ahct may 2011 web
TRANSCRIPT
asian hotel& Catering times
Published since 1976 Vol 36 May 2011
hong Kong sAR hK$50 china RMb50singapore s$15 Malaysia RM30Thailand bt300Rest of Asia us$10
JAPAN STILL STRUGGLINGHospitality needs a boost
STYLISH SHANGHAINew restaurants making a splash
SUSTAINABLE (CR)EDIBILITYMorally palatable seafood
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 Printing Ltd. 1/F, Tin Fung Industial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong.
All rights reserved (c) 2011Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd
Welcome to the May issue of Asia’s favourite hospitality read!
The question I’m asking this month is why the nuclear problems in Fukushima, as severe and real a problem as they are, are leading to newspaper headlines such as the South China Morning Post’s “Restaurant closures threaten HK retailers”. The line comes over a story explaining that Japanese restaurant owners in Hong Kong might have to ask landlords for rent cuts because their turnover has been hit by anywhere between 20-80 percent.
In my opinion restaurant owners have
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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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UNITED KINGDOMThe Powers Turner GroupGordon House, Greencoat PlaceLondon SW1P 1PH, United KingdomTel: +44 (0) 20 7592 8300 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7592 8301Contact: Mr Chris Morgan
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ITALYEdiconsult Internazionale s.r.l.Piazza Fontane Marose, 3-16123 GenovaTel: +39 010 583684 Fax: +39 010 566578Email: [email protected]: Mr Vittorio Negrone
JAPANEcho Japan CorporationGrande Maison Rm 303, 2-2 Kudan-kita 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0073Tel: +81 3 3234 2064 Fax: +81 3 3263 5065Email: [email protected]: Mr Ted Asoshina
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lost control of the message. When it became clear that a small amount of food items from one area of Japan (total coastline 29,751 kilometres) had been contaminated, the restaurant owners responded by saying in effect “Well, most of our food doesn’t come from Japan anyway.”
This response does not display much confidence in the public’s ability to understand the issues. A more honest response would be to point out that Japanese seafood comes from a large country composed of many islands and that there are highly effective systems in place to find irradiated food and
MANAGING EDIToRMischa Moselle
DESIGN BYKoon Ming Tang
CoNTRIBUToRSHelen Dalley
Andrew DembinaZara HornerLyndy Lim
Ruth WilliamsVicki Williams
ASSoCIATE PUBLISHERSharon Knowler
ADvERTISING SALES MANAGERClaire Sancelot
CIRCULATIoN ExECUTIvEBecky Chau
CHAIRMANJS Uberoi
DIRECToRGaurav Kumar
endoRseMenTs
make sure it doesn’t reach the market. The Japanese fishing fleet is also famous for the extent of its reach, trawling many thousands of kilometers away from any possible source of irradiated fish.
Ironically restaurant owners appear to have a misplaced confidence that consumers will return soon. But will they, now they have it from the horse’s mouth that many of those claims to have fish flown fresh in from Tsukiji market are a bit dubious?
E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E
May 2011 AHCT 3
EQUIPMENT 44 What’s on the minibar market?
48 Bathrobes join the textile revolution
MARKET REPoRT16 The impact of the quake-tsunami
becomes clearer
TECHNoLoGY20 The hotel software checklist
NEWS CULINARY28 50 top restaurants; Chocolate
contests; Quick bites
INDUSTRY6 Open sesame; Galaxy Macau; Green award
PRoDUCT40 Eight new items you need
MANAGEMENT12 The pro’s and con’s of
outsourcing housekeeping
cover photography courtesy of Aquaculture new Zealand
40
Slicing it fine
16 Tokyo storySizzlin’ Shanghai
UpandComing...June• investment opportunities• Market Report: india• Pos• design: hotel• condiments• flavourings/syrups• buffets; gym
July• integrated Resorts• Market Report: china second tier city • cloud computing• Presidential suite• cheese• fruit juice• in-room amenities; Knives; spa amenities
V o l u m e 3 6 M a y 2 0 1 1
Advert isers’ index
AdA 25 Alpha international 58 Anuga 29 bartech 45 bellaitalia srl 47 boncafe 26 & 27 global search international 9 hK international Tea fair 31 hosfAiR 43 hyperlux ibc ihif 53 italian Trade commission ifc italian Trade commission obc italian Trade commission 11 M.schaerer 37 oceanethix 35 Pevonia 14 & 15 Routin 7 safemark systems 19 solar Max 39 Zieher 33
EvENTS AND ExHIBITIoNS50 Events calendar
52 Food Hotel Indonesia reviewed
54 Horeca 2011 reviewed
56 HOFEX 2011 previewed
57 International Hotel Investment Forum previewed
APPoINTMENTS58 See who is moving where
DESIGN22 Eye-opening design in Shanghai
FooD32 Sustainable seafood from
around the world
DRINK36 Diversity is the key to a well-
stocked bar
22
4 AHCT May 2011 May 2011 AHCT 5
Charity bashMarco Veringa, stalwart of the Hong Kong Chef’s Association, is raising funds for the WIMLER Foundation with a charity Texas BBQ on May 6th.
The foundation is a charity that seeks donations to fund schooling for the underprivileged in the Philippines.
The BBQ is at the United Services Recreation Club and just HK$500 covers a grill, buffet and open bar.
For more information and reservations call 5191 0902 or email [email protected]
Galaxy Entertainment scores record profitGalaxy Entertainment Group reported 10 consecutive quarters of earnings growth with first quarter earnings of HK$5.72 billion (US$736 million).
The earnings are based on a growth in VIP gaming and 97 percent occupancy at StarWorld, the group’s flagship Macau property. Year-on-year growth was 71 percent with ebitda earnings of HK$712 million.
The figures were announced in late April, ahead of the mid-May opening of the three-hotel Galaxy Resort on Macau’s Cotai Strip.
The resort will hold more than 2,200 rooms, gaming facilities and over 50 restaurants.
Occupying one tower and standalone villas, the Banyan Tree Macau will be the company’s first property in Macau and Macau’s first urban resort featuring private indoor relaxation pools in all suites.
General Manager Rudy Oretti told AHCT that the resort aimed to source guests from mainland China, Hong Kong and other Asian markets, as mainland Chinese already formed the majority of guests at other Banyan Tree resorts. Oretti added that the resort aimed for an average two-three night stay, despite the average length of stay in Macau being 1.53 nights, according to government statistics.
“One of the main attractions is the space – entry-level villas are 100-square-metres while the two-bedroom villas are 950-square-metres. They are perfect for getaways and offer romance and intimacy,” says Oretti.
The gaming and other leisure facilities of Macau remain close by for those interested.
As a Banyan Tree resort, the property also offers 21 treatment rooms offering signature Thai and Asian blend massages and a 3,400-square-metre spa is set to open later this summer.
Assistant Spa Manager Anchanna Kaewpradith told AHCT that the Banyan Tree’s signature therapies all start with a foot bath in traditional Thai style. Therapists will be from Thailand, China and Macau and all will have trained at a Banyan Tree academy.
Plans are afoot to offer spa cuisine.Other lures for guests are 2,000-square-metres of meeting
and function space, signing rights and access to all areas of all three properties in the Galaxy Resort and its restaurants and the hotel’s own F&B offer – including signature Belon Oyster Bar and Grill.
Recognition for Kaba SaflokKaba Saflok’s Quantum RFID locks are not only in place in iconic hotels such as the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong and the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai.
They have also been recognised by the readers of niche publication Hospitality Architecture + Design Magazine (HA+D) with an award for handles and locks that showed “compelling, attractive design and seamless functionality.”
The coveted Readers’ Choice Award for Product Innovation in Door Handles and Locks was presented to Desmond Loh, Director of Business Development, Kaba Hospitality Systems, Asia.
Loh noted that the company’s locks are rooted in a history of innovation and a forward-looking commitment to leveraging emerging locking trends.
HA+D Publisher Tony Smyth said, “The HA+D awards celebrate best practices in design, build and fit-out as well as products and materials.”
Luxurylivingareas
Theaward-winninglock
SpaciousvillaswithrelaxationpoolsarepartoftheBanyanTreeMacau’soffer
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New Delhi homeGlobal hotel group for independent hotels, Worldhotels, is opening its first India office, located in Delhi NCR (National Capital Region). Hospitality industry veteran Naresh Chandnani has been appointed Regional Director Hotel Development India Subcontinent and Maldives to establish the dedicated division.
The new office has been established to support the growth of Worldhotels India, with a portfolio of nine hotels so far. Indian affiliates to the network to date are Asiana Hotel in Chennai, The Claridges in New Delhi and Surajkund, Asiana Hotel Chennai, Pride Park Premier in Gurgaon, The Sahara Star in Mumbai, Aamby Valley in Pune, Matthan Hotel in Bangalore and new Svenska Hotels in Mumbai Juhu and Bangalore Electronic City.
Worldhotels has also recently partnered with hotel consultants HVS. HVS will support Worldhotels’ fast-growing network of hotels on the sub-continent with asset management and advisory services, for both existing and future hotels in the Worldhotels portfolio.
Pre-opening support will be available for new independent hotels under construction. HVS will also provide operational reviews and audits as well as strategic advice on budgeting and capital planning.
Rapid expansionStarwood Hotels & Resorts has announced it will open seven new hotels in India by the end of this year. This will lengthen its lead as the largest international operator of 4- and 5-star hotels in India, with a total portfolio of 37 hotels. Key openings include Le Méridien Coimbatore and Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway adjacent to the WorldTradeCenter.
Starwood expects to operate 50 hotels in India by the end of next year and have 100 hotels under operation, development or management contracts signed by 2015. The group also announced the signing of the first W in India – W Mumbai. India is Starwood’s fourth largest market and with the debut of W Hotels, seven of its nine brands will be present in India.
Under a management contract with Jaguar Buildcon Private, the W will be developed on approximately three acres of land and is expected to open by 2015. Overlooking the Mahalaxmi racecourse, the hotel will form a part of the NamasteTower,
Worldhotel’sMatthanBangaloremember
StarwoodisexpandingaggressivelyinIndia
an iconic 55-storey mixed-use building designed by WS Atkins to look like clasped hands. The hotel will house more than 350 rooms including two WOW Suites and one Extreme WOW Suite.
Starwood is also investing in India’s infrastructure with the opening of its first Customer Contact Centre in India, which will provide 24-hour support, 365 days a year to its Indian customers.
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China Hilton has launched a plan to diversify its brand portfolio in China, building on its 24-year presence in the market.
Last year, Hilton Worldwide introduced China to two of its luxury brands in Waldorf Astoria and Conrad. Hilton also gave guests an opportunity to try its two full service brands Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Doubletree by Hilton.
In 2012, the company will be opening the first of its focus service brands, Hilton Garden Inn in Shaoxing.
The end of March saw the soft opening of the Jumeirah Group’s first hotel in Asia Pacific. The Dubai-headquartered hotel company’s 5-star Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai is “a masterpiece of modern luxury infused with Chinese soul and Feng Shui elements.”
More prosaically, the property features 401 guestrooms and suites, four restaurants and lounges, a gym and swimming pool. MICE facilities include two grand ballrooms and 5,000-square-metre rooftop infinity garden.
The property is in the landmark Himalayas Center owned by Zendai Group and also includes a theatre, museum and luxury brand mall.
Accor brand Pullman is venturing into China’s southwestern Yunnan province with the opening of the Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa.
The 79-villa, 51-room property is Pullman’s fourth in the country and is inspired by Naxi architecture – the local ethnic minority.
Manzhouli, on China’s border with Russia in Inner Mongolia, is home to many ethnic minorities and a city that is as influenced by Russian and Mongolian cultures as much as it is Chinese. It also now home to the 235-room Shangri-LaHotel, Manzhouli.
The new property houses the trading city’s largest portfolio of hotel meeting and banqueting facilities, as well as its largest health club and three restaurants and a lounge.
IndiaStarwood are not the only players in the India market (see p7 for more on their expansion).
Openings across Asia
Accor has recently announced its brand expansion plans for the country – taking its total number of properties from nine in operation today to 62, with 21 open by the end of 2012.
This year Accor is to debut its Sofitel, Pullman and Formule 1 brands, meaning the company will have six brands in operation by the end of 2011. Accor’s aim is to cover every sector from luxury to budget.
Sofitel will debut in Mumbai with the opening of the Sofitel Mumbai BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex) in the third quarter of 2011. The 302-guestroom luxury property will also house four restaurants, eight meeting rooms and extensive leisure facilities including So Spa.
A further Sofitel is scheduled to open in the Mulund area in 2015.
Pullman will debut in the same quarter with the opening of the Pullman Gurgaon – a 248-room upscale hotel with extensive MICE and leisure facilities.
Three additional Pullman properties are committed in India, including one in Delhi International Airport.
Two Formule I budget hotels are set to open by the end of 2011 and a total of 10 sites for the brand have been secured in India to date.
HiltonWorldwide has also announced properties in India. The company plans to expand from four to 14 trading hotels in India in the next two years.
The company is to manage two new properties in New
Delhi’s Mayur Vihar business district on behalf of Eros Hotels & Resorts.
Hilton New Delhi Mayur Vihar and Double Tree by Hilton New Delhi Mayur Vihar will be housed in the conversion of an existing twin-tower complex. The Hilton will offer 173 guest rooms and three F&B outlets, while the Doubletree will offer 196 guest rooms and a business centre, among other facilities.
SingaporeMövenpickHotels&Resorts, the Swiss origin company that operates in the upscale segment, is debuting in Singapore with the opening of the Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa.
The grand launch is earmarked for the end of the year. With interiors by Super Potato, the 5-star hotel overlooks
the South China Sea and the Merlion Park and depicts both colonial history and contemporary flair. A Heritage wing has a design motif dating back to the 1940s and the Contemporary wing – which will be the first to open – is claimed to provide “an upscale experience to discerning travellers.”
The modern wing contains 105 Deluxe rooms, 19 Onsen suites, three Executive Suites and two Penthouse suites.
The hotel will attempt to leverage Singapore’s premier standing as a year-round conference venue and has a column-free Grand Ballroom as part of its MICE facilities.
