Gennaro Draisci cv portfolio compressed

CVGennaro Draisci

Address: 25 Lidyard Road London N19 5NR Mobile: 0044 (0)758 216 6223 E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.gennarodraisci.com Interests: music, art, travelling, sport

About me:

I have a very good eye for detail, great organisational skills and I work hard, especially under the pressure of tight deadlines. Over the years, the speed and accuracy of my work has been fundamental in ensuring deadlines are met and schedules maintained. Despite these time pressures, I have always managed to keep the quality of my design at its best.

Always very open and enthusiastic about learning new things, I have a positive attitude working in a team and collaborating. I love what I do and am looking to challenge and extend my knowledge in design, creativity is something I have always been into. It is a way of life rather than a job. I am creative in everything I do.

WORK EXPERIENCES

Progressive Digital Media (London) from 2010 - present

working on the following magazines:

�� Eat-out (Art Director) �� CFOAgenda (Art Director) online magazine �� Blueprint, Computer Business Review, CEO, Cost Sector, Defence and Security System International, Finance Director

Europe, FMX, Future Airport, Future Banking, Gas Technolgy Review, Hotel Management International, Ingredients Insight, Leaf Review, Lunch Business, Medical Device Development, Medical Imaging Technology, Modern Power System, Packaging and Converting Intelligence, Urban Transport Agenda, World Cruise Review, World Expro, World Pharmaceutical Frontiers, World Wind Technolgy (Designer)

and working on adverts, brochures, business cards, conferences and forums’ signage

2010

�� Logo design for OasisEcoResort (Goa, India)�� Logo design for Accademia Apulia UK (London)�� Website development and graphic design for www.nickbaylisphotography.com (London) �� Website development and graphic design for www.oasisecoresort.com (Goa, India) �� Website development and graphic design for www.gliamicidiclaudia.it (Italy) �� Mulberry website’s photos retouching for Red Camera Studio Ltd (London)�� Designer for Destination guides for Elite Traveler Magazine

2009

�� Cover graphic illustration for the book “The human upgrade” by Naomy Sesay (London) (on sale in Europe and USA)

�� Cover graphic illustration for the book “Sull’ onda dei ricordi...” by Pina Tartaglia (Italy)�� Logo design for Perfect Pitch Communications Ltd (UK)�� Shortlisted (20 out of more than 10000) in Concurio Logo competition �� 14th place in Mini- Space Rover 50 years competition (more than 7000 partecipants)�� Web site development and graphic design for www.carlodraisci.com (London) �� Web site development and graphic design for www.thehumanupgrade.com (London) �� Web site development and graphic design for www.laverah.com (South-Africa) �� Mulberry website photos retouching for Red Camera Studio Ltd (London)

2008

�� Collaboration with AlbertAndMildredStudio (London) for “Ito” (London) restaurant logo graphic design�� Mulberry catalogue photos retouching for Red Camera Studio Ltd (London)�� Web site development and design restyling of www.draisci.com (London) �� Web site development and graphic design for www.studiosixty6.com (London) �� Web site development and graphic design for www.redcamerastudio.com (London) �� Web site development and graphic design for www.joejamato.com (London) �� Web site development and graphic design for www.robertasardara.it (Italy)�� Web site development and graphic design for www.droitdaffaire.it (Italy)

Gennaro Draisci - Graphic designer

2007

�� Logo design for TWM (London) (Tecno-House band) �� Logo design for PULL-UP (Italy)(Music management agency) �� Logo design for dj Joe Jamato (London) (Dj and producer) �� Cover graphic illustration for the book “Rime familiari” by Pina Tartaglia (Italy)�� Junior flash developer and graphic designer for Saltech Srl (Italy) �� Web development and graphic design for www.multimarketonline.com (Italy)

2006

�� Web development for www.ladivinacommedia.eu (Italy)�� Collaboration for web graphic design for web site www.robbaciotta.eu (Italy)�� Collaboration for web graphic design for web site www.allset.it (Italy)

EDUCATION

2007 � 2d and 3d graphic’s course at Diffusione Informatica Srl (Italy) with final degree result 30/30

(Illustrator, Photoshop, Flash, Quark Express, Indesign)

� Graphic design degree with 110/110 vote at University of Urbino (Italy)

INFORMATIC LANGUAGES

� Action Script � Html/Css

SOFTWARES AND TECHNOLOGIES

� Adobe Indesign � Adobe Illustrator � Adobe Photoshop � Flash � Dreamweaver � Image Ready � Quark Express � Microsoft Office � Microsoft Excel � Microsoft PowerPoint

SPOKEN LANGUAGES

� Italian (mother tongue) � English (fluent)

Interests:

PortfolioGennaro Draisci

Portfolio

Mobile: 0044 (0)758 216 6223 E-mail: [email protected]

