AHCT Mar 2010

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asian hotel& Catering times

Published since 1976 Vol 35 March 2010

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

GREEN HOUSEKEEPINGSmall changes, big impact

REFRESHMENTSApproaches to

renovation

SELLING YOUR ROOMSNew ways to distribute

PROVINCIAL APPEALPunching up Hainan’s pulling power

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 this month’s issue of the region’s favourite hospitality read.

Let’s see what March ‘ides.Despite controversies over dodgy emails

and not-so-rapidly melting glaciers, the environment remains a top concern for the industry. Green initiatives don’t always have to be big-ticket projects though. AHCT finds that the housekeeping department can contribute effectively by changing cleaning chemicals and tools, or by using paperless technology.

Clean rooms are nice but useless if they

Hong Kong Hotels AssociAtion

Hong Kong cHefs AssociAtion

federAtion of Hong Kong restAurAnt owners

tHe federAtion of Hong Kong Hotel owners

AssociAtionof tHAilAnd

BAKing industry trAining centre

AssociAtion of internAtionAl

Hoteliers sHAngHAi

singAporecHefs AssociAtion

Hong Kong BAKery & confectionery

AssociAtion

singAporeHotel AssociAtion

Hong Kong BArtenders AssociAtion

Hong Kong MAitre d’Hotel AssociAtion

sHAngHAi cHefs AssociAtion

MyAnMAr cHefsAssociAtion

MAlAysiAn AssociAtionof Hotels

MAcAu HotelAssociAtion

cluB MAnAgers AssociAtionHong Kong

HONG KONGThomson Press Hong Kong Limited/Media Transasia LimitedRoom 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre,233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong KongTel: +(852) 2851 7068, 2815 9111 Fax: +(852) 2851 1933, 2581 9531Email: [email protected]: Mr Mischa Moselle

AUSTRALIAMass Media PublicitasLevel 9, 215-217 Clarence Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel: + 61 2 9252 3476 Fax: +61 2 9251 3726 Email: [email protected]: Mr Charlton D’Silva

INDIAMedia Transasia (India) LtdK-35 Green Park, New Delhi-110016Tel: +91 (0) 11 26862687 / 6868775 Fax: +91 (0) 11 26867641Email: [email protected]: Mr. Xavier Collaco

Media Transasia (India) Ltd1, A & B, Diamond House, 35th Road,Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai - 400 050 Tel: 91 22 26053702-06 Fax: 91 22 26053702-06Email: [email protected]: Mr. Xavier Collaco

THAILANDMedia Transasia Thailand Ltd14/F, Ocean Tower II, 75/10 Soi Wattana,Sukhumvit Soi 21, Asoke Road, Klongtoey,Prakanong, Bangkok 10110, ThailandTel: +66 2 204 2370 Fax: +66 2 204 2391Email: [email protected]: Mr Gaurav Kumar

UNITED KINGDOMThe Powers Turner GroupGordon House, Greencoat PlaceLondon SW1P 1PH, United KingdomTel: +44 (0) 20 7592 8300 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7592 8301Contact: Mr Chris Morgan

USARiverside Media159 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Lake Placid,NY 12946, USATel: +1 518 523 4794 Fax: +1 518 523 4708Email: [email protected]: Ms Christina Eccleston

Marston Webb International60 Madison Avenue, Suite 1011,New York, NY 10010, USATel: +1 212 684 6601 Fax: +1 212 725 4708Telex: (023) 420773 BRANINTContact: Ms Madlene Olson

ITALYEdiconsult Internazionale s.r.l.Piazza Fontane Marose, 3-16123 GenovaTel: +39 010 583684 Fax: +39 010 566578Email: [email protected]: Mr Vittorio Negrone

JAPANEcho Japan CorporationGrande Maison Rm 303, 2-2 Kudan-kita 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0073Tel: +81 3 3234 2064 Fax: +81 3 3263 5065Email: [email protected]: Mr Ted Asoshina

MALAYSIAPublicitas International Sdn Bhd.S 105, 2nd Floor, CentrepointLebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.Tel : 603 7729 6923Fax : 603 7729 7115 Email: [email protected]: Ms Shallie Cheng

are empty. We report on the large variety of approaches to General Distribution Systems that are now available, ensuring you are connected to potential guests through as many channels as possible and that you are offering them the best price – for both parties.

One place that is taking strong initiatives to ensure those guests are visiting is the Chinese province of Hainan and its upmarket resort destination of Sanya. We take a look at government proposals for tourism and the challenges of increasing international awareness of the destination and its facilities

MANAGING EdITORMischa Moselle

[email protected]

dESIGN bYKoon Ming Tang

[email protected]

CONTRIbUTORSHelen DalleyPiers EvansZara HornerRebecca HuiEuan McKirdy

ASSOCIATE PUbLISHERSharon Knowler

[email protected]

AdVERTISING SALES MANAGERClaire Sancelot

[email protected]

CIRCULATION ExECUTIVEBecky Chau

[email protected]

CHAIRMANJS Uberoi

dIRECTORGaurav Kumar

endorseMents

– hoteliers are keen on plans to improve transport, both in terms of air links and regulation of the local taxi trade.

Of course, the magazine is also packed with the usual complement of vital industry news, equipment information and diary dates that have kept it a vital voice within the industry since 1976.

E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E

March 2010 AHCT �We will be exhibiting at Gulfood 2010. Please come and visit our booth in the USA Pavilion!La San Marco S.p.A. Via Padre e Figlio Venuti, 10 • 34072 Gradisca d’Isonzo (GO) Italy • Tel. +39 0481 967111 • Fax +39 0481 960166 • www.lasanmarco.com • [email protected]

LSM-eng-rosso.qxd 5-07-2007 9:27 Pagina 1

FOOd34 The sweet smell of desserts

dRINK36 Do coffee trends differ throughout

Asia?

EQUIPMENT 44 Table Tops: Equipping an all-day

restaurant

48 It’s getting hot in here – the best pizza ovens

EVENTS ANd ExHIbITIONS58 Events Calendar 60 FHA – Asia’s largest food and

hospitality trade event previewed

TECHNOLOGY26 Getting to grips with new CRS

channels

dESIGN30 Hong Kong’s Pacific Place

properties get a makeover

CULINARY52 Demon Chef’s latest culinary

inspiration; Ferran Adrià quashes rumours; New menus; New openings

INdUSTRY6 Openings, Financial news;

Technology

PROdUCT56 In-room technology; Italian laundry

MANAGEMENT16 Housekeeping goes green

MARKET REPORT20 Marketing Hainan to the world

cover photography courtesy of sheraton sanya resort

20

48Topping it off 16

The place to beThe sun rises on Sanya?

62 HOSFAIR – Guangzhou’s industry extravaganza previewed 62

APPOINTMENTS66 See who is moving where

� AHCT March 2010

UpandComing...April• Guest feedback• Market Report: Singapore• Security• Resort design• Dairy• Wine • Room safes; Outdoor furniture; Bakery

May• Education• Market Report: Japan• In-room technology• Restaurant/bar design• Seafood• Beer• Minibars; Bathrobes

AIMO 29 Alpha International 15 Athena Tableware 47 Beech Ovens 23 Bodum 25 Boncafe 42 & 43 Dedon 9 Egro Coffee Systems Ag 41 eHotel Alliance 27 Franke 37 Global Chef 45 Global Search International 17 Gröhe Hong Kong Limited OBC Hotel Expo Macau 61 Hotel Show Dubai 64 Hyperlux IBC IHIF 51 ITE 55 La San Marco IFC LRT 7 M. Schaerer 13 Meiko 11 Monin 53 Oncard International 31 Optii Solutions 19 Rancilio Macchine per Caffè spa 33 SIAL 57 Tea Concepts 39 Uncle Russ 35 Vinexpo 65 Woodstone 49 World & Gourmet Asia 21

Advert isers’ index

CONTENTSV o l u m e 3 5 M a r c h 2 0 1 0

March 2010 AHCT �

School recognizes UN figureDirector and Chair Professor Kaye Chon of Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management’s (SHTM) last month had the honour of welcoming Dr Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), to the University, with an Adjunct Professorship in recognition of his contributions to the world tourism industry.

“While the whole world has been affected by the economic downturn in one way or the other and is now looking to a rebound, we are most pleased to have Dr Rifai sharing with us his visions for the global tourism industry,” Professor Chon said in welcoming the Secretary General to PolyU. “As head of a world body of tourism and in his new capacity as our Adjunct Professor, the School and its students look forward to benefiting from Dr

Rifai’s insights and vast industry experience on the area of tourism management.” The School has a long-standing affiliation with UNWTO, and since 1999, the School has been designated by UNWTO as one of its global training centres in the Education and Training Network.

Honours for Hong Kong hotel school The well-regarded School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) entered the new decade as provider of the world’s number-two ranked hospitality and tourism programmes. The School ranks behind only Cornell University. Gaining two places on the 2005 rankings – the

HongKongPolytechnicUniversity’sSchoolofHotelandTourismManagementhonoursDrTalebRifai

TheICONtraininghotel

Thehotel’sGeneralManagerRichardHatter

last time the list was collated – SHTM remains the top-ranked school in Asia and is the only non-United States school to make the top five.

The news was greeted with enthusiasm by STHM Director and Chair Professor Kaye Chon. Speaking in the first Horizons alumnus magazine of the year, Professor Chon remarked that, “as a global centre of excellence in hospitality and tourism education for the 21st Century, the School is positioned to lead the world’s hospitality and tourism education in the years to come.”

The rankings, which, were released as part of research published by the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, are a good indicator for the legions of aspirant hoteliers entering into full-time education, and

STHM’s already strong reputation can only be enhanced through this recognition, and sets a marker for future goals. The School also burnished its academic reputation by coming first in the ranking of numbers of studies published, along with the number of contributors to these. The count takes them above Cornell University in second place.

The buzz surrounding SHTM’s teaching and research hotel continues apace, with the building work now nearing completion and on track for the planned November 2010 opening. The East Tsim Sha Tsui location offers some stunning views, and interior work by a team of world renowned architects and designers, none other than Sir Terence Conran from the United Kingdom, Rocco Yim of Rocco Design Architects Ltd from Hong Kong, and Patrick Blanc, the botanist and Vertical Garden designer from France.

The hotel is designed to allow up to

100 SHTM students working within its departments as interns once operations commence in November, allowing them to get some invaluable hands-on experience through working in a truly spectacular luxury hotel. The aim of the executive committee is to have Hotel ICON functioning as “much more than a training hotel,” according to Judy Hou, the hotel’s Director of Human Capital. They won’t lose sight of the hotel’s raison d’être, however, with three prototype rooms designed be a platform to develop and showcase new technologies and hotel designs, as well as to research and apply advanced business concepts in hotel management.

The hotel is to be headed by General Manager Richard Hatter.

i n d u s t r y n E w s

� AHCT March 2010

Sydney SaleThe Sofitel Wentworth Hotel in Sydney is to be put on the market, according to exclusive sale agents Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels. The CBD-located hotel has a rich history, both within the city and in Australia as a whole. When constructed in 1966, it was the county’s largest international standard hotel. The five-star property has been put up for sale by owners Tourism Asset Holdings Limited, which seek to capitalize on strong investor interest.

“We had a significant level of investor interest and a very successful outcome with our recent 5 asset portfolio sale,” said Tourism Asset Holdings Limited CEO Matthew Eady. “At the same time we have received a number of unsolicited approaches regarding the Sofitel Wentworth. The Sofitel Wentworth is an exceptional asset, [but] it is non-core given our strategic focus on the mid-scale market.”

Wynn Resorts (Macau) raked in a cool HK$30 million (US$3.9 million) last month when a Hong Kong court ruled in favour of the Chinese subsidiary of the Las Vegas-based company and ordered an errant high roller to pay his gambling debts. Henry Mong Hengli was ordered by the Hong Kong High Court to repay his debts in a move that was widely welcomed by the gaming industry in the Chinese Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Overreached credit has been a problem for operators as they try to pursue outstanding debts and there were sighs of relief throughout the boardrooms of the various resorts in Macau as legal precedent was set. Rival operators welcomed the decision as it marks the first time that there has been a legal ruling requiring repayment. The move offers some

protection to the casinos, which may feel they are able to offer up more credit directly to VIPs as a result of this legal protection. VIP gambling is a huge earner for the six licensed operators in Macau, and accounts for over 60 percent of revenue.

While Mong’s lawyers argued that the case should have been heard in the Macanese courts, it was accepted in Hong Kong as the defendant had no ties to Macau other than his time spent gambling there, but holds bank accounts and owns property in Hong Kong. It is hoped by the industry that the threat of legal action – in Macau or elsewhere – will serve as a motivation for high-stakes gamblers to settle their debts – or to come back to the tables as a way of recouping their losses.

Wynn’scourtvictoryisseenasaboonforallMacaucasinos

High court WynnShanghai leads Asia pipelineWorldwide hotel research body STR published its January 2010 reports with the news that the Asian hotel pipeline is burgeoning, with almost 1,000 hotels comprising a pipeline of almost 240,000 rooms (including those in the Planning and Final Planning stages). Unsurprisingly, the key market of Shanghai led this with the most rooms within the active pipeline with 13,762 rooms, followed by Bangkok (7,929) and New Delhi showing strong growth indicators with 6,768 rooms in the active pipeline. Beijing had a count of 6,294 rooms.

