ahct oct 2013 websize

Published since 1976 Vol 38 October 2013

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

THE SPA ISSUEManagement, design and amenities

YOU’RE A FINE PAIRCan you match Bordeaux with Chinese food?

SPREADING THE LOVE IN ASIAButter and jam

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

Welcome to the October issue of AHCT, the most trusted source of information on what is happening

in Asia-Pacific’s dynamic hospitality industry.Another busy issue, this time focusing on

a huge growth area with in the industry – spas. The global spa industry is estimated to be worth in the region of US$64 billion – that’s a lot of scented candles. In our design feature, Rebecca Lo looks at spas for couples, a niche area she says represents a solid bottom line for operators.

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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

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

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

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

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

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Meanwhile our management report highlights the spa and bathroom amenities given away at high-end hotels and resorts. Quality branded amenities can translate into “mini moments of commercially induced love”, writer Catharine Nicol suggests.

Away from spas, the latest in guestroom door lock technology, tabletops, butter and jam and much more.

Finally a reminder that we have relaunched our website, which is at www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com Please

EDITORDaniel Creffield

DESIGN bYKoon Ming Tang

[email protected]

CONTRIbUTORSZara HornerGerrie LimRebecca LoJane Ram

Michael Taylor

ASSOCIATE PUbLISHERSharon Knowler

[email protected]

CIRCULATION ExECUTIVEBecky Chau

[email protected]

CHAIRmANJS Uberoi

DIRECTORGaurav Kumar

endORseMenTs

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]

E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E

AHCT October 2013 3


mANAGEmENT10 Dollars and scents

mARKET REPORT12 Unlimited potential – Macau keeps building

NEWS INDUSTRY6 Regional openings; Miss World contestants hit Indonesia; is this the end of the plastic water bottle?

CULINARY42 Bounteous British beef; a joyous Kiwi wine; a delicious way to lower cholesterol

PRODUCT44 Dispensing with wobbly tables; cool new minibar; fortune telling for spas

CONTENTSVo lume 38 October 2013

TECHNOLOGY16 Unpicking hotel locks

DESIGN20 Putting the romance into spas

New-look Asian Hotel & Catering Times website!


BanyanTreeSpaMacau

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4 AHCT October 2013


November• Loyalty programmes• Hong Kong• Property management systems• Furniture• Truffles• Caviar• Whisky• Tea and coffee

December• Education/training• Point of sale• Resorts• Desserts• Foie gras• Champagne• Dishwashers• Lighting

24

FOOD24 The Asian butter invasion28 Sweet taste of success

DRINK30 Bordeaux and Chinese food – an impossible dream?

Advertisers’ Index

ADA 35Alpha International 52Athena Tableware 39Emmi 27Global Hotelware 43Global Search International 9Grohe OBCGuest Supply Asia Limited 37 Gulfood 47Hero IFCHotelex 45KABA 19Lactalis 25Life Fitness IBCM.Schaerer 17Ming Fai 33Pevonia 14 & 15Rivolta Carmignan 23 & 41Texcare 53Thaifex 51Zieher 31

EQUIPmENT34 Sparring partners – spotlight on amenities38 Top tabletops

EVENTS AND ExHIbITIONS46 Events calendar48 FHC previewed50 R&B HK reviewed

APPOINTmENTS53 Who’s moving where

Better butter Recruiting the next generation

Take it from the top

AHCT October 2013 5


Pachyderm powerThe 12th annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament at Hua Hin in Thailand was attended by teams from all over the world, as well as celebrities, VIPs and many Bangkok and Hua Hin residents.

The final, which was presided over by the King of Thailand’s royal representative, privy councillor real admiral Mom Luang Usni Pramoj, saw a shock win with first-timers Bangkok Bank triumphing over Mercedes-Benz in an action-packed game resulting in a 13-10 final scoreline.

The tournament was introduced to Thailand in 2001 by Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas and has grown to become one of the biggest charitable events in Thailand, raising funds for projects that improve the lives of Thailand’s elephant population.

A gala dinner at Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa hosted a gathering of top dignitaries and celebrities, with the night’s auction raising over four million baht (US$126,120), taking the total raised to date by the tournament to an impressive US$750,000.

Bali resort hosts Miss World contestantsPan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort hosted 129 contestants from this year’s Miss World pageant, along with pageant organisers, crew and media.

The four-night stay at the 103-hectare integrated golf and spa resort was part of the activities leading up to the grand finals.

The contestants received a traditional Balinese welcome with indigenous rindik (Balinese bamboo) tunes performed by local musicians.

During their stay, they took part in dress rehearsals as well as photo shoots and filming at the resort, against backdrops of sunsets over the Indian Ocean and the Tanah Lot temple.

Boutique in CambodiaMinor Hotel Group has acquired majority ownership of the Sothea Boutique Resort in Siem Reap, which will be rebranded to Anantara Angkor Resort & Spa later this year.

This latest addition to MHG’s portfolio takes the total number of properties in operation to 95 and adds a new country, taking the total to 14.

The new property will be a 39-suite boutique resort housed within an estate that exudes the elegance of a grand Khmer villa, with Cambodian heritage fusing seamlessly with the resort’s contemporary charm.

The resort’s main restaurant will offer a modern interpretation of classic native Khmer recipes, with alternative dining available on the alfresco terrace and in

the courtyard. The spa, with its five spa and massage suites, will offer a selection of organic treatments and daily yoga.

The gold-flecked, terrazzo-tiled pool has built-in seats on all sides, complete with Jacuzzi jets. Each suite houses artwork designed by local artists and custom-made furniture can be found throughout the resort, along with elements of Angkor Wat-inspired design.

Indo chocBarry Callebaut, the world’s largest manufacturer of quality cocoa and chocolate, has inaugurated its new joint cocoa processing facility in Makassar.

For this, Barry Callebaut created a joint venture with P.T. Comextra Majora, a diversified soft commodities trader and leading exporter of cocoa from Indonesia as well as a long-standing business partner. Barry Callebaut owns 60% and P.T. Comextra Majora 40% of the joint venture company P.T. Barry Callebaut Comextra Indonesia.

The US$33 million cocoa factory in Makassar will have an initial annual grinding capacity of 30,000 tonnes, which is supported by a long-term bean supply agreement with P.T Comextra Majora.

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A better tech

Technology 4 Hotels has formed a new Australian based channel partnership with VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech). This relationship gives VTech a local presence for their hotel phones and has already seen the phones adopted by a number of top hotels including Fraser Suites Perth, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney

New to Macau, Casa de Tapas is a tapas restaurant with an indigenous Spanish team at the helm, introducing authentic tapas recipes with new innovative tapas combinations.

Located in the epicentre of heritage Taipa Old Village, Casa de Tapas embraces the best traditions of a tapas experience, bringing people together to share in an interactive atmosphere while enjoying a variety of tapas accompanied

Eaton waterEaton, Hong Kong has suspended the use of plastic bottled water. Instead the hotel has invested HK$500,000 (US$64,500) to install an eco-friendly drinking water purification system that allows glass bottles to be reused.

This initiative helps to eliminate the consumption and subsequent disposal of approximately 350,000 plastic bottles every year – a positive and efficient way of supporting the hotel’s environmental commitment without compromising service or quality.

The eco-friendly drinking water purifying system – Classic Crystal Tropical Purification System – is manufactured in England and features a seven-stage filter and purification process.

After this process, the water will be bottled – half of it having been lightly carbonated to produce sparkling water. Every Eaton glass water bottle is made from 60% recycled glass and designed

and Sofitel Melbourne On Collins.VTech’s hotel phones are designed

with the needs of the hospitality industry in mind. Contemporary styling complements a range of interiors, while innovative, user-friendly features and technologies accommodate a variety of property needs.

VTech’s history of manufacturing excellence, combined with a global sales and support team, provides customers with a high degree of confidence in enhancing the guestroom communications experience. VTech hotel phones feature unique antibacterial plastics that help protect hotel guests and staff from germs.

by a wide choice of specialist cocktail mixes and Spanish wines.

Headed by Chef Alfredo M. Pérez-Dobón Batlles, Casa de Tapas marks his first foray into opening his own restaurant outside his native Spain. Chef Alfredo has a wealth of experience working with Spanish cuisine, having been at renowned Spanish establishments including the Le fou group of restaurants.

with a swing stopper and hygienic seal. Before sending the water to the

guestrooms, hotel staff will label glass bottles with the “best before” dates to confirm the water’s freshness. Used bottles will then be collected and washed using a customised bottle washing machine before being reused.

Coffee friends with benefitsCoffee and coffee machine distributor L’Ami Café has opened a new training centre and showroom in Hong Kong’s buzzy Sai Ying Pun district.

Eric Daniel, coffee consultant at L’Ami Café, sole distributors of Cafés Richard coffee brand, says that the idea of opening a training centre is twofold.

“It was firstly designed for our professional customers’ staff, in order to train them in a more relaxing and fun environment than their workplace, which will also hold their attention better.

“The second purpose is for members of the general public who want to learn more about coffee culture and how to make a proper espresso shot, as well as latte art techniques. Not everyone has a professional machine at home. Our workshop is also open to baristas who just want to practice their skills.”

From mid-October, L’Ami Café will offer SCAE certified barista training packages and industry certification in conjunction with l’Academie du Café in Paris.

EricDaniel,coffeeconsultantatL’AmiCafé–offeringFrenchcoffeeculturefromHongKong

New tapas team in Macau


AHCT October 2013 7


A bold new look for Yan Toh HeenInterContinental Hong Kong has unveiled a new look at its Michelin star Cantonese restaurant, Yan Toh Heen, following the restaurant’s total renovation.

Created by Chhada Siembieda Leung, Yan Toh Heen’s new design is inspired by a refined contemporary Chinese residence with dramatic decor and stunning views of Victoria Harbour.

Jade, a symbol of purity in Chinese culture, features prominently throughout the interior design, with a dramatic wall at the entrance made of the restaurant’s original jade place settings.

A jade wine table houses exclusive vintages, while jade ‘birdcage’ partitions, positioned by alcoved banquet seating areas, create intimacy within the residential style ambiance.

New attractions await gourmands on the culinary front also, as Yan Toh Heen’s new menu builds on the restaurant’s heritage, solid culinary experience, worldwide recognition and dedication to offering truly creative, top quality Cantonese cuisine. The menu showcases fine Cantonese cuisine using traditional cooking methods to prepare Yan Toh Heen’s signature dishes, all-time favourites, as well as new creations. Dishes are presented in a contemporary style and are made with the finest ingredients and top quality seasonal products sourced locally and around the world.

Heading the Yan Toh Heen kitchen, with over 27 years’ experience with the hotel and 14 years at the helm of Yan Toh Heen kitchen, is executive chef Lau Yiu Fai.

Super SinghHarbans Singh has been inducted to the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals’ International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame. Based in Malaysia, Singh is managing director of Ubicomp System, which develops next generation hospitality solutions, and UbiQ Global Solutions, which is a full subsidiary and distribution arm of Ubicomp System.

Singh has been involved in the hospitality business in Asia, the Middle East and Australia for over 25 years, gaining great insight into the industry and establishing a wide network of friends and business associates across the globe. For 21 of those years he worked with the same organisation, but with the company name and ownership changing four times. For the past five years he has overseen a new phase in his career with the establishment of his own company.

