of
all the suites, situated in the secluded West Corner of the second floor, with three balconies and terraces. Inspired by classic Chinese black lacquer furniture, the suite is black and gold dominated. The bathroom has a claw foot, free-standing bathtub, a gold tile floor, and black bathroom fixtures with gold hardware. “Pure and unadulterated decadence,” says Yeo.
Although in-room technology is up to date Yeo made a point of keeping it discreet.
“I think it would be really odd to see a television staring out from a period piece, so we’ve tried to hide all of those inside panels or in an art piece or something,” he explains.
There is a certain amount of humour involved in the designs, many of which skirt and in some cases embrace kitsch, but they are not suites which any guest is likely to forget in a hurry.
They are distinguished by a certain theatrical flair that may be attributable to the fact that Yeo’s design team included stage set designers. Some original artefacts were built by theatrical prop-makers.
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TraditionRegional specialty Peranakan Cuisine will feature at the Carousel restaurant at Royal Plaza on Scotts, Singapore from 11 August to 9 September 2010. Guest chef, Nelson Li picked up his culinary skills from his grandmother and mother and will delight diners with some authentic old family recipes. Showcasing the strong local flavours of herbs and spices in Peranakan fare such as Ayam Buah Keluak and Curry Assam Fish.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in conjunction with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has published its latest global price predictions and they make for gloomy reading.
Production shortfalls and surpluses, low and high stock levels, oil price fluctuations and the global recession will all result in “unsettled” agricultural commodity markets, and sustained real price hikes, warn the international bodies. Based on high demand, growth in emerging countries, higher demand for biofuels and increasing input costs (machinery, energy, fertilizer etc) agricultural prices are projected to remain higher in real terms over at least the next decade.
Two markets feeling the effects already are coffee and cocoa beans.Unpredictable weather patterns in Vietnam and Brazil have had
a noticeable effect on the coffee harvest in both those traditional suppliers. Compared to 2009, coffee crops in Vietnam, which grows about half the beans used in instant coffee, are down 20 percent. And despite it being the fastest growing agricultural producer in the world with general output expected to increase by more than 40 percent by 2019, the recent weather in Brazil is expected to play havoc with that country’s coffee harvest, too with the almost inevitable price repercussions. Leaders of the International Coffee Organization (ICO) warn prices will simply have to go up to entice producers.
Cocoa beans are traded on two world exchanges, London and New York in two currencies, sterling and US dollars with fluctuations on either having knock-on effects in a crop grown mainly on the Ivory Coast, in Ghana and Indonesia.
The recent global crisis has had little effect on the world’s sweet tooth with consumption in China up 18 percent, in UK 5.9 percent, US 2.6 percent and Belgium 3.2 percent. This is despite cocoa prices reaching a thirty-year high and having almost doubled in the past two years. Reasons for this hike are multi-pronged: political instability in producing nations delaying transport; low stockpiles; limited selling; periods of intense rain/drought and most recently - arbitrage between the two trading currencies. Various cocoa growing federations and associations warn dwindling supplies and low investment by producers are bound to push prices up even further.
WARNING OF PRICE HIKES
Beansmeanspricehikesforcocoa(pictured)andcoffee
APeranakansourfishcurry
ChickendishAyamBuahKeluak
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TechnologyMundo Global Tapas at Rydges North Sydney is set to be the first restaurant in Australia to implement an ordering system entirely reliant on the Apple iPad. The custom-made application will road test at Mundo before fixing more layers - such as automatic suggestions for matching wines and pairing dishes - and then will be put on the market for other venues around the country.
(See page 22 for more possibilities of using iPads in a restaurant.)
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Wine hubbub in Hong KongWhen Vinexpo Chief Executive Robert Beynat came to Hong Kong earlier this year to promote the Asia Pacific version of the wine show, one of the highlights of his speech was the phrase “Hong Kong truly is a wine hub.”
The figures from the May event seem to prove him right, with record numbers of visitors (42 percent more than 2008) visiting the stands of 882 exhibitors from 32 countries. Some 500 journalists covered the event for publications worldwide.
Distributors such as ASC, Maxxium and Asia Vintners took the opportunity to fly in winemakers to introduce their wines to the trade and press.
California is one exporter able to celebrate Hong Kong’s wine hub status, as Debra Meiburg MW told AHCT there had been a sharp increase in exports from the state to Hong Kong in the last year. Much of this increase has likely been in bulk wines at the lower end of the price range. Linsey Gallacher, Director of International Marketing at the California Wine Institute, told AHCT that the catalyst of the increase in exports was Hong Kong’s wine hub status and undoubtedly its proximity to China. The Institute’s Eric Pope commented, “China is so interested in wine and California has such as strong brand.”
Exhibitor Larry Holman, Sales Manager at Cline Cellars in Sonoma told AHCT there was definitely a greater awareness of California wine styles but he wasn’t seeing swings in the US$12-25 per bottle price range. Holman characterized the growth as “nice but not exponential.”
The winery was promoting amongst its range a Zinfandel and
Portugal’sDuoroboys
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its Jacuzzi label wine – winemaker Fred Cline’s grandfather invented the whirlpool style bath.
EastwardsASC Fine Wines showcased the wines of Domaine Ste Michelle, the Washington State winery that is also now owner of famed California Stag’s Leap. Vineyard chef and TV show host John Sarrich created a menu matching wines such as Eroica Riesling (made with the help of Dr Loosen) with white asparagus salad with a shallot, pancetta sherry vinaigrette, Indian Wells Chardonnay with seared salmon and mushrooms and braised beef cheeks with a standout Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap.
OléAlso pressing their case in large numbers were winemakers from the Iberian peninsula, with a large Spanish pavilion promoting not only the country’s famed Tempranillo and Riojas but lesser-known grapes, too.
The Portuguese presence was dominated by the ‘Duoro boys’, a group of winemakers from the Duoro valley who have joined forces to market their wine since 2002. The winemakers represent the estates, or Quinta of Niepoort, Quinta do Crasto (the AHCT subjective favourite), Quinta do Vale Meao, Quinta do Vallado and Quinta do Vale D. Maria. The five – Dirk Niepoort, Francisco Olazabal, Cristiano van Zeller, Tomás Roquette, Francisco Ferreira – are evangelical in promoting their wines but also one of the wine world’s open secrets, the
delicious Touriga Nacional grape native to Portugal.
One perhaps surprising fan of the Touriga Nacional grape is Leigh Gilligan, Co-owner and Director of Dowie Doole wines in Australia’s McLaren Vale. Asia Vintners will be distributing Dowie
Doole’s G&T wine. The 70/30 percent Grenache/Tempranillo
blend is grown at the industry veteran’s Old Rifle Range Vineyard, where he lives. The distributor also handles the wine veteran’s Gilligan brand Shiraz, GSM and Marsanne Rousanne labels.
Asia Vintners are also distributing some classic Italian Chiantis and a New Zealand label called Maven, named for the Yiddish word for expert. The tasting notes for the Maven Chardonnay reflect that it has “peach and nectarine aromas and a soft, creamy texture balanced with fresh citrus notes and a long finish.”