The hotel, owned by Cairnhill Group Holdings, will add 61 rooms in the Heritage wing to its inventory by the end of 2011.
The property is close to Integrated Resort Resorts World Sentosa and is close to the Sentosa Express.
MalaysiaStarwoodHotels is partnering with Dijaya Corporation Berhad
to develop a W Kuala Lumpur in the city’s Golden Triangle.The 150-room hotel is to be located on Jalan Ampang,
opposite the Petronas Twin Towers and close to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur.
Dijaya aims to differentiate itself in the market through a commitment to sustainability and will work towards a Green Building Index.
MaldivesHyatt Hotels Corporation is launching in the Maldives with its ParkHyatt brand.
Hyatt has entered into an agreement with Driftwood Maldives Private to manage Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
Island. The property offers 50 luxurious
villas with private decks and living areas, designed by Singaporean firm SCDA Architects.
“The Maldives draws 94 percent of its travelers from Europe and Asia, regions where the Park Hyatt brand has a significant presence and is well known,” said Stephen G. Haggerty, global head of real estate and development for Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
JumeirahaddstoitsinventorywiththeannouncementofaShanghaiproperty
ContemporaryluxuryattheMövenpickHeritageHotelSentosa
HyatthitstheMaldives
TheShangri-LaHotelManzhouli
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The biennale food and beverage exhibition HOFEX 2011 will be a showcase for 78 Italian
manufacturers and exporters and their delicious wares.From 11-14 May, 2011 the Italian delegation will show off the best of the country’s gastronomy and it’s famed produce – wine, coffee, cheese, olive oil, ham and pasta – in Hall 3C of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.Fantastic products make Italy one of the largest suppliers of food and beverage products to Hong Kong and in 2010, the country’s wine exports rose 45.5 percent to US$17.5 million while olive oil exports grew by 23.1 percent to US$3.7 million and pasta was up 1.3 percent to US$7.7 million. Cheese, vinegar, ham and confectionary also recorded a positive growth.Statistics aside, the easiest way to appreciate the true beauty of Italian gastronomy is by experiencing it and the Italian Trade Commission and
The Italian Trade Commission invites top producers to Hong Kong
Italy’s extraordinary gastronomy
Experience
Unioncamere, an organization representing Italian Chambers of Commerce, will be hosting a cooking demonstration and wine tasting.
Italian Gastronomy Cooking demonstrationExecutive Chef Paolo Monti of Gaia restaurant will be revealing the delicious secrets of Italian gastronomy with fresh ingredients from our exhibitors and his creative cooking techniques.
Date: 11 May, WednesdayTime: 12pm – 2 pmVenue: F&B Arena, Hall 3G, HKCEC
Prime Italian WineTasting SeminarProfessional Sommelier Mr. Massimo Castellani will lead a tutored tasting of nine Italian wines that gives participants a grounding in the best categories – D.O.C.G (the highest class), D.O.C. and I.G.T.
Date: 12 May, ThursdayTime: 11am – 12:30pmVenue: Wine Square, Hall 1E, HKCECSeating limited so please register early with the Italian Trade Commission.
As Mr. Romano Baruzzi, the Italian Trade Commissioner explains, “Food and wine are iconic Italian products that also represent our famous dolce vita lifestyle. The strength of these products lies not just in their long history and culture but in the persistent endeavours of Italian manufacturers to maintain high standards through innovation and research.”
Italian Pavilion at HOFEXDate: 11 - 14 May 2011Venue: Hall 3C, HKCECInformation Centre: 3C-020, Hall 3CEnquiry: 2846 6528
CompanyName Products BoothNumberWebsite1. Alimentaria Molisana Srl Cheese, mainly mozzarella 3C-507 www.alimentariamolisana.com2. Associazione “Made In Piedmont” Wine 3C-501 – 3. Azienda Agricola di Micco Pasqua Extra virgin olive oil, spices and pickles 3C-511 www.oliodimicco.it4. Basso Fedele & Figli Srl Olive oils and seeds 3C-525 www.oliobasso.com5. Benincasa Srl Canned tomatoes and beans 3C-519 www.benincasa.it6. Caffe Monforte Coffee 3C-606 www.caffemonforte.com7. Camardo Spa - Coffee Roaster Roasted coffee beans, ground coffee, coffee pods 3C-600 www.caffecamardo.com8. Cantina del Vermentino Wine 3C-523 www.vermentinomonti.it9. Cantina Santa Maria La Palma Wine 3C-602 www.santamarialapalma.it10. Cons. Export Extra virgin olive oil, pasta, 3C-624 – truffle products, condiments 11. Consorzio Historia Antiqua Wine, oil, grappa 3C-509 www.historiaantiqua.it12. Donnachiara Srl Wine 3C-614 www.donnachiara.it13. Europomella Spa Frozen dairy products 3C-622 www.europomella.it14. Fonteitalia Srl Mineral water 3C-620 www.acquafilette.it15. Futuragri Spa Canned tomatoes, olive oil and wine 3C-604 www.futuragrispa.com16. Ghiott Dolciaria Pastry and snacks 3C-515 www.ghiott.com17. Inaudi Clemente & C. Srl Dried mushrooms in oil, truffles, creams, sauces 3C-521 www.inaudi.com18. Mokaflor Torrefazione Srl Coffee and flavoured coffee 3C-517 www.mokaflor.it19. Mr. Kanny - Cannillo Srl Cereal 3C-610 www.mrkanny.it20. Organizzazione Produttori Olivicoli Brindisini Extra virgin olive oil 3C-505 www.olibri.it21. Polselli Spa Special Flour for Pizza 3C-616 www.polselli.it22. Sud Italia Alimentari Srl Extra virgin olive oil, olives, patè, sauces, taralli biscuits 3C-612 www.oliosuditalia.it23. Tenuta Cavalier Pepe Wine and oil 3C-608 www.tenutacavalierpepe.it24. Tenute Soletta Wine 3C-513 www.tenutesoletta.it25. Ugo Chiola – Azienda Agricola Monforte ss Wine 3C-618 www.ugochiola.com
Italian gastronomy on display under the Italian Trade Commission and Unioncamere’s Area
Mr.RomanoBaruzzi,theItalianTradeCommissioner,invitesvisitorstosamplethedelightsofItaliangastronomy
Carlson unveils China propertiesHubert Joly, President and CEO of Carlson has announced four new China properties. The management agreements take the company’s portfolio to 25 hotels in China, including 10 in operation and 15 under development.
The four properties are two Radisson Blus and two Park Plazas. The 300-room Radisson Blu Resort Baoting is Carlson’s third hotel in Hainan and is owned by Beijing Chun Guang Investment Group. Close to national parks and a golf course, the property is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2013.
The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hangzhou Xiaoshan is a 230-room hotel owned by Zhejiang Wanxiang Real Estate Company. Set to open in the first quarter of 2015 in the new district of Xiaoshan, the hotel will boast a Chinese and a speciality restaurant, a ballroom and 10 meeting rooms.
Owned by Ordos Yixing Group, the US$60 million, 250-room hotel (10 suites and 240 rooms) in Dongshen is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2014 and will place a strong emphasis on F&B.
In a second agreement with Shenyang New Times Hotels Company, Carlson will manage the 362-room Park Plaza Shenyang Hunnan, located near the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Shenyang Hunnan. The total value of investment in the two properties is US$120 million.
The Park Plaza is part of a mixed-use development that also includes a cinema and gaming centre.
“We see strong growth potential in China. Today’s four hotel signings are well aligned with Carlson’s Ambition 2015 plan to have more than 1,500 hotels in operation globally by 2015,” said Joly.
Green award for Novotel Novotel Citygate Hong Kong, near the city’s international airport, has received an award for environmental excellence.
The award was the Bronze in the 2010 Hong Kong Awards for environmental Excellence – Hotels and Restaurants. The hotel also gained Green Globe silver status in 2010 for the second year running and was nominated as highest-ranking 4-star property in Hong Kong in the 2011 Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards.
The Bronze award recognized the hotel’s green initiatives in recycling 24,500 glass bottles into 16,300 eco-glass paving blocks; decreasing energy consumption per guest by seven percent; reducing waste to landfill and replacing light bulbs to save energy.
The hotel plans to place recycling bins in guestrooms, organize seminars for the local community and recycle food waste into dried animal food.
Planet Hollywood hotel comes to China In 2010, Wyndham Hotel Group signed an exclusive deal with Planet Hollywood to franchise Planet Hollywood Hotels around the world.
The fruit of that deal was made apparent mid-April when Wyndham announced the first three Planet Hollywood Hotels – one in Panama, one
in Qatar and one in Boao, China. The Boao property will be part of an upscale resort on Hainan Island and contains 350 rooms.
The resort will contain a mix of hotel, retail and entertainment venues and facilities will include three restaurants, bar, indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, spa and more than 3,600 square metres of meeting space.
“When we entered into the agreement to franchise and manage the Planet Hollywood Hotels brand just a few short months ago, we pledged to bring this dynamic, entertainment-based offering to key business and leisure destinations around the world,” said Eric Danziger, Wyndham Hotel Group President and Chief Executive Officer. “To have three properties in the development pipeline so quickly is an incredible testament to the power of the Planet Hollywood brand as well as Wyndham Hotel Group’s ability to develop hotels and grow brands globally.”
TheUS$60millionParkPlazaOrdos
TheBronzeaward
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s p o n s o r E d F E a t u r E
Already common in the United States and Australia, is there a market for outsourced housekeeping in Asia? Ruth Williams reports
Outsourcing housekeeping can keep costs predictable if not lower and make sure labour is there when it’s needed but some hotels have concerns over maintaining standards.
Like many hotels in Asia the Kowloon Shangri-La in Hong Kong only outsources a few housekeeping tasks. The hotel has 200 staff on its housekeeping team.
Patsy Chan, Director of Communications at the 30-year-old hotel explains that the property only turns to contractors for tasks that require specialist skills, expertise and special equipment — such as window gondolas and industrial polishing machines —items that need professional maintenance, require large storage space or are only used on an ad hoc basis. “It makes better business sense to hire their services for better quality and cost efficiency, “ says Chan.
Housekeeping management consultant Liz Lycette says this approach is still the most common in Asia, but outsourcing housekeeping is becoming an increasingly common practice in a few cities in Asia. She notes that in Singapore where hotels have difficulty recruiting housekeeping staff there is a definite trend for hotels to turn to outside companies for additional workers during certain times of the year or for specific shifts.
Similarly in Dubai and elsewhere in the Middle East outsourcing housekeeping staff is far more common and hotels have been known to outsource the whole housekeeping team — including the executive housekeeper — to outside agencies.
Mission creepLycette & Associates works with hotels using their own staff and hotels that are outsourcing. Lycette says that it’s more typical for hotels to use a contractor for “top-up staff” at peak times, but stresses that which ever model a hotel opts for the outsourced housekeeping staff or team should be part of the hotel team.
“It’s still the same process – the hotel needs to state what needs to be done, when and how often it needs to be done and to what standard. It’s still a question of quality control and designing the right processes.”
A native of New Zealand, Lycette is a graduate of Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne, Switzerland. She started her career in the hospitality industry in 1981 as Executive Housekeeper at the Mandarin Oriental, Macau. After a distinguished career with leading hotels including Hilton, Le Meridien, The Regent and Harbour Plaza Lycette founded Lycette & Associates 12 years ago.
The company works with hotels throughout Asia Pacific offering consultancy services and personalised training programmes to assist housekeeping personnel to improve the operations of their department. AHCT caught up with Lycette following training sessions at a new 5-star hotel in Hyderabad.
Beyond outsourcing specialist cleaning tasks Lycette says it’s not unusual for hotels to use a third-party company to do their nighttime cleaning, and once companies have established a good relationship with a cleaning company the next step is offering contract room attendant services.
Hotels that often experience roller coaster dips and surges in occupancy can find it useful to work with an outside company, rather than rely on casual staff or put strains on their core team.
“It’s not actually a direct cost-saving but it does enable better cost controls. It avoids hotels having to rely on casual labour which requires greater supervision by management on an individual basis, and it avoids relying on staff to work overtime – which is more expensive and inevitably leads to illness and fatigue among core
Inside outsourcing
team members,” says Lycette.“Agencies are great for this kind of surge in occupancy,” says
Lycette. “They allow hotels to have a core staff and then ‘top-up’ when needed.”
Maintaining brand valuesShe says security concerns can be easily addressed by conducting thorough due diligence and says good management and quality systems are essential if hoteliers and housekeeping executives considering outsourcing
“A system for checking rooms and give them a score and basing payment on achieving a certain score will ensure that brand standards are met,” she adds.
Eric Kurbanov, Vice President and a co-founder of Toss, Inc a company specialising in outsource housekeeping on the East Coast of the United States. He says that outsource housekeeping as it is called Stateside is well established in the American market and has been gaining more and more attention since the financial crisis.
“Hotel operators are forced to become more focused on sales and customer service to stay ahead of competition and not worry about staffing, training and managing their housekeeping department,” says Kurbanov.
Toss Inc works mainly with small to mid-range hotels with 50-300 rooms and has a client list that includes Hotel Indigo-branded properties. “Hotels that partner with us streamline their housekeeping cost, enjoy guaranteed cleanliness and focus on growing their customer base.”
Toss Inc says that outsourcing saves hotels money and allows management to focus on core competencies. “It’s not where GM’s need to spend most of their time and effort. Since you are billed per occupied room, you get exactly what you pay for. It’s in our best interest to do quality work fast.”
TheKowloonShangri-Laonlyoutsourcesspecialistjobs
LizLycetteofLycette&Associates
Onebenefitofoutsourcingisthatthehotel’sownstaffarenotoverworked
Windowcleaningisanidealcandidateforoutsourcing
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The world watched in stunned awe as the overwhelming power of nature obliterated entire towns in northeastern Japan on March 11th this year.
The earthquake, whose aftershocks are on-going, and the subsequent 12-metre tsunami, which tragically took the lives of an estimated 25,000 people leaving hundreds of thousands homeless, was the fifth biggest recorded earthquake since 1900, and the biggest in Japan’s history.
