asian hotel& Catering times

Published since 1976 Vol 34 August 2009

hong Kong sAR hK$50 china RMb50singapore s$15 Malaysia RM30 Thailand bt300 Rest of Asia us$10

Chennai bandwagonInternational brands jump aboard

WRITING’S ON THE BLACKBOARDAcademia’s answers to surviving the crisis

CAVIAR – THE COMEBACK KIDFarmed eggs to lead a revival?

Mischa Moselle

AsiAn Hotel & CAtering tiMes is publisHed MontHly by tHoMson press Hong Kong ltd (tpHK)

The opinions expressed in Asian Hotel & Catering Times do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or the publication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher, editors and staff, agents and contributors for omissions, typographical or printers errors, inaccuracies or changes howsoever caused. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted at their discretion. All materials published remain the property of TPHK. Reproduction without permission by any means is strictly prohibited. Correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, Asian Hotel & Catering Times, Room 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111 Fax: (852) 2851 1933. Fantasy Print, Unit B 8/F, Tin Fung Industial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong

All rights reserved (c) 2009Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd

Welcome to a packed summer issue of your most useful hospitality read!

On a sombre note, we record the pointless loss of life at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta in a cowardly, futile attack carried out for no stated purpose whatsoever.

The glimmers of hope on this occasion are that fortunately the bombers were incompetent and the casualty count could have been much higher, and also that the attack prompted a string of op-ed columns pointing to Indonesia’s strengths as an emerging democracy. There is little sign

Hong Kong Hotels AssociAtion

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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: mischa@thomsonpress.com.hkContact: Mr Mischa Moselle 

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of the instability that could so easily scare visitors off.

On a far less sombre note, we look at the significant impact on costs that adopting the latest in internet-based communications technology can achieve for you. Known as VoIP, this has a big impact on the bottom line for the back office and in potentially bringing guests back to using your telephone system rather than their mobile phone.

The technology is also a reminder of what a global enterprise the hospitality industry has become.

MANAGING EDITORMischa Moselle

mischa@thomsonpress.com.hk

DESIGN ByKoon Ming Tang

production@thomsonpress.com.hk

CONTRIBuTORSSharmilla ChandBruce DawsonAngela GlennZara Horner

Christina KautzkyRuth Williams

ASSOCIATE PuBLISHERSharon Knowler

sharon@thomsonpress.com.hk

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERClaire Sancelot

claire@thomsonpress.com.hk

CIRCuLATION ExECuTIVEBecky Chau

enquiries@thomsonpress.com.hk

CHAIRMANJS Uberoi

DIRECTORGaurav Kumar

endorseMents

One relatively recent focus of international attention is the throbbing Indian metropolis of Chennai, manufacturing and technology hub, tourism base and centre of religious pilgrimage. The city is low on internationally branded hotels but the next three years should see demand met by a rash of openings.

AHCT wishes you a pleasant summer.

Mei

réun

dM

eiré

the SPIRITof WATER

Never change a classic. Just refine it. Your accompany the continuous evolution in its design, its architecture, its surfaces and its colours. TARA BLACK EDITION is the contemporary interpretation of the TARA design icon. Fittings and accessories were designed by Sieger Design. Just what it is that makes a modern classic is the focus of the first Donbracht Conversations (DC1). More information and documentation can be found at www.dornbracht.com/dc1. Aloys F. Dornbracht GmbH & Co. KG, Köbbingser Mühle 6, D-58640 Iserlohn.

Tara.Black Edition

Tara.Black ASIAN HOTEL 07_2009 06.07.2009 11:40 Uhr Seite 1

E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E

August 2009 AHCT �

MANAGEMENT10 Hospitality schools are providing the

research and graduates to take the industry through the crisis

MARKET REPORT14 Chennai is India’s fourth largest city and

experiencing a development boom

TECHNOLOGy18 The benefits of cheap communication

DESIGN 22 Does the chef need input in planning

the kitchen?

NEWS CuLINARy26 White salmon; Blumenthal for Mandarin;

Beetroot appeal

INDuSTRy6 Jakarta blasts; Macau IPOs; Peninsula

cans spam

PRODuCT42 In-room entertainment; Coffee; Crockery

FOOD28 Ice cream gets more flavour-packed

38 With no quotas for wild caviar yet, farmed starts to gain appeal

DRINK32 Coffee for 200 conventioneers or one

fine-diner – getting them both right

Eggs over easycover photography courtesy of J& A fine food

EQuIPMENT44 Ice machines are cool

48 EVENTS CALENDAR

APPOINTMENTS54 See who is moving where

14Chennai market

The scoop on ice cream

� AHCT August 2009 August 2009 AHCT �

UpandComing...September• Gambling• Market Report: Kuala Lumpur• Security technology• Public spaces• Seafood• Water• Bakery; Laundry

October• Spas• Macau• Revenue/Yield Management• Spa design• Halal; Meat• Wine• Spa amenities; Tea & Coffee

Alpha International 31 Aquaculture 25 Boncafe 36 & 37 Bravilor 35 BSC IFC Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne 9 FHC Shanghai 50 Food Hotel Malaysia 21 Food Hotel Vietnam 49 Franke 35 Global Search International 54 HICAP 52 HIFI 53 HK Polytech 13 Hyperlux IBC J&A Fine Food Ltd 41 Leader Radio Technology 19 M.Schaerer 17 Manitowoc Foodservice 45 Meiko 17 Mundial 54 Raffles Campus 15 Restaurant and Bar 47 Starbucks Coffee Hong Kong 23 Tabasco OBC Texcare 43 Uncle Russ 33 Wine and Spirits 51

Advert isers’ index

CONTENTSV o l u m e 3 4 A u g u s t 2 0 0 9

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The Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta and the JW Marriott Jakarta, both operated by Marriott International and owned by Indonesian company Permata Birama Sakti, were the targets of a mid-July suicide bombing.

The attacks, in the Indonesian capital’s Mega Kuningan financial district, left nine dead including the bombers, and 53 injured. Of the dead at the JW Marriott, one was a hotel employee, three were Western businessmen and one was the bomber himself. The Ritz-Carlton casualties were the bomber and three guests.

As Els Ramadhinta, Director of Public Relations, Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta told AHCT, “At this time we believe the damage is confined to the area of the explosion, which was the Airlangga restaurant in The Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta. Damage is still being assessed but there does not appear to be material structural damage to the hotels. As soon as authorities conclude their investigation, and determine it is safe to resume normal business operations we will re-open the hotel. We do not anticipate this process taking too long.”

Blame has been placed on the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) group responsible for a 2003 attack on the JW Marriott and the Bali bombings of 2002 and 2005. The group, which wants to create an Islamic caliphate throughout Southeast Asia, has yet to claim responsibility for the blasts.

Although this is the second JI attack on the JW Marriott Jakarta there is some evidence to prove that the hotel itself was not the target this time round. The venue where the suicide bomber detonated his device was hosting a meeting of the Indonesian Country Program, which holds weekly breakfasts for mining or oil and gas company chief executives, according to The Australian newspaper, quoting some of those present as speculating that they had been the target.

The meetings are chaired by James Castle of CastleAsia, who was also at the hotel during the 2003 bombing. His company introduces foreign businesses to Indonesians.

Former mining executive and one of the few Indonesians present at the meeting, Noke Kiroyan, told the Wall Street Journal that he believed that if the suicide bomber had wanted to cause more casualties he could have targeted the main restaurant on the other side of the lobby. Kiroyan was shielded from the blast by pillars, but still lost part of his right ear, the newspaper reported.

The failure of a smaller device to detonate first in the JW Marriott helped avoid even more casualties – this blast would have led guests to assemble in the lobby exposing them to the blasts aimed at the business meeting. Guests in the Ritz-Carlton’s café moved to the windows when they heard the blasts at the JW Marriott. Jakarta police say that had the guests remained seated, casualties would have been much higher. It has emerged that the attacker was seated.

An Australian analyst gave further possible motives for the attack on the JW Marriott. Professor Tim Lindsay, Director of Melbourne University’s Asian Law Centre and Chairman of the Australia Indonesia Institute put the bombings in the context of the Indonesian government’s successful crackdown on JI and the group’s subsequent determination to show it was still operating. Choosing targets such as the Marriott in Jakarta and nightclubs in Bali that had been attacked before was a way of saying that ‘You can’t stop us.’

According to Lindsay, the JI’s ultimate aim is the destabilisation of Indonesia’s democracy, recently reinforced by the re-election of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president.

Security consultants have praised both properties for their high levels of security.

Police and hotels in Bali have gone on a high state of alert against possible attacks, according to the police and the Bali Hotels Association. Some 12,000 police officers have been put on alert and there has been no evidence of large numbers of tourists leaving.

ForensicspolicesearchforevidenceaftertheattacksontheRitz-Carlton,JakartaandtheJWMarriottJakarta

Blasts target Jakarta hotels

Wynn and Sands race to IPOWynn Resorts has filed an application to IPO its Macau operation on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, a move the American casino operator hopes will raise US$1-2 billion. The move follows earlier plans announced by Las Vegas Sands to raise US$2 billion or more by listing on the HK Exchange in the near-term future. Wynn is looking to launch its IPO in the fourth quarter of the year, which could spur Sands into action.

Wynn’s portfolio on the peninsula includes Wynn Macau and a second property, Encore at Wynn Macau, which is under construction and slated to open next year. Sands counts the Venetian, Sands and Four Seasons among its properties, including a stretch of undeveloped land along the Cotai strip on which construction was suspended last November.

In recent months both companies’ shares have picked up strength since their six-month lows in March, Wynn jumping 159 percent to US$39.83 and Sands climbing 594 percent to US$9.86.

Analysts believe that both should push for aggressive listing target dates as investors become more comfortable with risky industries and the stock market continues to rally. Aaron Fischer, an analyst with CLSA, said an IPO in Hong Kong could be promising. “If we look a little further out, I think the Macau growth story will be back on track,” he told media. A Wynn spokesperson declined to comment. A Sands spokesperson clarified that the group was “interested in the possibility” of an IPO, but was also looking at other options.

Spam controlNow in its eighth decade, with luxury properties around the world the Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotel Group including The Peninsula, Hong Kong processes more than 1.3 million e-mail messages a month. MessageLabs, the company in charge of keeping it safe, secure and free from viruses and attacks, has also come up with a solution to filter out pesky junk mail, keeping the system running smoothly and efficiently

“One of the biggest headaches for enterprise IT security professionals is keeping systems current. With new security threats appearing daily, hourly and even minute-by-minute, just staying up-to-date can be a full-time job,” said Nigel Mendonca, MessageLabs’ Regional Director, Asia.