Some other wine mavens were at Vinexpo, the winemakers from Golan Heights Winery, distributed by Smooth Concept. The sophisticated and award-wining wines are grown at
high altitude on volcanic soils and take Israeli wines way forward from their previous reputation of being sickly syrups.
From grapes to berriesInfusions or tinctures rather than syrups were being exhibited by Russia’s Group Kin, who also distill neutral, honey and cranberry flavoured vodkas, marketed in
Shake up your dietEight scoops of double chocolate ice cream, four heaped tablespoons of peanut butter and two full glasses of skim milk all add up to the United States’ “Worst Drink in the World” according to health journals.
For the second year running, Cold Stone Creamery’s PB & C shake in the ‘Gotta Have It’ 24 oz size has topped the list of cardiac busting beverages. One shake serves up 131 grams of fat, 68 grams of which are the saturated variety and 153 grams of sugar. At a whopping 2010 calories it’s 10 calories more than the total recommended daily intake for a 125lb woman and just under that for a man. Once again the artery thickening concoction, PB & C has beaten McDonald’s triple chocolate milkshake - a measly 1160 calories – into submission.
Packing a fat punch equivalent to nearly 70 rashers of bacon it seems only right they’re using skim milk!
David Hohnen of McHenry Hohnen Vintners, distributed by Maxxium, and another legend from the wine world also took the opportunity of a trip to Hong Kong to promote the wines of his native Margaret River, a town in southwest Australia. Hohnen, the winemaking brains behind success stories Cape Mentelle and Cloudy Bay, told AHCT that in producing his Semillon Sauvignon Blanc he wanted to emphasize the saline minerality of the region, which sits on a corner of land where the Indian Ocean meets the Great Southern Ocean. He was also intrigued by the idea that drinkers in Hong Kong tend to see Old World wine-producing countries as brands, with wine lists split according to nation of origin but judged New World wines by grape varietal.
Canada has a growing reputation across several varietals but is still best known for ice wine from around Inniskillin. Camus were exhibiting an unusual variation on the theme at Vinexpo – Domain Pinnacle Ice Apple wine. The wine is made using a similar process to grape ice wine, with six varieties of apple used and a fermentation period of eight months at low temperatures. The wine can keep for 20 years.
bottles resembling the iconic matrioshka doll. The infusions are mostly of Siberian berries unfamiliar to most of the world – the cowberry and ashberry as well as the more familiar cranberry.
New World differencesPaul Pontallier also came through Hong Kong, not to promote the wines of Chateau Margaux, where he is CEO but the wines of his Chilean company Vina Aquitania, distributed by ASC. While some of the company’s wines come from a vineyard in Chile’s high altitude capital Santiago, the grapes for the Chardonnay are grown in the far south of the long, thin country. These grapes do not need to be cooled before pressing as the overnight journey from southern vineyard to northern winery does the job.
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The cheese platter is an opportunity for the chef to show his creativity and imagination, argues Jakob Laustsen who represents Arla Foods and its Castello brand cheeses in Southeast Asia.
In a market he characterizes as developing in consumer sophistication, Laustsen believes that although guests will expect mainstream yellow cheeses, the chef can also add blue or white mold cheeses such as Danablu or Camembert or Brie to the platter. “Chefs can even use the shape and colour of the cheese and fruits for an attractive presentation. Remember, you eat with your eyes.”
One chef with a sharp eye for presentation is Grégoire Michaud, Executive Pastry Chef of the Four Seasons Hong Kong. The prolific author is set to release a book provisionally entitled Got Cheese this month, which showcases some of the cheese-based dessert recipes the Swiss chef has created. The book, with a foreword by his suppliers the legendary Bernard and Jean-François Antony, also discusses presenting cheese as a course in its own right.
While some of the recipes such as walnut crusted Fourme d’Ambert with an apricot rosemary coulis or Green apple with Fromage blanc and fresh shiso flower might sound odd the chef insists he is not experimenting for the sake of it or, “trying to do anything weird” but is actually just evolving some classic combinations. The first three listed ingredients in his Coulommiers, apricot and thyme macaroon are a classic combination – the innovation is putting them in a macaroon.
The impetus for innovating Chef Grégoire tells AHCT, is simply that his guests are becoming more sophisticated cheese consumers and it has become a product “that people speak about with passion”.
Cheese
Cheese CultureMatching what the customer, and venue wants and needs with the right cheese product is all a matter of dialogue, says Dermott Dowling of National Foods. It’s important to reach an understanding of required applications in order to match the best cheese to the needs, “be that for the table or cooking”, explains the company’s Marketing Manager – International.
When it comes to cheese, Dowling says there’s definitely no ‘one size fits all’: “Different venues appreciate different levels of sophistication in their cheese offer depending on their clientele. High-end premium hospitality, hotels and restaurants tend to appreciate the full spectrum of short shelf life soft ripened cheeses and aged specialty cheddars and hard cheeses.” The range of choice is also highly subjective. “Again, this depends on the type of venue, level of patronage and turnover of the cheese counter. We would advise a smaller range of well selected hand-crafted cheeses that turnover frequently and delight consumers as opposed to an overwhelming selection that may not be consumed in a timely fashion.” Wastage should be carefully controlled, Dowling says so it’s important to allow a company’s specialist sales team and distribution partners to, “share their knowledge of how to create a good tight cheese menu and maximize the use of all stock on the table and in prepared recipes on the menu or as special features.”
Arla’s Laustsen believes that chefs in Asia could be more adventurous than their customers if they wanted to carry on developing a culture of cheese eating in the region. While currently a cheese platter might have a mold cheese they are almost guaranteed to have a Cheddar, Edam or Gouda. “These are not bad cheeses but they are not that interesting,” he says.
please
AtruffledcheesefromCheeseLandAsiaInnovationtomeetcustomerexpectation–walnutcrustedFourmed’Ambertwithanapricotrosemarycoulis
GrégoireMichaud’sPeach,Briecreamandrosemarytartlet
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From pizza toppings and breakfast buffets to delectable sauces and gourmet fine dining, Mischa Moselle discovers the secret is in the cheese
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In Dowling’s experience, quality is the most important factor. “All our cheeses are premium imported cheeses handcrafted in Australia from fresh milk. (By law all cheese manufactured in Australia must be made using pasteurised milk). As such they are not low cost mass produced cheeses and they are appreciated by high end foodservice customers and consumers with an in-depth knowledge or appreciation for fine cheeses or a passion to learn more about the delights of cheese.”
More is moreThere are as many cheese types and flavours as there are venues, boasts Fonterra Foodservice’s Tee Sern Lim, and it’s chef who dictates which cheeses suit his/her menu. But, unlike Dowling, Lim says, “Price is nearly always a factor - if the chef is unable to recover his food costs from his guests then it is very hard to keep the business viable. If the outlet charges a lot for the products then their guests will expect top quality ingredients or they won’t return.”
Fonterra produces a full spectrum of cheeses from mass produced products through to artisan cheeses under the Kapiti brand. When asked if there is a minimum or maximum number of cheeses hotels should offer guests, Lim answers: “The more the better as far as Fonterra Foodservices is concerned! However, there will come a point where the ‘value’ to the hotel of offering a very wide range of cheese will diminish as it is a perishable product and wastage is not good for anybody.”
