Caterer Middle East - Feb 2010

Serving the region’s catering professionals February 2010 • Vol 06 • Issue 02

F&B professionals flock to Dubai for the don of Middle

East culinary events: Gulfood 2010

An ITP Business Publication | Licensed by Dubai Media City

GodfatherGastro

Chained upTop chain outlet operators spill the beans on Middle East plans

Celebrity statusWhat impact has the new breed of

superstar chefs had on the industry?

Return of the

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

ContentsVolume 6 Issue 02

February 2010 Caterer Middle East 01

05 NewsWhy Dubai hotels must embrace all-inclusive options; changing F&B trends this Valentine’s Day; service charge ruling impacts independent outlets10 Celebrity statusHow has the recent rise of superstar chefs impacted the F&B industry?14 Mystery shopperEthos Consultancy reveals the true stan-dard of customer service at UAE outlets and offers advice on how to better your business20 Designer columnAidan Keane entertains the notion of a dramatic new DIY dining style22 Kitchen correspondentsA month in the life of F&B trainees

24 RoundtableTop chain brand operators discuss cur-rent industry trends and challenges36 Gulfood previewAn exclusive insight into what to expect from the region’s premier F&B trade show, Gulfood38 Salon CulinaireChefs discuss their prepara-tions for the Middle East’s ultimate culinary competition52 Sneak peekAll the best products making their Middle East debuts at Gulfood 201058 Inside outletsUncovering the strategies behind the latest and greatest F&B launches

36ContentsFebruary 2010

24Cover story

58

20

38

For the latest news and stories go to www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

52

45

Web contentswww.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

Caterer Middle East February 2010 www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b02

Online

For the latest news and stories go to www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

News to make mouths water...

In pictures

A showcase of the hottest F&B news hitting the region in 2010, including cooking lessons at Carluccio’s Dubai Mall, the arrival of New York’s celebrated Magnolia Bakery in the UAE and sumptuous seafood at Radis-son Blu Yas Island’s Assymetri restaurant.

Dubai � ne dining outlets sparkle in Service SpyService Spy’s team of mystery shoppers went undercover at three of Dubai’s top fine-dining establishments: Rhodes Mezzanine [pictured] at Grosvenor House, Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire at InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City and Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm. To find out whether service was Michelin-star standard or lacking sparkle, check out the results online!

Don’t panic!TRIBE Restaurant Creators’ Stefan Breg on surviving a recession

Editor’s pick

Most popular

Ramsay loses Michelin star

Top Valentine’s Day deals

Jamie Oliver shunned by fattest city in the US

1.2.3.

Features

The BIG chef survey Moving on upF&B operators are entering 2010 with a cautiously optimistic outlook

New restaurant precinct on Dubai mall scene

Westin chefs win MasterChef title

4.5.

The online home of

Results from the first-of-its-kind survey of Middle East culinary professionals

Are you ready to touch the innovation?

Electrolux Professional invites youto discover the new breakthrough in cooking technology atGulfood - Zabeel Hall Stand Z-F 17

21-24 February 2010Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre

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News February 2010


this have to be flexible; you need to give people what they want. And all-inclusive doesn’t have to mean low quality, or all-buffet; it’s what the property makes it,” he said.

Indeed, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts recently unveiled what it claimed was a first for Dubai — a pre-paid all-inclusive offering at its top-end Royal Amwaj property on The Palm Jumeirah.

Surprisingly Rixos Hotels, known for its all-inclusive resort hotels in Turkey, will not offer a similar package at its hotel on The Palm, sched-uled to open this year.

Ottoman Palace by Rixos director of business development Yanal Abaza explained: “Dubai has a lot of attractions and we don’t want to limit our guests’ dining experience.

“However, Rixos’ all-inclusive concept is very interesting and in the future it might be consid-ered for Dubai.”

Despite how such packages may have been perceived in the past, it looks like all-inclusive op-tions would be a successful option for the emirate.

As Arabian Adventures’ Bardin pointed out: “By over-charging for F&B, [hotels] are doing a disfavour to the destination. It would be to Dubai’s advantage to introduce the [all-inclusive] concept.”

F&B prices harming Dubai’s standing as top destination?All-inclusive options could redress disparity between room and F&B rates

Room rates may have dropped at many Dubai hotels over the past year, but with F&B prices still high many believe the disparity between accom-modation costs and the price of a meal is impact-ing the emirate’s standing as a destination.

According to Frederic Bardin, senior vice president of Arabian Adventures and Congress Solutions International, F&B has long been a sticking point among tour operators.

“It’s almost impossible to eat at a moderate price if you stay in a nice four- or five-star hotel,” he noted. “My impression is that in the past, some hotels, if not the majority, have taken advantage of the in-house clients and put prices up to levels that were too high.

“Now that seems to be changing; we saw a lot of F&B promotions coming up in the last quarter of 2009. I just hope we’re going to see continued improvement in 2010.”

Dusit Thani Dubai executive chef Flemming Schulthess argued that guests were “always look-ing for an experience, considering criteria such as quality and personalised service”, and asserted that price was not the main deciding factor.

But, as Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers director of operations Martin Kubler pointed out, value has become a central customer consideration.

“I think in the past hotels felt they could put up prices, but the rose-tinted glasses have come off now; firstly because there are fewer tourists and sec-ondly because the clientele has changed,” he said.

“Now we’ve got to look at the needs of the mar-ket, and consumers today want value for money.”

The answer may lie in hotels offering all-inclu-sive packages for guests; but such promotions have traditionally been viewed as ‘low-quality’ options in certain parts of the world — would they work in the top-end Dubai market?

Arabian Adventures’ Bardin insisted it would. “The issue is that the hotels that really want to do

P6 Stay-at-homeValentine’s foodF&B operators adapt Valentine’s deals to meet the needs of spend-conscious consumers

P6 Service charge hits bottom lineBanning 10% service charge will force price-hikes, warn operators

P7 Competitive spirit Anchor MasterChef chal-lenge highlights need for more regional competition

P7 Industry players call for harmony in GCCDIFSC launch highlights different food safety laws across GCC as major stumbling block

P8 Where are today’s specials?Middle East chefs are facing issues fi nding specialist chefs

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Bardin: Flexible all-inclusive packages would work in Dubai.

Story of the month

NewsFebruary 2010


Eat-in trend impacts Valentine strategiesF&B professionals say home-cooking trend creates new opportunities for Valentine’s Day business

The region’s romantic restaurants could be in for a lonely night this Valentine’s Day, as cautious economy-hit consumers forgo pre-recession extravagances in favour of home cooking.

According to industry professionals, the answer is to adapt to the trend and cater to the customers’ demands this February 14 — traditionally one of the most competi-tive nights of the hospitality calendar.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek director of F&B Ali Fatehnezhad noted: “There is a growing trend for home-cook-ing at the moment. We have actually seen a growth in our catering and special take-away areas for some time now, and have already had requests for Valentine’s Day.

“In answer to this demand, we have specially created Valentine’s [take-away] packages — such as the ‘Lobster Plat-

Outlets hit by service charge banFree-standing F&B outlets in Dubai have been hit hard by a government decision to ban them from adding a ser-vice charge to diners’ bills.

The ruling, which came into effect in late 2009, stipulates that restaurants not paying a 10% Munici-pality fee — required of all licensed outlets — would no longer be permitted to add the service charge.

Mahmoud Harb, senior brand manager for Cravia brands Zaatar w Zeit and Roadster Diner, said the firm was already feeling the effects of losing this 10%.

“A major part of the ser-vice charge went to staff and

some have already been ask-ing for salary increases,” he said. “The government has to help us save by reducing costs somewhere else — like rents, for example.”

Harb added that restau-rant menus would now have to be reworked to make up for the missing 10%.

Joe Van Jaarsveld, regional operations manager for The Meat Co at Madinat Jumei-rah, said he accepted Dubai government’s position.

“I understand the idea behind the ban, as some people have taken advantage of the system,” he observed. “We still get people enquiring about the service charge, but I think the system will work well.”

Van Jaarsveld added that for The Meat Co, the service charge was a way of paying staff more money.

“We are keen to ensure it’s worthwhile for staff to work for us, especially with many so far from home,” he said.

The Palace, The Old Town’s Sebastien Duvocelle.

A Valentine’s package stay at a hotel

Dinner at a hotel

Dinner at a non-hotel outlet

Attending an Anti-Valentine’s

Day celebration

Cooking at home

Nothing

14%

14%

13%

7%

36%

29%

How are people celebrating this Valentine’s Day?

Source: HotelierMiddleEast.com online poll

negative impact on business on the actual day,” he explained.

Sebastien Duvocelle, assistant director of food and beverage The Palace, The Old Town, agreed this interest in home-cooking could be turned into a business opportunity: “We have noticed that our pop-up cooking classes are busier than ever,” he said.

Initiatives such as gourmet take-aways and cooking schools were proving a great way to increase profits without adding to cover figures or putting additional pres-sure on front-of-house staff, Radisson’s Fatehnezhad added.

“I think this trend creates great opportu-nities for F&B operators, especially when the kitchen operation is fit to cater to such requests,” he said.

“It simply creates another way to maxi-mise revenue and exposure for the outlets.”

Cravia’s Mahmoud Harb.

ter for Two’, which is proving extremely popular at the moment.

“We see this as an additional business opportunity, as opposed to it having a

News

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Culinary competition thrives in DubaiChefs in the region need more chances to compete against each other, according to professional chef and frequent competition judge Peter Hallmanns.

Speaking at last month’s inau-

gural UAE Anchor MasterChef competition in Dubai, Hall-manns, advisory chef for event organiser Fonterra Foodservices Division, said: “If you speak to chefs, they would say we do not have enough competitions.”

However Hallmanns praised the young talent emerging at the region’s existing culinary events, adding: “It was actually a very pleasant surprise for us to see the calibre of young talent and chefs that the various hotels sent here. They were of a very high standard, evident in the quality of food presented.”

The winning team was Jay Williams and Edward Mair from The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina.

Mair told Caterer Middle East:“I think it is always good for

In brief

[importing and exporting foodstuffs] can be a challenge because of different regulations in different countries.

“Dubai Municipality has done a lot towards achieving a regional harmonisation of these regulations, but for us that’s still the main issue we face.”

The Municipality’s food control department director and chairman of the DIFSC organising committee, Khalid Mohamed Sharif, promised the conference would address

The DIFSC line-up is announced.

chefs to enter competitions, to let other people see what they can do, and also to receive con-structive criticism to were they might have gone wrong.

At the end of the day nobody knows everything and they can always keep learning.”

Call for united GCC food safety rulesMajor food importers sup-porting the upcoming Dubai International Food Safety Con-ference (DIFSC) have agreed harmonising food safety laws should be the biggest focus for the Middle East.

Speaking at a press conference launching the event, conference sponsor Mars GCC’s represen-tative, Christine Griffs, noted: “For international companies, The MasterChef contestants plate up.

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Desert Palm Dubai’s Lionel Boyce.

“many areas related to food laws, guidelines and the food safety culture, highlighting the role of food safety education”.

The main theme of the confer-ence will be ‘Food Safety: A Responsibility to Share’, and will feature workshops and talks from keynote speakers including prominent international food safety litigator Dr Patrick Wall.

The DIFSC will run from February 22-24. For further information, please visit: www.foodsafetydubai.com

Dearth of specialist chefs in regionChefs with specialist skills are proving particularly hard to recruit into Middle East roles, according to some of the region’s top executive chefs.

At Al Murooj Rotana, executive chef Joachim Textor spent 10 months looking for a suitably-qualified cold-kitchen sous chef, while Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain executive chef Kim Gates has faced problems finding a pastry chef.

Al Bustan Rotana Dubai executive chef Christophe Prud’homme added: “It would be difficult to name just one specialty field, as all are chal-lenging to recruit for.”

According to Desert Palm Dubai executive chef Lionel Boyce, these problems stem from “a combination of money, conditions and skill set, as well as the availability of suitable skilled professionals”.

“It’s always hard to find good specialist chefs, but I have found

it particularly difficult in the Middle East due to the fact the common work base we draw from is not renewable,” he continued.

“We don’t have a local em-ployee base seeking work in this field and this, accompanied by the current structure of immi-gration laws, makes it very hard

to increase a skill bank. We need to encourage workers from other countries to settle here, allowing for greater diversity and more suitable workers to achieve a more developed employment base — not just for hospitality sector but for other industries as well,” he concluded.

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News analysisFebruary 2010


Thanks to numerous TV cookery shows, foodie magazines and books, the last decade has seen the role of chef glamorised hugely, particularly in the west.

Indeed, some of the world’s top chefs are also top celebrities (or is it the other way round?) Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Marco Pierre White are all household names, as are many others.

This new culture of culinary celebrity has undoubtedly had a positive impact on the consumer market, with the public becoming far more willing to try new things, both when dining out and in their own kitchens.

But how has this phenomenon affected the world’s chefs?

At Atlantis, The Palm — where celeb chef-backed outlets include Nobu, Ronda Loca-telli, Rostang and Ossiano — vice president, culinary Mark Patten noted: “The effects [of celebrity chefs] in general are an increase in the quality of restaurants and dining experi-ences, and through media coverage of these celebrity chefs, more people are drawn to work in the industry.”

Mike Nalborczyk, general manager at Hilton Dubai Creek, home to Gordon Ram-say’s Dubai outlet Verre, add-ed that restaurants had been forced to raise their game in the wake of celeb chef fever.

“People come in having high-er expectations and want to be delighted,” he said. “They are also more ad-venturous with their dining options.

“It has also helped open young minds to the industry,” continued Patten. “We now

Is the rise of celeb chefs harming the industry?

Today’s celebrity chef culture may have changed the way consumers view food for the better, but how has the glamorisation of life in the kitchen impacted the F&B industry itself?

have a new generation who are ever more enthusiastic about developing themselves in the culinary world.”

According to Vineet Bhatia, the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star and the patron-chef of Indego at Grosvenor House Dubai, the more exposure the indus-try gets, the better it becomes.

“As more people come into the field, the industry grows, more jobs are created and more hotels open up,” he reasons.

“What happens as part of the bargain is that more staff are coming in and getting trained better, the competition increases and there’s more choice for the consumer.”

But is there a negative side to the media glamorisation of this extremely tough role?

Speaking as one accustomed to the lime-light, Indego’s Bhatia agrees “there are nega-tive aspects to everything”, but says the im-pact very much depends on how the chef in question handles his newfound influence.

“I don’t consider myself a celebrity chef at all, I still say I’m a cook and that what I like to do,” he insisted.

“It’s the media that puts you up on that ped-estal — how things go from thereon depends on whether you want to accept this ‘star sta-tus’ and how much goes into your head.”

But Angela Hartnett, a Ramsay protégée and now a Michelin-starred chef in her own right, has seen a more negative side.

“Much depends on whether you want to accept this star status”

Gordon Ramsay: King of the new celeb chef culture?