Rooms in the Upscale, Upper Upscale and Luxury Chain Scale segments accounted for 62.5 percent of the active pipeline.

The Middle East and African market segments also were examined in the January 2010 report, with the upper end of the market comprising almost 63 percent of the active pipeline with 77,186 rooms. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, reported the largest number of rooms in the active pipeline with 30,222 in all stages: Planning, Final Planning and In Construction. The UAE as a whole reported the greatest number of rooms in the active pipeline with 51,515 in total.

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� AHCT March 2010

THE ORIGINAL.HANDWOVEN FROM WEATHER-RESISTANT DEDON FIBER.

DEDON Collection SEASHELL. Design by Jean-Marie Massaud.

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10 AHCT March 2010

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Kung Hei Fat Choi, AndaraThe Andara Resort & Villas Phuket saw in Chinese New Year – and their Grand Opening – with a bang last month. From its idyllic perch overlooking the Andaman Sea and Millionaire’s Mile, Kamala Beach, the new resort entertained over 300 VIP guests with an array of dazzling celebratory distractions. Guests were delighted by fire spinners, traditional Thai dancers with Thai orchestra, an impressive array of local impersonators showcasing hits from Celine Dion, Cher, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Roberta Flack and Christina Aguilera and the Evolutions duo, as well as traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, including the famous dragon dance.

Andara means ‘star of the Andaman sea.’On February 13th, owner Dr Allan Zeman welcomed his guests to the brand-new resort,

which comprises 26 pool villas and 37 residential suites, from a specially constructed stage over the central pool, and concluded as Thai khom loy lanterns rose majestically into the sky to a backdrop of fireworks.

The Villa service includes a full time housekeeper and a private Thai Chef.Zeman has ensured that his guests’ stays will be as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible

by including Coral Phuket’s fasttrack service for immigration clearance as an option. The service, which is priced at Baht 1,800 per person, round trip (approximately US$54), means that arrival and departure at Phuket’s airport is free of headaches and delays, as Coral Phuket’s staff whisk you through the formalities upon arrival to a waiting limousine, and arrange for guests to beat the queues before their takeoff on the return leg.

International Honours for SofitelWorldwide hotel group Sofitel showed its pan-global clout at the recent 2010 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards. In total, six Sofitel properties from around the world received top marks in the annual awards listing, which is determined based on the millions of hotel reviews and opinions posted on tripadvisor.com, as well as content from across the Web. Sofitel started by picking up a United States’ top-10 nod for the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square, with guests praising both its location and restaurant. Across the pond, Sofitel Brussels Europe and Sofitel Hamburg Alter Wall were both honoured, and the chain also received praise for properties in the Asia-Pacific region. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16, Sofitel Wanda Beijing, famed for its spa and numerous restaurants, and the romantic getaway, Sofitel Moorea la Ora Beach Resort in the South Pacific, were all celebrated by the travel experts.

Tokyo TakedownThe Wall Street Journal has reported that Morgan Stanley, one of the financial institutions most impacted by the recent financial downturn, may be required to relinquish control of the US$2.4 billion Japanese ANA hotel chain to creditors when the debt falls due in April.

Shinsei Bank and Citigroup, who financed the loans, are pressuring the Wall Street giant to hand over the keys to 13 ANA properties, which Morgan Stanley bought during the Japanese property boom last decade, and Morgan Stanley’s Japanese property portfolio was one of the mainstays of the bank in that country during the boom years. The biggest hotel in the chain is the ANA InterContinental in Tokyo.

The deal was the biggest hotel acquisition by value on record in the Asian-Pacific region and one of the largest property-related acquisitions in the region, according to the report. Japanese property deals were pushed strongly during the boom years and as these debts are starting to mature Morgan Stanley’s unenviable position may become more and more common.

At the time of press, there had been no resolution to the talks involving Morgan Stanley and its creditors.

Tech newsEZYield, the SaaS-based platform for automated online channel management with integrated booking and reservation delivery technologies, reported a stunning 5.3 million rate and inventory updates were processed through the EZYield.com channel management solution in 75 countries during January 2010. The figure represents a staggering five-fold increase over the previous January.

“January 2009 was really the tipping point for hoteliers using our channel management system as we eclipsed one million updates in a single month span,” explained Ed St. Onge, CEO of EZYield.com. “Over the previous 12 months, we saw hoteliers yielding more room types, more daily updates and targeting more websites. November and December 2009 were especially active months.” St. Onge added that, improvements that EZYield has been investing in he expected to see similar growth trends to continue throughout 2010.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) took a brave step into mobile cyberspace recently with the launch of their first interactive mobile site. The site is easily navigable and is designed to be used with both touchscreen and non-touch devices and is a condensed version of the content found on the main group’s website, with information such as phone numbers and a handy ‘read-later’ function allowing users to follow up content later on the main webpage.

“Mandarin Oriental is renowned for providing guest centric technology throughout all of its properties worldwide, and we are delighted to be able to extend this facility in order to bring this condensed and straightforward version of our award-winning website to travellers on the move,” said Christoph Oberli, Head of E-Commerce.

Wotif.com Holdings, the Australian parent company of some of Asia’s most recognised travel brands, also posted spectacular results, with half-year results ending 31 Dec 2009 having seen a 34 percent increase in half-year profit delivering a record profit (after tax) of AU$27.6 million (US$24.8 million). The year saw many milestones reached by Wotif.com Holdings, not the least of which was the launch of Wotflight.com, a new online flight search and booking engine.AllenZemanattendstheopeningoftheAndararesort

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SWISS MADE


12 AHCT March 2010

Wyndham WindfallWyndham Worldwide Corporation recently announced its final quarter results from 2009 with a spark of optimism, as earnings, cash flow and dividends were up. The world’s largest hotel company, which has more than 7,100 hotels under 11 brands, posted higher-than-expected gains.

“We are pleased to report solid earnings and increasing free cash flow for the quarter and the year, and to announce an increase in our dividend along with our intention to resume our share repurchase program,” said Stephen P. Holmes, Chairman and CEO, Wyndham Worldwide. “While continuing high unemployment and economic uncertainty created a difficult operating environment, our results reflect resilient business models and strong execution.”

The announcement was a marked improvement on the same period in 2008. The group reported net income for the fourth quarter of 2009 was US$73 million, or $0.40 diluted Earnings per Share (EPS), compared with a fourth quarter of 2008 net loss of $1.4 billion, or $7.63 loss per diluted share. The company also planned to resume a buyback of its common stock under its existing $200 million stock repurchase program, which currently has $157 million remaining capacity.

Following this upbeat announcement, the company announced that it had signed agreements for an additional four hotels in China, the fastest-growing market worldwide. Currently under development, the properties include the Ramada Sanya hotel, Ramada Plaza Wenzhou hotel, Ramada Longyan hotel and the Ramada Xi’an Bell Tower hotel.

“We are thrilled to be adding these four fine hotels to the brand’s 35 already in operation in China and the other Ramada properties in our expanding pipeline,” said Tom Monahan, Wyndham Hotel Group executive vice president of international development. “Clearly, China is the engine of our growth in the Asia Pacific region.”

Diving into the MaldivesDubai has been looking eastwards again, with Jumeirah Group, one of the Emirate’s best-known luxury hospitality companies, signing an agreement with Xanadu Holdings Private Limited to manage Jumeirah Meradhoo, a new five star deluxe resort in Gaafu Alifu Atoll, south of the Malé Atoll.

The 36-villa development, which sits on a 45,000 sq ft uninhabited island, will join Jumeirah Maldives as the group’s second property in the pristine Indian Ocean nation.

About one third of the villas are located on a unique ‘water village’ separated from the main island by one kilometre of coral reef, providing guests with an exclusive ‘two resort’ island and adding a layer of exclusivity, privacy and luxury. The opening brings the total number of properties under development or in operation by Jumeirah globally to 42.

Sleeping BeautyIt’s a common complaint for travellers: it’s hard to catch adequate zzzz’s – or zzzz’s of an adequate quality – while on the road. VIE Hotel Bangkok aims to make this problem a distant nightmare through the introduction of “Deep Sleep” bringing together all the essential elements to help guests revitalize their mind and body through a better night’s sleep.

“Research with our hotel guests found many said similar things about minor sleeping disorders when traveling.” says Remko Kroesen, General Manager of VIE Hotel Bangkok. The Deep Sleep product offers a methodical plan of activities and elements to choose from in order to ensure ultimate relaxation and sleep preparedness. “At VIE Hotel Bangkok, we understand the essence of a good night’s sleep, and it is much more than just providing a choice of pillow, though we do that also,” adds Kroesen.

It’s comfortable at the topTravel luxury reaches new heights with the launch of the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong’s Plateau Pre-Flight Experience, a pampering routine that will encourage even the most seasoned of travellers to look forward to getting on that plane.

Booked into a Plateau harbour view room, guests can relax and enjoy Plateau tea and soft music, take a refreshing rain shower or wallow in the oversized infinity bath. In addition, the package incorporates access to the 50-metre outdoor heated pool, fitness and exercise studios and sauna facilities.

Apart from the in-room and facilities relaxation signing up for the Pre-Flight Experience package allows guests to choose between a Pre-flight Hydrating Facial, or an Anti-stress Pre-flight Massage. The entire experience lasts 90 minutes.

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MassageclientandtherapistatPlateau

Blackstone eases Hilton debt burdenThe Wall Street Journal reports that leading investment and advisory firm Blackstone Group LP has arranged a deal with Hilton Hotel’s creditors on the refinancing of their debt.

Currently, the American hotel group stands to benefit to the tune of US$4 billion, as the deal would cut their debt burden from $20 billion to $16 billion. Citing an unnamed source, the New York Times reported that the deal would involve an injection of an additional $800 million of capital to buy back Hilton’s debt at a discount, and the deal would also allow for Hilton’s debts to mature at an unspecified future date.

While Blackstone Group declined to comment on the news, the refinancing would shore up the finances of the hotel group, which was acquired by Blackstone in 2007 for $26 billion. Hilton’s creditors include the US Federal Reserve, who assumed some of the hotel group’s debts when it rescued Bear Stearns in 2008.

The news comes as Hilton Worldwide was able to announce that 2009 had been its second best year in terms of development. The company added 302 new hotels and more than 45,000 rooms to a total count that is now more than 3,500 hotels and 585,000 rooms. In 2008, Hilton Worldwide opened a record 327 properties.

Among many other highlights in 2009, Hilton Worldwide also:• Signed or approved 281 hotel deals with more

than 46,000 rooms. • Increased both its market share and customer

satisfaction ratings in each of its ten brands. • Unveiled its new name and corporate logo.

Happy Birthday, Shangri-LaTokyo’s new Shangri-La celebrates its first birthday on March 2nd, showering guests with a number of different promotional giveaways, from spa and culinary packages to room deals. The First Year Anniversary package offers a discounted rate with inclusive breakfast and a special commemorative gift – a hardcover copy of James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon – the book in which the name Shangri-La originated. For the adventurous, the Shangri-La surprise package gives a chance at instant-win prizes, from lunch for two at Piacere, to an upgrade to an Executive Suite spanning 120 square metres.

Closing the dealHong Kong’s Renaissance Harbour View is offering a special rate for business travellers, with an inclusive fare which includes use of meeting rooms and the attendant equipment - Projection screen, 40” LCD TV, DVD & VCR player, laser pointer, cable microphone, flipchart and whiteboard with markers, refreshments, a choice of lunches – options include a Western set lunch, Chinese buffet or the choice of dining in the Michelin-starred Dynasty Restaurant (a small surcharge applies). The promotion will continue until the end of 2010 and is valid for a minimum booking of 15 pax.

Middle East MandarinThe Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) announced last month that it is to manage a new luxury resort and branded residences on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The property, Hong Kong-based MOHG’s first in the Middle East, is to be named Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi and will feature 160 luxurious guestrooms and suites, as well as 35 serviced apartments and 50 branded ‘Residences at Mandarin Oriental.’

“We are delighted to bring Mandarin Oriental’s renowned hospitality to the Middle East region for the first time. We look forward to working with TDIC on creating an exceptional experience for visitors to what will become one of the most extraordinary luxury resort destinations in the Middle East,” said Group Chief Executive, Edouard Ettedgui.

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1� AHCT March 2010


March 2010 AHCT 1�

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The general – if not unanimous – consensus over the past decade or so is that the environment is in trouble, and it’s up to us to do something about it. While many industries, from retail to manufacturing, have hidden their heads in the sand, carrying on with rafts of

ecologically harmful policies, hoteliers have by and large faced up to the perceived impending environmental crisis and sought to make improvements in how their establishments are run.

From the kitchens to the guest rooms, the pool to the restaurant, for the last 15 years or so many hotels throughout Asia, both large chains and small establishments, have implemented policies that actively promote a greener, more environmentally-friendly and less wasteful way of doing things. Energy-efficient bulbs, aeration in guest bathroom taps, low-flow toilets and showers, recycling of in-room consumables such as toiletries and food-waste management programs have all gained valuable footholds in the industry and are fast becoming the norm. As technology improves, paperless alternatives for services such as in-room directories and guest registration are making further savings.