The Japanese Government estimates the cost of the tragedy to be around 25 trillion Yen (US$309 billion), nearly four times the impact of Hurricane Katrina in the United States, with gross domestic product pushed down by as much as 2.75 trillion Yen for the fiscal year starting April 1st, crippling corporate earnings.
Hospitality responseWhile expressing “deep sadness” about what happened on March 11th, as well as concern about the well-documented radiation leaks from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts were glad to report no injuries to guests or clients and that, “all eight hotels are operation-normal”.
Daniella Wu, Director of Corporate Communications Asia Pacific, also notes that during the disaster, “People in general didn’t panic and remained calm and orderly.” Business in Tokyo is “back to normal” Wu says, though, “There were some cancellations for the cherry blossom season, however, our hotels received many inquiries for the Golden Week holiday.”
Other hotel operators note that international business is “very
How is the hospitality industry in Japan dealing with the after-effects of the
devastating earthquake, tsunami and radiation leaks? Zara Horner finds out
JAPAN’S LONG-TERM PROSPECTS
LifeinTokyoisreturningtonormalafterthedisruptionscausedbytheMarchquake-tsunami(filephoto)
slow” but that local traffic is being maintained. “Occupancy levels have dropped in the northern zone, to below the normal average,” Clarence Tan, Chief Executive Officer IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, says. “Due to the effect of relocation and contingency plans for most companies, we are also seeing for the short-term strong occupancy in areas such as Osaka, Fukuoka and Kobe. These are mainly domestic guests,” he adds. The group runs 33 hotels across the country, none of which sustained any damage as a result of the earthquake or tsunami and all are operational.
The growing uncertainty surrounding daily developments at the damaged nuclear power plant, and the effects on food contamination and safety are also having an impact. “Advisories on non-essential travel to Japan are still in place,” Tan notes, which are obviously affecting trade, plus, “Expatriate communities heeded embassy advisories and left Japan [though many have subsequently
returned]. Most MNCs have executed their business continuity plans and are either operating outside Tokyo or have temporarily relocated to other Asian offices, while major airlines are also cutting back routes to Japan.”
Hong Kong seems to have been the destination of choice for Japan-based executives wishing to work uninterruptedly.
However, Tan notes that the “reinstated infrastructure in many parts of Japan and the continued monitoring of the situation in Fukushima” means a number of embassies have issued more specific guidelines in relation to their travel advisories. “The United States government has, for example, identified prefectures affected by their non-essential travel advisory and those that are not. Other international travel advisories generally affect Tokyo, areas surrounding Tokyo and the Honshu area north of Tokyo.
“On the whole, the country isn’t ‘shut down’ — it’s coping with this unprecedented crisis with dignity and efficiency, and as an international business with deep roots in Japan, we are committed to helping with the recovery efforts to the best of our ability.”
Like many others, Tan believes the dire situation at the Fukushima nuclear power plant is creating the biggest problems and “needs to be resolved”. Until and unless that happens, travel and tourism will not recover, he says.
Easter is a traditionally busy time in the Japan tourism market. Like his Hyatt colleagues, Tan notes bookings for Golden Week, which ran at the end of April, were looking better than expected but were mainly domestic. “In spite of the dip in occupancy, we are committed to staying open. We have activated crisis response and
ensured contingency plans are in place at all levels according to our risk management procedures, but where possible we have kept the hotels running as normally as possible.”
Tan says it’s still too early to assess the full impact of the March events and that the group has been “focused” on the welfare of guests and employees.
“Other than the obvious impact we’re seeing in terms of cancellations and low occupancy levels, we think it will be a while before we see the return of large-scale events such as weddings, conferences and incentive trips as the country rebuilds itself — both from an emotional and physical perspective.
“We need our neighbours and everyone to understand and believe that Japan is safe and things are well under control once the Fukushima issue is put to bed.
“We remain cautiously optimistic. The appeal of Japan as a travel destination is not likely to waiver. In fact, the support for the nation is overwhelming. I believe the tourism sector has the right platform to instill consumer confidence and we should work together as a community in the recovery-building phase following this truly unfortunate situation.”
Visitor reaction“We had always planned and dreamed about going to the snowfields of Japan,” says Trish Tracey, Hong Kong resident and mother of three. “We had heard wonderful things about the snow, so for Christmas 2010, we decided on Niseko.” The teacher was pleasantly surprised at the “reasonably good price” of the holiday and says the
VisitorsarenotdeterredfromreturningtoJapaninthelongterm
AirIndiaisnotalteringitsJapanscheduleCathayPacifichasmodifieditsJapanschedule
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family had a “wonderful” time. “It snowed from the moment we landed, and did not stop, the food was superb, great for adults and kids, the accommodation was blissful. The kids were skiing for two days. The natural beauty of the place cannot be denied.”
Of course now the question is if she has been put off returning. Tracey is emphatic: “No,” she replies. “I would be happy to spend my money in any country that needs it.”
Michael Baker, a builder and father of three from Brisbane, Australia also took his family to Japan at Christmas for the first time. Having been “extremely disappointed” in the ski facilities in his own country, Baker had high hopes for his Japan experience. “Japan offered an opportunity to expose the kids to a foreign culture in a safe environment. As they were studying Japanese, we also thought it was a good opportunity to test their language skills. The holiday far exceeded our expectations and as soon as we returned to Brisbane, just as the floods began to recede, we were already planning a return journey.
“We had been telling everyone how good it was and two families
booked almost the same trip for this Christmas. They are a little nervous following the earthquake and tsunami but at this stage they are still proceeding with the holiday plans.”
In fact, Baker enthuses that the destination was “hard to fault”. He notes people were “friendly and helpful”; the food “fantastic”; accommodation “excellent”; and shopping quality “very good”. Encouragingly, he also found Japan “a lot less expensive than we had been led to believe”.
If the situation had been different, Baker says he “absolutely” would have returned to Japan. “We almost bought tickets to return to Tokyo earlier this year when JetStar had a 2-for-1 sale to Tokyo/Osaka for AUS$425.” But, he says now, “It will certainly be quite some time before we consider returning. Time will heal and I am sure we will consider returning sooner rather than later. After the bombings in Bali, I vowed I would never return, however, we are contemplating a holiday there this year. I do not want to have the family in a foreign land that could be exposed to these types of events and so will wait for things to settle before considering a holiday to [Japan].”
“BA is doing everything we can at the moment” Koji Miyazki
IHGANA’sCrownePlazainFukuoka–experiencingstrongoccupancy
TheIHGANAGateTowerHotelinOsaka
TheHyattRegencyOsaka–thechain’spropertieswereunaffectedbytheimmediateaftermathofthenaturaldisaster
The airlines And airlines are feeling the effects of this thinking. “Load factor is quite bad on our flights,” says Koji Miyazaki, British Airways’ Country Manager, continuing, “Forward booking is not looking great, either. The majority of airlines are considering cancelling and reducing frequency of flights.
“BA has no intention of cancelling flights at the moment,” Miyazaki assures. “Both BA006 and BA008 ex Japan are operating via ICN Seoul, however, we will resume direct services as soon as the situation stabilises.”
The airline is “doing everything we can at the moment” to alleviate the situation and to recover. “A tactical marketing campaign was quickly launched which offers attractive pricing schedules and IAG CEO, Willie Walsh, visited Japan at the end of March, which gave a lot of confidence and encouragement to the market,” Miyazaki says.
Statistically, tourism in Japan is driven mainly by the domestic market, and BA is keen to play a part in getting this market segment going again. “We are making progress with One World partner, Japan Airlines, to cover this particular segment to expand code-share-flight, joint marketing and so on,” Miyazaki points out.
Other airlines are not being quite so optimistic. “There has never been a time when the world faced so many natural disasters, all of which have come at a significant financial cost to the Qantas Group,” Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce has said. The airline’s domestic capacity growth will be cut from 14 per cent to eight per cent, with international capacity growth cut from 10 per cent to seven per cent as Qantas and its budget arm, Jetstar, partly blame the Japan earthquake and radiation leaks for the need to cut flights, and jobs.
At press time, aircraft on the Sydney to Narita leg have been downsized from Boeing 747s to Airbus 330s; Perth to Narita flights are “suspended” from May 8th; Jetstar’s four-a-week flights are suspended until the end of August and up to four weekly flights cut indefinitely.
Cathay Pacific executives say weak demand is predicted to continue for “several months” and the airline has “trimmed” its flights. Three of its seven daily Hong Kong to Tokyo flights have been cut; all flights from Osaka have been halted with the Nagoya schedule “cut to double daily”.
Singapore Airlines and China Airlines have both “curtailed capacity to Tokyo” as contamination fears, shortages and on-going after-shocks — some as severe as the quake that rocked Christchurch, New Zealand — continue.
Both Korea Air and Air India are operating their Japan schedules as normal, and say demand is high.
Meanwhile, how the Japanese people have responded to the natural and nuclear disasters has been a source of inspiration felt throughout the world. “It’s been absolutely humbling to see the manner with which the people of Japan and our staff have reacted to this crisis,” Tan says. “The team truly embodies the Japanese ‘can do’ spirit. [The day after the quake struck] We offered all employees the option of staying home, 98 per cent turned up for work — a very touching show of team spirit and dedication to customer service.”
For their part, Hyatt hotels are taking initiatives to raise relief funds, which will be forwarded to the Japan Red Cross while Hyatt gold passport members can use their points to make a donation to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in support of relief efforts.
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Hotel software is now an important strategic tool for all members of the hospitality industry, enabling them to complete tasks more quickly and easily than ever before, from keeping an eye on reservations and stocktaking to observing
how guests interact with the property. The new software also gives sales teams a boost by enabling them to access to accurate customer data when selling rooms and gain a wide-ranging picture of guest behaviour.
Asked what are some of the most popular programmes supplied to hotels, Howard Tse, Regional Director of Business Development, Enterprise Systems, Asia Pacific for Micros-Fidelio – who counts Anantara and Aman among their clients – says, “Micros is developing software to automate both room and F&B operations. Opera Enterprise Solution is a fully integrated suite of products that can be easily deployed from a single-property to global multi-branded hotel chain environments. Opera modules include property management, sales and catering, inventory and purchasing, central reservation system, centralized customer information system, internet booking engine, sales force automation, business intelligence, revenue management and GDS distribution. Micros Res and 9,700 Point-of-Sale systems provide complete restaurant management solutions, fully integrated to the Opera suite of products.”
Software as a Service Asked to identify discernible trends in hospitality software, Tse notes, “Hotel chains are moving towards centralization, as this enables them to manipulate and share their business data from both a global and regional perspective. This is extremely important when creating and managing a loyalty programme: imagine the up-selling opportunities by having a consolidated customer profile, rate management and availability. Another trend is mobilization:
which enables tens of thousands of hotels worldwide to seamlessly connect to thousands of online travel sites using an easy-to-manage and cost-effective single interface. As the single largest processor of electronic hotel transactions, Pegasus helps hotels avoid multiple complicated and potentially expensive direct connects to sell to consumers and travel agents anywhere in the world. Processing as many as five billion transactions on a monthly basis, Pegasus uses raw data processed through the switch to produce a comprehensive monthly industry report about global booking trends called “The Pegasus View.” The group’s other solutions include NetBooker, an internet booking engine that enables hotels to offer one click to rates, and RezView, a central reservations system used by more than 25 major groups and chains. “Some using RezView are experiencing revenue growth as high as over 90 percent,” says the CEO.
As hospitality companies make decisions about where to spend their next capital dollar, Leutwyler says that more companies are leveraging ‘cloud computing’ (i.e. hosted elsewhere) to move their technology “above property” and take advantage of the leverage that cloud computing provides. The company is both a provider and user of cloud computing technology, and has also worked on bespoke solutions for hotels, including the provision of a mobile booking tool for Warwick International Hotels through Pegasus. “Over the past year, noteworthy developments include the launch of a VAT self-enrollment site to facilitate the formation of international VAT self-billing agreements between hotels and agents. In the tradition of social networking, the site enables hotels and agents to register with a VAT ID and request ‘connections’ to enter into official 12-month VAT self-billing agreements.”
Trust International is another leading software provider to
the hospitality industry, providing IT solutions to the Six Senses and Banyan Tree among others. Christiane Seelgen, Marketing Manager, says Google Hotel Ad – which it helped develop with the search engine – is attracting a lot of interest at present, as hotel prices and availability are displayed on Google Maps and Google Places. As for Asian hotel chains, Seelgen says, “Many are requesting user-friendliness and local languages for the CRS software, as high employee turn-over prompts the need for intuitive and self-explanatory user applications. YourVoyager CRS is ahead of the curve in these areas with its multilingual applications - German
and Japanese currently, with Arabic and Chinese versions coming soon - and a fully customizable, user -friendly interface.” She adds that there are two trends in Asia which are more prominent than in the rest of the world. “Personal assistance by phone is highly requested. Hotel customers in Asia are very service-minded and like to seek personal assistance during the booking process via call centres. Also, Asians tend to be very tech-savvy. We see greater use of social media and mobile applications than in other countries of the world, and these are requested more.”
New solutions to look out for from the company in 2011 include a Corporate Internet Booking Engine that enables a hotel group to manage its individual corporate accounts with low- or medium-size volumes and provides them with a corporate or negotiated rate, reporting and branded access.
Embracing the systemOver at Infor, which provides software to Hilton and Hyatt hotels, Chris Gribble, Vice President and General Manager of APAC Hospitality
Solutions, Infor-SoftBrands, says hotels are on the look-out for software to help them reduce the workforce and boost profitability overall. Some of its solutions include FMS SunSystems, an all-encompassing package that helps integrate and streamline business processes, and Infor PM Query & Analysis, which creates reports and identifies problems as well as trends. Asked if hotels are taking advantage of the software currently available, Gribble asserts there is still work to be done. “IT vendors should look at revising training modules, and hotel customers should invest in training for their staff. The vendors need to educate staff better, and hotels need to embrace the system more and find out what they can get out of it,” he believes.
