magazine - DDPPL Jan 17.pdf · SPA TRENDING WELLNESS HOLIDAYS The concept of holidays is changing. Guests want to come back rejuvenated and not tired from a holiday. Dr. Vijay Aggarwal,

JANUARY 2017 A MONTHLY ON HOSPITALITY TRADEBy DDP Publications

Vol 17 Issue 01 Pages 72 `50

magazine

CHEF BYTES

TECH THE

The technology for digital marketing is breaking new ground almost every year

Celebrity chefs share their road to success with FHRAI magazine

WELLNESS HOLIDAYSThe concept of holidays is changing.

Guests want to come back rejuvenated and not tired from a holiday

TRENDING

WHEN HOTELS

DIGITAL ROUTE BUDGETINGour EXPECTATIONS

ELEBRITY

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

On December 14, 2016, the Supreme Court of India ordered a ban on sale of liquor within 500 meters of national as well as state

highway across the country and made it clear that licenses of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31, 2017.

The prohibition includes stretches of such highways which fall within the limits of a municipal corporation, city, town or local authority. The existing licences which have already been renewed prior to the date of this order shall continue until the term of the licence expires, but, no later than 1 April, 2017. Since a lot of hotels and restaurants fall within 500 metres of the national/state highways, this judgement virtually means bars have to be closed down effective March 31 or till the date the present bar licence is valid, whichever is earlier.

While I applaud the move by the government for the safety of consumers, many of our fellow hoteliers will be adversely affected by the judgement. This is an issue FHRAI will be taking up on an urgent basis with the government to support fellow hoteliers. Many of our members have already received notices for relocating their licensed premises.

In a letter to the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), has appealed for withdrawal/amendment to the advisory as it created chaos and disruption in the smooth functioning

of restaurants across the country. The association has clarified that there is nothing illegal about levying the fee and has citied judgements by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi, which is the highest consumer forum of the country as well as by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, which have upheld the legitimacy of this practice.

It is vital to point out that service charge is not a tax; levy of service charge is a business practice which is followed worldwide.

In our cover story this month we applaud the efforts of celebrity chefs that have helped to bring cooking into the limelight and take hospitality to newer heights. As the Budget 2017 draws closer, we reveal the industry’s anxieties and expectations – both old and new.

I also want to inform you that we will be coming out with the Indian Hotel Industry Survey 2015-2016 shortly for the benefit of our members. Also, this time we will be printing the FHRAI Hotel and Restaurant Guide India 2017.

Hope this New Year brings much good luck in all your endeavours!

K. Syama RajuPresident, FHRAIDear fellow members,

With warm regards,

K. Syama RajuPresident, FHRAI

It is vital to point out that service charge is not a tax; levy of service charge is a business practice which is followed worldwide

54

SECRETARY GENERAL Amitabh Devendra - [email protected]

PUBLISHER Gunjan Sabikhi - [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Peden Doma Bhutia - [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kanchan Nath - [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITOR Jessy Iype - [email protected]

CREATIVE DESIGN Tushar UpadhyayRaashi Ajmani Girdhar

MARKETING & SALES - DELHIJaspreet Kaur - [email protected] Sales Coordinator (+919650196532) MUMBAI Harshal Ashar - [email protected] General Manager (+919619499167) Priyanshu Wankhade - [email protected] Manager Advertising (+919619499170)

FHRAI - MARKETING S.P. Joshi

PRODUCTION MANAGER Anil Kharbanda

ADVERTISEMENT DESIGNERS Vikas Mandotia Nitin Kumar

COVER STORY28

NEWS18

JANUARY 2017

28COVER STORY

CELEBRITY CHEF BYTESCelebrity chefs share their road to success with FHRAI magazine

03

10

08

18

64

66

68

26

THIS MONTH

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SECRETARY’S MESSAGE

FHRAI DESK NEWS UPDATES

PRODUCTS & SERVICES EVENTS

APPOINTMENTS

FEATURES

OPINION TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY

Is this a good time to buy real estate for hotels, in the light of demonetisation, or will many hotels continue

to be NPAs (Non Profitable Assets) with people not willing to invest in them?

Picture on Cover Courtesy: The Claridges, New Delhi

January 2017 I www.fhrai.com I6

FHRAIB-82, 8th Floor, Himalaya HouseKasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001Tel: 91-11-40780780, Fax: +91-11-40780777Email: [email protected]

FHRAI Magazine is printed and published by Gunjan Sabikhi on behalf of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India and printed at Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., C-85,86,94, Sector-4, Noida, Distt.: Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P.- 201301 and published at Durga Das Publications Pvt. Ltd. 72, Todarmal Road, New Delhi - 110 001 Email: [email protected] Tel : 91-11-23344179

This issue of FHRAI Magazine contains 68+4 pages cover

All information in the FHRAI Magazine is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate information. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The publisher regrets that he cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this publication, however caused. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarily shared by FHRAI Magazine or DDP. However, we wish to advice our readers that one or more recognised authorities may hold different views than those reported. Material used in this publication is intended for information purpose only. Readers are advised to seek

publication which is provided for general use, and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. Contents of this publication are copyright. No part of FHRAI Magazine or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in

any form without the permission of the publication in writing. The same rule applies when there is a copyright or the article is taken from another publication. An exemption is hereby granted for the extracts used for the purpose of fair review, provided two copies of the same publication are sent to us for our records. Publications reproducing material either in part or in whole, without permission could face legal action. The publisher assumes no responsibility for returning any material solicited or unsolicited nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged.This publication is not meant to be an endorsement of any

The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian and International Advertisements Code. The publisher will not be liable for any damage or loss caused by delayed publication, error or failure of an advertisement to appear.

SPA 58

PRODUCTS64

48

58

FEATURES

GUEST COLUMN WHEN HOTELS TECH THE

DIGITAL ROUTEThe technology for digital marketing

is breaking new ground almost every year. Avijit Arya, Chief Mogul (Founder),

Internet Moguls shares a few trends that are likely to affect hoteliers

BUDGET

BUDGETING OUR EXPECTATIONS

As Budget 2017 draws closer, and we gear ourselves up to handle all that comes

our way, we reveal hoteliers' anxieties & expectations – both old and new

F&B

BANQUET MEANS BUSINESS

We explore changing trends for banqueting and outdoors in F&B.

Hoteliers also talk about new marketing strategies in this segment

SPA

TRENDING WELLNESS HOLIDAYS

The concept of holidays is changing. Guests want to come back rejuvenated

and not tired from a holiday. Dr. Vijay Aggarwal, Director – Spa Operations & Training, Sanghvi Brands shares trends

on wellness holidays

42

24

PRODUCTS64

TRENDS61

SECRETARY’S MESSAGESECRETARY’S MESSAGE

We are hoping that the Government and Finance Ministry come out with a populous budget. A thriving tourism industry not only

reinforces the hospitality sector, but contributes significantly to the economic growth and drives direct and indirect employment. We are hopeful that in the Union Budget government will focus on the overall environment of the tourism industry and help drive the industry towards its projected growth.

While we await the big decision on the Goods and Services Tax (GST), we are hopeful that it will ease the overall process and make reconciliation less chaotic. There will be uniformity of tax rate, applicability of single rate, and better utilisation of input credit and benefit.

There has been enough speculation on the timing of the GST, and the rate it will be set at (5 per cent or more). However, experts say that only 20 percent of firms, mostly big, are getting ready for the GST. The rest are taking things as they come, in a country where coping with a changing tax regime has been a way of life for decades.

F&B Banqueting and Outdoor Catering is a key avenue for building customer relationships and contributes a substantial revenue to the hotel. In one of our featured articles, we explore changing F&B trends for Banqueting and Outdoor catering. Hoteliers are also talking about new marketing strategies in this segment.

The Ministry of Tourism has been making varied efforts to grow tourism in the country.

Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism, in rupee terms during January-November, 2016 were `1,38,845 crore with a growth of 14.7 per cent as compared to the FEE of `1,21,041 crore with a growth of 9.7 per cent during January-November, 2015 and January-November, 2014, respectively.

During January to November 2016, a total of 9,17,446 tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visas as compared to 3,41,683 during January to November 2015, registering a growth of 168.5 per cent.

The Union Cabinet has now allowed foreigners to immigrate with e-visas at Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Goa and Mangalore ports. These five ports of entry are over and above the 16 designated airports from where e-visa holders can enter India. The freshly-approved liberalised visa policy has also revised the annual income threshold for employment visa to `16.25 lakh.

E-visa can now be applied for up to 120 days in advance. To facilitate medical tourism on e-visa, the new visa policy proposes separate immigration counters for medical tourists and three entries during the 60-day duration as against dual entry allowed for other e-visa categories. Also, for emergency business visits and medical treatment, e-visas shall be issued within 48 hours of submission of the application.

I hope the New Year brings you much cheer!

Vivek Nair Hony. SecretaryFHRAI

A thriving tourism industry not only reinforces the hospitality sector but contributes significantly to the economic growth and drives direct and indirect employment

Dear fellow members,

With kind regards,Vivek NairHonorary Secretary, FHRAI


MahabalipuramHere are a few glimpses from the FHRAI, EC Meeting held on November 25, 2016 in Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay Mamallapuram.

EC Meeting in

FHRAI DESK

FHRAI DESK

XXXXX

ALUMNI MEET Global Hospitality Conclave, 2017 was held on January 7, 2017 at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences. We bring you some glimpses from the show. The alumni got together to create a compelling platform of knowledge exchange, experiences and networking opportunities.

GLIMPSES FROM

XXXXXXX

FHRAI DESK

HR

AWIFHRAI APPEALS TO WITHDRAW SERVICE CHARGE NOTIFICATION

In the wake of a statement issued by the Department of Consumer

Affairs on Jan 2, 2017, implying service charge billed by restaurants to be optional, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has come out with a clarification to all industry stakeholders. In a letter to the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), the apex body of hotels

and restaurants, has appealed for withdrawal of the advisory, as it has been creating chaos and disruption in the smooth functioning of restaurants across the country.

The association has clarified that there is nothing illegal about levying the fee and has citied judgements by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi,

which is the highest consumer forum of the country, as well as by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, which have upheld the legitimacy of this practice.

“Service charge, like any other charge, is a proposal from the restaurant or an establishment to potential customers. It is for the customers to decide whether they wish to patronise the said restaurant or not”, says Dilip Datwani, President, HRAWI. “A restaurant or hotel may just as easily absorb the said service charge into the remaining charges being collected by it from the consumer (by simply including it in the prices on the menu). Service charge is considered a beneficial payment, since it is meant for the benefit of the staff of the establishment. So, some establishments make a conscious choice to adopt a beneficial policy towards its staff members by assuring them a minimum tip which is a percentage of the rest of the charges.”

The association has pointed out to cases in which the practice of levying a service charge has been upheld by the law. In one of the cases, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi, in Nitin ittal vs. Pind Baluchi (2012) NCDRC 444, the association has been advised that such a practice is not an ‘unfair trade practice’ within the Consumer Protection Act. In another case, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, too, has specifically acknowledged the practice of including ‘service charge’ in the bill by hoteliers and other cases in lower courts which, too, have recognised the practice.

“Service charge is the amount paid to the staff of the restaurant or other similar establishments. An establishment may choose to include this amount in the bill itself

and the percentage may vary from 5 per cent to 15 per cent of the value billed. This is a common and accepted practice in India as well as several other countries. Service

Charge is not a government levy, and is not to be confused with VAT or Service Tax. We regret that the department came out with such an advisory which is misleading and has built a wrong notion about hotels and restaurants amongst their customers,” says Pradeep Shetty, Hony Secretary, HRAWI & Chairman of legal matters subcommittee, FHRAI & HRAWI. “While consumer rights are paramount, the rights of individual establishments should not be impinged upon,” he adds.

“Generally, patrons do not pay tips once they see they have been

Some establishments make a conscious choice to adopt a beneficial policy towards its staff members by assuring them a minimum tip

Service charge is not a government levy, and is not to be confused with VAT or Service Tax

Dilip Datwani PresidentHRAWI

Pradeep Shetty Hony. Secretary, HRAWI & Chairman of legal matters subcommittee, FHRAI & HRAWI


FHRAI DESK

On December 14, 2016, the Supreme Court of India ordered

a ban on all liquor shops on national as well as state highways across the country and made it clear that licenses of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31, 2017.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur also directed that all signages indicating presence of liquor vends will be prohibited on national and state highways. The bench also ordered that existing licenses of liquor shops across the highways will not be renewed after March 31.