As with other natural products, country of origin can be a crucial decision-making factor, says Lim. “Country of origin will affect the end product because the raw materials i.e. milk will have different characteristics - think ‘terroir’ for wine.”
And, to a point, Dowling agrees, “Country of origin is important to some chefs who have experience and knowledge working with quality cheeses from their home country. It is also very important to the integrity of the production and supply process. All cheese exported from Australia is produced under the strict quality guidelines of the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service who regularly audit manufacturing sites for quality compliance. Along
TasmanianHeritagefromNationalFoods
ParmesanfromNewZealand’sFonterraCheeseLandAsia’sIsabella
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“People speak about cheese with passion” Grégoire Michaud
with the quality of the raw material input - milk, rennet, enzymes, etc. different production processes affect the taste, functionality and styles of cheeses”
When it comes to choosing the right cheeses, for CheeselandAsia’s Director, Tim Hoppe, neither the production process nor country of origin are an issue. “It’s more dependent on the creativity and palate of the chef to make an excellent tasty cheese platter.” And Hoppe says, more than five or six different cheeses on a cheese platter is not recommended. “This is not [to] overwhelm the customer. Cheeses can be pretty powerful as a dessert and the more cheeses you choose on a platter the more difficult it is to come up with the right balance of cheeses.”
Again, Hoppe says the type of F&B venue dictates the type of cheese that should be available. “A higher quality restaurant or hotel should offer higher quality cheeses since the people that visit the hotel and restaurant usually are aware of the quality of the food they eat.” Nevertheless, “Price is definitely a factor since the venue is in business to make profit. The profit margin for higher priced venues often gives them the opportunity to invest in higher priced food items as well. People are willing to pay a higher price as long as the price-quality ratio is good. A higher priced hotel or restaurant should, therefore, also serve higher quality food to prevent complaints from customers.”
For Hoppe it’s more “the variety of cheeses that is offered” than any other consideration. “Milder cheeses combined with stronger flavoured cheeses, cow’s milk cheeses combined with goat’s milk cheeses and even sheep milk cheeses. Young cheeses combined with more aged cheeses or even blue cheeses. It’s appropriate to serve raw milk cheeses in most places. I do have to make a note that it needs to be obviously noticeable that there is raw milk cheese on the platter because it is not recommended for pregnant women to eat raw milk cheeses.
“Age is important in that the chef wants to ‘educate’ what the ageing process does to a cheese and how the flavour develops. Again, it’s mostly up to the creativity and palate of the chef.”
Matchingcheesetoneedsisamatterofdialogue,accordingtoNationalFoods
CheeselegendBernardAntony
Arla’sLaustsensayschefsshoulduseimaginativepresentations,usingfruitandeventheshapeofthecheesetoenhancevisualimpact
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“If the outlet charges a lot for the products then their
guests will expect top quality ingredients or they won’t
return” Tee Sern Lim
The benefits from nutrients found in squeezed juices of fruits and vegetables have long been recognized. Years of research have proven they regulate metabolism, help in the conversion of fats and carbohydrates into energy, the minerals they contain are necessary for
nerve and muscle function, and their natural fibre aids digestion. Hotel and restaurant guests no longer need convincing and are
ordering juices in ever increasing amounts. The question now is, not if to drink these juices, but how much as there is a lot of consumer confusion about the manufacturing techniques associated with packaged juices and whether the amount of sugar they contain negates the other health benefits. Expert opinion seems to suggest opting for fresh squeezed is preferable but if not available then consumers should ensure their fruit and vegetable juices contain no additional sweeteners such as corn syrup.
“Juices continue to be very popular with guests,” notes Chris Barranco, Manager International Sales at Citrus World, going on to note not all juices are equal. “For example, we only use oranges grown in Florida unlike our nearest competitors who mix oranges from the US and Brazil, and we fresh squeeze the fruit from the grove with no water, sugar or preservatives added.”
Using a process called flash pasteurization the juice is then packaged. “Pasteurization is the process of heating the juice to very high temperatures for a short amount of time to kill any micro-bacteria,” Barranco explains. “This is distinct from those juices produced using concentrates when the fruit is squeezed, water extracted producing a concentrate form similar to foods found in the frozen food department, and at a later time water is added back and the juice then pasteurized and packaged.”
The company, which produces orange, apple, grapefruit and cranberry juices, has noted the Asian market is still expanding with regional flavour preferences. But the old varieties are still the favourites,
Barranco says. “OJ, pineapple, grapefruit and cranberry are popular but orange juice is still number one by a large margin.”
Same same but different Executive Chef at Hong Kong’s InterContinental Hotel, Graham Burst agrees juices are popular with guests, “especially at breakfast time”, and that while the increase in demand may have something to do with the fact people are generally more health conscious, Burst says, “guests are looking for more choices and combinations these days, as juices have already been popular for many years.” Orange juice is “still the most popular”, but Burst says guests ask for watermelon juice a lot, (contains Vitamins A, B and C as well as fibre, carbohydrates and calcium) and: “we need to have more mango juice at the breakfast buffet when we have a lot of Japanese guests in house, as this juice is definitely a favourite.” (Mango juice is an antioxidant with known stomach soothing enzymes. A rich source of iron, mango juice also contains vitamins A, E, B and K as well as potassium and magnesium thereby helping with muscle cramps, heart problems and stress relief ) .
The InterContinental Hong Kong showcases the variety of juices on offer at each buffet sitting and has even introduced a range of blended juices in a special “preventative health menu” devised in conjunction with Hong Kong’s Adventist Hospital. The ‘ihealth’ menu of juices has been specifically formulated for optimum “nutritional health benefits”, explains Burst. “We feel that it is important to offer a variety of juices and give our guests lots of choices. Most of our guests are world travellers and have seen many juices from different areas of the globe and they would like to try fresh juices showcasing various fresh fruits from the region and internationally. We are fortunate here in Hong Kong to be able to get almost every fruit from around the world.”
As guests are choosing to drink a wider range of fruit juices,
Zara Horner explores the health benefits
JUICY HEALTH
NUTRITIONAL QUALITIES OF FRUIT JUICES
One four ounce glass of 100 percent juice is equal to 1 serving of fruit. Recommended daily intake 5 – 9 pieces.
Applejuice: Vitamins A, B and C; calcium; phosphorus; potassium; magnesium, which is important for healthy bone formation, nerve and muscle function, and restful sleep; apple juice is said to soak up bad cholesterol and may help alleviate complaints such as arthritis.
Cranberry juice: Vitamin C; calcium; prevents tooth decay and helps prevent urinary tract problems.
Grapefruitjuice: Vitamins A, B, C and E; calcium; phosphorus for healthy bones and teeth; cell growth; heart and kidney function; magnesium; potassium and iron. An antiseptic blood cleanser this juice may help boost the immune system.
Orangejuice: Vitamins B and C; calcium; magnesium; phosphorus; potassium, known as a ‘regulator’ which keeps blood pressure down as well as aiding the optimal function of the nervous system, and heart beat. Said to calm the nervous system and be a good blood cleanser, OJ is known as a cold preventative and could help with digestive problems and even insomnia.