One of the granddaddys of the hotel software game is Amadeus and the company’s Kartikeya Tripathi, Regional Director, Hotel Distribution, Amadeus Asia Pacific tells AHCT that nowadays, Amadeus focuses on bridging the gap between hotels and travellers.
“Recently, there has been a lot of interest in the consolidation and synergy of different software solutions used by hotels, with the ultimate aim of improving the guest experience. It is one of the reasons why we developed the Amadeus Hotel Platform, which we launched last year. Amadeus Hotel Platform is built around one comprehensive database and available as a ‘Software as a Service model’ (SaaS). It combines central reservation, property management and global distribution systems into one fully integrated platform,” explains Kartikeya.
`
HOTEL TECHNOPHILIAThe latest technology is enabling hotels to run their properties more smoothly than ever before, and those that fail to embrace new software run the risk of being left behind, says Helen Dalley
this enables hotels to offer personal service to their guests anywhere, anytime. Software as a Service (SaaS) is no longer a buzzword, but an emerging reality. Then there is integration, which allows hotels to have cost-efficient and seamless operations in different arenas, from distribution to CRM to data analysis.”
Over the next 12 months, Tse anticipates that more customers will look at expanding their business coverage through acquisitions across the region, which he believes will give them the opportunity to differentiate themselves as a leading solutions provider for the hospitality industry. “We have recently launched the next generation enterprise product line webHotel, which enables us to offer end-to-end solutions to hotels, from web design to search engine optimization. Later this year in Asia Pacific, we will be launching Simphony, our next generation enterprise POS solution built on service-oriented architecture. Simphony provides a secure cloud-based enterprise or single property solution that is scalable from one to thousands of terminals. Because no on-site server is required, this appeals to hotel groups from a standardization and minimum on-site hardware footprint perspective.”
Tse feels that hotels are taking advantage of the software available, which he says is easily proved by looking at the organic growth of its central systems client’s portfolio. “Many of the local chains are investing in software to create and maintain a competitive edge.”
Driving revenuePegasus Solutions, whose client list includes Amari and Sino Hotels, operates in five key areas of the travel technology and services arena: electronic distribution, central reservations, online booking, hotel and travel agency commission processing and hotel marketing representation. Ric Leutwyler, Chief Operating Officer, Pegasus Solutions and President of sister company Utell Hotels & Resorts, says, “We are best known for introducing the hotel switch,
KartikeyaTripathi,RegionalDirector,HotelDistribution,AmadeusAsiaPacific
Trusttoappearances–amobileappfromTrustInternational
Gettingtoknowyou–interactingwithcustomersovertheinternet
Pegasusconnectinghotelstocustomersovertheinternet
TechnologyfromTrustInternationalallowsAsianhotelstouselocallanguages
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Shanghai-based chef and restaurateur, Australian-born David Laris recently launched Sinan Mansions, which follows the success of his Laris Restaurant at Three on the Bund. This new project, a colonial-style 1920s structure in Shanghai’s French Concession houses four
different venues with menu varieties that inspired interiors. These include Mexican restaurant and lounge Yucca; The Fat Olive, a Greek trattoria; 12 Chairs, a premium private dining room and The Funky Chicken, a chic fast-food joint.
The overriding design challenge was to create four different concepts with four different visual flavours while unifying them in the same building, linked by public spaces between them that also needed their own design. All this was taken on by Shanghai-based French design duo Thomas Dariel and Benoit Arfeuillere of Lime 388.
Laris himself worked extremely closely with the designers. “I have a passion for design and, as the person who has the vision for this concept, it is important that the design process is part of the realization of it,” he told AHCT. “Having said this, I do not like to overshadow the design process or get in the way of allowing good designers to do their work. I am, however, not shy in sharing my vision and texture of what I expect to see in the final product; it and should be a collaboration between concept, design and the operators, this is what ends in a result that works for everyone, especially the customer.
“I signed off on all final designs, FF&E [furniture, fixtures, and equipment] and any features that affect the concept. We had regular meetings to keep everything on track and during any design process, I find my self spending more time on the phone or in person with the lead designer; this can include 2AM phone calls with the odd
epiphany here and there. If everyone agreed on every point of the creative process, I would worry we were not getting the best result.”
FunctionAs a trained chef, Laris will also be very aware of the functional elements when opening a restaurant or bar. “It all has to work, that is the basic principle,” he says. “Design over substance is not sustainable and what inevitably will happen if that’s the case is that operators do rectification works later. This does not mean that design ever needs to be sacrificed; it’s about clever collaboration. I always look at flow, from back of house to front, and staff and guest flow through the building; how do the restrooms function, and their location. Lots of storage, this is very important in the kitchen and in the front of house. Sometimes the building or space itself can cause issues – so the best compromise is what I look for.”
Visually, the elements the owner-chef is most pleased with in this project is the diversity of design. “I do love Yucca as it is such a fresh space, the floor is stunning,” he enthused. “I love the Fat Olives understated charm, the design leaves you feeling warm. I love the way 12 Chairs frames the kitchen. I have to say, in general, I love the fact we have so many windows, and that they are, in themselves, capturing moments of the street outside, allowing the light to play with the room.”
Quay pointsAnother outlet that opened in the last handful of months is Quay at Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund. Located right on the Huangpu River front, the restaurant-cum-bar enjoys great views across the historic Bund to the zany 22nd-century-like Pudong skyline. Dedicated chef workstations, entertainment corners and
The commercial capital is becoming home to an increasing number of hip restaurants and bars. Andrew Dembina takes a look at three examples of Shanghai chic
Swinging Shanghai
Chefandrestaurateurwithstrongdesignideas–DavidLaris
TherestaurantspacesatSinanMansionweredesignedbyThomasDarielandBenoitArfeuillereofLime388 TheDavidLarisproject12Chairs
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meeting rooms are spread throughout Quay, which is divided by use of different colours and styles, to provide areas for peaceful solitude, socialisation and work.
An upscale boutique brand of Intercontinental Hotels Group, the 184-room Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund is the first Hotel Indigo in the region. Quay is in keeping with the contemporary flavour of the rest of the hotel, which, in line with Indigo’s philosophy, uses as much locally-sourced art, furniture, fabrics and materials as possible. The United States-headquartered hospitality design firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates, took on the interior here.
Giving guests a liftOne of the city’s newest contemporary designed F&B outlets is XTD Elevated, on the 5th floor podium terrace of The Langham Xintiandi, designed by United States-based architect-designer Peter Remedios of Remedios Studio – is due to open at the end of June. Setting up separate areas that vary in exclusivity factor, overall, the wood-decked outdoor lounge and bar has a trendy and stylish modern young design. Tableware includes streamlined Italian accessories – waiting staff grate cheese with a long horn-like Alessi piece, and crystal stemware is Schott Zweissel. Oversized cocktail glasses are used for some house specialities, water glasses are black and cutlery is Italian-designed titanium.
“A water feature runs through the terrace. We have five or six covered cabanas, reached by stepping stone paths,” explains General Manager John Webb, “in which we offer champagne packages.
“There are also day beds and tables and a step-up bar counter with stools around it. And there is a dedicated DJ.
“It’s very much in keeping with [the F&B scene in the] Xintiandi area.”
The cabanas can be booked only as an exclusive space by purchasing a champagne package or bottle of top-quality spirit. They are serviced by a dedicated senior waiter. Open to the public, XTD Elevated is also aiming to be a private party space, hosting 80 to 200 people, depending on the configuration.
“We conceived of it to be a party deck,” XTD Elevated’s designer, Peter Remedios told AHCT on the phone, then describing a few more ideas behind his concept, for which he was given a free hand. “A curved walkway leads to the DJ booth. It’s lit in a way so that girls can strut their stuff on it – which girls in Shanghai love to do.
“Visitors can sit nestled under trees; some daybeds have canopies.“The site faces adjoining building. We screened that off with the
cabanas. You see them in the distance across the water, making them aspirational. In them, it’s like being in a living room, looking back at the activity.
“Two private rooms in the building look onto all this with glass French doors that can be opened.”
Shanghaichic–thelobbyofTheLanghamXintiandi
TheviewfromtheHotelIndigoShanghaiontheBund
DifferentsectorsofQuayaredifferentiatedthroughcolouranddécorstyles
TheMexicancuisineinfluencedthedesignatYucca
XTDElevatedopensinJune
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“In a service business customers have to come first otherwise your reputation suffers,” PR
professional Paul Seaman tells AHCT.He adds that the main ‘don’t’ is never
to antagonise customers or journalists more than is already the case following a complaint – even if the customer or journalist is being unreasonable.
Seaman knows a tough situation when he sees one – one former client is Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
“There’s a fine line between a genuine cause for complaint and someone who is just taking the hotel for a bit of a ride. However, by far the most sensible approach is usually classic service recovery,” says Eddie Veale*, a regional hotel PR executive.
Veale adds that while it’s impossible to pre-empt every situation, good briefing can ensure some problems are avoided.
The key weapons in the PR armory are: remaining calm, humour, a willingness to investigate and try and fix problems, plus the budget to smooth ruffled tempers with free nights or meals.
AHCT asked the two veterans how they would respond to a series of situations taken from real life.
One – the angry hackA tired, very angry journalist with a severe hangover is at reception, checking out. He has a long list of grievances and is, at the moment you encounter him, definitely going to go into print with them. His grievances include:• The lock on his door broke three times
over the course of a one-night stay• He is a non-smoker and found a
cigarette butt in his bathroom• He was promised a complementary
breakfast but has no paperwork to show for it and due to internal miscommunication the front desk has no record. He is refusing adamantly and loudly to pay
• He is shocked and upset that he almost witnessed a fist-fight at breakfast when two sets of people were promised the same table.
Both Seaman and Veale suggest that turning the complaints around can have positive benefits for the hotel. Ensure that the complaints are investigated and that the journalist knows this, they advise. Ask the writer to delay filing any story until the complaints have been dealt with, Veale further suggests, while Seaman recommends
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Italian passion meets French skillThe Kowloon Shangri-La’s new chef at Angelini Italian restaurant, Patrizio Roncato, is no stranger to top kitchens – most of them in France or Belgium.
In his 15 years’ cooking experience, Chef Patrizio has cooked for guests at the Michelin-starred restaurants, La Maison du Boeuf and Le Passage in Brussels, as well as at the Belgian capital’s Loui at Conrad Brussels. The chef’s career has also taken him to the Four Seasons’ George V, Paris.
All the time spent in Francophone kitchens has only refined the Bergamo native’s cooking techniques and artistic presentation skills. Now the chef is applying those skills to the ingredient-driven cuisine of Italy.
Diners will be able to experience Chef Patrizio’s modern take on Italian cuisine with a new menu from the start of this month. The menu will have a strong emphasis on the best-quality seafood, meats and home-made pasta.
Some of the dishes that can be matched with the restaurant’s 100 Italian wines (from an extensive list) include Boston lobster tail, porcini mushroom risotto and scallops carpaccio with caviar and salmon roe.
Macau’s City of Dreams integrated resort has been awarded HACCP certification by the Société Générale de Surveillance.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points is a system originally developed by NASA to ensure United States astronauts weren’t laid low by poor hygiene in the processing of their food. The system works by identifying risks in a food production process and eliminating them through changes of procedure and staff training. The emphasis is on eliminating potential risk rather than reacting to it.
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Dram-atic returnDistillers have re-created a 100-year-old whisky preserved under pristine conditions.
Ernest Shackleton famously braved Antarctic oceans to return to rescue stranded members of his ill-fated polar expedition.
It seems he was a little less careful about the expedition’s alcohol supplies.
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In 2007, a team of archeologists found several cases of whisky and brandy under the Antarctic ice. One case was thawed under laboratory conditions and found to contain only 11 bottles – the fate of the 12th is unknown.
Distillers Whyte and Mackay’s master blender, Richard Paterson, has tried to create an exact replica of the century-old Shackleton’s whisky and according to independent writer, Dave Broom, has got it spot on. The whisky writer has tasted both the original and replica whiskies, commenting, “The Shackleton whisky is not what I expected at all, and not what anyone would have expected. It’s so light, so fresh, so delicate and still in one piece – it’s a gorgeous whisky.”
Whyte and Mackay are distilling 50,000 bottles of whisky for sale at £100 a bottle and with 5 percent of every sale being donated to the Antarctic Heritage Trust, a New Zealand charity responsible for finding and uncovering the original whisky.
“The sweetness, fragrance and spice, and the subtle smoke, are all there in the replica. I’m blown away,” added Broom.
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Across the Pearl River Delta, the Sheraton Hotel and Towers was the first hotel in Hong Kong to implement HACCP, while Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts has implemented it across its entire chain. Jean Michel Joffe, the executive who was responsible for the project at the time, told AHCT that implementation was more difficult than the Gobi desert marathon he had just entered but equally satisfying.
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Helmed by award-winning Chef Peter Rollinson, Singapore’s ThePrimeSociety has recently revamped itself to cement its position as a leading steak restaurant, focused on using only the finest ingredients and produce, to complement Chef Rollinson’s signature cooking style.
On offer is a new set lunch menu which changes on a monthly basis and guests can expect to see main dishes such as grilled Wagyu
rump and dessert treats such as lavender panna cotta with vanilla poached pear and burnt honey ice cream to satiate Singapore’s appetite for exceptional dining experiences.
Aesthetically too, The Prime Society itself has had a minor metamorphosis to showcase its natural and historic beauty.
QUICK BITES
Chef Yeung Kin-Yip is gambling that guests fancy indulging in different types of game prepared in nostalgic Chinese culinary styles.
From 1 May to 30 June, LoongYatHeen of The Kowloon Hotel is offering an array of enchanting delicacies with high-quality Chinese wild quails on its “Game at Loong Yat Heen” menu.
Chef Yeung Kin-Yip’s exquisite creations include Double Boiled Quail Soup with Chinese Herbs entrée, Pan-fried Quail Breast with Garden Greens and Sautéed Quail Fillet with Mixed Vegetables and Pinenuts main courses and the not-to-be-missed chef’s recommendation, Roasted Quail with BBQ Sauce.