Hilton opensNewly opened, and located in the heart of Sukhumvit, one of Bangkok’s most central business and entertainment districts, Hilton Sukhumvihit Bangkok is the ninth Hilton Worldwide hotel in the country. Hilton Worldwide is also celebrating its 30th anniversary in Thailand.

Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok offers a range of 280 deluxe and executive rooms and suites. The hotel’s modernistic F&B provision include two speciality restaurants, Scalini and Mondo. Scalini, the hotel’s main dining area, serves 1920s inspired, Italian-American food while Mondo offers Mediterranean cuisine in a casual setting.

Cutting carbon footprintsThe School of Hotel and Tourism Management of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has announced the findings of a study on “Enhancing the Role of the Travel Trade in Reducing Tourism’s Carbon Footprint”.

The study found that though senior management and owners of travel agencies are aware of tourism’s contribution to carbon emissions, the limited provision of carbon efficient products is hindering

frontline staff from promoting low carbon tourism to their clients.

The study also found that frontline travel trade staff are equally concerned about the environmental issues, but many of them felt they are not well equipped and qualified to make knowledgeable suggestions for their clients.

Funded by the Council for Sustainable Development of the Hong Kong SAR government, the study is targeted at frontline travel trade staff in Hong Kong, with the goal of developing a series of professional development programmes to enhance their knowledge, awareness and understanding of tourism’s contribution to climate change and how they, as key informants, can influence tourist behaviour.


8 AHCT October 2013


A good cause (hic)Drink For Good, a one-night charity event held on September 4, 2013, raised glasses to success in its first year as it generated over HK$100,000 (US$12,900) for local NGO HandsOn Hong Kong. With 64 restaurants and bars participating in Central, Sheung Wan and beyond, Hong Kongers came together for a good cause at their favourite drinking and dining destinations to fund an initiative to bring 100 local disadvantaged and disabled children to the city’s oldest theme park, Ocean Park.

The funds raised will not only enable the NGO to achieve its goal of taking 100 deserving youngsters with disabilities on five separate trips to Ocean Park through November to March, it will also fund a programme of educational support for disabled children in the city, including after-school programmes for children with learning disabilities for a whole year.

Also contributing to the success of the event were corporations who sponsored individual bars by holding an event there, including Maxus at Sugar in Quarry Bay’s EAST Hotel, The Wall Street Journal at Stauntons in Soho, Fluid at Enoteca Soho and Bank of America Merrill Lynch at La Dolce Vita in Lan Kwai Fong.

Signature first in JapanMarriott International and Prince Hotels of Japan have announced that The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo will become Japan’s first Autograph Collection hotel following its re-opening last month.

The Autograph Collection is a portfolio of independent hotels each offering its own travel experience. Each hotel is chosen based on quality, character and individuality.

Originally opened in 1998, the 288-room Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo has gone through an extensive refurbishment and renovation under the direction of interior designer Ryu Kosaka of Aoyama Nomura Design. All of the hotel’s rooms, lobby area, restaurants, and other areas were designed to convey a modern sense of harmony, blending the spaces with the seasonal landscapes of hotel’s Japanese garden.

InterConti Hong Kong wins goldInterContinental Hong Kong has secured the EarthCheck Gold level of certification through the world’s leading certifier of travel and tourism organisations. This makes the hotel the first in Hong Kong and also the first IHG property globally to achieve gold certification.

With this certification, InterContinental Hong Kong joins an elite group of industry leaders who, over a period of five years or more, have consistently demonstrated their commitment to host communities and high standards of environmental management.

In 2009, InterContinental Hong Kong was the first hotel in Hong Kong to achieve Silver Certification with its environmental management system fully in place. Over the past five years, under the guidance of the hotel’s Green Committee, the hotel has worked hard to achieve Gold Certification by focusing on waste recycling and reduction, energy savings, green purchasing and environmental activities.


AHCT October 2013 9


It is a truth universally acknowledged that, while being far from a charming characteristic, there’s nothing people like more than something for nothing. In hospitality, the complimentary additional extra goes far in terms of endearing a guest to a

hotel brand. Open the door of the room or suite and first impressions are

instinctively formed according to elements such as style, space and view. At the same time, complimentary extras such as bottled water and wi-fi fulfill practical needs.

But it has often been said that it is the details that make the difference, and the complimentary snack and brand of products in the bathroom translate into mini moments of commercially induced love. As hospitality consumers, we don’t need chocolate and named brand bathroom amenities, but the extra ‘love’ makes us feel special, a feeling that reflects back onto the brand.

Of course there’s nothing new about finding luxury branded bathroom amenities in a high-end hotel’s rooms, so in the never-ending quest to stand out from the crowd, it is now about presenting them in a fresh and inventive way.

In Hong Kong, J Plus Boutique Hotel, the Philippe Starck-designed hotel, has just moved from own-brand amenities to British brand Noble Isle. This brand is not yet well known in Asia, which makes it something of a coup for the hotel.

“I loved the quality the smell is so unique and different to other brands,” says Vivian Chau, general manager. “We don’t want a typical luxury product to help enhance the guest experience, we want to show the guest our taste, so we picked a product with character. We want our guests to share what we like.”

When done well, original and inventive bathroom amenities

can be key to creating a memorable stay, says Tamara Lohan, co-founder of luxury romantic hotel collection Mr & Mrs Smith, and renowned arbiter of taste.

“Alila Villas Soori, Bali, is the first hotel I have ever seen doing both his and hers amenities. Everything from lip balm to shampoo came in two different scent ranges, one feminine and the other masculine.”

Aromatherapy Associates is wowing guests by going over and above the shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and soap crowd by giving away their best-selling products during turndown.

“The Overnight Repair Mask is one of our top 10 best-selling products, and the feedback is always excellent,” says an Aromatherapy Associates representative. In addition, its collaboration with Mandarin Oriental resulted in an entirely new product, the Mandarin Oriental pillow mist.

Other properties look for something that resonates with their location, creating a valuable sense of place. The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu reinforces its locally motivated ‘tea with a modern twist’ concept by providing a signature tea bath for guests, which includes pu-er tea and Himalayan salts to sooth the skin.

The Four Seasons Hotel Group has created signature in-room fragrances customised for specific properties, banking on the power of scent to enhance guests’ in-room sensory experience, then remind them of the stay once back home.

Its Pudong property in Shanghai chose the Iperborea scent by Lorenzo Villoresi. “Using in-room products to evoke a sense of place, our hotels and resorts can extend the guest experience by creating customised, memorable collections [they] can use while staying with us, and then take home,” says Chris Hunsberger, executive

The gifts that keep giving A quality, branded amenity giveaway says a lot about your property both during and after the guest’s stay, writes Catharine Nicol

SteinerSpaConsultingpartnerswithskincarebrandElemis

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vice president, product and innovation.The bathroom amenity has clearly come on in leaps and bounds

since it started. According to the Conrad Bali, it’s been nearly 40 years since shampoos made their way onto the guestroom bathroom shelf, and just 10 since more specialised brands and products got a look in.

While Aromatherapy Associates is the resort’s chosen skincare brand partner, the property has widened the in-room choice for guests adding Shanghai Tang’s beautifully packaged and created line of five Mandarin Tea products, and for more eco-conscious than label-conscious guests, Tara Smith Vegan Hair Care. It’s a tough choice – the beauty and prestige of Shanghai Tang, or the earthy goodness of Tara Smith?

Currently in negotiations with a five-star international hotel group, Elemental Herbology is a niche brand looking to make waves within the hotels’ spas, but also on the bathroom shelf and at turndown, where a bigger number of guests will be exposed to its products.

“The strategy now is to have the same brand in the guestrooms and mini-bar as the spa, health club and public areas,” says director of global spa development, Kirsty MacCormick. “This repeats the same message and sensory experience throughout the property.”

At the Karma Kandara in Bali’s Uluwatu, guests who have had a treatment at the spa find a sachet of Himalayan salts at turndown. “There are so many appealing choices of where to stay these days, it is essential to really wow the guests you have, and imaginative branded gifts go a long way,” says Karma Resorts Wellness & Spa curator, Judy Chapman.

“It is a repeat guest incentive if you like, with a personal letter from the spa manager inviting them for a second treatment during their stay with a special offer and the gift.”

At the Four Seasons Hong Kong, GM William Mackay and his team have gone a step further. Last year they introduced high-end, professional skincare line Biologique Recherche from France to their spa-goers. It became the spa’s most requested line and following months of persuasion Dr Philippe Allouche, managing director and head of Creation of Biologique Recherche, created an exclusive bathroom amenities line for the hotel’s suites.

“The only thing to touch your skin as much as the bed linens are the bathroom amenities,” says Mackay.

“We wanted to focus on sourcing amenities of the highest

quality developed by one the of the world’s most knowledgeable skincare specialists.”

The range will be in the hotel’s suites and premier deluxe harbour view rooms from November.

At the Four Seasons Hong Kong, while impressing their high-end guests, this trendsetting move throws down the gauntlet to other brands when it comes to the quality of bathroom amenities. “This is an investment in Biologique Recherche as a brand,” says director of PR Claire Blackshaw. “We believe in each other and the two brands have a perfect synergy in terms of dedication and commitment to quality.”

While the end-user, the guest, loves to be wowed by imaginative extras, especially those they can throw into their suitcase at the end of their stay, it can be a tough call for the hotel and skincare industries in terms of costs.

“Any skincare brand that goes into a hotel enjoys great exposure, the primary reason for being there,” says Jeff Matthews, president and chief operating officer of Mandara Spa and president of Steiner Spa Consulting, whose spa brand partners with skincare brand Elemis.

“You can’t have your amenities in a big hotel’s guestrooms, it’s a logistical nightmare,” he explains. “Often housekeeping isn’t qualified to deal with the inventory – first in first out or products expire. Having amenities in a small hotel works better as the staff have higher levels of training, and as there’s only a small amount of rooms it’s easier to control.”

He also suggests offering a turndown amenity to guests who have had a spa treatment as a reward to tempt them back into the spa, something that’s easy to manage even in a big hotel.

LorenzoVilloresiattheFourSeasonsHotelPudonginShanghai

AlilaVillasSoori,Bali,offersbothhisandhersamenities

ShanghaiTang’sMandarinTeaproductsattheConradBali

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AHCT October 2013 11


Every time a new hotel project is announced in Macau, the same question arises: can the market possibly absorb more

hotel rooms? Yet every time a new hotel throws open its doors, the market seems to expand just enough to fill the vacuum.

This seems to be one market where supply side economics works. The queues at immigration only get longer as each new hotel comes on line.

“Our industry is unique in that it is supply driven,” says Brendon Elliott, vice president of sales and resort marketing, Venetian Macau Ltd. “We find that the more we build, the more people come to visit and stay. And likewise, the growth among other operators in Macau is good for everyone, as it increases the critical mass of Macao’s tourism offering, making it a more attractive international destination for business and leisure travellers.”

Sands Macao, which opened in 2004, was the group’s first Macanese venture. Several other properties have been added over the years, including the 3,000-room Venetian Macao, which opened in 2007, and the 5,800-room Sands Cotai Central, a three hotel property, which opened in 2012. The Parisian Macao, the group’s next integrated resort, is scheduled to open in late 2015.

“The hospitality industry in Macau is in a period of growth and expansion, with many companies, including our own, opening new properties,” Elliott says. “With the Macau government strategy of establishing the city as a world centre of tourism and leisure, an expansive hospitality offering is essential.

