ahct dec 2013 issue

Published since 1976 Vol 38 december 2013

hong Kong sAR hK$50 china RMb50singapore s$15 Malaysia RM30Thailand bt300Rest of Asia us$10

PURRFECTLY BALANCEDHello Kitty Champagne – why didn’t we think of it?

GET YOURSELF DISCONNECTED

Point of sale software moves

into the Cloud

BACK TO SCHOOLSocial media shaking up the training industry

ShowcaveMade in France

For a free brochure containing full detail,please contact:

Alpha International Food Services909, Chai Wan Industrial City, Phase 2,70 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.Tel: (852) 2889 2123 Fax: (852) 2889 1757http://www.eurocave-alpha.comEmail: [email protected]

Combining high quality, luxury materials, ShowCave has given the wine cabinet a facelift. Innovative, with a capacity for 180 bottles, it boasts high-tech features and a bold design.

Designed to showcase your best vintages, ShowCave will appeal to both wine professionals and connoisseurs.

Solutions for merchandising & the service of wineSolutions for merchandising & the service of wine

www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

AsiAn Hotel & CAtering times is publisHed montHly by tHomson press Hong Kong ltd (tpHK)

The opinions expressed in Asian Hotel & Catering Times do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or the publication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher, editors and staff, agents and contributors for omissions, typographical or printers errors, inaccuracies or changes howsoever caused. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted at their discretion. All materials published remain the property of TPHK. Reproduction without permission by any means is strictly prohibited. Correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, Asian Hotel & Catering Times, Room 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111 Fax: (852) 2851 1933. Fantasy Printing Ltd. 1/F, Tin Fung Industial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong.

All rights reserved (c) 2013Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd

WWelcome to the December issue of AHCT, the most trusted source of information on what is happening

in Asia-Pacific’s hospitality industry.Working in Asia, yet within an industry

with roots in the traditional European and US hospitality model, throws up frequent ‘East meet West’ wow moments.

Our report on both desserts, on page 24 – which describes classic sweets given a subtle Asian makeover using ingredients such as jasmine and pandan, and the feature on

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

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

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

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

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foie gras on page 28, which Conrad Hong Kong chef Alfred Moser serves Thai-style, lemongrass-infused – are examples of this.

But surely the most jaw-dropping recent example is Hello Kitty Champagne, which we feature on the cover of this issue and inside our Champagne story on page 30. It’s an inspired idea – our only question is why it’s taken so long?

A r e m i n d e r t h a t w e h a v e relaunched our website, which is at www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

EDITORDaniel Creffield

DESIGN BYKoon Ming Tang

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTORSAndrew Dembina

Gerrie LimZara HornerRebecca LoJane Ram

Michael Taylor

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERSharon Knowler

[email protected]

CIRCULATION ExECUTIvEBecky Chau

[email protected]

CHAIRmANJS Uberoi

DIRECTORGaurav Kumar

endoRseMenTs

Please check it out and let us know what you think.

We need to hear from hospitality professionals about the constant developments in the industry, good or bad, so please send your comments and suggestions in to: [email protected]

And finally, a merry Christmas and happy and prosperous New Year to all our readers!

E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E

AHCT december 2013 3


mANAGEmENT10 Educators must get to grips with the social media effect

mARKET REPORT14 Hospitality groups rethink strategy in Bangalore

NEWS INDUSTRY6 Ambitious wine depository in Singapore; A Bond girl on a mission; what to do with used soap

PRODUCT40 How to stop snoring; Italian espresso machines; hotel amenities that make a real impact

CULINARY42 Vietnamese chocolate; more Champagne; return of the world’s only woolly pig

CONTENTSVolume 38 December 2013

TECHNOLOGY16 Point of sale software heads for the clouds

NowoniPadAvailable on App store

ThankstoJennyChan;CedricBilienatCaudalieLtd

24

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4 AHCT december 2013


January• Sales & Marketing• PMS• Guest room design• Meat• Vodka• Luxury linens• Carpets

30

DESIGN20 Noor celebrates a decade creating resorts across South-east Asia

FOOD24 Giving desserts an Asian twist28 East, West, foie gras is best

Advertisers’ IndexADA 27 Alpha International IFCGlion 13Global Search International 9Gulfood 33HIFI 39Hong Kong Polytechnic University IBCLactalis OBCMeiko 35Pevonia 18 & 19

DRINK30 Asia’s growing thirst for Champagne

EQUIPmENT34 Cleaner, cheaper dishwashers

36 Latest developments in lighting

EvENTS AND ExHIBITIONS44 Events calendar

45 HK International Wine & Spirits Fair reviewed

APPOINTmENTS46 Who’s moving where

February• Management contracts• Indonesia report• In-room technology• Bathroom design• Chocolate• Gin• Beds and bedding• Combi ovens



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


Rancilio – which is based in Milan, Italy and specialises in espresso coffee machines – has joined the Ali Group, a leading global designer, manufacturer, marketer and servicer of a broad line of commercial and institutional foodservice equipment.

Luciano Berti, Ali’s chairman and chief executive officer, stated: “This acquisition further strengthens our position and visibility in the food service equipment market and adds a new dimension and another business segment to our brand portfolio.

“Rancilio is among the world’s leading brands for both traditional and fully automatic coffee machines. We are looking forward to strong development with our existing international distribution channels.”

Building on successAkaryn Hospitality Management Services (AHMS) has selected the Agilysys Eatec inventory and procurement system and the Agilysys InfoGenesis POS system to streamline operations at Thailand’s Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga Resort and Spa. The luxury beachfront resort, currently undergoing a US$2 million expansion, was already using the Agilysys Visual One property management system.

“We wanted state of the art inventory and procurement and point of sale software that could accommodate the rapid growth and requirements of the resort, and the Eatec and InfoGenesis solutions were the ideal choices,” said Yann Gouriou, executive general manager of operations for AHMS, which manages the resort.

“Agilysys has been a great technology partner for us, so we did not hesitate to work with them again. We are confident these software solutions will enhance efficiency, boost staff productivity and help the property deliver an exceptional guest experience.”

Agilysys operates extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia, with corporate services in Alpharetta, Georgia (USA), EMEA headquarters in Cheshire, England and APAC offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

The Eatec solution is a Microsoft Windows-based full-featured inventory, procurement and production system designed specifically for the hospitality and foodservice industries. Along with its core purchasing, inventory, recipe, forecasting, production and sales analysis functions, the software also offers modules for catering, cycle planning, retail management, nutrition and allergens. The modular structure allows customers to construct the exact set of features they need – whether it is an enterprise-wide solution for multiple sites or a single-site system for multiple functions.

InfoGenesis POS is an award-winning point of sale solution that combines powerful reporting and configuration capabilities in the back office with an intuitive and easy-to-use terminal application. The flexible system is easy

to set up, and its scalable architecture enables customers to add workstations without having to build out expensive infrastructure. It also integrates easily with other applications, such as gift card and guest management solutions.

The system’s detailed and high quality reporting capabilities give insight into sales data and guest purchasing trends. Other features include packages and prix fixe menus, signature capture and multi-language capability.

“The Eatec inventory and procurement solution and InfoGenesis POS system work together to offer a complete and integrated package for managing food and beverage and retail operations,” said Tony Ross, vice

president of sales for Agilysys. “These software solutions will give

Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga the tools it needs to be proactive and accountable and help the resort deliver seamless guest service. We are excited about the opportunity to partner with the property once again and look forward to continuing to expand our presence in Thailand and South-east Asia.”

Agilysys is a leading developer and marketer of proprietary enterprise software, services and solutions to the hospitality industry. The company specialises in market-leading point of sale, property management, inventory and procurement and mobile and wireless solutions.

Rancilio and Ali Group merge

LucianoBerti,AliGroupchairmanandCEO(left)andGiorgioRancilio,RancilioGrouppresidentandCEO

Agilysys’EatecsolutionisaMicrosoftWindows-basedfull-featuredinventory,procurementandproductionsystemdesignedspecificallyforthehospitalityandfoodserviceindustries




Cleaning the worldClean the World, the world’s largest social enterprise committed to collecting and recycling used hotel soap to help fight the global spread of preventable diseases, has launched its Global Hygiene Revolution in Asia together with its first partner, Sands China, which houses some of the world’s largest integrated resorts at Cotai Strip Resorts Macau. Between them, the Sands hotels have jointly collected almost two metric tons of used soap since June this year.

According to the World Health Organisation, each day thousands of children around the world die from hygiene related illnesses that can be prevented by simply washing with soap. Through its many sustainability partnerships, Clean the World helps protect the environment by diverting waste from incinerators and landfills and

Something new to ‘like’IDeaS Revenue Solutions, a provider of pricing and revenue management software, services and consulting to the Asian hospitality industry, has launched the industry’s first tool for analysing how social media ratings and sentiment should impact hotel room pricing. Developed with Brand Karma and ReviewPro, the solution will enable hotels to make more reputation-aware pricing decisions by factoring social media sentiment into IDeaS Revenue Management System (RMS) pricing analysis.

“Most hoteliers understand that social media ratings impact their ability to attract and retain customers, but they don’t have the tools to calculate how it impacts pricing,” said Sanjay Nagalia, chief operating officer and co-founder, IDeaS Revenue Solutions. “This is the industry’s first integrated solution that draws the correlation between how a hotel is reviewed and perceived online and how much it should influence pricing. By creating this within IDeaS RMS, we can help hoteliers make much

repurposing the millions of bars of soap discarded daily.

Since its formation, the organisation has diverted over 750 tons of waste, repurposing and distributing over 13 million sanitised bars of soap to 70 countries by engaging with partners across the community, including hotels, environmental and logistics partners and local charities who support the socially disadvantaged.

more informed pricing decisions.”The Reputation Management Pricing

is an additional feature within the Best Available Rate module for IDeaS RMS. The feature will combine IDeaS’ industry-leading pricing data with Brand Karma and ReviewPro’s online reputation and social media analytics -- bringing greater depth and functionality to IDeaS RMS. The feature will provide joint clients and future prospects with a fast, automated way to evaluate their online reputations and that of their competitors in context of the competitive pricing landscape in order to more effectively price rooms and drive revenue performance.

Licence to thrillOlga Kurylenko is the face of “The Story Begins Here”, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts’ new global advertising campaign.

The campaign concept is a creative collaboration between the actress, fashion photographer Bruno Dayan and British author Simon Van Booy, who was commissioned to write a short story which would inspire the photo shoot.

Kurylenko plays a character named Alexandra, created exclusively for her by Van Booy as a young, successful and well-travelled couturier, spending time experiencing unforgettable moments at a Waldorf Astoria hotel. The story, entitled ‘The Escape Artist,’ takes readers on a journey through the eyes of Alexandra as she encounters the environments and bespoke services a Waldorf Astoria offers.

The integrated marketing and communications campaign illustrates Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts’ positioning as a luxury portfolio of hotels.

Shot on location at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago, the digital and print execution exemplify vignettes from the bespoke tale: Alexandra’s arrival and chance encounter in the lobby; her moment of inspiration en suite; and a relaxing moment in the hotel’s spa.

DinaAngelucci,directorofhousekeeping,SandsCotaiCentral;MarkMcWhinnie,seniorvicepresidentofoperations,TheVenetianMacaoResortHotelandSandsCotaiCentral;ShaileshAdhav,managingdirector,CleantheWorld–Asia




Doctor in the houseThe School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is preparing students for leadership positions in their chosen careers by offering a Ph.D. in Hotel and Tourism Management programme and the world’s first professional Doctor of Hotel and Tourism Management (D.HTM) degree.

“The hallmark of a world leading doctoral programme is not only the research it generates but also the extent to which it provides graduates with

William “Willie” Marshall passed away in his sleep at his home in Phuket last month. Darren Edmonstone, managing director Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific, writes:

“Willie joined Outrigger in mid 2012 as general manager, planning and support, and in a short time, made significant contributions to the successes in the region with his extensive industry knowledge and years of seasoned experience.