Since a lot of hotels fall within 500 metres of the national/state highways, this judgment virtually means that bars have to be closed down effective from March 31 or till the date the present bar license is valid, which ever is earlier. The case is actually related to liquor shops on highways, but the way the judgment is worded, it takes in its ambit any establishment which has a liquor license.

The order will certainly have a far reaching implication, and if the order is not clarified, it will have disastrous effect on the hospitality industry. It may be prudent to seek a clarification of the said order from the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

To discuss the issue, members of Hotels and Restaurants Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) called for a meeting on December 29, 2016, in Kolkata. Members raised their concern over the fact that the excise department officials have started making enquiries regarding this at hotels in Burdwan, Kalimpong and Siliguri. These hotels are located near state or national highways. In fact, premium hotels like ITC Sonar Bangla, J W Marriott, Hyatt (Kolkata)are all located on a state highway.

"Some hotels and restaurants that are located near the highways may have to suffer by default if the order is implemented in totality. Also, we have some doubts regarding certain sections of the Honourable Court's order which we need to understand better," said Sudesh Poddar, President, HRAEI.

Even though the members lauded the apex court's order to prevent drunken driving – which is one of the key reasons behind a large number of road accidents in the country – they urged for a rational implementation of the stricture. The judgment ordered that the prohibition on sale of liquor alongside highways would extend to stretches of such highways that fall within limits of municipal corporations of cities and towns, and local authorities.

The order prohibits signages and advertising of availability of liquor

HOW WILL LIQUOR BAN ON HIGHWAYS AFFECT HOTELS?

HR

AEI

T.S. WaliaMC MemberHRAEI

Some hotels and restaurants that are located near the highways may have to suffer by default if the order is implemented in totality

In any case, most of our members follow this as a thumb rule. If there is any aberration, we'll certainly make necessary changes

Sudesh PoddarPresidentHRAEI

HR

AWI

charged for the service. The service charges are justly distributed amongst not only the stewards, but to everyone from the chefs to the dishwashing helpers. The rationale behind putting it in the bill as a separate charge is also to

clearly disclose to the customer that a specified portion of the amount paid by them is being given to the staff of the establishment that has been serving the customer,” concludes Datwani.


FHRAI DESK

HR

AN

IH

RA

EI

HRANI MEETS JAGATPRAKASH NADDA

FSSAI TRAINING SESSIONS

A delegation led by Sanjay Sood, President, HRANI, along with

Vinod Gulati, MC Member, HRANI, and Renu Thapliyal, Secretary General, HRANI, recently met Jagat Prakash Nadda, Hon'ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. The concerns of hospitality industry pertaining to Food Safety and Standards were discussed with the minister and a

detailed representation was also submitted. The FSS Act 2006 has a wide-ranging and pervasive impact on all segments of the hospitality sector. The hospitality industry, which largely comprises of micro, small, and medium enterprises, thus requires government's sustained support, guidance and forbearance in its efforts to conform the radically overhauled regulatory framework.

The delegation from HRANI also met Pawan Kumar Aggarwal, CEO, FSSAI at the ministry and the issues of food safety were more closely discussed. During the meeting, HRANI strongly endorsed the principle of a robust and unified Food Safety law and informed about its meticulous engagement in creating greater awareness within the industry through publications and seminars.

FSSAI is looking forward to introducing a requirement of

having at least one trained and certified Food Safety Supervisor in each Food Service Establishment, including the catering industry. He will be nominated by the owner of a food business and may be the business owner, manager, or an employee who is in charge of food safety in their organisation. Food

Safety Supervisor will need to undergo training and get a certification from FSSAI. In order to train the Food Safety Supervisor, FSSAI is looking forward to empanelling a pool of Master Trainers, who would be used to train the Food Safety Supervisors. It has been decided that in the states of northern India, where HRANI has presence, the association will support FSSAI in conducting a series of

training sessions for Master Trainers (who would be utilised for training Food Safety Supervisors of each Hotel and Restaurant). To start with, HRANI has scheduled the first session of the Master Training Programme in Shimla on January 17, 2017 at Radisson Hotel. The training sessions of FSSAI Master Trainers have been proposed to be scheduled at Chandigarh, Lucknow, Delhi, and NCR.

on highways, and orders the existing ones to be removed forthwith, from both national and state highways. It also ordered that no shop for sale of liquor should be visible from the national and state highways.

"This is a laudable step and it's not difficult to abide by," says T.S. Walia, MC Member, HRAEI. "In any case, most of our members follow this as a thumb rule. If there is any aberration, we'll certainly make necessary changes," he adds.

However, the members are in a quandary over the following section of the judgment: "...Neither should they be directly accessible from the highways nor should they be situated within a distance of 500 metres from the outer edge of the highways or service lanes."

"We urge more clarity on this section as many of the establishments are located near highways and they have been there for decades," says Poddar. "We hope the order is not followed in totality, asking for relocation of the premises. In that case, we'll have to look for some legal remedy," he adds.

However, excise officials (who refused to be named) told the 'Mystic East', that the strictures are meant for liquor vends that have sprung up in thousands along the highways across the country. "Some of the roadside eateries (or dhabas) don't even have alicense to vend liquors. They secretly sell alcohol without paying anything to our department."

Ibis New Delhi Aerocity, ideally located at New Delhi Aerocity, introduces ‘MyRoom’- an innovative concept that gives guests

the opportunity to experience a selection of vibrant and creatively inspired rooms, designed to liven up their stay. ‘MyRoom’, from ibis, are rooms based on concepts developed and personalised by

individual ibis team members based on an eclectic combination of their interests, a particular aesthetic leaning or a regional affinity.

Speaking about the ‘MyRoom’ concept at ibis, New Delhi Aerocity, Pierre-Etienne de Montgrand, Director of Operation, ibis & ibis Styles, said, “What better way to extend spirit of hospitality

India is renowned for with rooms personally designed by our team members. From the opulence of Indian palaces to the thrill of basketball bleachers, our employees’ creativity knows no bounds and can be felt in every nook and corner of these rooms. We look forward to welcoming our guests to these rooms and allowing them to experience the story behind each one of them.” Expressing her delight at being part of the novel initiative, Rajni Bisht, Housekeeping Team Leader at ibis, New Delhi Aerocity, said, “Ever since I was a young girl, I was fascinated by India’s rich culture and heritage. This room is a perfect manifestation of that royal fantasy, offering the kind of ambience which is no less than a luxurious retreat from the buzz of the city."

Express Inn,Nashik, announces its alliance with Preferred Hotels & Resorts. By doing this, it puts Nashik on to the global

market for Luxury travellers. Express Inn, Nashik is under the Lifestyle Collection. Authentic, intelligent, and approachable, the Lifestyle collection presents a premium level of service, superior

accommodations, and diverse dining options. Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest independent hotel brand, representing more than 650 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences, and unique hotel groups across 85 countries. With nearly 40 offices worldwide, the company brings strategic advantage to hotel owners,

operators, and management companies through brand prestige and global operating scale, supporting the goals of its member hotels by providing strategic group, corporate, and leisure sales, integrated marketing solutions, comprehensive revenue management, global connectivity through reservation services, progressive distribution technology, and individualised guest support.

CONCEPTS

ALLIANCE

IBIS NEW DELHI AEROCITY INTRODUCES ‘MYROOM’

EXPRESS INN TIES UP WITH PREFERRED HOTELS

NEWS UPDATES


MRS Group has launched its newest property- Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner. It is the third property by the Group and

the second in Bikaner, where it also operates Laxmi Niwas Palace. With a full inventory of 82 rooms, the hotel opens with 58 guest rooms and suites. Speaking on the launch, Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, Managing Director, MRS Group, said, “With the opening of Narendra Bhawan, we endeavour to put Bikaner on a traveller’s map. The hotel aims to offer discerning travellers an oasis of tranquility with service that is personalised. The experiences curated by the hotel will bring alive the vignettes of Narendra Singhji’s lifestyle and the history of Bikaner.” The hotel is a retelling of the legend of the last reigning Maharaja of Bikaner-Narendra Singhji (1948-2003).

RCI, the leader in holiday exchange and a division of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands, along with JC Residency,

announces an agreement to affiliate JC Residency resorts in

Kodaikanal and Madurai to the RCI network. Located on the lofty mountains of Kodaikanal and in the heart of Madurai, these resorts are ideal for weekend getaways. “We are delighted to welcome onboard JC Residency Resorts in Kodaikanal and Madurai to our growing RCI family,” says Pali Badwal, Managing Director, RCI India. “This affiliation will enable us to provide an experience of holistic wellness to our members amidst the tranquil hills of the south and help them discover the charm of the temple city.”

LAUNCH

AGREEMENT

NARENDRA BHAWAN OPENS IN BIKANER

JC RESIDENCY RESORTS JOINS RCI NETWORK

NEWS UPDATES


When H TELSTECH theDIGITAL ROUTEThe technology for digital marketing is breaking new ground almost every year. Here are a few trends that are likely to affect hoteliers.

Digital marketing for the hospitality sector is gradually becoming more complex. Hotel

managers not only need to focus on guest services, manage rooms, their availability and pricing, but also compete on new channels and digital communities that are emerging every day. Hence, many hotel managers are seeking answers to expand their brand online and still have the time to run their business manually.

The only solution for this difficult and complex problem is a digital marketing plan, tools that provide a consistent and reliable multi- channel experience for the hotel guests, and prepare the hotels to fulfill future digital marketing demands.

From social collaboration to the effects of mobile search, digital advertising in 2017 is primarily for inventive engagement, consistent joining, and client travel. Digital marketing strategies for hotels in 2017 should basically include content engagement, transformation, ROI following, and client encounter. Here are some of the trends already making an impact on hotel marketing:

VIRTUAL REALITYVirtual Reality or VR is an innovation which is dig-ging in for the long haul. In case you believe that it has no pertinence to the hospitality industry, you are wrong. With gadgets like Samsung VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive gladly driving the charge, the VR

It is essential that the hotel website is optimised for mobile search and is responsive on all mobile devices

Avijit Arya

GUEST COLUMN


field has simply made an effective beginning. Before long, it will take a gander at a client pattern that allows individuals to visit your whole lodging in full virtual reality before he/she makes a booking. This may take a while, however, the individuals who begin executing this pattern at this moment will have a colossal favourable position in the upcoming years.

VIDEO MARKETINGThis year as well, video marketing will be on top, especially on YouTube. If your business does not have a video yet, then it is time that you make a video advertising system. To begin with, you can make a substance schedule and monitor diverse thoughts for the video. The recordings that you make ought to be important for that month and season. Once the themes and thoughts for recordings are prepared, it will be time to plan a promotion methodology. While outlining the methodology, choose where you might want to share your recordings, as the more channels you share them on, the more introduction they will get.

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISINGSimilar to video showcasing, social media advertising is perceived as an amazingly persuasive idea that is starting to hit its walk. From 2017's viewpoint, online network promoting has an eminent potential for focused and con-fined advertising. An inn's action via web-based networking media chooses the accomplishment of your website streamlining. Google tends to support just those web-based social networking accounts, which post and cooperate with their group of onlookers on changing channels, consistently.

The recurrence of posting and the nature of posts is essential. It is exceptionally basic to develop your methodologies with constantly changing calculations of Google.

CONTENT MARKETINGIn 2017, content marketing will play an extremely vital role in the hospitality sector, as it initiates the understanding with your audience and their journey. The content engages, inspires, and boosts the user’s experience and hotel’s revenue derived from organic traffic. Having a content strategy that goes beyond general ‘hotel information’ is exceptionally valuable in the coming period of time. Whether it’s a blog about a local event or an innovative social existence, now is the time to be creative.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RECEPTIVE SITES FOR HOTELS

With the rise of usage of mobile devices today, the digital marketers are including mobile devices to be of the utmost importance for the current digital marketing trends. These days, mobile search is the star trend amongst all other digital

marketing trends. Today, the number of mobile users is quite large in number, approximately 3 out of 5

people use mobile devices in their routine life.

Google has also come up with some new features which include mobile friendly sites. It is

essential that the hotel website is optimised for mobile search and is responsive on all the mobile devices.

Hoteliers are aware of the growth of digital market-ing trends and are ready to dig their revenue for

driving eminent traffic to their hotel website. All this is done in a very result-driven and cost-effective manner. If you wish to expand your hotel’s visibility all over the web and increase your revenue by expertly managing a tar-geted search marketing campaign, then digital marketing is the only way out for any hotelier today.