“The strategy of our integrated resorts is to attract a wide variety of business and leisure travellers, and to offer them the full array of our product and service offerings:

Macau proves that supply side economics works when it comes to hotels – but only if you get the product right, reports Michael Taylor

Build and they will come

world-class luxury accommodation, superstar entertainment events, duty-free shopping, international dining, and a variety of MICE events.”

“Having an abundance of non-gaming offerings is essential to our integrated resorts business strategy. As one example, less than 4% of the floor space at The Venetian Macao is gaming.”

More than just gamingIn the Las Vegas tradition, Venetian Macao has created an integrated destination, with more than casinos. Entertainment and shopping are key elements of the mix. And families with children are made to feel welcome.

“We recently launched the DreamWorks Experience at Cotai Strip Resorts, and there is nowhere else in Asia you will be able to enjoy over 600 luxury duty free stores, 9,000 rooms and more than 125,000 square

BanyanTreeMacauwasthefirsthigh-riseurbanresortinMacautofeatureprivaterelaxationpoolsinallitssuites

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Stacking the statsMacau remains essentially a leisure travel destination. According to data from the statistics and census service (dsec Macau government statistics), 61% of visitors came to the former Portuguese enclave on vacation, 7% to visit friends and relatives, and 5% to attend conferences or exhibitions.

six out of 10 visitors to Macau came from mainland china. hong Kong, which used to account the lion’s share of visitors, came in second, with a one-quarter share.

Visitor arrivals grew by 4.9% year-on-year to 16.7 million during the first seven months of 2013. Arrivals from mainland china grew by 14% year on year to 10.5 million. There was also an increase of 6.6% of visitors from south Korea to 264,549.

The gains, however, were offset by sharp drops of 41.4% from Japan and 18.7% from Taiwan to 159,145 and 549,298 visitor arrivals respectively. hong Kong arrivals registered a more modest drop of 6.5% to almost four million.

The daily room rate at hotels in the Venetian Macau group is averaging us$245++ this year, with occupancies averaging 84%. leisure guests stay an average of 1.5 nights. delegates attending meetings stay an average of 2.5 nights.

The daily room rate at the Mandarin Oriental, Macau averages from MOP4,300++ (us$438) for a standard deluxe corner view room to MOP63,800++ (us$8,000) for the presidential suite. guests stay an average of 1.9 nights.

The best available room rate at the banyan Tree Macau will run MOP2,899++ (us$363) in 2014. Occupancy this year is on average more than 90%. guests stay an average of 1.97 nights.

MandarinOriental,Macau

metres of convention and exhibition space all connected as one integrated resort city,” Elliott says.

Heritage tourism and MICE – meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions – are two of the key initiatives being promoted by the Macau Government Tourism Office to broaden the city’s attractiveness.

“Mandarin Oriental, Macau, has launched an array of exciting packages in collaboration with Macau organisations, government authorities and private enterprises,” says Martin Schnider, general manager of the Mandarin Oriental.

“In the near future, the hotel will launch programmes featuring historical and cultural attractions that highlight Macau’s UNESCO heritage and continue packaging

with Macau Tower, the entertainment centrepiece The House of Dancing Water, and the Macao Science Center to provide guests with a fun, unique journey to discover this charming city.”

Opened in 2010, the Mandarin Oriental, Macau, has 213 rooms and suites, food and beverage outlets, spa and fitness centre. It is located five minutes drive from the Macau Maritime Terminal, which has round the clock jetfoil and helicopter connections to Hong Kong and other regional destinations.

Located in Cotai, The Banyan Tree Macau is one of the city’s newer properties, opening its doors in September 2012. It has 256 suites, two restaurants, and a lounge.

“Asia is our major market and mainland

China contributes the largest portion, followed by Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan,” a spokesman for the hotel says. “Banyan Tree Macau was the first high-rise urban resort in Macau to feature private relaxation pools in all its spacious suites.”

Unlike The Venetian, with its attention getting, high profile entertainment options, the Banyan Tree is taking a far more low key approach to boosting business.

“Diversity is an important key to compete in the market, and Banyan Tree Macau is looking to offer different kinds of activities, such as Thai cooking classes, Cabana poolside barbeques and wine dinners for guests,” the spokesman says.

The hospitality industry in Macau is in a period of growth and expansion, with many companies, including our own, opening new propertiesBrendon Elliott, Venetian Macau

MandarinOriental,MacauGMMartinSchnider

BrendonElliott,VenetianMacau–‘Themorewebuild,themorepeoplecometovisitandstay’

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t E c h n o l o g y

16 AHCT October 2013 www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

After a few false starts it seems clear that radio-frequency identification locking systems (RFID) are now being embraced by the industry.

The advantages are manifold – the latest technology allows hotels to gain an understanding of where guests spend their time and money and how staff performance can be made more efficient, while other operational benefits include inventory tracking, baggage handling and more.

For the guest, the main advantage is convenience – RFID key cards or wristbands grant access not only to their room but also to lounges, gyms, theme parks and so on. They can also function as an electronic wallet.

Their main perceived disadvantage is their cost, but Tommy Leung, managing director Greater China, Assa Abloy Hospitality Ltd, which produces the well-known VingCard Elsafe range of products, says this could be set to change.

“In general it costs about two to 2.5 times more than an offline

system, yet it is gradually coming down due to economy of scale and competition. Nevertheless, total cost is far less than hardwire online technology.

VingCard Elsafe hotel electronic locks include RFID ContactLess technology, wireless RF-online hotel locks and complete guestroom lock solutions, with products installed in more than 42,000 properties worldwide, securing in excess of seven million hotel rooms.

“RF-online is a technology showing an obvious growing trend, especially for larger properties,” adds Leung. “It offers two-way communication between the locks and server providing higher security, more guest comfort and convenience and smoother operations for hotels. For larger and prestige properties, the investment pays.”

Way to go“In the last few years RFID technology invaded the market and claimed itself as THE technology to adopt,” agrees John F. Sarrouf, vice president international sales with Kaba Lodging.

“Since then we have seen our customers steadily switching from the usual magnetic strip electronic lock to RFID, making the Ilco 790 and the Saflok RT and Quantum RFID the most popular products in our portfolio.

“RFID technology is the building block for contactless experience in the hospitality sector to secure guest rooms. One of the reasons why hoteliers turn to RFID is because keycards do not demagnetise. Another reason is the comprehensive audit capability of RFID locks and keys.”

The company, which sells its hospitality products all over the world, includes 20-room boutique hotels to 3,000-room properties

Hotel guestroom door locks are in a constant state of development, with technology such as RFID and smartcards, combined with unobtrusive aesthetics increasingly appealing to high-end properties, writes Daniel Creffield

Locking in the future

SaltoRFIDlocks“nowhavethecapacitytoelectronicallycommunicatewithrooms”,saysthemanufacturer

VingCardElsaferecentlylaunchedEssencebyVingCard,takingminimalism“tothemaximumexpression”,accordingtothecompany

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Schaerer has the world’s largest selection of fully automatic coffee machines and technologies for milk preparation. Along with numerous optional accessories and systems, they are the foundation for truly individual coffee machine configurations, be it for restaurants, vending facilities, takeaways, coffee shops, quick-service restaurants, hotels, chain restaurants, convenience stores, offices, cafés, universities, bistros, hospitals, bars, sports centres, cultural events ...

t E c h n o l o g y

AHCT October 2013 17www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

such as Marina Bay Sands in Singapore as its customers.“Our portfolio of products for the lodging market includes

solutions such as access control systems, electronic hotel locks, and perimeter and facility access solutions. Through our Ilco and Saflok brands, we are capable of covering every hotel’s security and access control needs,” suggests Sarrouf.

The 790 RFID is Kaba Lodging’s most popular Ilco lock, particularly across the small to mid-scale retrofit market. Among larger hotels, the Saflok Quantum RFID is the most popular seller.

“This lock is ideal for hotels that require online systems, such as our Saflok Messenger LENS wireless online system, that gives properties greater flexibility and control in real time. It enables two-way communication between Saflok electronic locks and the front desk and other departments of the hotel such as security.“

Brave new worldDavid Rees, VP Asia Pacific with Salto Systems, suggests that RFID technology has opened up a whole new world.

“In 2003 we introduced the Salto RFID lock. It was a very big change. We now have the capacity to electronically ‘communicate’ with rooms. There is a convergence of credentials so room management and locking systems are so much tighter.

“It’s an extremely dynamic area. We can now provide appropriate locks for each room. A guestroom door lock can be different to a ballroom lock. Now we can provide clients with the capacity to select according to use and technology required.”

Online access controls also provide enormous safety benefits, says Rees. SaltoSystemssuppliedanRFIDsystemtoLeMéridienKohSamui

t E c h n o l o g y

18 AHCT October 2013 www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

the end of a shift and reactivated the next day, would that help you?’ Or, ‘If we could provide a system which changed staff profiles according to needs, if someone was going to come back to help with an evening event, for example, would that help you?’ These are the sorts of things technology, and in particular having systems online, has opened up.”

Salto locks are sophisticated and customisable, says Rees. Salto’s AElement is an RFID, NFC electronic, wireless lock.

“A continually updating system with lower installation costs, the card transmits in real time, giving a dynamic event audit trail for extra security checks.”

This information, such as end-users’ list of doors visited; and visited doors’ battery status is transmitted with no hard wiring of doors required.

The wall reader transmits to the card: a deleted card list or ‘blacklist’; latest user rights; and expiration. “Minimalistic, the electronic lock is a technical gem that architects love thanks to its style, design and the high performance of its access control technology.

“It enables users to integrate all their physical security needs into a stylish, energy efficient, reliable wire-free system.”

Without giving too much away, Rees says, “We are currently carrying out a handful of key projects whose developments anticipate and respond to market needs, surpassing what is available today.”

“Guest experience, safety and cost, are the top three on our clients’ priority lists. It is now much easier for us to provide them with solutions to the age-old problem of keeping unwanted people out of the property while making it easier for guests to get in and move around.”

And he adds that security has become much more of an issue for clients in the last five to six years in particular.

“The negotiating process has changed for us. Now we are about educating clients to possibilities. Opening their minds to what they can achieve with their security systems.

“We ask ‘If we could make staff cards which are redundant at

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Kaba_AHCT_october_2013.indd 1 9/18/2013 9:48:27 AM


Spas are an intimate way for couples to reconnect and their design can inspire the mood for love, writes Rebecca Lo

PhotographybyRebeccaLo/Onyx/BUZDesign

A knead for romance

AmariOrchidPattayalappool(courtesyOnyx)

MandarinOrientalPudong’sspadesignwasinspiredbybutterflies(courtesyBUZ)

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For busy couples, holidays may often be the only chance they have for some personal time alone. Hectic work schedules, tending to

children’s needs and daily household chores can all be draining, making a weekend getaway or long and relaxing vacation necessary for rejuvenation.

What may encourage reconnection is a spa treatment where two people can spend quality time being pampered together. Yet all too often, even luxury spas try to be everything for every guest, resulting in a less than sexy experience for partners hoping to recapture romance.

Spas designed for couples have their own requirements that need a little more thought and planning than for the general public. For operators, this can translate to a solid bottom line.

Partners who book spa treatments don’t want to get in and out quickly; they are there to enjoy their time together, often opt for multiple treatments and will linger to enjoy the facilities. They typically spend from a few hours to an entire day there, making it important for any medium to large spa to offer facilities that cater specifically for romance.