Getty

Imag

es




“People look at Gordon [Ramsay] and Ja-mie [Oliver] and think ‘oh yeah, I can do that, it’s only a bit of cooking’, and then you have people going into the restaurant business with the idea not of running a restaurant, but of becoming famous and use cooking to get there — which of course is the wrong way to do it,” she told Caterer Middle East in an ex-clusive interview last year.

“Now you see these young-sters coming in saying ‘I want to be on TV, I want to be the next Jamie Oliver’, and you think ‘OK, but can you run a restaurant — can you make money, can you deliver the product, can you get customers coming back?’

“Because if you can’t do that, forget TV — you might get your five minutes of fame, but after that what are you going to do? So in that respect, I think this whole celeb thing’s been a bit negative.”

However Hartnett admitted the glamorisation of the industry had also brought benefits.

“These chefs have brought cooking to light, they’ve made it a much sexier career move than it would have been ten years ago,” she pointed out.

All the same, some celebrity chefs have come in for criticism over recent years for spreading their culinary empires too thinly.

So what is the impact on a kitch-en team when such a figure be-comes ‘patron chef ’ of the outlet but isn’t working in the kitchen — as is the case for several restau-rants in this region?

Indego’s Bhatia commented: “You cannot spend time at each outlet — what’s important is that the guest shouldn’t notice the dif-ference when you are not there.

“If you ever get to the stage where you feel you can’t control

your restaurants, then you shouldn’t take on more projects,” he asserted.

According to Atlantis’ Patten, any chef with his name over the door “must always

have a close eye on day-to-day operations”, while the team in place must be able to con-sistently deliver the product and experience.

“It’s a bit like being a man-ager for a world class football team; their name’s associ-ated with the product, even though they don’t actually

score any goals,” he explained.Hilton’s Nalborczyk added that a close

partnership was key for this chef-patron business model to succeed.

British TV chef Jamie Oliver — bringing his own brand of outlets to Dubai in future — is a red-carpet celebrity.

“They’ve made it a much sexier career move than 10 years ago”

“Our core team is an extension of Gordon’s team and we stay in close contact with them,” he revealed.

“Even a simple change of dish re-quires input from Gordon and the team. It is paramount to ensure that you remain true to the patron chef ’s values and concept.”

Even for outlets that do not have a celebrity chef ’s name over the door, occasional associations with such public figures can still be ex-tremely beneficial.

According to Jorrit Gerritsma, F&B director at Six Senses Hide-away Zighy Bay in Oman, where Pierre Gagnaire recently guest-cheffed, the kitchen team found it “inspiring” to be able to work with such a world-renowned figure.

“It gives them pride and inspira-tion, and generally boosts the level of cooking,” he asserted.

Indego’s Bhatia agreed such pro-motions could create “a lot of buzz”. “It motivates the staff immensely, as getting a guest chef coming down is a big boost for them,” he noted. “They also get to learn a lot from somebody who’s recognised

Yes; they raise awareness about foods and encourage consumers to try new things. — 29%

Not really; their restaurants are here, but they’re not around long enough to have any impact. — 23%

No way; people now think cheffing is a fast track to fame and fortune, not a career. — 22%

I don’t think the celebrity chef phenomenon has had any impact on everyday operations. — 16%

Maybe; celebrity chefs coming to the Middle East has definitely boosted the region’s F&B reputation. — 10%

Has the recent rise of ‘celebrity’ chefs bene� tted the region’s F&B industry?

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in the industry, who has achieved a certain status for what they have done.”

Ultimately, restaurants operating in this competitive region must constantly offer new ways of engaging with their clients, as noted by Hilton’s Nalborczyk.

“Guest chefs are a great way of adding val-ue to the dining experience — but any such tactic must be compatible with the existing positioning of the restaurant and enhance the customer experience,” he warned.

Today, many famed chefs have been per-suaded to open outlets in the Middle East — and with gourmet fairs such as Gourmet Abu Dhabi and Taste of Dubai coming up, there may be more announcements to come.

But is there room in the market for more celebrity chef outlets?

Six Senses’ Gerritsma said he believed both Abu Dhabi and Dubai “could do with a few more”, but emphasised: “They need to be small — by UAE standards – and the loca-tion needs to be picked very well.”

Similarly, Hilton’s Nalborczyk said celeb-rity chef-endorsed restaurants were “a great way to raise the profile of the region, keep standards in check and generally enrich the customer experience”.

As Indego’s Bhatia pointed out: “There’s lots of room — and the more chefs come

here, the better the Middle East’s F&B scene will become.

“People get scared and say there is too much competition between celebrity chefs,” he mused.

“But I say no to that: the more the mer-rier, and the better for the industry.”

Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett.

Mystery shopperItalian restaurants

Caterer Middle East February 201014

Service spyThis month, Ethos Consultancy’s team of mystery shoppers went undercover at four restaurants from Dubai’s huge portfolio of Italian outlets, to find out whether service was bellissima or orribile

Each mystery shopper is instructed to look out for the following:

Appearance• Did the outlet appear clean and tidy?• Were menus clear and easy to follow?

Sales and service• The greeting received from staff• The appearance of staff • Time taken to be served• Did the waiter ask questions to establish the customer’s preferences and needs?• Was the waiter knowledgeable about the items on offer? • If an item was not available, did the waiter provide other helpful suggestions?• Did the waiter attempt to up- or cross-sell by suggesting complementary items?

Overall Experience• Would your experience encourage you to visit this outlet again?• Did you leave the outlet with a positive impression of the venue?• Would you recommend this outlet to friends, family or colleagues?• What could have been done to better your entire experience?

THE WHAT:Caterer Middle East has partnered up with customer service experts Ethos Consul-tancy to highlight F&B service standards at outlets across the UAE. Each month, we’ll reveal mystery shoppers’ assessments of four different F&B outlets, to explore what these venues are doing right and what could be improved.

THE WHY:This isn’t about catching F&B outlets with their trousers down: by measuring performance and providing expert advice on areas for improvement, we want to help better these operations — and the industry in general.

THE HOW:Ethos Consultancy’s trained mystery shoppers are given a specifi c selection of outlets. Each shopper visits their assigned restaurant and dines as usual. Within 24 hours of every experience, each shopper fi lls out an online report, providing Ethos consultants with the information they require to offer constructive advice.

This month:The expert analysis:Antipasti, bread, pizza or pasta anyone? We think it’s safe to assume there are more than a few of you reading this who either work at or frequently enjoy dining out at one of Dubai’s many Italian restaurants.

We really are spoilt for choice, so how does one make a decision when it comes to the perfect Italiano experience?

As consultants advising clients on how to improve their customers’ complete dining experience, it all comes down to five key factors: food, beverage, service, location and atmosphere. Our shoppers set out on their visits taking all these factors into consideration.

With only 10% separating first and fourth place, the competition was tight. Our ‘Italian Stallion’ restaurant of choice was BiCE at Hilton Jumeirah, which earned top place with 89%. This hidden treasure is not visible from the front of the hotel, but once your inside soaking up the atmosphere, with the wooden floor boards, traditional fixtures and attractive wall hangings, you know you’re in for an authentic Italian treat.

Il Rustico at Rydges Plaza Dubai wasn’t far behind, scoring 82%, followed very closely by Frankie’s Italian Bar and Grill

The chosen Italian restaurants were:

• Bice, Hilton Jumeirah

• Il Rustico, Rydges Plaza Dubai

• Frankie’s Italian Bar and Grill, Al Fattan Marine Towers

• Certo, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City

Guest Service Service Quality

Was the host engag-ing through voice and conversation?

Was the host profes-sional in appearance and well groomed?

When ordering, was your server able to answer questions confi dently?

Visit 1 Visit 2 Visit 1 Visit 2 Visit 1 Visit 2

BiCE, Hilton Jumeirah Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Il Rustico, Rydges Plaza Dubai

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Frankie’s Italian Bar & Grill, Al FattanTowers


Certo, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City


Mystery shopperItalian restaurants

15February 2010 Caterer Middle East

ABOUT ETHOS CONSULTANCYOriginating in the UK in 1995, Ethos Consultancy

relocated to Dubai in 2003, where a team of fi ve

has grown to 50 — with an Abu Dhabi offi ce

opening in 2008. Our consultants have come

from some of the most mature customer service

markets in the world, ensuring experience and

best practice in everything we do.

Ethos prides itself on being at the forefront of on-

line customer service solutions and was awarded

Most Innovative Small Business in the UAE at the

2008 Lloyds TSB Small Business Awards.

Through years of experience, Ethos has devel-

oped a variety of services to help clients un-

derstand how their business is performing. Our

solutions include mystery shopping, satisfaction

surveys and a range of benchmarking services.

Once clients have a clear understanding of how

they are performing, we help them improve via

training, consulting and implementation of The

International Customer Service Standard.

0

20

40

60

80

100

BiCE

89%

93%

100%

63%

97%

100%

74%

74%

100%

78%

69%

50%

Il Rustico Frankie’s Certo

Food & BeverageService Quality Overall Experience

at Al Fattan Marine Towers with 80%, and finally Certo at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City with a commendable 79%.

All of our top three restaurants scored 100% for both cleanliness and the overall experience category.

Certo lost points in both these areas for two reasons: firstly because one of our shoppers reported their table wasn’t kept impeccable and presentable at all times and secondly, one of our shoppers said they would not be recommending Certo based on their dining experience.

This shopper was very satisfied with the staff ’s efforts to be friendly and meet their needs, but their ultimate decision not to recommend was because they were disap-pointed with the quality and taste of the food served.

What could have been done better?• Only a quarter of our shoppers had restau-

rant managers approach their table to enquire about their experience. This is a shame, from a service perspective, but more importantly this means a missed opportunity to gather valuable face-to-face feedback.

Having said that, Certo and Frankie’s man-agers were praised for the interest they took in their customers’ feedback.

During service, every table should be visited by a manager or senior staff member, with feedback being documented and reviewed on a daily basis. All of last month’s Michelin-star chef restaurants scored top marks for manag-ers taking the time to speak to our shoppers and ask about their experience.

• A few of our shoppers had tremendous trouble understanding the reservations desk

customer service representative over the telephone. Some shoppers had to ask the staff member to repeat their sentence two to three times before it was understood.

Phone etiquette is a vital customer service tool, as phone bookings are still the most popu-lar method of making a reservation. Remem-ber: first impressions last.

Food and Beverages Overall Experience Additional Comments

Did your food arrive at the table in a reasonable amount of time?

Did the quality of the food and its ingredients meet your expectations?

Did you fi nd the food good value for money?

Overall, based on your experience, would you recommend this restaurant?

Did the manager stop by at any time to ask how your experience was?

Visit 1 Visit 2 Visit 1 Visit 2 Visit 1 Visit 2 Visit 1 Visit 2 Visit 1 Visit 2

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No

Yes No No Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes

Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes No


Editor’s commentVolume 6 Issue 02

February 2010 Caterer Middle East 17010 Caterer Middle East 17To subscribe please visit www.itp.com/subscriptions

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Has anyone else noticed a surprising amount of job-hopping going on in the F&B industry at the moment?

During the few weeks of 2010 that have passed thus far, my inbox has been crammed with news of departures and appointments across the region.

So what’s going on? Is this a natural exodus, prompted by new year’s resolutions of pro-activity, or is the wave of new and upcoming properties taking us back to the dark days of ‘staff pirating’?

Anyone who has been working in the Middle East market for a year or more will remember the surge of ship-jumping that took place.

It was a time when operators lived in fear of newcomers poaching their staff, luring them away with promises of triple pay and a (frequently inappropriate) promotions.

But surely, in the current climate of reduced consumer spending and cautious opera-tors, when all eyes seem to be firmly on the bottom line, this can’t be happening again?

Certainly new projects are coming up across the Middle East, more than might have been expected, but even the gung-ho operators of old have had to face up to the effects of the global financial downturn — surely they cannot still be swanning in and offering a commis chef triple his salary to come and be their chef de cuisine. (Double maybe, but triple’s just silly money.)

So if it isn’t the old ‘gimme more money’ shake-down at work, perhaps this is more of an industry shake-up?

Maybe the highs and lows of the past 12 months or so have forced F&B professionals to consider their jobs in more depth, to weigh up the pros and cons of their F&B offer-ings and the brands they represent, with the result that they are seeking out new roles in operations they actively want to be a part of.

If this is the case, then it might be a good thing for the indus-try — staff who truly believe in what they represent are far more likely to win over customers than the half-hearted efforts of a malcontent.

And if there’s one thing that could arguably outweigh promises of double pay at a mediocre operation, it’s real job satisfaction at a brand you believe in. (At least, I would like to think so.)

Let’s hope that’s what this shake-up comes down to.

Lucy Taylor, Editor

Shake-up or shake-down?

Comment Dan Clayton


On an average day, I will use no less then 12 different computerised systems during a shift in the restaurant.

I’m pretty sure a NASA space launch uses fewer computer systems then me.

My office has so many blinking lights, cooling fans and hard drives that every time I sit in my office chair, I feel like the captain of the Starship Enterprise. Just without the teleportation facilities. Or the spandex suit.

Technological advances have made the contemporary restaurant a pretty advanced place in which to operate. From maximising profit margins to customer profiling, nowa-days pretty much all restaurateurs have a computer to do it for us.

My team can ‘remember’ a guest’s favou-rite bottle of wine or birthday, thanks to my reservation system. I can ensure my menu

layout is optimised for maxi-mum profit margin with the

click of a mouse. I can split guest cheques 14 different ways

with a single poke of my finger. Meanwhile, the cooks can steam asparagus spears to perfection thanks to a

computerised steamer. My hostesses can send

personalised

Rise of the machines. Technology has made life far easier for outlet staff — but has it taken the old-school personality out of hospitality?

ClaytonDan

Dan Clayton is general manager of Stars ‘n’ Bars restau-

rant and lounge, opening soon at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island.

For more information, visit: www.starsnbars.com

confirmation emails to each and every guest. Meanwhil, guests can reserve tables either online or via text messages.

And the arrival of all these systems has allowed us, as hospitality professionals, to enhance the customer experience, ensure a profitable business model and maintain consistent food quality.

Although many take this electronic assistance for granted, I often find myself thinking about how restaurants operated without all this technology in the past.

Hospitality is one of the oldest industries on the planet; in fact one of the world’s longest-running pubs, the Ye Olde Man & Scythe, in Bolton, UK, opened in 1251. Since Franklin wasn’t struck by lightening until 1752, I’m pretty sure they didn’t even have electricity let alone Micros handhelds to help them navigate their menu of steamed cab-bage, disintegrated potatoes and warm ale.

And can you image how complicated the wine inventory must have been for Tour D’Argent back in 1582, manually stock-checking the 420,000 bottle collection? Not a job I’d be keen to do.

But has the advance of technology in the hospitality industry brought any negative changes? Has the workforce been dumbed down, or have we got smarter and better at what we do?