Eat-out magazine awards TWM - House band

DJ Joe Jamato

Eat-out magazine Top 20 awards Pull-up - Music management company

Concurio Finnish Software development Eco resort in India

Perfect Pitch Communication ltd

Logos

Portfolio


Portfolio


www.cbronline.comFebruary 2012UK £20 Europe €40 US & Canada $36 Rest of world $40

Hacktivism on the rise IT-business alignmentThe 4G conundrum

Socially irresponsible?Why larger firms may be snubbing social media at their peril

CBR0212_Cover.indd 1 24/02/2012 13:52

Computer Business Review

futureairportI n v e s t i n g i n t h e f u t u r e o f a i r p o r t s Issue 2 2012 • £25 €47.50 $58

ATC | Airport design & construction | Market intelligence

Ground handling | Day in the life | Passenger handling | Future Routes

www.futureairport.com | www.airport-technology.com

Eurocontrol calls for improved

ATM integration

Safety signal

FAI028_Cover_Final.indd 1 31/08/2012 11:51

Future Airport Future Banking

Magazine covers

Practical Patient Care

patient carewww.practical-patient-care.com Issue 13 2014 • £26.99 €41.99 $55.99

Professor Nicholas Finer on banding together to tackle obesity and type 2 diabetes

practical

Food for thought

Packaging & Converting Intelligence

AUTUMN 2011

The missing inkThe threat of migration

from recycled packaging

SuSTainabiliTy | paper & board | pharmaceuTicalS | maTerialSinkS, prinTing & prepreSS | food & beverage | coSmeTicS/perfume

PCI030_Cover_FINAL.indd 1 10/10/2011 10:19

Portfolio


Eat-out

In November, The Daily Mirror claimed

to have uncovered a scam in which

restaurants were hiring foreign chefs on

self-employed contracts to avoid paying

national insurance, holiday pay or sick pay.

Chains Loch Fyne and Brasserie Blanc were

reported to be using chefs from Romania and

Bulgaria, who are allowed to work in the UK

if they are self-employed; but the tabloid's

angle was that in fact the workers were

working as employees, without the hallmarks

of self-employment: being able to decide on

working hours, sending a colleague in their

place if they are unable to work, for example.

Two Mirror journalists contacted the

agency as job seekers, and were told that

although they must refer to themselves as

self-employed, they would not be able to

choose the hours or days that they worked,

or quibble with the working conditions. The

newspaper recently followed up the story

with an account of a Romanian chef who had

been dismissed from Loch Fyne with "three

week's notice and no redundancy pay" after

working 80 hours a week for two years,

because she was classed as self-employed.

The agency that reportedly supplied the

chefs has now lost its Gangmasters Licensing

Authority (GLA) licence because evidence

the GLA had gathered from interviews with

workers and clients indicated that the workers

it supplied were not genuinely self-employed.

Loch Fyne MD Liz Williams says she did

inherit a workforce that included self-employed

chefs, but the company has now stopped

using contractors. “I came to Loch Fyne in

June last year and found many Romanian and

Bulgarian chefs still being used in the kitchens

on a self-employed basis. They had been taken

on at a time when the group was rapidly

expanding and, because of pockets of skills

shortages, struggling to recruit chefs locally.

“I wanted to employ these people directly

and so gave them six months to get their papers

in so that we could recruit them and put them

on the payroll,” she adds. “The deadline was

the end of February. Those who still hadn't

sorted their paperwork were told that they

could return at a future date with the correct

papers and we would re-employ them.”

Although they are EU nationals (Romania

and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007), they don't

have the same rights to work as individuals

from the A8 countries who joined the EU in

2004, Poland or Slovakia for instance.

Many of the half a million or so Romanian

and Bulgarian (A2) nationals working in the

UK, do so on a BR1 certifi cation, or 'yellow

card', which they can only receive if they can

demonstrate that they are self-employed,

self-suffi cient or a student. After 12 months

of continuous lawful work with a yellow card

they can apply for residence under a ‘blue

card’, which allows them to work in the UK

without restrictions.

Some employers are unaware of the

restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians and

see them as Europeans who have full rights to

work. “Many who have obtained yellow cards

legal

New immigration restrictions are making it increasingly diffi cult to recruit non-EU staff on work permits and student visas, but employers face steep fi nes if they don't undertake proper checks on their European chefs. Emma Page reports

?Are your workers

eatout issue

may 2012 www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk22

EO0512_Issue.indd 22 04/05/2012 18:40

as self-employed workers are actually working

as employed persons via the back door. Some

are working without any papers or permits

at all,” explains Charles Kelly, editor of the

online advisory service Immigration Matters.

Other, more unscrupulous, employers

know what they are doing and choose

to exploit the illegal worker by paying

below minimum wage, usually cash in

hand. “There are thousands of restaurants

employing Romanians and Hungarians

illegally,” says Kelly. “They can pay them

as little as £3 an hour, and no holiday or

sick pay, but if the Home Office catches up

with them they face a fine of £10,000.