The promotion will be available daily during lunch and dinner periods.
The new Japanese fusion menu at the RushBambooRestaurant at The Elysian in Bali is a big hit with experimental gourmet dishes like pork belly with spicy miso and mango salsa and duck breast with balsamic sauce to tantalize the taste buds.
Kicking off the latest innovations celebration recently was Head Chef Banjar who shared his vision for this new cooking style and then went on to wow invited guests with an exquisite 6-course menu.
Guests gave kudos to Chef Banjar for successfully introducing uniquely Japanese inspired food that deviates from traditional Japanese styles but yet reflects Japanese tastes.
ChefYeungKin-Yip’stakeonChinesegame–roastedquailwithbarbecuesauce
ThePrimeSocietyinSingapore
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Sparkling restaurantsThe highly coveted S. Pellegrino “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” award, organized by Restaurant Magazine in the UK, has just announced this year’s rankings, with Denmark’s Noma retaining the top spot.
From its ingredient ingenuity to flawless execution, Chef Rene Redzepi and his team have proven themselves unequalled as second time champions. Noma also garnered the “Acqua Panna Best Restaurant in Europe” award for a second year running, further cementing itself as the best in class.
Closer to home, Amber restaurant in Hong Kong claimed the 37th spot, an achievement as Hong Kong’s sole restaurant on the list this year, and the only restaurant in Hong Kong to have appeared in the ranking since 2005.
Amber’s two-Michelin-star chef, Richard Ekkebus, says, “My team and I are extremely honoured to have been recognised by the distinguished panel
Chocolate contestsThe inaugural edition of the “WorldChocolateMastersAsiaPacificSelection”, a premier culinary competition solely devoted to the art of chocolate, saw two highly talented artisans of chocolate emerge from the region.
Seung Yun Lee from Australia and Chi Hsien Cheng from Taiwan were crowned first and second place winners, respectively, in the Barry Callebaut-oganized competition held in Taipei on 18-19 March. Both will go on to compete
Booked out
BisteccaItalianSteakHouse:TheBook. This is the hardcover publication recently launched by the Dining Concepts group, the owners of Bistecca, Hong Kong’s first authentic Italian steakhouse modelled after an old-fashioned butcher shop, in celebration of its phenomenal success since opening in October 2009.
Written by veteran journalist Andrew Sun with Chef Christopher Mark, Dining Concepts’ Director of Culinary Operations, supplemented with stylish photography by André Eichman, the book chronicles untold stories of idea conceptualization by Dining Concepts’ Managing Director, Sandeep Sekhri, and Chef Mark, provides fascinating details
of over 800 international leaders in the industry, including highly regarded food critics, chefs, restaurateurs and gourmands, who voted for Amber.” Contributing to the latest honour are his signature creations “sea urchin in a lobster jelly with cauliflower, caviar and crispy seaweed waffle”, “line-caught amadai with orange and fennel confit” and “Mieral Bresse pigeon breast with wild cep mushrooms”.
There were also notable slips down the ranking for some of last year’s awardees such as Heston Blumenthal’s TheFatDuck slipping two notches to the fifth spot; Daniel in New York down three notches to the 11th spot; France’s Pierre Gagnaire down three notches to the 16th spot and Le Bernardin in the United States down three notches to the 18th spot.
However, Spanish restaurants are still making their mark in the culinary world with two of the top three spots dominated by them. Spain’s ElCeller DeCanRoca is up two notches as this year’s runner-up and Mugaritz is, too, two notches up, holding the third spot.
Missing of course is last year’s runner-up and winner of the 2009 award, Spain’s ElBulliwhose chef Ferran Adria is closing the loss-making restaurant to focus on developing his cuisine and spreading knowledge over the internet.
PierreGagnaire’sParisrestaurantsliddowntherankings
about the food and ingredients, along with insider anecdotes from the kitchen, and favourite recipes from the menu.
With a foreword by Italian culinary maestro, Umberto Bombana, of the two Michelin-starred Otto E Mezzo Bombana, the book captures the excitement and energy of the steakhouse’s casual yet warm and rustic charm; providing a window to an outsider into one of Hong Kong’s more original and progressive dining sensations.
in the World Finals in Paris in October, together with the Japan World Chocolate Master 2010, representing Asia Pacific.
Reigning Australia World Chocolate Master 2010 and winner of the 2010 Callebaut Easter Egg Challenge, Seung Yun Lee, from Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School, Australia, wowed the judges with her showpiece which captured the essence of the competition theme, “Cocoa, Quetzalcoatl’s Gift”, taking us back to the origin of cocoa through her representation of an Aztec warrior.
Chi Hsien Cheng, the Taiwan World Chocolate Master 2010 and Pastry Sous Chef at Le Meridien Taipei, demonstrated highly technical skills in showcasing a piece which “was assembled very accurately and beautifully”.
In another accolade recognizing companies that demonstrate the capability of producing the best chocolate in the world “from bean to bar”, The Academy of Chocolate in London has declared that Amedei’s “9” has won the prestigious “Golden Bean” award for a second year.
Cecilia Tessieri’s Amedei “9” is “a masterful blend of 75 percent cocoa from nine different plantations, characterized by a fresh citrus bouquet with a long
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In a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association in late 2010, chefs who are members of the American Culinary Federation were
asked to identify the Top 20 trends for 2011. Coming in at third was sustainability
(locally-sourced meats and seafood, and locally-grown produce were second and third, respectively), and at seventh, sustainable seafood. The trend towards using sustainable seafood is one that will
A handy guide for chefs sourcing eco-friendly fish. By Vicki Williams
Sustainable seafood
continue to grow with global over-fishing an increasing problem, combined with the growing numbers of consumers being more selective about the seafood they eat. In turn, chefs need to respond, whether from the goodness of their heart or the bottom dollar, it makes sense to use sustainable seafood.
Sourcing the fishThe question no longer seems to be, should I or shouldn’t I use sustainable seafood, but
now that I am going to, what’s out there and how do I go about it to ensure that the seafood is actually sustainable.
One of the first places that chefs in Hong Kong are turning to for help once they have decided to take the sustainable seafood plunge is the WWF. “When we began this journey of using sustainable seafood, I met with WWF and they were a great guide in terms of what to buy and what to stay away from. I would strongly
recommend anyone else looking to make this journey to contact them too,” says Mark Bannon, Executive Chef Langham Hotel, Hong Kong. Currently the hotel’s main focus on sustainable seafood is through its restaurant, The Bostonian, with 90 percent of the seafood on the à la carte menu from sustainable sources.
JourneyThe newly opened Ritz Carlton in Hong Kong is also making a commitment to produce from sustainable sources and like the Langham, has begun the journey through the WWF. Executive Chef, Peter Find says, “The hotel is working very closely with WWF on a sustainable seafood initiative. We have already begun to use some sustainable produce, for example Ono Ogo Seaweed, Arctic Char and Turbot.” Allen To from WWF Hong Kong says, “We work with chefs to identify sustainable seafood and then to establish a menu which contain sustainable seafood only, and highlight this to customers. In doing that, WWF tries to give advice on the sustainability of the restaurant/hotel’s existing seafood choices. If the seafood is yet to be classified as sustainable, we will try to suggest alternative seafood choices, so that the restaurant/hotel can then communicate with their suppliers to source alternative sustainable seafood. If needed, WWF Hong Kong can even provide contact details of suppliers which carry sustainable seafood to facilitate the transition.” He suggests that
those interested in this assistance visit wwf.org.hk/en/whatwedo/footprint/seafood/sci/youractions/ofm/.
The WWF in Singapore and Malaysia also provide this help.
New ZealandWith its commitment to green issues New Zealand is a favoured spot by many when looking for suppliers and produce. Aquaculture New Zealand is an organisation that combines the New Zealand Mussel Industry Council, the New Zealand Salmon Farmers Association and the New Zealand Oyster Industry Association into a single voice focused on sustainability. Its website is a good resource for more information about the sustainability of the produce and the strict guidelines that New Zealand has in place, and as a stepping stone to suppliers of sustainable mussels, oysters and salmon.
Adam Hicks, Aquaculture’s media advisor, says, “New Zealand’s restrictions governing aquaculture are the strictest in the world. We are an isolated country, with untouched, pristine waters. This is reflected in the taste and quality of our products. Therefore sustainability is not an added extra for our farmers. It is core to our business and an important part of our story. We are extremely proud of our green credentials and go to great lengths to ensure our products are fresh, safe and sustainably produced.”
Carol Lloyd, Sales Director of OceaNZ Blue, a company that farms and sells sustainable abalone, says that when looking
Sustainablegrouper(orgaroupa)fromLeighFisheries
LeighFisheries’redsnapper
Green-lippedmussels
F o o d
32 AHCT May 2011
we have moved from fishmeal to vegetable- based protein for our feed. This makes our feed 100 percent sustainable in the long term. And all our electricity is either wind power or hydro electricity.” The company has seen an increasing demand from chefs in China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong for its fully sustainable produce. Lloyd says, “In Hong Kong, we have seen a 15 percent increase in demand over the last 12 months. In China, it has been 22 percent. The rest of our Asian markets have had an average of 8 percent increase and we expect demand to increase as more people become aware of our products.”
Bannon is a fan of New Zealand produce having found his main sustainable seafood supplier there, “When we made the change to sustainable fish there were few suppliers who could provide us with the quality and quantity of produce that we needed. Leigh Fisheries NZ (part of the Lee Fish Group) were one of the only suppliers we found offering sustainable fish of impressive quality and their prices were fair, which is why we chose to work with them.”
Pacific Rich Resources Group is another source recommended by chefs in Hong Kong. Headquartered in Hong Kong, with operations in Hong Kong, China, the company’s focus is to bring quality seafood to Asian Pacific rim markets. The
company currently sources its sustainable seafood from Alaska and Iceland. Managing Director Chris Hanselman says, “We only source from suppliers (and countries) which have recognised sustainable accreditations or their own sustainability programmes in place.”
“We purchase from accredited fisheries and then also do our own audit and maintain a tight supply chain on the product through processing. The final product is labelled with a sustainability code which details fish, where caught, how caught, how frozen, where processed,” he adds.
He advises that chefs need to respond to increasing customer demand now and has the following advice, “The quality can be obtained and the price points for sustainable produce are not much higher than other products. Make sure to ask for documents and accreditation to confirm the sustainability of the product and the chain of custody from source to table.”
One area of difficulty for chefs wanting to go sustainable has been what to do about the high demand from customers for reef fish, often the centre-piece of Chinese wedding banquets and other celebratory occasion. Current fishing methods are viewed as anything but sustainable with many species on the endangered list due to over-fishing, plus the damage to reefs that is caused as a result of the fishing methods.
OceanEthix may be the answer. The company, founded by Lloyd Moskalik, employs its own technology called Our Atoll, which involves a modular re-circulating system that allows the company to grow-out, warehouse and distribute live seafood to customers wherever they are located. It is a disease and chemical-free environment with all water used recycled with no discharge waste.
The company currently raises species such as the highly prized Mouse (or Humpback) Grouper and Coral Trout from eggs, growing the fish to market size and according to the company, for a fraction of the wholesale price. OceanEthix also supplies lobsters, crabs and abalone on request.
Bannon’s advice is to take it slowly in the beginning, “We kept our sustainable menu quite limited in the early days and we also requested guest’s cooperation that, at any time, we may be out of stock of a certain fish. I am happy to say we never had any major issues and that is why we have continued to use sustainable fish.”
for produce, it is important to ensure that it comes with all the necessary certification that ensures authenticity and integrity, and to work with companies that have a long-term view of sustainability. “One of the key challenges is to move with the market in regards to ensuring we remain fully sustainable. We have invested a lot of time and energy into ensuring our operation is sustainable in the long-term. For example,
“One of the key challenges
is to move with the market
in regards to ensuring we remain fully sustainable”
Carol Lloyd
ThepristinewatersofNewZealand
Afishfarm
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34 AHCT May 2011 May 2011 AHCT 35
s p o n s o r E d F E a t u r E
PauafromOceaNZBlue
Wine’s grabbing the headlines but beer continues to attract steady interest or more in many emerging Asian markets.
By 2015, Asia will be drinking 38 percent of the world’s beer and China will be drinking twice as much as the United States. India is expected to register double-digit growth in the period 2009-2015 and Vietnam eight percent, as against the global average of 2.8 percent.
The figures come from a recent report by market analysts, Canadean.
While brewers’ attempts to diversify and innovate are due to falling sales in more mature markets, they have the practical upshot that F&B and bar managers in emerging markets can offer their guests a wider range of beers than ever.
One company offering innovation to drinkers is distinguished Danish brewer, Carlsberg. The company’s latest investment is in repositioning the brand with the aim of doubling profits by 2015 through being the fastest growing global beer brand. The proposition the company is offering adventurous younger drinkers is that the
modern world of technology, travel and exciting career opportunities is not so different from the life of founder J C Carlsberg, who founded the brewery in 1831 at the age of 24. The young Carlsberg was a risk-taker who travelled the world and innovated. Carlsberg drinkers who successfully take risks and innovate can reward themselves with the thought, “That calls for a Carlsberg.”
The repositioning is being rolled out in 140 markets.
Think global, brew localDespite being headquatered at its historic brewery in Copenhagen, Denmark, Carlsberg is very much considered a local brew in many markets. At The Leela Palace Kempinski in Bangalore, India, Carlsberg is one of four local beers stocked in The Library Bar. Other local beers according to F&B Manager Devesh Rawat include Kingfisher and Budweiser while international brands include Corona, Heineken, Guinness, Asahi, Kappital Watou and Tsingtao.
The F&B Manager explains that the hotel’s niche target demographic means that beer amounts to 18 percent of total liquor consumption over 48 percent for wines. “However, it’s true
that the range of beers has widened in the last few years from all the well-known international brands to hand-crafted beers. People are willing to try successful international brands,” explains Rawat.
The impetus to add more brands has definitely come more from increased availability than specific guest requests. Lower taxation and a better distribution system have contributed to the surge in consumption of beer in India. According to figures seen by Rawat, “The Indian beer market is forecast to grow by 17 percent annually.”