“Willie had over 37 years’ experience in the hospitality industry and held many different positions all around the world including UK, France, China, the Bahamas and Japan.

“Many will remember Willie for his unwavering passion, professionalism and commitment. Willie was liked by all who ever had the good fortune to meet him.

“Willie is survived by his wife, Grace, and two children, James and Alexandra. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

A safe havenOpening Q2 2014, Singapore Wine Vault will offer regional wine connoisseurs and collectors the ultimate service: peace of mind. Measuring 750,000 square feet, the S$200 million (US$160 million) facility will have the capacity to house over 10 million bottles, making it the largest of its kind in South-east Asia while providing optimum storage conditions for investment-grade wines.

The six-storey Singapore Wine Vault comprises a main chamber and a separate area – named drôme – devoted to private wine cellars. Each individual cellar can be customised to the client’s requirements, from installing 24-hour security cameras to storage layout. Cellars can also be accessed from a virtual cellar account, which allows wine stock to be remotely monitored and provides a platform for easy payments. Understanding that both clients and wines have varied needs, Singapore Wine Vault offers three temperature-controlled options for fine wines, fast-moving wines and commercial wines.

outstanding career opportunities,” said Professor Kaye Chon, dean and chair professor of the SHTM. With the focus of global tourism shifting to Asia, the SHTM is consolidating its leadership in hospitality and tourism education by offering not one but two doctoral programmes.

To provide leadership in developing future scholars in hospitality and tourism management, the SHTM offers research programmes leading to the Ph.D. degree. The critical mass of globally recognised researchers at the school, together with the attractive stipend for research students and the unique East meets West environment, make its highly competitive Ph.D. programme very successful.

The Ph.D. programme produces both scholars and industry professionals, with many of the school’s graduates now serving the industry as well as the academia worldwide. Recent graduates of note include Dr Ahmed Salih, who is now permanent secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Republic of the Maldives. Dr Vera Shanshan Lin moved into academia following graduation and is now assistant professor at the School of Management of the Zhejiang University. Dr Yong Chen has accepted an offer from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne and will join the respected school as assistant professor in January 2014.

“We will miss Willie very much. He was an important member of the Outrigger management team and a good friend to us all. He will be long remembered in the hospitality industry and it was an honour to be colleagues with Willie.

“We will remember him always with respect, fondness and warmest aloha.”

Obituary – William Marshall


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A taste of KoreaHong Kong’s first Korean Food Fair last month showcased the nation’s top culinary delights. Presented by the Korea Argo-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, the exhibition brought Korea’s prized produce, beverages and other food items to businesses and consumers. The special three-day event, hot on the heels of its debut in New York and LA last month, also featured local celebrity chefs, fun interactive games and entertainment in the form of K-Pop and traditional cultural performances.

Visitors experienced a variety of authentic Korean products by famous brands and artisanal stores, such as spicy kimchi and gochujang (a traditional red pepper sauce) alongside more novel offerings such as sweet provincial fruit wine. Traditional medicinal herbs including aged ginseng, condiments and teas, seafood, meats and poultry, dairy foods, and an array of the country’s fruit and vegetable produce also proved popular.

The Cosmo Hotel Mongkok has been renamed Dorsett Mongkok, Hong Kong. The rename marked a new milestone for the hotel as it officially becomes the latest addition to Dorsett Hospitality International’s portfolio of hotels under Dorsett Hotels & Resorts brand.

Choc champsAfter three days’ competition between 19 national chocolate masters, the results of the fifth World Chocolate Masters competition have been announced. The event took place at the Salon du Chocolat Professionnel exhibition at Porte de Versailles in Paris, France.

At this year’s world finals, organised for the fifth time by Cacao Barry, Callebaut and Carma, Davide Comaschi, winner of the Italian World Chocolate

Dorsett Mongkok, Hong Kong is one of the few certified green hotels in Hong Kong that implements 100% smoke free policy within its property, and is also a winner of TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for two consecutive years since 2012.

Masters pre-selection, was chosen as the World Chocolate Master 2013 by an international jury composed of 23 leading chocolate professionals. In second place was Marike Van Beurden from Netherlands and in third place Deniz Karaca from Australia.

With the theme of this year’s competition being The Architecture of Taste, the jury carefully evaluated the contestants’ work and creativity through chocolate.

New name: same mission


PhotographycourtesySchoolofHotel&TourismManagement,TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity

If social media is changing the way travel decisions are made,

what are the implications for educators, asks Michael Taylor

Think of it as the TripAdvisor effect. According to Brian King, professor and associate dean at the School of Hotel & Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong

Polytechnic University, social media is transforming the way travellers make decisions about where to stay. They no longer rely on travel agents for advice. With the click of a mouse, they can gain unprecedented access to all kinds of information – positive and negative.

As a result of this new transparency, hoteliers are not only struggling to maintain service standards, they actually need to find ways to improve them as travellers become ever more demanding in their expectations.

A small slip-up that once might have gone unnoticed can now go viral, and damage control can prove daunting.

“This is intensifying the pressure on hotels to provide a high quality guest experience,” King says.

Education in the

spotlight

M a n a g E M E n t



Karl D. Brandmeir, assistant professor in residence at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV), Singapore, agrees.

“Travellers continue to become more sophisticated with respect to travel products and service standards,” he says “The hospitality industry needs to look at ways to adapt to the changing employee base.”

Brain drainSo how do you maintain service standards when qualified professionals are increasingly difficult to find? Singapore, for one, faces a serious labour shortage. As a result, working procedures will need to be changed if hotels are going to meet the service standards of today’s increasingly demanding traveller.

“Services in the hospitality industry will have to evolve more rapidly in response to consumer demand,” Brandmeir says.

Other countries in the region are facing similar staffing

InternsatHotelICON,theteachingandresearchhotelbuiltfortheSchoolofHotelandTourismManagementbytheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity

SchoolofHotel&TourismManagement–theHongKongPolytechnicUniversity’sSamsungDigitalLabforHospitalityTechnology

difficulties. The problem is particularly acute in China, where a mushrooming middle class is travelling in growing numbers, fuelling demand for new hotels – and for employees to work in them.

“The rapid growth of hotels in China is creating unprecedented demand for trained industry professionals,” King says. “The increasing proportion of guests emanating from Asia is accelerating the need for qualified professionals who have a knowledge and understanding of Asian cultures and languages. This applies particularly to China.”

Not only are qualified employees increasingly difficult to find, they are not always highly motivated.

According to Evelyn Kwan Green, assistant professor in residence at the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration UNLV Singapore, absenteeism and tardiness are two of the key challenges facing the industry. Employees nowadays simply don’t take their jobs as seriously as they used to.

“To prepare students for career success in the hospitality industry, class expectations, policies and procedures have been modelled after business/professional expectations of employers,” Green says. “For example, absenteeism is a key reason for job termination. To cultivate responsible behaviour in showing up for work, 10% of the course grade will be earned through on-time class attendance.”

Situational learningThe school offers a course entitled Hospitality Leadership, Management and Ethics, which gives students hands-on experience in leadership competencies through team projects and case studies.

“This situational learning approach enables students to advance through collaborative social interaction and the social construction of knowledge. At the end of the semester, students will perform a team evaluation to identify their respective leadership/follower roles

M a n a g E M E n t



On site or online?The Glion Institute of Higher Education is a private university with campuses in Switzerland and London. Founded in 1962, it offers a variety of programmes in international hospitality management. One of the most popular is its online MBA in Hospitality and Service Industries Management.

“It is flexible enough to meet the needs of busy working professionals who need to balance the demands of a challenging career and their busy private life,” says Anouk Tenten, partnership manager, Glion.

The school also offers postgraduate certificates, postgraduate diplomas, professional development certificates and professional development diplomas. Some programmes are taught on site. Others are taught online.

“For our corporate programme offerings, we make sure they fit the client and the student so that all of the shareholders feel they benefit from working with or studying at Glion,” Tenten adds.

Next year, the school will launch new executive programmes in asset, finance, marketing and leadership, targeted at managers. It will also introduce short courses with a ‘direct learning outcome” for recent hires.

“We constantly need to adapt to the needs of a changing market,” Tenten says. “Managers now are different from managers 10 years ago. So much more is now expected of them, and as educational providers we need to adjust our offerings in response to this.”

Flexibility, time management and a direct return of investment (ROI) are important cornerstones of the programmes that the school offers.

“Students want to learn, but it needs to fit their time schedule,” Tenten says. “They want a title and a new degree, but it needs to be offered in a flexible manner. Their employers need to support them either financially or by allowing them time to study.

“Employers want to see a direct ROI from the education, and students want proof that their new education will bring them something straight away. So we are dealing with many expectations and requests. Glion will need to constantly seek to keep up with developments and keep quality and standards high in all fields as we have been doing for more than 50 years.”

Glion’sonlineMBAinHospitalityandServiceIndustriesManagementisflexibleenoughtomeettheneedsofbusyworkingprofessionals,accordingtotheorganisation’spartnershipmanager,AnoukTenten

and their contribution – or lack of it – to the team’s performance. Based on the team’s performance evaluation, team members will identify areas for improvement and develop a plan of action for team implementation.”

Schools throughout the region are launching new courses and programmes to prepare students for an industry that is undergoing unprecedented change. SHTM, for example, launched an Executive Masters in Global Hospitality Leadership in November 2013. It is targeted at developing the skills needed by leaders in the hospitality industry.

“Hospitality is a fast-growing and dynamic sector of global business, and industry leaders require a 21st Century skill set that involves anticipating and shaping opportunities and challenges for success,” King says.

“Our new Executive Masters programme incorporates innovative curriculum covering fields such as global branding and luxury experience management, design and hospitality innovation. Run over two years, the EM is taught part-time and tailored around the schedules of busy hospitality executives.”

BrianKing,SchoolofHotel&TourismManagementatTheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity–hoteliersneedtofindwaystoimproveservicestandardsastravellersbecomeevermoredemandingintheirexpectations

UniversityofNevada,LasVegas(UNLV)Singapore

M a n a g E M E n t



Why did you choose this course? What do you see as the benefits?

I chose th is course because Glion is one of the top hospitality institutes and the programme is recognised internationally and accredited by NEASC. I was interested in doing an MBA to complement my experience with higher education but I wanted to find something I could do in parallel to working in my current occupation. The

real benefit of this course is that it suits my work and lifestyle. It is designed for busy professionals and executives. Another reason is that I was able to enrol without an undergraduate degree. Glion takes into account the experience of industry professionals, which is a big plus. What advantages will the qualification give you once you have achieved it?

It will equip me with the academic knowledge and theoretical base that people who just progressed through the ranks do not possess. Especially for hospitality, a lot of people start in entry-level positions and make their way up. There comes a time when it is necessary to obtain some academic knowledge if one wants to move further up. The course is able to provide us with a strong academic basis and knowledge of current issues and trends, and teaches us to be critical in the way we look at information. This provides a competitive edge, especially in Asia where it is very competitive. It is important for expats to have the highest level of education and an MBA opens a lot of doors.

Launched in the spring of 1962, Glion Institute of Higher Education is an international hospitality management institution based in Switzerland. Glion

has been offering degree programmes that combine industry knowledge with managerial skills and personal development for nearly 50 years, and provides tertiary level education for approximately 1,500 students from 90 countries every year.

The success of Glion’s graduates can be attributed to its time-tested fusion of practice and theory, combined with close ties with the hospitality industry and faculty focus on creating reflective practitioners.

For over 48 years, thousands of graduates have undergone the Glion experience and carry the famous ‘Glion Spirit’ on as alumni to represent the institution as leaders in the hospitality industry.

Do you feel the course will give you the skill sets the industry demands?

While the industry is evolving at a fierce rate, I believe the course provides us with a good foundation and the know-how to improve ourselves. The nature of hospitality changes constantly, processes change, customers change their preferences and they have the power to choose where to stay and eat; it is therefore essential for good leaders to adapt and move with the times. This course provides both a good set of skills and the thinking and adaptability necessary to keep improving. Is there a way to keep in touch with Glion Institute after you graduate? Is post-graduation support offered?