“SaaS removes that burden from the customer and deals with it fast and effectively behind the scenes. That leaves businesses free to get on with what it does best – serving its customers.”

Said Shane Izaks, General Manager, Information Technology of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Limited said of the issue, “The risk of being attacked through our communications channel has been reduced tremendously. Virtually all annoying or potentially dangerous traffic is blocked before it reaches our systems. And what we don’t see, we don’t have to worry about.”

Computervirusescanharmhotelsystems

IN BRIEFChaophyaParkHotel, Bangkok has launched its newly built ‘mansion house’ MICE venue, Tarathep House, an elegant stand-alone house with a façade of columns and a white dome.

Located close to the main hotel entrance within the hotel’s famous gardens, Tarathep House can accommodate upwards of 600 people for cocktails and up to 450 people for a sit down dinner.

With its own driveway and grand entrance, guests’ first impression of the venue will be the artistic water feature in front. Designed with a duplex mezzanine floor, the Tarathep House can be used for exclusive private parties, exhibitions or product launches in Bangkok. This beautiful venue comes complete with its own kitchens; top of the range audio visual equipment; cocktail bars; changing rooms and washroom facilities.

Commenting on the opening of Tarathep House, Andrew Wood, General Manager of the Chaophya Park Hotel & Resorts said, “We designed Tarathep House specifically with exclusive exhibitions and product launches in mind. Our policy is to only offer the Tarathep House to one client at a time to ensure the event planner will ‘own’ the venue throughout the period of the event.

The Ultimate Romance package at the award-winning AnantaraPhuketResort&Spa celebrates romance in a whole new way. Aimed at couples celebrating a honeymoon, anniversary or spontaneous romantic getaway, Anantara claims to offer an escape to a world all about love.

On arrival, couples will be shown to their Anantara Pool Villa, which boasts an expansive living space and a sense of privacy unparalleled in Phuket. Each villa features a beautiful bathroom with the hotel-resort’s signature oversized terrazzo tub, which resides in perfect harmony with the private pool, indoor and outdoor rain showers, daybed and outdoor living sala.

Daily extras like breakfast at the private sala, a complimentary bottle of Champagne and personalised Dining by Design candlelit dinner, as well as an indulgent in-villa spa bath ritual will lull couples into a feeling of complete and total relaxation.

Artist’srenderingofTarathepHouse

CouplescanenjoyaromanticsunsetatAnantara

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photography by Afp

A fAscinAting cAreerin A booming field

the ecole hôtelière de lausanne

the world. it provides university-level training to talented, ambi-tious students aiming for fast-track careers in the hospitality industry.

The Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (Switzerland) which was founded in 1893, is the world’s leading educational institution for the international hospitality industry. The training it provides is based on a balance between the arts and the

aspects and the artistic aspects of management. With an enrolment of over 1’700 students from 90 different countries, the School trains future leaders, who will be in charge of developing the

sector in years to come. Its active and extensive network of 25,000 alumni worldwide includes many of the great names in the world of hotels, and plays an important role in supporting those aiming for an international career.

EHL offers three programmes (a Diploma, a Bachelor and a Master) devised to satisfy the highest standards in hotel management. These courses en-sure up-to-date teaching of high level managerial skills, while placing the accent on the strategic dimension of commercial mana-gement in the food and beverage and hotel sectors. Courses in management and strategy are combined with practical work, projects and the organization of

events. In addition to hotels as such, the industry is vast, varied and dynamic: wellness centers and spas, cruise ships, golf and country clubs, airline catering and conference venues are all closely related to it, and are booming.

EHL graduates are typically appointed

and human resources. The world of hospitality today extends far beyond

hospitals and clinics, humanitarian organizations… must all take into account the wishes of their clients.

admissions@ehl.chPhone: +41 21 785 11 11

www.ehl.edu

BabyRaimoncelebratesherfirstbirthdayinstyleattheGoldenTriangleAsianElephantFoundation.Sheisaperfectexampleoftheworkbeingcarriedoutbythecharity.

For a holiday with star value, Anantara Naladhu – a private resort on a pristine island in the Maldives – offers discerning travellers a way to holiday like Naladhu devotees Kate Moss and Roger Federer. Nineteen luxuriously appointed houses feature top of the line amenities and a romantic ambiance; perfect for an escape to tropical island paradise.

The LagunaPhuket is the newest place for political celebrity sightings, having recently hosted a number of significant sessions during the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meetings. United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, was on hand to attend the meetings, as well as enjoy the beauty and luxury of the property.

The ConradCentennialSingapore mixed business and pleasure when it welcomed 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari and love ballad-singing 80’s hair band Air Supply, both in the same month.

CelebritiesareflockingtoresortsliketheAnantaraNaladhuresortintheMaldives

This month marks the unveiling of plans for a new, ambitious Sheraton in Incheon – Songdo City. The hotel also will set a new benchmark for hotels in Korea, being built using eco-friendly methods, and aiming to be the first fully non-smoking, LEED (the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rated hotel in Korea.

“We are extremely excited to introduce this brand new Sheraton hotel in the heart of Incheon Free Economic Zone” said Alain Rigodin, the General Manager of Sheraton Incheon Hotel. “Songdo, once a quiet island, is designed to be the world’s most beautiful, functional and environmentally friendly city. The Sheraton Incheon will offer deluxe facilities and service to welcome business people in a warm, eco-friendly and completely smoke free environment.”

The overall design approach of the Sheraton Incheon was based upon the concept of a “Return to Utopia.” The style is a delicate blend of the modern Sheraton language, traditional Korean patterns and graphics, and the word ‘Songdo’ that translates as “pine tree island.”

Shangri-LaHotelsandResorts has signed an agreement with China Huaming International Investment Corporation (CHMIIC) to manage a hotel in Moscow, marking the group’s first property in Russia.

Set to open in 2012, the 400-room hotel will occupy the top floors of a 42-storey main building in the Park Huaming Business Centre in Moscow – a new major multi-purpose development. Next to the Russian Botanic Garden, Northeast District, on Vilgelma Pika Street, the hotel guestrooms will have a minimum size of 40 square metres and each room will have a view of the Chinese landscapes at the Park Huaming Business Centre or views of the Russian Botanic Garden.

Madhu Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts said, “As we continue to expand globally, Russia remains one of our key markets and we look forward to working closely with the Moscow community.”

As part of the five-month global celebration of the momentous Westin Heavenly Bed 10th anniversary, WestinHotelsandResorts has announced the Heavenly Getaway Package. The package offers travellers all the ingredients for a restorative retreat, including breakfast in bed every morning, 4pm late checkout and special anniversary rates at over 160 participating Westin hotels and resorts worldwide.

The brand’s five-month Heavenly Celebration will bring a little bit of “heaven” to guests and consumers around the world. Throughout 2009, Westin will introduce several new additions to the Heavenly product line and host Heavenly White Sales and experiential events in high-profile locations worldwide. From Beijing to Boston, every one of Westin’s 169 properties and more than 29,000 employees will participate in the celebration with special events, Heavenly promotions and giveaways.

ThecultfavouriteHeavenlyBedfromWestin

Plansforaneco-friendlySheratoninIncheon

IN BRIEFi n d u s t r y n E w s

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The institute is able to pursue research like this because it has built up a reputation for trustworthiness and rigour over time and by working with the industry, explains Dr Smith. “The industry will share confidential data with us, making the research more valuable and useful,” he adds.

Macau’s Institute For Tourism Studies (IFT) also maintains close links with industry partners and has been expanding its student intake and course offerings as the territory’s hospitality sector has expanded, especially in revenue management and branding of destinations.

Day-to-day planning can be aided greatly by accurate forecasts of tourism-related demand. Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel & Tourism Management (SHTM) has helped developed such a system, which is maintained by an expert panel under Professor Haiyan Song, Principal Investigator of the System.

The Hong Kong Tourism Demand Forecasting System was launched last March and has already taken a prize for innovation.

The system allows hoteliers to see forecasts for arrivals, expenditure by sector and hotel room nights for 10 major source countries for Hong Kong. It also makes 10-year outgoing predictions for Hong Kong tourists.

“Using this system, industry personnel can generate different scenario analyses based one their own estimation of economic growth rates and fluctuations in currency exchange rates,” Professor Song tells AHCT.

The professor has also been a speaker on the financial crisis at seminar organised by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

Do your researchSHTM is not the only number crunching school providing the industry with useful information. Taylor’s College, School of Hospitality & Tourism conducts what it calls Tourism Observatory research, producing industry indexes and monitoring performance.

“Emphasis has also been placed on researching issues, such as sustainable tourism development and the transfer of technology and knowledge in hospitality tourism and gastronomy,” explains the institute’s Programme Director Neethiahnanthan Ragavan.

He adds that the school also extensively researches the development of employable skills and the essential competencies required of hospitality and tourism graduates.

Maintaining close links with the industry is key for both sides and Marc Ledermann, Chief Executive Officer of Les Roches Jin Jiang tells AHCT that the college has an advisory board of hotel chain vice presidents and general managers, giving feedback to ensure the relevance of the education provided. The academic research associated with Les Roches comes from Switzerland, from the government-recognised University of Applied Sciences, Les Roches Gruyère.

Different colleges seem to have disparate perspectives on what it is relevant for them to research and which topics constitute the future challenges to the hospitality industry.

Cédric Focking Schneider, Corporate Communications Coordinator, External Relations at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) in Switzerland explains the school’s concerns: “One of the most important research areas of Lausanne Hospitality Research is human resources management and hotel performance. The objective of this research area is to find solutions on how to retain and develop talent in the hospitality industry in order to help hotels develop a sustainable competitive advantage. The academic research in this field gives answers for example on how to develop employee flexibility (qualitatively and quantitatively)? What is the level of effectiveness of empowerment programs and how can they be improved? How to develop hotel employee entrepreneurial behaviour? How to evaluate the performance of hotel employees? What is the impact of HR management strategies on hotel performance?”

This is also an area of concern for the IFT. The school’s Executive Assistant Manager David Wong tells AHCT that it is a major mistake that some hotels make to stop training when times are tough. “When the hotels are quiet, we should be busy,” he says.

In fact, many hospitality schools argue that it is the training they provide as much as the academic research to support the

Listening to the teacher may be one of the only ways for

the hospitality industry to grow stronger out of the global

downturn, finds Mischa Moselle

Learning from past mistakes

“At this juncture, the impact on the broader economy and financial markets of the problems in the subprime market seems likely to be contained,” Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke said in

Congressional testimony in March, 2007.And if he doesn’t have a clue about the financial and economic

issues facing the world, how can anyone else be expected to make sense of affairs?