Bangkok-based P49 Deesign & Associates is a hospitality interior design specialist with completed projects all over

the world. It has worked with spa leaders including Six Senses and M Spa, previously known as Mandara, and designed spas for operators including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Ayana and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

“We have undertaken more than 100 spa projects from 300 square metres up to 8,000 square metres,” says Carl Almeida, partner with P49. “In our experience, in the absolute majority of spas there is always at least one couples’ treatment room. All spas recognise that there is value to providing facilities and services for couples. Spas also recognise that it is best for them to be flexible, so that they can operate at maximum efficiency.”

Almeida suggests that this is extremely relevant in countries where spas are divided into separate male and female zones.

“It is important to understand that when we design for couples, they can be married or friends of the same or either gender. In these situations, P49 has designed spas where the couple rooms are the linking point between the zones, connecting or dividing them through interlinked corridors. So if the spa contains one male couple room or one female couple room, the ratio can be adjusted based on guest demand that day.”

And he suggests that in terms of

CarlAlmeida,partner,P49Deesign&Associates–guestsexpecttheluxuryofspaceandtheabilityforflexibility–suchaseachpersonmaywantadifferenttreatmentbutstillbetogether

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Mandarin Oriental in Pudong. Rofkind previously worked as an architect for Hyatt Hotels and Resorts before joining HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates in Hong Kong and then setting up her own firm in 2002.

“Planning spaces such as outdoor terraces, you should be mindful of the surrounding architecture in case neighbouring buildings may be able to see into areas that should be private.”

TransformationBUZ’s concept for Mandarin Pudong was inspired by a walk Rofkind took through Hong Kong Park and her discovery that there are so many species of butterflies.

“I thought that it was fitting – butterflies, like spas, are about transformation,” she explains. Butterflies are integrated throughout the entire spa, from a wall treatment in the reception area to the naming of treatment rooms after butterfly in different languages.”

The couple treatment room includes an outdoor terrace, along with a Jacuzzi contoured for maximum comfort as it conforms to the human body exactly.

“For many, having time for a bath is a real luxury,” she notes. “And it is important to have a big enough tub for couples to look at each other while bathing. Mandarin has done a lot of research into their tubs, which are made specifically for the operator.”

Rofkind believes that many little factors in the design can make or break the overall romantic experience.

“All lighting should be on dimmers,” she advises. “You don’t want guests to be staring at a downlight, so I use cove lighting and sconces wherever possible. Massage beds should be height adjustable, so that it’s at the right height for the therapist to work comfortably but also allow guests to get in and out safely.

“Integrat ion of scents such as aromatherapy oils, and music into the treatment room help to foster romance. Finishes should include a variety of textures and patterns in warm colours with natural materials. Avoid using carpet, since it won’t last in Asia. Hardwood floors should be well sealed. I like using bamboo since it’s harder than other woods and resists moisture. If there are terraces, there should be ceiling fans incorporated to help deter mosquitoes.”

While Rofkind admits that space is a luxury for many guests, a treatment room can be too big. “It’s all about how the room is used so that the couple has a variety of experiences.”

Finishes should include a variety of textures and patterns in warm colours with natural materials. Avoid using carpet, since it won’t last in Asia. Hardwood floors should be well sealed. I like using bamboo since it’s harder than other woods and resists moistureJ Lee Rofkind, BUZ Design

destinations, there seems to be much greater demand for couples’ treatment rooms in resort-based properties, where the spa focus is on pampering and multi-treatments that might take a few hours.

“Couples’ expectations are based on a more romantic approach, where the actual massage is only part of the experience.

“Guests expect the luxury of space and the ability for flexibility – such as each person may want a different treatment but still be together. Daybeds, showers, bathtubs and vanity facilities should all be designed for two. In resorts, the option to have outdoor treatments is a draw card as well, as long as the luxury of the experience is not compromised.”

Get a roomBreeze Spa at Amari Orchid in Pattaya is one such example. Designed by P49, it includes a double room for two guests at the end of a corridor, ensuring as much privacy as possible. Within the treatment room, there

is a Jacuzzi to fit two, ample room around two massage beds, private showers and toilets and lounge area for relaxation and foot massages.

Located on the fourth floor of the hotel, it overlooks the swimming pool and features a contemporary design with subtle Thai motifs. Colours include deep blues, rich aubergines and sage, with wooden flooring that feels comforting on bare feet. To complement the indoor facilities, P49 also included cabanas for couples to enjoy massages outdoors and poolside.

The raised wooden structures are positioned behind rows of sun loungers so guests still enjoy a view of the pool and Pattaya Bay beyond. Yet the curtains can be drawn if they want to be cocooned in their own little universe.

“Outdoor spaces for couples to enjoy spa treatments are important, but privacy can be an issue,” says J Lee Rofkind of BUZ Design, a Hong Kong-based hospitality firm which recently completed the spa for

MandarinOrientalPudongspacouplessuite(courtesyBUZ)

BreezeSpaAmariOrchiddoubletreatmentroom(pic:RebeccaLo)

d E s i g n


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Chefs are making their own butter in the kitchen and featuring it as a signature attraction in their restaurants reports Jane Ram who tracks this and other trends in the industry

Spreading the

Dairy products in general are rarely considered part of mainstream Asian culinary tradition except in cattle raising regions. Lard made from pork fat is the

usual way of enriching special dishes to create a flavour that we have learned to describe as umami in all types of cooking. One explanation is that many Asians (especially southern Chinese) find it hard to digest dairy products.

Nevertheless, with the spread of Western fast foods at grassroots level, ice cream, yoghurt, cheese and butter have won increasing acceptance among Asian consumers over recent decades. And a growing number of serious Asian foodies have developed a taste for fine Western cuisine, which almost always involves butter.

Jacques Boissier, the founder and general manager of Classic Fine Foods, has been marketing premium food products from Europe in Hong Kong, Macau and latterly China for the past 20 years.

“The Hong Kong market has seen a marked increase in the sales volume of butter over the past few years,” he says. “An interesting development is the appearance of artisanal butter (such as the brand Bordier) in top Western restaurants. And now they can be found in some

Love

PrésidentbutterfromLactalisoffersacomprehensiverangeofunsaltedandslightlysaltedbuttersmadewiththefinestmilkfromNormandyinFrance,whichgivesitsdistinctive,refinedflavour

Photograph: sanchaya estate, bintan

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For the best butter, use the best milkThe best butter will always command the highest price: it is made from a known source of cream from cows that graze freely in meadows where there is no pollution of any sort and the grass and other plants are GM and pesticide free. Swiss icons such as the cowbell and the alp-horn remind us of the importance of the Alpine region as a source of the finest and purest milk.

Not surprisingly, one of the world’s leading brands of premium quality milk, the Swiss company Emmi, uses these and other typical Alpine visuals in its distinctive red and white packaging.

It is well-known that pasture-grazing cows produce milk of a richer flavour and aroma than their dairy farm counterparts. The cow’s diet determines the type of fatty acids contained in the butter; these affect the texture and determine how hard or soft the butter ends up. Dairy equipment, speed of manufacture and other factors such as the distance the milk must travel before processing, all affect the finished product.

Emmi is Switzerland’s largest milk processor and one of Europe’s most innovative premium dairy companies. Innovative Swiss technology ensures that milk processing and product packaging is state of the art at every stage. Recent concerns about harmful additives in China and contamination in some other countries have convinced Asian consumers that it is worth paying a little more money for peace of mind in knowing that food items are above suspicion.

All Emmi products, including milk, yoghurt, and cheeses, are made from natural fresh Swiss milk and have the FSSC22000, HACCP and Halal certificates. Emmi milk products imported and distributed in Asia are UHT treated to prolong their shelf life, while those for the Swiss and European markets are pasteurised. In all other respects the quality is identical.

North America. It is laborious by hand, but almost any type of mixer or food processor can transform good quality cream into outstanding butter. And of course specialist domestic machines are already on the market.

While few restaurants go so far as to churn butter at the table, many have been using flavoured butters for years, incorporating vegetables of all kinds and even fruit. In some restaurants chefs will even advise on ‘butter-pairing’.

Vincent Lauria, group executive chef at Integrated Hospitality Management, is very much hands-on in the group’s newest venture, Hong Kong’s Stone Nullah Tavern, in which he is also a partner. His Italian ancestry gives him a genetic predisposition towards using olive oil, he says, but for some recipes only butter will do.

“I use butter for quinoa risotto. It separates the seeds of the quinoa and keeps them creamy and delicious. For this I use a high quality Italian butter. I also use it in the asparagus alla plancha with crustacean butter – a hollandaise sauce laced with chilli and shellfish.”

Chef and culinary artist Peter Marx is already hard at work perfecting concepts and menus for the Sanchaya, an ultra luxe cluster of villas and suites in a former colonial era estate on Bintan Island, scheduled to open early in 2014. He makes his own salted and unsalted butter using organic cream. His signature butter incorporates fresh black truffle and he uses it frequently in artisan homemade breads, at breakfast to flavour congee and eggs, with seafood, meat and stir-fried vegetables and also as standard butter for breads along with sea salt flakes at lunch and dinner.

“Churned butter has a higher burning temperature in its natural state for quick sautéing. The flavours are rich and have a higher fat content, perfect for patisserie. I add unflavoured churned butter to my Asian cuisine to give a distinct flavour and glossiness,” he comments.

retail stores such as Enjoy in the basement of Sogo. The butter, while being artisanal, is still made from pasteurised milk.”

The fashion for olive oil has sparked new interest in cooking media. David Bedinghaus, culinary director, Kirimaya Golf Resort Spa Khao Yai, oversees two restaurants: one is Italian/Japanese and the other serves regional Thai cuisine. He says he has seen a change in guest preference over the years.

“Butter now needs to share its table top kingdom with olive oil!” he says. “But if I am in the mood for flavour and texture my choice is a freshly baked full-fat butter croissant with more butter – nothing can beat it!”

What the West does today, Asia will probably do tomorrow. Designer butter is likely to be the next big thing in Asian kitchens. Home butter churning is commonplace among trendy foodies in

EstablishedinBelgiumin1936,buttermanufacturerCormandevelopedthefirstbuttersheetsspecificallyforpuffpastryandcroissants.Todayitisafavouritewithpastrychefsworldwide

F o o d



F o o d


“While the classic flavours will always be popular, the trend is to use local ingredients, be indigenous, be creative – break the rules,” says Minor Hotel

Group’s group operations manager, Tim Boda.Boda, who also looks after F&B for the group, says that besides

the group standard of using classic Darbo products, each hotel offers an indigenous jam or a rotation of jams using local fruits.

“We particularly motivate our chefs to be creative with this showcase jam and to give their fruit jam a twist adding ingredients such as ginger, chilli, peppermint, elderflower, anise, rosehips, vanilla, lavender, cracked pepper and more.

“The best-selling jam after strawberry is the coconut jam at our two Anantara resorts in Koh Samui and the pineapple and ginger jam at Anantara Phuket Villas. Guests do like to purchase such local and homemade products to take home as well.”

MHG’s standard across all areas of operation (Asia, Indian Ocean and Middle East) is Darbo jam – six classic flavours plus honey and two light versions.

“Strawberry is number one by far, according to what is ordered for our properties worldwide,” adds Boda. “About 25% of all

consumed is strawberry. Depending on guest nationality mix other classic flavours include berries and bitter orange. With an increase of Asian guests we are using more chocolate spreads for kids.”