For me, if I’m honest, I think it’s a little of both. What is sad is that the true skills of a restaurateur have been somewhat diluted.

I think back to the days of my apprentice-ships, when I was lucky enough to work with some real old-school hoteliers and

restaurateurs before the new breed moved in. Put in front of a computer, these old guards of the dining room would have been as confused as if the good ship Enterprise had landed on their desk.

But every time they worked the dining room floor, it reminded me of why I joined this industry in the first place.

For these were traditional restaurateurs — supremely gracious hosts who went about their work with serene precision, with no detail unchecked and no guest unattended, making excellence look effortless.

When they welcomed their guests they exuded the charm and warmth of a politi-cian running for presidency. They glided between the tables with a grace worthy of royalty — and indeed royalty they were, for they were the kings of their restaurants.

And all this they accomplished sans technology. They could recall guest names without a reservation system prompting them; they could receive an order on an old-fashioned pad and communicate it to the kitchen without the need of an electronic mediator; and they always managed to find that last-minute table for the preferred guests without a fancy table-yield system.

Sure, managers today can tell you what table yields the most profit and the labour productivity ratio to guests.

Similarly they can wax lyrical about mar-gins and drop-through and average checks.

But I hope that, despite all our technologi-cal advantages, managers will remember the wonderfully genuine hospitality demonstrat-ed by the greats — and not allow technology to strip our industry of their legacy. Today’s F&B industry

uses plenty of technol-ogy; could a robot chef be next on the menu?

CommentDesigner column


You know, I can still remember my first visit to a theatre kitchen.

In actual fact, it wasn’t a theatre at all, more of a peep-hole into the pass of the kitchen of this tiny restaurant, just off Soho Square in London.

Peep-hole or not, I can remember thinking how awesome it was to be able to look in at the service, to spy on chef and see what life was really like behind the swing door.

Sure, this set-up may be passé nowadays, to the point where we have travelled full circle and are asking for the chef to be hid-den away again.

But perhaps we have missed a very, very exciting concept; one that takes the theatre kitchen, boils it, bakes it and then flambés it into a new radical offering…

Please think hard and try to remember the last time you went to a restaurant with friends specifically for the food, as opposed to the experience or the interaction.

You see? It’s hard, isn’t it — and this has got my mind racing, thinking about a poten-tial design and operational idea for a new breed of restaurant.

I’m going call this new concept SLOTS — as in, the restaurant ‘slots’ into the kitchen.

Imagine the scenario: you want to take some friends out and arrange to meet them at 8pm, to eat around 8.30pm.

At SLOTS, you as the host would arrive at

DIY drama. With today’s consumers increasinglydemanding not just a meal but a mindblowingexperience from their restaurants, the answer maylie in giving theatre kitchens an interactive twist

6pm to prepare and cook the meal for your friends, who would be arriving later.

You would be assisted by a chef from the team and having pre-ordered the food stuffs you would begin the whole process, preparing things just how you like but with the added expertise of the professional chef to assist you.

Wow, I love this idea completely. Sud-denly I can invite friends out to a great restaurant and enjoy all the traditional bonhomie, but with this extra angle that al-lows me to be in control of the menu for the evening; and then have the added glory of preparing and cooking the whole thing.

This would fly, I’m sure it would. It has everything: interactivity, education, profes-sionalism, excitement, uniqueness and above all, glory!

You’ve invited friends out, you’ve greeted them, had a drink with them, joked with them, eaten with them and cooked for them but without any of the disruption of doing it all at home.

I imagine this kind of ‘entertain-them-yourself ’ dinner scheme taking place in a big, baroque-themed room, stripped back but with big banquet tables, drapes and curtains, giant candles and a four-piece chamber orchestra playing classical versions of favourite modern songs. Awesome.

I see the whole design as being quite dark and sultry — like from the Greenway movie, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. I think drama is the key word here. A truly dramatic backdrop to a dra-matic evening out.

We have to be realistic at this point; not every night will be a success. Since you have the power, you and your culinary choices may still be the cause of an almighty muck-up in the kitchen, and what would happen then? Could you bear the shame?

I suppose this situation is easily solved. Those unsure of their culinary prowess should simply have the option to give more power to the personal chef, who is there not only to assist, but ultimately to save us from ourselves.

So there you have it — SLOTS, a sure-fire winner, in my humble opinion. Next time you book a meal out or Google ‘fun places to eat’, consider this: is your restaurant serving you well or could it do with a bit of DIY?

Aidan Keane is the founder of specialist leisure and retail design fi rm Keane; for more information, visit: www.keanebrands.com

Outlets need to add drama to the dining experience.

KeaneAidan

January 2010PeopleTraining


Nasseem Mirtahmasebi has lived in Dubai for six years and previously studied at Jumeirah College. She hopes to work in Dubai in future.

We had our practical exam last month, which was quite scary to be honest. Personally I was hoping the public holiday would be announced so so we wouldn;t have to do it until after Christmas holidays, but no: everything went ahead as scheduled!

Luckily I was the last group to do the practical exam, so I had the advantage of asking my friends what it was going to be like, what I should start with and whether it was difficult or not.

I mean, we were cooking a three-course meal all on our own for four people — and it couldn’t be beans on toast, either! After speak-ing to my friends though, I calmed down and was kind of excited about it. The only thing I was worried about was time; as Chef Kitts always says, “your only enemy in the kitchen is the clock”.

The practical went quite well in the end; I did struggle a bit when it came to chopping the vegetables for the soup, but everything went smoothly after that and had all my meals out on time and perfectly plated, which was good. All in all, I think it went really well.

After that, it was time to get ready for the theory exams. Revision week was very hectic; we were staying up until early hours of the morning revising then sleeping for a few hours, waking up, and go-ing over it all again.

Sitting the actual exams was so exhausting I think I slept the whole weekend once they were over! But the exams themselves were quite good. I was mostly scared about the four essay questions we had to write, but thank goodness there was a nice selection to choose from, so I was even quite happy with that.

After that, we moved on to our short placements. I am so happy that I got Grand Hyatt as my short placement venue. For the past week I have been in the kitchen and I absolutely loved it. At the beginning I was standing around, but once I got my chopping board out no one could stop me! So far, I have worked in the butchery area, commissary area and pastry. My favourite has to be pastry — I love

Over the course of a semester at the Emirates Academy of

Hospitality Management, two students take us through the

highs and lows of their induction to the tough world of F&B

Trainee diary

cakes. All the staff are really friendly and take good care of you, so I really feel like I’m part of the team.

However I know how hard it is now to work in the real world and just how many hours go into preparing certain dishes. It is really tiring and I come back home just wanting to pass out.

I think the first day was the worst for me because I was so tired — I hardly slept the night before because I was worrying, not knowing what to expect, then kept waking up every hour! But it was all fine and I was panicking for nothing.

I have learnt a lot already, but I’m still not too sure if the F&B side is for me. I guess I shall have to wait until next semester is over to compare all areas of the hospitality industry and see which one suits me most.

[Top left] The Grand Hyatt Dubai. [Rest] At the Academy.

January 2010


PeopleTraining

23

course has been very rewarding. I think the placements give a re-ally valuable insight into the real world after covering theory and practical sessions. This helps us in the learning process and also developing skills.

The tough conditions in this field have not put me off and I am definitely considering it as one of my choices when it comes to selecting my six-month internship, which we will have to start this coming September. Watch this space!

Nipul Laxman came to Emirates Academy from the UK, where he studied hospitality at college and gained first-hand F&B experience working in banqueting for a major hotel brand. His ambition is to one day open a hotel with his family.

I think I have learnt a lot from the practical classes this semester, and had a clear understanding of the theories too, so I felt fairly prepared when the exams came round.

I was pretty well organised and knew I had the relevant knowl-edge regarding the dishes we had to produce; after that, it was just a question of making a time plan and reading recipes before the exam to ensure the whole session went smoothly.

The practical exams were followed by the theory ones, which I think went really well too. Writing the culinary exam was like putting all the practical experience onto paper.

After that, I started my month-long short placement at Burj Al Arab. I started with food and beverage service at the Al Iwan restaurant, a buffet restaurant serving both traditional Arabic and international cuisine.

The first day was more of an introduction to the hotel and familiarisation with the restaurant. I started working in back-of-house and am currently learning more about serving guests.

My colleagues have been really polite and helpful, not to forget the managers who have shown a real interest in making sure that I learn from my placement.

The standards of the hotel are very high and little details are always taken into consideration, such as making sure you use a guest’s name at least once during their meal.

The staff are expected to show high level of commitment to mak-ing sure we exceed customer expectations.

In my first week, I learnt about the role of the waiters, and started with back-of-house operations such as making bread baskets, pol-ishing cutlery and plates, and learning how to make different cof-fees and teas as per the restaurant standard. I then moved on into the restaurant, to run the buffet. My job was to make sure there was sufficient food at all times and also that enough plates and cutlery were available.

On top of this practical experience, I also have been part of evening briefings and a training session that was carried out by our manager relating to quality assurance and mystery shoppers.

The second week will be based on serving guests, which I think will help me be more confident and also develop my skills. After completing my two weeks of food service, I will move to the main kitchen of the hotel for food production and that will be where my short placement ends.

The overall experience gained from my F&B and culinary

Lecturer’s notesThe Academy’s executive chef and senior lecturer

Michael Kitts shares his final thoughts on

our culinary contributors’ efforts:

Both Nipul and Nasseem are hard at work in

their short placements, with exams for the first

semester well and truly behind them, at last!

I think they are getting a real taste of our

industry, and their enthusiasm shows when we see

them occasionally at The Academy while referencing

for their reports.

Next semester, they move onto rooms division and

front office management, which is a different kettle of

fish altogether! But I’m sure they’ll both do great.

[Left] The Burj Al Arab.

[Rest] Tidying up at the Academy.

23February 2010 Caterer Middle East

Caterer Middle East February 201024

RoundtableChain brand operators

Undeterred by the economic downturn, chain outlets seem to be making steady progress in the Middle East. Some of the region’s top brand operators met at Frankie’s Bar and Grill this month to discuss pro-active plans for 2010, why

the region is still a key growth area, and the real challenges facing their brands

Chained up


Joe Van Jaarsveld, general manager,

The Meat Co, Souk Madinat

Mahmoud Harb, senior

brand manager, Cravia

Simon Penhaligan, director of restaurant operations,

RMAL Hospitality

Rob de Villiers, commercial manager,

The Meat Co, Ribs & Rumps and Tribes


Roundtable Chain brand operators


Over the past 12 months, how have F&B operations been affected by the economic downturn? Mahmoud Harb: We had some closures; it was the wisest move to close the few non-performing outlets, so we decided to bite the bullet and stop the bleeding.

We had two outlets that had been open for less than a year, so we had to basically write off the investment cost — and we’re talking about millions. But we knew in the long run it would be much bet-ter for business.

With the mall management, it was not easy to extricate our-selves; it took us six or seven months of negotiations, and we had to pay penalties.

Rob De Villiers: Things in malls are improving; I think Dubai Mall, for example, is certainly turning around, with regards to footfall. But the landlords aren’t negotiating. No matter what the situation, even if you are trading as well as you should be, they’re not prepared to change rates or negotiate.

Joe Van Jaarsveld: But looking at the impact of the downturn, we’ve had a down side and an up side: OK, the consistent growth we saw in our stores for many years has slowed down. But we’ve been fortunate in that we seem to be strong in the region — and now there are more purchasing opportunities, as we’re in a better position to negotiate with suppliers.

Penhaligan: Absolutely — before, suppliers wouldn’t give you the time of day. Now, they’re knocking on your door, looking out for good deals.

I think it’s also weeded out some of the more wishy-washy suppli-ers, who were trying to take advantage of the market, so we’re left with the established players with good quality products. And if you are a bit limited in other areas, this is exactly what you’re looking for: things that can make a difference to that bottom line.

Looking forward, do you have an expansion strategy in place for 2010?Harb: I think we’ll wait and see how the first-quarter figures come out. They will give us the indication for how we should continue for the rest of the year.

Penhaligan: For us, as a hospitality company we obviously have different sections: we have the res-taurants; we also do consultancy work, for example on the Dubai Pearl and we’re looking at other consultancy contracts.

We’re also looking to franchise out Frankie’s and we already have some interest within the region, in Muscat and Doha; so those are

the main areas we’re focusing on. We’re also looking at manage-ment contracts as well, for hotels, so RMAL has the advantage of being a bit more diverse than just restaurants.

Van Jaarsveld: The Middle East is definitely still a growth point for us; there are a lot of possibilities. Our aim is to be in every area of the region, but right now we’re really focusing on consolidating our products and looking after our staff.

Khalil Fakih: For BinHendi in 2010, we think it’s the right time to start focusing more on finding exactly the right developments. In previous years we were just rushing out, trying to be present everywhere within

every single development. Nowadays, we have to really think how we’re doing it, whether it’s the right place; so we will continue to grow in 2010 and 2011, but only through the right projects.

“The service charge basically takes 10% from your bottom line”

Khalil Fakih, business

development manager —

F&B, BinHendi Hospitality


Penhaligan: That’s not to say there isn’t still huge competition for sites; prime places are still being snapped up around the re-gion. I just think you have to look at the strategy, at the feasibility study, and decide whether the area is going to give you a return on investment and whether your brands can work in the area.

Fakih: When we invest in a restaurant, it’s a huge amount, so if a restaurant is not performing, we have to really think and find a way to make it work, before we take the final decision to close it.

But of course some sites have been affected by the downturn and the changing consumer market; we have the Duck King restaurant which opened last year in Jumeirah, but it’s around five-star hotel prices, so the theme really requires it to be a licensed venue as well.

I think we have to reconsider the costs in that restaurant. The quality of the food is amazing, but right now it’s AED 180 per person, so we certainly have to reconsider the pricing.

Harb: We had a location in the same mall as Duck King, which we closed down because it was really suffering. I think since JBR opened and so many Dubai Marina developments came up, Jumeirah has slowed down. We didn’t see any hope there for our outlet, so it had to close.

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Penhaligan: But staffing is becoming something of an issue; we have got a lot of hotels coming up in this area that are looking to recruit decent staff with hospitality training, and if you have staff who have been with you for a couple of years and there’s no posi-tion available to give them a promotion, or no money to give salary increases, they do start looking around.

And over-promotion is still happening, which is ridiculous — like a commis moving to become chef de partie. If you promote someone and they jump way up the ladder, you’ve got to wonder how much they’ve actually learnt — and how much they’ve missed out on.

Fakih: That’s something we’ve seen as well. We have around 1% per month of people jumping ship for promises of a higher title or more money — sometimes double their salary, which of course we cannot compete with.

Van Jaarsveld: I think we’ve been quite successful with our policy of promoting from within, which certainly makes peo-

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Has the changing economic climate forced changes in your marketing strategy?Van Jaarsveld: We’ve always marketed our business internally. Our strategy has been to let our products, our people and our service do the talking, and rely on word-of-mouth, which for us is still the key. That’s why we focus on training and developing to ensure the staff make the customer’s experience memorable. You can’t buy the kind of marketing that gives you.