(The views expressed in the article are the author’s personal views. The author is Avijit Arya, Chief Mogul (Founder) Internet Moguls.)

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GUEST COLUMN

Since much of the country’s real-estate transactions

have been conducted on a largely cash basis to avoid taxes, property sales have taken a beating across the country. With many buyers now on the sidelines, huge price discounts are expected when the market gets its bearings back with more liquid cash flowing in.

The demonetisation move has certainly hit the real-estate market. According to PropEquity, a real-estate data and analytics provider in India, uncertainty and the sharp decline in demand will likely push down the values of property in the country’s top cities by up to 30 per cent over the next year. The cash crunch also creates a headache for many home builders who have borrowed heavily from private lenders at interest rates as high as 20 per cent a year. Develop-ers typically rely on sales of new apartments to generate cash to service their debt.

If sales slump, builders might need to slash prices to gen-erate cash.

The real-estate sector can turn into an opportunity for wannabe investors in the hospitality sector. They will get an opportunity to buy property at a vastly reduced price.

For existing players the situation is very different. Demonetisation has hit them hard, especially in the food and beverage business that depends heavily on cash transactions. Also, smaller hotels that largely deal in hard cash have yet to recover from the demonetisation tsunami.

Usually, the winter months—the festivity, weddings and year-end bash—are their peak business time. But this year, the middle class customer has been busy standing in the queue of an ATM or bank counter for hard cash. Naturally, small and medium players in the hospitality sector want the average customer to be back on the table and the counter.

The crisis in real-estate sector can turn into an opportunity for wannabe investors in the hospitality sector

As we enter 2017 with demonetisation, industry leaders tell us how real estate prices will impact hospitality. Is this a good time to buy real estate for hotels, in the light of demonetisation, or will many hotels continue to be NPAs (Non Profitable Assets) with people not willing to invest in them?

The landmark move by the Modi government to

demonetise high-value currency notes to stamp out black money is expected to have a far-reaching impact on the capital-intensive real estate sector where almost one-third of transactions still involve unaccounted money. Volumes could drop further in the already beleaguered sector, as it’s very cash intensive.

Hotels are a form of property that is very sensitive to economic activity due to the type of lease structure inherent in the business. The demonetisation drive will have varied effects on the many sections of the hospitality industry in the country over the short and medium terms.

Though initially, in the short term, the government's bold move will hit the sentiment of

the hospitality market, given the larger base of hotel rooms in the country being in the unorganised sector,with banks being flush with liquidity, we anticipate a major reduction in interest costs, which augurs well for the growth of the industry. Further, in the long term it is hoped that the growth of the hospitality sector awaits a positive impact.

As more liquidity is anticipated to enter the organised sector along with some further softening of land rates and

gradual movement towards cleaner real estate transactions, the investments into the sector will foresee an increase, especially from the organised players, who have, in the past, shied away due to complexities associated with underlying real estate.

All in all, it is still too early to predict the effect on account of demonetisation. If the right moves are made, the measure could seem to be efficacious for the economy in the foreseeable future.

The investments into the sector will foresee an increase especially from the organised players

Sanjay Sood

PresidentHRANI

Sudesh Poddar

PresidentHRAEI

To Buy or Not To BuyOPINION


India is a vibrant hospital-ity market that will attract

attention for investors around the world for many years to come. There is an extraordi-nary opportunity to build the country's rich heritage, abun-dant tourist sites, and foster the growth of the economy.

India is the seventh largest country by area, with 2.5 per cent of the world's land and it is the second largest country by population, with 16 per cent of the world's people. Tourism is the country’s largest service industry, growing at 10 per cent per year and responsible for about 9 per cent of India's total employment. The inflow of tourists is increasing every day, be it foreign or domestic tourists, thereby requiring us to match the demand for additional rooms.

Therefore, it is not surprising that NRIs and foreign inves-tors with hotel expertise want to bring their resources and talent to India.

Demonetisation would be a boon for those investors as land prices have corrected anywhere from 20-30 per cent. Cost of land accounts for more than 50 per cent of the project cost of any new hotel. In an ideal scenario, land cost

should not be more than 30-40 per cent of the project cost, which currently is the situation due to demonetisation; as land prices have gone down, inves-tors should strike the hammer when the iron is hot.

Similarly, investors closely monitor India's guidelines for FDI. Those rules have become considerably more liberal, with procedures simplified and most restrictions removed. With limited exceptions, foreigners can invest directly in India either on their own or as a joint venture with resident Indians.

Compact hotels with modest rooms and common areas are fast becoming a norm. A sharp escalation in real estate prices has forced hotel chains and developers to think small.

They are looking at a smaller room, lobby, and no shopping arcade on the premises, in turn cutting down on building costs, operation costs, and en-ergy costs.This also cuts down on long period of Return on Investment (ROI).

Certainly, an investment in foreign operations is a complex decision that involves many economic, political and social factors. However, many foreign investors are learning everyday that patience, with a long-term vision, and the rewards of doing business in India, can be very significant, financially.

With demonetisation a strong foundation

has been laid for real estate but price correction can be limited. The cascading effect of demonetisation can be felt at different levels. The boost provided by it to the macro economy will effectively trickle down to the industry. With banks being flush with liquidity and an anticipated reduction in interest costs, it will bode well for the growth of the industry.

The Government has taken several initiatives to encour-age the development:

• Easier regulations for real estate investment trusts (REITs), such as raising the cap of investment of REITs’ assets in under-construction projects from 10 per cent to 20 per cent

• Bringing into force the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 aimed at making necessary operational rules and creating an institutional infrastructure

• Allowing Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) to invest in units of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), category III Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)

• Passing the Real Estate (Regulation and Develop-ment) Bill, 2013, which aims at improving ac-countability of real estate developers, increase transparency, and attract more investments into the realty sector

International hotel brands are likely to account for 47 per cent share in the Indian hospitality industry by 2020, from the current 44 per cent. RevPAR has been growing for the past 18 months, indicating revival in the industry. This has prompted several domestic hoteliers to opt for asset light strategy. Big domestic chains are now bringing more number of hotels under management contracts, which help them in lowering risks and expanding faster. Overall, one expects that buyers will have an upper hand while negotiating with developers. The last few years have already been labelled as a buyer’s market. So developers will most definitely be going through a cash crunch of sorts now and may be willing

to negotiate with a buyer who is serious about the property. The growing flow of FDI is encouraging increased transparency. Developers, in order to attract funding, have revamped their accounting and management systems to meet due diligence standards.

K Syama Raju

PresidentSIHRA

Dilip Datwani

PresidentHRAWI

Sharp escalation in real estate prices has forced hotel chains and developers to think small

International hotel brands to account for 47 per cent share in the Indian hospitality industry by 2020

OPINION

CelebrityChefOne segment that presents a chance for maximum creativity in the hospitality sector is the kitchen. The art and science of cooking gives varied opportunities to those with a passion for it, while catapulting their career as a chef. Renowned celebrity chefs share their road to success with FHRAI magazine.

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BytesKanchan Nath

28January 2017 I www.fhrai.com I

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COVER STORY

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor gets inspired by something almost everyday. He says, “A little act of

kindness or an unexpected brave deed work as inspiration for me to evolve and be a better person. If I still have to put a finger on it, it would be my parents,who have been a constant source of inspiration."

DOWN MEMORY LANELooking back all these years I realise, being a chef has moulded from a profession to a passion and several things in-between, before becoming my way of life!

FINANCIAL ASPECTS Fortunately for me, I have always loved numbers and the application of it in our day-to-day lives. So the transition to the financial aspects of the business world never seemed difficult or scary.

FOOD TRENDS Globalisation and connectivity have made a huge difference and increased the pace of changing trends manifold. Most in the field keep themselves busy in chasing that trend and by the time you know it, it’s gone. So, I find it is always better to set a trend than follow one.

FOOD PRESENTATION Eating good food is not just about satisfying your hunger – it is an experience where your food does not just need to taste great but also look, smell, and feel the part! My mantra is simple – if you are going to add elements to your dish, they should be edible and help round-off your dish better instead of just making the plate look good.

TELEVISION SHOWS/CELEBRITY PATHThe place that I am in today is because of TV. When I started with my first show,Khana Khazana, I took up the challenge of changing the mindset of people through it. Little did I know, that it would turn out

to be so big! That is the thing about television – it lets you reach out to the masses and stay in their hearts and minds forever!

HOBBIES AND MORE Those days are rare, but when I am not working, I spend plenty of time with family, listen to music or playing the drums. My drum-set is one of my most precious possessions. I also like to catch up on reading.

IN THE PIPELINE…Well, there is a lot happening on the restaurant and book front and there are a couple of initiatives that I am working on with the government. Besides that, my ultimate goal is where all of this leads to – putting Indian food on a pedestal no other cuisine has been on before. I also have some other things up my sleeve which you will just have to wait out and watch. Surprises are great, aren’t they?

TICKLING TASTE BUDS WITH HEALTHY BITESThere are several myths that people have regard-ing what’s healthy for your system and what’s not. Breaking such myths through food is the best thing we, as chefs, can do to make the world a healthier and tastier place, we can make people believe that healthy food can be mind-bogglingly delicious too!

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Chef Sanjeev KapoorDirector, Khana Khazana India

Your speciality cuisine:Indian

Your favourite ingredients:Salt

Your favourite dish:Rajma or Kadhi Chawal

Favourite Indian city to travel to for food: The whole of India

A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Keep it simple

KNOW YOUR CHEF


The consumer is getting very open minded in terms of trying out new flavours and ingredients.

Elaborating on consumer trends, Chef Saby says, “The consumer wants to experiment with their palate and I think that is just an amazing thing to see!”

HIRING AN EXECUTIVE CHEFHe/she must have a three year degree from a culinary college and should have done a post-graduation from a reputed management school. The candidate must also have a minimum of 8-10 years of work experience, coupled with good communication skills.

MANAGEMENT STYLEA supervisor should have good knowledge of all restaurant systems like POS, MIS billing systems, inventory formats, etc., and good communication skills. They should also be a team leader/team player, and have the presence of mind to handle any emergency or problem on the floor.

GET RID OF FAT AND SALTI use non-processed salt; fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme; whole delicate spices like mace, star anise, cinnamon, etc. I also use healthy methods of cooking like steaming, baking, and sous vide.

INDUSTRY TRENDSThe definition of fusion is now changing. These days it's not just about mixing two cuisines, but using different ingredients and techniques from all over the world to create a particular dish. For example, a chef could create a dish with New Zealand Lamb racks, a soy glaze, Italian seasoning, and then use a French technique to cook it.

QUALITY OF INGREDIENTSWe use a lot of samples from different suppliers and cook with them and taste them before we finalise on any ingredient.

CHECKING FOOD-COST1. Dustbin and wastage2. Recipe costing3. Cost of ingredients 4. Menu pricing5. Inventory and par stock

ORGANIC FOODI don’t use much of organic produce but a lot of regional and local produce, wherever I can.

Your speciality cuisine: Japanese, French, Indian regional cuisine

Your favourite ingredients: Star anise, olive oil, a good quality meat, jaggery

Your favourite dish: Biriyani

Favourite Indian city to travel to for food: Kolkata

A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Cook in a cast iron pan as it is much healthier than cooking in any other utensil

KNOW YOUR CHEF

Chef SabyDirector & Mentor, Fabrica by Saby

Chef Saby

COVER STORY


Chef Brar is inspired through his travels and the people around him, be it other chefs or people

around him. He says, “Food is a form of expression for me and hence, it continuously evolves with time, place, and my interactions with people. Travel is a big fuel for creativity and it is both gratifying as well as enriching. A lot of my food of late is inspired by the destinations that I dine at while travelling and the people that I meet in those destinations.”

GRADUAL CHANGEI believe that over the years, the line between ‘Ranveer, the Chef’ and ‘Ranveer’ has gradually dissolved. Earlier, I would be the chef when I wore my Chef Hat and apron, but today my relationship with food drives my life and my decisions. I have come to believe that in order to be a good chef you have to be a good human being first and treat kitchen lessons as life lessons.

CONSUMER TRENDS AND DINING CULTURE Consumer trends and dining culture are evolving and evolving fast! There are certain key aspects that have become a part of dining culture and are driv-ing dining decisions that are definitely here to stay. These aspects include:

a) Freshness and hyper locality: The use of local produce and the concept of freezer free kitchens b) Responsible dining: Through waste reduction campaigns and CSR associations of restaurants

TELEVISION SHOWS My television experience has been very enriching. I have done a variety of food and travel shows that

air on Living Foodz. The Great Indian Rasoi stands out as my favourite travel show and it has won a plethora of awards for originality and anchoring.