“A self employed yellow card is meant for

those who are genuinely running a business

providing services or goods or studying, not

working as a waiter or chef in a restaurant,”

he continues. “Employers cannot ‘employ’ a

chef or waiter on a self employed when that

person is clearly a full time employee.”

James Tait, an employment lawyer at

Browne Jacobson agrees: “If you have a chef

working certain dictated hours on certain days,

using your equipment and producing your

food, you simply cannot say that they're self-

employed. It's diffi cult to engage

chefs on a self-employed

basis because as long as

they are under direction

they are employed.

“One of the

hallmarks of self-

employment

is that you

can send a

replacement, but how many restaurant

operators would want a replacement turning

up? If you come under scrutiny it's going

to be very diffi cult to argue that any chef

working in a kitchen is not an employee.”

Liz Williams doesn't think so: “As all the

self-employed chefs in an area working for

Loch Fyne knew each other it was easy for

them to send in replacements if they wanted

to. Of course they worked under direction.

But that doesn't stop them being self-

employed. We were allowed to provide them

with a uniform and health and safety training

because they were representing our brand

and working on our premises.”

"You can call someone self-employed

but a court will look at the reality of your

relationship," adds McGrath lawyer Nick Stott.

The Supreme Court’s Autoclenz v Belcher ruling

last year confi rmed that 20 car valeters were

actually employees, and not self-employed, as

their written contracts suggested. “Not only

were they subject to control and direction

by staff; they had no control over their hours

or deductions made by Autoclenz from their

pay for the cost of insurance and materials.

Their contracts gave them the right to send a

substitute if unable to work, but in reality they

had to book time off. The Supreme Court's

decision here was unusual for a labour case

in that it went beyond the facts of the

contract and scrutinised the reality.”

Some employers are unaware of the restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians and see them as Europeans who have full rights to work.

The study route

Romanian and Bulgarians who study

vocational or sandwich-type courses, such

as QCF (the Qualifi cations and Credit

Framework, which replaced NVQ’s this year)

are allowed to work full time. Provided they

stick to the course and work legally for 12

months, they'll be granted a blue card.

Loch Fyne has been able to transfer a handful

of its self-employed chefs to payroll by employing

them under apprenticeships. “Our apprentice

scheme fulfi ls the educational requirement of

a yellow card so they are allowed to work for

us directly,” explains Williams. “But the transfer

was problematic. We were relying on the

agency to support and advise these chefs on the

application process because we had to be careful

not to overstep the mark. Demonstrating any

commitment to them, even at an advisory level,

could be seen as a hallmark of an employer -

employee relationship.

“We still fi nd skills shortages in some areas

but we would rather pay relocation costs than

use agency chefs now. We genuinely wanted to

move to local recruitment but there's a loophole

in the system in which individuals are working

hard without any basic rights and nobody's

breaking the law.”

James Tait warns: “The danger is to let people

work for you without undertaking proper checks.

Not only could you run into problems with the

Home Offi ce, and a £10,000 fi ne, but there are

further

penalties

under the Agency

Workers Regulations

(AWR), which could

mean you end up at an

employment tribunal.

Apart from immigration rules

there are tax implications for self

employed people.The AWR gives all

agency workers the entitlement to the

same basic employment and working

conditions as if they had been recruited directly. If

and when agency workers complete a qualifying

period of 12 weeks in the same job which means

they will receive the same salary, holidays and

other benefi ts as permanent staff. Charles Kelly

agrees. “Go to the UK Border Agency website

and check out the rules regarding anyone

working for you. And sort out your paperwork. If

you've made some effort to undertake proper

checks and can produce, copies of passports you

may pay a reduced fi ne.”

eatout issue

23www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk may 2012 23

EO0512_Issue.indd 23 04/05/2012 18:41

Eat-out

eatout trendtracker

Are restaurant and pub leaders feeling optimistic?It will be another tough year for Britain’s best pub and restaurant operators. But how optimistic are they feeling? The annual Peach Business Leaders’ Survey reveals the industry’s sentiment.

only 1 in 4 is pessimistic about the coming

12 months

think frequency of visits will decline

62% are fairly optimistic

10% are very optimistic

SIBA’s membership has grown from

Local Brewers: Thriving today, threatened tomorrowA decade of Government investment in local brewing has produced an industry that is thriving today, but whose future is threatened by punitive levels of beer taxation, claims the Local Beer Report 2012, published by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA).

25%

The number of employees in member breweries increased by 235 to

550 brewers

2/3of brewers invested in new premises and/or equipment to meet growing demand.

Around1/5answered positively to a new question about

building ‘green’ premises using bio-materials, energy conserving design

and heat-exchange systems.