And it’s paying off. As the public catches up to those ahead-of-the-curve voices in the industry, there are notable financial benefits to complement the environmental ones. Customers, in increasing numbers, appreciate businesses (across the spectrum) which practice Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). A sub-category of this, viewed through a green lens, could be described as Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER).

Taking the initiativeNew hotels are incorporating cutting edge technology from the outset, allowing for innovative solutions that are both ecologically sound and convenient for guests. Swire Hotel’s new property, The Upper House, which opened in 2009 in the Admiralty area of Hong Kong has implemented paperless check-ins, along with bulky, 3kg in-room

directories in favour of iPod Touches for guest use. In addition, the hotel’s energy saving Lexus RX450H hybrid cars are equipped with complimentary WiFi on board, allowing guests to check in on the way from the airport.

Housekeeping is one of the most onerous and important functions of a modern hotel, and given the scale of operations it’s no surprise that it can be responsible for much of the waste and environmentally unfriendly procedures. Hotels have been slowly but determinedly rectifying the impact of these practices.

Initiatives such as laundry cards, where guests are asked to consider the environmental impact of daily changes of towels and bed sheets, are mainstays of the green movement in the hospitality industry. The Green Hotel Association, a United States-based nonprofit industry body, estimates that the simple act of placing hanging reminders on towel racks and laundry cards in hotel rooms can lead to a 5 percent utility bill reduction, and can engender up to 70 percent guest participation. These numbers are hugely significant in an industry where water waste and detergent pollution is so necessarily high. Simple reminders in the form of paper notices asking guests to consider using their linens more than once, come at an incredibly low cost to the hotel.

And housekeeping processes can be streamlined. Optii Solutions is an Australian firm, which specializes in software packages for a number of different elements of hotels, and their Optii Keeper product allows effective – and paperless – management of housekeeping duties, by providing a wireless linkup via PDA to housekeeping staff and electronically updating cleaning schedules.

Savings on paper may seem small but soon add up to significant gains for the property.

Cleaning their act upOf course, hotel guest rooms and common areas are on the front line and necessarily need to be cleaned and disinfected daily, with

Hotels have been adopting eco-friendly solutions across the board – and now it’s the turn of the housekeeper’s cart, Euan McKirdy reports

Cleana

ndgreen

M a n a g E M E n t

1� AHCTMarch 2010

which divert water from the main showerhead via a special adapter, offer housekeeping staff a low-flow rinsing solution.

Green Suites’ bathroom supplies, such as shampoo, conditioner and lotion are sourced from the Sonoma Soap Company, and come in paper bottles that are manufactured from 75 percent paper and offer a 92 percent reduction in waste compared to plastic bottles. The products are all-natural, and the vegetable-base bar soaps and liquids are 100 percent biodegradable. The company uses the latest in environmentally-friendly materials, including PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) materials, water-based and soy-based inks to ensure that the impact to the environment is treated as a primary concern.

Chemical-free environmentOne possible solution to the use of harmful chemicals may be to get rid of them all together. Microfibre Cleaning Technology, an Australian company, has successfully developed a chemical-free, waterless type of fibre for use in cleaning cloths and mops. The fibre, which creates a surface area 40 times greater than that of a regular fibre has the potential to revolutionise the way hotels are cleaned. A blend

of polyester and polyamide/nylon, the micron-thin fibres are better suited to catching and retaining dust and dirt than conventional cloth and negate the need for chemicals, leaving the surface area clean and dry. Cleaning with chemicals leaves a residue on the surface that attracts dust and dirt and provides an ideal breeding ground for mould and bacteria, something that is avoided with the revolutionary

fabric. Again, initial investment costs are soon recouped with savings made by eliminating chemicals and drastically reducing water waste – the company claims to have saved an international hotel group the use of one million litres of water by introducing the technology to the chain in 2007.

Similarly, Rubbermaid’s Hygen System features innovative textiles designed to maximize productivity and value. With the attendant support hardware, this complete system helps reduce chemical consumption up to 95 percent and reduces water consumption up to 90 percent. “By providing a complete solution set, the Rubbermaid Hygen System helps ensure that users derive the full benefits of microfiber cleaning,” said Mark Hoyle, senior product manager for Rubbermaid Commercial Products.

A further initiative that takes the concept of linen cards to the next logical step has recently been trialled by the Starwood group. At the majority of their Westin and Sheraton brand hotels, for every night they opt out of housekeeping for up to three consecutive nights, guests are offered a US$5 rebate in hotel restaurants, or 500 Starpoints, as an incentive. Stacy Trevino, a spokesperson for the chain, said that currently almost 10 percent of guests are taking advantage of the offer. It is estimated that the hotel group spends around US$22 per room cleaned, so the financial benefits, as well as the potential for environmental savings, are clear.

consumables replenished daily. Traditional industrial-strength chemicals used for cleaning, while guaranteeing the highest level of sanitation, have a high cost to the environment and can be detrimental to the health of both guests and staff. Alternatives are available and, like many initiatives, might have a higher initial cost but the savings – not to mention the benefits of CER – soon more than make up for the initial outlay. Heads of Housekeeping are encouraged to evaluate cleaners, sanitizers, paints, pesticides and other chemicals used throughout their hotels, and to ask the following questions: Can a safer product be substituted? Can a product be eliminated? Are chemicals being stored safely?

California-based company Green Suites Hotel Solutions has been promoting ecologically-friendly solutions since its inception in 1993 and states that its mission is “to provide the lodging industry with profitable solutions which enhance, preserve and promote the environment.” Products ranges such as the Evo-lution carpet cleaner and Nature’s Mist odour neutralisers reduce environmental damage, chemical usage and toxicity. The company’s Rinse Ace sprayers,

Savings on paper may seem small but soon add up to significant gains for the property

SwireHotel’sUpperHouse

Technologycanstreamlinehoteloperations

Greeninitiativesshouldnotseeany

dropinstandards

China has announced that it aims to make the tropical island province of Hainan a world-class international tourism island

destination by 2020, according to a statement released by the State Council in January. As Hainan’s second largest city and the most popular tourist destination amongst both domestic and international visitors, Sanya is poised to be at the forefront of the international tourism development and will benefit greatly from this strategy.

The Secretary of Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Wei Liu-cheng and the Governor of Hainan Province, Luo Bao-ming talked about the details of the statement during their interviews with CCTV and Phoenix TV in January and February. In the interviews they outlined a raft of initiatives to promote tourism internationally, including relaxing visa restrictions for a greater number of countries, encouraging foreign investment in the hospitality sector, improvement of both land and air transportation networks, new theme parks and promoting the province as

an example of ecologically-aware governance and development.

Many hoteliers in Sanya welcome and support the government’s new policies to develop Hainan further as an international tourism destination. Gerd Knaust, General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Sanya is confident that international tourism in Sanya will expand when the authorities concerned can clear up a few issues, such as direct international flight access to Sanya, a standardised taxi system and the development of new theme parks. He also stated that although Sanya seemed to appeal to predominantly domestic visitors from mainland China, the resort needed its overseas visitors to create a good mix of in-house guests for an international luxury hotel to create the right atmosphere and guest experience during their stay.

Opened in January 2009, the 297-room Mandarin Oriental, Sanya aims at keeping a guest mix of 55 percent international and 45 percent domestic. To achieve this, the hotel employs an international staff of more than 20 nationalities in Sanya to ensure both their international and domestic guests are well

taken care of. Knaust noted that domestic guests visited Sanya with distinct seasonality – largely restricted to Chinese National Day holidays and Spring Festival holidays – while the international guests tended to visit Sanya over a wider variety of occasions, such as Easter, summer, Christmas and New Year holidays, allowing for a more constant occupancy rate throughout the year.

International experienceThe 343-room InterContinental Sanya Resort is the next hotel in Xiaodonghai to open, expected in June this year. General Manager Tony Marrinan says that the resort targets an international clientele, from Hong Kong, Russia, and gateway cities in Asia as well as from Europe and the United States in addition to the domestic tourists who currently account for more than 80 percent of the hotel’s total guest numbers. Marrinan commented that the overseas markets lacked awareness of this tropical island; otherwise, it would be an ideal stopover on the way home after travelling in other parts of China. He hoped that the recent drive to internationalise the island would bring more

InterContinentalSanyaResortissettoopeninJune(Rendering)

M a r k E t r E p o r t

20 AHCT March 2010

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overseas guests to Sanya after visiting the Shanghai Expo.

The 511-room Sheraton Sanya Resort in Yalong Bay commands a strong market position amongst Sanya’s international hotel chains. Vice President Stephen Ford, who is the Area Managing Director, South China, for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and General Manager of Sheraton Sanya Resort, said he was sure local government would improve Hainan’s infrastructure further to facilitate tourism growth, and cited plans for a new international airport on the island’s east coast. Ford foresees

guests having different choices for airport pick-up and drop-off services as the island’s infrastructure develops. Meanwhile, Ford also suggested that Sanya could look at ways to develop a stylish tourist attraction like Xintiandi in Shanghai, a destination in itself. With a variety of both high-end and budget restaurants, bars and shops, it is a hotspot for both tourists and locals.

In addition to the existing Sheraton in Yalong Bay, Starwood has six new resorts under development in four resort areas, namely, Four Points by Sheraton (379 rooms) in Sanya Bay, a St Regis (402 rooms) in Yalong Bay, a Luxury Collection (160 rooms) and a second Sheraton (500 rooms) in Haitang Bay, and a third Sheraton and another Four Points by Sheraton (totalling 610 rooms) in Shenzhou Peninsula. Ford believes that future demand for hotel rooms in Hainan will continue to stay strong because the international market will blossom again after the economic recovery; Hainan will become better known as an international destination and the domestic market will remain large with the rapid growth of China’s middle class.

Infrastructure issuesBlessed with exquisite natural beauty, Sanya has long had an enviable reputation as a year-round beachfront holiday destination for the domestic market, and there are 45 existing local and international 4- and 5-star hotels in Sanya’s three traditional resort areas of Sanya Bay, Dadonghai and Yalong Bay, offering a total of 13,351 guestrooms. The development of these areas has allowed for new tourism projects in the southern part of Hainan to become the focus.

Sanya remains unknown in many overseas markets. According to China


22 AHCT March 2010

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Japan and Korea are the main international foreign feeder markets.

Nigel Summers, Director of management consulting firm Horwath HTL highlighted that among critical factors, flight accessibility and improvements of airport facilities are of prime concern. According to Horwath, HTL’s Hainan Market Overview for January 2010, an increase in flight frequency and routes is essential to the growth of Sanya tourism. Although additional airports are planned for development around Hainan, the new airports do not address the capacity constraints of Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SPIA), which would primarily serve the larger developments in southern Hainan and the expected increase in visitor arrivals. Summers also stated that Sanya international tourism development requires skilled entrepreneurs to drive the tourism-related businesses with a high international standard and safety level, such as professional diving and water sports centres, good local restaurants and regulated taxi services.

It is undeniable that Sanya is a highly competitive but relatively young beach holiday destination for international tourists, compared with other developed destinations in the region, like Bali and Phuket. Its scenic beauty and natural resources, year-round warm tropical sunny weather, long sandy beaches and delicious seafood and tropical fruits should mean its popularity increases.

National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and Sanya Statistics Bureau, Sanya’s total arrivals in 2009 were over 6.69 million, from which only about 4.8 percent were international arrivals (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). Sanya’s tourism receipts in 2009 were RMB10.3 billion US$1.51 billion), of which 9.05 billion (US$1.33 billion) was from the domestic market. Currently, Hong Kong, Russia,



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Lastly, he sees a need for hotels to have a CRS such as Pegasus’s RezView that enables them to manage content across all channels from a single place to deliver consistent marketing and branding.

Integration the solution?Along with a multiplication of distribution channels, Howard Tse of Micros Fidelio sees a focus in the Asia-Pacific – where 792 properties now use the Opera Reservation System (ORS) – on guest-centric applications, such as web-booking through mobile devices, with an emphasis on centralised loyalty programmes.

“One way to keep valued customers is to open a new channel for them so they can book directly, as well as be recognised and rewarded,” he says.

Given the Asian market’s emphasis on service, he sees these trends as an extra selling point for Micros Fidelio’s integrated approach, where reservations are linked with property management system and customer profiling.

“Whenever we sell ORS we always sell it together with Opera Customer Information System (OCIS). Does the interfacing approach work? Technically, yes. But whether it’s an ideal solution, I’d say no,” he says.

“Trust International is a true believer in multi-system integration. This is clearly shown in our continuous effort to interface with most, if not all, of the key hospitality applications in the market (Property Management Systems, Revenue Management Systems, Customer Relationship Management, RFP Tools and so on,” says a spokesperson for the company.

In the last four years, Trust International has implemented CRS solution for more than 10 Asian-based hotel chains and group, amongst them deluxe hotel groups as well as budget hotel chains.

Tse also expects data ownership to flare into an issue for hotels that put their databases in the hands of external providers.

“I have seen a lot of owners and management companies going in different directions,” he says.

Making your presence feltPeter Andres of Sabre Hospitality Solutions, who says his company has surged to become “probably the pre-eminent CRS provider in the region” in only three years, sees booking engines and web presence as especially critical in Asia due to the underutilisation of traditional agencies, corporate bookings and GDS.