Got the bluesLaurens Bakker, regional manager Asia Pacific, Hero Asia, based in Hong Kong, says the company has seen a rising demand for jams with a perceived health benefit.

“For example in Asia blueberry jam has become as popular as strawberry jam (despite the relatively high price due to significant increases in the price of blueberries) as blueberries are good for your eyesight.”

In Asia-Pacific Hero exports both retail and catering jams to virtually all markets in the region.

“Our catering jams ranging from our portion controlled mini jars in 28.3g jars to bakery jams with oven-proof pectin in 12.5kg tubs as well as various other catering products like chestnut purée, roesti, peels and various gels and glazes being sold mainly to four and five-star hotels, airlines, caterers, restaurants and bakeries.”

Founded in 1886 in Lenzburg, Switzerland, Hero exports to more than 88 countries worldwide and generated revenues in excess of CHF 1.43 billion (US1.57 billion) in 2012, with over 4,000 employees in more than 30 countries. The group’s main product categories are infant nutrition, quality jams/spreads and fruit drinks/snacks) and cereal bars.

Anthony Paech meanwhile says strawberry jam is Australian producer Beerenberg’s most popular flavour – “which is lucky because we are a strawberry farm! Honey is also very popular.” The company’s managing director confirms, however, that strawberry jam is more popular in Asia than it is in western countries.

“We export our products from our Australian factory to our

Although traditional jams will remain on the breakfast buffet for the foreseeable future, more exotic local flavours are becoming more popular while provenance is increasingly significant to consumers, reports Daniel Creffield

Conserving tradition

StrawberryjamisAustralianproducerBeerenberg’smostpopularflavour–whichmeanseveryoneneedstohelpwiththepicking


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importers all over the world. Beerenberg is particularly strong in Southeast Asia. From there we work with our importers to sell direct into four and five-star hotels. The products appear on the breakfast buffet and on the trolleys of in-room dining.”

Paech believes the massive growth in the number of five-star hotels in China means there is an internationalisation of the hotel breakfast buffet, with western food buffet breakfasts becoming more familiar to locals.

Beerenberg has three different portion packaging sizes – 28g glass jars, 15g foil portions and 14g plastic portions. This allows a resort or a property with different outlets to differentiate the offering and keep within food budgets.

“Honey and jam in small portions are a classy solution to portion control. They look beautiful on the table in a caddy display or on the room service trolley. Also the foil, and plastic portions are a nice alternative to glass jars when dining alongside the pool.”

Paech also notes that there is a trend towards retail packaging at the breakfast buffet.

“Some think it gives a more ‘home style’ approach. We like this as it enables us to highlight Beerenberg’s authentic provenance. With our new labelled retail products, consumers can enter the last six digits of the barcode and the ‘best before’ date into their smartphones on our website where they can see where the ingredients used to cook the jam came from, when it was made and even who cooked it!”

Berry popularMag. Martin Darbo, board chairman of A. Darbo AG in Austria, says strawberry is the number one flavour almost everywhere in the world, followed by apricot, raspberry and blueberry.

“Orange is very often number three – especially in Asia, for instance, where apricot is less popular than orange marmalade. In

We have seen a rising demand for jams with a perceived health benefit. For example in Asia blueberry jam has become as popular as strawberry jam as blueberries are good for your eyesightLaurens Bakker, Hero Asia

Europe apricot is usually number two (in Austria it’s number one). Darbo sells its products in 60 countries to retail, foodservice and

industry clients. In Asia its main markets are China and Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Darbo says the company’s most popular range is its all-natural preserves with a 50% or 70% fruit content, which it produces in different sizes for the retail and foodservice market.

“We use the best fruit qualities available and only natural ingredients – no chemical preservatives, colourings or aromas.”

IndividualportionblueberryjamandcateringpackofapricotjamfromHero

Darbosellsitsproductsin60countriesandthroughoutAsia


For years the industry has been attempting, with mixed success, to pair Chinese cuisine with the exalted red wines of Bordeaux. Resident oenophile Gerrie Lim investigates

A matchmade inheaven?

While most Asian wine connoisseurs unanimously praise the red wines of Bordeaux, opinion remains divided when food pairing is applied to one of the world’s great

cuisines. These wines don’t fare as well, some often argue, and as the legendary wine writer Jancis Robinson has herself noted: “Everything I write about China is about encouraging the Chinese to drink wines other than red Bordeaux, because I just don’t think that’s a style of wine that goes particularly well with Chinese food.”

Good reasons exist for this summation, especially since an incorrect choice of wine can ruin one’s enjoyment of a dish when the mingling of sensations goes awry. One rule of thumb when matching most Asian cuisines is to find a wine that’s simple and doesn’t scream out its flavour. Heavily tannic red wines are absolutely out, especially if high in alcohol – since this will only accentuate the heat from herbs and spices, as with the peppery zing of Szechuan cooking.

Even with more genteel tastes common to Southern Chinese styles such as Cantonese or Chiuchow, red Bordeaux can often kill taste when weighed against resulting flavours when the ingredients are combined.

There are actual scientific reasons for this, irrespective of one’s preference for the usual Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or Merlot). Jean-Jacques Bonnie, the general manager of Vignobles Malartic, best known for its Chateau Malartic-Lagraviere grands crus from the Pessac-Leognan appellation, observes how his Bordeaux vineyards typically experience divergent temperature swings from day to night, often accelerating the ripeness of the grapes which in turn define the tannins and dictate the structure of red Bordeaux.

“This is a big issue, because you cannot wait too long for the tannins to be ripe before you pick the grapes. If you wait too long, then the sugar level goes very high and the alcohol content will unbalance the wine,” says Bonnie.

Credit:http//wokkingontherun.blogspot.hk

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„Basic“ & „Konkret!“

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So, like many Bordeaux vintners who travel through Asia, he believes that “with Chinese food, you need younger wines. They need to show their youthfulness, as opposed to older wines which are more complex and evolved. With Chinese food especially, you need something to cut through the oil. Cantonese food needs to be paired with wines that can demonstrate acidity and freshness. An older red Bordeaux needs Western food, like a steak or lamb or even veal.”

In what is arguably the best book on this subject – Perfect Pairings, published in 2006 – author Evan Goldstein, the renowned American master sommelier, notes: “Our perception of a wine’s alcohol is amplified by food, specifically by salt and spicy heat. If a very powerful wine is paired with spicy dishes, you may feel as if someone has poured gasoline on the fire.”

Additionally, he suggests, “Many Asian preparations need not be paired exclusively with beer. Moderate amounts of sweetness in the wine provide a nice foil for the heat and tame its ferocity, even alleviating the burning sensation caused by the peppers.” Instead of red Bordeaux, he prefers pinot noir, which pairs well with “dishes that have sweet-salt flavour combinations and texture, like Peking duck or hoisin and soy glazed roast pork.”

Too tricky?Wine educator Annabel Jackson, co-author of the forthcoming The Yunnan Cookbook: Recipes from China’s Land of Ethnic Diversity, couldn’t agree more: “It pains me to be in a good Cantonese restaurant and see everyone drinking good Bordeaux. If we are focusing on Cantonese food, the prevalence of seafood and fish already presents a problem because the tannins in the wine are

IvyLi,FountainofFortuneFiveFineWines–‘duetothediversityoftheculinarystylesacrossthiscountrythereisnoone-size-fits-allwinepairingsuggestion–thetheoryofmatchingredswithmeats,andwhiteswithseafood,doesn’talwaysapply’

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dramatically enhanced, so young Bordeaux can be even more tricky than an older wine in which the tannins are more integrated.

“Clams steamed with a little coriander and ginger always means white wine but if you take some of those

clams and add some black bean sauce and a little chilli, you’re looking at red but not Bordeaux, probably a New World pinot noir instead.

“However, I did experience one extremely successful match with a young Bordeaux ,” she concedes, “and that was at Yung Kee in Hong Kong, paired with stinky tofu which really did soften out the tannins. If you’re ordering roast goose, I’d also say go ahead, but otherwise, there’s so little at the high end of the Cantonese canon which complements Bordeaux. Dishes with even, say, a touch of conpoy bring out a bitterness in tannins. A beef dish would rarely just be beef, and usually it comes cooked with something like broccoli, which red Bordeaux hates.”

Lately, particularly in mainland China, the trend appears to favour wines other than red Bordeaux, and in Hong Kong the current value

of wine re-exports has fallen 27.3% ever since the government voiced its disapproval of extravagant banquets and lavish spending. More tellingly, since Hong Kong abolished wine duty in February 2008, the value of wine re-exports to China has risen with every year – until last year, when the first drop of 7.6% was recorded.

“This has to do with the austerity measures established by our new president, “ says Ivy Li, a Shenzhen-based wine importer and the executive director of Fountain of Fortune Five Fine Wines. “Our government now discourages the consumption of expensive alcohol. I think there is very little optimism that this will change soon, even though China holds the biggest potential in terms of consumption volume and is still the largest importer of Bordeaux wines.”

Of wine pairing, she declares: “I think it is important to remember that our cuisine in China is a harmonious integration of colour, redolence, taste, shape and fineness of ingredients, so the critical factor is acidity. If you’re doing say a spicy dish, often the good levels of acidity in Bordeaux can sustain the strength of such cuisine. Sometimes, however, the tannins in a young Bordeaux can clash with the chilies and make the dish even hotter.

“I would say Bordeaux is more appropriate if paired with Shanghai cuisine, such as the famous pork meatball stew called Lion’s Head, since it is a rich dish and the Bordeaux tannins can help to cut down the grease.”

“Due to the diversity of the culinary styles across this country,” she concludes, “there is no one-size-fits-all wine pairing suggestion. The theory of matching reds with meats, and whites with seafood, doesn’t always apply. In general, I think, the preparation is more important than the ingredients.”

Indeed, what is a recipe without its methodology? Perfect pairings depend on perfect choices. Rules can be broken if percentages are precisely aligned, and a good sommelier or chef surely knows about pitting acidity levels against tannin structure. Or, more wryly put, in the words of television’s forensics expert Dr Gil Grissom (as played by William Peterson in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation): “You may not like the evidence. But the evidence is the evidence.”

With Chinese food especially, you need something to cut through the oil ... Cantonese food needs to be paired with wines that can demonstrate acidity and freshness Jean-Jacques Bonnie Vignobles Malartic

ChateauMalarticLagraviere

WineeducatorAnnabelJackson,co-authoroftheforthcomingThe Yunnan Cookbook: Recipes from China’s Land of Ethnic Diversity–‘ItpainsmetobeinagoodCantoneserestaurantandseeeveryonedrinkinggoodBordeaux’

Photo:StephenQuinn

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While there is no question that branded amenities are a major draw card for many Asian hotel guests, newer organic and ‘green’ products are gradually making their presence felt in the region.

Competition is stiff between manufacturers in this lucrative market, and the growing spa and health trend throughout the hospitality industry means demand for quality products is at an all-time high.

“Staying competitive relies on understanding your customers and the direction they are heading,” says Andrew Johnson, senior advisor, Sysco Guest Supply Asia.

“In the hospitality supply business we actually have several ‘customers’ including the hotel chain, the immediate hotel we are supplying and, of course, the guests. Each has slightly different requirements and we need to be very aware of each.

“A hotel chain may want to offer an international brand that helps to maintain global standards, whereas a specific hotel may be focused on costs or frequent deliveries. The guest naturally wants a product that assures quality and helps give a pleasant stay.

“We have teams that focus on each of these areas to try to meet and exceed expectations.”