The Meat Co, Souk Madinat’s Joe Van Jaarsveld.

RMAL HospitalityBrand portfolio includes: Trader Vic’s Madinat, Trader Vic’s Mai Tai,

Frankie’s Bar and Grill, Wagamamas, and the newly-launched

Marco Pierre White Steakhouse and Grill.

CraviaBrand portfolio includes: Zaatar w Zeit, Roadster Diner,

Cinnabon, Seattle’s Best Coffee

BinHendi HospitalityBrand portfolio includes: Bella Donna, Business Café, Cacao Sampaka,

Café Havana, China Times, Duck King, Japengo Café, Ruby Tuesday

and Inferno Grill.

The Meat CoBrand portfolio includes: The Meat Co, Ribs & Rumps and new

brand to the region Tribes, to be launched in the UAE later this year.

RMAL’s Simon Penhaligan and Cravia’s Mahmoud Harb consider the impact of the economic downturn.

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ones — such as those at Dubai Mall — we are locked into for a longer period.

De Villiers: I think even though residential and some com-mercial office space rents have come down, from a retail, shopping centre or mall perspective, it won’t change.

Van Jaarsveld: But it does depend on the situa-tion; if you have a site that you’ve been in for a number of years successfully, and the time comes to renegotiate the lease ahead, if you’re doing well, they’re going to make sure you pay for that. You’re not about to give up a great site, and they know that.

Penhaligan: I think there are some locations where an independent outlet does well, and the hotel group or development owner or whoever might consider shifting the brand out and put in one of their own concepts.

But it’s important to understand that there is a power in brands,

ple feel it’s worthwhile staying with the company. When staff see colleagues climb the ladder, it inspires others to persevere. So our focus on our people has really paid off, and honestly we’ve got hardly any staff turnaround — in the single figures, internationally.

Harb: We do the same. In Zaatar w Zeit, we have around 26 managers who were all promoted from within. We don’t have a single manager from outside. It reduces turnover, it increases staff commitment to the brand, and it’s really a very important thing to do.

Is there anything you anticipate will be a major challenge for outlets over the coming months?Fakih: We believe the biggest challenge this year will be the cost of rent, which is really too high for the current sitaution in the market. Unfortunately we are locked into long-term agreements. We are renegotiating our expired agreements, but many of the major

The group debates the problems of long-term rent contracts.

“If you promote someone and theyjump way up the ladder, you’ve gotto wonder how much they’ve actually learnt”



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and for developments to recognise just how much business these names bring in, as well.

Fakih: Of course the other issue at the moment is the service charge ban. We cut it off the menu, but unfortunately we will not be able to waive it — we will have to put it somewhere and work it into the menu, because these prices were set based on the labour cost, rents, operations and so on.

A percentage of this 10% went to the staff; then the rest went towards supplementing price changes, for example of purchased foodstuffs.

Penhaligan: We went and had meetings with Dubai Munici-pality to clarify this, and the law says if you are a restaurant that pays the 10% Municipality fee, then you are entitled to add the 10% charge onto your bill. So basically that’s any hotel or free-standing restaurant where you have alcohol; those are the ones paying a Municipality fee.

Even for us, this has had an impact though; our Wagamama outlet at The Greens is not licensed, so there we cannot add a service charge.

Harb: It basically takes 10% directly from your bottom line. The Meat Company in Adilya, Muharraq, Bahrain


The only plus for us is that in Zaatar w Zeit, Cinnabon and Se-attle’s Best Coffee, we didn’t have that service charge in place anyway. But Roadster Diner had it, so we had to cut that and now we’re looking for other ways to recoup the 10%.

We think though if we increase our prices, we have to add value, and we have a plan for that — a new menu, a wider selection of dishes and so on.

Van Jaarsveld: I think the ambiguity of it all was the worst part of what we’ve had to deal with, because there were a lot of newspapers publishing contradictory reports. I’d like to see those publications now telling it how it is, so guests have a clear understanding of what is happening.

We found it quite difficult to get the story straight, and had to make phone calls to several different departments before they could confirm exactly what the law was. Even now, customers are still asking us about it, and people don’t seem to be sure.

Are there any particular trends you’re seeing com-ing up at the moment?Penhaligan: Well people are still going out, but they’re watching what they spend. They’re not going for the full three courses, or expensive beverages, but they are still looking for a good meal experience. Also we’re seeing the average check remaining a bit lower in the week than it is at weekends.

Harb: I think consumer confidence is getting better though. You cannot stay at home for six months or a year, worrying about money.

Admittedly at first, everyone panicked and was afraid to spend, but you cannot just stay at home doing nothing forever. And proof of this is what happened in Eid al-Adha; we had record-breaking sales in most of our outlets. People went out, they spent money, and since then things have been getting steadily better.

Fakih: The good thing about this area is that the infrastructure is there, there is huge potential, and it will get on track again.

We will never get back up to where we were a couple of years ago, but certainly for those who work hard and smart in terms of building real brands, real pres-ence and strategies for development, they will ben-efit, for sure.

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Gulfood preview


As the region’s F&B professionals gear up for Gulfood 2010, Caterer Middle East reveals the biggest trends, products and Salon Culinaire surprises set to

make a splash at this year’s show

Godfather

Return of the

Gastro

Gulfood previewOrganiser interview


Gulfood project manager Goli Vossough tells Caterer Middle East what exhibitorsand vistors can expect from this year’s installment of the established exhibition

How has Gulfood 2010 grown compared to last year’s show?Gulfood is the fastest-growing trade exhibi-tion in the Middle East, with year-on-year growth for every aspect of the show — exhibi-tor participation, footfall and product and service offerings. With an increase in floor space of more than 20%, this year’s exhibition will take up one million square feet, showcas-ing the latest products, trends and industry innovations from more than 3300 participat-ing companies. We anticipate over 45,000 visitors from over 152 countries worldwide.

Overall, 76 countries will be represented at Gulfood 2010, with country pavilions including Argentina, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Spain, Turkey and the USA.

This year we also welcome new companies from as far a field as Kuwait, Libya, Peru, Portugal, Sudan, Ukraine and Uruguay.

What areas in particular are you expanding for 2010 and why? It’s expanding in all areas, due to the increase in exhibition space at the venue, Dubai International Convention and

Exhibition Centre. With this space increase of 20%, we are now able to triple the size of Ingredients Middle East and locate it along-side Gulfood in the new Sheikh Saeed Hall, creating an all-encompassing environment for the food industry.

The Processing and Packing sector will now also have its own dedicated area, reflecting the impressive growth in this area of the food industry over the past year.

The additional space has also allowed for the introduction of a number of new country pavilions, making Gulfood even more global!

Serving up an

F&B feast

Gulfood previewOrganiser interview

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b February 2010 Caterer Middle East

What key trends have you noted in 2009 that you are responding to in the show line-up?Many visitors come to Gulfood knowing that they can hear about the latest trends in the industry, as it is used as a yard stick for the industry as a whole in the Middle East. There are many different trends which will impact on the industry across the wide variety of areas in the show, from the latest new and unusual flavours through to more sleek designs in restaurants and cafés.

The fundamental trends we have recognised across every element of the show are increasing pressure to deliver more cost-effectively without compromising quality, and the need for more creative mar-keting of culinary offers to continue to excite and interest end-users and grow the bottom line.

To reflect these changes, we are launching the first Gulfood Conference under the title ‘Global Trends in Food, Beverage and Processing’. Across the four days, senior leaders in the food indus-try will cover trend topics which will affect the industry over the coming 12 months.

Apart from the conference, what else is new at this year’s show?There are many new features to ensure that we deliver exactly what the industry requires.

First and foremost is the increased size of the show, as previously mentioned. This allows for more choice, the introduction of indus-try newcomers and the accommodation of growing industry sectors, all under one roof.

This year we will also launch the annual Gulfood Awards, to recognise the excellence and passion of both individuals and com-panies behind the region’s exceptional food and drink industry.

With 21 categories designed to reward and champion innovation and excellence, the search is now on for the best food and drink brands, services and suppliers!

Also new this year is the launch of the Gulfood Majlis Club, a commercial networking platform for senior industry professionals to develop new business opportunities, and one that recognises the importance of Gulfood as a serious trading platform for the global food and beverage industry.

What will be the key message from Gulfood 2010? Bigger, better business. As the largest and most influential trade exhibition in the region for the F&B industry, located at the centre of a globally recognised key growth market, it has never been more important for businesses and professionals to see and be seen at Gulfood.

With tangible business benefits for all sectors of the industry, and at all levels, attending Gulfood as an exhibitor or trade visitor has become an essential activity to be included in the business plan.

Gulfood previewSalon Culinaire



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Plating up at Hilton Dubai Jumeirah’s Salon Culinaire practice run.



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Salon styleWith Salon Culinaire around the corner, the region’s chefs are prepping,

carving, chopping and challenging themselves, doing their best to ensure they walk away with one of the coveted class medals. Lucy Taylor talks to some of

this year’s entrants to find out what goes into cooking up a winning entry

Since its inception, the Salon Culinaire has been a showcase for the region’s top culinary talent and a highlight of the Gulfood exhibition — and with more classes than ever

before, 2010’s edition promises to be a major crowd-puller.Last year, the team from Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)

walked away with the most medals awarded to a single establish-ment for the third consecutive year.

According to executive sous chef Raimund Haemmerle, the pres-sure is on to live up to expectations this time round.

“We’re going to have 87 participants across 20 different categories, so it’s almost all the categories covered, from pastry, to live cooking, to Arabian cuisine, to the gourmet dinner,” he reveals.

Beach Rotana, another big winner at 2009’s Salon Culinaire, will have 24 chefs participating across 48 different categories.

“I will myself be participating in five categories in the kitchen art area, in the Chocolate Carving, Individual Ice Carving, Fruit and Vegetable Carving and Marzipan Showpiece categories,” adds sous chef Chamika Prabath.

“I will also be pairing up with my colleague for the Team Ice Carving event, for which we will make a large artistic showpiece with three ice blocks.”

Yuphin Khocksila, chef de partie at Al Bustan Rotana Dubai’s Blue Elephant Restaurant, will be the first ever female chef to

“Competitive events are essential for developing skill”

January 2010 Caterer Middle East 39

represent the property at the event, competing in the Fruit and Vegetable Carving showpiece category.

“I am very excited because this is my very first time at the Salon Culinaire; plus I feel proud of being the hotel’s first lady repre-sentative,” she says.

Prepping for prizesOf course, it take more than just turning up on the day to be suc-

cessful at the Salon Culinaire.Each participant must undertake several months

of preparation before the big day, as DWTC’s Haemmerle explains.

“We have to be really careful when we choose who will take part in each category. We go through a whole load of trials internally, to see where each chef ’s strengths and talents lie,” he says.

“It can get quite competitive, as spaces are limited, so you have to make it as fair as possible.”

Any competition hopefuls must also be prepared for hard graft, adds Beach Rotana’s Prabath.

“It takes a lot of practice, sleepless nights and patience to do the artistic work,” he comments.

“And of course, it’s also important that we take care of our guests at the same time, so most of the practice is done after duty hours — a lot of burning the candle at both ends!”

At Al Bustan Rotana, Khocksila and her fellow competing chefs


“I think it would be interesting to see non-professional people trying to

cook, because sometimes that brings to light really fancy ideas that you as

a professional might not think about. It’s great fun, and it increases public

awareness about cooking. You see in the West how programmes like this

have taken off, and it’s leant a real enthusiasm to the whole industry.”

Raimund Haemmerle, executive sous chef, DWTC

“It would be a great idea to start a category for pulled sugar showpieces on

site — this is really a diffi cult art to master.”

Chamika Prabath, sous chef, Beach Rotana

“I’d like to see the globally-recognised Torque D’Or (Golden Chef’s Hat) come

to the Middle East. It’s a great programme and would defi nitely work well in

this region.”

Steven Benson-Flower, executive chef, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah

“Live cooking competitions are always popular among participants and spec-

tators alike. Perhaps ways to make them more fun and challenging could

be by narrowing it down to specifi c foods, such as breakfast dishes, like the

competitions they have in Asia — or by introducing new challenges such as

‘green cooking’, using sustainable products.”

Flemming Schulthess, executive chef, Dusit Thani Dubai

If you had to introduce a new competition to this region, what would it be?

started planning for the event a several months back. “We started off with brainstorming sessions, sharing ideas and giv-ing feedback to each other,” she explains.

“It’s hard work, but our senior chefs ahave been very helpful and they provide all the support we need to be at our best for the competition.”

Competition challenges Once a chef has proved himself capable of taking part in the event, and of shouldering the work burden that comes with such an undertaking, there are still a few more challenges that must be addressed.

The past year has been a busy one for DWTC, says Haemmer-le — but while this is undoubtedly good news in the current economic climate, it means less time for competition training.

“Four years back we’d have slack periods in the summer, during which we could really train our chefs for culinary com-petitions; but that does not happen anymore,” he says.

“We have to do training at night time, after daily duties, so it requires an extra effort from the chefs to show that on top


Hilton Dubai Jumeirah’s Steven Benson-Flower.


Caterer Middle East February 2010 www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b42 www.hoteliermiddleeasassa t.cc m/momomomomom/ommomom/momm/om/om/om/om/omomom/omommomommomom/omom/om/ommommm/momm/mmommm/ommmommomm/mmmm/om/mmmmmom/mmmmm f&b&b&bbf&f&f&b&b&f&bf&bbb&bb&b&b&b&bf&bfff&&b&&&b&b&b&b&b&b&&bb&b&bb&b&bf&b&&&&b&b&b&b&&b&&&b&b&bbbb&&&b&bbbb&b&b&b&b&b&b&bbb&&bbbbb&b&bbf&b&b&bbf&b&b&bbf&b&bf&bf&b&bbbbff&f&f&f&bbbbffff&f&bbbbbffffff&f&bbbbbfff&fffff&ff&bbfffffff&bf&bff&bfff&f&&&bf&f&ff&&ff&&bbfffff&&&bbfffff&&&

of their busy work schedule, they can really commit to being a part of the Salon Culinaire.”

Hilton Dubai Jumeirah executive chef Steven Benson-Flow-er adds: “We advise chefs to finely gauge their workload to see if they want to embark on such a commitment. Albeit exciting and motivating, competitions require a great deal of focus and do at times levy additional stress on the individual.”

And as Dusit Thani Dubai executive chef Flemming Schulthess notes, participating in any competition is not just about winning first prize.

“Those competing should see it as an opportunity to gain more experience, to learn from other industry colleagues and to further develop their skills,” he asserts.

Medal motivationNevertheless, winning a medal at the renowned event is one of the highly appealing prospects for competing chefs.

“They gain appreciation and acknowledgement of their own skills if they win a medal, and it looks great on their CV,” points out DWTC’s Haemmerle.