“A hotel has to be effective at driving volume and differentiating itself through its own website,” he says.

Staff turnover also creates a need for an intuitive system while distribution must extend beyond GDS and normally available OTAs to reach regional channels and wholesalers, he adds.

He sees the current trends as including tighter integration with all property systems, with chains moving the data into one location above the property for managing rates, availability, inventory and profiles.

Going mobile is also an emerging pattern – inspiring a solution for the iPhone – along with websites and booking engines that alter their content and experience based upon recognising the customer visiting the site, he adds.

JoiningthedotsoftheTrustInternationaldistributionsystem

In the Year of the Tiger both hotels and guests can hope for happy hunting. But, while the hospitality industry sees a glimmer of economic rebound, its customers are on the prowl, out scouring the internet as never before in search of bargains.

“According to the four billion transactions we process each month, shoppers are more aggressively shopping rates online,” says Ric Leutwyler, Chief Operating Officer of Pegasus.

“Look-to-book ratios have jumped over 50 percent since October 2008. Hotel CRS’s, as a result, must be able to handle this onslaught of requests – sustaining consistent uptimes and sub-second response times.”

Brinley Waddell, Managing Director of the renamed eHotel Alliance, formerly GenaRes Asia, says, “It’s great to see a strong resurgence with online bookings in recent months and forecasts look good for this year.”

The company focuses on online services for hotels and small tour operators to receive reservations from worldwide sources that include traditional Global Distribution System (GDS) and the fast growing direct connect Online Travel Agency (OTA) web sites. Other solutions offered are advanced booking engine tools, online Request for Proposal (RFP) and Competitor Rate comparison tools.

Changing customer behaviour and emerging mobile technologies are new challenges in the field of Centralised Reservation Systems (CRS), Piers Evans reports

Asia embraces

new CRS channels

Pegasus – a contender in the Asia market with recent deals with Amari, two Evergreen Laurel properties, the Japan Ryokan Association and Aman Travels in India – sees a need for several adjustments to thrive in the changing market.

In Leutwyler’s view, hotel CRS’s must prepare to handle major hikes in availability requests and should also expand their online offering, making property services and amenities available for guests to book both on hotel websites and through call centres to capture more business directly.

“These additional services will help hotels differentiate their product offering, especially as online shoppers look for added value directly from the hotel through upgrades, services and amenities not offered on third-party sites.”

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t E c h n o l o g y

March 2010 AHCT 27

Mark Simmons, the Preferred Hotel Group’s Area Managing Director for Asia, says Sabre was recently picked to replace the group’s CRS for factors including “an empowered approach that gives hotels more access to all systems, enables them to load many of their own rates and to manage all content in one location.

“PHG’s independent hotel membership requires a maximum level of flexibility in managing variant pricing models and distribution philosophies, while maintaining key branding, marketing and reporting components at the same time,” he says.

Another company eager to earn its stripes in Asia in the Year of the Tiger is FastBooking, which claims 1,100 hotel clients from Japan to India among independent luxury establishments and independent groups or chains of luxury hotels.

With an exclusive focus on improving revenues on hotels’ official websites, FastBooking works on a performance-based model.

“Of course, mobile is a growing trend,” says Henry Teng, General Manager for FastBooking Asia.

“The growth of mobile and smart phones is exponential. We’ve just completed the Royal Plaza on Scotts’ first mobile website, and our hotel booking site, FastBooking.com, has been available as a native app for the iPhone for some time.”

Social media also features among FastBooking’s priorities. The company plans to launch a service this year to help hotels monitor social media and has spotted further openings.

“Hotels are starting to use social sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as platforms to build communities for their ‘loyal friends’. And via these communities they can make special offers to their ‘friends’,” he says.

“The next thing they need is to be able to convert these loyal friends

“A hotel has to be effective at driving volume and differentiating itself through its own website” Peter Andres

into paying guests who take advantage of these special deals. So they’ll need a booking mechanism along with their offer on the social sites. Our booking engine is also adaptable for this kind of use.”

Hallisoft’s Chief Executive Officer Ray Halliwell expects the current economic climate to drag on the pace of development, but he scents a possible shift towards individual websites linked to travel portals and directories that focus on specific countries or locations.

For his company, the focus in Asia is affordable solutions for two- and three-star hotels.

“The software is sensibly priced and no commission or monthly fees are charged. Therefore, it is quite feasible for a local company to start a CRS and charge rates that two- and three-start hotels find attractive,” he says

‘The low start-up costs are also attractive to companies that wish to specialise in a particular sector such as trekking or diving.’

Most of Hallisoft’s recent customers in Asia have been hotels looking to add online reservations to their website or to install a Properly Management System (PMS) system to run the hotel front desk, he adds.

For Howard Tse the emergence of multiple channels in Asia will

see hotels using several vendors to gain the most of the broadening opportunities.

But, in the race to realise these opportunities, he has one word of warning. While he has yet to see “any real disasters”, there is one aspect hotels can tend to overlook.

‘People can sometimes be very operations-minded and forget that you need a well-planned IT infrastructure, such as bandwidth,’ he says.

“Good planning will not just focus on features and functions. You need to make sure that the selected solution is PCI [Payment Card Industry] compliant.”

Waddell of eHotel Alliance has a further word of warning – there is little point to having sophisticated software solutions in place if hotel staff are not using them.

“Our support teams regularly review individual property rates and availability in the CRS and find that the hotel has no rates or availability and it’s a battle to get some hotel staff to load rates; their hotel management realise the importance but don’t have effective rate strategies and management disciplines in place. The staff responsible for updating the CRS are not making the connection between a change of rate strategy and the need to update rates and availability in the CRS/Global Distribution Systems. The outcome is that opportunities to increase revenues via the many channels available via CRS solutions are missed which means that the hotel does not receive the bookings it should.

“A great way to increase bookings is to ensure packages and promotions are loaded on all channels. Many travel agent web sites search for promotions/packages. If hoteliers don’t have these loaded they lose business,” he adds.

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Swire Group’s Pacific Place mixed development of prime office, retail and hotel space is celebrating its 20th year and the occasion has been marked with the launch of the new Upper House hotel within the complex.

While the creation of the Upper House saw the conversion of a block of serviced apartments into some of Hong Kong’s largest hotel rooms, the other hotels in Pacific Place have also been upgrading their accommodations.

Hotels in the development include the 513-room Conrad Hilton, the JW Marriott Hong Kong and the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong. The hotels are all luxury properties offering similarly high quality facilities and this competition has been a spur to improvement.

However, the Island Shangri-La and JW Marriott Hong Kong General Managers Darren Gearing and Michael Nisky both separately told AHCT that the opening of the Upper House had not been the motivation for renovation.

Gearing, who is also Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts Area Manager, told AHCT that the renovations on his property had lead to the creation of a new Horizon Club executive lounge with attendant floors of premium rooms offering privileges to guests.

“The creation of the Horizon Club was in the planning for several years, and it was not due to the competition from Upper House (The Conrad Hotel also has an executive floor and lounge), but because we are responding to guests who expect greater selection, flexibility and personalisation.”

Marriott’s Nisky told AHCT that most hotels operate on a five- or six-year renovation schedule and while rates may have changed because of the global economic crisis, occupancy has remained consistent. Nisky was more concerned about taking advantage of the construction that was already occurring in the surrounding Pacific Place and for the construction of Upper House to “take all the pain at once” for the property’s US$20 million renovation.

Roof-top paradiseWhat has the work added to the respective properties?

At the Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong a former function room is now the Horizon Club lounge on the hotel’s 56th top storey, allowing separate check-in and check-out for guests on floors 52-55. Prior to becoming a function room, the space was a bar some readers may recall, Cyrano’s. The room has stunning views and is next door to two-Michelin-starred French restaurant Petrus, allowing guests the rare opportunity of a Michelin-starred breakfast.

The Horizon Club space has been adapted so that all-day refreshments can be served, including afternoon tea and early evening cocktails with Champagne. On another side of the lounge is access to a roof garden, which has been with the hotel since it opened.

“When the Horizon Club was refurbished, we re-landscaped and split-levelled the roof, added furniture and decking. The foliage is an assortment of a special species of spiny fern, butterfly orchids and lush tropical greenery,” says Gearing.

Business needs have not been forgotten. The lounge space includes a small meeting room, available on a complementary basis for up to two hours. Although small, the meeting room faces Hong Kong’s harbour and is equipped with a large screen TV.

The JW Marriott Hong Kong’s Executive Lounge is split into two levels. Renovation of this space mostly entailed creating a more modern and functional space that “resembles an upscale residence” says Nisky. The way beverage service had previously been organised had led to “bottlenecks” in the space.

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The space is harbour-facing, has self-service all day refreshments and WiFi but also has large screen TVs to give a homely feel, this is complemented by the availability of board games.

Business needs are served by a choice of PC or Mac computers, extra internet connection points and the upstairs meeting room that has an ‘intelligent’ glass wall that can be written on.

Minimal disruptionGuest rooms at JW Marriott were renovated a floor at a time with a buffer floor either side to minimise disruption to guests to a design by a company called Hemmax.

Decisions on the new equipment and look for the rooms were taken after Marriott International conducted focus groups of regular guests to see what they wanted. There were also trials to ensure small details were not being overlooked – the location of light switches was one issue given considerable thought.

All 602 guest rooms in the hotel now have technology that may include 42-inch LCD TVs, wireless high speed internet, IP phones and interactive connectivity hubs. The LED lights in the mini bar area, reading lamps and picture lamps have helped conserve energy and produce less heat.

Soundproofing was also taken into consideration, with the installation of concrete and polystyrene layers under the smart wooden flooring.

Noise was also an issue during the renovation of the Island Shangri-La, minimized to an extent by the work being done during the day. “Each of the four floors was closed down separately. The disturbance was contained by the metal shutters installed on each floor,” adds Gearing.

After renovation, the already upscale rooms have had standards lifted with the installation of a jack panel (110V and 220V power supply) providing internet, USB to printer and audio to TV connection; espresso machines; a large flatscreen TV and a rainforest shower.

So far “The feedback has been very encouraging, especially about the service, and the décor and environment in the lounge,” says Gearing.

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personalisation.” Darren Gearing, General

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The herald of a good thing coming to an end – dessert is often the perfect way to finish up a satisfying meal. While some truly inventive chefs are doing their best to match demand with some innovative takes on familiar tastes, there always has to be room on the menu or

buffet station for the tried and trusted regulars. Guest Chef Koichiro Wada, currently in residence at the Royal

Garden, Hong Kong, was recently honoured with an extension to his tenure at the hotel, in recognition of the astounding popularity of his desserts. Chef Wada, who hails from Japan, is Sapporo Sweets Ambassador for 2010. The Sapporo Sweets contest began in 2006 and previous winning sweets include Chef Wada’s strawberry tart and white tiramisu dessert. He cannily tackles European styles and subverts them to provide an Asian variation. Given that Asian dessert tastes tend to the less sweet, Chef Wada’s creations – including Japanese Fuji apple tart, Strawberry Tart and White tiramisu, along with his pièce de resistance, Hokkaido Hasakkpu mousse cake – have proven hits with the largely Asian clientele that visit the hotel – often purely to sample his sweets.

Pastry Chef Baby Wong from the Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees in Hong Kong knows only too well what local tastes amount to, and is shrewd enough to have a variety of both Asian and international flavours on offer. One of his three most popular desserts, he says, is the Mango Napoleon, a creation that seeks to give the diner the sensation of a burst of mango, combined with the crispiness of puff pastry and comprises fresh Philippines mangoes, puff pastry and vanilla cream. “So many guests from locals to international find comfort when they see it. Similar to when foreigners see Starbucks or McDonald’s, they have a feeling of familiarity and [locals] will choose Mango Napoleon as one of their first dessert selections. Upon tasting, they always go for a second piece as our portions are quite petite, so also attractive to those weight watchers (which are most of us).” He says his creation leaves his guests feeling “fresh, happy, comfort and contented.”

Dessert selections need to cater for all tastes, local and international, Thora Jacobsen reports

[Pullquote:][1:] “We are proud to offer our local flavours” Dewi Anggraini

[Photos:][1: Japanese Fuji apple tart; caption:] [2: Bali dessert; caption:] [3: Pastry Chef Baby; caption:] [4: Luc Thierry Capus; caption:] [Box:]

Chef Luc’s Molten Chocolate Cake 1. Molten chocolate fillingIngredients:275g whipping cream250g Madagascar chocolate 64% (or any kind of chocolate but has to be 64% cocoa)30g Grand Marnier • Boil the cream, pour on top of chopped chocolate, let melt for

a minute then stir until smooth, add Grand Marnier then stir again until combined.

• Pour in “flexipan” 2cm diameter, then freeze. Once totally frozen, dip in melted chocolate using toothpick as you would do for a lollipop. Keep in freezer.

2. Chocolate souffléIngredients:175g Madagascar chocolate 64%75g butter150g egg yolk100g whole eggs100g sugar300g egg whites40g Grand Marnier • Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler, once totally melted,

add yolks and whole eggs and keep warm.• Make a French meringue with egg whites and sugar then

incorporate delicately to the chocolate mix with Grand Marnier.