Yes, and the institute also has a very good alumni programme. I recently joined my first alumni gathering organised in Hong Kong, and that provided a good forum to meet graduates, future graduates and some of the leaders from the institute. There are many ways a graduate is able to stay in touch with Glion post-graduation, especially in today’s technology-advanced environment.

It is easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day pace of the hospitality industry; but it is an industry that constantly changes because of many factors such as economy, trends, competition, etc. It is very important to upgrade your skillsets from time to time in order to stay current. One of the great things about the Glion Online MBA course is that the teachers are not only faculty members but industry professionals with years of proven track records operating successful operations, whether their personal companies, hotels or other major businesses. The other valuable factor of the course is the connections you make – the collective experience is enriching as you learn how people from around the world deal with things differently. The course also enables the participants to build a long-lasting network of contacts that are extremely valuable. There is no price tag that can be put on that!

Student Fabrice De Cotte, director of F&B, Sands Macau

FabriceDeCotte–‘GliononlineMBAwillprovideacompetitiveedge,especiallyinAsiawhereitisverycompetitive’

The spirit of hospitality

GLION ONLINE MBA

onlines p o n s o r E d F E a t u r E



India’s third most populous city, Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India because of its position

as the nation’s leading IT exporter. Listed fourth among the top 15 cities contributing to India’s overall GDP, rapidly growing business travel and tourism has seen a huge expansion of the hospitality industry.

Shruti Gandhi Buckley, global vice president brand management for Marriott International’s Fairfield Inn & Suites brand, says that there has traditionally been a lack of supply of good quality, branded hotels in Bangalore’s moderate tier space.

“Even though some international brands came in with what they thought consumers wanted, there was inconsistency, whether it was the service delivery, F&B or amenity offering,” she suggests.

“That’s where we realised that there was an opportunity for Fairfield to go in

and be really successful; to define what the moderate tier in India should really be.”

Bangalore is the location for Marriott’s first Fairfield by Marriott in India, with the group planning to open 12 more Fairfield properties in India over the next two years. An established leader in the moderate tier segment, Fairfield is a mid-range brand targeted at business and leisure travellers.

“We don’t believe in the one size fits all concept. At Marriott we believe in being global but acting local. For Fairfield this meant conducting in-depth research in the India and Asia market to better understand guest travel in the moderate tier space.

“Most of the international brands in this tier have basically taken their existing product and tried to make it work in India without taking the time to understand local consumers’ travel habits. In our commitment to launch a successful brand in India, we took painstaking efforts to understand how guests travel and live in hotels and what aspects of the hotel experience are most important to them.”

Marriott International has around 20 brands globally with eight in Asia-Pacific. The Fairfield brand offers well-designed rooms, consistent service and good value, as well as a springboard for Marriott to move into new locations and markets. In addition to the 12 hotels signed in India, contracts have been inked in Nepal and Indonesia.

Buckley says that Fairfield implemented

various phases of research before going ahead with the Bangalore property.

“First we gained an understanding of the mid-tier market in India, the competitors and the opportunity. Then we carried out consumer research into how guests live in the rooms. We gained some important insights round the work space, the bath and the F&B.”

She adds that research showed that while moderate tier travellers in India want to work in their room, the existing product did not provide them with a sufficient workspace – the lighting was poor, the chair uncomfortable and desk space too small.

“They also felt that the bath experience was really poor and finally, the overall room basic and uninspiring,” she notes. “These are just some of the opportunities we are able to address with Fairfield. We have a great workspace in the room and we provide an elevated bath experience that isn’t found in this segment.”

“We then created product design, room layouts and an F&B concept based on phase two research and validated what we had created to ensure that we could deliver the right product for the right consumer at the right price. At Fairfield we are committed to service excellence and a great guest experience. Our success is built on the foundation that great design and service experience do not need to come with a heavy price tag.”

With a general feeling that Bangalore has rushed to

build hotels in the face of the city’s rapid business and

industrial development, hospitality groups are now

taking a more strategic view, factoring in MICE and mid-price offerings, reports

Daniel Creffield

Moving with the

times

MovenpickHotel&SpaBangalore–makingrapidstrideswithinitsfirsttwoyearsofoperation,accordingtoGMBiswajitChakraborty

ShrutiGandhiBuckley,FairfieldInn&Suites–‘therehastraditionallybeenalackofsupplyofgoodquality,brandedhotelsinBangalore’smoderatetierspace’

Ritz-CarltonBangalore

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



Cautious optimismBiswajit Chakraborty, GM at Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore, believes that while there is oversupply at the luxury and upscale segments, due in part to projects which began six or seven years ago, demand is growing and will even out against supply in the next couple of years.

“Bangalore is primarily dependent on IT business – which has seen a slowdown in the US, hence business volumes were affected. This certainly affects rates and occupancy as more players vie for the same pie in the short term. However, in the medium to long term perspective, I am very confident that Bangalore will once again emerge as a lucrative place to invest in hotels with a robust ROI, especially in the upscale and mid-tier segment.”

But Chakraborty says he sees little chance for manoeuvring room rates upward in the next 12 months since next year is an election year. “There will be a question mark as to the investment climate, GDP growth etc. The hospitality sector will have to be cautiously optimistic.”

And he emphasises that while Bangalore is primarily a business destination, the industry is making “immense efforts” to attract MICE.

Movenpick’s Bangalore property offers 2,322 square metres of convention space on a separate floor with six meeting rooms, a separate convention entrance, a lawn, a

rooftop dinner venue a lawn which can handle 300 people and state of the art conference technology.

“The property has made rapid strides within its two years of operation, and ranks among the top five in Bangalore’s quality rankings among 520 hotels on TripAdvisor.”

MICE is niceSaurabh Bakshi, Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway general manager, also believes there is a huge opportunity with MICE in Bangalore.

“As infrastructure improves and we have better convention facilities in Bangalore, we will see more and more MICE business coming into the city. We have the largest convention and meeting space in the city. With over 1,950 square metres of meeting space and 21 meeting rooms, we can cater to 1,600 people at once, which is a major attraction for MICE business and also major social events.

“The contribution of MICE to our annual room occupancy is fairly high and with the development of Bangalore as a MICE destination, this trend will only rise in the near future.”

He says that as an IT hub, Bangalore attracts business travellers from major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, and increasingly growing and aspiring markets, especially Chennai and Hyderabad.

“With additional inventory into the market, the city will experience pressure

on average daily room rates. We believe though that it will be able to absorb the increased inventory as demand picks up, and that despite the growth in demand, the proposed supply over the next few years will put pressure on hotel occupancies and average rates. Going forward, while supply may outpace demand in the short run, occupancies will gradually improve, following which average rates should also exhibit increases.”

Bakshi suggests that the reality of the hospitality sector is that demand fluctuates with business activity and consumer confidence.

“We’ve worked hard to position Sheraton Bangalore well in the market and, being a part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, we enjoy good occupancies from SPG guests – Starwood’s loyal customers. This truly is the power of Starwood’s sales and marketing distribution system and ability to deliver from its channels. Loyalty is a powerful insurance policy in tough times.

“And while increased competition and talk of supply being more than demand threatening prevailing average room rates, as we move into 2013, we are very optimistic about what the year ahead will bring for us; hopeful that our hotel will continue to ramp up business and gain market share and the Sheraton brand will continue to enjoy increased traction with our guests.”

WhileBangaloreisthelocationforMarriott’sfirstFairfieldbyMarriottinIndia,thegroupplanstoopen12moreFairfieldpropertiesinthecountryoverthenexttwoyears

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Although cloud is still in its infancy and is yet to catch on widely in the hospitality industry, some say it is the wave of the future. There is a growing interest in cloud-based point of sale (POS) among restaurant operators, for

example. Many restaurant groups are looking for ways to streamline their operations and for this reason more and more are reportedly paying close attention to cloud technology in this area.

A 2013 survey of new technologies by Hospitality Technology Magazine found that while there was increasing interest among restaurant operators for online ordering and using mobile phones for ordering, the largest increase in interest was in cloud computing.

Cloud was desired by 36.2% of those surveyed by the magazine – a leap of 17% over 2012.

Hotels tooHotels are also becoming interested in using cloud-based POS systems. While, according to the InterContinental hotel Hong Kong’s IT manager Stephen Fung, the property uses a POS system from Hong Kong-based Infrasys, in the UK InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) this year selected as the next generation POS solution for its 61 hotels the Micros cloud-based Simphony Enterprise Solution, which is among the most widely used POS systems. Having worked with Micros technologies for many years, the group says it decided to upgrade to this system that offers full support to multi-property hotel chains.

Simphony allows IHG to cut out the costs involved in buying and maintaining hotel-based server hardware, while also ensuring optimum performance.

Simphony is one of a number of systems now on the market.

Cloud-based POS systems are becoming increasingly popular

in the hospitality industry, writes Donald Gasper

Moving into the

cloud

t E c h n o l o g y

16 AHCT december 2013 www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

“There are a lot more options in the market within the last two years, and only recently major players have offered it,” says Tony Marsters, director of IT services at Pita Pit, a chain in the US which operates more than 200 franchised locations using the Posera system.

Paradigm shiftBut what exactly does cloud technology have to offer? Stripped of all the technological jargon, it represents a paradigm shift in how people and businesses use computers. The advantages of a cloud-based POS system are the centralisation of data, the possibility of accessing data from anywhere there is an internet connection, lower costs and the ability to run systems on mobile devices.

Cloud-based POS systems are different from traditional POS, mainly because user data, including sales and inventory, need not be stored locally, but can be retained on a remote server. These systems provide scalability, flexibility, resiliency and streamlined integration of applications. They can save money, time and other resources.

The POS system is not run locally, so there is no installation required. In fact, the advent of cloud computing gives birth to the possibility of POS systems being deployed as software as a service (SaaS) – also known as service-oriented architecture (SOA) – which can be easily accessed.

Since, as mentioned, the cloud applications are hosted on a remote server, you are saved from paying for numerous different licences when you want to access them from different computers and devices.

This model is welcome news for companies that operate multiple branches, as it allows them to quickly update software at many locations rather than having to wait several weeks to complete the process. This means savings in the labour and costs needed for system maintenance.

A further advantage of using applications and databases in the cloud is savings on the costs of hardware, given that on-site servers are no longer needed. All that is needed is a computer and web browser to access.

An additional advantage relates to implementation and maintenance. You don’t need a professional technician to help in these areas, as any problems you encounter are the responsibility of the vendor. There is no software installation, no network set up required. Vendors of the software used in cloud-based POS normally have many more dedicated staff whose job it is to maintain and improve the systems, than most hotel or restaurant operators can assign to these tasks.

This enables the operators to utilise such resources without the need of securing them for themselves. Thus cloud-based solutions reduce the burden of software maintenance and support and allow businesses to concentrate on what is important to them – serving their customers.

Furthermore, SOA allows organisations to cut the amount they

need to pay in advance to a minimum. They normally have to pay a monthly fee for the software licence rather than make a large upfront investment. Thus hotels or restaurants using the cloud system do not have to spend too much up-front. They can also cancel at any time if not satisfied.

Due to advances in communications, cloud-based POS systems can be free from the limitations of platform and operating systems. They are created to be compatible with a wide range of POS hardware.

In fact, the cloud allows users to store data on remote computer servers and retrieve that data almost as quickly as if it was located on their server at home or in the office. Cloud-based services also allow users to access software without installing it on their computers.

Another advantage of cloud-based applications is their accessibility. Because the application is installed on a remote server, it allows you to access it from anywhere.

Bernard Ellis, director of industry strategy for Infor Hospitality,

offers some other advantages of the cloud: “If you are opening a new operation, for example, you can now do this much faster by utilising cloud technology. For example, staff training can take place at the employee’s home before they even turn up to start work, saving an organisation time and money.”