Volume sales by SiBa members grew by 9.7% last year – compared to a -3.5% decline in the UK beer market overall.

of brewers made significant capital investment in 2011. 65%

Draught beer

makes up 82%

of SIBA brewers’

output and 97%

of this is

cask beer.

trendtracker

april 2012 www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk10

of brewers have had to increase brewing capacity, several of them more than twice.63%

65%

EO0412_TrendTracker_ex-Stats_1.indd 10 03/04/2012 14:59

eatout trendtracker

Food is the key for enduring pub tradeFood could be the key to improved business performance for pubs according to a recent survey by The Mystery Dining Company. This will come as good news for pubs that have already been tapping into consumer demand for quality informal dining options and looking towards pubs to deliver this.

9 out of 10

people also confirmed that they will check out the food menu in a pub even

if they are not intending to eat during their visit

choose a pub for just a drink

visit a pub at least once a week

Value for money remains the most important factor

for the customer

Expanding brands target shopping mallsRestaurant, café and quick service chains are increasingly looking to shopping malls as must-have locations as the UK’s latest malls become a showcase for established eating out concepts as well as the market’s emerging brands. Operators are attracted by the high volume of customers in malls, seven-day week opening, long opening hours and the captive market.

Byron, the gourmet burger brand, is the fastest growing concept of the past

months. 6

Westfield Stratford City features at least 15 emerging brands which are showing rapid growth in the UK including café and

bar concept; Balans, Bumpkin, Cabana, Caribbean Scene, Comptoir Libanais and frozen yogurt outlet Pinkberry.

Foodservice areas in malls typically include food courts, kiosk-style dining outlets, food markets as well as fast-casual dining and bar concepts aimed at the evening trade.

11www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk april 2012 11

of respondents believe that the customer service

in pubs has improved significantly in the past

five years

80% choose a pub for socialising with

friends

36% 31%

42%

EO0412_TrendTracker_ex-Stats_1.indd 11 03/04/2012 15:00

Magazine layouts

Portfolio


Aspire

Aspire The Clink

26

from the street in Cardiff.

Clink’s restaurant ambassador and FCSI administrator Vic Laws and the

Society’s chairman David Bentley were approached before the Cardiff launch

and asked if they could get support from members for the projects.

They have certainly done that and now are really enthusiastic about plans

for the future with a target of opening two Clinks each year over the next five

years, calling on continued valuable support from FCSI members.

In addition the Society is supplying management consultants to help train

prisoners, with Vic and fellow supporter Andrew Etherington spending three

to six days a month in this role.

“From the soaring success of the first Clink in Surrey where 30 inmates

are being trained, it soon became apparent that the project needed to be

expanded to train more prisoners,” said chief executive Chris Moore.

The FCSI is now assisting similar operations across the country, after the

Clink launch at HMP Cardiff - staffed by inmates from HMP Prescoed – The

FCSI Allied Members donated more than £100,000 of equipment.

“The Clink’s future projects are being assisted by FCSI members, in Brixton,

south London by Tony Galvin and Tim Dunn in Bronsfield, Ashford, Middlesex.

Overall the support for the Clink operations represents corporate social

responsibility being shown by FCSI members,” said David Bentley.

Crisci said that his original concept was that he wanted to give something

back and help people, and was amazed by the inmates’ talents. “It seemed

to me that it was such a waste these skills were not put to good use.”

The Clink Cymru opened in September 2012, with up to 96 diners enjoying

meals prepared and served by inmates, working full-time in the restaurant

and kitchen, before returning to their prisons at the end of the day.

The one difference between the two is that visiting dining members

of the public have to enter the prison in

Sutton, but can access the restaurant from the

street in Cardiff.

Who are the catering equipment companies supporting the Clink Cymru?Celltherm; CKM; Churchill China; Dawson; Environmental Product

Services; Espresso Service; European Water Treatment; Fireworks;

Gram; Halton; Hamilton Pollock; Hepburn Associates; Hubbard Ice;

Imperial; Linda Lewis Kitchens; Marco; Mechline; Meiko; MP Electrical;

MKN; RH Hall; ScoMac; Shelf Span; Standex; Trak; Hupfer; Williams

ASPIRE2012_Log 127 The Clink.indd 20 07/01/2013 13:33

27

The Clink Aspire

They are training towards gaining City and Guilds NVQ qualifications, and

on release the charity will help to find them employment in the catering and

hospitality industry.

As with the Surrey venture, it is all part of an initiative aiming to help

rehabilitate prisoners through front of house and chef training.

What paying customers may not realise is that the kitchen infrastructure

powering the menu on offer is testament to the generosity of the catering

equipment industry and the FCSI.

Given that The Clink operates as a charity, getting such a project off

the ground would have been considerably more difficult were it not for the

support of FCSI members, such as Duncan Hepburn.

As founder of Gloucester-based Hepburn Associates, Duncan designed

and project-managed the Cardiff kitchen, liaising with more than 20 different

brands, each contributing or subsidising specific pieces of equipment.

“We came up with the design and created a schedule of equipment stating

our need for under-counter refrigeration, a dishwasher, a couple of combis,

a cooking suite and various other items,” said Hepburn.