A mouthwatering creation from the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah chefs’ Salon Culinaire practice-run.

“But on top of that, being involved in the Salon Culi-naire is an enormous moti-vation, for any chef; there’s a great atmosphere, they see new things to inspire them, and it’s an opportunity to meet other chefs and network.”

According to Hilton Dubai Jumeirah’s Benson-Flower, culinary com-petitions

Al Bustan Rotana Dubai’s Yuphin Khocksila.



are ideal for unleashing a team’s creativity. “Our chefs have come up with some very innovative recipes and presentation styles in preparation for a competition, which we have subse-quently included in many of our menus,” he reveals.

“Overall, competitive events are essential for developing the industry’s skill and talent, and they work as a great motivat-ing tool as well. Regardless of whether you win or loose, just being part of a high profile competition, involved in the energy of it all, gives the team a lot of inspiration.”

Salon statusThe Salon Culinaire at Dubai’s Gulfood is today a renowned event, and a true hotbed of emerging kitchen talent — so has it seen the Middle East reach the level of other world regions when it comes to culinary competition?

Al Bustan Rotana’s Khocksila believes so, but adds: “I would love to see more female chefs like me participating in such events, as competitions in the region are still predomi-nantly dominated by men.”

According to Hilton Dubai Jumeirah’s Benson-Flower, the region’s F&B industry is “moving in the right direction when it comes to cultivating and showcasing talent”.

“There is a lot we can do to help develop the industry’s

potential, and competitions are a great tool,” he adds.

Dusit Thani’s Schulthess agrees: “Culinary competi-tions are great opportunities for all participants to showcase their skills and knowledge and to exchange ideas and techniques, and the Salon Culinaire is a prime example of that.”

Clearly, there is a great deal of regional support for this established event; now the Middle East’s chefs must focus on prov-ing once again that Salon Culinaire can be counted among the top culinary talent showcases in the world.

DWTC executive sous chefRaimund Haemmerle.

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Come and see us at the Gulfood 2010 Exhibition, Stand S 1-C18


Gulfood previewExhibitor feature

Gul

Packed with more space, more exhibitors and more special features than ever before, Gulfood 2010 looks set to welcome record-breaking numbers of visitors — and exhibitors from all over the world will be there to make the most of it

January 2010 Caterer Middle East 45

As the region’s biggest F&B trade show, Gulfood has long been a staple of the industry’s culinary calendar.

Every year, exhibitors from all over the world flock to Dubai for the last week of February, looking to form new partner-ships, establish regional distribution and cement old friendships.

But after a rocky couple of years surviving the economic down-turn, this year’s exhibitors are proceeding with caution.

Some companies are simply looking to form good, old-fashioned distributor partnerships, or make contacts in the Middle East.

Joanne Adirim, chief executive and corporate pastry chef at Han-nahMax Baking — an artisan company that develops desserts for the HORECA industry — explains: “Our goal is to develop business

“By the end of 2010, we will revert to the pre-recession trend for

natural, organic and holistic foods.”Surinder Mendirata, sales and marketing manage, Safi nter

Trend tip

Bon Chef’s linking heat source buffetware lends variety to the layout of hot food.



Dr Suwelack’s premium freeze-dried coffee.

“For the F&B IT sector, we see a greater demand for 3D models and virtual rendering in order to simplify the communication

with the end customer.”

Trend tip

Luca Salomoni, software develop-ment manager, Render Image

- Ingredients Middle East

“Businesses locally, regionally and internationally are

under intense pressure to provide safe, high-quality

and innovative products to customers and at the same

time ensure profi tability. Ingredients Middle East is a key

global product showcase and sourcing platform for any

food or beverage business in the region, and visitors will

gain unrivalled access to the cutting edge innovations,

new product developments and expertise of international

suppliers and manufacturers in the industry.”

- Restaurant & Cafe Middle East

“Aesthetics, ambience and effi ciency are essential

elements in the hospitality industry business. Restau-

rant and Café Middle East covers every element of the

restaurant and café trade beyond the food – offering

visitors the latest in décor and design, equipment

and technology to ensure they are equipped with the

necessary tools to enhance their customer experience

and benefi t their bottom line.”

Dubai World Trade Centre exhibitions director Mark Napier reveals what to expect from the different show components:

with foodservice distributors who sell into both the HORECA industry and retail stores.”

Chocolate World sales manager Tom-maso Santi adds that he will be seeking out local dealers who are not only able to “correctly represent our products, but also our philosophy”.

Meanwhile others are looking to attract visitors from further afield.

Solia marketing manager Odile Lavail notes: “Gulfood is an international fair; so we will be searching for new distribu-tors in markets such as India.”

Diamond Meat Processing’s Zenath Group manager of business development Mohammad Naseem will also be taking advantage of the opportunity to form partnerships further afield, primarily in North and Central Africa.

For some old hands, the show acts as

an excellent platform to refresh existing relationships, as well as make new ones.

Andy Mannhart AG business develop-ment manager Jomy John explains: “We aim to get constructive feedback from existing clients, to improve our service.”

A Ronai managing director Gavin Dodd agrees: “For our type of products it is very difficult to get anything tangible from any exhibition, but we hope that we will be able to continue reinforc-ing our message that we want to be a professional supplier to the hospitality industry. We will also be introducing our new sales executive, Lani Mandrea, who will be based in Bahrain.”

Nonions: natural, preservative-free onion pastes.

Dean’s of Huntly offers a range of handbaked biscuits.Sherbert Rose organic juice from Elite Naturel.

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

“The standard of the ingredients has de� nitely got better; huge strides have been made in this area.”Colin Clague, executive chef, Zuma


Sodiko sales manager Hilde Vanholst notes that personal relation-ships are key to success in this industry, adding: “Honesty and trust are vital; the relationship between producer and customer is very important and makes a big difference when building business.”

Other companies are seeking to launch new product lines with a bang. Heat and Control Pty Ltd marketing executive Amber Crowley reveals: “We will promote the latest processing innovations for the continuous food industry, specifically showcasing the Revolution Seasoning System (RSS).”

Similarly, Australian-based Capilano Honey will promote its new Snap ‘n’ Squeeze line, while J V Overseas Trading Limited — part of a business con-

glomerate crossing various sec-tors, but primarily focused on

tea — will promote its new umbrella brand SUPER, while Willemse & van Enge-len Bakkerijimachines, a manufacturer of jelly- and confectionary-spraying

machines, will be demonstration various models at its stand.

“ The biggest trend we see is the move toward more consistent sanitation and proper food-

handling for safety and hygiene.”Steven Straut, D&S Exports

Trend tip

Chef Middle East’s Boiron frozen fruit purées.


SwissClassic

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But hopefully for all these players, Gul-food will be the starting point for a more substantial regional focus.

Extrexport general manager Antonio Tena expands: “We are not in the region just for four days of Gulfood; we are here to stay. For instance, we are plan-ning some culinary events organised by Extrexport with some local partners in Dubai and Kuwait for spring 2010.”

Whatever their individual goals, exhibitors will undoubtedly be hoping for significant positive return from the Dubai-based trade fair.

As Orego Packaging Co’s president of the board, Ali Karaarslan, comments: “Last year was all about crisis conditions; 2010 is going to be an attack period.”

Many exhibitors remain bullish, looking to build on successful regional results from 2009 — such as Commodities International.

“Last year was our first foray into this market; we had some success and are hoping to build on that as the economy starts to rebound,” explains managing director for Atlanta, Tony Burnes.

“The new Gulfood Conference brings together inter-

national experts to discuss future trends and critical

issues in the food and beverage industry and the

relevance of these for the regional markets. Keynote

speaker Saed Al Awadi, chief executive of Dubai

Export Development Corporation, will highlight Dubai’s

credentials as an international trading hub and the

gateway to the business opportunities, while Alex An-

darakis, chief executive of Al Islami Foods, will provide

a detailed overview of the global halal landscape, the

responsibilities and opportunities for companies oper-

ating in this domain, as well as a practical roadmap for

realising revenue in this market.”

Goli Vossough, project manager, Gulfood

The � rst ever Gulfood Conference“There’s increasing interest in

products free of preservatives or colouring agents.”

Klaus Baumann, sales and marketing specialist, Alfocan

Trend tip

Extrexport will be offerings free tastings of its olive oil [pictured] at Gulfood.




39%of F&B professionals switched suppliers last

year, due to finding products of the same quality for lower prices elsewhere.

Source: Caterer Middle East survey data, 2009

Alberto Grandi, owner of automatic packaging and packing ma-chines manufacturer Grandi, agrees: “Business in the Middle East market is growing year by year. This is the reason why we expect to get great results from this exhibition.”

Meanwhile American Food Service actually saw 10% growth in the Middle East, reveals director Gerard Chin-A-Kwie — and Bon Chef Inc. president Sal Torre says although the downturn may have affected the whole world, “we still managed to get some nice orders from Dubai”.

Similarly, Sencha Naturals’ highest single order was in the Middle East, with A Ronai managing director Gavin Dodd agreeing that 2009 was “a very good year”, yielding slight growth in core product

sales for the tableware company.“We have a few concerns for 2010 as there are very few projects in the final stages of construction, which is when they buy our type of products,” Dodd admits. “But we hope to see an improvement near the end of the year as things get back on track.”Saffron supplier Safinter faced a chal-

Friedrich Ingredients offers spices, seasonings and various other ingredients.

“ We are seeing a spike in the retail business as more people are eating home. As the economy strengthens we are hoping to see a balancing of

business in the foodservice sector.”

Trend tip

Joanne Adirim, chief executive and corporate pastry chef,

HannahMax Baking

“ In the bakery and pastry industry, the freezing process is becoming

more important.”Christophe Batanero, export

manager, Panem

Trend tip

The innovative chocolate-coated waffl e espresso cup from Filicori Zecchini.

Snacks made with Aromsa carbohydrate fl avouring Camarome.

Bruyerre’s heart chocolates.

Sweets from American Food Service.



lenging past year, but is optimistic about the future. “Our business in 2009 was quite challenging due to the negative impact of the recession combined with a severe shortage of saffron, due to low produc-tion,” explains sales and marketing manager Surinder Mendirata.

“But due to improved production meth-ods and better weather conditions during the recently concluded November 2009 saffron harvest in Spain, the crop has been better than previous years.”

However others are not going to count their chickens before they’re hatched, and remain reserved with their predictions for the next 12 months.

Kassatly Chtaura managing director Nayef Kassatly comments: “2009 was an average year and we expect to do the same in 2010, with no major improvement.”

As Friedrich Ingredients founder Rein-hard Friedrich notes, “money is tight”.

“We hope that business will improve in the region after second quarter, but most probably it will take a few more years to recover,” he predicts.

Extrexport general manager Antonio Tena does not believe 2010 will be a fantastic year for the Middle East F&B

industry, but ends on a positive note: “Those firms succeeding in these turbulent waters will be in an excellent position once the good winds are back.”

With plenty of exciting offerings to draw visitors in, there is no doubt exhibitors will see a lot of interest; whether that will be converted into revenue-driving deals remains to be seen.

“I think presentation and packaging of products will become more important.”

Ramazan Ozcelik, international trade manager, Sekeroglu

Trend tip

The Italian Beverage Company will use the show to promote its simply: range.

Power Horse energy drink.

Gulfood previewProduct showcase


Comprising a selection of Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) peas, sweetcorn, carrots and potatoes, all available in organic form, these items are available in different cuts, sizes and packages.

GemueselandTel: +43 2249 2505 30 Email: [email protected] Web: www.gemueseland.at

A host of suppliers arrive in Dubai this month for Gulfood 2010; Caterer Middle Eastbrings you a sneak preview of some top products that will be on show at the event

Products preview

Landesproduktenhandelsges

Organic HoneySeville Orange Blossom Honey from An-daluza de Mieles is recognised for its delicate taste, while the firm’s Organic Honey is quality-certified and available in individual sachets; an elegant alternative to sweeteners.

Andaluza de MielesTel: +34 954 11 30 32Fax: +34 955 71 02 68Web: www.andaluzademieles.com

BruijnAl Fustaq Foodstuff has introduced Bruijn, a new range of luxury chocolates. Bruijn has the taste of pure cocoa, but is low in sugar, milk solids and added preservatives. The firm will also be presenting its popular nut brand Nutty-Nuts at this year’s show.

Al Fustaq FoodstuffTel: +971 4 347 9905Web: www.nutty-nuts.com

Tresor of ChocolateEmirate Snack Foods’ Tresor of Chocolate product, from Monbana Chocolatier, is al-ready available in some of Dubai’s top hotels and is presented in a one-litre Tetra Pack.

Emirate Snacks FoodsTel: +971 4 267 2424Web: www.esf-uae.com

Sa� nter Saffron PowderThe Middle-East region traditionally prefers saffron filaments, according to Safinter — a Spanish firm introducing Saffron Powder to meet this demand. The innovative powder gives quicker results in recipes and offers great cre-ative scope for speciality sauces, biscuits, cakes and beverages.

Safinter SA Tel: +971 4 268 6000Email: [email protected]: www.safinter.com




Les Terroirs De MarrakechThis Moroccan olive oil company’s products are cultivated in the flat lands at the foot of the Grand Atlas Mountains. Atlas Olive Oils utilise a century-old tradition to produce its pure extra virgin olive oil products.

Atlas Olive Oils Tel: +212 522 981125 26 Fax: +212 522 981127Email: [email protected]: www.atlasoliveoils.com

Jokey Plastik

All-Fill International

Jokey Plastik injected containers and tubes are available in tube, round, oval and rectangular form. The food containers range in size from 120ml to 32.8l and can be customised with in-mould labelling or digital printing.

Jokey Plastik Tel: +49 2267 685 0Fax: +49 2267 685 133Email: [email protected]: www.jokey.com

All-Fill International will be demonstrating a semi-automatic filler with foot pedal operation at this year’s Gulfood. The machine can fill bags ranging from 1gm to 25kg.

All-Fill InternationalTel: +44 1767 691 100Fax: +44 1767 681 406Email: [email protected]: www.allfill.co.uk

Capoco Capsule machineThe Capoco Capsule from Boncafé Middle East is a compact and efficient machine. This innovative model works from a simple capsule systems, creating no mess or wastage and is available in a wide range of colours. It has a one-litre water capacity, adjustable cup holder for varying sizes of espresso and a removable collec-tion tray for easy cleaning.

Boncafé Middle EastTel: +971 4 282 8742 Web: www.boncafeme.ae

Cold wave bowlsCold wave bowls, from US-firm Bon Chef, keeps food cold for up to eight hours without the introduc-tion of refrigeration or ice.

Bon ChefTel: +1 973 968 7136 Fax: +1 973 383 7068 Email: [email protected]

Le Chef DamascusLe Chef Damascus steel knife range is both stylish and functional. These items have been created using traditional sword-making traditions and 37 layers of Japanese steel.