He says another advantages of cloud technology is that it does not need so much hardware in hazardous food and beverage environments. This leaves room to install more kitchen equipment. Also, it enables the central roll-up of business: “You no longer need to poll systems one by one to roll up data centrally – it’s basically already there!”

Going mobileCloud-based POS also help expand POS systems to mobile devices, which many see as the future. “I believe adamantly that POS is going to go entirely mobile in the future,” says Marsters of Pita Pit.

However, in terms of migrating POS systems to portable devices, Ellis believes larger F&B operations that require complex applications continue to find it difficult to get everything they need onto the small screen. Because of the complexity of the applications, he says, it can be a bit daunting for the larger F&B operations in terms of both cost and training. “But, in many cases, changing payment settlement requirements and options are forcing the issue.”

There are some concerns over the security status of data stored on the cloud. These imagined risks are, however, not so serious as to outweigh the advantages that it brings to users.

In fact, as the applications are hosted on very powerful servers, the likelihood of these going down is minimal. The data is continuously backed up in various locations, so that its recovery is easier if a natural disaster occurs.

Ellis sums up his view of the cloud: “It’s here to stay – many issues are solved by this technology.”

It’s here to stay – many issues are solved by this technology

Bernard Ellis, Infor Hospitality

t E c h n o l o g y

AHCT december 2013 17www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

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Long gone are the days when Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar were considered dangerous countries to

visit. All three have embraced the tourist dollar in recent years with more resorts popping up in tucked away corners to offer guests singular experiences. As these countries develop, owners are opting for more individualistic approaches to design and management. Rather than have an international brand come on board as an operator, many are choosing to run the property themselves.

Alternatively, they are hiring smaller, more boutique brands to get the job done. For Ho Chi Minh City-based architecture and interior design firm Noor, the challenges of working in South-east Asia are both exhilarating and occasionally frustrating, but never boring.

Founded by Luc Lejeune and David Hodkinson, Noor – which means light in Arabic – has a third partner, Mya Myitzu, heading up the firm’s work in Myanmar. Rounding out the directors is David Thomas, who helms Noor’s Paris office. To date, it has worked on projects across South-east Asia including restaurants, spas, urban hotels and luxury resorts.

It gave Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor in Siem Reap and Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh gentle renovations that preserved each property’s beloved traditions while bringing them up to 21st century speed. On Noor’s drawing board is a floating 20-suite resort dubbed Aqua Mekong, slated to be completed in 2014, when it will sail down the legendary river of its namesake from Siem Reap into Vietnam.

“A number of our projects in Vietnam have recently gone through a re-evaluation process due to the financial crisis,” notes Lejeune. “The result is that owners have decided not to proceed with hiring an international brand. Instead, they operate the hotels themselves. If done in the right and informed manner, this can yield a unique product which will stand out in the market.

“However, the challenges can be quite daunting. With an international brand, we abide by clear standards. That is rarely the case when designing a privately managed property. Expectations are different, and there are sometimes too many parties involved. Sometimes there is also an emotional element to consider. Financing may not be in place for smaller players and all prerequisites may not be completely ironed out. Sometimes there is a lack of focus. Without a management company behind the owner, often corners tend to be cut. Fees are definitely more of an issue.

“As designers, we have to find ways, often during the construction phase, to both

Ho Chi Minh City-based Noor celebrates its 10th

year creating resorts across South-east Asia

that foster a sense of place, writes Rebecca Lo

Photography courtesy Noor

Designs on destinationsRafflesSiemReap


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keep the design intent while being ready to reduce the cost for the developer. However, there is more freedom with properties that don’t have to adhere to brand standards.”

Originally from France, Lejeune has lived in Vietnam since 1991 and experienced the country’s phenomenal changes. However, he admits that it is still not a mass tourism destination. Consequentially, travellers expect something different.

“This can be by way of closer connections to the local culture, people, food or a more secluded location,” he explains. “All of the above can be more easily provided due to less densely packed resort locations. There are real opportunities to create destination resorts, especially given the great variety of topography and climate throughout South-east Asia.

“We are currently engaged in an urban resort project outside Hanoi, and are working closely with local craft villages to encourage the use of their products throughout the resort’s architecture and design. In both modern and heritage projects, it is very important for us to connect the property with the place, whether it is through local materials, building techniques, a legend, or simply connecting the resort with the site’s topography.

“In Vietnam, there is always a story associated with the country’s history and the fantasies it inspires. Sense of place and history stand side by side with practicality, novelty and cost control in our designs.”

Noor is now working on concepts for resorts in hard to reach locations, as developers want a hook for guests who are

We believe that luxury today is more about authenticity rather than gold taps

LucLejeune

MyaMyitzu

DavidHodkinson

HoChiMinhCity-basedarchitectureandinteriordesignfirmNoordirectors–thechallengesofworkinginSouth-eastAsiaarebothexhilaratingandoccasionallyfrustrating

RafflesPhnomPenh

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David Hodkinson, Noor


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constantly seeking something new.“Resorts have always been about the

experience and the feeling of escape, with brands like Aman taking the lead for many years,” Lejeune states. “Now that idea has filtered down to smaller brands. They expect to create destinations which are purely about a particular place. As a result, these resorts become quite inward looking. Of course, nearby attractions are still important. However, these tend to be more local and small scale, such as fishing trips, cooking classes in villages and historic walking tours. All of the activities provide more personalised experiences for guests.

“We too try to find ways to give a more varied and different experience for each guest. Maybe it is the villa or room and the views it enjoys. Maybe it is the way the room can be used throughout the day, depending on the mood of the guest or the weather. Our villa designs often incorporate many indoor and outdoor areas for guests to explore, such as pools, terraces, cabanas, outdoor showers, sliding screens and outdoor areas.

“We are lucky that owners’ expectations in Vietnam have really caught up with the region and the rest of the world. At the same time, there is a strong element

of national pride. We are now done with designs looking like Phuket or Bali or even Versailles. Operators, as usual, need a practical design.”

English native Hodkinson is an architect by training, and he believes that technology should be present in resorts – in an intuitive manner that doesn’t detract from the overall design.

“Lighting is a major feature, but so are new sound systems, fantastic bedding and simple yet efficient techie bathroom equipment,” he says. “Designers should be given free rein when it comes to lighting, accents and details in a resort. If owners want to tighten budgets, we can always source local finishes.”

Fo r Aqua Mekong , Noor ha s incorporated design features such as windows and balconies that run the entire length of the room. These allow for an indoor/outdoor experience while letting in the landscape to form a strong bond with the room.

“Also important are a mix of outdoor terraces, open decks that are, covered, semi-covered or shaded by trees and foliage,” he adds. “We used both natural and boat type materials, such as wood, metal and textures that are not too heavy. We have landscaped areas on the deck and two large frangipani trees on the aft deck. We believe that luxury today is more about authenticity rather than gold taps.”

SunriseResort&SpaHoiAn

Noor’sfloating20-suiteresortdubbedAquaMekongisslatedtobecompletedin2014

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Times website!

New lookAsian Hotel & Catering

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Giving a traditional dessert recipe a retro or avant-garde twist or adding an unexpected ingredient can pay dividends. Jane Ram looks at regional trends

Sweetening the bottom line

KirstenTibballs,SavourChocolate&PatisserieSchool–‘TheAsianpalateprefersmuchlesssweetdessertsincomparisontoEuropeandAustralia’

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East meets West like never before in today’s dessert kitchens. Chef Mok Kit Keung at Hong Kong’s Kowloon Shangri-La two Michelin-starred Shang Palace includes black garlic mousse and foie gras with sweetened durian on his

dessert platter. Meanwhile Western pastry chefs pursue a new and exciting love affair with Asian ingredients and recipes.

”There are so many fascinating ingredients, how can you not use them?” asks David Laris, who earned the nickname ‘China’s first famous chef ’ during his 20-year career on the mainland. “Osmanthus, jasmine and tapioca are wonderful. Green tea may be overdone, but it is still appreciated.”

Surprise is increasingly the watchword. The ‘wow’ sensation in the mouth is all-important, says chef Cyril Dupuis, InterContinental Hong Kong’s executive pastry chef. He believes Japan is the world’s second most famous place in the world for desserts after France.

“In Japan you can find the best chocolates and pastries from all over the world. In Hong Kong, generally people are becoming more knowledgeable about French pastries. You can see this trend by the number of world-famous patisseries and chocolate shops which have opened there recently.”

Trends in China lag behind, but a new market is growing in appreciation of desserts, says Laris. “Places like Shanghai are very open to new tastes and ideas – it will grow. Freestanding dessert outlets are doing well in Shanghai with Chinese customers, although what they serve is often not very good! I do notice a passion for chocolate cake and when there’s a gifting moment people increasingly buy chocolate or cakes instead of flowers. There’s a new cafe and coffee culture and cakes go along with that.”

Director Kirsten Tibballs and a cast of award-winning international guest chefs teach professional chefs through to passionate foodies at her Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School, Victoria, Australia. “The Asian palate prefers much less sweet desserts

TartetatinfromSavourChocolate&PatisserieSchool

GingersquaresatMGMMacau–thepropertyisofferinglighterversionsoftraditionalMacaneserecipesandalsomodernisingthepresentationofChinesedesserts

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xantana, covered with raspberry and cocoa butter.”In response to today’s increasingly health-conscious trends,

Frederic Bau, creative director of Valrhona’s École du Grand Chocolat points to three key areas where the company’s strategy of Gourmandise Raisonnée can be applied.

“Reduce quantities of high calorie ingredients. Reduce portion sizes. (This trend began over 20 years ago with small gateaux that have gone from 100/110 grams to 60/70 grams today.) Substitute ingredients, replacing cream with milk or soy milk, use egg whites instead of yolks or substitute fragrant nut oils for butter. Use fruits, dark chocolate that is low in cocoa butter and sugar such as Coeur de Guanaja.”

Valrhona has created a booklet of basic recipes that can be used in many different ways for patisseries, desserts and individual chocolate bonbons. It has also produced a range of sugar-free dark chocolate couverture, Xocoline.

“Desserts are no longer simply a matter of upselling,” says Laris. And at MGM Macau, executive chef Desmond Hill notices a new and fast-growing wine, tea and coffee culture matching desserts. Gimmicks are out and great tasting food and value for money are all-important, says Hill.

“Chemical gastronomy has become passé as customers are not willing to pay for air-foams and textural effects. Retro desserts developed from childhood tastes and favourites are popular,” he says.

He has been working on lighter versions of traditional Macanese recipes and also modernising the presentation of Chinese desserts. A noticeable new trend, he says, is for customers to request special desserts tailored for gluten or lactose intolerance.

in comparison to Europe and Australia,” she observes. At the Alain Ducasse restaurant Spoon, at the Hong Kong

InterContinental Hotel, pastry chef Jerome Husson says the Asian taste preference is reflected in Ducasse’s cuisine, as he has drastically reduced the amount of sugar used in his dessert recipes.

“Our Spoon chocolate bourbon vanilla Christmas log has no added sugar, just the sugar which is found in the chocolate – Valrhona 65% cacao.”

“Received wisdom was always that Chinese don’t like overly sweet flavours, but there are a lot of heavy, sweet traditional desserts, so I never accepted that,“ says Laris. These days it’s increasingly about novel ingredients and novel combinations of flavours, he says. “Chefs are looking at how salt and sweet work together. You always saw it in Thailand, it was commonplace for Asian palates, now it is more international.“

Taste and texture“Desserts are now as much about texture as about flavour,” says Tibballs. “Deconstructed desserts are very fashionable, for example instead of having a classic lemon tart on a plate you would have crumbed pastry quenelles of lemon curd and scattered meringue sticks garnished with micro herbs.”

Fruit and chocolate are perennial Asian favourites, and in combination they are unbeatable, says Charles Christiaens, executive chef at Hansar Bangkok. His signature rouge cake is a case in point.