Pineapple juice: Vitamins B and C; calcium; copper, which helps carry oxygen to tissues, is useful in wound healing and helps convert glucose to energy; magnesium; potassium. An effective digestive pineapple juice may help blood disorders, ease sore throats and act as an anti-inflammatory as it contains high levels of the enzyme bromelain, which could help ease the symptoms of gout, arthritis and rheumatism.
Sources: www.fruitjuicefacts.org www.fruitshealthbenefits.com www.news-medical.net
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Theperennialfavourite
Fruitjuice–doeswhatitsaysonthecarton
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Hard to beatFruit and vegetable juices are known as a “nutrient dense” foodstuff, packing more nutritional value per calorie than any other beverage choice. Full of natural bioactive antioxidants, or ‘phyto-nutrients’, researchers believe these juices may have disease prevention and disease fighting properties and are an easy way to ingest daily recommended quotas of certain vitamins and minerals. At around 80 percent water they are also a good way to maintain adequate hydration.
“Berri offers a delicious range of juices [made] from real fruit or vegetables,” says Dermott Dowling, the company’s Marketing Manager International. “Not only do Berri juices taste great, they provide fluid for quenching thirst and a range of nutrients. A glass of juice can give you important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, folate, potassium and naturally occurring plant antioxidants. In fact, each serve of Berri juice is an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for collagen production in the body, can help with the uptake of iron in the body, and also acts as an antioxidant. You can think of antioxidants as one of the body’s defense mechanisms to help protect against life’s stresses.” Additionally, Dowling says these juices have a low Glycaemic Index (GI). “The GI is a way of ranking carbohydrate-containing foods, based on their effect on blood sugar levels. A low GI food releases the sugars slowly, providing sustained energy.”
Like his industry colleagues, Dowling agrees orange
juice is a favourite but notes that apple is a popular choice, too with a, “Rising trend towards cranberry and flavours with antioxidant properties. Local favourite fruits feature strongly in each [regional] market as well.” Dowling goes on to point out that, “range is vital to give consumers choice and comfort. [We] recommend a minimum of two to three juices and a maximum of 6-8 to balance choice and stock turnover in hotels. [The company is] always exploring new opportunities and welcomes customer feedback on new flavour trends and developments.”
Fads n fancies While there are changes and trends in the fruit juice market like any other, Timothy J Lim, Regional Sales Manager Asia, Florida’s Natural Growers believes the “old faithfuls” like orange, apple, grapefruit and cranberry, “have turned out to be the most reliable and consistent in health benefits. Research shows that different fruits have different health benefits. Some are better with antioxidants, some with fibre, some others in vitamin C. There is always some new marketing slant to a different juice, and an attempt to sell more of some fashionable fruit. Pomegranate, the acai berry, kiwi, blueberry, raspberry and so on were relevant and trendy for a period of time. We, unfortunately or fortunately, are traditionalist. We focus on producing the best citrus products [and] juice as possible. Our latest range of premium not-from-concentrate juices … gets you as close to the grove as you can get.”
“Orange juice is still number one by a large margin” Chris Barranco
InterContinentalHongKongExecutiveChefGrahamBurst
Pomegranate–trendysuperfood
GuestsareaskingforhealthyingredientsattheInterContinentalHongKong’sHarboursidebuffet
asian hotel& Catering times
puBlisHed since 1976
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Encompassing: n Hotels n Restaurantsn Catering operationsn Equipmentn Technologyn Human Resourcesn Investment
Essential reading for:n General Managersn Restaurant Owners and Operatorsn F&B Managersn Executive Chefsn Purchasing Managersn Human Resource Managersn IT and EDP Professionals n Executive Housekeepersn Marketing Managersn Developers and Investors
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Tidy TaliaThe new Talia cutlery range by Hepp has been specifically designed to complement all forms of crockery from clean-cut simplistic modern plates and bowls to timeless classic porcelain forms. The slimmer, longer Talia range of filigree utensils gives the impression of floating on the table whilst the ergonomic design means a slide on or from the table or plate is practically impossible, making table clearing easier. The cutlery is available in stainless steel 18/10 and in silver-plated finish and is dishwasher safe.
For more information: www.hepp.de
Mocha makingThe latest addition to the Le Sirop de Monin product range is Chocolate Mocha. Infusing the flavours of freshly brewed Colombian coffee with chocolate cocoa highlights the new syrup may be simply added to hot or cold milk, used to enhance an ordinary coffee or for the more adventurous, to produce a Mocha Martini.
For more information: www.monin.com
The power of concentrationAfter “years of intensive research” makers of fine chocolate, Valrhona says its finally able to introduce the first dark chocolate concentrate. With its intense colour, delicately soft texture and powerful taste, P125 Coeur de Guanaja is ideal for pastries, ice cream, biscuits and mousses.
The secret of the ‘125 percent Power’ in the product is that it has reduced sugar and far less cocoa butter than other chocolates. The composition is 46 percent dry extract, 34 percent cocoa butter and 20 percent sugar for balance.
Chefs can increase the chocolate intensity of their dishes without altering flavour and texture through the addition of this chocolate concentrate powder.
For more information: www.valrhona.com
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What light through yonder window breaks?Lighting designer and manufacturer, Axo Light’s latest range of illuminators, Lightecture (Light for Architecture) has been created specifically to address the needs of – well, everyone! Aesthetic value and quality is matched with flexibility in order to provide fixtures suitable for prestigious international projects, as well as smaller individual public and private design needs. Six collections (Alumax; Bell; Damasco; Skin; Skirt and Velvet) are available in hanging, ceiling, floor, table and wall lamps in a range of colours and sizes. From 25cm to 180cm diameter the lights come with energy saving, halogen, fluorescent, incandescent and metal halide bulb options and fabric choices, which include fire resistant eco-leather, floral damask patterns and aluminised glass.
For more information: www.axolight.it
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Hotels are receiving mixed messages from guests about amenities. One group of guests expects Sex and the City-style Bvlgari toiletries in perfect branded packaging, others are more concerned with the environmental impact such as whether the toiletries
are free of sulfates and parbanes, and condemns the wasteful bottles that may one day become part of the islands of plastic (gyres) massing out in the oceans.
Will you lose points for offering refillable dispensers of non-branded ‘gloop’ or gain ‘green points’ from guests for your efforts to reduce the amount of plastic you use and reducing waste? Leading amenities providers have been developing a selection of options for hotels that seek to offer something greener.
Completely certifiedThe traditional approach to guest room amenities is to offer small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, plus packets of soap, razors, toothbrushes, sewing kits, combs etc. The advantages of this model were the relatively cheap price of plastic bottles and the speed with which housekeeping staff could replace each item.
The downside is that most contents are wasted, and for toiletries
even if guests ‘self gift’ or take the bottles away to use, one way or another the bottles will end up in the waste. One estimate suggests 10 billion plastic bottles from guest rooms are thrown away or incinerated each year. But attitudes are changing and consumers and guests looking more closely at the content of shampoos, soaps, gels and lotions and questioning both the contents of the bottle and the material it’s made from.