I loved the show ‘Food Tripping’ along with Chef Gautam Mehrishi, where we travelled to royal palaces and unravelled the culinary secrets of erstwhile royal families, I have also worked on a show called “Ranveer on the Road” which is an international travel show that airs on twitter.

KITCHEN DISASTER OR NOT?My biggest kitchen disaster has to be the time when I almost set a kitchen on fire as a trainee! One of the chefs from the catering team put leftover sugar syrup in an oil can. Assuming it was oil, I put it into a fryer and the fryer caught fire! I realised how the fire was caused much later. I was hailed to put off the fire!

IN THE PIPELINE…I am launching a restaurant chain called ‘Maurya by Ranveer’, the first restaurant will open in Toronto. I am also working with Living Foodz for a new show and I look forward to the same.

Chef Ranveer BrarHost of ‘Ranveer’s CafeThe Great Indian Rasoi & Food Tripping on Living Foodz

Chef Ranveer Brar Your speciality cuisine: Awadhi

Your favourite ingredients: Thyme

Your favourite dish: Khichdi


A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Keep tasting your food at all times while cooking to keep getting better at cooking

KNOW YOUR CHEF

COVER STORY


HSAA

Nita has entered the hearts and homes of mil-lions of people across the globe through her

cookbooks. She holds a Gold Medal in MSc. (Food & Nutrition) from Lady Irwin College, Delhi University.

She has launched her restaurant ‘Masala Bistro by Nita Mehta’ in Ludhiana, Punjab and also has restaurants under the brand name of 'Nita Mehta’s Kelong' in Chandigarh and Rohtak. She has launched her range of Indian spice blends (masalas) which impart the right flavour to Indian dishes. This is launched under her brand ‘Kitchen Queen Nita Mehta Spices'.

EXECUTIVE CHEF AND MANAGEMENTAn Executive Chef should have the capacity to lead, supervise, and guide chefs to ensure quality dishes are produced and promptly serviced to guests. Man-agement styles should be democratic, however, the over-all responsibility and supervision should remain with the top management.

FOOD TRENDSReading voraciously on food and food products, participating in seminars and conferences, visiting eateries to sample and enjoying local flavours while travelling, help keep up with trends. Fusion food and molecular gastronomy are the current trends of the season.

FOOD - COSTS If food cost were high, the five things I would look at first, would be: (1) Order as necessary, (2) Maximise each ingredient, (3) Cook seasonally, (4) Have more than one vendor, (5) Pay attention to the preparation of the dish using minimum number of ingredients, without compromising on taste.

PURCHASING AND RECEIVINGI get feedback and inputs from my purchasing department. I also look at vendors’ offers as I believe a restaurant can only survive if there is optimum purchasing.

Nita MehtaMD, Nita Mehta Group

Nita Mehta

Your speciality cuisine: Indian

Your favourite dish: Paneer Changezi

Favourite Indian city to travel to for food: Lucknow

A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Food should be cooked with love, attention to small details, and in a hygienic environment

KNOW YOUR CHEF

COVER STORY


COVER STORY

Consumers today want value for money. Chef Michael Swamy says, “Consumers are always

looking for deals and discounts. Several look for value additions.”

HIRING AN EXECUTIVE CHEFA chef who is knowledgeable, creative, hardworking, and has great PR skills. Chefs need to be able to think out-of-the box and need to be team players. Chefs who don't think of their team usually make for bad executive chefs.

MANAGEMENT STYLEMy management style has been to give the staff a free reign to make decisions. I have a very strong system of operations in place but it also gives them

their creative freedom. I prefer my supervisors to be genial, yet have a strong personality.

A large enough work space and limited menus makes a restaurant kitchen more manageable. A trusting workforce needs to be pushed every now and then to achieve better.

GET RID OF THE FAT AND SALTReducing fat and sodium is easy. Modern day sauces have changed the way chefs look at food. The carbohydrates, too, have been removed from modern sauces. Using proper culinary techniques, you can cook healthy and tasty food.

QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS The quality of ingredients can be checked by knowing the source of the ingredients and the vendors. Making trips to farms and engaging farmers and suppliers does help. Daily refrigeration checks are also equally important. The staff does a manual check at the end of each shift.

CHECKING FOOD-COSTIt is defined by the kind of clientele I am catering to and my target audience. If the person is not from my target audience then I make some adjustment. There are several factors that make food costs high. The biggest factor is taxes. We have also tried doing away with service charge. Another factor is creating a system where there is no point system for tipping, so everyone works toward an equal and common goal.

ORGANIC FOOD 99 per cent of the food is organic. It tends to be more expensive, but then a client is paying for good nutritive food. So, as a chef, it’s our duty to give value for money.

Chef Michael SwamyFounder at Cottage Chef Culinaire, Brand Ambassador,Hospitality & Tourism- DY Patil University

Chef Michael Swamy

Your speciality cuisine: French

Your favourite ingredients: Fish

Your favourite dish: Paella

Favourite Indian city to travel to for food: Kerala

A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Peel and slice garlic slowly; it gets out better flavours

KNOW YOUR CHEF

COVER STORY

Chef Gautam Mehrishi

The most important thing to ensure that the food is healthy while retaining the taste, is to con-

stantly develop seasonal menus with local produce, depending on the region, and not using imported ingredients as much as possible. Talking about tasty and healthy foods, Chef Gautam Mehrishi adds, “It is also important to develop simple cooking tech-niques and not expose fresh ingredients to multiple sources of heat or cold, thereby maintaining the texture and taste of the food.”

MANAGEMENT STYLEI maintain a cordial rapport with my team and an optimistic outlook. I believe in transparency and freedom of speech and expression, despite the hierarchy; but also in respecting seniority. I respect my team and expect the same from them.

GET RID OF FAT AND SALTA few tips for this are:

Use intense spices and blends Use vegetables like broccoli which are rich in

nutritional value Adopt cooking techniques like sous vide,

poaching, steaming, stir frying, anti-griddle, blow torch

Use pickled vegetables as accompaniments to food like olives and capers, homemade pickles

Keep green vegetables al dente

INDUSTRY TRENDSI have realised, in the last couple of years, that globally, it is the produce and not the cuisine that drives trends.This, probably, is the most important

trend. Another important trend is that of eating and developing recipes around produce like fish, which is now caught according to breeding cycles, weather, population strength analysis, and size.

Chef Gautam MehrishiHost of ‘Chef on Wheels’ and ‘Food Tripping’ on Living Foodz

Your specialty cuisine: Progressive

Your favourite ingredients: Juniper berry

Your favourite dish: Murgh makhani


A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Be original!Thank the almighty for the sense of taste that you are gifted with!

KNOW YOUR CHEF


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Inspiration and creativity go hand-in-hand. Giving us a peek into her inspiration, Priyanka Malik says,

“My inspiration stems from a Kolkata street-seller hawking cotton candies and the nostalgia attached to having the pink fluffy clouds of spun sugar in our childhood, to incorporating it in one of my specialty cocktails - The Cotton Candy Striptease. It may even stem from the urge to toss up a squid ink pasta picked up from quaint little Georgetown in the USA, in a quintessentially desi Makhni sauce. The possibilities are endless.”

FOOD STYLE Presentation matters a lot. The food that I'm paying for as a consumer, needs to be visually attractive when the plate reaches my table. You eat with your eyes first, then the aroma hits your nose as you bring the morsel of food closer to your mouth,and finally your tongue savours the taste.You can’t go

wrong at this very first step of tantalising your consumer's senses. I believe in following a simple rule- 'My plate is my canvas'. The empty space of a canvas makes your masterpiece stand out, enhanced by a riot of colours, textures, and designs.

KITCHEN DISASTER OR NOT?I made a custard powder halwa, thinking of it as besan, the first time I stepped into a kitchen when I was nine. Mom was in office and I sneaked into

the kitchen, tiptoed up to reach the yellow powder in a jar and started bhunoing it thinking it was besan. When the vanilla-like aroma started wafting out, I realised it was custard powder! Not a one to lose heart, I added some toffee sauce to it and

named it sticky toffee halwa! A chef never makes a mistake;it’s always a new discovery or invention. Remember this and you can turn around any disaster into innovation. Where there's a whisk there’s a way!

TELEVISION SHOWSMy first brush with fame came in the form of the acclaimed, MasterChef India, in 2015. This was the first vegetarian season of MasterChef, world over and was the turning point of my life. Since then, I've featured in cookery shows like Videocon Smart Cooking and launched my own YouTube Channel by the name of "DeliciouslyPriyanka".

GO GLOCALUse local, think Global! Use produce that is local to the region you belong to and integrate it into international food and presentations. Use what grows on plants, rather than what is made in plants (factories). Don't serve to your consumers what you won't serve to your family; so that means no MSG or artificial colours & additives. Less of processed foods and treated meats, more of seasonal fresh fruits, veggies, and farm fed poultry & meat. India is a treasure trove of spices; use these spices, fruit peels, and zests to intensify the dullest of flavours.

Priyanka MalikCulinary Consultant at The Tipsy Bull, Kolkata and ‘Masterchef 2015’

Priyanka Malik

Your speciality cuisine: North-West Frontier Cuisine

Your favourite ingredients: Whole Spices & Zests

Your favourite dish: Kebabs

Favourite Indian city to travel to for food: Delhi

A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Simmer & Slow Cook

KNOW YOUR CHEF

The Indian palate has evolved in the past few years as people have been exposed to more

concoctions, innovations, and fusions. Talking about consumer trends, Chef Rakhee Vaswani says, “They are accustomed to traditionl flavours that are now being infused with a modern twist to make people feel nostalgic and this has been very well received!"

PERFECT FOOD I have only one funda that has always worked for me and I’m sure it works for everyone else: Cook with love. If ‘love’ is not the main ingredient in your food and there is no passion towards cooking, even the most exotic dish would not taste perfect. Presentation is another important thing that lures people. Anything that is visually appealing to the human eye already tastes good according to the

human brain. So if your food is well presented, half of your work is done right there!

POPULAR DISHES My signature dessert since many years has been the Baked Boondi Gulab Jamun Cheesecake, but lately the Flour-less Hazelnut Cake and Mango Sev Barfi Shortbread Tarts have also been in demand, especially during the festive season.

PRESENTATION OF FOOD Molecular Gastronomy has swooned people away and continues to do so. Making best out of waste is something that I've been followed diligently and this is also an emerging food trend all over the world. In addition to helping the environment, this technique also helps chefs innovate. Food plating has now become a vital form of art, fast becoming

a career choice for many. Chefs can express their creativity using different garnishes, colours, textures, and decorations.

TELEVISION SHOWS'Rewind with Rakhee' was my first show on Living Foodz where we had adaptations of different food inventions from each decade. My second show on Living Foodz ‘I Love Cooking’, showcased baking recipes based on superfoods.

FUTURE PLANSMy academy launches in January 2017. It is a chef's playground that I would like to expand into a col-lege and university one day! I look forward to this.

Chef Rakhee Vaswani

Chef Rakhee VaswaniHost of ‘Rewind with Rakhee’ and ‘I Love Cooking’ on Living Foodz

Your speciality cuisine: Asian

Your favourite ingredient: Butter (Can do wonders with this one)

Your favourite dish: Biryani

Favourite Indian city to travel to for food:Lucknow (yet to visit the city though)

A tip from your grand mom’s kitchen: Home-made Ghee

KNOW YOUR CHEF

COVER STORY


Bharat MalkaniEC member

FHRAI

WHAT DO WE EXPECT?As the third largest hospitality association in the world, the FHRAI has great hopes and expectations from the Union government in the upcoming budget, scheduled in the early part of 2017.

For starters, we expect an 'Industry' status to be given to the industry nationwide, so that hotels can take

full benefit of lower tariffs on power and other utilities. It is imperatives to bring costs down to encourage further investment and growth. Secondly, we expect the government to relax FAR for hotels, especially in Tier-1 cities, nationwide.

We understand that this is a local municipal initiative, however, the disparity between our metropolitan cities is unable to deal with the requirements of the budget traveller and thus, hotels in city centres

in India are costlier than those in New York. Thirdly, we want DGFT to recognise that the EPCG scheme is unable to achieve its stated goals due to changes in the forex management and reduction of FTAs in previous years.