Denny’sTel: +44 1372 377 904 Web: www.dennys.co.uk



Caviar NacariiProduced in the Pyrenees Mountains, Caviar Nacarii is an authentic product from the sturgeon of Garona River. The result is a unique Span-ish product, Baeri caviar, which is free from any added ingredients or chemicals.

Deliterranea Tel: +34 934 091 809Web: www.deliterranea.com

Prune PowderThis product from Taylor Brothers Farms is a unique and versatile powder, which can be used in baking as a fat substitute. It can also be used in meat processing to tenderise meat without any off tastes or additive concerns.

Taylor Brothers FarmsTel: +1 206 749 9255Fax: +1 206 324 8826 Email: [email protected]: www.taylorbrothersfarms.com

Bruyerre will be introducing a variety of new chocolate products at this year’s Gulfood, includ-ing a bouquet of decorative chocolate roses, filled chocolate cigars, the pictured Bruyerre metal truck containing 250g of alcohol-free chocolates, and metal love boxes with heart-shaped chocolates.

BruyerreTel: +32 71 250 154Fax: +32 71 250 155Email: [email protected] Web: www.bruyerre.eu

FruittyThis fruity vitamin-packed drink from Pere Ocean will be in-troduced to visitors at this year’s Gulfood. Containing essential vitamins B6, B12 and C, the beverage is available in a choice of four flavours — strawberry lime, blackcurrant lime, peach lime and orange lime.

Wanin IndustriesTel: +65 6253 5888 Fax: +65 6259 8558 Email: [email protected]

Bruyerre

Basilur TeaBasilur Tea was created under the basic principles of harmo-nious balance, originality and asymmetry. Unitrades Limited offers this Japanese ‘garden of stones’, which is designed to take the tea drinker through the ancient traditions of the East.

Unitrades LimitedTel: +94 11 243 3462Email: [email protected]: www.basilurtea.com

HaremliqueHaremlique offers five different flavours of Turkish coffee — traditional, chocolate, carda-mom, cinnamon and mastic. The coffees are roasted and ground in a traditional way, and flavoured with 100% natural ingredients.

HaremliqueTel: +90 212 236 38 43Email: [email protected]: www.haremlique-boutique.com

Coffee ShopDalebrook® presents a NEW fantastic range of storage solutions & trendy ticket stands to show off your food. Our platters are non slip and come with stackable lids perfect for maintaining freshness and easy storage.

Finger Food Range

Buffet

Deluxe Gastro

Dalebrook® introduces a selection of small, stylish dishesoffering multiple applications. Crafted from 100% food safe and dishwasher proof melamine, they are chip resistant with longer service expectancy than porcelain.

Dalebrook® provides innovative Buffet solutionsdesigned to accommodate any food display requirements. Our solutions include reversible crocks and our popular Dalebrook® Dover Range which now includes a multipurpose lid.

The Dalebrook® premium gastronorm range is popular with caterers and hoteliers thanks to

��

have the appeal of porcelain, yet are lighter, dishwasher safe

and durable.

Please contact us for details of your local Dalebrook® distributor:

Dalebrook® Melamine Solutionsfor any HoReCa application...

+44 (0)1376 [email protected]

Dalebrook Supplies LimitedEastways Industrial Estate, Witham, Essex CM8 3UA

Fax: +44 (0)1376 510153 Web: www.dalebrook.com



Vegatronic 2000 OF

Gourmet Smoothies

The new Vegatronic 2000 OF vertical form fill-and-seal machines by Ilapak are the firm’s first intermittent film motion machines to feature an easy-to-clean, open-frame design. The model offers high hygiene standards, which meet the stringent requirements and regulations of the food industry .

IlapakTel: +971 4 263 2018Fax: +971 4 263 2016Email: [email protected]: www.ilapak.com

The 1883 smoothies range from Routin is a selection of beverages made with fresh fruit, with hints of carefully-selected teas. These healthy drinks are rich in fibre, vitamins and available in three flavours — mango, strawberry-banana and wild berries. Routin will also be showcasing its 1883 cocktail range, available in more than 30 flavours, including blood orange, spicy, lychee and cherry blossom.

Routin SATel: +33 4 79 25 68 76 Fax: +33 4 79 25 10 15Email: [email protected]: www.1883.com

CupCanCupCan from Glud and Marstrand is available with full panel opening, ensuring fast service as the product can be removed intact.

The conical shape of CupCan makes it stackable, saving space during transport and storing. The product is available in aluminium or tin-plate.

Glud and MarstrandTel: +45 7675 7568 Email: akr@glud-marstrandWeb: www.glud-marstrand.com

Gran MoraviaBrazzale SPA’s Gran Moravia is a hard cheese produced with veg-etable rennet and is suitable for vegetarians. This versatile cheese product has received Halal certification.

Brazzale SPATel: +39 0445 313 900 Fax: +39 0445 313 991 Email: [email protected]: www.brazzale.com

FlexilightGulfood veteran A Ronai will be launching its Flexilight range, the latest edition to its portfolio, at this year’s show.

Flexilight offers liquid candles with a selection of attractive and practical holders.

A RonaiTel: +971 4 341 4409Fax: +971 4 341 4457Email: [email protected]

AgralNew technology has given Agral the opportunity to produce a light butter that retains the natural taste and flavour of fresh butter. The product contains only 60% milk fat, is easier to spread than tradi-tional butter and is suitable for cooking.

AgralTel: + 32 71 45 14 61Fax: + 32 71 46 01 42Email: [email protected]: www.agral.be

Outlet showcaseThe Author’s Lounge


“All Bonnington hotels have traditionally been very focused on their neighbourhoods and well established in their respective communities. They are places where the bar is buzzing because the local residents go there, and that is precisely the market we want to encourage here.”

Brand ethos


Outlet showcaseThe Author’s Lounge


Seeking out the hottest new F&B outlets,Caterer Middle East reveals the innovativeconcepts and operation strategies securingthe success of the region’s new launches

Inside outletsWith its grand, high-backed armchairs, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, open fireplace and sparkling two-storey chandelier, The Author’s Lounge at Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers is a fusion of clas-sic British and contemporary styles — precisely the theme it was designed to convey.

“We didn’t want just any old boring lobby café; we wanted some-thing that would attract hotel guests, residents and the local commu-nity alike,” explains director of operations Martin Kubler.

“We needed a comfortable environment where people could relax, but which also had character and demonstrated what we are all about. The result is a very stylish outlet referencing British tradition in the décor, so it really fits the whole philosophy of Bonnington.”

Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers is the Anglo-Irish concern’s first opening outside of the British Isles — and although it has come at a tough time economically, Kubler believes this has given the property certain advantages. “We knew what was waiting for us; consequently, we were sure to organise things in such a way that we can step up and adapt to the customer’s needs,” he says.

“People grow a bit tired of the whole ‘biggest, highest, fastest’ idea; they are coming back to what is real. They want to have good food and good service. They’re still prepared to pay for it, but it has to give value for money.

“So value and repeat custom has to be the focus right now, espe-cially for a new operator coming into the region like us.”

The Author’s Lounge is not a destination outlet, but the concept has been so carefully tailored to the local community that it looks set to see plenty of business.

“I can see this working very well for the neighbourhood,” Kubler agrees. “It’s basically the ideal place for anyone who enjoys sleek service, great design and good food at a reasonable price.”

“The precise style of the chandelier was difficult to get right, as it goes

right through the floor to The Cavendish restaurant below. It took

us a long time to find exactly the right design; even now we find the

light-level requires fine tuning.”

Designdetails

Ingredient focusMeat


With restaurant-goers becoming increasingly adventurous, today’s suppliers are forced to meet increasingly diverse demands from chefs.

Ben Watts talks to both parties about their views on the current trends in the industry: secondary cuts, exotic meats and

increasing environmental concerns

Meat-ing quotas

Since the economic downturn hit, chefs have been increasingly forced to accept the term ‘less is more’.

According to many of the region’s chefs and meat suppliers, this theme has been a prevalent one in recent months, as F&B outlets look to turn a profit in the difficult financial climate.

So while meat has continued to play an important role on the menus of hungry Middle East diners, both chefs and suppliers have had to reconsider their approach towards this sometimes costly but vital ingredient.

“The growing trend for executive chefs is to offer more for less,” says Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City executive chef Hassan Massood. “It’s about finding innovative ways to bal-ance quality and quantity, balance cuts with value and give a satisfying experi-ence to guests.”

As a result of the growing requirement of hotel chefs to balance the books with-out compromising on quality, Massood says creativity is the key.

“I feel chefs are pushing for more creativity in food preparation, such as the rediscovery of secondary cuts of meat,” he comments. “If prepared correctly, sec-ondary cuts will add a welcome change to the usual fillets and chops dishes that many guests can easily prepare at home.”

Meat Co International opening restau-rant executive chef Farzan Contractor agrees that the utilisation of unfamiliar cuts is now hugely important, as today’s diners are more knowledgeable about the dishes they order.

“Most customers today are very well-versed with the meat they eat and also the meat they expect to see served to them in a top meat restaurant,” he notes. “And they are still willing to pay top dollar for good-quality, well-aged cuts of meat.

“Nowadays, Wagyu beef is offered to customers on a much larger scale, while the range of meat products is not limited to only sweet cuts like the rib-eye, but covers all sections of the animal.

“Secondary cuts are being used where appropriate in a variety of braised dishes and other slow cooking methods, such as stews or

pies — there has definitely been a change where chefs now focus on using every aspect of the animal, so as to maximise their cost savings and also do the entire carcass justice.”

Another popular trend, according to Radisson’s Massood, stems from the ethical and health-related demands of the region’s diners.

“This comes from guests who are more aware, well informed and well travelled,” observes Massood. “I think increasingly the focus is going to be on healthier animal options and leaner cuts.

“There is also more awareness on health and the carbon footprint within the international community, and a preference on the menu will be given to free-range, organic, grass-fed and grain-fed meat.”

Supply chainA supplier’s role in providing restau-rants with the right ingredients is essen-

“The best meat products come from the usual suppli-

ers — regular beef from the USA, poultry from France

and lamb from New Zealand.

“There are numerous reasons behind this, such as

breeds, feeding program, government controls, climate,

experience and traditions, and business integrity.”

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City

executive chef Hassan Massood

“In my opinion, some of the fi nest quality meat prod-

ucts are being sourced from the pristine environments

of Australia and New Zealand.

“Through a combination of advanced animal farming

practices, leading animal genetics and some of the

most stringent processing plants in the world today,

the quality and integrity of leading meat brands that we

are sourcing from both Australia and New Zealand are

second to none.”

Country Hill International director of sales

and marketing Hamish McKerrow

Where do the best meat products come from and why?



Muslin Lemon WrapsUnusual Bamboo skewersWood and Bamboo dishes

Unique Catering DisposablesUnique Catering Disposables

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‘fast door-to-door service’

[Right] Meat Co International opening restaurant executive chef Farzan Contractor says secondary cuts of meat are making a come-back on the regional dining scene.

tial — particularly in an area like the Middle East, where although the precise volume or quality of meat required may not be available locally, it can always be imported.

Country Hill International director of sales and marketing Hamish McKerrow comments: “Meat processors within key sup-ply countries like Australia and New Zealand are continuing to recognise the important of halal meat production, as markets like the Middle East grow.

“While all global markets are relatively subdued in the present environment, emerging markets like the Middle East continue to be an extremely important market.”

Savico assistant general manager Manee Chumphorn Savic adds that the best products can be hard to come by locally.

“The best products come from those countries where meats and their variations have been developed over time, like in Germany for example,” she explains.

It seems that, despite the concern many chefs from the Middle East voice for the environment, suppliers from distant lands are still successfully tapping into a regional market, thanks to the huge demand for quality meat products.

Eliene Turci, from the Brazilian Chicken Producers and Export-ers Association, notes that continued demand for imported meat products from Middle East’s clients has been vital to ensuring that Brazil’s meat market has continued to grow at a rapid rate.

“Our exports to the region increased by 20% last year compared to 2008, while other important markets such as the EU and Japan decreased; undoubtedly the Middle East continues to be a market of vital importance to Brazilian chicken exporters,” she asserts.

Relationships and supportSuppliers have had a difficult time over the past few months, attempting to balance the books while ensuring their offerings to chefs across the Middle East represent quality and originality. But according to Radisson’s Massood, suppliers have done “very

“Many suppliers don’t seem to understand the pressure on restaurants to balance costs”



little” to help kitchens across the region counteract the woes of the economic crisis.

“Many suppliers don’t seem to understand the pressure of balanc-ing costs that all restaurants are going through,” he asserts.

“If the suppliers are more willing to work with customers such as restaurants and hotels, and would adjust their prices, this would reflect in the selling prices at outlets — the result could be in an increase of sales volume, which would benefit everybody.”

Suppliers themselves are keen to point out that the global crisis hasn’t been easy on them either.

According to Savico’s Savic, “the GCC meat industry underwent psychological stress, rather then real stress”.

“But the global meat industry is showing signs of tiredness with all the competition and prices. People are now realising that the way out of that situation is through the launching of new products and better presentation,” she adds.

Country Hill’s McKerrow believe that the biggest challenge facing the industry now is “a much broader issue, related to a combination of increased hotel and restaurant capacity in an emerging market”.

“The Middle East has faced a severe short-term market correc-tion that has heavily impacted on both the tourism and business environment in the short term,” he notes.

Exotic trendsDespite the problems Radisson’s Massood claims to face with sup-pliers, he is still committed to sourcing the best new meat products he can find. “We always try to vary the menus with different meat like game and fowl, as well as new innovative cuts and preparations that are used in restaurants,” he explains.

Meanwhile Meat Co’s Contractor say the firm is actively search-ing for more exotic ingredients to serve its guests.

“We serve a variety of different game meats and, due to our global presence in regions like Asia and Europe, we are constantly looking

[Right] Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City executive chef Hassan Masood has noticed a growing trend for balancing quality and quantity with value.

“The GCC’s meat industry underwent psychological stress, rather then real stress”


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for new and interesting ingredients, which involves working with products such as kangaroo, kudu and springbok, to name a few,” says Contractor.

As chefs continue to diversify their offerings and suppliers source more unique products, the Middle East diner should be braced for a barrage of distinctive offerings in F&B outlets.

Suppliers, especially those from Australia, are increasingly tap-ping into this demand — as Meat and Livestock Australia regional manager for MENA Lachlan Bowtell points out.

“Beef brands such as certified Australian Angus beef is becom-

ing more prevalent in the MENA region, as is Australian Wagyu,” he comments. “Demand for lamb is also on the increase, with lamb brands experiencing growth, and while we aren’t promoting any meals in particular, a personal favourite of mine is a lamb gravalax — similar to the traditional preparation of salmon, but it just tastes fantastic.”

Despite financial considerations, innovation is far from dead in the region’s kitchens, and with chefs and suppliers working tirelessly to offer customers more for their money, the Middle East’s meat market looks set for continued growth and diversification in 2010.