“We see more efforts in greening operations to meet growing concerns about sustainability issues,” says Lydia Lee, General Manager, Dongxing Hotel Supplies Pte Ltd. “The challenge right now is to create innovative guest amenity products that strike an environmental balance as well.”
Established in 1983, Dongxing Hotel Supplies’ products have evolved over the years to offer a broad range of products that meet hotels’ changing needs. At its ISO9001 and ISO14001 certified facilities, Dongxing Hotel Supplies carries out stringent quality checks on all its products.
The company offers two major lines of products: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body moisturiser, soap. There’s also a full range of accessories such as dental, shaving and sewing kits, combs, shoe mitts, shower caps, cotton buds, loofah mitts, slippers, shoehorns and shopping bags.
Recently the company launched a range of amenities in biodegradable bottles made from polylactic acid (PLA). Derived from cornstarch PLA is suitable for injection molding and pressing making it a viable alternative for packaging.
Once hotels only had to worry about the fragrance, quality
and pricing when purchasing amenities, now the desire of both hotels and their guests
to be greener makes offering amenities more complicated.
Ruth Williams reports
conscience Doesthe100mllimitonliquidsandgelsthatcanbecarriedonboardflightsmeanhotelsmustpaymoreattentiontoamenities?
MingFai’sVLGHotelAmenities
Clean
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A unique range of amenity products offering an incomparable luxury experience to the discerning traveler.
Developed with BvlgAri perfumes and exceptional savoir-faire, the guest Collection’s fragrance, bath and special product lines are available in the most exclusive hotels in the world.
Available in Thé vert; Thé Blanc, and the newly-launched Thé rouge fragrance.
Exclusive Agent in Asia:guest Supply Asia ltd.Tel: (852) 2808-4133Email: [email protected]
Guest Supply.indd 2 22/06/2010 3:49 PM
Sampling luxuryFor many guests branded toiletries are considered an integral part of the luxury experience if they are staying at a luxury hotel. Even though these branded amenities are two to seven times more expensive for the hotels, properties gain from the association with a reputable or talked-about brand that reinforces their own luxury offering. For cosmetics brands it can be a useful marketing and sampling exercise - guests try in a hotel room and if they like it ideally become regular consumers.
Guest Supply Asia supplies luxurious retail brands such as Bvlgari, Hermés, Crabtree & Evelyn, Pecksniff’s, Acca Kappa, Agraria and Neutrogena. “For Hilton we developed a specific line of Crabtree & Evelyn’s La Source products,” notes Managing Director and Vice President, Andrew Johnson.
Dongxing Hotel Supplies is the supplier and exclusive agent in China and distributor in Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, for premium cosmetic designer brands like Clarins, Carven, Damana, Bienvenue, Keiji and Pascal Morabito through license by Groupe GM. These premium brands also conform to ECOCERT standards and have been audited under the EU ECOLABEL certification scheme for European consumers to distinguish greener, more environmentally friendly products and services.
GuestSupply’sFerragamoline
Its VLG Hotel Amenities were launched in 2007 and utilise “Plastarch Material” (PSM) a biodegradable, thermoplastic resin, made from modified cornstarch combined with other renewable resources. PSM is used for bottles, combs, lids and all kinds of amenities packaging.
Ming Fai’s toothbrushes are found on Delta Air Lines flights and its amenities are found in hotels worldwide.
For anyone seeking an alternative to petrochemical-based products PSM is degradable and recyclable and breaks down during the burning process without melting.
Clean and green Managing Director and Vice President, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Andrew Johnson also says that there is more interest in making guest
“Long-term they may find marketing benefits from providing greener
amenities” Andrew Johnson
“The same biodegradable material is also used in our accessories, like the handles of toothbrushes and combs. High transparency properties of the biodegradable material also make clear bottles that aid in housekeeping effectiveness and efficiencies. Offering options for individually packed accessories prevents wastage, waxed paper wraps used can be recycled as well,” says Lee.
“We are seeing a demand for eco-friendly, biodegradable amenities that help to preserve the environment, obtain greater guest satisfaction as well as achieve cost reduction for hotel operations.”
Other amenities providers have also responded to this new demand. Established in 1980, over the course of the last decade Ming Fai has attained ISO14001 certification for its factories and developed two innovative ranges of more environmentally friendly amenities.
GuestSupplyAsiaoffersLuxuriousAromatherapyAssociates/productsinwell-designeddispensers–agreenerwaytoofferbrandedamenities.
Enriched with therapeutic Aloe Vera to soothe and
the seeds to hydrate and condition.
Hotel Amenities by Crabtree & Evelyn
Guest Supply Asia Ltd.
DongxingHotelSupplies’biodegradablebottles
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products for leading hotel chains including Marriott, Hilton, Accor and Hyatt. “All our products are tested to United States standards and we can distribute our products to any hotel location in Asia,” says Johnson.
In Hong Kong, Global Supply Asia worked with Hyatt Regency properties and the Grand Hyatt, following Hyatt’s group wide initiative to reduce the amount of packaging on its accessories and amenities. Throughout the global chain, plastic wrapping is out and cardboard boxes have been replaced with paper wherever possible, which has resulted in using up to 75 per cent less paper.
“Finding the right paper and right quality took a few trials as with any sampling process, but Hyatt was supportive and eventually we were able to get a better paper bag –– it’s a honest solution,” says Johnson.
“There is a need to come up with eco-friendly solutions,” he says. “It’s important to avoid PVC — moving towards recyclable PE bottles is a step.”
Johnson says that if hotels want to change the amenities they offer guests and how they present them, there are green solutions available, if they are wiling to spend a little time working through the options. Everybody in the industry would be interested in satisfying such requests, he says.
In 2007, Ming Fai launched its Re-Eco line of guest toiletries in bottles made from post-consumer plastic material. Carrying the European ECOCERT and ECOLABEL certification the Re-Eco range is free of minerals, silicones and synthetic perfumes. Ming Fai also developed a new type of packaging made from stone paper printed with soy ink. “The performance is as good if not better than other materials and its resistant to moisture and oils,” says Vivian Gao, Assistant Marketing Manager, Ming Fai.
Dispense the goodiesIf hotels want to move away from the miniature bottles in bathrooms, refillable dispensers are an option that cuts down on the amount of plastic used and product wasted.
However, while all bathroom amenities are stored in a dispenser system at Starwood’s 11 new “green” Element hotels (inspired by Westin) in the United States, dispensers are rarely seen outside pool showers at luxurious 5-star properties in Asia. Both Dongxing Hotel Supplies and Guest Supply Asia report some resistance to dispensers in Asia at present.
“Di f ferent market s have d i f f erent requirements. The general perception and acceptance right now is still towards small bottles and tubes, particularly for the 4- to 5-star hotels,” says Dongxing Hotel Supplies’ Lydia Lee.