International impactAsif Bajwa has to cater for the demands of a truly international audience – he’s the Director of F&B at the SkyCity Marriott hotel at Hong Kong International Airport.
Typically the hotel’s outlets, minibars and room service menus run to 14 beers with national origins as diverse as China, Japan, the Philippines, Belgium, Germany and the United States.
Only open since 2008, the hotel has already increased the range of its beer offer – Bajwa did this in 2010. He’s also noticed that the
Brand diversity is being pushed by brewers and finding a receptive audience with many drinkers in Asia. Mischa Moselle reports
Beer, beer, they want more beer
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volume of beer sold in the hotel has increased.The choice of beers in the increased offer has mainly been a
response to guest demand – recently some Belgian guests requested Leffe and so Bajwa ensured the bar was stocked with it in time for their return visit. The key difference between international guests that Bajwa has noticed is that European guests prefer draft beers, where as Asians prefer bottled beers.
Over in Macau, The Irish Bar stocks seven draft beers, one draft cider, 11 bottled beers and one bottled cider.
The range is much greater than the standard Carlsberg and San Miguel drafts offered in the bar 10 years ago, bar owner Glenn McCartney tells AHCT. And in Macau, he has not noticed any decline in consumption by expatriate workers – “They certainly know their beers,” says McCartney. Newer local customers generally ask for the beer menu so there is a learning experience.
As an Irish bar, there is almost an obligation to stock Guinness and Kilkenny but the most popular beers are lagers. “Hoegaarden is popular with locals – as a wheat beer and of course served with the slice of lemon that gives it that different taste.”
McCartney stocks beers that are proven to move but is glad that
Macau’s few distributors are not only offering more brands but also getting more knowledgeable.
“Rather than just supplying, they are aware of the distinction between the brands, of national days and so on,” he says.
McCartney has noticed that some drinkers want to lower their calorie but not their alcohol consumption and low-calorie beers are gaining in popularity.
Market historyIn neighbouring Hong Kong, Hosni Emam, Founding Partner of Habibi Holdings, is convinced that given the right concept and location, a beer-driven outlet is a sure-fire winner despite the territory’s declining overall beer sales and exponentially-increasing interest in wine.
Habibi Holdings owns a small chain of Egyptian and Indian restaurants selling beers from Emam’s homeland of Egypt and nearby Lebanon and Turkey. As well as Egyptian Sakara, Lebanese Almazar and Turkish Efes, Emam’s outlets also stock other Mediterranean beers such as Estrella Damm from Spain.
The company used to run an outlet called Beer and Burger International (BBI) on chi-chi Wyndham Street. Emam says it was “the right concept, the wrong location.” A new version is to be opened soon in Central or Wanchai.
The BBI concept is, as the name implies, to match beers to burgers. An Australian burger with the characteristic slice of beetroot can be matched to an Australian beer. Guests found British ales a good match for burgers topped with blue cheese while Mexican beers such as Sol made a good match for spicier burgers.
Many of Emem’s beers are supplied by Solar Max, a distributor founded in 1989 by Dr Peter Riha.
When Dr Riha first started distributing beer in the territory, there were perhaps 10 major brands available. Now Solar Max alone distributes around 20 in its own right.
Those brands include Budvar, Efes, Estrella Damm, Saigon Export, Old Speckled Hen, Maisel’s Weisse, Crown Lager, Pure Blonde and Victoria Bitter.
The Austrian beer maven tells AHCT that Hong Kong is a typical example of a mature market with declining sales that have prompted the brewers and importers to diversify.
“In all developed countries, declining sales have to led to brewers consolidating and innovating their products,” says Dr Riha.
The boom time in the economy in Hong Kong in the early 1990s and up until 1997 led to an increase in the availability of beer brands. Financial analysts saw Mexico in the same way they view Brazil now, as a vehicle for unlimited growth and prosperity. As a result all things Mexican were in and that included beers such as Sol and Corona. When Mexico fell out of favour, so did the beers and they never achieved the same volumes in Hong Kong.
Next came a short-lived wave of alcopops followed by an increase in the number of European lagers and ales catering to the premium sector but that diversification was not able to stop a decline in overall beer drinking that set in around the year 2000. Back then young Chinese drinkers would order Heineken in preference to the San Miguel their fathers drank. “Now they are drinking glasses of wine,” says Dr Riha.
The distributor characterizes the current period as one where there are “now more boutique, smaller brands available in certain segments of the market, such as Damm Inedit, a creation of El Bulli and the Damm Brewery and Pure Blonde, a low carbohydrate beer from Australia.”
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THE A+ MINIBARThe new K Plus Minibar series developed by Indel B is the first in the world to gain energy efficiency class A+.
The model K40 Plus guarantees the lowest energy consumption available among existing minibars (only 0.21 KWh/24 hours) and grants energy savings of at least 70 percent compared to other similar products.
The fridge’s eutectic plate, combined with an electronic timer, creates a true cold reserve in a short time during daylight hours when the compressor is on and releases it slowly overnight.
Formoreinformation:MicheleCrociani–[email protected]
WALNUT BY ZIEHERWalnut is one of Europe’s most precious and beautiful woods and forms the raw material for a new series of platters from German tableware provider Zieher.
The different shades of warm brown and distinctive grain make every product a unique item.
Inspiration also comes from author Heiko Antoniewicz’s book Brot (Bread). In cooperation with the author, Zieher developed three different boxes for bread that can be divided by glass inserts. The series also includes a wooden plate – used with hand-blown glass covers like Zieher’s Amuse series – that makes an excellent presentation platter for truffles or premium cheeses.
High quality workmanship and a food-safe sealing with premium quality oil guarantee long durability even in everyday use.
Formoreinformation:www.zieher.com
Hot off the pressThe French press is still hot in the market because it brews coffee naturally and is environmentally-friendly – the only energy required is to heat the water.
Guests gain much pleasure from seeing their coffee brew in front of them and as a result of their own handiwork in pushing down the plunger at their own leisure. That’s why the French press is a natural for breakfast and in-room service.
Athena is launching its own first take on the French press with DORF. The strong, square silhouette comes from the borosilicate glass liner which can withstand temperatures from -35°C to 450°C and is dishwasher-safe.
The DORF range also includes matching items such as double-walled glasses for heat-proof enjoyment.
Formoreinformation:MsChrisTseTel:+85231628460www.athena-tableware.com
CAZZETTA GOES ORGANICExtra Virgin Olive Oil from Cazzetta comes from the nectar of Ogliarola Salentina and Cellina di Nardo olives cultivated in adherence to the strictest methods of organic agriculture and under the monitoring of qualified technicians to ensure a healthy product.
The harvest is handpicked from the tree when properly ripe.
The selection sells in dark glass 0.25, 0.50 and one-litre bottles.
Nutrition factsAverage values for one 14 ml spoon:Energy: 120 kcalProtein: 0Carbohydrates: 0Total fat:Acid fat <0.5Saturated 2Monounsaturated 10Polyunsaturated 2
Average values declared on the basis of data generally established and verified for Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Parameters may vary in relationship to environmental factors.
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Smokin’ hot salmonSwiss company Dyhrberg has been taking the finest quality Scottish smoked salmon and adding premium value through a handcrafted smoking process for 40 years.
Certified with the Swiss Bio (organic production) label, the smoked salmon is the product of 85 specialist workers at Dyhrberg headquarters in Balsthal, a small town near Bern.
The company’s masterpiece is Le Filet, a product that adds nothing but sea salt and natural wood fire smoke to carefully chosen fish. This is best served with rye or dark bread and freshly ground black pepper.
Hong Kong distribution is by Finessa.
Formoreinformation:www.finessa.com.hk
LAMP WITH DESIGN ON AWARDSTaiwan design company QisDesign has just been awarded the coveted red dot ‘best of the best’ award for its Coral Reef Floor Lamp.
The award joins 72 others in QisDesign’s trophy cupboard – a remarkable achievement for a company only founded in 2009. As remarkable is that the lamp took the award in the face of fierce competition. The product design trophy has been given out by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany since 1955. This year that organization said that only 59 out of a total of 4,433 submissions from 60 countries were given top honours.
The Coral Reef Floor Lamp features three overlapping and swivellable lighting layers and offers flexibility for users to create a desired ambience.
Formoreinformation:www.QisDesign.com
Musso shows the art of artisan ice cream makingWhen former United States President Bill Clinton tasted ice cream from a Musso machine from Bellaitalia, he liked it so much he ordered a unit for his own kitchen.
Machines can also be found in royal palaces and some of the world’s most glamorous restaurants.
Family-owned Musso has been manufacturing industrial ice cream machines in Lombardy, Italy since 1928 but only turned to making smaller units in 1968. In that year of revolutions Piero Musso patented a machine that would revolutionise ice cream making in the home and small restaurant kitchens.
With a self-contained compressor, freezer device and permanent bowl, the Musso ice cream maker is highly efficient. No pre-freezing, ice or rock salt is required and operation is further simplified with the use of a timer.
The powerful blade not only aerates the ice cream base but also mixes it consistently so no grainy particles or crystals form – the result is creamy, smooth gelato or frozen desserts every time.
There are five models available ranging in hourly capacity from the 2 litres Mini to the 12 litres Consul. Stella produces 4.5 litres an hour while both the Giardino and Club make 7.5 litres.
All units can make gelato, frozen desserts and sorbets in about 20 minutes.
Formoreinformation:BellaitaliasrlLivingItalianStyleTel:+39(0)438250017www.Musso-Icecream-Machines.com
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Email:[email protected]
Installing energy-efficient minibars can have a big impact on energy costs. It is one guaranteed element of the guestroom that is left active when a guest is not in their room. Frequently, additional units are also used in common areas such as gyms, spa areas and club lounges, adding up
to plenty of power being constantly used. Some manufacturers, being led by hotels looking to both lower utility bills and operate in environmentally conscious ways, are providing solutions.
Marina Bay Sands in Singapore has adopted the use of energy-efficient devices as part of an entire energy-saving strategy for the building.
“Protecting the environment is Marina Bay Sands’ long-term commitment and in order to demonstrate that, we implement eco-friendly operational processes to look for ways to protect nature. At the core of Marina Bay Sands’ green initiatives is an Intelligent Building Management System that allows the lighting, cooling and water supplies to be automatically controlled,” says a spokesperson.
“One of the initiatives is the use of energy-saving minibars in the hotel rooms. The monitoring system in the mini bars helps to regulate the cooling system according to the hotel’s preference. Besides that, the hotel rooms at Marina Bay Sands are also equipped with an advanced eco mode system where guest have the option to bring the room temperature up by a few degrees when the room is empty,” the spokesperson added.
United States manufacturer Bar-Maid offers a “green operating compliant” professional line of silent minibars and refrigerators, with
Sort out your compressors from your eutectic plates with Andrew Dembina’s guide to energy- and money-saving minibars
MOST EFFICIENT – BAR NONE
Theenergy-efficientMarinaBaySandsIntegratedResortinSingapore
IndelB’sK40PlususestheenvironmentallyfriendlyR134arefrigerant
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changeable door panels to match every decor. Using the compressor-free cooling technology, Bar-Maid Silent minibars and refrigerators are completely silent, energy efficient and maintenance-free with absolutely no moving parts. It is a prolific supplier in hotels in North America.
E-frigerationEmbracing intelligent thermostat technology, Bartech
Automatic Minibars’s E-Fridges communicate via a wireless or wired network with a central
server, explains the company’s Singapore-based Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Jan Strijker. Surprisingly, the first generation of such units were rolled out by the French company in 1992. “This server, in turn, is interfaced with the front office system. As such, the Bartech minibars cool according to room status. The hotel determines what the ideal temperature is for [a unit in] an occupied room – for example four degrees Centigrade. When the room is occupied, the computerised energy saving system (CESS) sets the temperature of the minibar in that room
accordingly. When the guest checks out, the cooling system shuts down for that room, until the minibar
reaches the temperature the hotel has set for a vacant room, for example 10 degrees Centigrade. Because of the eutectic [chemical-filled cooling] plates installed in Bartech minibars, which function like icepacks, the temperature raises very slowly for that duration. As soon as the temperature hits that 10 degrees, the electronic thermostat in the minibar starts the cooling cycle again to maintain a constant 10 degrees. During this raising of the temperature, there is no electricity used for the cooling. This allows users of Bartech Automatic Minibars to save 50 percent of electricity over the use of traditional ‘energy efficient’ manual minibars.”
Our surveys saidIn 2003, a comparative survey was undertaken by United States energy-efficiency company, Servidyne Systems, for a 398-room hotel in America. It concluded that Bartech’s CESS would save 26,400 kilowatts per hour in the hotel, which then translated into annual savings for the hotel of US$2,600.
Compared to traditional refrigerators that work with compressors pumping gas around a unit, there is also a lot less noise produced from this system and fewer mechanical parts are used, so fewer components to potentially break down.
“Automatic is the only way to go if a hotel is serious about energy savings with minibars,” says Strijker.
Another sizeable producer of energy-efficient minibars, also incorporating eutectic technology – for more than 15 years – is Indel B, based in Rimini, Italy.
Romano Berardi, Key Account Manager told AHCT, “Several years ago, market research was done by the Danish Hotel Association about minibars and related energy consumption. It turned out that the energy consumption of minibars could represent up to 10 percent of the total energy consumption of a hotel.
“Minibars, in fact, are in operation every day for many hours and many years.
“The most common technology to produce minibars is still absorption, using ammonia. The absorption system needs an electric heating source to operate.
“To produce our energy-efficient minibars we use a premium quality low-noise compressor – the compressor is the most efficient technology and the most commonly used worldwide. We also use an efficient eutectic plate. A eutectic plate has the property to freeze the liquid solution that it contains in a short time and to remain cold over a long time. And we use an electronic timer.”
He cites this Indel B compressor as big factor in energy saved. “It has a very high COP [Coefficiency of Performance],” he explained. “The ratio between the energy consumed and the efficiency produced is impressive. And this allows full cool-down of the contents of the minibar in a short time, while at the same time also freezing the eutectic plate.