For associate marketing director, Tracy So, from amenities supplier Ming Fai there has always been “fierce competition” in the hotel industry amenities sector, “from product design and packaging to the latest fragrance formulation innovation and choice offered.”

Ming Fai focuses on branded amenities, says So, largely because guests in Asia expect to see them in the bathrooms, as well as developing in-house brands for customers.

This includes environmental protection brands, which are becoming increasingly popular in the region, So says.

“One such range, Reeco, has 99.75% organic naturally harvested ingredients with no mineral oil, silicones or polymer additives and is paraben-free,” she says.

For supplier and distributor ADA, the secret to success is “providing high-end products, distinctive creativity and a committed on-site service,” says Oliver Schuhmann, managing director ADA Far East.

“We define ourselves not only as a manufacturer but as a business partner. A close relationship with our clients makes all the difference, particularly for the fast-moving Asian market which requires an enormous amount of flexibility and an individual approach.”

Brand awarenessWith more than 400 natural ingredients in their formulations, the people at L’Occitane – the first French company to be listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange – “use phytotherapy or plant treatments and aromachology or essential oil treatments to produce our comprehensive beauty ranges,” says Will Allen, B2B sales manager, Far East. The brand has become one of the most popular in the region in recent years.

“Our expanded team, innovation capability and international brand appeal go hand in hand with flexible service of the highest quality,” Allen says.

The range includes eau de toilette, pillow mist, and hand cream, shea butter – made using fair trade ingredients sourced in Africa – soaps and body lotions, ultra rich shower gels and shampoos, a

Battle of the bathroom

Many areas of the hospitality industry are competitive, none more so than spa and bathroom amenities. So how are producers and suppliers staying ahead? Zara Horner finds out

ADAhasrecentlytakenonBritishbrandBronnley,whichusestraditionalfamilyformulations,handeddownsince1884,tocreateluxurysoap,fragrancesandtoiletriesformulatedusingnaturalingredients

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range of accessories and more. For Jade Sosso, founder and director of the Acantha Luxury

Collection brand, to be competitive in the market a company must reinvent itself in order to supply changing demand.

“In this ever changing consumer market, we try to keep our clients focused on core values of quality, innovative ideas and usability,” Sosso says.

“Our clients want their bathroom amenities to be efficient, good quality and pleasant. When we create new fragrances we base them on what they are supposed to make the user feel. It has to fit the olfactory expectations of the space – reinvigorating scents for bathrooms, relaxing scents for bedrooms and spas, floral sweet and happy scents for living areas.”

Acantha fragrances are produced in Grasse, France – so-called ‘perfume capital of the world’ – from natural essential oils. The company plans to explore the possibility of using organic-only ingredients in the near future.

For Sosso, guests in Asia are “dynamic and open to exploring new trends, so they are open to hotel own labels – as long as they deliver quality.”

Sysco Guest Supply’s Johnson notes guests in Asia prefer branded products. “If they see a brand they are familiar with they have greater confidence,” he says. “Because of this many hotel chains are moving towards branded amenity programmes.”

For Schuhmann it depends on the hotel. “Asians love ‘bling bling’ in the hotel bathroom. Therefore there is a tendency to choose hotel cosmetics designed by famous fashion or designer brands. Top brands are like a promise of exceptional service, perfection, status, prestige, glamour and lifestyle. Hotel guests equate high-image labels with premium quality, satisfaction. Simply put, the products distinguish a hotel from its competitors.”

ADA’s stable includes its Brand Collection: Swiss luxury brand Chopard; premium label Durance from Provence; and Italian glamour label Trussardi, launched just a few months ago.

A new cooperation with traditional British brand Bronnley has just been finalised. “The UK company uses traditional Bronnley family formulations, handed down since 1884, to create luxury soap, fragrances and toiletries,” Schuhmann says.

MingFai’sReecorangehas99.75%organicnaturallyharvestedingredientswithnomineraloil,siliconesorpolymeradditivesandisparaben-free


All Bronnley products are inspired by fragrances found in nature. They are formulated using natural ingredients and hand-crafted perfumes. ADA has been chosen to manufacture the Bronnley hotel cosmetic range Honey Blossom.

In Europe almost every four and five-star hotel has a similar customised product line, Schuhmann says, and predicts this could happen in Asia.

But as might be expected, this type of development has its price – a price some hotels are not prepared to pay, Schuhmann says.

“As a result, they opt for less expensive solutions – with correspondingly cheap results. What is needed are clear, holistic concepts. Our team creates solutions which meet the hotel’s requirements – whether they relate to quality, contemporary formulations, efficacy, application, design or packaging.”

Pack it upPackaging has become more of an issue in recent years as society gains a greater understanding of environmental impact. Together with this is an increasing interest in organic and natural products.

L’Occitane “is committed to limiting the environmental impact of our actions and products,” Allen says.

“Our packaging is made from sustainable resources; we make conscientious decisions to limit our CO2 emissions, notably in the transport of our products; while focused on improving the wellbeing and experiences of consumers. We always err on the side of caution: 99% of our formulas have been paraben-free; phthalate-free fragrances since 2005.”

Ming Fai’s So says environmentally friendly packaging is becoming increasingly important. “Our Back To Basic range packaging is made from polylactic acid and the paper packaging is certified by FSC.”

Ming Fai’s newest licensed brands include Storm from England, Borghese Giardino, Culti from Italy, and Garden Voyage Botanicals from the US.

“Organic and natural products are certainly becoming more requested,” Johnson agrees.

“The process started a few years ago and recently gathered steam. We offer several new lines including Tara Smith, and our in-house natural lines that have been extremely successful during the past year, Earth Tempo, Olive Branch Botanicals. They are natural, more environmentally friendly and cost competitive. A great deal of research went into developing them as paraben-free and biodegradable.”

The company will also be relaunching Caswell Massey later this year and “bringing several new international brands to the market” although Johnson would not reveal details.

ADA regards itself as the pioneer of sustainable, green hotel cosmetics and Schuhmann says: “We invented the first recyclable, ecological dispenser solution; we were the first with a sustainability philosophy, and a special ecological range – Green Collection.”

The German manufacturer was also the first worldwide to offer hotel cosmetics made with eco certified, fair trade products.

But, as far as clients in Asia are concerned, he says, “Natural cosmetics in Asia are currently less relevant compared with western markets.

“There is a lack of education and knowledge regarding the distinction between what is truly sustainable and what is merely ‘green-washed’.

“Further, there are differences from country to country, which, at this point, we ascribe to cost. Organic products are more expensive and there is less willingness to pay higher prices. ADA is in the process of addressing this situation, and offers products that are acceptable to the market while staying focused on the future.”

ProducedinGrasse,France’s‘perfumecapitaloftheworld’,Acanthafragrancesareformulatedfromnaturalessentialoils

SyscoGuestSupplyAsia’sTuscanSoulfromSalvatoreFerragamo

AromatherapyAssociatesfromSyscoGuestSupplyAsia

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Guest Supply Asia Ltd.9/F, Hip Shing Hong Centre55 Des Voeux Road CentralHong Kong

Tel : (852) 2808 4133Fax : (852) 2890 2728Email : [email protected]


Although traditionally upscale properties in the region have chosen to purchase their tableware from established European manufacturers, many are now buying from Japanese, Korean and Chinese makers, especially when

it comes to chinaware. “This is true, and is becoming more obvious,” says Raymond

Tam, director Asia at UK-based table and serving-ware supplier, Athena.

“One major reason is that most European brands have established their outsourcing network in Asian countries such as China, Korea and Vietnam.

“Through years of effort the quality of these Asian-made, European brands has become high and stable. Customers are happy to buy the same good quality products at lower prices,” Tam continues.

“Another consideration is that some local brands have evolved to an international level and attained global attention, especially those which have strong statements in cultural art, such as Indian and Thai designs,” he says.

For Reda Bou Najm, senior sales executive at RAK Porcelain in the UAE, regional manufacturers are making inroads into an industry once dominated by European manufacturers because “Asia is becoming more cosmopolitan, creating a demand to serve a variety of cuisines, which calls for specific shapes and sizes according to the cuisine’s requirement.”

RAK Porcelain ranges are developed “with multi-cuisine shapes, which cater to the changing needs of the hotel industry,” Najm says.

While this new wave of ‘ethnic’ tableware can add an organic feel there is still huge demand for European quality and sophistication, not only in chinaware but tableware generally.

The old guard“There are mainly three different categories that are requested,” says Jessika Rauch, international PR manager at Villeroy & Boch, one of Europe’s premier tableware manufacturers and suppliers.

According to Rauch, white and undecorated tableware, personalised items using a restaurant logo or chef ’s name, and in-house standard designs continue to top the list.

“Up to 20% of all tableware we sell is decorated,” Rauch continues. “For the past four or five years there’s been a trend towards individualisation.”

Almost all Villeroy & Boch tableware products are fine china. “We only use premium porcelain, which is more robust, or bone porcelain, which is finer and more elegant, and that makes for high quality products, which our customers appreciate,” Rauch says.

The chinaware also maintains its light creamy white colour despite changing technology and different production methods. “Our colour is a hallmark of the brand; again, customers continue to identify with this.”

Confidence in brand differentiation such as this is still the primary concern, according to Athena’s Tam.

“Manufacturers have to deliver functionality, durability, innovation, acceptable prices and good service,” he says.

Athena’s latest flatware design, ‘Hugo’, is made “with optimal

Defying tradition, many hotels are now buying tableware from regional manufacturers. Zara Horner finds out why, and looks at new products and trends

Turning the tables

GermanmanufacturerKahla’sclientsincludeDubai’sBurjalArabandSingapore’sParkroyalonPickering

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gauge fine stainless steel and has a high lustre,” Tam says, adding that the flatware’s “elegant and slender silhouette,” means it may be matched with most table settings.

This universality is something Villeroy & Boch also seeks to achieve. While fine dining forms the core of the brand, Rauch says the company has evolved to ensure that it can offer diverse solutions, but, she candidly observes, as in every industry, “there are no miracles and quality and special solutions have their price.”

This year the company launched Affinity, “a comprehensive, multifunctional, robust dinnerware series that makes a strong design statement to meet the most varied of culinary and serving challenges”.

“The new line has 70 pieces that ably combine internationality with the values of tradition,” Rauch says.

Billed as “attractively priced”, Affinity is part of the company’s triple A programme – Articles Always Available. “This guarantees constant availability,” Rauch says, “providing restaurateurs and hoteliers with additional planning certainty, an important and often overlooked purchasing criteria.”

To the folks at Zieher, quality and design continue to be the key issues for present and potential customers.

“Clients want a reliable partner able to provide high quality items at reasonable prices,” export manager Stefan Rodel says.

“In addition to the actual tableware, a good performance in terms of delivery, backorders and the like is important.”

Rodel says Zieher customers buy according to design, material and functionality rather than price.

“There comes a point when you simply have to accept a certain RAKPorcelainrangesaredevelopedwithmulti-cuisineshapes,tocatertothechangingneedsofthehotelindustry

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price point, whether the chinaware comes from Europe, Asia or elsewhere,” says Rodel. “Customers choose our ranges to create the ‘wow’ factor and to make every meal an event, for the palate and eye.”

Rodel emphasises Zieher’s individuality, saying that even though there may be changes within the market the company “always goes our own way, and our customers appreciate this.”

Ranges focus on buffet systems and the necessary accessories. “We constantly develop and design new products for eye-catching presentations,” says Rodel.