Meat producers and suppliers around the world have recognised the potential in the Middle East market, and increasing numbers are making their operations halal.

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To enhance the pleasures of the palate and bring out the unique savour of his recipes, Carlo Cracco chooses the

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Supplier newsFebruary 2010


Silver particles perfect cleaning productInnovative sanitising solution introduced to region utilises traditional cleaning properties of silver

A fruit and vegetable sanitising solution that incorporates silver particles has been launched in the Middle East.

Oxytech D50/500 is composed of a natural combination of hydrogen peroxide and sil-ver particles, and is being distributed across the GCC by JohnsonDiversey Gulf.

The products has being launched in a stra-tegic distribution alliance between Oxytech and JohnsonDiversey, which incorporates the exclusive product rights for the region.

“A great benefit to using hydrogen perox-ide for sanitation is that it falls in the natu-ral treatment category and is completely non-toxic,” explained JohnsonDiversey Gulf GCC marketing manager Marc Robitzkat.

“The use of silver particles in disinfection has a long-lasting effect that has been used since early cultures in history.

“To protect us from food poisoning, silver particles are now being put in cutting boards, table tops, surface disinfectants and refrigerators,” he added.

The silver-peroxide based sanitiser is a sustainable alternative to commonly-used chlorine solutions popular in the region.

The solution also comes with economic benefits as it is a non-rinse solution, saving

Supplier news

on water costs, and can be dosed through JohnsonDiversey dosing technology, which is available in two versions: a high volume dispenser for food production factories and regular daily use for hospitality operations.

The innovative Oxytech D50/500 is being distributed in the region by JohnsonDiversey.

Al Ain � rm milks it for a record-breaking year UAE producer Al Ain Farms for Livestock Production produced a whopping 30 million litres of milk in 2009.

According the UAE firm, the huge quantity of milk it produced last year was a record in the local dairy farming industry, becoming the first producer in the UAE’s dairy industry to produce more than 30 mil-lion litres of milk in a year.

“Dedicated staff, professional dairy farm-ing consultants, modern farming systems and balanced cattle ration feeding were some of the factors behind setting this record in milk production nationwide,” said Al Ain Farms for Livestock Production chief executive officer Abdullah Saif Al Darmaki.

Al Ain Farms’ cattle are selected from top

breeds, which are periodically examined to ensure good health, noted Al Darmaki.

“We are keen to develop our working sys-tems by adopting modern technologies and improving production lines,” he added.

Al Ain Farms for Livestock Production has set a nationwide record in milk production.

Past achievements of Al Ain Farms — the first dairy farm established in the UAE — include obtaining 10,000 litres of milk in one year from a single cow.

Today the group owns 3000 milking cows.

Supplier newsFebruary 2010


Getting a handle on bacteria

Top Asian F&B fair predictsa record-breaking turnout

An antibacterial door handle developed by combi-oven manu-facture Convotherm has earned an environmental award.

The Hygienic Handle, which has been equipped by Convo-therm on its +3 Combi Steamers, was recognised at the Seatrade Insider Cruise Award 2009 in the Environmental Initiative Award category, at a shipping trade fair in Hamburg last year.

The awards were launched to honour innovation within the shipping industry — a market in which the antibacterial door handle has made a splash.

Made from an innovative plastic material with embedded silver ions, the handle is said to be “medically and ecologi-

cally harmless”. The innovative appliance ensures germs or microbes cannot transfer from the door handle onto containers or plates, providing a hygienic answer to one of health and safety’s biggest issues.

One of Asia’s largest F&B exhibi-tions will record its largest visitor figures yet when it returns in April, according to organisers.

Food and Hotel Asia (FHA), on from April 20-23 in Singapore,

is expected to attract more than 2800 exhibitors from 70 countries.

Singapore Exhibition Services FHA project director Ting Siew Mui said: “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.”

FHA 2010 will feature a range of culinary competitions including the Asian Pastry Cup, the Asia Barista Championship and the FHA Culinary Challenge.

New for 2010 is the Hospitality Operations and Design Confer-ence, focusing on operational issues in professional kitchens.

Convotherm’s Hygienic Handle was recognised for its eco-friendly efforts.

Last year’s FHA was a big hit; but will this year’s visitor fi gures beat it?

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Supplier focusFresh Express

Vouyoukas claims that when other sup-pliers mimic the firm’s business practices, it actually serves as a compliment to the company — a sentiment echoed by Fresh Express food department sales manager Ali Serhal.

“We are proud to be the pioneers in de-veloping the fresh food industry by always being creative in terms of new products and customer satisfaction,” declares Serhal. “Our main objective is to always

bring added value to what we are delivering and keep the standards of quality and freshness in the UAE market as high as possible.”

The company is divided into three sectors — the hotel division, the retail division, and the restaurant and coffee shop division — and today

the family-run business, led by Vouyoukas’s father and managing director Costas Bouy-oukas, is looking at a bright future.

The firm’s biggest segment, the hotel

As food and beverage ingredients supplier Fresh Express gets set for another year of growth, Ben Watts finds out how the firm continues to meet the demands of the region’s chefs

With a workforce of 130 and a network that stretches across the Arabian Gulf, food and beverage supplier Fresh Express has seen off a tough 2009 and is looking forward to positive growth in 2010.

The UAE-based firm supplies kitchens and hotels with a range of fresh ingredients from more than 54 destinations worldwide. According to business development director John Vouyoukas, Fresh Express is now look-ing to expand its sales and logistic depart-ments over the coming year, as it continues to bring the region’s chefs some of the best produce from across the globe.

“We represent massive companies from Europe, and big names from the US and Australia — all firms we have represented for a long time,” says Vouyoukas. “Many new companies come to the UAE and copy us on a daily basis; we are much older then these firms and it seems whatever Fresh Express does, in a week it is copied elsewhere.”

Ensuring Express delivery

Fresh Express business

development director

John Vouyoukas.

division, represents 54% of its total sales and despite a slight drop in demand from individual hotels in 2009, Fresh Express actually experienced a 2% increase overall on its 2008 sales.

“We lost a bit of the growth, but not a drop in sales,” confirms Vouyoukas. “But with more tourists coming to the UAE we will definitely benefit.”

According to Vouyoukas, the rapidly-increasing number of hotels in the UAE can only mean one thing — further opportuni-ties for growth.

“We noticed a slight drop in 2009, but we hear from the major airlines that they will be launching a lot of new routes this year and as a result we’re expecting a lot of tour-ism to come into the UAE,” he comments.

On the basis of such positive reports, Fresh Express is gearing up for a busy year.

“Major people in the industry, including F&B managers, chefs and hotel manag-ers, are predicting this year will be a busy one,” Vouyoukas continues.

“We speak to these decision-makers to get a forecast on the year ahead, an idea of what’s going on and what their occupancies are, so we

“The business landscape hasnow changed signi� cantly”

The Fresh Express team: dedicated to meeting their clients’ demands.

Supplier focusFresh Express

Caterer Middle East February 2010 www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b

know exactly how we should be planning and proceeding over the next few months.”

Two sectors within the food industry that are performing well, according to the firm, are dairy and organic.

“The organic sector has received a lot of demand lately, as a lot of people nowadays are starting to consider the benefits of healthy products,” Vouyoukas points out.

“We directly purchase organic products from producers in Europe; we are importing these products from France, Holland, the UK and Italy, including a lot of vegetables and some seafood as well.”

The firm has also recently expanded its dairy offering, in response to the growing demand from UAE-based European chefs requesting cheeses from their homelands.

“It’s a key sector that is really looking good and we’re going to have a lot of new products in our dairy range, because of the differ-ent nationalities in the UAE,” explains Vouyoukas.

“If a chef turns up from Spain, or from France, they might want a cheese from their own country. To make sure all our customers are happy we ensure we have a range covering the major cheese produc-ers from across the world.”

Seafood also represents a large portion of Fresh Express’s busi-ness. “We are very well known as a major seafood supplier in the UAE,” states Vouyoukas.

“We were the first established seafood company in the Emirates — that was where we began.

“From there we started to expand, because of our relationship with chefs who began asking for vegetables, herbs, dairy, poultry and some dry products. Today we also have a beverage department, which covers a wide range of items.

“It’s a very complicated operation we now have,” says food sales manager Serhal. “But until midnight we are busy; if a chef calls at 10pm in the evening, we will open the warehouse and deliver the order immediately.”

As Vouyoukas points out, the very name Fresh Express “really sums up what we are all about”.

“When we take an order from a client we have absolutely no time to waste,” he asserts. “From receiving an order to making a delivery, it sometimes takes less than 36 hours, even if the product is being shipped from another part of the world.

“Everyone in the company has their responsibilities and we help each other in ensur-ing the client receives what they want,” he concludes.

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The family-run firm’s

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®

VISIT US AT GULFOOD 10 BETWEEN THE 21ST AND 24TH OF FEBRUARY 2010 ZABEEL HALL / STAND Z - F92, DWTC, DUBAI

F&B essentials Cleaning

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b74 Caterer Middle East February 2010

F&B operators spend less on products thanks to innovative new cleaning solutions

Operations cut back on cleaning costs

The F&B industry in the Middle East is spending less on sanitary items, claimed one of the re-gion’s top cleaning suppliers.

Yasmin Dabbah, Rubbermaid Commercial Products area sales manager — emerging cluster EMEA, said that outlets across the Middle East had been re-cently been demonstrating more economical ways of cleaning.

“The hospitality sector in general has not been buying many new products over the past year,” noted Dabbah.

“It has however shown that more economical solutions are lately preferred.”

In spite of this, Dabbah said signs indicated the quality of purchasing “was certainly

increasing” and that “aware-ness in safety, sustainability and compliance in various legisla-tions is improving”.

“Clean kitchens are essential

The industry is embracing more economical ways of keeping things clean.

JohnsonDiversey is a multinational company with more than 70 years experience within professional markets.

The fi rm has a well-established set up in the UAE, and its service solutions include food safety, general cleaning, disinfection, fl oor care and green cleaning.

The company also offers a full service for the food-handling sector, fast-service restaurants and aircraft caterers.

This month’s supplier to know: JohnsonDiversey

Tel: +971 4 881 9470Email: [email protected]: www.johnsondiversey.com JohnsonDiversey marketing manager Mark Robitzkat.

in the Middle East, especially in newly-developed cities such as Dubai,” she added.

“Standards tend to follow the same or higher level of

HACCP practices in kitchens, since many of the executive chefs and F&B mangers are from locations around the world and bring the same prac-tices they have learned from other regions.”

Dabbah added that innovative cleaning solutions were continu-ing to be implemented across the reigon’s outlets, pointing to prod-ucts such as Rubbermaid’s own Pulse Floor cleaning system.

“Now cleaning teams can clean floors at least 50% faster, easier and more efficiently — without mixing a bucket and chemicals,” said Dabbah, who added that the Pulse Floor mop required no bucket and left behind no mess.


Flo-Pac

OXI dishwashing liquid

The durable yellow Flo-Pac mop bucket, from Carlisle, is available through UAE-based supplier Everstyle Trading.

The bucket comes with a wrangler and is created using special corrosion-resistant moulded polyethylene.

Everstyle Trading LLC Tel: + 971 6 531 4106Fax: +971 6 531 4460Email: [email protected]: www.everstyleuae.com

OXI dishwashing liquid, available from Arma Group, is formulated for safe usage and has a unique ingredient combination that can cuts through tough grease. It is gentle on the hands and available in lemon, fruit, or apple varieties.

Arma GroupTel: +20 2 418 4040 Fax: +20 2 415 5973Email: [email protected]: www.arma.com.eg


+SPEED

Alto-ShaamDQFMThe SmartClean system from Alto-Shaam is a hands-free, efficient auto-matic cleaning system for Combitherm cooking units.

It uses scrubbing jets of water to clean units in one simple operation.

Alto-ShaamTel: +1 262 251 3800Fax: +1 262 251 1907Email: [email protected]: www.alto-shaam.com

DQFM is a powerful dosing programme designed to increase an operation’s productivity and make life easier for staff. The innovative dis-pensing platform ensures safe and accurate dosing and optimal cost-in-use.

JohnsonDiverseyTel: +971 4 345 2636Fax: +971 4 345 3132Email: [email protected]: www.johnsondiversey.com

HygenRubbermaid’s Hygen system consists of 100% premium quality split microfiber, which traps and holds 95% of micro-organisms. The items in the range are bleach tolerant and can withstand up to 200 launderings with bleach.

Rubbermaid Commercial ProductsTel: +971 4 292 3411Email: [email protected]: www.rubbermaid.eu

“a cut above the rest”Whether you like your meat melt-off-the-bone tender, or simply flavorsome,

Country Hill International has a perfect cut of Succulent Wagyu Beef, Juicy Grain-Fed Beef, Flavorsome Grass-Fed Beef or Tender Lamb

that could fit any type of menu or occasion.

P.O.Box: 25689 | Dubai-UAE | Tel: +971 4 3470200 | Fax: +971 4 3470700Email: [email protected] Website: www.countryhill.ae

SupplierProduct showcase


Caterer Middle East showcases the best and brightest F&B products to hit the market

New products

TantalizersThe Tantalizers appetiser range from sup-plier Lamb Weston has been extended. The range now features cream cheese peppadew and chilli cheese bites, and is available in the UAE through Horeca Trade.

Lamb WestonTel: + 31 113 394 955 Web: www.lambweston.com

MeadowsMeadows from Villeroy & Boch is a cutlery collection with horn-look handles.

Brown, cream and beige colours are injected during production, giving each of the handles a completely original look and elegant style.

Villeroy & Boch Middle EastTel: + 47 51 68 35 38Tel: +971 4 364 2613Email: [email protected]

SpinThis new addition to German manufacture Zeiher’s range, named Spin, has an attractive design and is available in the UAE through distributor King Stores — Hospitality.

Zieher KGTel: +49 9273 9273 0Email: [email protected]: www.zieher.com

Valentine’s Day selectionSwiss chocolate specialist Sprüngli is offering a selection of

boxed delicacies for Valentine’s Day. The specially-designed, hand-crafted chocolates can be personalised to a customer’s specifications, with either an individual or outlet’s name on the

product. The chocolates are freshly produced daily and flown in directly from Switzerland.

Sprüngli Middle East Tel: + 971 4 220 0704 Email: [email protected] Web: www.sprungli.com



This medium duty combi-microwave oven is said to be able reduce cook-ing time by up to 50% according to supplier Valera. Combining grill and microwave functions, the stainless steel unit is suited for roasting, bak-ing and grilling and can hold up to 32 litres.