“The timer controls the operating cycles of the compressor. We have determined that to guarantee a proper temperature for the drink inside the minibar – five to seven degrees Celsius – only four operating hours in the morning and four in the afternoon are enough for our system. Not only do we obtain great energy saving from this but we also extend the life of the product and we have a completely silent minibar at night – when the compressor will be off all time. At the present time, our K PLUS minibars are produced using the environmentally friendly R134a refrigerant and are categorised as Class A+ energy efficient.
“The market is responding positively and without doubt, these products represent a big continuously increasing portion of our total production. Large international hotel chains have selected the Indel B energy-efficient minibars for several years and feedback we receive from them is extremely positive.”
The company claims to produce savings of between 70 to 85 percent in minibar running costs compared to traditional units.
Potted history of the minibarIn the early 1970s, The Hong Kong Hilton, with 840 rooms and suites and an average year-round occupancy of 97 percent, then the most profitable hotel within Hilton International, was one of the world’s first hotels to have small refrigerators in every room in which soft drinks and mineral water was given away
to the guests. The free drinks were costing the hotel a considerable amount of money and gaining no revenue benefits.
The F&B team devised a small shelf to hold two of each type of spirit and place these mini shelves into the rooms and fill the refrigerators with beer, wine, champagne, mixers and soft drinks, that would be sold to the guests, using an honesty usage system.
One floor was initially installed with the mini bars and an operator trained to refill all of them daily and log usage. A guest usage bill was placed next to each bar for guests to fill out drinks consumed. This was collected by the mini bar operator for collating with central guest charges.
It was soon calculated by Hilton corporate headquarters in New York that minibar profit would increase the bottom line of the hotel by around five percent and it adopted the system in all its hotels.
And then the biggest form of flattery spread like wildfire throughout the international hotel world.
Capacitycrowd–theK60fromIndelB
Bartechfridges,aswithsomeother
makes,onlyneedtousepowerforafew
hoursaday
Bartechminibarsoperatesilentlyandefficiently
Coldblastfromthepast–theHongKongHiltoninitsheyday
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The Hansar Bangkok is a 94-suite luxury property close to the centre of the city with rooms “steeped
in modern comfort and amenities, contemporary yet timeless in style and adorned in Jim Thompson silk” according to its sales pitch.
In keeping with the concept, “Our bathrobes are fashioned in a silky cotton twill with a decorative stripping pattern and custom embroidered Hansar logo on the chest,” says the hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing Sraithong Boonburaphong.
Nancy Xu , Di rec to r o f Housekeeping at the 1,051-room, iconic Mandarin Orchard Singapore has been keeping an eye on contemporary developments in fibre choices for bathrobes.
“Bamboo and microfiber robes have recently surfaced as alternative
choices for bathrobes,” Xu tells AHCT.Microfiber has different characteristics compared to the
traditional cotton most commonly used in hotel bathrobes. Microfiber consists of fine threads of polyester and polyamide (nylon) that combine to form a single thread.
“In comparison, microfiber has a nice silk-like texture and enhanced absorbtion power which is great for the summer; and cotton, famed for its superior soft feel quality, is slightly heavier in weight and more suitable for winter or a colder climate as it tends to keep the heat in,” Xu adds.
In contrast, textiles made from bamboo have been highly praised for their functionality and benefits, as they are known to be eco-friendly, absorbent, breathable, hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial. This also explains the growing demand for bamboo bathrobes.
Often grown without pesticides or fertilisers, its soft material which has often been compared to cashmere – and natural properties
make it non-irritating.“It’s perfect for those with extra sensitive skin,” says Xu. Moreover, bamboo absorbs up to 60 percent more water than
cotton which makes it an excellent choice for bathrobes and towels. The porous nature of the fibre is also breathable and comfortable against the skin.
Green choiceHansar’s approach to eco-friendliness is to take the ‘act local’ approach. “In line with the Hansar concept we strive to find the highest quality products produced locally rather than importing all items. We currently purchase our bathrobes from an established local manufacturer that supplies the top 5-star luxury hotels in the region,” says Sraithong.
Xu tells AHCT that environmental concerns and price are both factors when it comes to purchasing decisions.
“We as an organisation are committed to being an ecologically responsible one. As such, eco-friendly fabric is an important factor when deciding on the type of bathrobe to purchase, as well as level of comfort, absorbtion power and cost,” says Xu.
As other types of bathrobes aren’t as widely available in the market, cotton is still the number one choice given its level of comfort and softness against the skin, and absorbtion power.
“However, as we strive to do our bit towards a greener environment, the team is working diligently to provide greener alternatives, where we can, in every aspect of our operations,” says Xu.
The Director of Housekeeping does not believe that bathrobes effectively differentiate hotels or room types within a property.
“Bathrobes offered in a 4 of 5-star hotel may vary slightly in say fabric thread count; however, the hotel does not compromise quality for cost. In general, the hotel offers the same bathrobes to all guests across all room categories,” says Xu.
The Hansar currently offers the same bathrobes for all suite types but is considering using a different bathrobe for its Loft and Vertigo Suites. The all-suite hotel is also planning to offer 100 percent Thai silk bathrobes and matching slippers in the top feature suites.
VIPs can expect even more in the form of a gift of a customized bathrobe. “We embroider the guest’s name on to the bathrobe on their arrival and offer it as a gift and token of our gratitude for their having chosen Hansar,” says Sraithong.
Thora Jacobsen discovers what bathrobes work for two hotels in different markets
BaMBOOZLing BaThROBES
one hong Kong industry insider with some two decades experience in hospitality can recall a time when even old-fashioned boxy TV sets were stolen by guests.
Pillows, towels, sheets and bathrobes are all still objects of desire for the over-enthusiastic ‘collector’ of hotel amenities.
one company in the united states may have come up with a solution. linen Tracking Technology has invented an Rfid chip that can be placed in towels and bathrobes and last up to 300 washes. The presence of the technology might be a deterrent for thieves - apparently one hotel in the united states has seen pool towel theft drop from 130 a day to around 20 a day.
The industry insider though cannot imagine how the devices would be used in upscale hotels. “we can hardly scan guests’ luggage before they leave!”
over at the Mandarin orchard singapore, director of housekeeping nancy Xu acknowledges that guests certainly like the property’s bathrobes “and they are most definitely welcome to purchase them as a souvenir.”
Disappearing act
“We as an organisation are committed to being an ecologically responsible one” Nancy Xu
Guestshaveneverbeenshyaboutmakingoffwithin-roomequipmentandamenities
Bamboo–thelatesteco-friendlymaterial
Theall-suiteluxuryHansarBangkokreliesonlocalsuppliers
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FHM 2011 is anticipated to be bigger and more elaborate than the last edition, with countless activities that will entice and benefit trade buyers of the food & beverage and hospitality sectors.
Now in its ninth year, Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong attracts over 11,500 top-end restaurant buyers and is widely regarded as the definitive event for the bar and restaurant industry.
Food&HotelVietnam2011, the sixth edition of Vietnam’s most established international food and hospitality trade event is the unrivalled sourcing ground and networking trade event for food and hospitality trade professionals in Vietnam.
A show specialising in décor, technology, foodservice equipment, flavours, linens, amenities, tableware and other industry essentials.
Host is the leading international trade fair for the B2B system of hospitality with six specialized areas: food service equipment, bread/pizza/pasta, bar/coffee machines, ice cream parlours/confectioneries, coffee, hotel&spa emotion. Host is organized every two years and is open exclusively to trade professionals.
The 15th international exhibition for food, drink, hospitality, foodservice, bakery and retail industries.
Texcare Asia is the leading international laundry and dry-cleaning trade fair in the region. Over 10,000 sqm will feature a wide array of products and services including laundry, ironing, dry-cleaning, dying machinery and agents, equipment, textiles and accessories for rental services, laundry and dry-cleaning related measuring instruments. The sixth edition will focus on environmental compatibility and sustainability.
Hotel Equipment & Supplies Expo incorporates not only the largest collection of hospitality-related exhibitors in the country but also foodcourts, stalls, and demonstration areas where visitors can sample the latest foods and flavours, coffees and other beverages all at the one event.
Malaysian Exhibition Services Suite 1401, 14th Floor, Plaza Permata, Jalan Kampar, Off Jalan Tun Razak, 50400, Kuala Lumpur Tel: + 603 4041 0311 Fax: + 603 4043 7241 [email protected]
Diversified Events Hong Kong LLCRm 2707B, 27/F, Island Place Tower, Island Place,510 King’s Road, North Point, Hong KongTel: +852 3105 3970Fax: +852 3105 [email protected]
Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd1 Jalan Kilang Timor #09-02 Pacific Tech Centre Singapore 159303 Tel: +65 6233 6638 Fax: +65 6233 6633www.foodnhotelvietnam.com
GLM1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604-3547Tel: +1 914 421 3346Fax: +1 914 948 [email protected]
Organizing Secretariat, Laura LoncàTel.: +39 02 [email protected]
International Sales Department, Francesca CavalloTel.: +39 02 [email protected]
China International Exhibitions LtdRoom 2402, Singular Mansion No. 318 - 322 Xian Xian Road Shanghai 200336, ChinaTel: +86 21 6209 5209Fax: +86 21 6209 5210 [email protected] www.fhcchina.com
Messe Frankfurt Shanghai (Beijing Office) Rm 1721, Tower 2, Bright China Chang An Building No. 7 Jian Guo Men Nei Avenue, East District Beijing 100005, PR China Tel: (86) 10 6517 1388 Fax: (86) 10 6510 [email protected]
Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Room 2106, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2827 6766 Fax: (852) 2827 6870 [email protected] www.hotel-exhibition.com
Sept 6 – 8 Restaurant and Bar Hong Kong 2011, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Sept 20 – 23 Food and Hotel Malaysia 2011 Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Sept 28 – 30 Food & Hotel Vietnam 2011 Saigon Convention and Exhibition Centre Vietnam
Oct 21 – 25 HOST – International Exhibition of the Hospitality Industry Fiera Milano – Milan (Italy)
Nov 12 – 15 International Hotel, Motel Restaurant Show Jacob K Javits Convention Center 655 W 34th St New York, NY 10001
Nov 16 – 18 FHC China Shanghai New International Expo Centre Pudong, Shanghai China
Nov 17 – 19 Texcare Asia China International Exhibition Center Beijing China
Nov 23 – 25 The 7th International Hotel Expo <Hotel Expo 2011> Cotai Strip®CotaiExpo TM (The Venetian Macao)
The international exhibition for natural, organic and health products and supplies.
New Hope Natural Media, a division of Penton Media Inc.,Unit B, 3/F, EIB Centre, 40 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, Hong KongTel: (852) 2975-9051Fax: (852) [email protected] www.naturalproductsasia.com
DATE EVENT DETAIlS ORGANIZER
May 11 – 14 Hofex 2011 The 14th International Exhibition of Food & Drink, Hotel, Restaurant & Foodservice Equipment, Supplies & Services Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre WanChai, Hong Kong
May 17–19 The Hotel Show Dubai Dubai World Trade Centre UAE
May 18-20 Sial China 2011 Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre Shanghai China
May 19 – 20 India Hotel Expanson Summit JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai India
May 25 – 29 Thaifex – World of Food Asia Impact Exhibition Center, Bangkok Thailand
May 31 – June 2 Hospitality Architecture + Design Exhibition & Conference Singapore
June 19 – 23 Vinexpo Bordeaux-Lac Exhibition Centre Bordeaux France
June 30 – July 2 China Import and Export Fair Complex Guangzhou China
Aug 25 – 27 The 9th Natural Products Expo Asia Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Join 35,000+ trade buyers and 1,800+ exhibiting companies, including 44 national groups at Asia’s most anticipated and established tradeshow - Hofex 2011. This biennial tradeshow will showcase the newest collections of hospitality and foodservice equipment and the trendiest food and drink products from worldwide exhibitors.
SIAL China 2011 will welcome 1,500+ exhibitors from around the world and 35,000+ domestic and foreign trade visitors. With international pavilions from 20 countries.
Established in 1999, The Hotel Show is the exclusive international B2B hospitality event for the Middle East and GCC region. An important event in the industry calendar for international and regional suppliers, manufacturers, distributors to meet qualified buyers, procurement directors and general managers from dynamic markets like UAE, Saudi Arabia, North Africa or the Levant.
Riding on the economic growth and rising income levels that India has witnessed in recent years, hospitality has emerged as one of the key sectors driving the country’s economy. The current market size is US$23 billion, accounting for 2.2 percent of India’s GDP. This summer will examine hotel expansion in India and how international and domestic players can come together to create the most advanced hotels for the fast-growing hospitality market.
An international trade exhibition covering food & beverages, featuring Halal and organic food, food catering, food technology, hospitality service and retail and franchise.
Hong Kong Exhibition Services LtdUnit 2010, 20/F, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong KongTel: +852 2804 1500 Fax: +852 2528 3103 [email protected] www.hofex.com
Comexposium Shanghai Room 301, Dongyi Building, 88 Changshu Road,Shanghai 200040, China Tel: +86 21 62 49 20 28 Fax: +86 21 62 49 34 14www.sialchina.com
Suite 502-509 The Palladium Cluster C, Jumeirah Lake Towers PO Box 33817 Dubai, UAE Tel: +9714 4380355 Fax: +9714 4380358www.thehotelshow.com
Catriona Scanlon, Communications ManagerNoppen CoT: +86 21 6085 1000 F: +86 21 6192 [email protected] : www.noppen.com.cn
Koelnmesse Pte Ltd152 Beach Road, #25-05 Gateway EastSingapore 189721Tel: +65 6500 6700Fax: +65 6294 [email protected]
The HA+D Expo focuses exclusively on products and services for the design and building of Asia Pacific hospitality projects with its comprehensive industry trade show and two-day design conference.
Founded in Bordeaux, France in 1981, Vinexpo hosts industry players from all the wine and spirits-producing regions in the world every two years. Each exhibitor finds his place and displays his talent to very strictly- selected visitors – trade professionals only, coming from more than 140 countries.