While some savings can be made on volume of liquid products the dispensers require extra investment and designs that suit different properties. “Everyone wants their own dispenser, to get the cost down you need to start making thousands of units,” says Johnson, who also points out that maintaining a dispenser correctly is essential, as is ensuring that it is kept perfectly hygienic. Guest Supply Asia offers its Lemongrass, Pecksniff ’s and Aromatherapy Associates ranges in tamper-proof dispensers so hotels can offer luxury cosmetics in a ‘greener’ manner.
“At present, there’s most potential for switching to dispensers for hand soap in the bathroom – I think it’s something guests would find more acceptable,” adds Johnson.
“We see a demand for eco-friendly,
biodegradable amenities” Lydia Lee
amenities greener, noting that recent improvement in the economy has been followed by more interest in better quality products and branded toiletries.
He points out that for many hotels a considerable philosophy change is required if they are going to change the way they approach providing amenities. “But long-term they may find marketing benefits [from providing greener amenities],” he suggests.
As one of the world’s largest suppliers of toiletries, guest amenities and hotel accessories to the hotel and travel industry, Guest Supply Asia custom makes an extensive range of OEM and branded
Someguestswantgreenamenities,somebrandedluxuryasinGuestSupply’sBvlgarirange
MingFaioffersbottlesand
accessoriesmadefromPSMandbottles
madefrompost-consumermaterial.
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The light series
ProDynamicComplete product range
at competitive prices
knives . ancillary items . sharpening steels . grinding machines
Friedr. Dick GmbH & Co. KG · Postfach 1173 · D-73777 [email protected] · www.dick.de
Ideal for restaurants, catering, canteen kitchen and supermarkets
■ Highqualitysteel – laser-testedcuttingedge
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HACCP_ProDyn 87x125engl.4c 29.01.2010 11:59 Uhr Seite 1
As the saying goes, the right tools for the right job. And in a professional kitchen this can be even truer as perfect preparation may make the
difference between a good meal, and a great one.While opinions about gas or electricity, stainless steel or
plastic, manual or battery operated may vary, when it comes to knives things are brought more sharply into focus. “The size of the knife you choose is very important as well as the weight,” admits Langham Place Mongkok Executive Chef, Paul McLoughlin. “Some of the questions to ask before buying a high quality knife are: is the handle too wide in diameter for my grip? Too slim? The blade too long [or] too short? Is the knife too heavy for me, too light? What is [the] main purpose of the knife? Basically if you feel comfortable when handling the knife, then it is the right knife for you.” Preferring high-carbon steel blades McLoughlin has traditionally bought German brands, “But recently I have bought some Damascus steel blade knives made in Seki Japan, which have 32 layers of stainless steel encompassing a high carbon steel blade.” Chef Paul believes high carbon steel blades are the best because of their strength and durability: “they … will keep their blades sharper longer than other steels”. Additionally, he says they are “low maintenance” which in a busy kitchen can be a real help. “They will not stain, and if cared for will not rust. Generally speaking [they are] quite expensive, but through good care will last a lifetime. Stainless steel knives are cheaper, but will not keep the edge or sharpness.” McLoughlin does point out, there are always exceptions of course, “like high quality – expensive - stainless steel knives from Japan.”
Different strokes French knife manufacturer, Deglon carries “less and less” carbon steel knives, says company Commercial Representative, Moise Deglon and the ones they do have are specifically for “leather work or some
structure than standard steel. The cutting-edge is thus long-life and sharpens easily,” enthuses Deglon. Laboratory tested, “We use this steel for our cooks knives Silex Premium and Silex, and for our butchers knives Pro N515.”
Of course knives don’t have to be made from metal at all. Instead of looking upwards some manufacturers have harked back to the past and a method said to have originated with the Inca civilization: ceramics. “This technique mainly comes from Japan,” Deglon explains, the company having recently launched its own range of ceramic knives, with specific Asian designs and bamboo handles. “Actually, ceramic has an excellent cutting power, and a long resistant cutting edge. But the main problem is that the blade is really fragile and will break really quickly, even with top-of-the-range ceramic knives. Some people also [say] that the food [doesn’t] have any ‘metallic taste’. I think this is just nonsense and I don’t recommend [ceramic knives] for professional use.”
Cutting edge manufacturingThere are basically three methods by which knives are made. “Laminating is a process that consists in getting the steel, whatever kind, through strong rolls in order to enlarge its surface, a little bit like it’s done in pastry with a rolling-pin,” Deglon points out, going on to note that more than 75 percent of knives produced in the world are made this way. “Generally, blades are then cut with moulds or with laser technology.” The two other basic methods are forging with specific moulds: “The forge will enhance the steel by blending its different components [and] violently compressing the steel.” Lastly, an age old Middle East method employed in Europe for hundreds of years whereby the metals are sandwiched between scales: “Damas hand-wrought blades allows [the] use [of] high carbon steel for the cutting power and low carbon steel for the anti-oxidizing properties. This technique was mainly used before stainless steel was discovered but it became fashionable [again for] aesthetic reasons: the blade is indeed ‘decorated’ with stripes.”
Carbon steel, stainless steel, high carbon steel, laminated or ceramic – Thora Jacobsen takes a look at the advantages of different materials used to make knives for today’s professional kitchen
K N I V E S A T shellfish”. Most of the company’s range is now made from stainless steel. “Carbon steel was mostly used before for butchers knives for example, because of its cutting qualities. Steel is made of iron and carbon. The more carbon there is in steel, the more it will cut. But
it will quickly oxidize: the careening will be more complicated, and rust isn’t appropriate in a kitchen,” Deglon explains. “For
stainless steel [knives] we will add to normal steel - iron and carbon - certain other components such as molybdenum, vanadium, chrome … these components will increase the stainless characteristic of the steel, as well as preserving a high
cutting power. Generally, European knives are made with around 0.5 percent of carbon and for chopping knives we use 0.7 percent of carbon stainless steel.”
Things get tricky as different countries use different terminologies for naming steels, Deglon says. “Japanese tradition is to use steels with more carbon, generally around one percent. It gives an excellent initial cutting power but that doesn’t last a long time. Indeed, the harder the steel, the more fragile. And the risk is oxidization because of the presence of a lot of carbon.”
In Deglon’s opinion a higher carbon content also results in less flexible blades, which he says, are also less resilient making them harder to use when filleting or skinning, for example. “Furthermore, the sharpening is more difficult and needs specific stones for each kind of knife, while a classic steel sharpener will be enough to maintain the cutting edge of carbon stainless steel knives. For a professional cook, it means sparing time, spending less energy for sharpening and working faster.”
Space-age technologyReaching to the stars for inspiration, Deglon recently introduced a range made using aeronautical engineering and materials. Inox N515 knives have been manufactured with a special alloy stainless steel reinforced using a high nitrogen double melt process. “The nitrogen process gives the steel a finer and more homogenized
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knife
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safe. The Premier WACS range is made from high alloyed chrome-molybdenum-Vanadium-steel with a non-stick coating while the AsiaCut knives are manufactured using German stainless steel and come in “traditional Asian” shapes. Friedr Dick’s knives may also be customized to suit individual chef ’s needs.