So our recommendation isthat, hotels that imported duty-free goods be given an option to pay duties without penalty and interest and close out these pending files. For those hotels that have paid the duty, the same should be refunded or adjusted against other imports, to be fair to all.

The GSTWe implore the Government not to have a GST rate greater than 5%, as we believe that it would have a hugely negative impact on the industry. The trade will be ready to handle the GST requirements in the back-end.

LIBERAL POLICIESIn order for India to achieve its potential as a successful tourist destination, a strategic decision is imperative for the industry, where 'ease of doing business' is implemented by a reduction in the number of licenses and approvals that are sought by the industry. This will bring down cost of operations, thus making the business more profitable and encouraging development of hotels in India.

Rajindera KumarEC MemberFHRAI BUDGET EXPECTATIONSThe expectations are a lot.Despite being part of the 5 T’s of the manifest, hospitality has not found its right slot. It is still eluding us from that opportunity, as the project costs are enormous and have a long gestation period. We do hope that the coming budget would be popular, friendly, meaningful, and will address the multiplicity of taxes

It is imperative to bring costs down to encourage further investment and growth

BUDGET


The coming budget should address the multiplicity of taxes to a unified single tax with the right quantum

to a unified single tax with the right quantum; followed with grant of ‘infrastructure’status, and money-lending on easy terms.

We do hope the government will turn friendly, with a positive mind-set, to give friendly SOPs, facilitate ease of doing business, and encourage hospitality to attainthe right perspective without being termed as elitist.

However, if and when GST rolls out, it would be a dream come true and we would love it at 5 per cent on actual tariff. Hospitality stands fully geared up to tackle and handle it.

HOSPITALITY AND DEMONETISATIONOn the question of demonetisation, I would be forthright and frank, that it could have been better-planned and well-organised before being enacted. I am afraid it was not done this way. The sudden impact came rapidly to hospitality, resulting in cancellation from overseas travellers due to the money crunch, thereby steering them to choose a destination other than India.

Impact also came in respect of domestic and foreign visitors, who were shying away from visiting restaurants due to the sudden money crunch and non-availability of currency notes in the banks.

I must admit here, that as and when things settle down, with enough money

supply, visitors will soon find their old comfort. With sudden demonetisation, it has deeply affected the moods of people of India and visitors from overseas, to celebrate and enjoy the period of festivities.

K Murali RaoHony. TreasurerFHRAI

BUDGET EXPECTATIONSA thriving tourism industry not only reinforces the hospitality sector, but contributes significantly to economic growth and drives direct and indirect employment. This Union Budget, we are hopeful,the government will focus on the overall environment of the tourism industry and help drive the industry towards its projected growth. Strong infrastructure is critical to the opening of the tourism industry in the country. Showcasing India as an affordable tourist destination, it should also venture into alternate segments, such as adventure and heritage tourism, and

an image of India as a safe and easy destination to travel to.

Being the third largest contributor in the service

industry, the budget must aim to recognise the

sector’s increasing contribution and give it an ‘infrastructure’ status. Single window clearance for hospitality development

projects must be allowed, coupled with reduction in corporate tax, and an increase in the tax holiday period.

Robust measures to strengthen domestic connectivity, as well as international accessibility, must be taken to fill the huge gap with regard to travel facilities, infrastructure, hotels, recreational outlets, high taxes, and safety of tourists.

HOTEL BACK-END EQUIPPED TO HANDLE GST?A huge IT system needs to be set up, tax collectors trained, and companies brought up-to-speed on a levy, that experts say will force them to overhaul business processes

from front to back. Hotel industry is geared up for the GST roll out, partially. We need more clarity on the impact pertaining to:

• Impact on cost to Customer – Changes in tax rates and credits

• Compliance and control – Credit matching of vendor filings, changes to IT system

• Restructuring of Supply Chain to bring efficiencies

• Mapping ‘As-Is’ and ‘Impact Analysis’ based on draft and final GST law

• Engaging with Government Authorities

• Implementation Assistance;• Training and review of

compliances

Experts say that only 20 per cent of the firms, mostly big, are getting ready for the GST. The rest are taking things as they come, in a country

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BUDGET

Experts say that only 20 per cent of the firms, mostly big, are getting ready for the GST

BUDGET

where coping with a changing tax regime has been a way of life for decades.

HOSPITALITY AND DEMONETISATIONIt is a welcome step for the growth and sustainability of the industry, in general. The short-term impact, however, offers pain points across all industries; one also needs to analyse the long-term impact for India’s hospitality sector. Less cash flow has greatly hampered hospitality.

For an industry that depends on discretionary spends,in the weeks gone by, and especially for smaller eateries and deliveries, decrease in sales has been recorded at as much as 40-50 percent. Foreigners are also facing a crisis.

Hospitality, the third-largest industry among service sectors,is poised to grow at an eight per cent overall-growth rate and generate employment to millions. As per reports, the food service industry is targeted to reach a revenue target of `4.98 trillion by 2021. It also contributes a significant percentage to the Gross Domestic Product of the country.

Hospitality, being an organised sector, allows genuine players to have a level-playing field.Improved

investments in proper infrastructure, back-end, logistics, and employees, will end up being affected by the price sensitivity of the market.

The move ensures that all back-end and front-end operations go by the book and bring in increased transparency to the business. We are moving towards a cashless economy

and there is a dire need to bring in more customers on board for online payments.

In the long term, compliance and taxation policies will witness a change. The government’s efforts are projected to stabilise and control the real estate market. It is the first step to an ethical and sustainable business.

Ashok Singh

Hony. Jt. SecretaryFHRAI

FORESEEING THE BUDGETAs we all await the roll-out of the budget early this year, I am of the opinion that it will be a friendly budget- one with suitable tax reductions. The hospitality industry can anticipate beneficial changes as we have a Prime Minister who is pro-tourism and hence, will accommodate changes that will provide positive influences in increasing business opportunities for hotels and the works. The hospitality and tourism sector in India is on a progressive and poignant path, and I feel we will get the due support from the Government.

HANDLING THE GSTWe are all awaiting the big decision of the GST rollout, and there has been enough speculation on the timing of it, as well as the amount (5% or more). The hotel industry, an extremely competent one, is well-equipped to handle these changes as and when they occur.

DEMONETISATION’S IMPACTDemonetisation has impacted hospitality in the same way that it has affected everything else – just in the beginning - and more so because there was a bit of a period when there was some uncertainty. Now, with the passing of time,

things are moving back towards normalcy and hospitality is seeing glimpses of its former glory. Any development or change takes time to assess and establish itself. Moving forward, we will be stronger- having gone through this process- and better-equipped to handle changes, should they come up again.

T.S WaliaVice PresidentFHRAI

WHAT WE WANT TO SEEThe Government, in its coming budget, must raise the lowest income tax slab to at least ` 5 lakh from the current ` 2.5 lakh. This will

With the passing of time, things are moving back towards normalcy and hospitality is seeing glimpses of its former glory


Must raise the lowest income tax slab to at least `5 lakh from the current `2.5 lakh

result in greater disposable income with people across all slabs which, in theory, should boost consumption and the economy.

BACK-END READY TO HANDLE GST?We have been waiting for GST—a single window tax regime—for quite some time. After it got passed through both the Houses of the

Parliament, following a long hiatus, we gradually geared ourselves for its implementation. Yes, we have prepared our back-end for a smooth transition. However, as a representative of the hotel industry, we expect the tax to be fixed at five per cent. This is a long awaited bill, required for the economy. We have been waiting for a single-window tax regime for years.

Luv Malhotra

EC MemberFHRAI

BUDGET EXPECTATIONS We are waiting for the announcement of the budget and most importantly,

the GST. We are expecting the GST at 5%, when announced. It will be beneficial for the hospitality and travel industry, as also the consumers. Another point of expectation would be the classification of Tourism in the GST Act as ‘Export Services’. An exception for the sector in this section will be beneficial for the industry.

As part of the Digital India initiative, maintenance of Account Books in Digital Form will come into effect. Amendment of section 2(12A), to include ‘Books maintained in Digital Form’ as 'Books or Books of Accounts’ for the purpose of the Act, will lead to effective management of cumbersome records and reduction in wastage of valuable resources.

We hope that Hospitality Infrastructure Bonds will help to improve funding. Govt. should permit selective long-term lending Financial Institutions,e.g., TFCI, IFCI, SBI to issue direct-category tax-free Hospitality Infrastructure Bonds, carrying a tenure of 15 or 20 years. Bonds can be issued to the general public on lines of long-term Infrastructure Bonds u/s 80CCF, introduced in Finance Act 2010, which gives deduction benefits to the public on one hand and low cost funds to the hospitality sector on the other. This helps inasset creation and reduces industry's reliance on banks for the need of long-term funding.

The proposed reduction in Corporate & Individual Income Tax, from the

existing higher slab of 30% to 25%, is something to look forward to.

Under section 194H, commissions on hotel bookings should be treated on the same lines as under section 194C, where payments made are exempt from TDS, if the PAN is submitted.

BUDGET AND THE GSTHotels were required to register for GST online,on the last day of the year, i.e., 31st December 2016; something that has already been done. In the current scenario, we have to get assessment done separately for Luxury Tax, Vat, Service Tax, and Excise; we also have

to maintain different records, owing to different dates for the submission of taxes; separately file deposits and returns, often times making it difficult to reconcile taxes under the varied heads. However, with the coming in of GST, it will be much easier and simpler to reconcile taxes.

BUDGET

The proposed reduction in Corporate & Individual Income Tax to 25% is something to look forward to

BUDGET

As of now, there is no additional expense, however, closer to the implementation date, we might know the clear picture. There seem to be only advantages of GST, as we don't see any challenges compared to the earlier set-up, it being much easier to comply with. Earlier, there were several heads under which taxes were to be filed and the finance team of hotelshad to maintain several records; dates of submission were different; and the balance sheet was required to have several categories for segregation.

There will be uniformity of tax rate and application of a single rate, resulting in better utilisation of input credit and increased benefits. While doing registration, all relevant information has been given online and, as of now, there is nothing pending, except the ACT.

Souvagya Mohapatra

Executive Director& COOMAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts

WHAT TO EXPECT?I expect renewal of the North-East Industrial and Investment Policy, 2007 (NEIIP), which was framed for providing incentives to industrial activities in the North-East. As the full potential of this part of the country is yet to be explored, continuation of the policy would help harness the potential and accelerate growth of tourism and the hospitality sector.

Since the Hospitality industry is a capital intensive industry, it should be considered at par with the real estate industry and fixation of low interest on credit advanced to this sector. I also expect the government

to take up concrete steps for facilitating ease of doing business, simplifying processes, and setting up a single window to clear investment proposals in the hospitality sector.

HANDLING THE GSTGST, aimed at bringing uniformity in the indirect tax structure and simplifying tax management processes, will have a salutary impact on the Hospitality sector, as it will substantially reduce duplicity and differential taxation. As the debate on the GST roll-out was going on for quite some time, the

preparation was already on, and the back-end was being conditioned to respond to the roll-out.

We are expecting a 5% slab of GST on hospitality and tourism, as it would keep the tariff insulated from any sharp hike. A stable and reasonable tariff will be an incentive for foreign tourists, whose footfall is likely to get a boost on account of this.

DEMONETISATIONSmall hotels may marginally be impacted with short-term volatility in the purchasing power of their consumers. However, with the government taking smart and definite steps towards a cashless economy, and digital transactions getting a boost of late, their problems will be overcome soon.

As far as big players are concerned, I don’t think they will have any operational or financial inconvenience, as demonetisation has little impact on the consumers of their target group, with most transactions being cashless.

Renewal of North-East Industrial & Investment Policy, 2007 (NEIIP)


Pradeep Shetty

EC MemberFHRAI

BUDGET EXPECTATIONSI expect GST to roll out in a much uncomplicated form as to implementation & adoption for our Industry operationally. It is expected that GST be at 5 per cent for Hotels / Restaurants which would give the necessary impetus to Tourism and would bring India at level playing field with many destinations globally. This will also

further compliment the “cashless " initiative of the Govt by reducing the Indirect Tax burden which could result in greater compliance. We expect the " Infrastructure status

" to the Hotel Industry along with a few fiscal reforms ( with low cost funding ) so as to be able to reach the 12th plan of increasing FTAs and doubling domestic tourism &

to augment the room inventory to additional

1.8 lacs rooms at an estimated investment of 1,27,500 Cr.