“We went to the market and the industry was really generous with offers of

equipment at cost and completely donated as well as other contributions.”

Initially Hepburn and Clink’s Chris Moore, visited the Welsh location, formerly

housing an off-site visitor centre. Despite early problems a series of concepts

was developed and after structural changes, work sprung into action

“It was agreed that The Clink needed a bit more seating space so we

added a small extension as well as external seating for customers wanting

somewhere separate or large groups,” said Hepburn.

Given the need to maximise space, with the kitchen confined to a tight

on-site footprint, Hepburn designed the layout around walls that couldn’t be

relocated, opening up one section for the main MKN cooking suite, one of

the main focus areas of the design.

“The suite has been cut around a column of the building that is in situ,

so it is not a set suite. It had to come in two pieces so that it could be

fitted,” said Hepburn.

“Equipment includes Standex new combination ovens, Gram and Williams

under-counter refrigeration units, and Halton Vent Master canopies - so

there is a nice mixture of technology. We are extremely grateful to those

contributing equipment or time.”


CSFG Aspire

19

The Clink Aspire

Revolution rolls onThe sTirring success of Clink restaurants in prisons wiTh a second opening in wales

lasT auTumn and a TargeT of 10 across The counTry by 2015, is being made possible parTly Through The goodwill of The foodservice equipmenT and consulTancy indusTry

25

he foresight of the Foodservice Consultants Society International

(FCSI), the premier association promoting professionalism in

foodservice and hospitality, has played a key role in the launch

of Clink restaurants in Her Majesty’s Prisons.

The revolutionary venture was founded on the successful concept of

operating restaurants run by low risk prison inmates, boosting their chances

of work and a career on release initially created by Alberto Crisci, MBE

Highdown’s catering manager.

The aim is to train them to develop employable skills of preparation,

cooking and front of house work and, hopefully, leading to the reduction of

reoffending rates. The Clink charity says that each project, with investment

of around £500,000, is “a positive influence” on rehabilitation.

The ‘coupe de grace’ came with the decision to open the eateries to

general members of the public who could see food created by prisoners and

then be served by them.

The first was launched at HMP High Down in Surrey in 2009 with a

commercial-grade kitchen, followed by a second in Cardiff, backed by

FCSI members giving their time, expertise and equipment.

The one difference between the two is that visiting dining members of

the public have to enter the prison in Sutton but can access the restaurant

t


Eat-out

eatout issue

june 2012 www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk22

Diners eating out are more likely to

choose a restaurant for its food and

the venue rather than taking their

social responsibilities seriously.

Mark Linehan of the Sustainable Restaurant

Association felt, however, that it was a

challenge for the larger restaurant and pub

chain operators to try to get the ‘green

message’ across to their customers.

“We can’t expect all restaurants to go fully

‘green’, but we would like to see a lot more

operators being progressive, honest, clear and

straightforward when it comes to what’s on

their menus.

“If all things are equal, we have to

highlight our call for people to consider

whether outlets are sustainable from the food

they source and their waste disposal policies.

When diners increase their spending their

expectations are likely to be higher.

“At the end of the day, however, when

people are dining out it should always be

a pleasurable experience, whether it is a

romantic meal or a company dinner, and

there must be a balance between enjoying

themselves and being urged to keep

scrutinising the menu.”

Peter Knibb, chef patron of Restaurant

23 in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire,

where he uses a variety of ‘green’ kitchen

technology learnt from his early days at

Claridge’s, agreed that customers don’t judge

outlets on their ‘green’ qualifi cations.

“It’s the food and often the venue

reputation that interests diners but they

are becoming more interested in food

provenance.”

On the question of food waste, whether

it is surplus or put in the bin, the amount is

always under-estimated by operators who

focus mainly on the produce in storerooms.

“Studies show that the average outlet

A panel of trade experts meeting to discuss sustainability, decided that operators in the restaurant and pub sector still have a long way to go, but the 'green' message is beginning to get across to operators and their customers. Les Leonard reports

greenchallenge

Silla Bjerrum “restaurants in key position to promote

sustainability”

Mike Mellor “myths can be created with shameless lies”

Mark Linehan “operators have to get

message across"

Corin Earland – “we must shout loud and proud”

EO0612_Issue.indd 22 01/06/2012 10:20

eatout issue

23www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk june 2012 23

wastes 21 tonnes a year with two-thirds

being avoidable. And when we checked one

major pub chain over the festive period we

found that if they reduced their wastage

by 10 to 15% they would save £1.4 million

across the chain nationally – so there’s a lot at

stake,” said Mark Linehan.

Richard Wakefi eld, passionate about

sustainability being “key to the future”, has

spent 27 years with the Bedruthan Steps and

Scarlet Hotels in Cornwall and has lobbied the

operating company for as many energy and

water saving devices as they could afford.