Hosfair Guangzhou has been successfully held for eight years with a 30 percent rate of growth every year and has already become one of the hospitality fairs with the quickest development, highest internationalisation and best impact in China.
Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd9H, Jinsui Tower, and No.900 Guangzhou Ave. Mid, Guangzhou, ChinaTel: +86-20-38866965Fax: [email protected] www.hosfair.com
HA+D ExpoMarina Bay Sands, 10 Bay Front AvenueSingapore [email protected]: 65 63954592
VINEXPO 2, cours du XXX Juillet 33074 Bordeaux Cedex, FranceTel: + 33 5 56 56 00 22 Fax: + 33 5 56 56 00 00www.vinexpo.fr
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INDONESIA SHOW SETS RECORD
Last month’s Food & Hotel Indonesia attracted a record turnout of 20,783 trade and business visitors from throughout the vast archipelago of some 17,000 islands.
A total of 901 companies showcased their products, expertise and services to Indonesia’s growing food, hotel and tourism industries.
Exhibitors occupied a total of 19,435 square metres and were not limited to local countries – international pavilions represented Brunei Darussalam, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey and the United States.
The show was opened by Ir Firmansyah Rahim, Director General for Tourism Destination Development, on behalf of the Minister of Culture and Tourism of The Republic of Indonesia.
The Salon Culinaire chefs cooking competitions were given a local flavour with the addition of a traditional Indonesian table display – lesehen. The contest attracted 328 young chefs who vied for honours in 24 culinary categories that included fruit, vegetable and ice carving, butter sculpture and live cooking displays.
The Indonesian Specialty Coffee Association organized the 4th Indonesian Barista Competition – this attracted 142 competitors from throughout ASEAN.
Perhaps though the show should speak through its satisfied participants.“For me, this is the best exhibition ever. Indovickers supplies all hotel
equipments, and this exhibition is the best place to gather all our customers. Thank you to Pamerindo and hope to join this great event next time,” said Reyner from Indovickers Furnitama.
Hendra Sidharta, National Solution Manager of Nayati said, “Great show as usual, we received many customers who were interested in our products. The organisers are very professional and we will join the next show for sure.”
Ardi Nugroho, Marketing Manager of Prambanan Kencana said, “Food & Hotel Indonesia organised by PT Pamerindo was highly professional and will always be the primary choice for all manufacturers and suppliers.”
“A very great show for us, we can meet all of the people from the hospitality industry. Will participate again for the next show,” said Goei Anto, Sales Manager of Winterhalter Indonesia Pma.
Coming nextFood, Hotel and Tourism Bali 2012Bali Nusa Dua Convention CentreBali Indonesia1-3 March 2012
Food & Hotel Indonesia 2013JIExpo FairgroundsKemayoranJakartaIndonesia10-13 April 2013
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French connection to Lebanese show
France was the country of honour at the recent Horeca 2011 in Beirut. The largest hospitality and food exhibition in Lebanon hosted a
French Pavilion that grouped together 15 companies and showcased the country’s expertise in food, wines and spirits, and other hospitality-related goods and services, including management services.
France was not the only exhibitor nation. More than 300 exhibitors came from all corners of the world – Egypt, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Poland, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey and the UAE.
The inauguration of the show also saw the signing of a charter designed to promote the Lebanese capital, Beirut, as a world leader, with international standards in innovation, inspiration, know-how and conviviality.
Charter of excellenceSigning the Beirut Capital of Taste charter were Fady Abboud, Minister of Tourism, Mouhamad Choucair, President of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, Nehmat Frem, President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Pierre Ashkar, President of the Federation for Tourism Association and President of Lebanese Hotel Association, Paul Ariss, President of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Night Clubs and Pastries, Georges Nassrawi, President of the Syndicate of Lebanese Food Industries, Nouhad Dammous, President of ADFTH, and Joumana Salame, Managing Director of Hospitality Services.
“We are very thrilled to have this charter finally signed”, said Joumana Salame, Managing Director of Hospitality Services. “We have been working on this plan for the past 3 years, and we strongly believe that Lebanon will be up to the title it has been awarded.”
By bringing together European and Middle Eastern countries and strengthening Lebanon’s international bonds, Horeca serves not only as an economic boost adding to the development of the country, but also as a tourism attraction, by enticing hundreds of thousands of visitors yearly.
The attractions include a number of demonstrations and competitions including a Live Junior Chef Competition, Lebanese Bartenders Competition, World Culinary Heritage, Lebanese Culinary Heritage and many more meetings and workshops.
More than 300 participants from various establishments took the opportunity to showcase their skills over the four-day event.
The numbers of the upcoming five-day 37th Host 2011, the International Exhibition of the Hospitality Industry, at fieramilano speak volumes of the upswing in the industry’s recovery – more than 1,000
companies registered and over 82,000-square-metres of net exhibition area have been reserved to date.
With the objective of maximizing the potential of related sectors, the show will host six themed areas, covering the three macro areas of the HoReCa industry – Professional Catering; Bread, Pizza, Pasta; Bar/Coffee Machines; Ice cream and Confectionery; Coffee; Hotel&Spa Emotion.
Host offers the full range of apparatus required to cover the whole production and service chain in the food industry; from systems, machinery and accessories to food processing and preservation equipment. Trade operators stand to benefit from the business opportunities, innovative solutions and new business ideas shared and exchanged in a single great exhibition.
In the Hotel&Spa Emotion area, invitations have gone out to 400 international buyers from Europe, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, China and India to explore and understand constantly developing trends and innovations within the market. In parallel with the exhibition, conferences and meetings will instruct operators on the latest industry news and will give them the know-how to star in their field. Registered exhibitors include ABERT BROGGI, BORMIOLI, CIGOLINI GROUP, EMILE HENRY, INDEL B, MASSARDI DESIGN COLLECTION, PASABAHCE, PINTI INOX, POSATERIE EME, RAK PORCELAINE, SAMBONET,TOGNANA PORCELLANE, for tableware and settings; CONCRETA, EMU GROUP, GABER, NARDI, PEDRALI, PF ARREDAMENTI S.A.S., SCAB DESIGN, TELCOM, for Interior and outdoor design and SERENISSIMA INFORMATICA.
Two other new dimensions, the Contract Excellence and the Table’s Excellence, join that of Spa to round off the well-being niche that inspires the Hotel&Spa Emotion area. The former is a space for companies showing top-of-the-range products thought up for comfortable unique settings, both inside and outside hotels and high-level hospitality structures. The latter is based on the idea of “taste” as a dimension that begins with a beautifully laid table.
Mirroring an increasingly international climate, Host 2009 attracted 33,000 international visitors from 141 countries and expectations are high this year to follow suit as the HoReCa sector seeks new solutions to be competitive again.
HOST OFFERS COMPETITIVE SOLUTIONS
Host, The International Exhibition of the Hospitality IndustryfieramilanoMilanItaly
21-25 October 2011 www.host.fieramilano.it
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May 2011 AHCT 55
Hofex – largest event in Asia 2011
Hotel investment conference
This month’s Hofex 14th International Exhibition of F&B, Hotel, Restaurant and Foodservice Equipment, Supplies and Service is the leading event in Asia of its kind this year.
The biennial show never fails to impress industry players with a display of the latest products and innovations.
This year Hofex is taking up 10 percent more space than in 2009 – 48,000 square metres or 11 halls and concourses. There are 1,800 companies from 48 countries and regions and 44 national groups. The featured sectors should ensure that all buyers’ needs can be met under one roof – Wine and Spirits; Equipment and Supplies; AHTEC@HOFEX hospitality technology and Tea and Coffee.
Exhibits number over 10,000 mainstream and avant-garde products from around the world – many of them new to Asia.
Hofex is more than just an exhibition – concurrent events such as conferences, competitions and demonstrations keep visitors up to date with all the key trends across hospitality in Asia.
The Hong Kong International Culinary Challenge 2011 has attracted such a high number of entrants that it has to be spread over five days. The 550 entries come from places as diverse as Canada, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Macau, the Philippines and Taiwan. The contest this year innovates with the Dream Team Challenge, in which a chef, bartender and a waiter join forces to win the coveted Fantasy Table.
The Hong Kong International Wine Challenge is a competition to select the world’s finest wine and includes a section on pairing wine with Chinese provincial cuisines such as Sichuanese, Shanghainese and Cantonese.
Asian Hospitality Technology Conference is a new seminar from the renowned Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals and is themed on “Effectively Using Technology to drive Revenues, Growth and Loyalty”. IT professionals will meet some 150 industry leaders to discuss their technology needs.
With some 10,000 hospitality professionals pre-registered, Hofex is gearing up for its best ever year.
The third edition of the annual Asia Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) in Macau will have a specific focus on the region’s hotel owners.
The 50+ speakers aim to offer fresh insights on the industry for the decision-maker attendees.
The event is also an excellent networking platform – judging by past editions, networking events will be planned with flair and imagination.
The aim of the conference is to gather together owners and investors with management operators, architects, bankers, consultants and suppliers to share ideas and concerns and explore approaches to successful development.
The presence of leading hospitality media can also make the event an ideal time to meet specialist journalists in the field.
The 2011 conference is to focus on the five stages of investment in light of this year’s industry trends and promising opportunities in the region. The three-day conference is centered around a 50+ speaker faculty and also features exclusive per-invitation only sessions, dedicated regional tracks and networking opportunities.
Last year over 300 industry leaders participated in the event, which will continue to showcase opportunities for investment and be a platform for senior people to meet and do business.
AHIC is organized by Questex Media, who produce other hotel investment events around the globe, including: The International Hotel Investment Forum Berlin, The Russian & CIS Hotel Investment Conference, Central Asia and Turkey Hotel Investment Conference and The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference.
Past AHIC participant, Robert McIntosh, Executive Director, CBRE Hotels, Asia Pacific, said, “AHIC is an amazingly efficient way to meet business leaders from across the hotel industry, and to enter discussion with key decision makers with interests in the Asian hotel market.”
HOFEX 2011Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreWanchaiHong Kong
10-14 Maywww.hofex.com
Asia Hotel Investment ConferenceThe Venetian Macau Cotai StripMacau
18-20 May 2011www.ihif-asiapacific.com
Confirmed speakers• Richard Agon, CEO, Agon Hotels & Resorts Ltd
• Ratnesh Verma, Senior Vice President – Real Estate and Development, Hyatt
Hotels & Resorts
• Lo Young, Regional Vice President – China, Langham Hotels International
• Graeme Laird, Senior Vice President, Lanson Place Hospitality Management
• Steven Kleinschmidt, President, Marco Polo Hotels
• Michael Sagild, SVP Development, MGM Hospitality
• Symon Bridle, SVP – Operations, New World Hotels Management Ltd
• John Koldowski, Deputy CEO & Head, Office of Strategy Management, PATA
• Morgan Laughlin, MD, Head of Real Estate Sector Coverage – Asia Pacific,
Royal Bank of Scotland
• David Gore, MD, Head of Real Estate & Lodging Finance, Asia, Société
Générale Corporate & Investment Banking
• Miguel Ko, President – Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
• Mark Lankester, CEO, Tune Hotels.com
E x h i b i t i o n s
AHCTMay 201156
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May 2011 AHCT 57
MarcieHyder
ThomasPfordte
DavidJTravers
The Royal Garden Hotel in Hong Kong has announced the appointment of Chan Kam Yuen as Head Chef at Le Soleil Vietnamese restaurant. Chef Chan has more than 40 years culinary experience and specializes in Southeast Asian dishes with stylish presentation and seasonal ingredients.
Pegasus Solutions has announced the promotion of Marcie Hyder to Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President. Hyder has been with Pegasus 10 years and helped steer it through the Global Financial Crisis. The CPA has also worked for KPMG.
Marco Polo Hotels has announced the appointment of Thomas Pfordte as Group Director of F&B. Pfordte has extensive F&B experience at leading brands such as Regent and Hyatt Regency in Hong Kong, Hilton in Bangkok and Jumeirah in Dubai. His last posting saw him launch The Edge hospitality division of Dubai International Financial Center.
The InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong has announced the appointment of Martin Schaumburg as Director of F&B. The German has worked at prestigious hotels across Europe and Asia for 21 years, including Claridge’s in London. Schaumburg joined Kempinski in 2004 in China and his latest posting was as EAM at Kempinski Hotel Huizhou.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of David J Travers as General Manager of Parkroyal Melbourne Airport. Travers started his 20-year-career at Parkroyal Melbourne and has since held General Manager roles with other groups in Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. He has also worked for Langham Hotels International in Thailand and India.
The Westin Resort Macau has announced the appointment of Stephan Winkler as General Manager. Studying languages before starting his hospitality career in 1982, the German national has worked in landmark hotels such as Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski and the Paris Ritz. Winkler has also worked at senior levels in 5-star hotels in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Egypt.
MartinSchaumburg
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ChanKamYuen
FLEXI STATIONmulti-purpose warmer & carving station w/heated base
FLEXI STATIONmulti-purpose warmer & carving station w/heated base
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Roll-TopMobile Carving Station
Two heating source: heat lamp and heatedbase with temperature regulatorServed as carving station and food warmerEasy ‘plug and play’ lamp installationGranite Carving board includedFits for 2 x GN1/1 & 1 x GN 2/4 food pan(porcelain and S/S)18/10 stainless steel, high mirror finishCE & ETL
a p p o i n t M E n t s
AHCT May 201158
DualZone
Model: D-290
2 temperature zonesfor professionals
The first “product” from the EuroCave Professional, Dual Zone, is a 2 temperature zone wine serving cabinet combining a modem design with the latest technology.Two large zones, which are completely independent, allowing your red wines, white wines all to be kept at the right serving temperature.In this way, Dual Zone allows you to easily access bottles when dealing with customers’ wine orders.
Made in France
For a free brochure containing full detail,please contact:
Alpha International Food Services909, Chai Wan Industrial City, Phase 2,70 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.Tel: (852) 2889 2123 Fax: (852) 2889 1757http://www.eurocave-alpha.comEmail: [email protected]
World leader in Wine Cellars
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asian hotel.pdf 1 14/04/2011 4:24 PM