This is more than a nicety for hotel owners and operators facing plunging RevPAR, GOP and occupancy and attempting to devise counteracting strategies and even short-term survival plans. Yet while such issues may not seem academic, it turns out that academia has a range of tools and answers that can be of great practical assistance.

Revenue management 101One temptation for hoteliers is the decision to lower rates to attract more guests. Interim Dean Dr Russell Arthur Smith of the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management in Singapore would advise strongly against it. Research by sister school, Cornell School of Hotel Administration in the United States has found that luxury hotels that drop their rates when times are hard rarely if ever recover the original rates.

“The industry will share confidential data with us, making the research more valuable and useful” Interim Dean Dr Russell Arthur Smith

StudentsatRafflesCampusBusinessSchool,Singapore

FacilitiesatEcolehôtelièredeLausanne

IFTmaintainscloseindustrycontactstomakelecturesrelevant

Singapore’sCornell-NanyangInstituteofHospitalityManagementAbusinessschoolgearedtowardshospitality

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The school has a flagship Winter School, developed in collaboration with the Hong Kong Hotels Association, which has been conducting Management Development courses since 2003.

Over in Singapore at the privately-run Raffles Campus Business School, the emphasis is on the practical and vocational.

“Our programmes are based on TAFE Australia – it is a requirement of the Australian Quality Framework (AQTF) to have relevant and recent learning. The programmes are developed based on interaction with the Australian Ministry of Education, industry practitioners and the academic team.

“In Singapore, we use the programmes developed by Box Hill Institute which is our academic partner. The programmes we deliver are VET (vocational education training) and are the same as the competency based programme used by WSQ (Workplace Skills qualification). This is a national skills development programme used by the Workforce Development Agency in Singapore,” explains Raakel Peter, Executive for Marketing and Communications, at Raffles Campus.

“We do not separate theory and practical delivery. They are integrated and are assessed using formative assessment techniques,” she adds.

In the Philippines Enderun Colleges have been launched with the needs of the industry very much in mind, Provost and Chief Operating Officer Lance Masters tells AHCT. The schools, which offer hospitality management and culinary courses respectively, take a number of steps to ensure that its offer is one that will be useful for its students and for the companies they work for after graduation.

The curriculum at International Hospitality Management was designed in consultation with senior industry figures who complained that many fresh graduates lacked foreign languages and were also lacking in self-confidence. The hoteliers urged four principles on the college.

Firstly they said the college should incorporate industry best practice into their courses and were prepared to offer their own internal training guidelines and manuals to help with this. These are used a supplementary materials to recognised course books, All students are required to learn a foreign language.

Secondly, the courses are taught only by professors with industry experience. Advanced culinary courses are only taught by Michelin-experienced chefs, and the culinary programme is undertaken in conjunction with Formation Alain Ducasse, the training school founded by the multi-Michelin-starred French legend.

The school has a unique taken on internships, which sees students packed off for industry experience relatively early in their courses, having been prepared by the school for their specific internship. The internships are relatively lengthy and this means that the students can take much shorter second ones when they graduate.

Fourthly, the school and its restaurants have been designed to resemble as strongly as possible the type of 5-star hotel environment that its students aim to work in.

In Switzerland the EHL offers more than practical courses as it says its “teaching is the equivalent of the world’s best business schools, but applied to hospitality.”

Again, as with Enderun, courses are designed with input from industry leaders. “We build the academic programmes in close cooperation with industry leaders. We take part in many international conferences and can observe the market needs, but more over we seek advice and input on our educational orientation and strategic decisions at our International Advisory Board. This board consists of 19 top managers reflecting the hospitality industry and meets twice a year at EHL,” says the school’s Focking Schneider.

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industry. While the IFT’s Wong tells AHCT that a lecturer from the school recently spoke at a crisis management seminar in Singapore, he is keener to emphasise the training offered by the school. As a government-funded body, the school can offer many free seminars, tastings and workshops.

What to teachHong Kong’s SHTM recognizes that many hospitality companies are seeking to broaden their employees’ horizons and are also aware that competition is not just on the level of pricing and physical product but on standards.

“Service Quality Management is among the most popular topics and is constantly in demand,” says Professor Song, also citing the school’s Executive Development Programme offerings in Uniform System of Accounting and Conference Management as examples of industry-relevant training.

M a n a g E M E n t

12 AHCTAugust 2009

According to Ashok Anantharam a veteran of the hospitality industry, Senior Consultant, GRT Hotels & Resorts, “2008-09 saw a substantial drop in occupancies and Average Room Rate (ARR) across all categories of hotels

in Chennai. Overall market demand has dropped by 20 percent in both occupancy and yield and this trend will continue in the first quarter of 2009-10 as well. However, future booking trends indicate that the worst may be over and the market will see a gradual pickup of demand in October 2009.”

This short term drop does not seem to have made the city less attractive to potential new hotel owners and operators.

Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai – the capital of Tamil Nadu – is the fourth largest metropolitan city in India and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.

The industry of tourismAnantharam explains, “The Chennai hospitality market has seen a substantial growth both in terms of room nights and ARR over the last three to four years. There has been consistent increase of around 20 percent each year through 2008-09. From a demand point of view the city has gained considerable commercial importance because of its broad based industrial activity, gateway to South India and the capital city of the state with a very forward looking approach to industrialisation.”

Anantharam continues, “Chennai is also the starting point of several south India based tours for inbound tourism. From the supply point of view there was not an increase in the capacity and hence existing hotels saw the benefit of a ‘buoyant demand’ situation. Occupancies of hotels in luxury, first class and economy classes also showed a consistent growth in key profitability parameters.”

Interestingly room rates in Chennai were considerably lower than those in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore but an increase in demand for rooms has narrowed this gap.

Buoyant hubLikewise, Virender Razdan, General Manager, Sheraton Park Hotel & Towers, Chennai says, “We are bullish about the Chennai Market and see it showing marginal growth by Q3 to Q4 of this year due to buoyancy in the manufacturing and infrastructure sector. State government will also sell the state as an attractive destination for all future investments, major international companies which have manufacturing bases in Tamil Nadu are shifting their back end operations to Chennai ... Hence the Chennai luxury market should see steady growth in the next couple of years.”

“According to industry experts Cushman & Wakefield, CRISIL Chennai room supply will grow by 14 percent (2008-2011) whereas demand will decrease by 3 percent. But ground realities belie this,” argues Razdan.

Pradeep Kalra, Senior VP Sales & Marketing, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts says, “Chennai being a corporate hub and base of many big industry players, it attracts a lot of business travellers. Pharma, manufacturing, heavy machinery, engineering and automobile sectors are major contributors in the present times. With crunching travel budgets and decreasing corporate spends, the pressure on the

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call centres. On the other hand, Chennai has seen a spectacular rise as a commercial hub over the last five years and this has resulted in international players looking seriously at Chennai. More than 3,000 rooms are expected to be added in the luxury/first class market between 2012-13 and several of these are well known international brands. The Oberoi Group, Taj and ITC are also expanding their presence in the city. Taj has recently opened the Taj Mountroad in addition to their three existing hotels (two in Chennai and one in Mahabalipuram, 60 kilometres south of the city). ITC is opening India’s largest luxury hotel - ITC Grand Chola in 2011-12. A relatively new entrant is the service apartment segment – Ascot establishing its presence here.

Razdan, explains, “Chennai is being positioned as the next financial hub after Mumbai. Come 2010-11, the city will run short of rooms keeping in view that more automotive companies are working on shifting their production base to Chennai and Tamil Nadu. Current ones are shifting all backend processes to the state.

Banks like Citibank are expanding their operations further from Chennai.

A metro rail project and other infrastructure realty projects will

see huge growth in corporate travel. Chennai vis à vis other cities in the south ( Bangalore/ Hyderabad) has experienced fewer decreases We are hopeful to arrest decreases and show growth by September of this year onward.”

Industry veteran Anantharam is also optimistic. “Chennai will see a large number of international hospitality players beginning operations by 2012-13 and this will coincide with markets also gaining buoyancy both in the business and leisure segments. I expect to see the Chennai hospitality scenario, maturing even further and this augurs well for the consumer who is prepared to pay for quality and finds a positive price value relationship in the service delivered to him,” he says.

PradeepKalra,SeniorVPSales&Marketing,SarovarHotels&Resorts

hospitality sector will continue till the economy recovers by the end of this fiscal year.”

He points out, “Radha Regent, a Sarovar Hotel, has managed to buck the trend on account of its strong sales offices network across 11 source markets and a smaller room inventory.”

Some global brands are already operating very successfully in Chennai and this includes Sheraton, Meridien, Radisson, and Courtyard by Marriott. In addition, several more players like Hilton, Intercontinental, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Marriott, JW Marriott and Ascot are likely to open by 2012-13.

On an optimistic note, Anantharam, says, “While 2008-09 saw a slump in demand, business is expected to pick up in the second half of 2009-10 and the opening of the new hotels will coincide with increase in demand. However, there is no doubt that the quantum of increase in supply will outstrip the rate at which demand is expected to grow in the medium term and Chennai will see a market scenario of ‘Perfect Competition’ where those hotels which provide superior value will come out trumps.”

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Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is the broad term applied to all telephone, conference and video technology that communicates over an IP network. More and more telecommunications and technology companies are

taking steps that show this is the way forward. One of those is New World Telecommunications, which recently announced a partnership with SolutionInc to market and sell the group’s SolutionIP software, which provides internet connectivity, billing and management, to the hospitality sector in Hong Kong, Macau and China. In theory, it should be a cheaper, clearer communication option that allows international calls and meetings from anywhere in the world at as low as 50 percent of the cost of landlines or mobile phones. In practice however, while in developed countries VoIP has taken off, in Asia there is still some reticence to adopt this technology.

The prosIn a perfect world, hotel guests, back office, and the hotel executives themselves can benefit from the implementation of VoIP solutions. Explains a representative from Aculab, “An analogy would be the number of third party applications available for the iPhone – the basic underlying principle is the same,” but every hotel can use IP networks to suit their needs. Uses for hotel guests include cheaper international calling rates, meetings and conference solutions that range from voice to video, and peace of mind that the hotel bill at the end of the stay will not be sky high.

Cost-cutting communication

“When the infrastructure is put in place, there is a guaranteed way to see a return on investment for everyone.” Matthew Kuan

An overlooked use of VoIP is the benefit for

back-office operations. But there are still

hurdles to clear reports Christina Kautzky

For both front and back office functions, explains Matthew Kuan, Leader, Hospitality Solutions, Nortel Asia, “We are able to unify traditionally disparate communication networks within the hotel,” which allows office desks using analogue phones and engineers on walkie-talkies using radio frequencies, to communicate without purchasing any new hardware.