“We now have a policy of acquiring

equipment which can convert food waste

into energy but there is a lack of incentive

from the authorities who impose a number

of restrictions.”

Silla Bjerrum managing director of the

Feng Sushi chain, said that she learnt the

pleasure of locally sourced food, particularly

seafood, in her homeland of Denmark where

industries have to split up all kinds of waste

into different groupings.

As regards to food on the menu, she felt

that restaurants were in a good position to

promote sustainability but for start-up ventures

it was more a question of survival with cost

saving coming highest on the agenda.

The panel discussed 'greenwashing' where

false claims are being made and Richard felt

that the public was not silly and would know

if they were being hoodwinked.

But Chris Creed of Creed Foodservices

stressed that often supplies were made to

look more ‘green’. “If diners are told that the

strawberries for dessert are English and organic,

they tend to believe it. And products are often

described as British when this is not true.

“In the case of chickens, claims have been

made that they are British but the fi gures

are higher than the number that are actually

farmed. If buyers are not getting clear

information it makes the process harder.

Mike Mellor of Space Catering Equipment

said: “Myths can be created making it

diffi cult from the start of the food chain to

the table. There are a lot of shameless lies or

misconceptions. Some produce does a lap of

the universe before coming to a venue.

“If the busy foodservice industry is being

sold a pup and paying for being green when

it’s not, with unscrupulous dealers telling

customers what they want to hear, this is an

issue of major concern

“It is a case of visiting the suppliers and

checking the shelves for yourself. But at

the end of the day on the consumer front,

when people want a treat, the thought of

sustainability goes out the window.”

Panel chair Sarah Daly strategic sustainability

consultant of My Green Eye said: “There’s

nothing black and white about ‘green’.

Suppliers can say that their British apples

are freshly picked but they can have been in

chillers for months where those coming from

New Zealand might in fact be fresher.

“But as long as we live and promote

our ‘green’ conscience then the situation

must improve. We have got to keep asking

questions and when there is this demand from

consumers the industry will respond. This was

shown when the SRA used customer power in

the past on such issues as tap water.”

Corin Earland, executive chef for Peach

Pubs said: "The more we promote and drive

forward the sustainable message, the more

The more we promote and drive forward the sustainable message, the more other businesses will join in. It's a case of shouting loud and being proud as leaders of green kitchens and the whole package.

The panel of industry experts round the debating table

EO0612_Issue.indd 23 01/06/2012 10:21

june 2012 www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk24

eatout issue

other businesses will join in. It's a case of

shouting loud and being proud as leaders of

green kitchens and the whole package.

“People will always copy others, so it

is a matter to continually innovate,” he

said adding that his company website had

obtained 5,000 signatures on the question of

sourcing MSC sustainable fi sh and seafood.

But Silla, who introduced seasonality

while taking spawning fi sh off her restaurant

menus, added that on approaching other

similar sushi restaurant groups about joining

up to ensure such a sustainable policy, she

found a general lack of interest.

“It is a matter of trying to champion a

certain kind of behaviour. We don’t want to

give orders to diners on what they should

eat, but inform them. But no-one can convert

to sustainability all at once – we have got

to work through the process gradually

converting each section of the business.

“Customers ask if everything on our menus

has an MSC label but that is impossible to

achieve.”

Stephen Kinkead managing director of

Winterhalter UK, the German warewashing

systems supplier, said: “The customer is our

top priority and more and more are saying

that they want energy effi ciency, while nine

out of 10 want to know the payback.”

Chris Creed felt that this payback was

getting shorter with new technology but

Mark said the SRA was fi nding that big

companies did not have the luxury of looking

some fi ve years ahead as they had to satisfy

today’s shareholders with their returns.

Richard said that for his Cornish kitchens when

Myths can be created making it diffi cult from the start of the food chain to the table. There are a lot of shameless lies or misconceptions. Some produce does a lap of the universe before coming to a venue.

looking for a reasonable priced top of the range

model he had to think of energy, but when he

went to an Italian company they “did not appear

to be selling the ‘green’ aspect really well.”

Mike Mellor of Space added: "Purchasers

have to make commercial decisions. We stress

that a certain piece of equipment may be

more expensive but long term it could lead

to a drop in energy costs. But often they are

looking at an overall venue upgrading and the

kitchen is the last matter to be considered.

“Everyone from independent operators to

bigger restaurant chains with a long-term holistic

viewpoint are getting this message of being

interested in the ‘green’ footprint,” said Mike.

He agreed with the chair that it was an

‘economy of scale’ with prices possibly dropping

as demand increases but added: “The super fi ne

dining venues are not at one with sustainability

aims.”

Sarah further asked if catering colleges

were preparing new trainees coming into the

industry on the advantages of sustainability.

Peter Knibbs said: “Probably not overall but

just in a few select cases.”

Mark said that perhaps surprisingly the SRA

had found that mobile caterers were leading

the way as they were under pressure from

event organisers, from Lords to

Glastonbury, to operate more

sustainably and this applied to

staffi ng.