“We use a dark chocolate from Belgium with 70% cacao, also white chocolate. The sponge cake is a very light, flourless dacquoise. The mango heart is made with fresh mango puree thickened with

There are so many fascinating ingredients, how can you not use them? Osmanthus, jasmine and tapioca are wonderful. Green tea may be overdone, but it is still appreciatedDavid Laris, restaurateur

HansarBangkokisadoptingThaiflavoursinitsmacarons,usingjasmine,pandan,anchanflower,lemongrassandkaffirlimeforexcitingcoloursandflavours

ChristmaslogdessertatInterContinentalHongKong F o o d


Weird and wonderful”There’ve been some interesting dessert trends this year, from the hybrid desserts such as the cronut [croissant-doughnut pastry], oolong tea flavoured macaron or salted egg yolk flavoured ice cream,” says Fay-Linn Yeoh, Asia Pacific brand director for St. Regis and The Luxury Collection, as well as F&B marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

”In Asia, we’ve gone beyond the matcha flavoured desserts to very specific cultural references, such as kaya flavoured tiramisu.”

Peter Marx, executive chef at The Sanchaya, a luxurious villa spa-resort on Bintan Island, scheduled to open in early spring 2014, ran two Michelin starred restaurants in his native Stockholm before he started on a personal and professional odyssey in search of unusual ingredients and new ways of preparing and presenting food.

Chocolate with sticky rice cake is a recent innovation, says Marx. “The French introduced chocolate and sweetened condensed milk to Vietnam and these ingredients are still used in local desserts including sweet soups with condensed milk. Chocolate was long regarded as fancy and exotic. Today it is grown and processed locally, but it is still regarded as a special treat.”

Macarons lend themselves to experimentation, as French pastry chef Pierre Hermé has shown the world in his use of surprise ingredients such as chilli and green coffee. Hansar’s Christiaens says, “We try to adopt Thai flavours in our macarons; we love to experiment. The feedback is really good. We use jasmine, pandan and anchan flower that gives a blue colour. Lemongrass and kaffir lime give some delicate and special flavours.”

Fay-LinnYeoh,F&BmarketingStarwoodHotels&Resorts–thisyear’s‘interesting’desserttrendshaveincludedcronuts,oolongteaflavouredmacaronsandsaltedeggyolkflavouredicecream

Valrhona’sXocolinesugar-freerangeincludesa41%cocoamilkchocolatecouvertureanda65%cocoadarkchocolatecouverture,bothwithsweeteningagentandpurecocoabutter


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“Foie gras is very popular among Asian diners due to its prestige and value,” says Conrad Hong

Kong executive chef Alfred Moser. “It’s also known for its rich, buttery and delicate flavour, and is held in high esteem in the culinary world.”

Moser says he is a big foie gras fan, using it often in hot and cold dishes.

“At Brasserie on the Eighth, our signature restaurant serving French-Continental cuisine, we prepare foie gras in different ways, and pair it with different ingredients,” he enthuses.

“For example, as an appetiser we do foie gras three ways – pan-fried, terrine and mousse – and as a main we offer beef tenderloin ‘Rossini style’, with pan-fried foie gras and truffle sauce.”

He says he also enjoys it when spliced into Asian fusion cuisine.

His favourite Asian fusion foie gras dish

The decadent taste of foie gras means it is firmly on the menu at upscale

restaurants across Asia, both Western and

increasingly indigenous, reports Daniel Creffield

is lemongrass-infused Thai spiced foie gras terrine, a special item available upon request on tailor-made menus.

“While foie gras is originally a celebrated delicacy in French cuisine, with its increasing popularity among Asian diners, we expect to see a rising trend of using it in Asian fusion cuisine.”

Saturation point?Gregoir Cleary, managing director at House of Fine Wines & Gourmet Food in Hong Kong, agrees that more and more foie gras is being used in Asian restaurants.

“So much so that it is losing its special appeal as now it’s maybe too widely available,” he suggests. “We sell only French foie gras to retail; food service foie gras can often be from Hungary or Spain as it’s cheaper.”

Although Cleary agrees that foie gras does receive some negative publicity – “as

resistanceis useless

FoiegrasthreewaysatConradHongKong


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soon as the Californians banned foie gras in July 2012, we noticed a downward spike in our sales volume by as much 30%” – he says the main concern for consumers is not whether it’s cruel on the animals, but the cholesterol levels it contains.

“If a customer mentions cholesterol, I just agree they shouldn’t buy the product. There are some good points which I rarely mention – high rates of vitamins B6 and B9, good for our cardiovascular systems. The rate of iron is two or three times higher than beef.”

Cleary says the company’s best selling product is its duck bloc de foie gras, the result of “an enormous amount of strategic brand building over the last five years”.

“People now recognise our Superiore foie gras brand as a tasty, quality product at an affordable price.”

Guy de Saint-Laurent, commercial export director with Rougié, a market leading French producer of foie gras, duck and goose meat and truffles, says that while it is mainly Western restaurants using foie gras, increasing numbers of Asian

restaurants are including it in their cuisine.“Its versatility has made foie gras a very

attractive product in Asian gastronomy. It’s also being cooked in healthy ways, with dashi stock in Japan, for instance. According to the way you cook foie gras it can be very healthy and light, at less than 240 calories per dish.

“Foie gras is increasingly a gastronomic icon worldwide … it’s a fantastic and still affordable product for chefs as it contains ‘good’ fat [58% mono-unsaturated fatty acids]. This fat also absorbs flavours from fruits, herbs, spices, vegetables, meat and fishes and crustacean products.”

Across Asia, Rougié is primarily selling into Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and emerging markets including the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

He says that the company’s most popular products are individually quick-frozen slices of raw foie gras, raw, deveined flash-frozen foie gras and raw, hot, flash-frozen foie gras.

And he insists foie gras receives unfair press, and that production methods have improved greatly over the past few years.

“Raising our ducks and geese needs a lot of care, and fattening methods are difficult to understand and need to be explained. We always explain how this is carried out and consumers and chefs alike are usually relieved to learn the truth and often upset to discover they have been manipulated.”

TheHouseofFineWines&GourmetFoodinHongKongsaysfoiegrasisincreasinglybeingusedatAsianrestaurants.ItsbestsellingproductisitsSuperiorebrandduckblocdefoiegras

BeefTenderloin‘Rossinistyle’withpan-friedfoiegrasandtrufflesauceatConradHongKong

Rougiéfoiegraswithyuzu,acitrusfruitandplantoriginatinginEastAsia.TheproducersaysincreasingnumbersofrestaurantsarepreparingitinanAsianstyle


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Tis the season to be jolly? That’s a slightly nervous notion, if you’re in the Champagne business. Visiting European producers love declaring how Asia is the “new growth

engine,” obscuring the reality – economic growth in Europe is sluggish, even stagnant, and there’s just nowhere else to go.

In truth, sales of Champagne in Asia account for a mere 5% of total worldwide sales, a figure not much changed since last recorded in 2011, and quick perusals of the prevailing numbers still don’t augur particularly well.

In the first nine months of 2012, sales across Asia actually fell by 5%, according to the Wall Street Journal, and Drinks Business in the UK noted that “while the UK and France suffered declines in 2012, the total shipments to countries outside the EU rose last year by 3.2% to almost 61 million bottles, accounting for a record of nearly 20% of the global market.” In a good year, France produces some 250 million bottles of Champagne.

Ongoing analysis from the Federation Francaise Des Exportateurs de Vins et Spiritueux (FFEVS) support this notion, with one report from February 2013 conceding that French wines in general “face constant difficulty in increasing market shares in volume.

Over 10 years, wine exports lost 10% in volume and grew 30% in value, mainly due to Champagne and Bordeaux wines”

while emerging markets such as China show “continuing progress, despite slowing growth.”

Such “progress” notwithstanding, mainland China has never been much of a market for any kind of sparkling wine, mostly for cultural reasons – a prevalent mindset that favours red wine, and intense competition from local spirits such as baijiu.

A May 2013 New York Times report noted that some two million bottles of Champagne enter China annually but actual sales remain low despite “a rise of more than 50% last year”, while Drinks Business noted “no concrete evidence that Champagne is actually that popular in China ... there are disputes about what the numbers truly represent and arguments are put forward that China is something of a white elephant for Champagne.”

This means, in truth, there are three markets in Asia that significantly matter: Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The Drinks Business report states that: “Japan is perhaps the prime example of what can be achieved in Asia, closely followed by Hong Kong. Many producers talk with great affection for Japan, a market of over seven million bottles that is as developed as many European rivals, although just as many experts will concede that it took the Japanese 25 years to get there.”

Still, their cultural preference for Champagne owes to food

Asia’s reputation as a growth market for Champagne is more about falling European sales than dramatic gains in Asia, suggests Gerrie Lim

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble

G.H.Mumm’ssignatureBrutSelection,distributedbyPernodRicard,isaperennialfavouriteintheregion


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pairing (with sashimi and sushi, and most fish in general) and the massive on-trade business done in places such as karaoke clubs where corporate bigwigs and salarymen find solace after work. The off-trade Champagne business is scarce in Japan since most people live in small apartments not conducive to home entertaining and many restaurants eschew corkage policies – bringing bottles is actually considered rude.

“Yes, people don’t do it,” agrees Kaori Shirota, managing director at Pernod Ricard Hong Kong, and who is Japanese.

“The off-trade business in Japan is mostly confined to non-vintage Champagne, and done in terms of gift-giving and home consumption. Hong Kong [is becoming] more mature and lifestyle has been influenced by the British drinking culture. Many local people have lived abroad and there are many expatriates, and all these help develop and support a Champagne culture.”

Her prestige Champagne is Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque, also the company’s bestseller in Japan, which has “very good potential in Hong Kong, capturing advanced female drinkers and being offered at food pairing and celebrations. Admittedly, Dom Perignon is the largest and most dominant brand and will remain so for a while, but I see it consumed mainly at night at clubs so their positioning is quite different from Belle Epoque.”

Branding driving competitionThe most recent figures from FFEVS show that for the year of June 2012 to July 2013, Champagne in Hong Kong accounted for 75,560 cases (906,720 bottles) or 20% of volume, and competition is very much driven by branding.

Which brand predominates actually depends on who one talks

The kitty that got the creamMarketing genius or sheer crassness? The wine industry and Champagne lovers alike will have to make up their own minds, following the launch of a Hello Kitty Champagne at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair.

Hello Kitty Cuvée Spéciale, produced by Champagne M. Hostomme, is a demi-sec rosé Champagne made of 50% pinot noir, 30% pinot meunier and 20% chardonnay, described as fruity with small bubbles.

Hong Kong-based Caudalie Ltd, which has won the exclusive rights for distribution in Hong Kong and Macau, says Hello Kitty Cuvée Spéciale will be available for retail, at hotels and private clubs, for around US$65.Daniel Creffield

to, since many connoisseurs and sommeliers are split opinion-wise between the high-end ‘prestige cuvees’ (such as Dom Perignon, Krug and Louis Roederer Cristal) and the artisanal ‘grower’s Champagnes’ (such as the ‘art’ Champagnes Jacquart and Ruinart) with the mass market seeing a straight fight between two companies, MHD (Moet Hennessy Diageo) and Pernod Ricard.

Some might say it’s an uneven battle, since MHD (whose flagship Champagne is Dom Perignon) has an overwhelming 50% market share in Hong Kong.

“According to the IWSR (International Wine & Spirit Research),

Pic:Perrier-Jouet

VeuveClicquotsayspartofitssuccessinAsiaisduetohowwellitpairswithcuisinesintheregion

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Veuve Clicquot has about a 20% market share, whereas Moët & Chandon has about 30%,” says Vickie Ho, Veuve Clicquot’s brand manager in Hong Kong

“The better the brand’s recognition and visibility, together with a sustainable supply of Champagne, [the better its] on-trade business, especially to be considered as a house Champagne of premium outlets. We have also noticed that a lot of our competitors are more inclined to use price-point promotions as a tactic, making the Hong Kong market more competitive.”