HOTELS BACKEND AND GSTAt HRAWI, we have started workshops for members to educate them with all aspects of GST. However, we do understand that implementation of GST in reality poses a huge challenge in terms of training, IT revamp and fine tuning several operational issues. Presently, Hotels are not really prepared for the roll out,; there also being no clarity on the final structure of the GST.

DEMONETISATION'S IMPACT ON HOSPITALITYDemonetisation affected trade zones in certain cities which saw a steep decline in occupancy. Restaurants remained greatly affected for almost 2 -3 weeks. We also did not particularly see the festive / holiday season spike in business at year-end. With cashless transaction being in vogue, the industry will have to bear additional cost of sales accruing through electronic modes which was not the case in cash sales.

H S Ahuja and Associates (HSAA) Specialises in unique innovative

design ideas. Attention grabbing yet sophisticated interiors for a host of high end institutions. Some Examples of ongoing projects include: Hotel Blue Diomond,Indore, Child Place Play School Gwalior, Hotel Rehman, Mahipalpur, Residence at Central Park Resort, Gurgaon. The man at forefront of the organisation, Subhash Ahuja, has already made the company a force to reckon with, not only in hospitality world of India but also in the wider domestic and commercial fields in

other countries. His dreams were aptly fulfilled by the collaboration of Hema, who is the company’s VP and Sr. Design Consultant. Hema’s forte is her creativity through which she has created the amalgamation of modern and royal lifestyle influences that are in sync with each other simultaneously.

Their regular and sustained attention of craft and technique is reflected in the expertise of their entire staff, who comes together to make the company into an institution that it has become today.

BUDGET

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MIRRORING THE SOUL OF DESIGN

HOTEL / RESIDENCE

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F&B banqueting and outdoor catering is a key avenue for building customer relationships and contributing substantial revenue for the hotel. We explore changing trends for banqueting and outdoors in F&B. Hoteliers also talk about new marketing strategies in this segment.

Michel Koopman

General ManagerThe Leela Ambience Gurgaon, Hotel &

Residences

QUALITY OVER QUANTITYWith regard to our hotel, we essentially follow these two trends for banqueting- Less is

more; and our guests prefer quality over quantity. Our focus is to serve them with the best of beverages, be it wine or a new cocktail for an event. Instead of old fashioned buffet dishes, we believe in live-stations and theme-breaks for our guests to indulge in, and let our food

do all the talking. Providing an experience of world cuisines, with a touch of healthy and organic produce, is of utmost importance to us. We serve a variety of quality teas and coffees to create an experience in every sip.

Catering to the outdoor: We are presently focusing on this market, with an aim to ensure that we create a complete hotel experience in outdoor service as well, especially after demonetisation, as hotels are less dependent on cash transactions. Keeping this in mind, we have introduced brand-new packaging for delivery of packed meals to offices, on special occasions.

We also ensure that our food is hygienically prepared and packed, in contrast to local suppliers. This helps build a definite trust in companies to order from the hotel only.

HUNTERS AND COLLECTORS We have two dedicated sales teams for this purpose- The acquisition team has aptly been named ‘The Hunters’ and the retention team, ‘The Collectors’.

Hunters are in the market on a daily basis to ensure that we get regular business for the hotel; similarly, Collectors remain in the hotel to take leads towards closing of business. With contributions from both teams, we ensure that the budget is met on a monthly basis.

We also have an Event Services Team that is a single-point of contact for guests, at the close of an event. This ‘One Stop Shop’ for guests dedicatedly caters to their needs and last-minute requests and undertakes a pre and post meeting to ensure the flawless conduct of an event, being the owners of the events.

Michel Koopman

Hunters are in the market on a daily basis to ensure that we get regular business for the hotel; similarly, collectors remain in the hotel to take leads towards closing of business

BanquetBanquetBusiness

F&B

MEANS

Kanchan Nath


For effective marketing, we have developed specialised tools for the Hunters to facilitate ease of selling and presenting the hotel in the best possible manner. For e.g., brochures, such as hotel brochure, wedding

brochure, or orbis are used for this purpose.

They even have a complete pack of PowerPoints, for each and every area of the hotel, backed by pictures of

every corner of the hotel.As everyone is moving towards a more digital world, we believe we need to have a dedicated microsite for the hotel to ensure all queries are directly handled at the hotel level.

Sunil Kumar

Director of F&BJW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa

THEATRE-IN-THE-ROUND MAKES A COMEBACK! It’s not all about food! Retaining a captive audience is pivotal in delivering an impactful message. We can keep audiences engaged and motivated by changing their perspective through seating. Theatre-in-the-round has made a comeback! This type of meeting room set-up allows the audience to be more focused, as the seating vantage point adds to involvement, and speakers can utilise this to their advantage as part of their communications strategy.

What keeps people going and revs their internal engines? Coffee! Typical morning breaks of filling foods and carbonated drinks have given way to baristas that offer a variety of customisable coffees, from espressos to Chai, that attendees can

make to the liking of their customers. Furthermore, presentation makes all the difference. We can have baristas present, and not just offer coffee, in traditional urns. Bring the coffee shop setup to the meeting! Add energy bars, healthy cookies (made of Rye, Oats, and Buckwheat), and whole fruits to enhance barista breaks.

Health & Wellness: Nowadays, planners have identified dietary restrictions for their participants, as well as preferred healthy choices for breaks and meals. Today's popular breakfast and break offerings include energy bars, steel cut oatmeal, life

waters, fresh juices, vitamin drinks, smoothies, fresh fruits, and nuts.

Dinner and lunch menus are encompassing multiple vegetarian selections, such as couscous, quinoa, legumes, beans, polenta, pasta, and brown rice; and steamed, roast, grilled vegetables are offered daily.

Organic greens and other produce are at the top of the list when a guest wishes to offer a healthier fare.

Sunil Kumar

Offer a variety of customisable coffees, from espressos to chai, which attendees can make to their liking

F&B

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Dilpreet Singh Bindra

Director of Operations

JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity

TRENDS FOR BANQUETING• Arrival Experience- Setting up food

and beverage-shot on the wall• Designing themed backdrops for

Bar and Buffet set-ups to enhance visual appeal

• Preferring more live cooking rather than doing static buffet to ensure food is prepared in front of the guest and served hot. It also gives a chance to interact more with the guest

• Wellness-themed break• Using table center pieces as per

the theme of the event.• Maximising the event spaces by

setting up temporary structures in the open areas

MARKETING AND SALES FOR BANQUETS AND OUTDOORS• Meetings Imagined microsite is

used to share the different types

of setups and then give options to the guests to choose from various setups

• Meeting Service App being user friendly

• Actively promoting the Meetings Imagined App and set up options on social media( Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+)

• Active word-of-mouth by associates

Dilpreet Singh Bindra Maximising the event spaces by setting up temporary structures in the open areas

Sumit Mishra

Banquet ManagerThe Imperial, New Delhi

THEMED TEA-COFFEE CULTURE BREAKSIntroducing themed tea-coffee breaks during corporate conferences and day conferences, is a growing trend. This themed tea-coffee culture, breaks the monotony of a conference in a closed room setup, happening throughout the day. The breaks are refreshing and add a unique feature to an otherwise normal conference. Apple break, Health break, Lemon break, Chocolate

break, etc., are a few trends which can be seen these days.

Utilising outdoor venues for HNI weddings with customisation of Indian and international cuisines has also become quite popular. Focus is more on interactive stations rather than regular buffet set ups. This is because of the high culinary exposure and the changing expectations of the guests

OPTIMISE MARKETING AND SALES FOR BANQUETS AND OUTDOORSEnsuring the presence of The Imperial Sumit Mishra


Chef Naresh Kharbanda

F&B Director, Umrao

CREATING CONNECTIONS Allowing chefs to be more visible at events, humanises the overall dining experience for customers and adds a 'celebrity' feel to the atmosphere. Finding out what the clients really want and how every detail can be accommodated, is essential to the business.

Consider the available spaces, both outdoors and indoors, for turning into unique venues for events and parties.

In the past, many hotels had a logistical advantage over outside caterers as “one-stop shopping” for weddings: event planners, food, staff, equipment, décor, and a ball-room, all under one roof. But many outside catering companies have emulated the "one-stop shopping” model and carved larger pieces of the wedding business for them-selves. The Umrao has an entire branch dedicated to planning and hosting wedding events.

OPTIMISE MARKETING & SALES FOR BANQUET & OUTDOORS The first step is to clearly define sales and operation responsibilities of the staff, to maximise performance.

Next, it is important to establish an action plan based on an overall strategic plan. The strategic plan should include targeted market segments, position in competitive set, and demand/need periods. The action plan should be very specific and targeted, addressing in great

Chef Naresh Kharbanda

F&B

Venues on wedding portals, and a focused PR strategy to promote The Imperial as a luxury wedding venue in wedding special editions of luxury magazines, has been a consistent brand building strategy for us.

We also specifically promote weekdays for weddings or social events. Since most of the weddings are scheduled on weekends, suggesting weekdays as an alternate, with discounted packages, works best in promoting business on low days and hooking an increased number of bookings.

Enrolling with key online partners, like CVENT, Helms Briscoe, Corporate Meetings and Incentives is another business boost strategy to get the right clientele matching the repertoire at The Imperial. Association Meetings, Site Global.com, and IGPC.com are also key value-adds for us.

Promotion of The Imperial across the social media network with posts highlighting luxury set ups and our unique services, help us in reaching a wide set of clients and assist us in

establishing our image as a historic venue for luxe weddings.

The Imperial Banquets Team has aligned strategies to recommend wedding planners from time-to-time to host HNI weddings at the plush 1911 Lawns. The venue offers immense designing options and is perfect for any splendid wedding. We also customise special wedding packages with rooms, to provide more convenience to our guests. A wholesome package, which

comes with an unmatched Imperial experience, works considerably well for our guests.

Utilising outdoor venues for HNI weddings with customisation of Indian and international cuisines has also become quite popular

It is critical to budget and forecast catering revenues on a daily basis, broken by meal period and/or by market segments

Deepraj Mukherjee

Director of OperationsHilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks

INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENTOver the years, there has been a significant increase in the variety of food and catering trends that determine the guests’ creative interpretations to make an event modern, yet distinctive. These food trends effect dishware selections and display items accessible to catering and events. Canapés, tapas, and innovative pairings are all-the-craze and need specific styles and sizes of dishware and glassware. Formal sit-down banquets are now developing into events that are engaging, and cater to the specific

requirements of individuals. It has become imperative to incorporate interactive environments to enhance guest engagement and overall experience. Instead of a formal sit-down dinner, nowadays, events involve

cocktail tables teamed with bar stools, miniature food portions, signature beverages in unique glasses, and live food stations. Various organisations now desire to host personalised and creative events, that redefine what many of us think of when we hear about banquet catering.

Adapting change is a recurrent trend in F&B banqueting and outdoor catering for hotels. As styles and

Deepraj Mukherjee

Adapting change is a recurrent trend in F&B banqueting and outdoor catering for hotels

F&B

detail how targeted revenues are to be achieved.

Once the position in the market place has been established, then all standards, operating and pricing phi-losophies are established. The quality and look of all collateral, web site, and in-house signage establishes an identity. Once that identity is in place, a plan should be devised and implemented to cost effectively reach the targeted markets. The market-ing efforts will support the direct sales effort as well as reach other segments. Demand from these seg-ments is generated through targeted marketing programs and initiatives.

The Web is rapidly becoming the most cost effective means to reach potential customers, and is a great equaliser. High profile hotels, large, small, independent, or chain-affiliated hotels, all have the same

opportunity on the web when done with expert planning and implementation.

Pricing is established based on the product offered and an understanding of the marketplace. Those responsible for booking business should have information on costs in order to negotiate. For example, room rental could repre-sent 75% profitability, whereas food could represent 33% profitability. The catering sales person will under-stand where discounting is less likely to impact profitability.

Knowledge of demand periods is key for negotiating effectively as well. Understanding these two elements places the catering person in a position of strength, ensuring that the best financial interests of the hotel are met and customer confidence is achieved.

Additionally, it is critical to budget and forecast catering revenues on a daily basis, broken by meal period and/or by market segments. Many times, owners and managers will project increases based on percentages, without looking on a daily basis. This can lead to faulty projections.

A thorough understanding of where the business falls will lead to booking business which gives the highest return. A proactive plan to generate business for low demand periods will create financial success.