And, says a marketing representative from UK-base Aculab, “Having to maintain a single IP-based network for all services involving voice, data, etc. should lead to reduced [operating] costs.” Another positive for hotels is the ability for executives within the hotel to use the meetings facilities for their own purposes. The current downturn has forced hotels into cost-saving mode, and according to a number of industry sources, this means lowering internal international call charges. Explains Kuan, “If you have executives all over the world, instead of all flying to one distant location, each person can fly to the nearest location in the region and conduct a conference call from there. It’s a tremendous cost saving tool.”

The consHistorically hotels have hit a number of roadblocks when looking at installing VoIP solutions. Particularly in less developed countries or rural areas, the infrastructure for connections was – and sometimes

photograph courtesy of radvision

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August 2009 AHCT 19

just as easy as using the web at home or picking up a mobile phone. The company explains, “Whether [guests] are tourists keeping in touch with home, or business professionals on the move, everyone needs easy and quick access. But access alone is not enough; it has to be quick to connect, fast to transmit and not result in a huge bill for usage. In effect, it must be as simple as using a mobile phone or sending a fax.”

Over the past few years, as hotels have enjoyed high occupancy rates and expenses were not at the top of the mind, hotels did not need to offer cheaper solutions. For those travelling for business purposes,

the company footed the bill for expensive calls and meetings. Now, however, that is not the case, which is leading to a reassessment of what hotels need to be offering.

The happy medium“Today,” explains Kuan, IT departments are being called upon to “put on their thinking caps to find ways to leverage technology for cost cutting measures.” Globally this has changed the way that hotels are viewing VoIP.

Technology companies are being asked to sit down and explain just how VoIP technology will impact their bottom line. And, says Kuan, “We can show you precise ways that this is a real value add and its clear ROI. When the infrastructure is put in place, there is a guaranteed way to see a return on investment for everyone.”

But while solutions exist, there are barriers for hotels, and ensuring owners are purchasing the right system is one. Aculab adds, “Perhaps the biggest challenge is making sense of the various offerings - the plethora of offerings - that are available.” From expensive solutions offered by the traditional tier-one telecommunications vendor space, through tier two and three vendors of SME-scale IP-PBXs to hosted platforms, SIP trunking and peer-to-peer solutions such as Skype, “it’s a minefield.” But all is not lost. “Maybe the best advice is to specify what it is that you want to achieve, then seek information from a local, in-country solutions provider or vendor.” The company cautions, “I’m sure [solutions providers] would tell you – each and every one – that they had the answers to all of your problems and questions… Inoperability is often a good topic to quiz companies on.”

Aculab’s rep advises, “Don’t let them oversell you, and equally, make sure you don’t get caught up in the proprietary solution trap - that simply negates many of the advantages that VoIP brings in the first place.”

This is a trend that the industry is addressing, and some like Nortel have been proactive in being open about it. Says Kuan, “We realise that wireless and the interfacing of applications is the way forward … so we are developing technology in the direction that hotels really want.”

Just how the tech industry will respond to these new demands remains to be seen, but what is clear is that the hurdles originally associated with IP systems are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past, which benefits hotel guest, hotel executives, and everyone in between.

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still is – simply not in place. This is an ongoing issue, though one that individual countries are working on not just from a hospitality perspective, but also in terms of overall telecommunications penetration. Unfortunately though, in places where lines are not currently in operation, VoIP is simply not an option.

In terms of hotel infrastructure, many have been resistant to change their approach and disrupt the status quo by adding additional wires and routing cables. But, as SMC Asia points out, “Even in our personal lives the internet has become completely pervasive. We keep in touch with our friends by email; we buy books, CDs, car insurance, vacations and virtually anything else over the web. Most of us would now be lost without it.” Likewise access to solutions for telecommunications and video conferences is essential to keep the contemporary hotel guest happy. SMC offers solutions aimed at being

t E c h n o l o g y

20 AHCT August 2009

from the chef ’s travels add an element of the exotic, with glass panelling over the window top. But this exterior is mostly the architect’s hand; his is firmly in the kitchen itself.

The restaurant group has ‘owned’ the upper part of Star Street in Wanchai for years with a hold on the best building, but 1/5 nuevo is but the latest incarnation of that location, having been a Japanese restaurant in its former life, then a European grill. “For the new restaurant, which focuses on more tapas-style European food, the issue was not for the kitchen to be big but practical,” Gabet says. “I used to run a kitchen in Japan that was 1,500 square metres with 400 seats, but size doesn’t matter and has nothing to do with the beauty of the kitchen, especially in Hong Kong where it is so compressed.”

Window operating systemHe says the key is to make the kitchen as functional as possible while creating at least some element of the visual. “Open kitchens are very popular; these days guests want to see the action. But I don’t feel you need to show everything, it’s mostly the chef ’s performance, so we show what we want to show.” In his case that means the open window is restricted to just the head and sous chef at the finish point, showcasing the grill, flattop and range work and the finishing plating. Ten years ago, he says, kitchens were showing everything, and it was too much. “You just want to see the sexy part, not some cook peeling carrots.” You won’t see the cold preparation area, nor the pantry and certainly not the ‘deep prep’ area where

they first receive and process the produce and meats. Even the dessert area is off-limits.

The washroom is located past the kitchen so everyone at some point in the evening is bound to get a close look. Some just give it a glance, but some show a keen interest and stay for several minutes. The window can be seen everywhere in the restaurant, including the busy bar when the curtain is open. But during dinner service the large floor-to-ceiling barrier gives diners a sense of privacy and it effectively separates the entire bar area from the dining room. Gabet says while he designed the kitchen, there were three others involved: the actual interior kitchen designer who sources the equipment and the interior designer of the restaurant, the group’s dedicated EC Studio, who did the intriguing frontage, and the operator of course, who has the final say on everything. There are also safety issues such as fire and hygiene, whose departments can easily close or postpone opening if they find some discrepancy.

“The design of the kitchen is so that the power structure is like a pyramid, with the

Bruce Dawson looks at two kitchens to see how they have been adapted to both the space and the chefs’ requirements

Making an exhibition of themselves “You just want

to see the sexy part, not some cook peeling carrots” Patrice Gabet

This is a study in contrasts: two ‘open’ kitchens, one designed by the executive chef from scratch, the other by a hotelier with no

consultation with the chef. Is it a question of function over beauty, or is there a happy compromise to be reached with both?

Patrice Gabet is not just the Executive Chef but is also the Executive Director of Elite Concepts, which operates 1/5 nuevo, recipient of a Michelin 1 Bib Gourmand with a one fork ‘comfort rating’; as well as an Italian, Chinese, Japanese, French and New American restaurant, properties in Beijing and a resort. Restaurant 1/5 nuevo is billed as “a cocktail lounge with casual dining;”

has massive marble-effect pillars next to the bar and around the restaurant shimmering with gold; the walls, feature tones of mud, red, clay, blue and black; small beautifully designed tiles for the backdrop of the bar and a pillar giving a fish-scale visual ripple effect to the bar top. The light clay textured walls and lampshades, and red lighting effects highlight the kitchen at night. There is a white marble countertop facing the open part of the kitchen’s reflective copper surrounding window, copper heat lamps, and the counters are all stainless steel as well as all the equipment in the kitchen. The window is over three metres wide and on the shelf above Moroccan tagines and unique cutlery

chef at the top. It is not a democracy, the chef controls his kitchen like the captain of a ship. The system must follow the top.”

Design by proxyIn sharp contrast to the chef-driven design process that formed 1/5 nuevo, the master planner of the brand-new Sha Tin 18 Chinese open show kitchen at the Hyatt Regency Sha Tin did not spend hours in meetings with his head chef; instead, he based the design very closely on the successful show kitchen ‘Made in China’ at the hotel in Beijing. Andreas Stalder is the Senior Vice President, Product & Brands Development of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. Sha Tin 18 features four show kitchens where diners can see in full view the preparation of authentic Cantonese and Northern Chinese cuisine. There is a pastry kitchen and tea bar; noodle and dumpling station where hand-pulled noodles from Xian and handmade dumplings are made to order with bar seating; wok kitchen/claypot/steamed dishes kitchen; and finally a barbeque kitchen with two massive Beech ovens to roast the

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22 AHCT August 2009

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enclosed area. Guests can only see the finished dishes, but are never given a chance to look at the procedures.” He says guests now have the chance to see the fresh ingredients, the cleanliness of the preparation process, and can better appreciate the culinary skills of the chefs. “This not only gives confidence to the guests, it’s also entertaining. It becomes not just a meal, but a new experience.” He says the toughest challenge of the open kitchen concept for his chefs is the sudden shift to interacting with the guests, and the intense scrutiny in which they are under.

“There is no room for error, but we try our best to maintain a calm and jolly state of mind,” he says.

Stalder doesn’t believe in windows. “Either show or don’t show, but you want to see the chef ’s hands, what they are doing.” Therefore he went ahead with his vision without consulting the chef. “Often you haven’t even appointed the head chef in the conception phase; we know what works, how a Chinese kitchen works. We gave a lot of thought to attention to detail and design; show kitchen and interior design become one and the same.” He dismantled the kitchen into components, with seating between these components, and gave the designers no part in the layout. “There is nothing more frustrating than designers who don’t understand kitchens,” he asserts.

Interior designer Tony Siu still managed to put his spin on the eventual outcome, while not involved with the kitchen, he lent his flair to the interior design of the restaurant, and indeed, the whole hotel since day one with all the with subtle elements such as birdcage lighting, stone facing for the show kitchens, themes of nature, wood, rustic unpolished stone and classic Chinese design updated with elements such as mirrors for depth. “People are lining up just to look at the wok station, and enjoy sitting all around the noodle station,” he says with obvious pride. “I got a lot of direction from Stalder and I’ve worked for more than two years on the balance between the seating and the kitchens, learning the concept that you can order anything from anywhere in the restaurant and watch while the chef makes it right in front of you, or from afar.”

signature Peking Duck and Sha Tin Roast Pigeon. Added to this are five private rooms and a vast outdoor terrace to take in the mountain view. But Stalder hopes that guests will be equally transfixed with his four show kitchens, each manned by a chef renowned for his particular area of expertise.

“We wanted to create something exciting, not ‘just another hotel restaurant,’” he says. “The kitchen is the most intimate part of your home, a comfort zone. We’re taking the concept inside out – nothing to hide, nothing to be shy about. This means the chefs change their behaviour, they don’t shout, they look better; it’s something not expected in Sha Tin.”