German manufacturer, Geisser uses a X55 alloy for its knives. “If the carbon content is too high the knife could rust and would be very difficult to re-sharpen,” Hans-Joachim Geisser, says. “The main contents of our steel are 14 percent chromium, which protects the blade from rust, carbon, molybdenum and vanadium, important for durability and flexibility. When we get the raw material all contents are unequally spread and we have to bring all molecules into a very solid and equal structure. The steel is also very soft, you can bend it easily and a knife would not stay in its position. I compare it with dough: You put some eggs, flavour, milk, sugar, salt in a pot and if you mix it just a little bit you will have a very bad structure. It is the same with our steel. The more you mix the dough the finer it will be.”
During the heat tempering process, which is conducted within a vacuum, the blades are heated to 1,050 degrees. “At this stage all components are melting perfectly together. A special cooling system keeps the structure. As a second result we get the hardness. The blade will not bend anymore unless we grind it very thin, like filleting knives.”
There are different systems for hardening, but Geisser believes vacuum hardening is, “ superior because we only use electricity for this process and we have access to ‘green’ electricity. We do not use other materials such as oil or salt which would pollute the environment. So we have an environment friendly process. Secondly, as the tempering is done under vacuum the process can’t be influenced by anything else and we get the same hardness and structure for all knives. One knife is like the other.”
Whatever, the material or manufacturing process, Langham Place’s McLoughlin says there are a few simple rules when it comes to proper knife maintenance: “All knives should be sharp at all times to avoid unnecessary pressure to cut through food and potentially slip and cut yourself. Personally I sharpen my knives every time I use them to maintain a razors edge. After usage always use detergent and clean thoroughly with hot water to kill any potential bacteria and germs, and then wipe dry with a disposable cloth to keep them from rusting. Take care of your knives and they will take care of you.”
Friedr Dick’s 1778 Jubilee Series of knives has at its core a very thin layer of alloyed double x vg 12 carbon steel producing a very hardy range of knives of 610 HRC. “This results in particularly efficient cutting and considerably lengthens the lifetime of the blade,” says Irina Rudermel who works in Product Management for Friedr Dick. “Furthermore you need to re-sharpen the knife less often. This core is sandwiched between food-safe, rustproof steel. Thus the advantages of the carbon steel and stainless steel are combined.” With plum wood handles these knives are not dishwasher
“The harder the steel, the more fragile the blade” Moise Deglon
AhighcarbonFriedr.D
ickknife
LanghamPlace,MongkokExecutiveChefPaulMcLoughlin
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Companies from more than 35 overseas nations joined 130 exhibitors from the UAE, filling six halls at Dubai World Trade Centre for the 2010 edition of The Hotel Show.
Some 363 exhibitors were welcomed this year, an increase of 5 percent over the previous year. France hosted the largest country pavilion, spanning 652 square metres, followed by Italy, Germany, Cyprus, China, Thailand and Belgium, Spain, Portugal, the UK and Turkey.
Divided into four sectors, the show consisted of arenas showcasing Interiors and Design; Operating Equipment and Supplies; Security and Technology and The Resort Experience.
The Seven Star Conference returned to The Hotel Show to tackle key issues facing the industry. Sponsored by Tamani Hotel Marina, the two-day conference attracted leading names in the hospitality industry, including Jean Paul Herzog, President of Hilton Worldwide, who discussed “The Sense or Nonsense of Star Ratings”. The conference programme also included the Middle East Spa Summit, which discussed all aspects of the industry from planning a spa to succeeding in the region.
The VIP Lounge offered networking opportunities to more than 250 top delegates and key buyers throughout the show while another addition to the show was the Associations Meetings, which saw the Housekeepers Association, Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG), Front Office Managers and Spa Professionals all hold their monthly meetings at the venue.
This year’s edition also hosted the first Middle East Spa Awards, during which Bliss Spa at the W Hotel Doha claimed a hat trick of awards for Spa Marketing, Spa Design and Best Spa.
Meanwhile, the Corporate Catwalk showcased the latest hospitality uniform designs by leading industry players, including A Ronai and Eagle K-Wear. It also played host to the annual Student Design Competition, which was won by Souzan Hafez, a student of the Centre for Executive Education, Dubai, for her Flamenco-inspired restaurant hostess design.
Numbers up at The Hotel Show 2010
Coming next
The Hotel Show 2011 17-19 May 2011.Dubai World Trade CentreDubaiUAE
www.thehotelshow.com
DATE EvENT DETAILS ORGANIzER
Sep 7-9 Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wanchai Hong Kong
Sep 7-9 Asian Seafood Exposition Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wanchai Hong Kong
Oct 17-21 SIAL (France) Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord, Villepinte - France
Oct 28-30 Wine & Gourmet Asia 2010 Hall D, CotaiExpo at The Venetian Macao Macau SAR, China
Nov 11-13 FHC China 2010 Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China
Nov 24-26 Hotel Expo 2010 The 6th International Hotel Equipment, Supplies and Food & Beverage Expo The Cotai Strip Convention and Exhibition Center at the Venetian Macao
Mar 29 – Hotelex Shanghai 2011Apr 1, 2011 Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai China
Diversified Events Hong Kong LtdTelephone: +852 3105 3970Fax: +852 3105 3974E-mail: [email protected] www.restaurantandbarhk.com
Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong is the fastest growing exhibition for the hospitality sector in Asia Pacific. Currently in the ninth year, it has a growing reputation as the biggest and best niche gourmet Hospitality event in the region. Its focus on bringing excellent products and services will inspire and create ideas to help you develop your foodservice and hospitality business.
Diversified Events Hong Kong LtdTelephone: +852 3105 3970Fax: +852 3105 3974E-mail: [email protected] www.asianseafoodexpo.com
Meet face-to-face with seafood buyers from Hong Kong and throughout Asia Pacific with direct purchasing responsibility for live, fresh, frozen and packaged products. The Asian Seafood Exposition is the newest product in Diversified Business Communication’s global seafood portfolio that includes the world’s largest seafood fairs: the European Seafood Exposition and the International Boston Seafood Show.
Wine & Gourmet Asia is a trade, networking and culinary platform showcasing the very best of Asia Pacific’s fine wine, gourmet and hospitality industries. The event is for the region’s hospitality industry leaders as well as all gourmands and wine enthusiasts.
Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Tel: +65 6500 6712 Fax: +65 6294 8403 Email: [email protected] www.wineandgourmetasia.com
FHC China is the most international trade show for food, wine and hospitality equipment in China. FHC China features Wine and Spirits China 2010, Meat China 2010 and Tea and Coffee 2010 specialist areas, with Olive Oil China, Ultimate Barista Challenge China, Ice Cream University, Wine Seminars, China Sommelier Wine Challenge, FHC international cooking competition and more.
Lily ZhuChina International ExhibitionsRoom A2402-03, Singular Mansion, No.318-322 Xian Xia Road, Shanghai(200336), ChinaDID:(86-21)6209 5209 Fax:(86-21)6209 5210Email: [email protected]
After the success of the past five editions, The sixth Hotel Expo will be held in The Venetian Macao again. Gathering thousands of hospitality industry decision makers and procurement groups from not only Macau, but also Hong Kong, China and other major Asian countries. Hotel Expo is the largest exhibition in the hotel, catering and hospitality sectors of Macau.
Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd.Room 2106, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong KongTel: +852 2827 6766Fax: +852 2827 [email protected]
Hotelex shows are the meeting point for the hospitality industry. Managers, manufacturers, traders and distributors gather annually to source, sell, network and debate future trends.
Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co., Ltd. 10/F, Xian Dai Mansion, 218 Xiang Yang Road (s), Shanghai, 200031, China Tel: + 86 21-6437 1178 Fax: + 86 21-6437 [email protected]
Incorporating 3 exhibitions: IPA, In-Food and SIAL this is the largest international meeting place for the food industry under one roof. Including all processes, semi processed, ingredients and finished products the exhibition caters for retail, trade, manufacturing and catering services showcasing different stages of the industry and is the food industry’s main growth driver.
Compexposium/Immeuble Le Wilson70 Avenue de Général de Gaulle, 92058 Paris La Défense Cedex, FranceT: 33 (0) 1 76 77 13 33F: 33 (0) 1 53 30 95 15www.sial.fr
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More exhibitors, more trade and public visitors, and a record number of newly participating countries and regions were welcomed at 2010’s ITE and ITE MICE exhibitions in Hong Kong.
The number of trade and corporate buyers and visitors to this 24th edition of ITE and 5th of ITE MICE, rose 2 percent to 11,464. Pre-registrations for the corporate travel seminars rose by some 35 percent to around 1200, while the Asia Cruise Association’s training seminar was 50 percent over-subscribed.
At the same time, public visitors this year increased by 7 percent to 68,900, with records indicating these visitors stayed longer at the exhibition than in previous years as well.
International exhibitors from 46 countries rose by 2.5 percent to 625: 16 of them from Asia, 13 from Europe, five from the Middle East, and the rest from Africa, the Americas, Oceania and the Pacific. New pavilions were set up by Croatia, Guam, Israel, Jordan, Poland, Slovakia, UK, Armenia, Canada, Chile, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico and Mongolia as well as the cities of Prague and Ho Chi Minh City.
Mainland China’s pavilion was once again the largest at the exhibition with nearly 90 stands while Japan, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong and South Korea continued to expand their exhibition space, a major factor in the rapid growth of ITE & ITE MICE in recent years.
Hong Kong travel shows get even bigger
ITE & ITE MICE 2011
June 9-12, 2011 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition CentreWanchaiHong Kong.
www.itehk.com www.itehkmice.com
Organizers have dubbed this year’s SIAL China show “the year of consolidation” as the decade-old exhibition claims the “largest food and beverage show” crown in Mainland China.
This year 1,339 exhibitors, compared to 1057 last year, from 76 countries and regions - up 26 on 2009 - established pavilions in over 46,000 square metres of space - again an increase of 20 percent over the previous year.
The show welcomed 30,518 visitors, which is up 80 percent including a 14 percent rise in international visitors to pavilions set up by Japan, Korea, Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico, USA, Taiwan, Ireland, Czech Republic, Brazil, Poland, Italy, Spain, France and Portugal as well as 28 mainland Chinese provinces and regions.
Show zones were separated into wines and spirits; beverages; coffee; dairy; sweets and snacks and food ingredients. 22 new products were introduced at the show from 19 companies representing 11 different countries.
This year’s show competitions were fierce with special awards presented to Spain’s Vega Carabana for its special children’s olive oil and Benco (Australia) for its natural fruit and vegetable baby puree range.
Meanwhile, a group of wine buyers, sommeliers, bar tenders and journalists were invited to participate in a blind tasting of ‘Best Buy’ still red and white wines, sparkling, dessert wines and tequila from 8 countries. Winners hailed from France (3) Portugal (1) USA (1) China (1) and Mexico (1). And at the Wine Innovation Forum 300 bottles were tasted over the three exhibition days.
In the increasingly popular Best Asian Young Hope Chef contest 6 cooks from Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Korea, China and Singapore competed for the coveted title, which was awarded to Korean Jong-Hee Park from Restaurant Le Ciel Bleu.
Show leads on innovation and consolidation
SIAL China 2011
May 18 – 20, 2011Shanghai New International Expo CenterShanghaiChina
www.sialchina.com
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Marriott International has announced the appointment of Philip Bryson as newly-created Area Vice President – North China. Bryson has been with Marriott for 16 years, working in Britain, North Africa, India and Hong Kong. Prior to this the Southport Technical College graduate worked for UK hotel companies.
InterContinental Bali Resort has announced the appointment of Marcel Driessen as Executive Chef. The chef started his career at Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe before moving to a range of properties spanning the Middle East, North Africa and the United States. Driessen comes to Bali from an IHG resort in Cairo.
Hotel Equatorial Penang has announced the appointment of William Hurley as General Manager. The United States citizen has a BBA in Hotel & Restaurant Management and specializes in leading businesses through periods of growth. Hurley worked with Sheraton for several decades before becoming a consultant based in Tokyo and Hawaii.
Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa has announced the appointment of Morten Junior as General Manager. The Dane, fluent in German and English, studied medicine and art before joining IHG in 1990. Since then he has progressed through the ranks working in the Middle East and Asia, most recently as GM at a Holiday Inn resort in Indonesia.
The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing has announced the appointment of Andreas Krampl as Executive Chef. The German has over 20 years’ experience in the industry and has received numerous awards in many countries. The enthusiastic Ducati rider likes to explore new recipes in his spare time.
Meritus Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Peter Kirschner as the new General Manager of Shanghai JC Mandarin. The Austrian has worked in southern Africa, UK and China with well-known hospitality groups and has spent the last 17 years in senior management at Malaysian United Industries.
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Marco Polo Hotels has announced the appointment of Lee Weng Wai as General Manager of the Marco Polo Xiamen China. Lee’s 25 years in hospitality have seen him work with Shangri-La in Malaysia and China and with Gloria International in Taiwan. Lee’s last post was with Harbour Plaza Kunming and Chongqing.
Orchard Hotel Singapore has announced the appointment of Winnie Low as Executive Assistant Manager. Low’s 20 years of experience include a previous 8-year stint with Millennium & Copthorne as well as the opening team for the Ritz-Carlton, Singapore. Low has spent the last four years in China with various hotel groups.
Grand Hyatt Erewan Bangkok has announced the promotion of Natthaya Suwannarat to Associate Director of Sales. Thai national Natthaya has 12 years’ experience in hospitality and has been with the property since 2005.
Naladhu, Maldives (a Minor Hotel resort) has announced the appointment of Helga Otto as Resort Manager. Otto has worked her way up from receptionist to senior management through stints at some of Africa’s most prestigious resorts. The keen netball player has experience in marketing, housekeeping and front of house.
Grand Hyatt Erewan Bangkok has announced the promotion of Suranya Phoneprasert to Associate Director of Sales. Thai national Suranya has 10 years’ hospitality experience and has been with the property since 2004, developing the leisure and corporate market.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Todd Wynne-Parry as Vice President, Development – North America. Wynne-Parry has spent 30 years in hospitality with major groups that include IHG, Starwood, Westin and Marriott. He will be tasked with driving the brand in gateway markets.
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