Having an in-depth understanding of each component and how to successfully integrate each one into a strategic plan, will ensure that the owner/manager cost effectively impacts catering revenues, and ensures profitability regardless of market conditions.


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trends change, so do our guests’ requests. Fortunately, at Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks, we accomplish this by offering guests creative solutions for the most current concepts and product offerings. Our Catering and Events Team regularly strives to educate itself on industry trends and rental items that are creative, yet sustainable, for all our clients. Over a decade ago, everyone was satisfied using chafing dishes for buffets and food displays, but nowadays, the trend has been to focus on modernising food displays with various levels, tiers, innovative table setups, and food stations.

F&B Banqueting and Outdoor Catering is one of our key avenues for building customer relationships and contributing substantial revenue for the hotel. The team collectively develops and deploys various strategies based on current trends, guests’ requirements, and the type of event. A few strategies maintain the traditional approach of direct

sales, which involves dedicated sales-calling in the primary and secondary catchment area to strengthen our existing business relationships and discover new potential clients. Yield Management is another traditional approach we focus on by understanding each segment’s pattern during the year and proactively establishing selling processes to ensure that the space is sold effectively. We are in a generation where every aspect is being digitised and hence, we ensure our presence is

maximised, essentially through social media activation, trendy e-brochures, and partnerships with popular online event management portals that generate leads and drive additional business for us. Having an in-depth understanding of each component and how to successfully integrate each one into a strategic plan, will ensure that the owner/manager cost, effectively impacts catering revenues, and ensures profitability, regardless of market conditions.

Narendra Prabhu

GM, Signature Club Resort

Food Globalisation- These days, organisers and guests are planning meals that have the authentic taste of different countries. Guests prefer to experience cuisines of different nationalities, made with the exotic ingredients of that region.

Health is Wealth- Around 50 per cent of guests attending a banquet or visiting a restaurant prefer healthy options and are opting to go green. They try to continue their adapted

food habit at home, to places they eat out at.

Fine and fun dine- Nowadays, it’s becoming a trend, where guests are opting for sophisticated palates with a fine-dine sit-down service while enjoying the good wit of a stand- up comedian.

Unique themed dinners- We have hosted unique themed banquets, like Igloo parties, where tables are designed to look like Igloo tents and all the food is served in sizzlers. Another unique-theme dinner we

Narendra Prabhu

Guests prefer to experience cuisines of different nationalities, made with the exotic ingredients of that region

F&B

F&B

recently hosted for our guests was prison-themed, where guests were given the experience of having their meals behind bars.

Entertainment- Good food, with loads of fun & frolic, like rain showers, DJ, Laser dance floors, Casino, and game stalls is a very prevalent trend. It’s an upgraded version of a food carnival, where all the fun is telecast on a giant screen.

OPTIMISING MARKETING AND SALES FOR BANQUETS AND OUTDOORS• Mailing e-brochures of banquet

venues to all our corporates & event partners

• Going online in all major online venue/ticket booking engines

• Tying up with F&B mobile apps to attract the mobile savvy segment

• Boomerang coupons to our regular

guests/corporates• Presence in all social media

platforms with postings of recent functions, guest feedback, & experiences

• Tie-ups with wedding planners to position our venues as wedding destinations for theme weddings

• Placing flexboards & standees depicting venues in high footfall centers and prominent IT parks

Amit Sangwan

Director of EventsPullman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity

CLEANER, HEALTHIER MENUSBanquets are developing healthier menus after consumers attacked Big Food companies over chemicals and additives. Yet, beyond the demand for all-natural ingredients, consumers are searching for more holistic initiatives from including control of waste, water

conservation, humane treatment of animals, plus other eco-social issues.

VEGETARIAN COMFORT FOODVegetables will continue their rise on the dinner plate, as animal proteins and heavy side-dishes make way for more vegetarian options.

CONCEPTS Given the rise of vegetarian options out there, to retain freshness, small in-house herb gardens are in trend, giving birth to the concept of ‘Farm – to – table’.

We have one such restaurant, ‘Pluck’, at Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, that is catered to by our very own in-hose herb and vegetable garden.Gen Z is more likely to eat fresh, home-cooked meals and healthier QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) offerings, and think that cooking is cool. They prefer stove-top to microwave.

GROW YOUR DATABASE During peak season, your website (if you have one) and location will be abuzz. So while you’re doing business as usual, you need to actively grow your database. During your entire season, but particularly as your season comes to an end, you should be asking your customers to review your products and/or services. till fresh, you'll have reviews that are more detailed and personal, that'll resonate with off-season readers.

CREATE CONTENT WITH AN OFF-SEASON TWISTJust because your target audience can't utilise your products or services right this very minute, doesn't mean they won't benefit from, or be interested in the information you have to give.

STAY SOCIAL ALL YEARYour customers don’t vaporize during the off-season. It’s important to stay in contact with leads and past customers throughout the year. Consider social

You should be using this guest data to offer special discounts, gather (and publish) reviews and testimonials

Amit Sangwan


media your virtual, year-round storefront, because even if your audience isn't chilling outside your hotel or visiting your website, they are certainly perusing their social media

feeds. That means, your business should consider leveraging Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, to stay top-of-the-game, year-round. You should be using this guest data

to offer special discounts, gather (and publish) reviews and testimonials, share the new content you're publishing, run contests and polls, and generate hype for the next season.

Ashrafi Matcheswala

General ManagerVivanta by Taj – President, Mumbai

F&B BANQUETING AND OUTDOORS The trends in this segment are predominantly decided by the consumer. There are two elements to this- Food and Ambience. We have noticed a rise in guest requests for healthier, gluten-free, organic, and vegan options on the menu. As a proactive measure, we work towards including seasonal dishes in the menu as well, so it changes with the season.

With regard to the ambience, our USP is our legacy in hospitality and the in-built attention to detail we bring to the table. During conferences, in particular, they request short-eats i.e. single person portions for the entire menu. This helps reduce wastage and is convenient for guests during a buffet. Requests for working lunch menus, not elaborate but light meals –

soup/ salad/ light mains- sandwiches, paninis, rolls etc., along with desserts, that are light on the stomach and ideal for uninterrupted meetings are a growing trend. Platter to plate service for social events has also received impetus.

For outdoor events, we have noticed requests for menus from the fine dining restaurants to be made available. The catch is, having the quintessential Vivanta by Taj – President Experience, in a setting of the guests’ choice.

MARKETING STRATEGYIn today’s scenario, out-of-sight has become out-of-mind. We are working on utilising all marketing channels to optimise visibility. Whether it is user-generated content on social media, B2B magazine newsletters, wedding portals catering to guests, conference portals catering to companies, or B2B conference portals, we ensure a presence of the hotel and its facilities in that space.

Ashrafi Matcheswala

We have noticed a rise in guest requests for healthier, gluten-free, organic, and vegan options on the menu

F&B

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Amit Mehta

General Manager, Vivanta by

Taj

Surajkund

PRESENTATION MUST BE MEMORABLEAs a hospitality sector business, one would always like to stay in-sync with the latest trends in the global hospitality industry. This is rather important since trends that are increasingly gaining attention can soon become a standard demand from your hotel guests.

A Chef must design the presenta-tion in a memorable way. Prepa-ration is everything. In catering, off-premise (ODC- Out door catering) and on-premise preparation requires a different mindset. For arranging an ODC, one needs to be responsible for transportation, storage, and off-site preparation of food. For the on-premise events, the infrastructure is already in place, thus providing an advantage in the entire process, where ingredients can be stored and prepped on-site and served immediately. Another factor that separates these two categories, and is a huge consideration, is what the time element will do to ingredients or prepared dishes. For ODC events, our chef selects foods that are more durable, that will not lose their quality, and will hold well. In most cases, food that is local and seasonal performs well, as it is fresher and has more natural flavour. We intro-duce a lot of live cooking which is

trending in catering. Here the benefit is of serving hot food to our guest that is freshly prepared right in front of them; this also includes a lot of 'Chaat' counters popularly known as street food. Our menus promote a more seasonal, regional, and health-driven food selection with innovative presentations of food. Having dif-ferent venue options for each event is another popular request often received. As is in trend, we have beauty stations for the bride, the groom, and the guests, to get ready. One can use the stunning pool area for ceremonial events and the court-yard for the day time pre-wedding functions, allowing a variety of photo backdrops. The restaurant and bar at the hotel takes care of the cuisine, and the menu can be customised as per your choice.

It’s actually when you get challenged by the client, that your imagination opens up. A lot of the guests who

attended a series of wedding events, eclaimed, "Oh my God! Every time I come here it's different." It worked out well because we got some lead business from it.

Above all, we personally think that we ourselves have to be a part of the event so that we can create personalisation whereever we see an opportunity to do so.

I'll give you an example: When we got to know that a bride is a baker Chef, we created a huge display of bakery items named, 'Jaya’s Bakery', which surprised the bride.

In a second instance, the groom’s family was in a business of transpor-tation. On the day of their wedding farewell lunch, organised in Paranda, we used our display truck and named it after the grooms family name.

If you can't make a client's jaw drop immediately with a particular set up or service experience, then you're not doing something right. Taj is a brand that celebrates Indian culture. It is therefore ideal if you are looking for something that truly represents your culture. It offers an experience.

MARKETING AND SALES FOR BANQUETS Banquets and catering are our essence, and competition is the driving force to be more creative and innovative. Over the years, customer needs and tastes have evolved, and new competition has emerged .With many venue choices for custom-ers, it is important to understand how to drive business towards your venue, and with the impact on GOP,

Amit Mehta

Having different venue options for each event is another popular request often received


it is important to maximise those revenues generated. The components of this generation are: direct sales, operations, marketing, pricing, and yield management. It is important to establish an action plan based on an overall strategic plan. The strategic plan should include targeted market segments, position in competitive set, and demand/need periods. The

action plan should be very specific and targeted, addressing in great detail, how the targeted revenues are to be achieved.

Revenue goals should match or exceed the budgeted goals. Effective booking goals are based on specific targets such as food, beverage, and other revenues, or based on specific

market segments. A rolling 12-month advance sales report assists in maxi-mising revenues and in identifying need periods. Knowledge of demand periods is also key for negotiating effectively. It’s important to stay in contact with leads and past custom-ers throughout the year. We must consider social media our virtual, year-round storefront.

Mau Chaudhuri

General ManagerRoyal Sarovar Portico Siliguri

THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE COUNTSSiliguri needs to develop significant amount of infrastructure, and the challenge is to bring together all the stakeholders – Conference venue stakeholders, professional and experienced conference managers, and tour operators and educate the locals about world class facility.

With new upcoming hotels in the vicinity, people have started doing destination wedding with wedding venues mushrooming in every locality of the city. People are ready to spend, but all they need is a new innovative creation for the wedding, such as lights, music, and themed décor.

Venue being the prime factor, at Royal Sarovar Portico, Siliguri we have used

maximum locations, like hotel parking and lawn to attract more revenue. For the corporate client, new technology, such as drop down projector with

screen and touch-screen panel for all audio and video equipments, needs to be introduced.

A banquet hall is not just about selling good food and service, but also selling an overall experience. We will attract more customers and get better reviews if we invest where it

is necessary to make that experience perfect. High cleaning standards and regular maintenance are just two examples of this.

Word-of-mouth publicity is the ultimate publicity ever. The “WOW” factor is the only way to ensure repeat business, by creating an impressive, unique guest experience that exceeds all expectations.

Mau Chaudhuri

A banquet hall is not just about selling good food and service, but also selling an overall experience

F&B

SPA

The concept of holidays is changing. Guests want to

come back rejuvenated and not tired from a holiday.

Dr Vijay Aggarwal, Director – Spa Operations & Training, Sanghvi Brands shares trends

on wellness holidays.

HOW IS THE CONCEPT OF WELLNESS HOLIDAYS GROWING ACROSS THE WORLD?The world has witnessed a paradigm shift in the lifestyle of people. Attitude of people is now more health and travel oriented. The prime reason why the wellness industry is blooming throughout the globe is the growing middle class and rising income. The Spa industry has taken an advantage of this change and is growing very well in the Wellness industry.

In India, people have realised the importance of their own ancient element - Ayurveda. Now treatments and therapies in spa and wellness industry are influenced by Ayurveda. The concept of people who just don’t want to feel good but

also want to look good paved the way for Salons in the Wellness industry. Wellness is now not just restricted to Spa, but Salons have also become a major element of the industry. Wellness industry worldwide is all about feeling good and looking good. Spa and Salon brands have cracked this code and are now dominating the Wellness industry.