InteractivityChef Nelson Zou, Chef de Cuisine, Sha Tin 18, has adapted to the new style. “The advantage of having an open kitchen is that it’s interactive. Traditional Chinese restaurants tend to hide the chef in an

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Calling all beetroot aficionadosHave a great recipe for beetroot carpaccio? Make a mean gingered beetroot soup? For those who find the often-overlooked beetroot a joy to cook with, contact Ragnar Fridriksson, a member of the World Association of Chefs Societies, via Facebook to contribute to a cookbook he is editing dedicated to this root vegetable. He is looking for recipes from around the world, and those chosen will be featured in the book with the chef’s name and place of work. Successful entrants will also receive a free final copy of the book.

Waiting 11 years for a number 8The latest opening in Hong Kong’s bar and dining Soho district is the appropriately named Soho 8.

The name of the Staunton’s Group outlet comes from the area and the street address of 8 Staunton Street. The company have been waiting for the spot to become vacant for 11 years.

The restaurant looks over the Mid-Levels escalator and grabs attention with a wall-mounted, backlit five-foot model of a whale. Open windows also give onto Staunton Street itself, providing more opportunities for people-watching.

There is an emphasis on premium cocktails, Champagnes and New World wines.

Management and chef Jeffrey Le Bon decided to go for a Surf and Turf menu, using produce sourced from the Pacific Rim and Argentina.

Signature surf dishes include spice crusted rare sashimi grade tuna, while the turf could be rack of Australian lamb with Indonesian spices. The actual Surf + Turf combo is a fillet of Australian beef tenderloin with Béarnaise sauce and half a Boston lobster.

Flavour of ThailandLotus, the modern Thai restaurant and cocktail lounge in Hong Kong’s Central district recently brought in two mixologists from Bangkok to give their cocktail menu a pep up.

Although Bennie Sorum and Thomas Anostam are actually Swedish, they have attempted to capture the flavours of Thailand in their cocktails and their Siam Sunrise has been appointed the country’s official cocktail by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The pair, who have been mixing for about seven years each and have been in the Land of Smiles for three or four years, also wanted to create cocktails that matched the Thai cooking of well-known Australian chef Will Meyrick. One of the aims of mixology is to bring the kitchen into the bar and Sorum and Anostam’s creations are certainly loaded with the flavours of the Thai kitchen – lemongrass, coconut, pandanus, lime and the inevitable chilli.

MOHG snags BlumenthalBritish chef Heston Blumenthal, noted for both his playful experimental cuisine and his research into historic British cooking, is to open a restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London in the autumn of 2010.

The kitchen will be headed by Ashley Palmer Watts, who has been Group Executive Chef at Blumenthal’s three-Michelin-starred The Fat Duck for nine years.

The menu will be a revival and modernization of traditional British recipes and the design of the restaurant will reflect that concept. Design will be in the hands of Adam Tihany who will work with Blumenthal and the Mandarin Oriental. The designer plans to highlight traditional British materials such as wood, leather and iron.

David Nicholls, Corporate Director of F&B at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is a friend of Blumenthal and he says that has, “Always shared his enthusiasm for English recipes and … enjoyed working with him to develop talented British chefs through the Roux Scholarship programme.”

Rare salmon treatGourmets have the opportunity for a rare treat through to mid-August at Harlan’s in Hong Kong.

The restaurant’s Executive Chef Nelson Chiu has sourced the rare seasonal delicacy of white salmon from Alaska. The fish, also known as the Ivory King or Chinook salmon is rare relative to the large numbers of red-fleshed King salmon with which it migrates and because they are in season only for a short summer period.

The fish has a unique mild, sweet and buttery flavour.Chef Nelson’s creative uses of the fish include a cured salmon with potato pancake,

watercress, caviar and honey mustard dressing and a salmon consommé with confit tomatoes, tarragon, miso, Chardonnay and pineapple.

The fish, which make up only five percent of the King salmon family, is white fleshed because it has an extra enzyme that processes carotene, the chemical that turns other salmon pink or red.

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Thirsty world Exhibition Vinexpo in Bordeaux had been expecting a large decrease in visitor numbers but found the actual drop limited. They recorded only a 7.56 percent dip, despite what the organisers term the ‘ambient economic gloom’.

A further surprise was the large number of professional visitors from mainland China and Hong Kong – 1,322 attendees second only to the number of professionals attending from Britain. The keen interest in wine has been attributed to the abolition of import duties in Hong Kong.

“The overseas contingent exceeded all estimations, especially the remarkable turnout from Hong Kong and China,” said Vinexpo Chairman Xavier de Eizaguirre.

The latter were not the only Asians showing interest in wine. Tax cuts on wine in Thailand are thought to be behind the 93 percent increase in visitors to the show from that country.

Overall, 46,621 professional buyers attended, with 34 percent being from 135 countries outside of France.

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c u l i n a r y n E w s

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“When I was a kid there was Neapolitan and that was about it,” recalls Alvin Leung, The Demon

Chef at Hong Kong’s Bo Innovation, referring to the quintessential strawberry, vanilla, chocolate trio. Today, “anyone and everyone could live their whole lives with just chocolate ice cream and be entirely happy and satisfied. But they don’t have to.”

As ice cream flavours morph from vanilla to tomato soup, the sky is the limit. But just how flavours are perceived in different regions and among various demographics is a study in learned taste behaviour as well as a testament to the global obsession with ice cream in all its forms.

Oldies but goodiesRhys Adams is Project and Marketing Director for El Grande, distributors of Ben & Jerry’s, and says classics continue to be the favourites. “Vanilla is a core flavour throughout the world,” he says. Likewise, New Zealand Natural (NZN) counts vanilla as its top seller, regardless of who is buying.

Over at the Häagen-Dazs counter, oldies are still goodies, but after that, things get interesting. Marketing Executive, Kinki Chow points out, “Macadamia nut and green tea… fruity flavour ice creams are also very popular [in Hong Kong], especially in [the] summer period. Some successful cases include apricot and cream, mango and passion fruit and summer berries.”

While vanilla appears to be widely accepted throughout the region there are mixed reviews on regional taste preferences. “There is a perception that sweeter flavours are not as successful in the Asian

From praline to pork, Zara Horner finds that ice cream is changing

its stripes – and colours, and flavours and place

on the menu

Ice cream for all

“Generally, females occupy 70 percent

and males 30 percent of our

core target segment” Kinki Chow

market,” says Adams, “but this has not impacted upon our sales.” Chocolate chip cookie dough,

chocolate therapy and Chunky Monkey all sell very well, and are all very sweet.

A spokesperson for Mövenpick, says that the idea that Chinese don’t like sweeter flavours is a bit of a misconception. “That’s not necessarily true,” she says.

“They are relatively more health conscious so they tend to opt for fruity flavours instead.”

Gelato creator Paolo Predonzan of I Scream Gelato explains that most of his original recipes were influenced by summers in Germany, where patrons like “sweet, sweet, sweet.” For the local palate in Asia he has tweaked his

closely guarded 400 recipes to reduce sweetness by up to 16 percent.

Variations on a themeAccording to Campbell Cave, General Manager Asia, New Zealand Natural (NZN), some flavours are market specific “Green

tea, sells well in Asia but does not rank in the top twenty in most other countries. Another example is durian fruit; this is very popular in Singapore and Malaysia but frankly could not be given away in

most other countries. The Thai people tend to prefer sweeter treats so in Thailand hokey pokey, which is butterscotch candy mixed with vanilla ice cream is the number one selling product.”

Cultural answers aren’t always obvious, though. Predonzan created ‘Rice Cream’ in plain, mango, chocolate or vanilla, which didn’t pass the test. “I think it was a case of, ‘I eat rice three times a day – why would I want it for dessert too?’”

Häagen-Dazs, which offers between 16 and 24 flavours at any

MövenpicksayChineseconsumerspreferfruityflavours

Vanillacanbethebaseformanychefcreations

Ben&Jerry’screativecookiedoughicecream

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August 2009 AHCT 29

do not buy ice cream solely for personal consumption, nor do they choose ice cream brands based on taste alone. Häagen-Dazs defines ice cream culture as an expression of personality and style.”

But retailers aren’t the only ones able to leverage this obsession with ice cream. The St. Regis in Bali, creates its own, which is sold at the hotel’s Gourmand Deli. Pastry Chef Vincent Stopin says that the homemade ice cream is “very popular nowadays.” With flavours ranging from banana nutmeg to dried chilli apple, Sumatran coffee to bitter Valrhona chocolate chip, the hotel is able to offer their guests an on-site taste test “before we put it out for sale.” Stopin says this makes creating new flavours much more targeted when he “receives comments from guests who love ice cream.”

Ice cream goes highbrowThat expression is something even Michelin Star chefs are taking seriously. Ice cream has made its way into high-end restaurants, taking on forms like Wasabi Ice Cream topped with Hamachi at Union J in Hong Kong, and Bacon & Eggs at the Fat Duck in Bray, England.

Consumers are now willing to try more flavours because, as Mövenpick’s spokesperson says, they are used to branching out, “especially in food services as chefs often demand new and exotic flavours to lavish their cooking ideas, especially in the creation of new a la carte menus.”

Bo Innovation’s Leung has come up with a “Chinese wind-dried pork sausage ice cream.” He adds that ice cream has transformed itself from just a dessert to a key menu item served during any course. Flavour combinations such as wasabi and mustard grab diners’ attention, but these are generally “used early on in the menu as starters, or teasers, or palate cleansers.”

Even Predonzan through his retail gelato shops and distribution networks likes to try flavours on the savoury side. He created a basil ice cream specifically purposed to top tomato soup, which he describes as “lovely.” And he promises there is no better accompaniment to a Caesar salad than a dollop of anchovy ice cream.

While these may be novelty flavours, NZN’s Cave encourages hotels and restaurants not to underestimate their clientele. “Try new flavours,” he encourages. “We have often been surprised [in our experience] that two hotels almost next door to each other have guests that consistently prefer totally different ice cream flavours. Work with your supplier to create sundae menus which will help drive sales for the benefit of both parties.”

But the bottom line is that ice cream is a comfort food that crosses all cultures, ages, genders and demographic boundaries. Finding the right flavour for the right audience is a matter of experimentation, and quite simply, just asking.

one time, develops eight new tastes and introduces two for retail every year. “Occasionally,” says Chow, the company also develops “flavours with cultural variances to satisfy local palates” or goods for local shop promotions like ice cream cake, and limited edition dine-in and take-away creations.

For Ben & Jerry’s, perhaps one of the more inventive mass market ice cream companies, Adams explains that flavours are created by a team of ‘flavour gurus’ in Vermont, “based on their research. But occasionally they are the product of [a] Ben & Jerry’s consumer or a collaboration with famous fans.” They all – save Cherry Garcia, not available in Hong Kong – sell well in spite of the perceived differences in tastes.