3. Assembly:• Prepare some individual cake rings 5cm diameter fitted with wax

paper strips.• Use a disc of brownie at the base for easy handling, pour 1/3

soufflé mix, center the molten chocolate filling, top with soufflé mix until 2/3 of the ring.

• Bake at 180/200OC for 12 minutes and serve immediately

Taste the difference

Fruity flavour palateIn Macau, the Wynn Hotel’s pastry maestro, Chef Luc Thierry Capus, has been working hard to create taste sensations for the international crowd that visit his establishment. Recognising that many of these guests hail from mainland China and other parts of Asia, he has been careful to incorporate local ingredients and provide more delicate flavors to appeal to a more Asian palette. His Yuba mille feuille with strawberry and peach cream is, he says, different from a traditional Napoleon, and he uses a crispy pastry made with soybean instead of traditional puff pastry. On top of this, Chef Luc adds fresh strawberry and light, peach pastry cream. The dessert, especially the peach cream, he says, appeals to local diners because of its special texture and light flavor.

The chef also collaborated with his Japanese chef colleague Chef Hiro at the Wynn’s Okada restaurant to create a soy milk panna cotta matched with raspberry caviar. The strong soybean flavour and the raspberry juice blend in the mouth, and appeals to a wide range of Asian tastes, and also he has some more traditional flavours at his disposal, like his Molten Chocolate Cake.

Over in Bali, the InterContinental Resort & Spa’s Pastry Chef Erlan Erlangga has also been incorporating local flavours to provide local and international guests with a taste of Bali. The resort’s Pandanus Tiramisu is a favourite, a delicious combination of jackfruit cheese cake, cashew nut brownies, passion fruit sauce, mango balls and a slice of fresh strawberry. Dewi Anggraini, the resort’s Director of Public Relations, says “Our guests come from around the world and have different, unique cultures and we are proud to offer our local flavours to enhance their experience during the stay. Through this special dessert we have created, we combine western flavours with touches of local ingredients – especially pandanus.”

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Would knowing that most of the coffee drinkers in your outlets are 35-year-old Vietnamese women or 60-year-old Japanese men help ensure that you were serving the right coffee in the right way?

The answer, it seems, is ‘it depends on who you ask.’Carmen Leung, Sales Executive at Hong Kong Pacific Group,

a distributor of Gaggia coffee machines, tells AHCT that “There is no core relationship between age and coffee, it depends on one’s personal taste and preferences.”

Leung also finds that gender and coffee choice are not really linked but she does say that, “We found no hard evidence that gender makes any difference [in] choosing milkier or sweeter coffee, however, we found more women with this preference.”

Other coffee industry professionals approached by AHCT found more distinctions in drink choice between different age groups, genders and nationalities but most stressed that their evidence was entirely anecdotal.

However, Margaret Heery, Bunn Vice President of Strategic Marketing, was able to base comments on a soon-to-be-published report by NPD Crest on the consumption of coffee in commercial foodservice.

“In Japan, there is a clear distinction between black coffee drinkers and drinkers of cappuccino and cafe lattes. Men, and men over 40 in particular, have an above average pre-disposition to drink regular coffee, particularly black coffee. Women in general have a below average pre-disposition to drink regular coffee. However, women under 50 are the ones who skew to specialty coffees, like lattes. One exception to this rule is men between 15 and 29, who have an above average inclination to drink specialty coffees,” Heery says.

A newly-acquired liking for milk seems to be prevalent across the region. Indeed, Swiss manufacturer Franke has developed its own milk system to add to it’s machines.

Isitpossibletoidentifya

demographicforcoffeedrinkers?Mischa Moselle

askstheexperts

Who drinks Fair Trade coffee?It used to be the youngsters manning the barricades for social change. That idea doesn’t seem to apply in this instance.

Uncle Russ’ Duncan Cave says in the past he has sold Fair Trade coffee mostly to environmentalists and NGO workers but he no longer sells it.“People in their 40s drink Fair Trade,” says Cave.

“I believe that the choice of Fair Trade coffee is more influenced by spending power than age.”Philipp Koeppel, Schaerer

“It’s the choice of the socially-aware and responsible coffee drinker and that can be of any age.”Aileene Thangaveloo, Boncafé

Can Fair Trade coffee be characterized as a choice for the younger coffee drinker?“Yes, I would like to believe so.”Carmen Leung, Hong Kong and Pacific Group.

This coffee,that drinker?

Bunn’sexperienceshowscoffeedrinkersinChinatendtobewealthy

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A clear trend has emerged to present teas as branded, premium beverages on menus

As the tea on supermarket shelves and in homes becomes increasingly smart, so hotels have to go one better to exceed their guests’ expectations.

To take one example, if Westin are to justify the US$4-7 they charge for the approximately six million cups of tea a year they sell across Asia-Pacific, the hotel chain cannot serve something available in a supermarket. As the product available in shops and homes now includes sophisticated presentations such as whole leaf teas in pyramid teabags or with environmental or fair trade labels attached, the hotel offering has had to shift up a gear.

There is also the aspect of hotel brand differentiation. “Hotels are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves from the competition and a unique tea menu is a relatively cheap and effective way to achieve this,” says Tony Dick, Director of Tea Concepts.

The company distributes a number of premium brands including H-Tea-O Premium Tea, Tea Forté, Four O’Clock, Ticolino and Affinitea.

Pia Schlotfeldt of German tea company Haelssen & Lyon explains that the market is being pushed and pulled.

“New consumer groups have discovered tea for themselves and new, classy brands have come up which set new standards for presentation as well as quality,” says Schlotfeldt.

Behind the labelWhy should branding be an issue, though, in a hotel or restaurant guest’s

choice of tea? Surely an Assam is an Assam?In Dick’s experience, guests are looking for a quality brand and

tea origin in the same way that they might approach selecting a wine. “However, most customers won’t know if a Darjeeling tea for Margaret’s Hope estate is better than one from Castleton estate but if the tea is supplied by a reputable brand, they can be reasonably sure that the selected tea will be good,” Dick says.

So if branding is a guide for the guest – Assam has more than 2,000 tea estates producing a million tons of tea a year and not all guests can be expected to know their way around them – it also makes a statement for the hotel.

Own brands such as The Peninsula’s allow hotels to be flexible in the choice of teas to be served, including a unique blend, and the tea can be sold as a souvenir.

“Picking the right tea brand is a simple way of satisfying different expectations,” says Schlotfeldt, giving guests the feeling of attention to every last detail, adding individual touches or aiding in brand recognition across a chain.

Dick suggests that the tea brand match the hotel image, with a long stablished tea brand being suitable for a traditional tea service in an old style hotel but a fresher brand for a more modern or boutique hotel.

“For a more dramatic change that has real impact with the guests, a hotel may opt for a brand that updates the whole tea experience,” says Dick. “Brands such as Tea Forté produce a unique presentation with the pyramid infuser and the specially designed teapots and accessories,” he adds.

Picking a brand has another benefit for the hotel or restaurant chain according to Ed Eisler, the founder of Jing brand tea. Westin hotels in Asia Pacific have been serving the brand exclusively since the start of 2009.

Eisler points out the complexity of tea – for the novice it’s almost impossible to choose the right tea from the right plantation and ensure a secure, steady supply. In 2009 the young entrepreneur travelled 6,000 miles across China alone on tea buying missions, a task that is clearly beyond the remit of the hotel F&B manager.

The rise of branded teas

ThecontemporarypresentationofteabyTeaForté

ArangeofteasfromHaelssen&Lyon

The milk dispensing head is integrated directly into the coffee machine’s dispenser system, which means you can dispense coffee and milk simultaneously using a single or double dispenser. The milk output sequence is programmable – either before, during or after the coffee.

A coffee-maker such as the Pura, launching later this year (timing depends on the market) offers a wide range of milk options while the Evolution Plus has 32 different coffee and milk combinations.

Bunn’s Heery points to a different distinction when it comes to the choice of coffee – income.

“In China, where coffee plays a very small role in the foodservice market, it is really the drink of higher-income people, women in particular, between 15 and 39 years old. It is not a drink for men or older consumers, making China very different from Japan in that sense,” she adds.

Where many in the industry agree that age makes a difference is with the spirit of curiosity in trying new drinks.

Younger drinkers are more likely to follow trends, more likely to try new drinks. Aileene Thangaveloo, Regional Marketing Manager at Boncafé International in Singapore tells AHCT that while older drinkers are more likely to be happy with a black coffee with sugar or milk, “Younger drinkers would prefer a wider choice of coffee beverages such as cappuccino, café latte or low-fat coffee choices.”

Duncan Cave, Chief Operating Officer of Uncle Russ Coffee Roasting, says that younger drinkers are more likely to add flavour to their drink such as hazelnut or mocha.

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Uncle Russ operates a chain of six coffee shops in Hong Kong and supplies an espresso roast to hotels and restaurants.

Based purely on his experience in Hong Kong, Cave finds that the Hong Kong Chinese tend to prefer sweeter drinks like the mocha where Japanese and South Koreans are more likely to order a black coffee.

Thangaveloo’s observation on Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean coffee drinkers is that they “tend to enjoy a much lighter brew than the rest of Asia. Southeast Asians are used to more robust flavours, perhaps it has something to do with the spicier and more flavourful food they enjoy.”

Philipp Koeppel, Export Manager, Far East & Pacific Rim for Schaerer says that variations in coffee orders between different nationalities are likely linked to the tradition of coffee consumption and making within those countries.

Koeppel adds though that in discussing coffee preparation methods that while recognising for example that Vietnamese style coffee has become popular due to some entrepreneurs spreading it across the region, or that Singaporean and Malaysian coffee is nothing without condensed milk, “the offerings of the new coffee shops are quite similar all over Asia.”

Boncafé,distributorsofEgromachinesamongotherproducts,seeanecdotallinksbetweenage,gender,incomeandcoffeechoice

HongKongdrinkersliketheirssweet

DrinkersfromJapanandSouthKoreaaremostlikelytoorderblackcoffee

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Todd In AHCT Feb Issue FA Pathed_.indd 1 1/19/09 2:02:20 PM

The importance of table settings cannot be overstated as far as Richard Shiu is concerned. When asked if it ‘really matters’ how a table looks and whether settings need to cater for each meal, the Group General Manager of EquipAsia is unequivocal: “It’s

very important. The table setting is the first impression. It brings the restaurant to life before any food is set out. Glassware, cutlery, tablecloths, they all make a statement on how good or bad a restaurant is and people make assumptions based on what they see here first.”

EquipAsia is a total procurement solution provider and for Shiu what goes on top of the table lays the foundation for the personality of the establishment. For this reason suppliers work closely with all involved to ensure the table sends the right message. “Designers point out carpeting and colour schemes as well as wall and ceiling effects while restaurant managers and F&B managers discuss their everyday needs, but basically most people have no idea what they want when they come to us so we have to have a lot of input. We’re like fashion designers ourselves that way.”

Raymond Tam, Director of Athena Tableware HK says that his company also, “advises on possible solutions that offer functionality and personality.”

Sharon Black, Dudson Export Sales Manager Middle East, India and Asia agrees the choice of table settings can be a joint decision between all involved parties, “depending on the hierarchy of the company itself,” but in some cases it can be the Executive Chef ’s decision alone. Whoever does the choosing one thing is clear – individuality counts. “Most establishments want to distinguish themselves with a point of difference to all others.”

It’s an opinion supported by Serge Hemmer, Villeroy & Boch Hotel & Restaurant, Key Account & Regional Sales Manager who believes hotels and restaurants want to have something unique and

will often commission, “a custom made design to match their place. Designers will choose the style, while for practical use the F&B Manager has the final say. In the end together with the head office a line will be found which satisfies all of them.”

Shiu echoes the thought when referring to the near demise of yesteryears formal stuffy fine dining. “Nowadays it’s all about casual smart which makes it easier for suppliers but I have to be honest, we miss the days when hotels and the like had three, four and five restaurants! Now it’s about multifunction.”

Keeping chef happy?As for changes between meals, Black says, “Generally the breakfast settings are very casual and simple: main course plate, side plate, cereal bowl, cup and saucer or a mug. For a snack you would only need a single plate, maybe an 8 or 10 inch. Lunch depending on the establishment could involve a similar number of items to the breakfast setting but also include a starter plate, a pasta or soup bowl and a dessert plate. With dinner, the range of dishes and plates needed tends to be vast and is normally requested by the chef to display his menu choices to maximum benefit.”

Shui agrees, “Chefs are involved more and more as they are creating their own menus and want to display their food like a picture. There are no fixed shapes or sizes nowadays it’s up to the individual. But chefs do tend to be fairly conservative so they opt for white but in irregular shapes to add to the creativity of presentation.”

“If establishments want to transfer from one meal setting to the next easily, they can use the same crockery for different meal services and just dress the table differently with paper or linen napkins, tumblers or wine glasses. Even if the restaurant is themed you can

Stand out from the competition with quality tableware, Zara Horner suggests

“They can use the same crockery for different meal services and just dress the table differently” Sharon Black

tone

work your accessories around the crockery to distinguish between breakfast, lunch and dinner services,” says Black.