“As a logical consequence of that this year we extended our almost new buffet system Squareline with a white version, to add to the black and stainless steel varieties, as well as a range of white glass platters to complete the line.”

Zieher also “pays tribute to ecologically friendly and regenerative materials,” Rodel says, with the new Solid line.

“Made of solid walnut wood this is a range of accessories for breakfast displays as well as presentation boxes for pralines,” Rodel explains.

In chinaware, the company has introduced the Dresscoat and

Dots lines, which have been designed because “creating surprising experiences for our clients has become our major target,” Rodel says.

Another German designer porcelain producer, Kahla, says such “multi-functional collections” of classical and creative hotel tableware are what customers want now.

The porcelain factory, founded in 1844, and re-launched in 1994, has consistently focused on sustainable production methods and today uses solar energy from an on-site photovoltaic system.

The company is keen to establish itself as a “design trendsetter and specialist in individual solutions” and with this in mind produces customised tableware shapes, decorations, colours and surfaces.

“Through progressive design, customised service and excellent quality of products made in Germany, we can instantly solve problems for our customers,” says Bert Dittmar, director of global sales.

With clients such as Dubai’s Burj al Arab and Singapore’s Parkroyal on Pickering, “Kahla designers create products according to the wishes of our customers,” Dittmar says.

Likewise, RAK Porcelain employs European designers to create ranges which are “cuisine-specific collections,” Najm says.

Latest offerings include Massilia, which allows chefs to use the same piece for several purposes and whose design “promotes ease of handling”; and nature-inspired Nabur, which has “organic-curved shapes”.

In 2014 the company will launch the Anna range. “This has the traditional shapes that are in high demand today,” Najm says.

One-stop hotelware shopestablished in september 2002, global hotelware is a provider of quality products for restaurant, hotels, catering and retail outlets.

its high quality products include classic schott Zwiesel german glassware – which is renowned for its quality, style and functionality – christofle silverware, Villeroy & boch, Revol, sant Andrea, schonwald, Ksi and copperware products.

in addition, global hotelware features emile henry culinary pottery, novox designer furniture and de buyer kitchen utensils.

Formoreinformation:www.globalhotelware.com

TheAffinityrangefromVilleroy&Bochcomprises70attractiveporcelainpiecesthatscorehighondesignandfunctionality.

Athena’sArtdeGourmetrangecomesinfood-safelaminatednaturalslate

Zieher’sDotslinewasdesigned“tocreatesurprisingexperiences”forthecompany’sclients

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Rivolta Carmignani was established in 1867 in Macherio, Italy, a few kilometers from Milan, with the mission of offering the highest Italian style and quality in room and table linens to the best hotels, restaurants and cruise lines in the world.

Still located in Macherio, the company’s departments include design, warping, weaving, quality control, bleaching and finishing, cutting and hemming,

embroidery and packaging. The production cycle is therefore completely vertical from the thread to the finished product under the supervision of the fifth generation of the Rivolta family.

Thanks to an exclusive mix of luxury and tradition, innovation and perfectionism, excellence of raw materials and dedicated labour, together with an incomparable expertise and aesthetic approach, Rivolta Carmignani is proud to have served more than 10,000 customers in over 63 countries with its unique ‘made in Italy’ touch.

After 150 years of success, the company is still improving and upgrading its five collections for bed, bath, spa, table and banqueting, with trendy new colours,

150 years of luxurious Italian linen

designs, textures and materials, in order to always offer the most exclusive solutions in terms of style, quality and price.

For those desiring the highest exclusivity of style and design, regardless of price, Rivolta Carmignani provides its ‘Atelier Service’ to create exclusive solutions together with the customer’s designers, with low minimum quantities.

Additionally, the company can offer a fast reorder service with no minimum quantity for most of its collections, thanks to a massive and continuous investment on its inventory.

Italian style, quality and durability which exceed customer expectations are the reasons the best hotels in the world have chosen Rivolta Carmignani for the past 150 years.

For any reference and further information, please visit us at: www.rivoltacarmignani.it

Pacific Rim Trading LimitedSole agent: Hong Kong / Macau / ChinaFor more information, email: [email protected]: (852) 2838 8977website: www.prt.com.hk


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Milk solution made simpleNespresso has extended its U machine range by launching Umilk. In addition to the convenience of preparing Grand Cru in one single gesture, Umilk has an integrated fresh milk solution providing coffee and milk lovers with further flexibility.

The new Aeroccino3 milk frother, incorporated into the Umilk machine, delivers smooth and finely textured milk froth for hot and cold milk recipes, while also offering improved cleanliness.

With its modular design, Umilk can change its shape as the adjustable water tank and Aeroccino3 can seamlessly slide around the back of the machine to best adapt to any interior layout.

Joiy to the worldLaunched in 2009 and now available in Hong Kong, Joiy (pronounced “Joy”) is a sparkling wine made from 100% New Zealand grown Riesling grapes from the Waipara region in the South Island.

Joiy displays all that a good Riesling grape has to offer – delicate honey and fragrant floral notes with citrus undertones to balance it all off plus a touch of soft bubbles. The relatively low alcohol content of 9.5% gives it added approachability. Joiy is now available from The Crush – Hong Kong Wine Store.

Formoreinformation:www.thecrushhk.com

Where’s the beef?EBLEX, which represents beef and lamb levy payers in England, is marketing its unique products strongly in Hong Kong.

The English Beef The Royal Standard brand was especially created for the Hong Kong market. EBLEX has identified Hong Kong as a sophisticated consumer market ready for its superior quality of beef, given its import statistics and the growth of high-end steak restaurants in the city.

“We are aiming for a high beef eating experience, ensuring tenderness of course, but also striving for a long and deep grassy flavour allied with good product juiciness and fibrous mouthfeel,” explains Jean Pierre Garnier, head of export at EBLEX. “This is indeed a different product than the traditional grain-fed beef usually served in Hong Kong but beef connoisseurs, and more generally all self-declared gourmets, will appreciate the difference and superior taste.”

Formoreinformation:www.eblex.org.uk

Benecol, which aims to lower cholesterol, has been launched in Hong Kong.

Benecol is a range of foods that contain plant stanol ester, which has been proven to lower cholesterol. While the range includes a variety of products taking in yoghurts, yoghurt drinks and spreads, Hong Kong will initially receive two of the yoghurt drinks, strawberry and blueberry.

The products, which are already available in Thailand and Indonesia and are being test marketed in the Philippines and Vietnam, were launched in 1995 in Finland as part of a major public health initiative to lower the nation’s cholesterol. The first Benecol product was a margarine, which quickly became popular with Finnish consumers.

Benecol benefits

Formoreinformation:www.benecol.com

Formoreinformation:www.nespresso.com

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How fares your spa?Steiner Spa Consulting has launched the Steiner Spa Index, a predictive tool determining the success and viability of spa projects.

The template, which has been made available for free via the company’s website, analyses the key factors of hotels that will impact spa business, and benchmarks these against industry metrics through a proprietary algorithm.

The resulting findings – Steiner Spa Index Scorecard – produce a big picture snapshot of how a spa will fare before it’s built.

The index reviews a combination of metrics including hotel occupancy, average room rate, average food and beverage cheque, hotel guest demographics, nationality and market segments to predict the revenue potential of the spa. It also factors in a number of cost variables such as cost of treatment, product, utilities, and staffing to arrive at an overall profitability of the spa.

Formoreinformation:www.steinerspaconsulting.com

Drinkers’ delightWith the KD50, Indel B provides a stylish minbar that’s as convenient as it is good looking.

This new drawer concept gives freedom to designers to play with it and to the customer to easily access it from above.

Thanks to its smart energy management system, the KD50 complies with European energy efficiency regulation 643/2009.

The new drawer minibar is available with Indel B standard door or customisable wooden door panel.

Formoreinformation:www.indelb.com

The East is redGreater China has been identified as a core market for the global brand red espresso because of its growing coffee culture and preference for tea based drinks.

The red espresso launch into Greater China will be supported by a two-prong launch strategy: the launch of the redleaf loose leaf rooibos tea brand into the retail sector to educate local consumers on the taste of rooibos and the opening of redcafe pop up cafes in key demographic areas to drive trial and awareness of the red espresso drinks in the food service sector.

Top end premium distribution partners and customers will also be selected to sell red espresso based on their passion for and knowledge of tea or coffee cafe culture and their commitment to red espresso as a premium global brand.

Formoreinformation:www.redespresso.com

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No more collywobblesWobbly tables have plagued the hospitality industry for years. And it’s not only customers that suffer. The bartender, waitress or hotelier is likely to receive complaints – their solution is often a napkin, sugar packet or beer mat slotted under a leg, plus a courtesy drink or refund for the disgruntled customer.

In addition to wobbly tables, the ‘lip’ created when two tables are put together is a real annoyance for customers.

Everybody loses from having wobbly, unaligned tables in their establishments and now it’s completely unnecessary.

In 2004, Sydney based FLAT Pty set out to eradicate wobbly tables forever. Since then FLAT has created innovative, patented and award winning technology that stabilises and aligns tables on virtually any surface instantly.

The product uses hydraulic technology via a small series of pipes located in the FLAT table base. The technology responds instantly, adjusting the table feet to any surface.

Formoreinformation:www.flattech.com


DaTe evenT DeTaILS ORGanISeR

HOSFAIR Shenzhen is a platform for the industry, gathering together many professionals related to hospitality from all over the world.

FHC China is the biggest international trade show for food, wine and hospitality equipment in China. It features ProWine China 2013, Meat China 2013 and Tea and Coffee 2013 specialist areas, with Olive Oil China, Ultimate Barista Challenge China, Ice Cream University, wine seminars, China Sommelier Wine Challenge, FHC international cooking competition and more.

Held at the Wan Chai HKCEC, the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair offers a wide range of high quality wine and spirits, beer and other alcoholic beverages, as well as wine production, wine education, logistics and services to buyers from all over the world.

As the number one destination in Asia for modern textile care products, services and technologies, Texcare Asia International Trade Fair for Modern Textile Care is a rendezvous for thousands of professionals from a broad range of industries, including laundry, dry cleaning.

As the largest, longest-running and most comprehensive hospitality exhibition in Macau, International Hotel Expo has been well rooted with solid reputation earned from the hotel industry in the Greater China and Southeast Asia, gathering the managerial class of the leading hotels and the attendance of groups led by hotel associations.

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.

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.

Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., LtdTower H, Building 9, No. 900 Guangzhou Avenue Middle, Guangzhou (510620)Tel: +86 20 38910875Fax: +86 20 [email protected], www.hosfair.com

Lily ZhuChina International Exhibitions, Room A2402-03, Singular Mansion, No.318-322 Xian Xia Road, Shanghai 200336 ChinaDID: +8621 6209 5209Fax: +8621 6209 [email protected]

Hong Kong Trade Development CouncilTel: +852 1830 668Fax: +852 2824 [email protected]/ex/hkwinefair/09

Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd Room 1503, 15/F, Taiping Finance Tower488 Middle Yincheng Road, Pudong New AreaShanghai, 200120 ChinaTel: +86 21 6160 8555 Ext: 209 / 229Fax: +86 21 5876 [email protected]

Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd.Tel: +852 2827 6766Fax: +852 2827 [email protected]

BHN and Horwath HTLTel: +1 714 540 9300Email: [email protected]

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

Singapore Exhibition Services Pte LtdTel: +65 6233 6651Fax:+65 6233 6638Email: [email protected]

Asia’s largest and longest running hotel investment event. HICAP gathers hotel investors, financiers, and leading industry professionals from across the Asia-Pacific region.