One cone for every man, woman and childThe demographics of ice cream preferences are difficult to nail down. Urban legend has it that children are the most notorious ice cream fiends, while women come in second, followed by a sweet tooth-less male population. However, I Scream Gelato notes no real difference in the gender of its patrons, nor does Adams of Ben & Jerry’s sales.

Even hard numbers can be misleading. NZN reports that 70 percent of its customers are female but that “male customers visit more frequently and spend more,” says Cave. In terms of age, those without a twenty-something metabolism appear to be less keen on ice cream. “The majority of our customers are under 30,” he says.

Häagen-Dazs keeps very detailed demographic information, and says Chow, “Generally, females occupy 70 percent and males 30 percent of our core target segment [in the] 25-40 years [age bracket]. We project that the younger group is increasing so that it is one of our key segments to invest in” going forward.

However, there is no definitive conclusion because ice cream is not necessarily a favourite of one group or another. “Today’s consumers

DemonchefAlvinLeungisnotedforhisChinesewind-driedporksausageicecream Häagen-Dazsoffer1�-2�flavoursatanyonetime

PaoloPredonzanofIScreamGelatohastakenhisproductinasavourydirectionwithbasilicecream

Häagen-Dazsicecreamhasevenendedupinmooncakes

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More refined global palettes and rising competition amongst Asia’s luxury hotels has led to an unprecedented rise in the quality and diversity of coffee offerings throughout the region. “In a sense,”

says Ho Chee Wu, Sales Director for Asia, Franke Coffee Systems, “the cafe scene in a particular market dictates the level of quality and product offering that a hotel [needs] to offer.”

However, there is no disputing that tastes are more sophisticated and hotels are stepping up to the plate. “Guests are asking for more high-quality coffee” than ever before says Robert Ypma, Sales Manager Export for Bravilor Bonamat. “This requires a professional machine.”

Adds Neal Robinson, Senior Vice President, International Sales at United States-based coffee machine manufacturer, Bunn, “I see the hotels adding various beverages to their menus and updating equipment,” because “guests are fully aware of all the options available with coffee today, including espresso, cappuccino and latte, espresso-based drinks with milk as well as flavours, and also fresh-brewed coffee, both pre-ground or ground on site.”

This changes the necessary functionality of the machine. “Coffee machines should be fully automatic or have auto programming, and be easy to use and manage,” says Vivien Kuan, Marketing Manager at Metadesign, which distributes Lavazza coffee machines and accessories. “Machines should also be stylish yet multi-functional.”

Swiss manufacturer Schaerer even provides a coffee consultant to help decide which machine best suits their needs.

Espresso breaksFor conference groups meeting in the hotels’ function spaces, “hotels are also looking to provide an experience for meeting rooms and conference centres where attendees have options beyond the standard

fare when it comes to their beverage offerings,” says Robinson. He adds, “Some hotels are going with branded programs, such

as Starbucks, and most are becoming more aware of the incremental sales and profits provided by increasing their offerings and quality of the beverages being brewed.” Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Taipei recently began offering Starbucks-branded coffee corners as a themed meeting break option.

For those who concentrate on improving their in-house banquet, conference and breakfast room facilities, companies like Bravilor Bonamat design machines capable of making up to 40 litres of coffee in 20 minutes and keeping it fresh in air-tight thermoses for up to five hours.

Schaerer’s Matic family of coffee machines is touted as, “[An] indestructible machine ... designed to handle heavy loads and to work reliably under continuous operation throughout a very long service life. Instead of the usual electric motor, the brewing unit of this high-performance machine is powered by an oil-hydraulic drive for increased durability and reliability.”

Modern technologyFor business lounges and conference halls companies are continuing to innovate. Anders Backstrom, Export Sales Manager for Asia, Crem International explains, “The traditional way of serving coffee out of 1.8 l decanters is becoming an expensive hassle for outlets as the brewed coffee must be consumed within 30 minutes – before it turns bitter and burnt in taste.” The group’s ‘Serving Station’ keeps the coffee hot and preserves the aroma by using its own heat within a closed, vacuum-sealed container.

Likewise, the conditions essential to a good cup of coffee have to be controlled for quality. Explains Bravilor Bonomat’s Ypma, “We design machines to make sure that the water does not go through the coffee too quickly or too slowly; we ensure the temperature is controlled so that the coffee remains at the ideal temperature,” and as the company has been in the business for 60 years, they’ve got plenty of experience making the perfect cup – or hundreds of cups – of premium coffee.

In-room upgradesThe pre-recession boom also brought gourmet coffee machines to

Restaurants and hotels are upgrading their coffee service

as guests’s tastes become increasingly sophisticated,

finds Angela Glenn

Coffee culture

individual guest rooms. Before tough times hit, Franke’s Ho notes that the demand by five-star hotels for capsule-based machines increased.

The Nespresso machine came first and has been dominating the market but newer arrivals are giving Nestle a run for their money. As reported in last month’s AHCT, Mars have entered the market with their Flavia machine.

“People have become more professional, almost expert in their coffee tastes and they have high expectations and are more demanding when it comes to coffee quality – even for self-service, in-room facilities,” says Kuan.

“Lavazza’s Blue and Espresso Point coffee capsule systems are equipped with automatic dose and milk frothing functions,” she adds. “Single-serve capsules are also available for beverages such as lemon

BravilorBonomat’sprofessionalcoffeemachines

Lavazza’sBlueandEspressoPointcoffeecapsulesystemsareequippedwithautomaticdoseandmilkfrothingfunctions

Bunn’sTitansolutionforhighvolumes

AccordingtomanufacturerBunn,manyhotelsareupgradingtheirequipment

Consumershaveanincreasingawarenessoftheircoffeeoptions

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Fair trade by definition is both a legal term and an organised social movement aimed at bringing producers of commodities like cacao and coffee, particularly in developing countries, into the supply chain, paying them higher prices and promoting sustainability. The trend is much more evident in the West, but café’s like Singapore’s recently opened Boncafé, which serves fair trade coffee, are beginning to pop up in the region as well.

Christian W. Huber, Managing Director of Boncafé International explained, “Coffee lovers and aficionados are becoming more aware of fair trading practices the world over, and they are choosing to be consumers with heart and respect.” Adding, “Boncafé is proud to be a part of this growing movement, and would like to support this increased awareness by doing business with partners who offer better trading conditions in the supply chain, end to end.”

While advocates of fair trade argue that their efforts bring farmers closer to self-sustained economic growth, there are a few who criticise it as a misnomer. Fair trade pays but a few pennies more than the average for cocoa growers in west Africa for example, which does not bridge the gap from poverty to prosperity, they say. It is unclear whether some proponents of fair trade have any plan to help farmers they work with mechanise their farms, allowing for increased product and ostensibly increased revenues and long-term sustainability.

However, whichever side of the argument one stands on, fair trade sends a message that consumers are willing to pay more to do what they feel is the right thing for farmers providing their morning cup of coffee.

FairtradecoffeefromBoncafé

tea, peach tea and low-fat hot chocolate.”In-room gourmet coffee facilities can be an important point of

differentiation. In Beijing’s highly saturated luxury hotel market, a huge jump in room inventory in the lead up to last year’s Olympic Games saw properties scrambling for ways to stand out from the pack. Hilton Beijing Wanfujing for one offers deluxe coffeemakers in each of its 255 oversized guestrooms and suites. In less competitive markets, capsule and automatic coffee machines are increasingly available in deluxe room categories and suites.

Skim milk, double-shot caramel macchiato, Sir?At F&B outlets, it takes a fully trained barista and a semi-automatic European coffee machine to meet diners’ expectations.

“For fine dining we have recently launched our premium automatic espresso machine, the Diamant,” says Backstrom. “This is ideal for delis, cafés and exclusive restaurants that take pride in the coffee they serve. The machine is equipped with a multi-boiler system, which gives baristas ultimate control over the delicate temperature settings for their premium coffees.”

Schaerer’s solution for the fine dining room is its Coffee Art range, which is promoted not only for its capacity but also for the wide variety of milk options available and the chocolate dispenser.

What’s next?“We see a huge surge in smaller hotel, restaurant and catering sector (HORECA) outlets as the coffee drinking trend continues to grow in popularity across Asia,” says Backstrom. “Fully automatic machines are increasing in popularity for their convenience, but traditional espresso machines still have a strong market share due to the value a barista adds to the coffee served. We also see an increasing interest in traditional filter coffee over both Asia and the Pacific, thanks to improved brewing methods and cost-saving possibilities.”

As the market grows, local preferences are also being taken into account. Hot milk tea and, to a lesser extent, hot milk coffee (popularly known as kopi in southeast Asia), are very popular hot beverages in Asia, according to Robinson. In fact, hot milk tea comprises 40 per cent of all hot beverages served.

“In the past, serving these beverages was very labour-intensive, but now there are automated solutions for these beverages, more hotels can offer them to their guests,” he says. “The beverages produced by this equipment – Bunn has a Hot Milk Tea Brewer – have the same ‘mouth feel’ and taste that guests are expecting, but the process is faster.”

While the trend is clearly present, the economic downturn has taken the wind out of some hotels’ sails. At the moment, says Ho, “the hospitality industry has curtailed their budget for coffee machine acquisition and is seeking bundled solutions from their coffee (roaster) suppliers.”

But when things improve, “In-room machines will become more and more popular with the drop of the machines’ price due to mass production and greater focus on coffee,” predicts Kuan. The coffee culture is here to stay. Franke’sversatileSpectra

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d r i n k

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Wild sturgeon is so threatened with extinction that its harvesting comes under the auspices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The inter-governmental wildlife conservation body issues annual quotas detailing how much of the fish can be harvested to extract eggs – caviar – save this year, when so far no quotas have been issued at all.

Jason Wong, Managing Director of J&A Fine Food tells AHCT that the CITES quotas are normally issued in April and as none had been issued by mid-July, “there is an 80 percent chance that there will be no Caspian Sea caviar” harvested this year.

There may not be that much demand for the delicacy in the first place, though. Wong says that sales of caviar have dropped by around 20 percent in the first half of this year. Wong’s export sales have been hardest hit while demand from Hong Kong has remained relatively stable.

Wong also points out that some 70 percent of his business comes in the last quarter of the year, before the holidays and New Year’s celebrations.

Jeff Ronan, Project Manager of Caviar Kaspia restaurant in Hong Kong’s Central financial district, tells AHCT that his restaurant had started out as a caviar restaurant that also sold food, especially smoked fish and has become a restaurant with a caviar sideline. While the restaurant still had the odd customer willing to spend HK$2-3,000 (US$260-387) on caviar, set menus are now HK$290 (US$37) for lunch and HK$690 (US$89) for dinner.