“In Hong Kong, I have met many people knowledgeable about Champagne,” said Veuve Clicquot winemaker Pierre Casenave. “Veuve Cliquot is a very gastronomic Champagne, a food match

with Asian cuisines. Our brand recognition has been strong, due to our visibility at prestige hotels and restaurants, and our consumers know Veuve Clicquot for its high quality and consistency, as well as our pinot noir dominant style – the kind of creaminess and the richness of our Champagne, therefore they trust the Veuve Clicquot brand.”

Krug, also distributed by MHD, is best known for its non-vintage grand cuvée – for which Japan again remains its biggest market – which has all but vanquished its once direct competitor G.H. Mumm, distributed by Pernod Ricard and still producing its signature Cordon Rouge and Brut Selection, though with some necessary ‘rebranding’ (its image tainted by the stereotype of Formula One drivers often celebrating by spraying Mumm).

“We were the number one brand in the US 25 years ago, for instance,” admits Didier Mariotti, the company’s chef de caves, “but we changed owners and things happened. We still have a 22% market share in the US but our place has basically been taken by Veuve Clicquot and they did it in 10 years. We have to live with our history and look to the future, especially in Asia.”

Thinking small?Mariotti agrees with many who see a future for Champagne in a seemingly unlikely place: Singapore, the city-state blessed a large English-speaking, overseas educated, aspirational drinking demographic.

“Everyone is talking about how Champagne consumption and imports in Singapore have risen over the years, thanks to the casino-led business and growth of food outlets,” notes Singapore-based wine writer and educator Edwin Soon, author of The Wines of France and Pairing Wine with Asian Food.

“Like Hong Kong, we have two opposing brand owners – MHD versus Pernod Ricard – but we also have sophisticated drinkers, people who prefer smaller brands such as Bollinger and Taittinger or lesser-known brands like Henri Giraud, Pierre Peters and Bruno Paillard, all fighting for market share.

“Singaporeans bring wine to restaurants and certain places have excellent no corkage policies and high quality stemware. When you run out of your own wine they will sell you wines at cost price, as many owners believe they are there to sell food and wine as a product and service.”

Singapore now leads the way as the rest of South-east Asia – a sub-region accounting for some five million Champagne bottles – gradually catches up. Malaysia grew 44% in 2011 to 265,989 bottles, according to another Drinks Business report which cites how “Vietnam and Indonesia grew 36% and 48% respectively, though admittedly from small bases.”

Ultimately, wherever you are, success depends on the ability to harness two critical elements. “You need both brand recognition and distribution channels,” says another brand manager in Hong Kong, who requested anonymity, “or it doesn’t work at all.”

Still, the holidays are coming, so if one casts aside business concerns, this most lively of French libations possesses the requisite charms to soothe even the most cynical among us.

“Which other wine is made painstakingly from selected grapes, often blended skillfully, and also fermented a second time?” posits Singapore’s Edwin Soon. “Imagine the work and cost, yet the pleasure from say a S$150 (US$120) bottle of Champagne easily outweighs any other S$150 still wine. Personally, I drink Champagne and love it because it’s the best value wine ever.”

Krug,distributedbyMHD,isbestknownforitsnon-vintagegrandcuvee–Japanisitsbiggest

marketinAsia

PernodRicardHongKongbelievesitsPerrier-JouetBelleEpoque,whichisthecompany’sbestsellerinJapan,alsohas“verygoodpotentialinHongKong”

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AHCT december 201334

The hospitality industry is at the forefront of seeking to reduce costs while simultaneously demonstrating social corporate

responsibility.It’s in commercial kitchens where a huge

amount of waste, and conversely potential cost and energy savings can be found.

Relatively small changes are easy to make, such as low-flow tap nozzles – said to reduce water use by two-thirds; tap aerators, which mix air and water to keep flow rates high thus reducing water use (some by more than 75%); and installing convection ovens and steam cookers – all of which use less energy and reduce costs.

When it comes to the larger equipment such as warewashers, those responsible for purchasing are increasingly turning to manufacturers whose technology promises both effective results and economy of use.

Versatility is keyWith more than 100 years of experience as a dishwashing specialist, US company Champion says it is “devoted to excellence”, with an array of versatile machines and the ability to customise to order.

Its range includes under counter units, glass washers, rack and circular conveyors, pot, pan and rack washers and door type machines.

“This last item is among our latest to be updated,” says Mendel Sun, business development manager.

“We are about to launch a new door type dishwasher (9kW), which provides 50% energy saving compare to the traditional door type dishwashers (18kW).”

As well as energy savings, the units conserve water, require fewer chemicals and take up less space.

With low and high temperature units available, the 2000 series is field-convertible from 40 to 70 degree size and comes in 208 and 240-volt capacities.

Cost reduction is also top priority, Sun says. “Our latest design mini flight type dishwasher helps the traditional conveyor type dishwasher user save 50% of labour costs by reducing the manual handling time of dishes.

“This impacts favourably on a company’s social corporate responsibility considerations without reducing effectiveness.”

Comenda has over 50 years in the field of manufacturing and marketing more than 200 dishwashing solutions.

“We design for hygiene which means form plus technology plus functionality,” says Andrea Genoni, Comenda’s export area manager.

“Our strength is attention to every last detail so we supply washing solutions that comply with today’s severe public catering hygiene standards.”

Last year was one of research and innovation for Comenda, Genoni says. “We introduced the award-winning Multirinse system.

“This system only uses half a litre of rinse water per rack. Our new APRS system adapts the use of water to the workload. And the new Proportional Wash System for the AC3 series modulates the flow rate and volume of water in conjunction with the advancement speed of racks.”

The system has three different speeds so

Rise and shine

Water and power represent some of the most substantial costs hospitality groups have to face. Zara Horner takes a look at the latest dishwashing machines to see how manufacturers are trying to help

is suitable for all wash needs. It optimises consumption and helps to customise work shifts as a result.

“With 76 jets for thorough and intensive cleaning in the second and fastest speeds, 12 washing arms are activated, six up and six down, with another two on the sides,” Genoni says.

“It also operates on an exceptionally long washing area of 115cm and has greater pressure which means more effective cleaning all round.”

The machine can be adjusted to advance more slowly for heavily soiled items.

Understanding needsThe people at Winterhalter recognise that water is an expensive commodity and needs to be used sparingly.

“It’s vital we keep water usage as low as possible,” says Wendy Wang, managing director, China.

Lowering water consumption has a knock-on effect, with less chemicals needed, and reduced energy requirements.

“We are about the des ign and manufacture of efficient warewashing systems,” Wang stresses.

“In our units wash water is continually recycled and our automatic dosing machines are designed to deliver the best results. We work closely with customers to determine the optimum solution for their dishwashing problems.”

Winterhalter warewashing machines adjust detergent dosing according to the hardness of the water, which minimises the discharge of phosphates into the wastewater.

“Hygienic cleaning is only possible

Meiko’slatestM-iQunit“redefinesdishwashingtechnology”accordingtothecompany


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with hot water,” Wang recommends. “But our units use interlocking heating systems to reduce connection ratings to minimise energy use, which not only protects the environment, but reduces costs.

“We also have a variety of energy recovery systems, such as the Exhaust Air Heat Recovery programme where energy is removed from the exhaust air and used to preheat incoming cold water,” Wang explains.

Winterhalter’s top product is the under counter machine with wash water filtration, optimum pressure, touch screen, ease of service and use and energy saving devices, including water treatment to prevent scale. It comes in pass-through, dishwasher, utensil washer and single and multi tank rack conveyor units.

Commercial challengesHelping the hospitality industry meet commercial challenges is a top priority for German company Meiko.

“Our machines are about cutting edge design and advanced engineering,” says Klaus Engesser, export manager at Meiko Germany.

The company’s latest unit, M-iQ

“redefines dishwashing technology,” Engesser says.

“It has a revolutionary filtration system whereby food waste is actively and continuously removed from every tank improving wash results and reducing detergent use.

“Automatic self cleaning reduces clean up times and heat is redistributed by an advanced integrated airflow system which minimises heat energy consumption and lowers exhaust emissions.

“Water consumption can be as low as 56.2 gallons an hour with the M-iQ.”

The unit comes in a variety of models and sizes with glass touchscreen, and fast intuitive operation.

Engesser says, “M-iQ’s outstanding

sustainable and cost-saving credentials have convinced buyers worldwide.

“The machine has the lowest operating costs with water savings up to 57%, detergent savings up to 87%, energy savings up to 54%, and exhaust air emissions are cut by up to 80%.

“Financial savings and environment friendly operation – these are the things which attract our customers most.”

UScompanyChampionoffersaversatilerangeofproductsincludingundercounterunits,glasswashers,rackandcircularconveyors,pot,panandrackwashersanddoortypemachines

GermanmanufacturerMeikosaysthathelpingthehospitalityindustrymeetcommercialchallengesisatoppriority

Comendaoffersmorethan200dishwashingsolutions


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Sophisticated lighting control systems are essential for properties looking to reduce energy usage, and can also

improve the lighting experience for guests. Photo sensors take advantage of daylight, reducing light usage and creating a more natural setting for guests, while LED lights’ low-heat, low-cost properties mean they have almost entirely replaced conventional lighting.

Dan Greenwood, senior director of engineering – Asia Pacific, Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou, describes specific interior lighting challenges at the property.

“We have areas with back-lit stone, which is very dramatic,” he explains. “Ballroom and ground floor public spaces have large walls which are typically either fabric or cold stone in most designs, but here they are thin-cut onyx back-lit with LED lighting which provides warmth and

drama to the space. The bar counter in Tian Bar is lit within, with blue semi-precious agate which makes the whole room glow.

“One unique lighting element is for large artwork panels at the arrival lobby and atrium. LED lights are programmed to provide subtle shading and movement to these large sculptures.”

Greenwood’s excitement in advances in recent lighting and control technology is palpable. “The industry is constantly developing but lighting designers now have much more creative license, and hotels in particular provide many unique opportunities,” he opines. “Where lighting used to be almost purely functional, it is now a critical part of the design as a whole.”

His colleague Benjamin Bao, director of engineering at Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai Pudong, outlines some of that hotel’s striking use of lighting: “The magnificent

Any hotelier or restaurateur in charge

of mid-priced to luxury operations knows that

lighting is a crucial design element, writes

Andrew Dembina

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20-metre-high tree-wall in our executive club is made from metal with spotlights casting its shadows onto the wall with mysterious effects, almost as if the tree is growing up the wall,” he explains.

In the hotel’s Chinese restaurant private dining room, ceiling pendants form a curtain-like decoration, which are up-lit to provide an elegant effect.

Bao adds that technology is making life simpler for lighting control: “Our ballroom ceiling lighting can be remote controlled and adjusted. The entire lighting row can move back and forth for better casting position on the stage area, and colours can be changed for different event moods.

“About 40% of our hotel lights are energy saving.”

Innovative approachLasvit, based in the Czech Republic – and utilising the centuries-old tradition of Czech glassmaking through the hands of Czech glassmakers – is a respected name in lighting design and manufacture. Its client list includes Four Seasons Beijing, Kerry Hotel Pudong, Eclat Beijing, The Westin Tianjin, Peninsula Hong Kong, Shangri-La Tokyo and Park Hyatt Hyderabad. In its Eclat Hotel Beijing and Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong projects, its architectural designs occupy whole ceiling spaces to dramatic effect.

Filip Simek, managing director at Lasvit

Hong Kong’s office says the company’s innovations are mainly in glassmaking techniques and designs. “Every year we collaborate with designers to come up with new ideas and products,” he explains. “Recently, we combined traditional glassmaking with cutting-edge technology such as colour changing and dynamic lighting to help enhance the experience of the client. Designers are looking for something more interactive, something that will capture and entertain the viewer as well.”

Smart Candle Asia, based in Hong Kong, manufactures LED-illuminated faux candle lighting. Its products are used in 100-plus restaurants and hotels throughout Asia, and hundreds more worldwide. The company constantly pushes forward with new innovations.