The SRA has gained

advantageous rates from

insurance brokers for

companies stressing their

sustainability policies that

were a better risk with less

likelihood of staff complaints

and industrial tribunals. Renewals had gained

thousands of pounds in discounts in some

cases.

Richard said staff at Bedruthan Steps and

Scarlet hotels get an induction course on

sustainability. “The welfare on such elements

as staff feeding leads to loyalty. It’s important to

be seen as a sustainable business. And we have

won awards for looking after our workforce.

“Food sustainability is being well taught

in schools. People have got to want to care

especially in catering colleges.”

Mike said Space had found that the Eden

Project in Cornwall had to ‘walk the walk

and talk the talk’ on staffi ng and because

this policy is promoted they care more for

the business. “It goes beyond savings to

wider issues.”

The SRA has found that staff treat their

employers differently when they realise the

good that is being achieved on such fronts

as recycling of waste.

Research by the London School of

Economics found that companies with

sustainability high on the agenda, saw

increased customer loyalty and were often

doing better with an improving survival rate.

*The SRA has launched its Sustainable

Kitchens guide in a link up with Space

Catering. For details log on to www.thesra.

org or www.spacecatering.co.uk or www.

mygreeneye.co.uk

EO0612_Issue.indd 24 01/06/2012 10:22

Magazine layouts

Portfolio


Hotel Management International | www.hmi-online.com24

Special report > EHMA 40th anniversary

T he year is 1973 and the first in a series of enlargements of the European Communities is

underway. Negotiations around the establishment of a directly elected European Parliament are gathering pace and the introduction of the exchange rate mechanism the previous year has even prompted speculation regarding a universal European currency.

All the talk is of a united continent promoting the free movement of people, goods, cultures and ideas. In Rome, five of the city’s top general managers begin meeting at the Hotel Ambasciatori to discuss what their role might be in this fast-changing landscape.

If a number of decisions are to be taken at an international level, how does one guarantee a voice in proceedings? Furthermore, if we really are witnessing an increasingly laissez-faire attitude towards borders and sovereignty, might it not be an idea to explore the possibility of collaboration with our

brethren across Europe. If nothing else, it should make for a great party.

They conceived this uncomplicated, proudly elitist concept: “An association of professional managers operating first class or luxury hotels of international repute committed to fostering fellowship and fraternity.”

So, the following year, representatives from some of the continent’s grandest hotels gathered at the Ambasciatori for the first general meeting of the European Hotel Managers Association (EHMA). But questions were raised regarding the pan-European nature of the group; among its first 40 members, only ten were non-Italians.

By the 20th general meeting in 1992, however, total numbers had swollen to around 380 members drawn from 20 nationalities. Fast forward another 20 years and EHMA, under the presidency of Peter Bierwirth, is gearing up to celebrate its 40th general meeting. It now boasts 425 members from 25

European countries, representing 350 hotels, 90,000 rooms, 70,000 employees and an annual turnover of some €6 billion.

While its founding principles remain undimmed, the luxury hotel sector looks remarkably different to that of the mid-70s. Its centre of gravity has shifted towards the Middle East and China; large international operators have become ever more prevalent; revenue and operating models are unrecognisable; human resources and technology costs continue to skyrocket. In order to remain fit for purpose, evolution has been necessary.

“It’s long been clear that we must do a lot more than gather together for delicious dinners and a few nice bottles of wine,” says Bierwirth. “The internationalisation of the hotel sector has helped to professionalise EHMA as a body. The soul of hospitality remains the European way of hotel-keeping – but the brain is increasingly American: marketing, controlling, the legal aspects and so on. We must find a way of

Over 300 of the continent’s top hoteliers and friends will gather in Milan in April to celebrate the 40th anniversary

of the birth of the European Hotel Managers Association. Phin Foster talks to EHMA president Peter Bierwirth;

Ezio Indiani, general manager of Milan’s Principe di Savoia; Johanna Fragano of Rome’s Hotel Quirinale;

and Michael Gray, general manager of The Churchill in London, about EHMA’s past, present and future.

Euro vision

HMI054_108_EHMA Anniversary.indd 24 28/03/2013 13:31

Hotel Management International | www.hmi-online.com 25

Special report > EHMA 40th anniversary

merging these two philosophies in order to continue improving and bring the most out of ourselves.”

The exchange of ideasMembers seem to be in general agreement that this is best achieved through harnessing a network of top professionals in order to share best practices, discuss challenges, exchange talent and build long-term relationships. The delicious dinners and nice bottles of wine are simply an added bonus.

“That’s the real meaning of EHMA,” declares Ezio Indiani, general manager of Milan’s Principe di Savoia, which will host this year’s general meeting in April. “When I first joined 18 years ago, it was more a case of contemporaries coming together for friendship and a bit of fun. That’s still very important, but we now share a lot more information and there’s a real focus on learning. If you’re a member, there’s no question that you’re extremely good at what you do. Being able to learn from the best in the business is a privilege.”