Fresh vs farmedAs reported in previous issues of AHCT, demand for caviar has been dropping steadily for some time due to consumers’ environmental concerns over wild caviar and because of the previous poor reputation of farmed caviar.

Jean-Pascal Salvaj, Managing Partner of Planet Caviar Hong Kong, China and Macau says that while the quality of farmed caviar is improving, the eggs from wild sturgeon will always be a “better choice for the connoisseur” than eggs from farmed sturgeon, which swim in freshwater as opposed to seawater and have a poorer diet.

Planet Caviar sells wild caviar from Iran and Azerbaijan and farmed caviar from hybrid sturgeon species in China.

Caviar is generally judged on the size of the eggs, the texture (a little crunch is preferred), colour, flavour and aroma. In the past

As a traditional Chinese celebratory dish, abalone will never go out of fashion – in fact it seems as though producers are struggling to meet the demand.

Chinese chefs prefer wild abalone from South Africa but are also keen on the Australian and New Zealand catch.

OceaNZ Blue, a supplier in New Zealand has been farming the product, locally known as paua, for export to China.

Abalone farmers face a delicate and unusual problem due to the creature’s biology. The abalone’s anus is next to its mouth, which doesn’t pose a problem in the wild, where the currents can remove waste matter.

“On the farm we have the abalone in shallow trays with water running over them at quite a high velocity. We also have large buckets that tip and wash a wall of water over them every 40 seconds. This is very effective at washing away the faeces,” says OceaNZ Blue’s Marketing Director Carol Lloyd.

The company’s product is nitrogen frozen for export, rather than canned as is traditional and is being well-received by Chinese chefs.

Australian farmers has also been exploring improved aquaculture of abalone. The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have been working with farmers to develop hybrid abalone. Recognising the increasing importance of farming abalone, as farmed output increases and the wild catch decreases, the Australians also want a slice of the Chinese market.

According to their statistics, the farming of abalone is dominated by China and Taiwan.

The current aim is for farmed abalone to be a quarter of the Australian harvest by 2012.

The aim is to combine the market quality of one species with the growth and survival characteristics of the other. To this end hundreds of abalone families have been created and thousands of individuals tagged for monitoring.

Better abalone by design

FarmingabaloneinNewZealand

While wild sturgeon was once caviar fans’ favourite,

Mischa Moselle talks to industry experts

and finds out just how good farmed varieties can be

Saving caviar from itself

Caviarisjudgedoneggsize,colour,aroma,textureandflavour

TheRussianRoomcaviarbarattheMGMGrandMacau

IraniancaviarmasterMrTaufanisupervisestheproductionprocessforJ&AFineFood

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In Italy Agroittica raise white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) on a farm that takes cooled water that is a by-product of a steelworks. As in France, the caviar is Malossol, meaning it has very little salt added. The eggs are also large at 2.8-3 mm across.

The company is the world’s largest producer of farmed caviar, with production of 24 tonnes a year. Agroittica has recently been experiment with a hybrid breed, crossing the Venetian sturgeon (Acipenser Naccari) and the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser Baerii). The result, according to the company, is caviar that “is characterised by small-sized roe which are extraordinarily full of flavour and consistent.”

China has become of interest to caviar connoisseurs in recent years; in fact the caviar bar at the MGM Grand in Macau sells Caviar Planet’s hybrid caviar made in China, as does the three-Michelin-starred Robuchon à Galera at the Hotel Lisboa. The hybrid caviars offered in the Russian Room are a lightly salted Paris; a large-grained and light coloured Héritage; a low salt St. James and a Malossol, that

‘stands out by its unique saltiness.’ These are from a Huso Dauricus/Acipenser Schrenkii cross.

J&A Fine Food’s processes farmed caviar from hybrid fish under the watchful eye of an Iranian caviar master who comes to China to supervise the production process.

As with Caviar Planet, the hybrid comes from crossing the same two breeds – the Maur sturgeon (Acipenser Schrenkii) and the Chinese Beluga (Huso Dauricus).

Wong describes the flavour of the eggs as rich and buttery and the texture as ‘excellent’.

Of course, there is no accounting for taste. Yet if the advocates of farmed caviar are right and it is growing in quality, the world’s caviar markets could look very different in three years time.

Wong believes that by then there will be plenty of farmed caviar available, much of it from China and the price will hence drop, prompting increased demand. As for wild caviar, this will become increasingly rare and expensive and will sometimes not be available at all.

Planet Caviar’s Salvaj also says, “Wild caviar will remain very expensive and maybe more and more only affordable for the very rich.”

many farmed caviars have had small egg size and poor texture.One issue for some consumers is that harvesting the eggs from

the sturgeon has meant killing the fish. A Russian- and Latvian-run company in Latvia has found a way to harvest the caviar without killing the fish. Mottra’s technique is to gently massage the eggs from the fish when the sturgeon are old enough – around five years old for the species used by the company.

Mottra was founded in 2002 and uses an old trout farm to raise the fish. There are 16 fish tanks full of double-filtered artesian water in an entirely enclosed environment, meaning that the fish are raised not only in a pollution-free environment but also need not be fed with chemical additives or medicines. The company raises Acipenser baerii for Osetra and Acipenser ruthenus for Sterlet caviars and has been awarded CITES certification.

Farming is taking place in many countries; France, Italy, Germany and the United States are some of the key players but there is some growing interest in caviar from China. Others are attempting farming in Chile, Israel, Spain and Saudi Arabia.

Best in breedWong, who sources wild Caspian Sea caviar and farmed caviar from France, Italy and China and exports it worldwide, tells AHCT that it is important to look at the breed of fish being used. In France, by law, only the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerri) can be farmed, and Wong characterises the caviar from this fish as having too soft a texture.

Caviar house Sturia, farmers of sturgeon in France’s Acquitaine region, are keen to emphasise the long-lasting hazelnut flavour of their eggs but their product description has no reference to texture. A change in the law in 2007 means that France will be producing caviar from other species by 2012. A French farmed caviar can be tried at the Caviar House at Hong Kong’s International Airport.

“There is an 80 percent chance that there will

be no Caspian Sea caviar harvested this

year.” Jason Wong, J&A Fine Food

J&AFineFood’ssturgeonfarminChina

Mottrahasdevelopedatechniqueforharvestingeggswithoutkillingthesturgeon

EggsfromCaviarPlanet

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“Love Yourself,

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J&A Fine Food Limited is a fine food wholesaler that specializes in the trading of wild and farmed caviar. With our extensive business network J&A is able to source and select the finest caviar from Iran, Caspian Sea, China and Europe.

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J&A Aug 09.pdf 7/23/09 10:37:34 AM

Quality coffeeAs coffee culture continues to develop in Hong Kong so does the expectation of customers that they are getting that cup of freshly roasted, high quality, first crop, 100 percent Arabica coffee. Uncle Russ Coffee Hong Kong’s original coffee company roast only 100 percent Arabica coffees from the best coffee estates in the world in Hong Kong with aid of their own Master Roaster.

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As audio-visual equipment increasingly needs to jive with personal devices like iPhones and iPods, electronics companies are developing systems that take music files to a whole new level. The iHome iP1 flagship iPhone/ iPod speaker system combines form and function effortlessly. The smooth edges of this sophisticated docking station hide the cutting edge technology beneath: a highly efficient 4-Channel amplifier solution that is complimented by the patented Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Station technology. It even comes with a video-out port so that movies and programmes can be viewed on a television.

The Dexim HD AV dock with new HDMI output -DRA022 takes things one step further, enabling music lovers to play their favourite songs on a Hi-Fi stereo, or show off photos and videos on a TV screen. But what makes this model special is the ability to connect images in HD, with an HDMI cable, and scroll through at the touch of a remote control button. Sounds, images and the experience of the iPod or iPhone have been revolutionised with this compact, high-tech gadget.

For more information: www.leader.com.hk

Back to natureEcological awareness is more pronounced than ever. Organic products are booming, outdoor activities are “in” and traditional values – such as authenticity and honesty – are acquiring a new status in the framework of sustainability and durability; natural things are virtually idealised. With its Urban Nature series, Villeroy & Boch’s Hotel & Restaurant Division presents an innovative tableware concept that offers a casual, stylish and emotional interpretation of the nature theme for the hotel and catering sector. With Urban Nature, well-known items of tableware – such as gently-contoured rectangular-shaped cups and various sizes of plate and platter – act as a counterbalance to such highly-effective articles as the elegant tableware bridge. Guests want places where they can experience an atmosphere of well-being and “feel good hospitality” wherever they go. Villeroy & Boch gives this to them at every meal.

For more information: www.villeroy-boch.com/hotels

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Ensuring ice is hygienic remains the number one concern for hoteliers purchasing an ice machine, says Jerry Kaiser, Commercial Director, East Asia/Australia Manitowoc Foodservice Asia Pacific.

A major supplier of a full-range of food service equipment, Manitowoc Ice produces the best-selling ice making machines in North America. In Asia, Manitowoc supplies major hotel groups including Starwood, Marriott, Taj Hotels, InterContinental Hotel Group, Leela Kempinski and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. The company works with a network of local distributors who service and support its full line of ice cube machines, which range in size from 22 to 48 inches and can produce up to 2 tons of ice a day. For example Manitowoc’s best-selling S450 is only 30 inches wide and can produce up to 460 pounds of ice per day.

Kaiser explains that with all ice machines, the best way to maintain hygiene is to eliminate contact between users’ hands, utensils and airborne or environmental contaminants and the ice. He says that machines must be very easy to clean. That’s one reason “we’ve had tremendous success, as our machines are extremely easy to clean and maintain.”

“For example, the evaporator area is completely sealed so it’s easy to maintain for all of our customers – this prevents ice falling off our machines,“ Kaiser explains.

Kaiser attributes Manitowoc’s success to the attention it pays to what he calls the four “S” rule - Sanitation, Savings, Sound and Serviceability – which gave its best-selling S-series its name.

The S-series has become the workhorse of the hotel industry due to its ability to deliver a consistently high standard of ice. “It’s been well-accepted,” says Kaiser. “And it is specified by many F&B managers, GMs and consultants.”

Clean and green, ice and easy Ice is a potent source of

profit for any restaurant or hotel, however like any other food product it must be carefully handled every step of the way says Ruth Williams

LeMeridienBangkok’ssignatureKyotoMartiniusescrushedicearound-rathertheninside-theglasstokeepthingscool.