The question of whether or not to replace place settings is also a matter of individual choice though one usually swayed by economics. “Customers’ first consideration is always budget,” Shiu admits. “There can be no willy-nilly replacements and clients are looking more and more at how to save on costs.” This may be achieved by reducing the number of different settings, as well as gradations of materials. “Once there was lead crystal and that was it,” says Shui. “But now glassware can be manufactured with percentages of lead which affects price, and the same with percentage of silver in cutlery.”

For Black there are no guidelines on completely replacing tableware, but she says should settings look “shabby” guests assume the same lack of care and attention is being paid to how the food is prepared, and how back of house areas are treated. With refurbishments, Black says that unless there are historical reasons for keeping a certain pattern or design, it’s a perfect time to update a table setting look.

At Harbour Grand, Kowloon the Outlet Manager is usually

Setting the

AweddingsetupattheHarbourGrandKowloonAVilleroy&Bochsettingusingthecompany’sUrbanNatureandPiemontranges

TheDudsonModusrangeallowscheftoshowoffcreativity TheHarbourGrandKowloon–fansofelegantsettings

AnelaboratesettingfromtheDudsonWashingtonrange

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Global Chef Uniforms

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Calculating what you needIn a three-meal restaurant, what are the minimum requirements for the different services? What should you have on each table?

It depends on the cuisine - each cutlery item has a particular function. Some fine dining with seven courses requires even 12-15 different items. However, for some casual dining, a simplified combination would work - dinner knife, dinner fork, soup spoon, dessert knife, dessert fork, dessert spoon and coffee spoon. In fact this is the English seven-piece table place setting that has been very common – nowadays many restaurants will add also a long drink spoon. Side items such as a butter knife and fish knife, service items such as a serving spoon and fork are also very important for some cuisines.

Is there a simple formula for calculating how much crockery and cutlery a restaurant should buy?

A basic formula would be “No. of Seats x Par” where Par is the expected turnover of a table. For example, for a restaurant with 120 seats expecting two rounds at breakfast, the quantity to buy will be 120 x 2 = 240 pieces. Applying this simple formula creates the basis but of course in reality it will rely on some other factors such as budget, types of cuisine and whether the cutlery can be used by different restaurants in the same hotel.

Raymond Tam, Director, Athena Tableware HK

Successfulformulafortabletops

responsible for choosing table settings but nothing is chosen until the F&B Manager’s “comments and approval” have been sought, says Marketing Communications Manager, Mandy Soh. All crockery and cutlery at the Harbour Grand “follows the style of the restaurant” but each outlet has different meal settings. At breakfast, for example the difference is: “a butter knife and bread plate; knife and fork and one dessert spoon for cereal. For snacks, depending on the style if it’s finger food, just a napkin will suffice. At lunch and dinner there’s the full setting. Knife and bread plate, appetizer fork and knife, main course knife and fork; soup spoon and dessert spoon.” Ensuring the hotel has everything it needs at each setting takes experience, says Soh. “When we opened the Waterfront Bar & Terrace in 2006, there was a checklist of things that needed to be done. Afterwards, we invited our own staff to come and experience [the venue] as guests. They had to fill out a survey afterwards. You know what they say, there’s no free meal!” And it’s a case of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ for Soh as she believes table settings shouldn’t be changed every time there’s a refurbishment. “When the theme of the restaurant remains the same, it’s important to let [the setting] continue.” But there is room for manoeuvre: “For example, if The Promenade is doing a special Thai promotion, we will change [table settings] to match the theme accordingly.”

Villeroy & Boch’s Hemmer says the kind of crockery and cutlery used should match the food being served, the interior design, and the mealtime. “Breakfast and snacks are meals that are taken in a relatively short time period so there will be standard items such as a plate and a cup or mug. Lunch and dinner can be more fancy and are mostly served on the table where the settings will be more elaborate. [Hotels] should have a checklist of all the items they need, that list should be made by a professionally trained hotel person and settings can change on a regular basis to signal there is constant evolution in the outlet. In a complete refurbishment all should be changed.”

[Pullquote:][1:] [Photos:][1: Harbour grand wedding; caption:] [2: harbour grand IMG; caption:] [3: Dudson Washington; caption:] [4: Dudson Modus; caption:] [5: VB Hotel 1; caption:] [6: VB Hotel 2; caption:] [7: 848_mood; caption:] Chesa flatware – Athena’s bestseller

[Sidebar:][Header:]

Villeroy&Boch’sphilosophyistomatchsettingstomealtime,interiordesignandthefoodontheplate

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from pizza to roast meats, risottos to breads. In addition, the ovens are long lasting - our first, built 21 years ago, is still going strong and we offer the longest unconditional guarantee of four years.”

Keniff tells AHCT that Asia accounts for a large proportion of its sales. “Asia is without doubt still a growing market and we are currently experiencing a growth in India as more luxury hotels increase their footprint in the area.”

Those who can’t find a pizza oven that fits their requirements can choose the custom option. “The cost is based on the manufacturing requirements; we do not charge for the team of design engineers who work with our client to create their dream oven. We have created horseshoe, diamond and triangular shaped ovens, ovens that wrap around poles, oven/grill/rotisserie combinations, oven/char-broiler combinations... the list is endless,” says Keniff.

Smoke gets in your pizzasExecutive Chef Graeme Ritchie for the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, who, in addition to Parma and Porcini Truffle pizzas, cooks veal shanks and roast suckling pig plus pies and pastries in his oven, says, “A pizza oven needs to be put together well – construction is very important – but what’s really crucial is maintaining the core temperature (370-390 degrees), and that’s easy with a gas oven.” While Ritchie admits that gas-fired pizza is not as authentic as the wood-fired variety, where the smoke penetrates the dough to create a smoky smell and flavour, he says fire restrictions and a lack of wood and storage space prevent many from employing this method in the city. The Beech’s ability to effortlessly reach a core temperature is a definite benefit for this Executive Chef, who likes to cook his pizzas in super-fast time. “A pizza should be in and out of the oven in about 90 seconds and then straight to the table as quickly as possible when the cheese is still stringy.”

Another key pizza oven player within the F&B industry is Wood Stone, an American brand that has made 8,000 ovens, exported to 70 countries worldwide, since its inception in 1990. Like Beech, it has never needed to replace any of its ovens so far, according to Tamra Nelson, Sales & Marketing. Completely assembled, these stone hearth ovens offer an infrared under-floor assist burner to help with high production cooking and can operate with wood, gas or a combination of both.

Asked what’s in demand, International Sales Manager for Wood Stone Merrill Bevan says, “The Phoenix Series was actually built for the Asian market and the Phoenix 4343 (a stone hearth oven with a cast ceramic floor) is by far our most popular oven in Asia. In fact, we’ve just installed a Phoenix 4343 along with a tandoor, rotisserie and duck oven in our Hong Kong test kitchen.”

Wood Stone introduced its newest line of ovens this past year, the Designer Series. Says Nelson, “This oven line enables customers to modify existing ovens (Designer Modified), build a modular oven (Designer Modular) or design a complete customer option (Designer Created). We are very excited about this option especially for the Asian market as it provides the flexibility and design options that

Acustom-builtovenfromBeechOvens

The current crop of pizza ovens on the market offer adaptability and customised looks as their selling points, Helen Dalley reports

The uppercrust

From a hasty slice of margherita grabbed at a late-night cafe to a savoured gourmet lobster pizza at a 5-star hotel, one of Italy’s most famous exports is represented in numerous mouth-watering guises throughout Asia. While probably not as ubiquitous as the humble bowl of

noodles, it’s nevertheless appreciated and enjoyed with relish in the region, even if some of the adaptations are distinctive – Pizza Hut Japan’s Shrimp and Mayo Crust Roll, or Domino’s South Korea’s Triple Cheese Pizza, a stack of three crusts each slathered with a different kind of cheese.

Unusual ingredient pairings will no doubt continue to be dreamed up, despite a worldwide campaign for authenticity by the Italian government.

Before the dough has been kneaded and the toppings selected, there is of course one other crucial factor to consider: what type of pizza oven will you choose? One of the most popular brands in Asia, found in the kitchens of Mandarin Oriental and Shangri-La hotels, is Beech Ovens, an Australian manufacturer that promotes high quality construction and attention to detail. Helen Keniff, Sales & Marketing Co-ordinator, explains, “Beech Ovens have a number of features which make them unique. First is our design, which provides the most consistent, even cooking environment through what we call thermal mass – the stored heat within the oven. Our ovens have twice the thermal mass of our American competitors and triple the thermal mass of European modular ovens. This makes the chef ’s job easy. Our ovens are also designed to be delivered in two parts so they can be easily manoeuvred through a standard doorway, which makes it very easy for the installer.”

Asked to describe the ovens, Keniff elaborates, “they’re not only durable but also versatile; chefs can cook everything in a Beech Oven,

ThePizzaMasterCTseries

PizzabyChefGraeme

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March 2010 AHCT �9

the market is asking for. The Designer Series, our custom oven line, was a response to the requests of our customers and the foodservice consultant community. The customers and consultants asked for a flexible oven design that didn’t sacrifice engineering or performance.”

European playersOver in Europe, Swedish company Bakepartner, which launched PizzaMaster in 1992, is not modest in its aims, as Managing Director Christer Andersson says their ambition is to have “the vision to build the best pizza ovens in the world.”

PizzaMaster is available in two main series, Modular ovens and Counter top ovens, offering 48 different sizes. All variants considered, it offers up to about 250 different pizza ovens. “This makes means we can cover every need – from the smallest take-out place to the busiest restaurant,” Andersson explains, adding, “Modular ovens are mainly sold to pizzerias, restaurants, hotels or other food outlets that require a high capacity. Counter top ovens can be used for almost any type of food; they all have a small footprint but a very high capacity for their size.”

Those who wish to use high temperatures should note that all PizzaMasters are built with a system that is very resistant to high temperatures. Standard ovens are sold with a maximum temperature of 400 degrees but have an option to reach 500 degrees. “Actually, when we develop

our ovens, they are all tested to withstand 780 degrees,” says Andersson.

Another leading European brand, Moretti Forni has been manufacturing pizza and bakery equipment for more than 60 years. Andrea Pistoni, Export Sales Department, says, “We are proud of our customer service guarantee, an exclusive service dedicated to our client focused on technical and commercial trainings in which we put our considerable experience at their disposal.”

According to Pistoni, “We consider our most popular oven the Serie P, an electric modular deck oven. Its baking chamber is entirely built with refractory brick and the thermic insulation is achieved through high-density fibre. The heat of the refractory brick is provided by built-in heating elements on the top and ceiling.” Its latest addition, the multifunctional Serie M, which is suitable for cooking everything from pizza and pastries to fish and meat, also looks set to be a big hit.

Whichever oven you choose, with Cucina’s Chef Graeme proclaiming that comfort food is back on the menu – part of a backlash to fusion cooking, he feels – it seems certain that the pizza looks set to hold its own in 2010.

“A pizza should be in and out of the oven

in about 90 seconds” Chef Graeme

BeechOvensaresaidtoprovideaconsistentthermalmass

AdoubledoorovenfromWoodStone

MarcoPoloHongkongHotelExecutiveChefGraemeRitchieintheCucinarestaurant

AWoodStoneovenatwork

TheiDeckseriesfromMoretti

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Salt by the SeaSeaside dining is not unusual in Hong Kong, as most of the top restaurants on both sides of the harbour have an enviable view of the famous harbour. But Rocksalt, tucked away in the village of Stanley on the less-populated South side of the island, has an almost-rural charm to back up its stunning sea views.

The menu is expansive but hardly innovative, with crowd-pleasers taking up a wide swathe of Executive Chef Timothy Maudson’s choices. “At Rocksalt, each dish has been specially crafted and perfectly seasoned to bring out the flavour within the ingredients,” he says. “The menu offers specialties which are easy to relate to with a few creative twists to classic dishes for those looking for something different.”

Seafood naturally makes up a big part of the offerings, as does the eponymous mineral, with left-field choices like rock salt infused ice cream and three types of all-natural rock salt shavings that have been carefully chosen by Chef Timothy to complement the dishes on the menu. The seaside location gives Rocksalt coastal resort vibe, and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere makes this a favorite for the tourist traffic to put their feet up and take their time eating.

The Italian jobThe Italians are coming. Renowned Milanese chef Claudio Sadler will be taking his 2-star reputation and skill to the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong’s Grissini restaurant, while on the other side of the harbour, chic eatery Aqua gets a fresh new injection of Italian passion in the form of duo Marco Medaglia, the new Chef de Cuisine and Maitre d’ Allessandro Argento.

For just six days – March 17th to the 22nd – patrons at Grissini will be treated to some of Italy’s finest flavours courtesy of Chef Claudio. Mediterranean ingredients are his passion, and as a proponent of nuova cucina (new cuisine), he takes simple, traditional components and presents them in a modern, fresh guise. His Milanese venture, Osteria di Porta Cicca, which he established in 1986, was awarded its second Michelin star in 2003 and his fame as one of Italy’s top chefs brought him plaudits as far afield as Beijing, where he has opened up a sister restaurant.