HICAP c/o BHN2900 Bristol Street, Ste. D101Costa Mesa, CA 92626 USATel: +1 714 540 [email protected]

Oct 14 –16 The 2nd Shenzhen International Hospitality equipment and supplies fair Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center Shenzhen, China

Oct 16 – 18 Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) InterContinental Hong Kong 18 Salisbury Road Kowloon Hong Kong

nov 7– 9 HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

nov 13 – 15 FHC China 2013 Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China

nov 19 – 21 Texcare Asia 2013 Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China

nov 20 – 22 The 9th International Hotel Expo The Venetian Macao, Macau

2014Jan 14 – 15 HIFI Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) Leela Kempinski Gurgaon Gurgaon Delhi (N.C.R.) India

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

E v E n t s


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A United Nations of food and wine comes to Shanghai

COMING NEXTFHC China 2013 and ProWine ChinaShanghai New International Expo CentreNovember 13 – 15, 2013

www.fhcchina.comwww.prowinechina.com

As China witnesses year-on-year record economic growth, increasingly affluent and quality conscious Chinese consumers are always on the lookout for new experiences.

Top among these is the desire to try new food and beverages, creating demand and opportunity for China’s importers and distributors.

Fortunately for food and wine importers the annual FHC and – new this year, the ProWine trade show – will bring over 2,000 companies from 70 countries to Shanghai.

A “United Nations” of suppliers of imported food and wines looking for new business partners in China will gather at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, SNIEC.

Organised by China International Exhibitions CIE, a member of the Allworld Exhibitions Network, the 17th annual FHC trade show is 23% larger than last year and is an unmissable event for anyone working in the food and wine, hospitality, catering or distribution business in China.

This year, there is even more reason to attend with the addition of a specialist wine and spirits show held alongside, titled ProWine China and jointly organised by CIE and Messe Dusseldorf.

This is the first edition of ProWine China and all available space was sold out in August – three months prior to the show opening – to over 500 companies from the world’s leading wine producer nations.

At FHC companies will showcase the widest selection of imported foods ever witnessed in China from fresh and preserved foods, to fruit and vegetables; seafood; bakery and dairy products, to snacks; confectionery and chocolate; olive oil to spices and sauces; jams and flavours; tea and coffee and much more.

At ProWine China, wine and spirits from over 26 nations and regions will be presented. Both exhibitions are open to professional trade visitors only, and there is strictly no entry to the general public. Over 30,000 buyers attended the 2012 edition of FHC and the organisers expect this many and more will attend the November 2013 shows from all regions of China and Asia over just three days.

The exhibitions not only provide an opportunity for buyers to meet suppliers, but to test and question them on their products.

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AHCT October 201348


There will also be a range of competitions, seminars, demonstrations and master classes, targeted at specialist professions within the F&B trade, from both the retail and hospitality industry.

Lily Zhu, project manager for FHC commented: “We organise many competitions, training courses and events during the exhibition to guarantee that specialist industry buyers attend FHC.

“Over 350 chefs will participate in our Culinary Arts Competition as well as their F&B managers and hotel GMs. Baristas, coffee roasters and coffee shop owners will join our Ultimate Barista Challenge and coffee cupping competition and tutorials.

“Wine sommeliers and industry colleagues who have judged the entries in the China Sommeliers Wine Challenge can be found at the ProWine Distributor’s Club. Butchers can join the meat training courses and ice cream parlour owners can attend courses on gelato making and marketing.

“Seminars on olive oil explaining food pairing of different olive oil products will be held during the three days of the show. Attendees from retail and hospitality trades can taste the olive oils and network with the manufacturers and industry experts.

“The China pizza championship will again take place presenting the most exciting dough spinning and pizza making performances.

“And new this year will be the Product Innovation VIP lounge. Here invited guests may enjoy complimentary breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and beverages in the comfort of a professionally run lounge in the exhibition hall, sponsored by suppliers of food products and innovative hospitality equipment suppliers”.

FHC 2013 has a record 27 international and regional pavilions participating. The Taiwan Regional group, occupying over 1,000 square metres, is the largest in the FHC food show. It is closely followed by Spain, Korea, the USA, the UK and Germany. However, when combined with wine, Spain has the largest presence at the combined shows followed by France. South and Central America are well represented by pavilions from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay. New faces this year are participating from Belgium, Portugal and Denmark.




Restaurants and bars to be proud of

COMING NEXTRestaurant & Bar Hong Kong 2014Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreSeptember 2 – 2, 2014

www.restaurantandbarhk.com

More than 16,000 F&B professionals – 13.5% more than 2012 – attended Restaurant & Bar HK at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in September to experience the best

of their industry. As Hong Kong’s only fine dining and bar event, the exhibition presented an array of competitions and demonstrations featuring the most revered chefs.

Hosted by The Disciples Escoffier Association, the Disciples Escoffier Young Talent Trophy brought together eight aspiring chefs, selected from the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, China, Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong, to participate in the challenge. Lee Won Yong from South Korea demonstrated exemplary culinary skills throughout the three days and became the champion. He will represent Asia at the final round in France.

At the Sparkling Cocktail Challenge, over 40 sommeliers and bartenders from hip bars and top hotels were required to create their signature mocktails and cocktails, using Perrier as an ingredient, with very limited time. Nicole Chan from Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, received the highest score in terms of presentation, taste and performance.

Over 300 contestants competed in the Hong Kong Barista Championship and Hong Kong Siphonist Championship. Winners will represent Hong Kong in the World Barista Championship 2014 and the Grand Final World Siphonist Championship, respectively.

Results of Hong Kong International Beer Awards were also announced at the show. There are more great beers than ever available in Hong Kong. To reflect the diversity of beers, the judges also selected winners for the 25 categories of beer individually.

Together with the Hong Kong Wine Judges Association, the 3rd Restaurant & Bar House Wine Awards recognised wine distributors who provide and select high quality house wine for restaurants in Hong Kong.

The show also recognised restaurants that provide the best wine by the glass at the Wine by the Glass Restaurant Awards. Restaurants were rated in terms of service, servers’ wine knowledge and wine selection by a group of expert judges.

As the voice of the F&B industry in Hong Kong, Restaurant & Bar HK strives to stimulate the industry through organising various competitions and events.


AHCT October 201350

Experience theIMPACT Exhibition andConvention CenterBangkok, Thailand

21. - 25.05.2014

International Trade Exhibition forFood & Beverages, Food Technologyand Retail & Franchise in Asia

Presents

International Sales

Ms. Lynn How

Tel: +65 6500 6712

[email protected]

Local Sales

Ms. Sirigade Jettaphorn

Tel: +662 640 8013 Ext 26

[email protected]

Jointly organised by

The Thai Chamberof Commerce

Endorsed by

www.worldoffoodasia.com/www.thaitradefair.com

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WofA14 210x297mm AHCT Ad.ai 1 5/9/13 10:37 AM

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


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BartBuiring

FabioCucchelli PeterKatusak-Huzsvar

NickDowning

AngelGallego FrederickdeMarcy

angel Gallego is the new president of Amadeus Asia Pacific. A newcomer to the region, he has previously worked in such diverse areas as Western Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Latin America. Gallego will direct the company’s strategy for Asia-Pacific.

As the new senior vice president – lodging services and operations, Marriott International in Asia Pacific, Bart Buiring will oversee rooms, food and beverage, engineering, procurement and guest technology, as well as operations design development for all the group’s new hotels in Asia.

In Singapore, Zafferano’s new executive chef is Fabio Cucchelli, from Padova in northern Italy. The son of a butcher, Fabio graduated from the Istituto Professionale Alberghiero Pietro D’Abano culinary school before embarking on an international culinary career.

For the past three years Frederick de Marcy Chelin has worked for Starwood as director of corporate and group sales in Mauritius. He’s now moved on to become director of sales and marketing for Outrigger Mauritius Resort and Spa.

nick Downing, who was part of the launch team of Per Aquum from 2003 to 2006, has rejoined the group as vice president. He will be responsible for the overall leadership, direction and vision of the brand.

Peter Katusak-Huzsvar’s career with Starwood Hotels has taken another step forward with his appointment as general manager of W Guangzhou. He was previously at W St Petersburg, and prior to that at W Doha Hotel and Residences.

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

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



SebastienLepinoy

WongWingKeung AngelaChu

AndreasReich

PhilipToh

GregorRaible

JuneTang

BryanChiuPaulNg

StellaChan

CatherineSum

StefanBreg

Having worked as regional director Asia Pacific for both Safeplace and Minibar Systems, Philip Toh – who has notched up 15 years in the hospitality industry – has joined Salto Systems as regional manager Asia, hospitality.

Sebastien Lepinoy has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants since beginning his career in 1990, including both Chateau de Noirieux in Briollay and Restaurant Cayola in Sables D’Olonnes. He is now chef de cuisine at Les Amis in Singapore.

Wong Wing Keung brings more than 30 years of Chinese culinary experience to The Excelsior’s Yee Tung Heen in Hong Kong. Prior to joining the hotel, he held the position of sous chef at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s Man Wah Chinese restaurant and Chinese banquet kitchen.

Paul ng has joined The Langham, Hong Kong as director of human resources. He musters over 20 years’ experience in the field and previously held similar positions at W Hong Kong and Hyatt International Hotels and Resorts.

A hospitality sales veteran, Stella Chan brings more than 13 years of solid hotel experience to her new role as director of sales – leisure at The Langham, Hong Kong.

Catherine Sum has worked for Shangri-La, Four Seasons and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in Hong Kong, and has now taken over as director of sales – MICE at The Langham, Hong Kong.

Having run his own Dubai-based restaurant creation and design company for the past 10 years, Stefan Breg has joined InterContinental Hotels Group as F&B concept design director for Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

After a stint at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, andreas Reich has moved to Bangkok, where he will be InterContinental Hotels Group’s new director of performance for Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

angela Chu has joined InterContinental Hong Kong as director of revenue management. Previously she held the same position at the W Hong Kong. Prior to that, she occupied senior revenue management roles at the Ritz-Carlton Sanya and the JW Marriott Shenzhen.

Bryan Chiu, formerly executive assistant manager – food and beverage, has been promoted to executive assistant manager at InterContinental Hong Kong. He first joined the hotel when it was The Regent in 1988 as a captain at Plume Restaurant.

Prior to joining InterContinental Hong Kong, Gregor Raible was F&B assistant director on the opening team at the Kempinski Hotel Qingdao, having previously worked at the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva for four years.

June Tang ha s been promoted to InterContinental Hong Kong’s manager of quality and continuous improvement, after working as market analyst for the hotel since early 2012. Prior to that she was income audit assistant at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.

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

AHCT October 201354

REDEFINE ELEGANCEGROHE GRANDERA

Inspired by the timeless grandeur of the Eiffel Tower, the graceful and regal curves of the king and queen of the chessboard, and the hue of high-end jewelry, what is most striking about the GROHE Grandera™ is its quiet luxurious elegance. There is a presidential/top executive charisma that its stature emanates. The masterful modern twist that Grohe’s design team added to its geometrics – the squircle, or the marriage of the square and the circle – makes the GROHE Grandera™ both classic and modern. Not to mention irresistibly romantic and universally appealing.

GROHE.HK [email protected] TEL: 2969 7067

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