“We proudly provide the lighting in the Vatican, where the traditional look of candles is highly valued,” Ashleigh Tamblin, director of sales and marketing, told AHCT. “It is important we maintain traditions, as well as providing mood lighting for tables tops in good restaurants.

“As the inventors of the flameless candle we aspire to always keep ahead with the latest technology. We use wireless induction charging, that makes our products almost completely weatherproof, with premium long-life lithium batteries. Our super-bright LEDs work on a 30-second flickering

rotation, as opposed to [just a] blink, to realistically match the flicker of a naked flame.

“Last year we debuted the Luminara, a moving flame candle, that has quickly [become] our most popular product. Using electromagnetics, it is virtually indistinguishable from a real candle.”

Changing timesMichael Huggins, founder, principal and creative director of Hong Kong-based architectural lighting solutions company Light Directions, has designed landmark lighting projects across the Asia-Pacific region. These include luxury resorts including Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay, and city hotels such as Park Hyatt properties in Beijing and Melbourne, alongside commercial and infrastructural projects developments.

Recently completed projects include Grand Hyatt Hong Kong’s grand ballroom, conference rooms and its steakhouse restaurant, as well as a comprehensive project at Mandarin Oriental Shanghai.

Huggins describes the current challenges his team faces. “In the last five years, it has got more difficult for everyone involved [in conceiving and installing lighting] from lighting designers, architects and interior designers, property owners and electricians to all work effectively together,” he says.

“Technology has changed so much that

HotelÉclatTaipei


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up is not compatible.“Non-compatible equipment makes

tendering difficult, so we try to make it known informally that this is the era we are in now and we may have to deal with completely different wiring and dimming curves. It’s a bit like trying to use Microsoft software with Apple computers. It will take a while for architects, interior designers and properties to understand.”

A simpler approach?Looking to the near future, Huggins says control systems must become more simplified. The HUE lighting system from Philips shows the way a professional lighting system may evolve with simplified remote touchpad control.

“The HUE lamps have already begun to allow this in a plug and play way in the retail market – a bridge link is used instead of a dimmer rack of old,” he explains. “The control in a typical hotel guest room can cost the same as the lighting equipment, but HUE shows that it should be possible to control lighting from within the palm of your hand and not rely on a separate dimming system. It’s all in the lamp and whichever smart device you are

everyone is trying to keep up with each other as best as we can. Opportunities for effective lighting are so much greater than years ago but as new ways of doing things come out – that’s basically LED technology – old fittings for tungsten lighting remain in place and [thus] incompatibility is a big issue.”

Of the technical innovations and power-saving elements of LED lighting that have become woven into his work in the past few years in illumination, he explains that in some cases, he no longer has a choice.

“In Hong Kong, for example, we have to meet government Environmental Protection Department regulations for lower power density ratios that we have to comply with for different areas in a hotel. It’s more in a lobby area, say than in a corridor, but neither give much room for extra lighting detail. We are forced to use them, and restrictions like these exist around Asia.

“LED lighting saves a lot of power. But it’s still quite an immature technology – so we need to make LED drivers compatible with old control systems and light fittings. The evolution of the technology is not happening fast enough to meet the demands of new projects. So sometimes what turns

already using.”Huggins says Asian projects have

historically been more accepting of using colour tints in lighting. “Not coloured light, but more white with a hint of a colour,” he stresses. “Which can be used to brighten darkened areas without losing the atmosphere of a warmer tone light. With newer LED sources and touchscreen interfaces, this will become so much easier. These easy controls will also be fantastic for banquet managers to show a client colour sequences or possibilities in a function room when discussing a space. It took a while to get ballroom operators using touch panels – but it’s happening.”

Another challenging area in high temperature, humidity, monsoon and typhoon-prone parts of Asia is outdoor lighting. “We have to look at lighting that can withstand outdoor conditions. The biggest challenge is getting quality IP-rated [Ingress Protected, a safety standard] lighting equipment at the tender stage.

“Ambient lighting can and usually should be lower in resorts than in hotels in cities. However you can throw a lot of light at an outdoor space and it can still look quite dark, which can be unnerving in more remote resorts. Clients are always asking to light terraces, particularly for dining, but there is sometimes nowhere to light them from. We have suggested rechargeable table lamps and have had some designs made for projects – LED sources are ideally suited as they are lower in power consumption.”

As for facades, Huggins suggests treading warily. “With hotels, I think you should be careful,” he said. “The danger is you don’t want light leaking into guest windows or causing glare – otherwise guests will complain it’s disturbing them.”

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UnmissableItalian fashion house Missoni has teamed up with hospitality products manufacturer Groupe GM to launch a colourful line of hotel amenities.

Reflecting Missoni’s unmistakable prints of zigzags, stripes and wave designs for which they are renowned, the Missoni hotel line can be described as a kaleidoscope of colours. With top notes of tealeaves and milk, middle notes of jasmine petals and rose, as well as base notes of musk and woody iris, the new line is colourful, eccentric and chic.

Missoni began as a fashion brand in 1953 by husband and wife Ottavio and Rosita Missoni. Since then the brand has

Fantastic fiveItalian espresso machine manufacturer Nuova Simonelli demonstrated some of its innovative technologies at HOST, the international hospitality industry event held in Milan.

The company’s Milk Silk technology is in the superautomatic Talento Special.

T3, in addition to being found in the Aurelia II coffee machine, is in the Theresia by Fuksas, the new Victoria Arduino machine.

Clima Pro technology is incorporated in the new Mythos One on-demand grinder.

Easy Cream technology, with its patented nozzles, is in Aurelia II Digit.

Finally, Gravimetric technology, the most innovative of the five, has been introduced into the latest machine from the Victoria Arduino brand, the VA 388.

branched out into a wide variety of luxury, high-end goods and services.

The Missoni hotel line is composed of five opaque tubes featuring signature Missoni designs including bath shower gel, shampoo, hair and body gel, body lotion and conditioner. Soaps also feature in the hotel line as well as hand cream and bath salts. Liquid soaps and hair and body gel will also be available in 300ml Ecopump dispensers. The 100% recyclable Ecopump gives hotels a sustainable yet elegant way to pass on the benefits of products to their guests, and is becoming increasingly popular with hotels concerned about their environmental impact.

Formoreinformation:www.missoni.com

Size is not importantiDevices, a Connecticut based app enablement company and creator of the iGrill, has launched its ultra compact, high performance version of iGrill, the iGrillmini Bluetooth Smart meat thermometer.

The newest addition to iDevices’ repertoire of Bluetooth app-enabled products, iGrillmini boasts a slew of new performance features, including Bluetooth Smart technology for highly efficient food monitoring, a proximity sensor for low energy consumption and an 150 hour battery life.

About a quarter the size of the original iGrill and sporting a more rugged exterior with a smart LED indicating the doneness of food, the iGrillmini is the only ultra compact temperature-monitoring tool using Bluetooth Smart technology on the market. The iGrillmini includes a free iOS app for iPhone 4S and newer and iPad 3 and newer devices.

Formoreinformation:www.idevicesinc.com

This machine was previewed at Host and will be in production by mid-2014.

Among the technologies the major interest was in Easy Cream and Gravimetric. Of the new products, the most popular were the Mythos One grinder, the prototype of the VA 388 and the Appia II.

The Appia II, which won over many buyers, represents an evolution of the Appia machine with high productivity and performance that is already appreciated by baristas around the world. The version presented at HOST has a new design and a brighter covering with more stainless steel. Appia II is also more ergonomic as it now has a reverse mirror, a flush cup warmer and a control panel with more responsive and sensitive buttons.

Formoreinformation:www.nuovasimonelli.it

p r o d u c t n E w s



Coffee – connectedRancilio is based in Italy and makes a wide variety of coffee equipment.

The Rancilio Classe 11 is the company’s flagship coffee machine, while Connect is a solution projected to guarantee punctual, independent and real-time control of the machine fleet. Snap&Share is a tool that allows a smartphone to interact with both the Rancilio Classe 11 and the Egro One.

The price is rightPricePanda, one of South-east Asia’s leading price comparison websites, has launched its iOS app in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.

This follows hard on the heels of the company introducing its app for Android.

With the new app, PricePanda’s broad selection of prices and products in various categories such as computers, health and beauty or home appliances is just a few clicks away.

M-Commerce is exploding in South-east Asia – the number of users who access the internet via their phones is increasing rapidly and leapfrogging traditional desktop users.

According to Nielsen’s report Decoding the Asian Mobile Consumer, markets such as Singapore (87%) or Malaysia (80%) already have higher smartphone penetration rates than for

Sleep easyThe Crescendo Sleep – produced in Holland by the Dynamic Ear Company – is a reusable, washable, universal fit hearing protector designed to help you have a peaceful night’s sleep.

A moderate snorer reaches 50-60dB while severe snoring can hit 90dB (a car horn is around 90dB).

Crescendo Sleep reduces the sound level by a CE certified 24dB, eliminating or reducing sound to a non intrusive level.

Formoreinformation:www.dynamic-ear.com

BOGOF dealsThe Entertainer – an international Dubai based company offering a portfolio of “buy one get one free” incentive vouchers – has gone worldwide.

The vouchers are for sale via a book or app and offer discounts at dining, leisure, wellness and entertainment venues.

The app is available from iTunes, Blackberry, and Google Play.

Formoreinformation:www.theentertainerasia.com

Egro Zero is a fully automatic machine, which, like all the Egro series, benefits from a simple, practical milk system.

Finally, a refrigeration unit compact in size and big on aesthetic impact, the Quick-Milk Fridge is available for the Quick-Milk versions of Egro One and Zero. Its external casing, made with resistant lightweight materials, brushed stainless steel door and four-litre capacity, make the Quick-Milk Fridge the ultimate ergonomic and practical solution for preserving and dispensing milk.

Formoreinformation:www.rancilio.it

instance the US smartphone market (60%). In South-east Asia alone, smartphone owners spent an average of more than three hours per day on their mobiles. As this growth gains momentum, mobile commerce is likely to play an increasingly critical role in shaping the future of retail in Asia.

Formoreinformation:www.pricepanda.com

p r o d u c t n E w s



Sweet taste of successFor the past two years, Saigon-based chocolate maker Marou has been revolutionising Vietnam’s reputation as a source for top quality chocolate.

The French entrepreneurs behind Marou – Samuel Maruta and Vincent Mourou – left corporate careers to become Vietnam’s first artisan chocolate makers.

Since March 2012, The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has used Marou’s dark chocolate bars in Le Club’s chocolate buffets.

More than 20 varieties of chocolate are melted, baked, and blended into a plethora of selections such as chocolate ganache, truffles, crepes, mousse, pralines, eclairs, tarts, cookies and cakes.

At a hot chocolate station you can whip up your personal blend, there is an array of chocolate ice cream, and a chocolate fondue fountain.

Once a month, Marou begins crafting

G.H. Mumm has unveiled the new design of its Formula 1 Cordon Rouge.

In line with the rest of the range, the new design reinforces the brand’s attributes whilst expressing its heritage. The emblematic red ribbon, created in 1876 as a tribute to the Legion of Honour, sees its grandeur restored with a more intense colour, gaining in volume, depth and texture. The initials of the founder of the house, Georges Hermann Mumm, are bolder and thicker, underpinning its historical status on the label. The crowned eagle symbol of nobility has been lightly reworked while preserving its original shape.

Asserting its association as the champagne dedicated to Formula One champions, the special Cordon Rouge now features the laurel crown, traditional symbol of victory, enriched by a glorious number 1.

G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge has been awaiting the winner on the podium of every Formula 1 Grand Prix since 2000.

Formoreinformation:www.ghmumm.com

its chocolate by tasting and selecting the best raw cacao beans from some 10 farms in five provinces around the country. Maruta believes being close to the source is one advantage it has over other, larger brands.

“Bean-to-bar makers in Europe or the US, even the ones who really pay

attention to their sourcing, can’t really visit their providers more than once or twice a year and no-one will sample each and every bag of cacao they buy, as we do.”