Over at Aqua roma, the two Italians are working hard to deliver an exciting, dynamic menu that presents the best side of their country’s culinary culture. Chef Marco is passionate about food, and allows his emotions to seep into his creations. Bursting with flavour and joie de vivre, his dishes exemplify everything great about Italian food, the notion that eating is more than just an act – it is a lifestyle. The other half of the Italian connection at Aqua, Alessandro Argento, is similarly driven. “I like to deliver personal service from the heart,” he says. “I have been in this field for so many years because my passion is delighting people.”

Wild-caughtItalianseabassatAquaRoma

Rocksalt’ssalmonandkingfishtian

ChefMarcoreinvigoratingAquaRoma

RenownedMilanesechefClaudioSadler

Bullish to the end?Panic swept the culinary world as contradictory stories surrounding what many consider to be the world’s finest restaurant, el Bulli, culminated in the shock news that it was set to close its doors permanently. Last month the New York Times reported that the maverick chef and co-owner Ferran Adrià confirmed that in 2012 the 3-star establishment on Spain’s Costa Brava would cease operations forever. This led to a hasty denial from the chef, who claims the newspaper misquoted him – and now it seems that the original plan of a two-year hiatus is back on the table.

The confusion surrounding the restaurant, widely regarded as one of the world’s finest and a shining example of molecular gastronomy, sent shockwaves through the legions of gourmands who were naturally eager to secure a coveted reservation. “As a business, el Bulli is madness,” Adrià told the Spanish newspaper El Pais. “We need more financial muscle.El Bulli will close for two years and reopen in 2014 as part of a larger, non-profit foundation that will be able to run educational programs and accept grants.”

Adrià had previously stoked the rumour mill by intimating that the pressure of running the restaurant and the incessant demands of diners was preying on his health and that he needed a break. “It has been the love of the people that made us decide we should become a foundation. This is really a question of popular demand,” the chef said. “It means the spirit of el Bulli will be even stronger and will live on forever.” It also transpired that el Bulli was losing half a million Euros (US$677,500) a year.

Judged the world’s best restaurant by Restaurant magazine a record five times, the notion that it was to close sent a renewed sense of urgency through the world’s gourmands, as an already 3,000-strong waiting list was set to explode. A pioneer of what is sometimes referred to as ‘sci-fi cuisine,’ gastronomic creations that defy normal laws of cooking and produce singularly wonderful results, Adrià’s place in the culinary firmament has long been secured. Twoyearbreak

On top of the worldIt seems there are no heights to which 3-star Chef Pierre Gagnaire cannot climb. The French chef will next be taking his inimitable brand of haute cuisine to Japan’s capital with a berth atop the ANA InterContinental Tokyo. With the stunning backdrop of the metropolis behind him, Gagnaire’s latest venture promises to be breathtaking, in terms of atmosphere view and, of course, cuisine.

Known for his juxtaposition of flavours and textures, the master of the unexpected will personally design and launch each menu, which will change each season. An exacting perfectionist who insists on only the best quality ingredients, the Chef’s Pierre Gagnaire Tokyo will no doubt be a welcome addition to a city that already twinkles with Michelin stars.

Also known for his penchant for serving multiple dishes within a single course, Gagnaire’s unique style has set him aside and has enhanced a reputation that has allowed him to launch and operate seven restaurants around the globe. The Tokyo site, located in Akasaka and featuring a view of the iconic Tokyo Tower, will no doubt only add to this culinary colossus’ reputation.

PierreGagnaire’snewTokyorestaurant

MONIN Crème Brûlée syrup combines burnt caramelnotes with a strong vanilla base for perfect coffeebased recipes and enticing cocktails...

Visit us during HOTELEX 2010March 29 - April 1,

Shanghai New International Expo CentreBooth #3D66

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A world of flavoursHong Kong’s already burnished reputation as a culinary capital goes from strength to strength with the announcement of a raft of new menus. From local favourite dim sum and Vietnamese flavours at Le Soliel, to European venison, Malbec from Argentina and W52’s new Italian tasting menu, internationalism has long been a hallmark of Hong Kong dining.

Drawing inspiration from all corners of Italy, W52’s new five- and eight-course menus allow guests to sample a plethora of Italian delights, including warm, mint-flavoured chickpea salad, ricotta-stuffed tortellini and Milanese-style risotto.

A world away but equally culturally central, Hong Kong’s perennial favorite – dim sum – makes a triumphant appearance at the Hyatt Regency’s Sha Tin location. During February and March the New Territories hotel is offering an all-you-can-eat dim sum buffet every weekend.

Le Soliel is going healthy. Executive Chef Dennis Wong’s creations are low in calories but high in flavour and offer an interesting twist on traditional Vietnamese flavours. Signature items include wok-fried crispy tofu with fried

Best of Bali If anyone needed proof that Asia’s legions of talented chefs are up there with the best, Bulgari’s Balinese Chef I Wayan Wicaya was there to provide it. Returning triumphantly to Indonesia from the Global Chefs Challenge 2010, Wicaya’s win was unexpected but welcome evidence that, even on the global stage, the region is capable of producing some of the best chefs in the world.

One of the most prestigious titles in the culinary calendar, the Global Chefs Challenge pits regional champions from around the globe against each other for the coveted title and Wicaya held his own against finalists representing the diverse gastronomic traditions of Norway, Canada, Portugal, Holland, Dubai and Australia. Competition is intense, and many of the competitors are long-established chefs with Michelin stars to their name.

“Winning the title of Global Chef Asia was one of the highlights of my career,” a jubilant Wicaya said. “I remembered to stay calm and focused and just did my best. It was an amazing experience and I am very happy for myself and for my colleagues who have supported me and given me the confidence to take on this great challenge.”

Sexual congressHong Kong’s culinary enfant terrible, the self-styled ‘Demon Chef’ Alvin Leung has once again been making headlines. Unveiling his new creations at the prestigious Identita’ Golose culinary congress in Milan, Chef Leung whipped out an unappetising-looking finale – a complex creation that closely resembles a discarded prophylactic on a bed of sand.

Along with demonstrating two signature dishes – ‘toro, foie gras powder and freeze-dried raspberry’ and ‘knife carved noodle, har mi, chilli oil and sea urchin’ – the Bo Innovation proprietor amused his audience with the presentation of his ‘Sex on the Beach’ dish. The condom component is created by dipping a cigar tube into a kappa and konjac mixture, which is then removed and filled with a sticky honey and Yunnan ham solution. The creation was then artfully laid on a sandy bed of powdered shitake mushrooms.

Created with the aim of raising awareness of HIV/AIDS, Leung cheerfully admits that the rubbery-looking concoction might not be to

Tablecondom-ent:AlvinLeungcreatesasurprisingdishtoincreaseHIV/AIDSawareness

everyone’s taste – at least visually – but says that the noble aim more than makes up for the squeamishness of some gourmands. The dish was offered to Valentine’s Day diners at Bo Innovation and will remain on the menu throughout the year, with profits going to charity.

garlic, stir-fried Vietnamese Loong bean with red onion and sweet tamarind soup with basil.

Escorihuela Gascón, the oldest winery in Argentina, provides a delicious accompaniment to yé shanghai’s new menu in the form of their 1884 Malbec Reserve. The menu incorporates European venison in some delicious traditional Chinese recipes, including Sauteed Venison and Goose Liver with XO sauce, and Crispy Rice with Sauteed Minced Venison.

HealthycookingfromChefWongatLeSoleil

SteamedporkdumplingsfromShaTin1�

Uwe Micheel for Convotherm The German combi steamer manufacturer Convotherm is proud to announce its cooperation with Emirates Culinary Guild President Uwe Micheel.

The Director of Kitchens at the prestigious Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek has chosen Convotherm combi steamers not only for his own kitchens but also to cooperate with the German company in his function as President of the Emirates Culinary Guild. This cooperation is based on the long-term commitment of Convotherm to chefs like Uwe Micheel.

As a renowned expert in professional kitchens, Chef Uwe is absolutely persuaded of the combi steamer’s quality. “We always enjoy great support. Convotherm is my choice because we get perfect cooking results and the units are always reliable,” says Chef Uwe. The cooperation exceeds the usual collaboration by far. Besides providing combi steamers for cooking competitions, Convotherm also helps with the job training and education of Junior Chefs in the Middle East with practical kitchen knowledge.

Convotherm has its headquarters in Upper Bavaria in Eglfing, Germany and is a 300-employee-strong subsidiary company of the Manitowoc Foodservice Group. The company’s total turnover accounted to more than 60 million Euros in the business year 2009.

For more information: [email protected]

Radio, what’s new?Digital radio takes a generational leap forward with the introduction of IKON, a multi-format digital radio that combines the benefits of a full colour 3.5” touch-screen, icon-driven user interface, multi-standard radio capabilities and iPod and iPhone docking. The product is distributed by Leader Radio Technology (LRT).

IKON is capable of receiving the full roster of digital radio standards including DAB, DAB+ and internet radio – as well as conventional FM radio with RDS. Where available from the broadcaster – colour station logos, station descriptions, track and artist information, news headlines etc. will be displayed on IKON’s colour screen.

In addition to its terrestrial and internet radio capabilities, IKON will also provide access to online music service Last.fm. IKON will also wirelessly stream your digital music files from any ‘connected’ PC or Apple Mac, displaying full colour album artwork and track information where available.

Completing the hardware picture, IKON is one of only a handful of digital radios that is Apple certified for use with iPod or iPhone, allowing IKON to double as a high quality iPod/iPhone sound system.

LRT have also launched Domino – a thoroughly modern table radio. Soft edges and sinuous curves meet bold design elements and sharp styling to create a timeless and striking form.

Full functional support for all current and popular iPod and iPhone models is provided via the integrated dock.

D2 takes you online via your wi-fi network, to access over 11,000 internet radio stations from around the globe. It can stream audio from your computer and it can even create customised radio stations via popular online music-finding services such as Last.fm and Pandora.

For more information: www.leader.com.hk

TheIKONradio

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TheDominotableradio

China’s leading food and beverage exhibitionYour key to the Chinese market

Shanghai New InternationalExpo Centre

May 19-21, 2010

ANNIVERSARY

Join us at 11 th edition of SIAL China

For more informationwww.sialchina.com

[email protected]

May 25-27 Vinexpo Asia Pacific Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wanchai Hong Kong

Jun 10-13 ITE Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Hall 1) Wanchai Hong Kong

Jun 10-13 ITE MICE Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Hall 1) Wanchai Hong Kong

Jun 30-Jul 2 8th International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Fair (HOSFAIR Guangzhou 2010)

Sep 7-9 Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wanchai, Hong Kong

Sep 7-9 Asian Seafood Exposition Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wanchai, Hong Kong

Nov 3-4 Wine & Gourmet Asia 2010 Hall D, CotaiExpo at The Venetian Macao Macau SAR, China

Nov 24-26 Hotel Expo 2010 The 6th International Hotel Equipment, Supplies and Food & Beverage Expo The Cotai Strip Convention and Exhibition Center at the Venetian Macao

DATE EvEnT DETAIlS ORGAnIzER

The 24th international travel expo. TKS Exhibition Services LtdRoom 601, Stanhope House, 734 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong KongTel: +852 3155 0600Fax: +852 3520 1500www.itehk.com

The 5th MICE, business and incentive travel expo. TKS Exhibition Services LtdRoom 601, Stanhope House, 734 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong KongTel: +852 3155 0600Fax: +852 3520 1500www.itehkmice.com

Vinexpo2, Cours du XXX Juillet33074 Bordeaux Cedex, FranceTel: +33 556 560 022Fax: +33 556 560 [email protected]

The international wine and spirits exhibition for Asia-Pacific and the world’s largest wine and spirits trade exhibition.

Wine & Gourmet Asia is a trade, networking and culinary platform showcasing the very best of Asia Pacific’s fine wine, gourmet and hospitality industries. The event is for the region’s hospitality industry leaders as well as all gourmands and wine enthusiasts.

Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Tel: +65 6500 6712 Fax: +65 6294 8403 Email: [email protected] www.wineandgourmetasia.com

Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co.ltd9H, Jinsui Tower, No.900 Guangzhou Ave. Mid, Guangzhou, China.Helen ZhangTel: +86-20-38812619Fax: [email protected] www.hosfair.com

HOSFAIR Guangzhou 2010 will showcase a myriad of Kitchenware and Catering Equipment, Food, Beverage and Equipment, Tableware, Hotel Furniture, Fabrics and Uniforms, Interior and Lobby Supplies, Recreational Facilities, Hotel Intelligence, Cleaning and Laundry Equipment, and will also provide splendid live activities.

Diversified Events Hong Kong LtdTelephone: +852 3105 3970Fax: +852 3105 3974E-mail: [email protected] www.restaurantandbarhk.com

Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong is the fastest growing exhibition for the hospitality sector in Asia Pacific. Currently in the ninth year, it has a growing reputation as the biggest and best niche gourmet hospitality event in the region. Its focus on bringing excellent products and services will inspire and create ideas to help you develop your foodservice and hospitality business.

Diversified Events Hong Kong LtdTelephone: +852 3105 3970Fax: +852 3105 3974E-mail: [email protected] www.asianseafoodexpo.com

Meet face-to-face with seafood buyers from Hong Kong and throughout Asia Pacific with direct purchasing responsibility for live, fresh, frozen and packaged products. The Asian Seafood Exposition is the newest product in Diversified Business Communication’s global seafood portfolio that includes the world’s largest seafood fairs: the European Seafood Exposition and the International Boston Seafood Show.