Valera Tel: +44 845 270 4321Web: www.valera.co.uk

Original Candy CompanyXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTel: +49 176 17 61 72 52Email: [email protected] Web: www.convotherm.com

Whirlpool AVM 840

Schaerer Coffee Vito Great coffee - small machineDiscover the latest innovation from Schaerer for coffee connoisseurs: the Schaerer Coffee Vito. This multi-talented model is extremely compact, reliable and versatile, and still allows you to prepare all your favourite coffee and chocolate beverages. The Vito is designed to satisfy even the most demanding requirements of small to medium-sized restau-rants, cafés and offices in a most impressive style.

www.schaerer.com

THE NEW COFFEE VITO AT GULFOOD 2010

HALL 2 | BOOTH C2-28

SWISS MADE

www.schaerer.com

Sakura! Sakura! Tea

Rebbit

New for spring, Sakura! Sakura! Tea joins TWG Tea’s Haute Couture tea collection, evoking the spirit of Japan’s most celebrated season.

Sakura! Sakura! Tea sees the finest quality green tea leaves and a scattering of cherry blossom combined to produce a bouquet of blooms to celebrate the arrival of spring.

TWG Tea Tel: +65 6733 7997Email: [email protected]

The Rebbit range from Detpak has the same ap-pearance as existing product counterparts, but come with the benefit of being completely compostable. The range consists of Ripple-Wrap hot cups, retail bags, sandwich wedges and bakery bags.

Al Majal CompanyTel: +971 4 337 5135 Fax: +971 4 337 6120Email: [email protected]

Plastic PalletsThese plastic pallets are moulded into one tough piece without any seams, welds or joints, and are easy to clean and maintain. They have been injected with rigid polypropylene and are suitable for use in the F&B industry.

RePall Tel: +966 2 6358 333 Fax: +966 2 6358 222 Email: [email protected]



CremositoCremosito is a new cold drink based on milk and prepared in a Granita machine, which gives the beverage a smooth, soft and creamy texture.

It is available in six flavours: cappuccino, hazel-nut, yoghurt, chocolate, almond and ginseng.

Natfood Foodstuff TradingTel: +971 4 391 5509Fax: +971 4 391 8791Email: [email protected]: www.natfood.it

VITO Oil Filter SystemVITO 50 and 80 Oil Filter Systems are tank oil filtration systems from Germany, which feature a patented pressure micro-filtration technol-ogy. The machine is designed to save kitchens 30-50% of frying oil, reduce costs, save labour time and help produce healthier foods.

Fujiyama TradingTel: +971 50 902 1636 Fax: +971 4 222 8968Email: [email protected]: www.systemfiltration.com

Distributors & supplies directory

DistributorsDistributors

SuppliersSuppliers

ABC BakingTel: 009714 885 3788Email: [email protected]

Alokozay Distributors Tel: 971 4 8871155 Email: [email protected]

AramtecTel: 971 (4) 3390444Email: [email protected]

BEVERAGES

BoncafeTel: +971 4 2828742Email: [email protected]

Coffee PlanetTel: +971 4 341 5537Email: [email protected]

FrankeTel: +41 6 2787 3607www.franke-cs.com

LavazzaTel: +971 50 5959385Fax: +971 4 3211274Email: [email protected]

MoninTel: +971 50 940 0918Email: [email protected]

Nestlé ProfessionalTel: +971 4 408 8100Email: [email protected]

SchaererTel: +41 318 585111Email: [email protected]

COOKING

ConvothermTel: +49 884 7670Email: [email protected]

MKNTel: +49 5 3 318 9207Email: [email protected]

Baqer MohebiTel: +971 4 396 9777Email: [email protected](Marketing & distribution of food & non food FMCG, food ingredients & Cuban Cigars)

Country Hill InternationalTel: +971 4 347 0200Email: [email protected]

Emf Emirates Tel: +971 4 2861166 Fax: +971 4 2863080 Email: [email protected]

Fresh Express LLCTel: +971 4 3395354Email: [email protected]

Horeca Trade LlcTel: +971 4 3403330Email: [email protected]

La MarquiseTel: +971 4 343 3478Email: [email protected]

MH EnterprisesTel: +971 4 3470 444 Fax: +971 4 3470 972Email: [email protected]

Shura TradingTel: +971 2 6730 565 Email: [email protected]

TSSCTel: +971 4 343 1100Email: [email protected](Catering/kitchen equipment, chocolate/coffee equipment, FMCG, refrigeration)

Mohamed Hareb Al OtaibaTel: +971 4 3414900Email: [email protected]

FOODSTUFF

Al DiyafaTel: 009714 369 2888Email: [email protected]

Bakemart LlcTel: +971 4 2675406Email: [email protected]

Boiron FreresTel: +33 (0)4 75 47 87 00Email: [email protected]://www.boironfreres.com

CSM Deutschland GmbHTel: +49 421 3502 387Email: [email protected]

Giles & PosnerTel: +44 1923 234040Fax: +44 1923 245151 Email: [email protected]

LambwestonTel: +971 50 6447837Email: [email protected]

Nestlé ProfessionalTel: +971 4 408 8100Email: [email protected]

PritchittsTel: 02082907020Email: [email protected]

Tulsidas LalchandTel: +971 4 3533736 Email: [email protected]

HYGIENE

Fujiyama Trading LLCTel: +971 4 2228810Email: [email protected]

Johnson Diversey Gulf FzeTel: +971 4 881 9470www.johnsondiversey.com

MGK/TemptrakTel: 009714 [email protected].

Newell RubbermaidTel: +971 4 292 3444Email: [email protected]

RESTAURANT/HOTEL SUPPLIES

Airstar Space LightingTel: +971 4 8854906Email: [email protected]

Baking Technologies Tel: +971 4 885 7557Email: [email protected]

Churchill China Tel: +44 1782 524371Email: [email protected]

www.churchillchina.com

Dalebrook Supplies LtdTel: 0044 1376 510101Email: [email protected]://www.dalebrookonline.com

Duni ABTel: +46 40 10 62 00Fax: +46 40 39 66 30Email: [email protected]

JSD ProductsTel: +44 1727 841111Email: [email protected] www.jsdproducts.co.uk

ProcurioTel: 009714 334 1040Email: [email protected]

Royal HostTel: +966 2 2522289Email: [email protected]

Villeroy and BochTel: +352 46821208Email: [email protected]

CATERING EQUIPMENT

Electrolux ProfessionalTel: +39 0434380304Email: [email protected]

Koma Middle EastTel: 9714 887 3334Email: [email protected]

Robot CoupeTel: 0033 143 988833Email: [email protected]

KNIVES

DickTel: +49 7 153 8170Email: [email protected]

Victorinox AGTel: +41 41 818 12 64Email: [email protected] www.victorinox.com

AppointmentsFebruary 2010


MatthewMiles has been appointed head chef of Anise restaurant at InterConti-nental Dubai

Festival City. Miles trained at the Regency Hotel School in Australia, and rose through the ranks from chef de partie to sous chef in restaurants in Sydney. From 2005 to 2007, the restaurants Miles worked in each earned two or three Chef Hats awards — a top honour in the Australian culinary scene. Miles moved to Dubai in 2007 working at various restaurants as a chef de cuisine, before tak-ing on the Anise role where he will lead a team of 34 chefs.

W Doha Hotel and Residences has appointed Sherzad Joseph as its new chef de partie. Joseph

has experience in working in large banquet settings and fine-dining restaurants, and has trained kitchen staff in Arabic cuisine.

He has a degree from Syria’s Intermediate Institute of Hotels and holds an As-sistant Licenser in Hoteliers’ Science with a culinary spe-cialisation. Joseph has also worked across the wider gulf region and brings to the role experience from outlets in Ethiopia, Syria and Lebanon.

Swiss-national FlemmingSchulthess has joined the team at Dusit Thani Dubai as its new executive

chef. Schulthess who has lived and worked in Thailand for the past nine years leaves his role as executive chef at Dusit Thani Pattaya to take on the new challenge. Having worked in many international hotels and Michelin-star restau-rants across Europe and Asia, Schulthess is a veteran on the global F&B scene. He has also judged at many international culinary competitions.

Recent appointments...

What are do you hope to bring to the new role at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club? Ultimately I would like to bring a fresh approach to how golf clubs are viewed as food and beverage destinations. Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will make the other clubs stand up and take notice!

What inspired you to work in the F&B industry? My family is where it all started; my grandfather owned a hotel in my home-land so it has always been in my blood. Plus this industry has been a great av-enue for indulging my love of food and the creativity that comes with that.

How do F&B concepts at a golf club differ to those at hotels and stand-alone outlets?

Golf clubs are normally largely mem-bership-orientated venues where food and beverage often takes a back seat. The team at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, however, views the F&B department as equally important, which is very refreshing. This support has enabled us to put together an F&B concept that will compete with, and in many cases surpass, most hotel dining experiences without losing the feel of the club and its values.

Will you be intro-ducing any new F&B concepts to the property? Yes, of course — however you will have to visit us to find these out!

What do you make of Abu Dhabi’s F&B scene and what will it take for the emirate to become a global F&B hub?Abu Dhabi has a very exciting and vi-brant food and beverage culture, which will obviously grow as Abu Dhabi continues to grow.

The quality and range on offer in Abu Dhabi is incredible; there is just an amazing variety of cuisines and desti-nations on offer, and it is already well

on the way to becoming recognised as a truly international food and bever-age destination.

What is the strangest request you have ever received from a

restaurant guest? Over the years there have been

many, from peanut butter and foie gras, to Guinness topped

with black pepper and oys-ters. But food and drink should be enjoyed — so if you like something, no

matter how unusual it may be, then I say bon appétit!

John Gunn, director of food and beverage at SaadiyatBeach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, talks to Caterer Middle East about his new role at the capital emirate’s latestluxury golf course, and the dining facilities it offers

Franke Coffee Systems has undergone a change in leadership and appointed Marc Aeschlimann

as chief executive officer. Aeschlimann joined the Franke Group in 2002 as head of the logistics unit at Franke Food-service Systems Europe, then took over as head of Franke Foodservice Systems Asia. A graduate of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich with a degree in electrical engineering, Aeschlimann also holds an MBA from the Uni-versity of Southern California.

Dates for the diaryCalendar

February 2-4London Seafood ExpoLondon, UKA key event for buyers and sellers

of seafood and related products

www.londonseafoodexpo.com

February 3-4Fastfood and CaféMalmö, SwedenFocusing on trends and

concepts for the fast food

and coffee shop market

www.easyfairs.com

February 3-5Fruit LogisticaBerlin, GermanyFruit and vegetable exhibition

www1.messe-berlin.de

February 10-13Anfa� Food ProductAntalya, Turkey Mediterranean food and

beverage exhibition

www.anfasfoodproduct.com

February 17-20BioFach 2010Nuremberg, GermanyOrganic products and ingredients

www.biofach.de

February 19-21Natural and Organic Products ExhibitionCape Town, South AfricaNatural and organic trade

show focusing on sustainable

technologies, services, information

and practical advice

www.naturalandorganic.co.za

February 21-24GulfoodDubai, UAEThe Middle East’s premier F&B

exhibition returns once again

www.gulfood.com

February 21-24Ingredients Middle EastDubai, UAERenowned raw materials and

ingredients trade show held

alongside Gulfood

www.ingredientsme.com

February 21-24Foodapest

Budapest, HungaryF&B exhibition incorporating

bakery, dairy, frozen food, hotel

equipment and organic sectors

www.foodapest.hu

February 21-24Sapore Rimini, ItalyBeverage, food and seafood

industry show for the

HORECA sector

http://en.saporerimini.it

February 28 - March 4HotelympiaLondon, UKLeading British hospitality

trade fair

www.hotelympia.com

DATES FOR THE DIARY... February 2010

www.sialme.com

www.ipa-me.com

The region’s new and exciting addition to your calendar of professional events

Supported by Part of

Contact us to secure your 25% Welcome Discount when booking before 26th March 2010. Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

22-24 November 2010 Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S

Last biteInterview


Last month Caterer Middle East caught up with international icon of fine-dining Indian cuisine Vineet Bhatia — the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star — at his Dubai-based outlet Indego at Grosvenor House Dubai to talk spice, books and Michelin ratings

Indian food and with many expats being British, they love it too. We’ve had a very good reaction at our outlet in Saudi Arabia as well, but they are generally very conser-vative and we had to trim back our innova-tion there. I think we have to cater for the ego of our guests and not for ourselves, and we have to tailor-make each project to suit the local market.

Do you have any plans to open more outlets in this region? We have the restaurant we opened last year in Saudi Arabia, at the Mövenpick Hotel Al Khobar, which is doing quite well. More recently we opened in Doha, Qatar. In May we are opening up in Libya, which is a growing market. In some ways we like to think we are mavericks — after all, when we opened up in Dubai none of the five-star hotels had a fine din-ing Indian restaurant.

Do you think the Michelin Guide over-looks Indian Cuisine?It used to and it used to overlook Indian aspects of cooking. But being the first Indian restaurant in London to have

been awarded a Michelin star, and also to be the first Indian chef in mainland Europe to receive a star in Geneva last December, it would not fair for me to say we don’t consider it important.

But they could probably award it to more Indian restaurants; I think eventually we’ll see more awarded Michelin stars.

There are already four Indian outlets in London and one in Geneva with a star, but I think the big change will come in eight or nine years time.

What inspired you to take up a culinary career? I got into cooking by mistake. I wanted to be a pilot, but I couldn’t be, so I went to hotel school. I then wanted to be a barman and work on the service side, but I was put into the kitchen by mistake and I’ve loved it ever since that day.

The whole idea of walking into a kitchen in India was very different back then and it’s still a very labori-ous job, but it was not thought of as a decent profession in India; many people would simply discard it. When I first walked into the kitchen it really

changed my perception of food.

What’s your favourite authen-tic Indian dish?

Lamb Rogan Josh; it brings back memories of my

childhood. My mother used to make it on a Sun-day and it was tradition, like a British roast din-ner. As a chef I’ve tried to replicate these flavours, but it’s very difficult!

You’ve been credited with chang-ing the West’s perception of Indian cuisine. How successful has this trend been?When we first started back in 1993 this was something that drove me. It took us a couple of years to start implementing what we wanted to and initially it was a very slow. But now, with people travelling a lot more, I believe they understand what good food is.

When I came to Dubai five years ago, we were quite conservative in our approach, but people said we were very modern. Five years on it has now definitely been accepted that Indian food can be ‘fine dining’.

You have a new book out; what’s the concept behind it and why would it appeal to a Middle East audience?It took me a year and a half to write and is based on traditional cookery, but right from the basics. It gives the reader elements of Indian cuisine’s foundations and details how you can grow from there to achieve the goal of cooking really fine cuisine. Basically it’s a journey through Indian food. It’s a book for anybody who enjoys cooking and has a passion for food.

People in this region, especially in Dubai, are quite adventurous and we’ve noticed a whole shift in people dining out and trying different things. They are really into food now and it’s really catching up with Europe. The book has fantastic images too, so there are also a lot of things to look at and admire.

How popular is Indian cuisine in the Middle East?I’ve always said that Arab nationals love

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Documents

Caterer Middle East - Feb 2010