Thelookofthemachineisaconsiderationifitistobeseenandusedbyguests

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For more detail on KitchenologyTM or equipment solutions from our leading Manitowoc Foodservice brands - including Cleveland, Convotherm, Del�eld, Fabristeel, Frymaster, Garland, Jackson, Kolpak, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Manitowoc Beverage Systems, Multiplex, Merrychef, and Servend - visit www.manitowocfoodservice.com

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Ice machine issuesHygiene

• The highest possible level of hygiene is essential. Ideally the ice should be dispensed without any exposure to airborne contaminants, foreign objects and should not be touched by hands.

• Ice machines should have a self-cleaning cycle that runs on a regular basis. As well as keeping the ice pristine, manufacturers say that regular cleaning keeps the machine running efficiently.

• Consider local water quality. In challenging locations, even when a hotel has its own purification system, an additional water filter may be useful to avoid ice that tastes chlorinated or “chemical.”

Energy Efficiency

• Compare the energy efficiency ratings and standards. If properly maintained ice machines can last up to 10 years and energy efficient models can save money year after year. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), machines that have earned Energy Star certification and carry its logo are on average 15 percent more energy-efficient and 10 percent more water-efficient than standard models.

• NB: The EPA claims that each Energy Star certified commercial ice machine can save businesses about 1160 kWh annually, or an average of US$100 per year on energy bills. Energy Star machines also consume less water – up to 2,700 gallons/year less.

Practical Matters• Once you have found a range of models that can provide the hygiene

and energy efficiency that you require, consider what shapes and types of ice they offer – half dice cubes, full dice cubes, unusual shapes, flakes and nuggets.

• How much ice will your property need each day in different locations? Do you need flaked ice for displays? Your supplier should be able to advise you on average uses in similar locations.

• Consider the pros and cons of larger machines in fewer locations versus more small units in multiple locations. The space available may be the deciding factor.

• The aesthetics of the machine itself may also be an issue if you opt for smaller machines that will be on show on guest floors, in restaurants or bars. A machine that will always look smart and clean is essential to provide guests with extra reassurance.

• Ask the ice machine supplier about the heat and sound efficiency of the model; after ease of cleaning these two factors are most important to the staff that have to work with the machines day in day out.

Cutting the carbon footprintGreen credentials are also a concern for anyone purchasing equipment for hotels as all properties are looking for ways to reduce energy consumption.

Kaiser reports that Manitowoc’s engineering team in the USA has achieved significant improvements over the last two years and its machines’ energy and water consumption have decreased. The company currently has 56 Energy Star qualified models, which represents about 60 percent of its models.

Energy efficiency has been achieved by remodeling the machines and developing smaller compressors, smaller condensers and improving the wall insulation.

Foster Refrigerator, British market leader and exporter to several Asian markets, has a long history of environmental firsts, such as the first CFC-free manufacturer of commercial refrigeration equipment. A long list of standard features on their equipment ensures energy savings of up to 20 percent and the products are 98.3 percent recyclable.

Other icemaker manufacturers are also striving to achieve similar levels of energy efficiency and long-lasting equipment through innovation. Japan’s Hoshizaki has gained Energy Star-certification for many of its machine and has trademarked the CycleSaver technology, which it says allows its cubers to produce the same quantity of ice in half as many cycles as competitive brands.

Fewer cycles per day reduces energy consumption and Hoshizaki says it can take its ice machines 15 years to accumulate as many cycles as the competition does in 6 years.

Another major manufacturer of commercial ice machines, Scotsman Industries, offers more than 50 Energy Star-rated models, and its Scotsman Prodigy Cuber has gathered a collection of awards including the 2007 National Restaurant Association Kitchen Innovations Award.

Design and useA large five star hotel might have anywhere from eight to 48 ice machines, but their specifications and end purpose are not necessarily uniform.

Some properties opt for large ice making machines and distribute ice as needed, but the trend toward adding ice machines so they can be placed strategically around the property is on the rise. More machines translate into less time spent collecting and transporting ice around a hotel, less wasted water, and for guests – ice on demand.

With mixology and fancy drinks becoming the norm, bartenders are increasingly seeking out specialist cubes, such as Hoshizaki’s crescent-shaped ice, which promises better liquid displacement, less splashing and reduces water wastage. Manitowoc reports that the classic rhomboid, dice and half dice remain the most popular shapes for hotels.

The growth in the popularity of blended drinks has also increased the demand for ice in food and beverage departments. Smoothies, iced specialty coffees and cocktails all demand a constant supply of ice, which translates into more tabletop and under the counter machines, ideal for coffee shops and bars.

United States manufacturer Follet has its Horizon range that links to a drink dispenser (also manufactured by Follet) and is specifically designed, the company says, “to eliminate the manual toting of ice.”

Howmuchiceyouneeddependsonthevenue

photograph courtesy of the excelsior, Hong Kong

Ice–fromManitowoc

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Sept 1 – 3 Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong 2009 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wanchai, Hong Kong

Sept 24 – 26 Viethotel 09 Expo National Convention Centre Hanoi, Vietnam

Oct 1 – 3 Food&HotelVietnam 2009 Incorporating FranchisingVietnam 2009, Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center

Oct 14-16 Hotel Investment Conference Asia-Pacific (HICAP) InterContinental Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong

Oct 14-16 Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Conference Centre Mumbai India

Oct 22 – 24 Wine & Gourmet Asia Hall C, The Cotai Strip Cotai Expo at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel

Nov 4 – 6 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Nov 7-10 International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York City USA

Nov 11 – 13 HI DESIGN ASIA 2009 Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang, Malaysia

Nov 12 – 14 Hotel Expo Macau Hall C, The Cotai Strip Cotai Expo at The Venetian Macao- Resort-Hotel

DaTE EVEnT DETaIlS ORGanIzER

Vietnam’s premier food and hospitality sourcing and networking trade event returns for the 5th year. Running concurrently with Vietnam’s major franchising trade event, and introducing the inaugural ‘Vietnam Barista Competition’ to promote the expertise, creativity and talent of top local coffee baristas. Co-organised by Singapore Exhibition Services and Kerry Ingredients.

Singapore Exhibition ServicesNo 1 Jalan Kilang Timor#09-02 Pacific Tech CentreSingapore 159303Tel: +65 6233 6638 Fax: +65 6233 6633Website: www.foodnhotelvietnam.comwww.franchisingvietnam.com

Wine and spirits companies introduce their wares to the new regional wine hub.

Exhibitions DepartmentHong Kong Trade Development Council Unit 13, Expo GalleriaHong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreWan Chai, Hong KongTel: +852 2824 0026Email: exhibitions@hktdc.orgwww.hktdc.com/abouttdc

Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong is the fastest growing exhibition for the hospitality sector in Asia Pacific. In addition to presenting hundreds of excellent product and service offerings from around the world, it also attracts visitors with educational demonstrations, tastings, seminars and competitions.

Diversified Events Hong Kong LtdTel: +852 3105 3970Fax: +852 3105 3974Email: info@restaurantandbarhk.comwww.restaurantandbarhk.com

Viethotel 09 is the first major international expo & conference in Hanoi for the hotel, restaurant, catering and foodservices industry and will be where decision makers meet to do business.

AMB Exhibitions Sdn BhdTel: +603 40454993Fax: +603 40454989Email: fizan@ambexpo.comwww.ambexpo.com

Wine & Gourmet Asia is a trade, networking and culinary platform showcasing the very best of Asia-Pacific’s fine wine, gourmet and hospitality industry.

Koelnmesse Pte Ltd152 Beach Road, #25-05 Gateway EastSingapore 189721Tel : +65 6500 6700 Fax: +65 6294 8403Email: info@koelnmesse.com.sgwww.koelnmesse.com.sg

The first HI DESIGN for Asia will provide key specifiers, buyers and suppliers of the hospitality design industry with one-to-one meetings, first-class networking, a supplier showcase and crucial, industry specific seminars.

Atticus Events Ltd11 Windsor End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2JJ, UKTel: +44 1494 678766 Email: events@atticusevents.comwww.hidesign-asia.com

International Hotel Equipment & Supplies Expo incorporating Foodservice Equipment, Food & Beverage Expo is the largest gathering of the hotel, hospitality and tourism industries in Macau.

Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd.Room 2106, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong KongTel: +852 2827 6766Fax: +852 2827 6870Email: general@coastal.com.hkwww.coastal.com.hk

Asia’s longest running hotel investment conference, HICAP brings strategic insights to investors, financiers, developers and leading industry professionals about developments, changes and opportunities in the region.

BHN and Horwath HTLTel: +1 714 540 9300Fax: +1 714 540 9306 Email: hlewis@burba.com www.hicapconference.com

Bringing hotel executives, investors, lenders, developers and the professional advisory community together, HIFI presents a forum dedicated to hospitality investment in India.

BHN and Horwath HTLTel: +1 714 540 9300Fax: +1 714 540 9306 Email: hlewis@burba.com www.hicapconference.com

The world’s largest showcase and exchange of industry products, trends and developments continues to attract every segment and facet of the hospitality and restaurant industry.

GLM ShowsLynn White, Show ManagerTel: +1 914 421 3263Email: ihmrs@glmshows.comwww.ihmrs.com

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SeeSooEng

JavierGimeno

SebastianGoldmann

Singapore-based General Hotels Management (GHM) has announced the appointment of See Soo Eng as the new Vice President Sales. After 14 years with the company – where she began in 1995 as the Director of Sales for the Chedi Phuket – she has contributed significantly to each property’s growth and is primed for success in her new group role.

Regal Hotels International has transferred Javier Gimeno as Hotel Manager of Regal Kowloon Hotel. This 13-year veteran of the hospitality industry will also take on the role of Group Project Manager for the company. He spent much of his career in Spain before moving to Asia in 2007 to join the Regal Hotels International family.

The Hilton Chongqing recently appointed Sebastian Goldmann as the hotel’s new Food & Beverage Manager. A 12-year veteran of the hospitality sector, after working in his native Germany, he moved to China in 2004 and has been an executive team member at several hotels since.

TimTindle

AdrianoVences

PR and communications firm impactasia has appointed Fiona Ng as the group’s Managing Director for its China operations. She joins the firm’s newly expanded operations in Shanghai and Beijing to cater to its growing list of luxury hospitality and lifestyle clients.

Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of a new GM for Pan Pacific Vancouver – Tim Tindle. This Vancouver native with a background in operations, and sales and marketing said of his new role, “This is the job I’ve been striving towards my whole career. I’m thrilled!”

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel has announced the appointment of Adriano Vences as Resident Manager for the Kowloon hotel. This follows his role as Executive Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage for Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai. He has truly global experience in hospitality, having worked on four continents.

FionaNg

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a p p o i n t M E n t s

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