The criteria surrounding EHMA membership guarantees excellence.

Not only must a perspective candidate be nominated by two active members, he or she also requires at least a decade’s industry experience and a minimum of three years spent as general manager at a deluxe or first-class hotel “of international repute”. Applications must also be approved by the applicant’s national delegate and EHMA’s management council. Such exclusivity has long given general managers something to strive for.

“I’d been following the progress of EHMA since its foundation and it was something I’d always aspired to,” says Johanna Fragano, EHMA treasurer, former president and general manager of Rome’s Hotel Quirinale, where the association’s headquarters are located.

EHMA members convene at the organisation’s first general meeting in Rome in 1974.

The 17th general meeting took place in Berlin in 1990,

the year after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Three founding members draw up the inaugural

EHMA statute.

Princess Cristina of Sweden greets members at the 16th general meeting in Stockholm in 1989.

EHMA’s commitment to global expansion led to its

38th general meeting being held in St Petersburg.

1982 patron King Juan Carlos of Spain.

HMI054_108_EHMA Anniversary.indd 25 28/03/2013 13:32

42 Hotel Management International | www.hmi-online.com

Insight > Design

T he nhow Hotel in Berlin is not what most people would think of as a five-star property. Billed

as ‘Europe’s first music hotel’, it sits in the buzzing city centre and boasts two professional music studios. Guests can order ‘guitar and keyboard room service’, play at an open mic night or arrange a jazzed-up teambuilding event. These perks are far removed from silver service and cosseting concierge.

Then there’s the building itself. Designed by star architect Sergei Tchoban, it consists of three brick

towers. Only the four-storey cantilever jutting out precariously 25m above ground disrupts the sense that we are viewing a stack of industrial brown boxes.

But it is Karim Rashid’s interiors that veer furthest from luxury clichés. High-tech and hypermodern, the patterns and shapes are derived from data visualisation. There is digipop artwork on the headboards, two-way mirrors that morph into chrome desks, personalised lighting and white gradient glass bathroom walls. In short, there’s not a chandelier in sight.

And yet the nhow Hotel belongs squarely to the upper tier of the marketplace; a place where marble staircases formerly held court. Gone are the days when luxury was synonymous with conspicuous consumption, or when identikit glitz was sufficient to hold guests’ attention. Recent years have seen a profound shift in the market, with preferences veering away from the straightforwardly lavish towards something far more inventive.

“Luxury today is seamless technology in the hotel, not expensive, heavy,

The luxury hospitality sector has long served as a magnet for ambitious young architects. But with excess

falling out of vogue, how are today’s designers redefining the concept of

a five-star hotel? Abi Millar discusses the opportunities and challenges with

Francesca Alder-Schweizer, Manfred Jäger and the renowned

interior architect Karim Rashid.

Intelligentdesign

Interior dialogue: the reception area at the nhow Hotel in Berlin.

HMI054_113_Luxury Hospitality.indd 42 28/03/2013 14:17

43Hotel Management International | www.hmi-online.com

Insight > Design

excessive materials,” says Rashid, a fêted industrial designer and interior architect. “Luxury is perfect lighting. Luxury is new, inspiring aesthetics. Luxury is a perfect fluid experience. Most luxury hotels just spend the money on luxurious cladding, but I prefer to use smart, more inexpensive, intelligent contemporary surfaces and create human experiences.”

This way of thinking gained momentum as a direct result of the financial crisis. In its traditional form, luxury hospitality was badly bruised. Even among those guests who could still

afford it, priorities were changing – they were starting to care more about sustainability, for example, and less about excess for its own sake.

Experience the difference‘Experience’ became a buzzword. What could one luxury hotel offer that others couldn’t? With competition at an all-time high, operators sought out differentiators that were hard to replicate. In some cases, this meant gambits like nhow Hotel’s music theme. In others, it simply meant authenticity. In all cases, however,

careful design was key; supersized suites and gold-plated mirrors were not enough.

“For me, it’s important that each project has its own strong and exclusive look,” says Francesca Alder-Schweizer, who has worked on two design hotels nestled deep within the Swiss Alps. “It’s a demanding challenge to distinguish between luxuriousness and just expensive equipment. It’s in the small details, the careful planning and the accurate selection of materials.”

Alder-Schweizer designed the interiors for the Giardino Mountain and Giardino

1. The Music Lounge at the nhow Hotel in Berlin. 2. A shower cubicle in the spa and wellness area.

3. The hypermodern feel extends to the restaurant.

HMI054_113_Luxury Hospitality.indd 43 28/03/2013 14:18

Portfolio


Redcamerastudio.com

Studiosixty6.com

Websites

Portfolio


Oasisecoresort.com

Carlodraisci.com

Websites

Documents

Gennaro Draisci cv portfolio compressed