Formoreinformation:www.marouchocolate.com

Just dessertsKnouse Foods’ full line of Lucky Leaf Fruit Filling or Topping are made with real fruit picked at the peak of freshness, and are available in an assortment of flavours from traditional classics like apple, cherry, blueberry, blackberry and lemon to newer alternatives that include pineapple, raisin, raspberry, strawberry rhubarb and more. Options with no sugar added are also offered.

Ready to serve and shelf stable for easy storage, all Lucky Leaf Fruit Fillings or Toppings are offered year-round in a convenient multi-serve format to meet the needs of medium to high volume operations.

Formoreinformation:www.knousefoodservice.com

Start your engines

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



A historic drinkFounded in 1949, Yanghe distillery is located in Suqian, the capital of Chinese spirits.

Tianzhilan Celestial Blue is a traditional spirit made from sorghum, rice, wheat, maize, barley and peas. Yanghe employs centuries old fermentation techniques to create a sweet, mild, clean and fragrant flavour.

Highly popular in China, Tianzhilan Celestial Blue is also on sale in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore and will launch in Japan and Korea shortly.

Formoreinformation:www.chinayanghe.com

This should pop your corkLouis Roederer has launched a limited edition Jeroboam Cristal 2002. The bottles will only be available for a selection of prestige clients.

The Jeroboam Cristal 2002 is a medallion bottle designed by Philippe di Meo.

“When it came to designing this Cristal Jeroboam, all I could think of was the light of the wine protected in a clear bottle that was imposing due to its size,” he said. “No shadows on the bottle, only reflections from a ‘sun’. From this idea emerged that of a delicate lattice like a jewel against the skin.”

Inspired by traditional handmade jewellery, Louis Roederer’s emblematic medallion is composed of a light, protective 24-carat latticework. Each bottle is 100% handcrafted and takes two master goldsmiths four days to complete.

Formoreinformation:www.champagne-roederer.com

The Hungarian Mangalica, the world’s only woolly pig, has made a comeback and is now being hailed as pork’s answer to Kobe beef.

Richly marbled, soft and delicious, its products – winter and Mangalica salami, Mangalica paprika and Debreceni sausage, and Mangalica cured ham – are available from Pick Szeged, the 144-year old-meat company and leading processor of Mangalicas in Hungary.

“The Mangalica pig has been rescued from near extinction in the 1990s, mainly thanks to the efforts of a Hungarian animal geneticist and a few

farmers,” said Norbert Palanovics, Pick’s regional manager.

“For centuries, Mangalica pig was raised for its lard and finely marbled meat but in the mid-20th century, a more meaty and less fatty pork was preferred. It was only once its high nutritional value and tasty meat was re-discovered that every attempt was made to save the woolly pig and increase its numbers in Hungary.”

From a low of 198 Mangalica pigs in the 1990s, there are now over 50,000 pigs available annually. The slogan has become “Eat them to save them.”

Formoreinformation:www.pick.hu/en

Miracle pig makes a comeback

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



DATE EVENT DETAILS ORGANISER

HIFI is India’s most important hotel investment conference. It is the annual meeting place for the leaders in the Indian hotel and tourism industry to discuss current trends, network, identify new opportunities and do deals through a combination of plenary sessions, breakout panels and interactive workshops.

Established and internationally recognised Filipino designers and manufacturers team with exciting new talent to show what the Filipino design community is all about.

As the main part of HDD Hotelex, Deco & Design, it contains seven differently themed sectors including catering equipment & supply, bakery & ice cream, tableware, textile, appliance & amenities, IT & security, fitness & leisure. HOTELEX has led the hospitality industry trends for 22 years and will continue to provide one-stop purchasing and information platform for the hospitality professionals.

Food&HotelAsia2014 (FHA2014) is the largest and most comprehensive international trade show for the food and hospitality industry in Asia. Consisting of six specialised events namely FoodAsia, HotelAsia, Bakery&Pastry, HospitalityStyleAsia, HospitalityTechnology and SpecialityCoffee&Tea, the upcoming edition presents a wide array of products and services by more than 2,800 exhibitors from 70 countries/regions over an exhibition area of 95,000 sqm.

SIAL China is the leading Asian meeting point for the food and beverage industry. The 2014 edition will boast 2,400+ exhibitors, 45,000+ visitors and 100,000+ square metres of space in eight halls.

World of FoodService is an international trade exhibition for the food service, catering and hospitality industry in Asia.

THAIFEX World of Food Asia is an international trade exhibition for the food and beverage, food technology and retail and franchise industry in Asia.

HOSFAIR Guangzhou is a platform for Chinese and foreign hotel suppliers, manufacturers and agents.

Innovation and development are the hallmarks of this show which aims to assist exhibitors exploit new markets.

BHN and Horwath HTLTel: +1 714 540 [email protected]

Global-Link Exhibitions Specialist Tel: +632 750 [email protected]/pifs

Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co. Ltd 8/F, Xian Dai Mansion, 218 Xiang Yang Road(S), Shanghai 200031, ChinaAlex Ni Tel: +86 21 3339 2242Fax: +86 21 6115 [email protected] www.hotelex.cn

Singapore Exhibition Services Pte LtdTel: +65 6233 6651Fax: +65 6233 [email protected]

Comexposium Shanghai20/F, No 118 Qinghai Road, 200041 Shanghai, ChinaTel: +86 21 6217 0505Fax: +86 21 6218 1650www.sialchina.com

Koelnmesse Pte LtdTel: +65 6500 [email protected]

Koelnmesse Pte LtdTel: +65 6500 [email protected]

Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd.9H, Jinsui Tower, No.900 Guangzhou Ave MidGuangzhou, 510620, China Tel: +86 20 3891 0875 / 3886 6965 Fax: +86 20 2222 [email protected]

Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd.9H, Jinsui Tower, No.900 Guangzhou Ave MidGuangzhou, 510620, China Tel: +86 20 3891 0875 / 3886 6965 Fax: +86 20 2222 [email protected]

Jan 14 – 15 HIFI Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) Leela Kempinski Gurgaon Gurgaon Delhi (N.C.R.) India

Mar 14 – 17 The Philippines International Furniture Show (PIFS) SMX Convention Center, Manila, Philippines

Mar 31 – Apr 3 HOTELEX Shanghai 2014 Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China

Apr 8 – 11 Food&HotelAsia2014 Singapore Expo 1 Expo Dr Singapore 486150

May 13 – 15 SIAL China 2014 Hall N1-N5, E5-E7 Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China

May 21 – 25 World of FoodService 2014 IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand

May 21 - 25 THAIFEX – World of Food Asia 2014 IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand

Jun 26 - 28 The 12th Guangzhou International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Fair China Import and Export Fair Area A, Guangzhou, China

Oct 14 – 16 The 3rd Shenzhen International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Fair Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, China

E v E n t s



Fine wines and spirits hit Hong Kong

COMING NEXTHKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair 2014Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreNov 6-8, 2014

www.hktdc.com/ex/hkwinefair/02

More than 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions, a new exhibitor record, took part in the HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair, which took place last month at the Hong Kong

Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Wine country pavilionsThe three-day event welcomed first-time exhibitors from Jordan, Lithuania, Montenegro and Morocco. The Spanish pavilion, this year’s partner country, featured more than 90 exhibitors. The fair’s two largest pavilions, from France and Italy, showcased the products of over 300 exhibitors.

Pavilions new to the fair were: the Chinese mainland’s Penglai Vine and Wine Bureau and the Xining City Municipal Bureau of Commerce; Japan’s Kagoshima Prefectural Government and Niigata Sake Brewers Association; Wines of Turkey; and the United States’ North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Everything SpanishMore than 70 special events were arranged. ICEX Spain Trade and Investment organised a variety of seminars and wine tasting sessions, ranging from sweet and fortified, to food pairing, white and sparkling, and every red but Tempranillo. Wines from Spain and Spanish Trade Commission (Hong Kong) presented Finest Wines from Spain – Grand Tasting, a Spanish fine wine tasting session with wine from 19 Spanish wineries.

Other fine wine tastings included a German riesling session and a premium port session. The fifth Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition Award presentation ceremony was followed by a gala wine dinner under the theme Winds from Spain.

Tasting journeysThe Wine and Spirit Education Trust organised both A Tasting Journey through Gin: Uncovering Styles and Flavours, and Alternative Bubbles, Sparkling Wines Beyond Champagne. The Japan External Trade Organisation presented a sake tasting session, while cocktail demonstrations took place at the Ice Bar throughout the fair.

Wine conferenceDriving Growth: Global Wine Industry Trends was the theme of the Wine Industry Conference. The Asia Top Sommelier Summit presented The New Mapping of a World-Class Wine List. Trade buyers took part in The Favourite Wine Voting Game, featuring five categories: red wine, white wine, spirits, Japanese sake and others.

E x h i b i t i o n s



ChristianFumado

ChristopherOakes DanielMelchiorre

VirginiaWu

CatherineLee TilyWong

Tily Wong has taken up her new role as house manager at Eaton House, Hong Kong. Prior to joining Eaton House, she held several senior positions in Regal Kowloon Hotel Hong Kong, Island Pacific Hotel Hong Kong, China Truth Holiday Ltd, and was most recently the front office manager of Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road.

She’s reckoned to be a business development dynamo, and now Virginia Wu is Worldhotels’ senior director of hotel development, based at regional headquarters in Singapore. She previously contributed significantly to Worldhotels’ Asia Pacific expansion between 1997 and 2008, bringing more than 80 new hotels into the portfolio.

Daniel Melchiorre is Worldhotels’ new director of performance and revenue optimisation (PRO) Asia Pacific, heading all areas of member support and revenue growth and generation, based in Singapore. He relocates from the US, where he was director of PRO Americas, growing the Worldhotels portfolio among some of its largest American .

Singaporean Catherine Lee has been appointed vice president sales and marketing, China, of Dusit Fudu Hotels and Resorts.

Her major responsibilities will focus on building and fostering relationships with key clients and partners and strengthening the Dusit brand in China.

InterContinental Bali Resort has a new director of food and beverage – Christian Fumado. He arrived in Bali direct from a two-year stint with the newly opened InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam. He is a Spanish national and has worked in Michelin star rated establishments in England and Switzerland.

Christopher Oakes is the new general manager for Indigo Pearl resort in Phuket, Thailand. He joins Indigo Pearl with an impressive background in luxury hospitality and resort management as well as extensive international experience in the UK, Ireland, Thailand and the Maldives.

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

Tel: (852) 2851 7068/2815 9111 Fax: (852) 2851 1933/2581 9531 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.thomsonpress.com.hk

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

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Pantone 286C Pantone 485C Pantone 348C CyanDistributed in : China : Gourmet Cuisine Limited (+ 852 2481 5111) / Hong Kong : Maxly Food Company Ltd (+ 852 255 271 28) / Indonesia : Pt. Saranakulina Intisejahtera (+ 6221 86 601 081) / Laos : Annam Fine Food Laos (+ 856 21 251 803) / Malaysia : Global Pacific Victory (M) Sdn Bhd (+ 603 4292 1266) / Singapore : Classic Fine Foods Singapore (+ 65 6501 5555) / Thailand : Kim Chua Group Co, Ltd (+ 662 332 840 7) / Taiwan : Gourmet’s Partners Ltd (+ 886 2 2898 248) / Vietnam : Classic Fine Foods Vietnam (+ 84 8 37 40 71 05).

Meeting your requirements as professionals in the food service industry, and ensuring your complete satisfaction, Galbani proposes high quality Mascarpone in true Italian tradition.

As world leader in Italian cheeses, in both the domestic and export markets, Galbani has been a favourite in restaurants for more than 120 years and continues to be the ideal brand

to bring out the best in you for your clients’ enjoyment.

Annonce Galbani Mascapone A4 Asian Hotel mm.indd 1 06/11/2013 10:31

ahct dec 2013 issue

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