After the success of the past 5 editions, The 6th Hotel Expo will be held in The Venetian Macau again. Gathering thousands of hospitality industry decision makers and procurement groups from not only Macau, but also Hong Kong, China and other major Asian countries. Hotel Expo is the largest exhibition in the hotel, catering and hospitality sectors of Macau.

Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd.Room 2106, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong KongTel: +852 2827 6766Fax: +852 2827 [email protected]

Feb 28–4 Mar 4 Hotelympia ExCel, London Docklands London Britain

Mar 22-26 Alimentaria Fira de Barcelona Barcelona Spain

Mar 29 – Apr 1 Hotelex Shanghai 2010 Shanghai New International Expo Center

Apr 7-9 Wine & Gourmet Japan 2010 Tokyo Big Sight Tokyo, Japan

Apr 20-23 FHA 2010 Singapore Expo Singapore

Apr 27-30 HORECA BIEL Beirut Lebanon

May 12-16 Thaifex - World of Food Asia 2009 Impact Challenger Bangkok, Thailand

May 19-21 SIAL China 2010 Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai China

DATE EvEnT DETAIlS ORGAnIzER

Hotelex shows are the meeting point for the hospitality industry. Managers in the hospitality industry, manufacturers, traders and distributors know that Hotelex provides them with an annual get-together – to source, sell, network and understand the trends that will determine the future of the Asian hospitality industry.

Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo Int’l Exhibition 10/F., 218 Xiang Yang Rd. (S), Shanghai 200031, ChinaTel: +86 21 6437 1178Fax: +86 21 6437 [email protected], www.hotelex.cn

The 17th international Food & Drinks, Hotel, Restaurant, Bakery & Foodservice Equipment, Supplies & Services Exhibition & Conference with FHA Culinary Challenge.

Singapore Exhibition ServicesNo. 1 Jalan Kilang Timor, #09-02 Pacific Tech Centre, Singapore 159303Tel: +65 62336638 Fax: +65 [email protected]

Alimentaria is the most important international food and beverages exhibition in Spain and one of the leading international events of this type. The show will present the latest products from the international food and beverage industry, distribution channels and consumer tastes.

Alimentaria ExhibitionsDisputació, 11908015, BarcelonaSpainTel: +34 93 452 1800Fax: +34 93 452 1801www.alimentaria-bcn.com

The 17th edition of the Middle Eastern show for catering equipment, furniture and fixtures, tabletop, uniforms, linens and amenities, laundry equipment, maintenance and hygiene, technology software, telecommunications, security, audiovisual, packaging, franchise, finance and management companies, hotels and restaurants chains, services, food and beverage.

Hospitality ServicesContrast building, Dekwaneh PO Box 90155Jdeidet El Metn1202 2020 LebanonTel: +961 1 480081Fax: + 961 1 482876www.hospitalityservices.com.lb

Wine & Gourmet Japan premiered in 2009 with great success. Wine & Gourmet Japan is the first dedicated professional exhibition for wine and spirits, gourmet and fine food, confectionery, food catering and foodservice equipment and supplies for the Japanese market.

Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Tel: +65 6500 6710 Fax: +65 6294 8403 Email: [email protected] www.wineandgourmetjapan.com

Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Tel: +65 6500 6712 Fax: +65 6294 8403 Email: [email protected] www.worldoffoodasia.com

Thaifex - World of Food Asia is the leading trade platform for the food and beverage industry in South East Asia. It is a one-stop shop for allin the industry from processing technology and ingredients to end products, hospitality services and franchising.

The UK’s number one foodservice and hospitality event. Bringing inspiration to hospitality businesses by serving up more of the latest product innovations, award winning displays, competitions and practical demonstrations to inspire!

Fresh RM9 Manchester SquareLondonW1U 3PLTel: +44 207 886 3100 Fax: +44 207 886 3091www.freshrm.co.ukwww.hotelympia.com

Exposium ShanghaiRoom 301, Dongyi Building88 Changshu Road, Shanghai 200040 - ChinaTel: +86 (0)21 6249 2028 Fax: +86 (0)21 6249 3414Email: [email protected]

SIAL China is the largest and leading exhibition show for Food, Beverage and Hospitality industries in China mainland. This year, it celebrates its10th anniversary around numerous renowned events like the 6th edition of Trends & Innovation, the Cooking Trends Area and the 2nd edition of the Asian Young Hope Chefs Contest.

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Ever since the first edition of FHA in 1978, the expo has been able to boast that international companies make up over 80 percent of its exhibitors.

This year’s show will provide a platform for 2,800 exhibitors from 70 countries spread across eight halls or 82,000 square metres of space.

The show will see the participation of over 40 group pavilions – there were 33 at the last edition – and new group ones include those from Argentina, China, Dubai and Poland. They will join longstanding exhibitors such as France, South Africa, Italy, Singapore, Spain and Turkey.

The organisers, Singapore Exhibition Services, are confident that demand for foodservice products is set to grow. Optimism in the Asian economy, especially in the F&B, hotel and travel sectors is no doubt founded on the prediction that international arrival numbers are expected to grow by four to five percent between 2009-2011, with the growth mostly occurring in 2010. Budget airlines and cheap airfares are increasing demand, they say.

Foodservice companies are revising their services in order to meet growing demands arising from changing consumer habits.

“FHA has grown with the development of the industry in the region. Our aim has always been to maximise value to our exhibitors and visitors, through raising the standards of the event and all of its components,” said Ting Siew Mui, Project Director for FHA from Singapore Exhibition Services.

ConcurrentlyFor the first time Wine & Spirits Asia, now in its 10th edition, will be organised as a dedicated show co-located with FHA. The move consolidates exhibitors of wine and spirits products and services on one floor.

The show also encompasses:• FoodAsia2010 • Bakery&Pastry2010 • HotelAsia2010• HospitalityTechnology2010 • HospitalityStyleAsia2010

FHA will also host several contests, aimed not only at creating a buzz but raising industry standards as ambitious entrants are judged and given feedback by professionals.

This year’s show features the Asian Pastry Cup, Asian Barista Challenge, FHA Culinary Challenge and the WSA Wine Challenge.

The show can also boast some new fora and conferences this year. Alongside existing favourites Food Safety Forum, HFTP Asian Finance & Technology Conference and Asian Club Management Conference, there will also feature the debut of Hospitality Operations & Design Conference. As the name suggests, the conference will focus on hospitality design trends and operational challenges.

Lion City set for roaring trade show

FHA 2010 April 20-23, 2010 Singapore ExpoSingapore

www.foodnhotelasia.com

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�0 AHCTMarch 2010

Guangzhou has many advantages in hosting a hospitality trade fair, say the organisers of Hosfair, the eighth Guangzhou International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Fair.

This year the southern Chinese industrial capital will increase its number of starred hotels from 200 to 300 the organisers say. The Pearl River Delta has the densest concentration of hotels in the entire mainland. Guangdong province is a base for the production, import, export and sale of hospitality supplies. To add to these advantages, Guangzhou is also to host the 2010 Asian Games, the largest event the city has hosted to date.

The prospect of custom from the sporting jamboree has led to an increase in spending on new build and renovated hotel properties, meaning increased demand for everything imaginable in the market.

The show is building on a solid foundation. The 2009 edition was spaced over 30,000 square metres that housed 1,600 booths. There were 694 exhibiting companies from 10 countries and regions and the number of exhibitors was 26.4 percent larger than for 2008. The coffee and wine pavilion alone grew by 50 percent.

The three days of the 2009 show attracted 35,273 visitors, of whom 3,435 came from overseas.

The 2010 edition of the show is expanding to 40,000 square metres. Additionally, Italy will have its own 400-square-metre space, showcasing some 40 enterprises.

This year’s event is to have around 10 specialised sections:• Kitchenware and catering equipment• F&B and related equipment• Tableware• Furniture• Fabrics and uniforms• Interior and lobby supplies• Recreational facilities• Hotel intelligence• Cleaning and laundry equipment.

The show will also host the well-regarded contests The 5th (Guangzhou) International Coffee Carnival – Barista Latte Art Championship, the 3rd International Wine Promoting Seminar and the China Pizza Game.

Game on for Guangzhou show

HOSFAIR Guangzhou 2010The Eighth Guangzhou International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Fair China Import and Export Fair ComplexGuangzhouChina

June 30-July 2, 2010

[email protected]

asian hotel& Catering times

puBlisHed since 1976

Asia Pacific’s Premier Hospitality Publication!

Subscribe Today!Asian Hotel & Catering Times (AHCT) has been serving the Asian-Pacific region as a familiar and trusted industry publication for three decades, and is widely acknowledged to be the only magazine that covers all aspects of the hospitality industry.

Mail or Fax to: THOMSON PRESS (HK) LIMITED Rm 1205-6, 12/F., Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.

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Encompassing: n Hotels n Restaurantsn Catering operationsn Equipmentn Technologyn Human Resourcesn Investment

Essential reading for:n General Managersn Restaurant Owners and Operatorsn F&B Managersn Executive Chefsn Purchasing Managersn Human Resource Managersn IT and EDP Professionals n Executive Housekeepersn Marketing Managersn Developers and Investors

E x h i b i t i o n s

�2 AHCTMarch 2010

FashionED ExclusivEly For businEss

T h E i n T E r n a T i o n a l W i n E a n D s P i r i T s E x h i b i T i o n F o r a s i a - P a c i F i c

h o n G K o n G - 2 5 / 2 6 / 2 7 M a y 2 0 1 0vinexpo asia-Pacific hong Kong : amélie chueng - 21/F, on hing building, 1 on hing Terrace central, hong Kong

Tel : +852 2294 7724 - Fax : +852 2524 1428 E-mail : [email protected]

www.vinexpo.com

In just a few years, Vinexpo Asia-Pacific,has become the reference in Asia.Only Vinexpo Asia-Pacific can create the ideal conditions for trade professionals to form exclusive relations with top-level decision makers through face-to-face exchanges.800 exhibitors from more than 30 countries will display a comprehensive range of products that are perfectly adapted to Asian consumers’ expectations.

Come and find success in 2010 at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific!

VINEXPO_ASIA AH&CT 210x297 GB.indd 1 10/02/10 15:10:08

Martino D’SouzaHead Chef, Millennium Airport Hotel, DubaiGeneral Secretary, Emirates Culinary Guild

I visit The Hotel Show to findthe latest equipment, servicesand innovative ideas for ourFood & Beverage departments.

Can you afford to miss it?

Book now! 18-20 MAY 2010 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

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BedeBarry

NicolasBeliard

RainyChan

Mandarin Oriental Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Clif f Atkinson as General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco. Atkinson has 15 years experience, including a prior seven with Mandarin Oriental. He has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Business Administration.

Mandarin Oriental Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Bede Barry as General Manager of the Grand Lapa hotel in Macau. Barry joined the Group in 2007 as Resident Manager of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong after 17 years with Hyatt Corporation. He moved to Hong Kong from a post as Director of Marketing Operations for Hyatt in Chicago.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels group has announced the promotion of Nicolas Beliard to the post of General Manager of The Peninsula Bangkok. The French native was educated at the universities of Princeton, Crummer Graduate School of Management and Cornell. Beliard’s career has seen him in roles with Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels group has announced the promotion of Rainy Chan to Area Vice-President, Hong Kong and Thailand while retaining her role as General Manager, The Peninsula Hong Kong. The Hong Kong native started in hospitality in 1989 and became Front Office Manager at The Peninsula, Hong Kong in 1994. A series of promotions saw Chan take posts at HSH hotels in New York, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

The Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel has announced the appointment of Simon Chan as Director of Food and Beverage. The Hong Kong PolyU graduate has 23 years experience in F&B, including stints with the Regent and Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. His last post was at Crown Macau.

NadineSchaperdot

DarrenShaw

MichaelZiemer

Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Thomas Mayrhofer as Vice President, Restaurants, Bars and Events. Born in Austria, Mayrhofer started his 27-year hospitality career in Canada before moving to China to work as an Executive Chef. He also has a Masters of Business Administration.

InterContinental Bali Resort has announced the appointment of Phil Riley as General Manager and Regional General Manager IHG Indonesia. Riley has held senior management posts with IHG since 2003 and has been in hospitality for 30 years. He has degrees in Hotel & Catering Management and Business Administration.

Langham Hotels International has announced the appointment of Nadine Schaperdot as Director of Sales Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The German has some 10 years experience in hospitality, most recently with One&Only Resorts and the Atlantis brand. Schaperdot also spent seven years with Starwood.

Outrigger Enterprises Group has announced the appointment of Darren Shaw as General Manager of Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas in Thailand. Shaw transfers from the company’s award-winning Fiji property. The Australian has extensive hotel experience across a number of departments.

Mandarin Oriental Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Michael Ziemer as General Manager of The Excelsior, Hong Kong. Ziemer has been with the company since 2003 when he became Resident Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. He has since worked at the group’s properties in Munich and Macau.

SimonChan

ThomasMayrhofer

PhilRiley

CliffAtkinson

SimonChan MichaelZiemer

YOUR BEST PARTNER IN THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY

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


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