WHAT IS THE SEGMENT OF GUESTS YOU RECEIVE? KINDLY SHARE THE PERCENTAGE OF DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL GUESTS.We receive about 60 per cent domestic guests and 40 per cent international. Our top five clients in decreasing numbers are: European, Indian, Rus-sian, African, & Middle Eastern.

Dr Vijay Aggarwal

WELLNESSHOLIDAYS

RENDING


WELLNESS

KINDLY THROW LIGHT ON SALIENT FEATURES OF THE WARREN TRICOMI SPA IN GOA. WHAT WILL YOU DESCRIBE AS THE USP OF YOUR SPA?A tropically themed edifice, with a high ceiling reception area and a large swimming pool, warmly welcomes guests to the Warren Tricomi Spa & Salon. With minimal design structures that were imported from Bali and expert land-scaping done by a Singapore based firm, Warren Tricomi evokes an exotic experience of bliss to the guests.

Warren Tricomi Salon & Spa brings International luxurious experiences to Goa. The spa has the following salient features: Seven single treatment rooms, one Couple’s Suite, Goa’s only Couple’s Hammam Ritual Room, a nature pedicure area, a high-end salon, several relaxation zones, including a wellness café which provides

an array of wellness and holistic services, along with a wide range of treatments that cover oriental, western, and traditional techniques to provide an unforgettable experience to the guests.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNATURE SPA TREATMENTS AVAILABLE AT YOUR SPA?Couple Hammam Ritual - This service is exclusively available in Warren Tricomi, throughout Goa. An ultimate sensorial experience, one can indulge in Provencal rituals and delicious textures on a heated stone bed, be caressed by gentle droplets of the relaxing rain, and

soak in the warmth of diffused steam to embark on a delectable journey of pamper and delight.

WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS YOU USE IN YOUR THERAPIES? FROM WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR INGREDIENTS?After taking into consideration the body type, we do have 3 different kinds of aroma massage oils to relax, evoke the senses, energise, and detox.

1) Jasmine and Mogra oil2) Lime and Ginger oil3) Cold pressed Almond oil

WHAT SPA THERAPIES ARE POPULAR AMONG YOUR GUESTS?All our guests are delighted and have had an unforgettable experience. Our most popular therapy is the Signature serene massage.

ACCORDING TO YOU, WHAT ARE NEW AND EMERGING TRENDS IN WELLNESS AND SPA INDUSTRY IN INDIA?The new trends are in wellness medi-spa, Pranik healing, and Reki.

HAS THE SPA INDUSTRY GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY? HOW IS GOA DEVELOPING AS A WELLNESS DESTINATION?India, a cultural giant where tradition is the foundation and values are the pillars, has Ayurveda - a natural healing system which has its roots deep in Indian history. Ancient methods of rejuvenation and relaxation which form a core part of Ayurveda are now recognised as the highest selling services in the luxury spas in India. India has seen an enormous growth of Spas in the last decade. Due to increasing stress, people always find ways to relax and rejuvenate. So, visiting these spas in India can create a complete wellbeing of the mind, body and spirit. Goa is becoming the next spa destination in India. Due to rising incomes, changing lifestyles, and tremendous stress, spas would be a necessity of every human being in the coming future.

WHICH ARE THE MOST PROMINENT DESTINATIONS AND MARKETS FOR THE WELLNESS TRAVELLERS?Kerala and the Himalayan valleys were the traditional wellness destinations for travellers, but now Goa is emerging to be a very important destination for Spas. Other parts of India such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi are also showing optimistic signs of growth in terms of spa destinations in India.

Wellness is now not just restricted to Spa but Salons have also become a major element of the industry

SPA


TRENDS

CERAMIC TABLEWARE

Ozone Launches

remains an oligopoly

Digital Door Locks

In an interview Deepak Agarwal, Director Clay Craft shares the growth strategy for the company with FHRAI Magazine.

Equipped with great security & user-friendly features, these locks come with more than one access authentication options.

What has the growth for the company been? Clay Craft is growing at over 25per centy-o-y and is currently the leader in the Indian ceramic tableware manufacturing industry. The company aims to main-tain this position in the coming years.

Which new products are you planning to come out with? Every year at AAHAR, Delhi, Clay Craft launches it’s new product range for HoReCa sector. This year also, after a steady R&D and study-ing market trends, Clay Craft is prepared to launch some exciting product ranges for Hospitality sector which are handcrafted at our Jaipur facility. This year, Clay Craft also collabo-rated with Masterchef Sanjeev Kapoor to bring out Chef’s own range of curated products in the Home and Gifts category. In the coming years, hotel and restaurant industry will be able to see Masterchef’s range of fine chinaware manufactured by Clay Craft.

What do you see the ceramic tableware industry doing in India? This industry is an oligopoly and has very limited number of organised manufacturers. The ceramic tableware manufacturers in India are value driven – means the quality produced justifies the price charges for it. Sub standard quality or under

cutting is absent in this industry as the factory can produce majorly one type of quality

only. Internationally, countries like China have been dumping their products in Indian market which are not durable and also below

than standard domestic product prices. This is one of the major challenges.

What about e-commerce?HoReCa sector has not been vastly explored by e-commerce sector yet. But for our home and gift product categories, we have reached to over 20,000 (additional) Pincodes in the country with help of e-commerce.

Ozone, the leading provider of Architectural Hardware

& Safety Solutions, announced the launch of an exclusive collection of Digital Locks for Doors & Drawer Cabinets.

Digital Door Locks range includes Biometric Lock & RFID Card Lock for residential & com-mercial main doors and RFID Card Lock with Remote Control option for internal Glass Doors.

These Biometric Door Locks can be operated using user code & fingerprint for ease of opera-tion and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Card Electronic Locks work on Password & RFID locking mechanism. Ozone also offers RFID Card Lock with Remote Control access option for internal glass doors from this new range. These locks work on Password & Remote Control, optionally,

and are suitable for glass doors of 8-12mm thickness in offices & showrooms; and New Age Biometric & RFID Digital Furniture Locks for drawer cabinets, sliding door cabinets and wardrobes. Ozone displayed its new range of Digital Door locks and Digital Furniture locks at ET Acetech Delhi which grabbed the at-tention of safety and security curious visitors.

Deepak Agarwal

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REVENUE MANAGEMENT

DYNAMICand COMPETITIVEIn any business one looks towards profit, and to make the hotel business profitable, the role of the revenue manager is essential. Gaurav Mudgal, Associate Director of Revenue, Crowne Plaza Today, Gurgaon reverts to few queries.

WHAT ARE THE NEW TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES AMONG HOTELS FOR MANAGING REVENUE?The major factors affecting a modern revenue manager's success are the tools used by them and how well knowledge is integrated with the 'big picture'.

As the market is getting dynamic and competitive, it is always advisable that techniques and strategies for revenue management should be further modified as per individual market segment, channel, and source.

Intelligent demand forecasting is the essence of a successful revenue management strategy.

It helps us in positioning ourself in the market at the right price, with the right business mix, to ensure maximum business.

WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY TO DRIVE REVPAR UP? In order to drive our RevPAR and maximise the net revenue for our property, a close watch is kept on every aspect of our operation as we utilise our understanding of business mix, market condition, and forecasted demand.

Our current position within the marketplace is well analysed by us. We will use this data to identify whether there are opportunities to drive RevPAR, either through volume or through rates, as per the

Gaurav Mudgal


demand and day of the week. Creating a short-term tactical plan for getting premium on room types sellable through various channels, by giving additional benefits to the consumer, and continuing to focus on selling tailor-made selling packages from the counter to the guest, as per his need and requirement, will support us in driving incremental RevPAR.

Understanding our booking window for individual market segment to avoid selling well in advance and keeping rooms available to sell last minute through GDS and direct channels is a sure shot hit. In order to get maximum reservations through the lowest cost channel, we should continue to focus on driving bookings through our brand website and CRO.

For MPI driven dates and weekends, we will try to increase our fare share from the domestic and international OTA by strategic investment in this channel.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES THAT HOTELS ARE FACING ACROSS INDIA IN TERMS OF REVENUE MANAGEMENT?Over the past years, revenue managers have been fighting with dropping demand and changing market place. The big challenge is the rate parity over the Internet. Even without flash sale sites and online travel portal offers, hoteliers are not able to keep the rate

parity on the Internet. The reason is clearly a lack of knowledge in how to control the rate parity over various channels and how to manage it. The transparency of the

Internet and the fact that customers are aware of hotels not keeping rate parity has resulted in deal-seeking becoming a norm in travel purchasing.

HOW HAS THE DIGITAL WORLD CHANGED THE CONCEPT OF REVENUE MANAGEMENT FOR YOUR HOTEL? WHICH NEW TECH-TOOLS HAVE BECOME APPLICABLE FOR THE SAME?Technology and the digital world have played a key role in ensuring maximum profit, achieving rate parity across all booking channels, and managing room inventory. Revenue management systems are helping us in forecasting demand, market segment, geographical mix, and in optimising pricing, while also remaining consistent across all channels. These systems are allowing us to focus on interpreting data and making short-term and long-term decisions.

Technology and the digital world have played a key role in ensuring maximum profit, achieving rate parity across all booking channels, and managing room inventory

REVENUE MANAGEMENT

PRODUCTS

Pro

duc

ts&

Ser

vice

s

If pollution is what’s troubling you, OSIM’s uAlpine can be your best friend. This air purifier smartly detects the air quality of the room and indicates the same through display lights. With a 360° surround air flow design and full-potential, uAlpine effectively circulates clean and purified air evenly in the room. There’s more than you can think!The uAlpine removes 99.97 per cent of PM 2.5 with its high-performance true-HEPA filter which is specially treated with the world's leading Swiss-made Anti-Microbial Sanitised Silver, an eco-friendly and non-toxic substance which has been independently tested and proven effective against germs, bacteria and viruses. uAlpine is an apt buy for pet lovers; its fine mesh filter traps dust and pet hair at

the beginning of the purification process. It can even neutralise

pet odours, cigarette smoke, and cooking

odours. Its touch panel emits a soft glow on the illuminated controls.

When it comes to cooking, having a reliable cooktop is a must for all kitchens. Franke launches Crystal White Linear Hob, making cooking easier and food tastier. The Franke Linear hob comes with four burners that ensure effortless cleaning while maintaining a consistent high performance. In addition, the hobs also incorporate several professional-style features. Franke manufactures its hobs entirely in Europe, from design to production. Extreme care is taken over selection of materials and components, and monitoring of all processing phases, ensuring lasting hob quality and total safety. For people who love to cook, it is definitely a unique product with distinctive technical and aesthetic features.Oversize is undoubtedly the ideal hob for anyone who loves to cook.

HEALTH IS WEALTH

COOK PERFECT WITH LINEAR HOB

WEAVES GET THE TAHILIANI TOUCH OBEETEE, the manufacturer of hand-knotted and

hand-tufted rugs in India, has joined hands with India’s celebrated fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani, to unveil an exclusive collection of handmade carpets. The collection, centered on the ‘Proud to be Indian’ theme, will showcase quintessential Indian designs for the first time in the country’s artistic rug heritage. OBEETEE’s vision to introduce the incredible Indian craft to the rest of the world will see the coming together of India’s leading designers to display high end couture rug pieces that have never been woven before. Tahiliani will design the brand’s maiden India-inspired collection.


Pergo, recognised around the world as a leading innovator of high quality laminated flooring, reinvents the laminate floor with Pergo Sensation. Pergo Sensation floors do not look like any other laminate floor. Try running your fingers across the floor boards and you’re in for a real surprise. Pergo Sensation takes laminate flooring to a whole new level – even when it comes to water resistance. It comes with brand new AquaSafe technology.

With winters ascending all across the country, every tea lover is about to get hooked to their favourite cup of tea. In India, tea is the ultimate winter drink but, nowadays, most of the health conscious people have switched to Green Tea for its health aspects. Typhoo- the iconic British tea brand, known for its assortment of specialty teas and wide range of Green Teas has brought another rich flavour in its palette with the introduction of Green Tea Lemon and Honey variant.

With an infusion of the finest flavours, Lemon and Honey Green tea is a unique blend of premium antioxidants, infused with tingling freshness of lemon & honey. Its zesty yet soothing flavour is expertly blended to be delicately light and pure, providing natural refreshment. Enriched with goodness of health, this variant is a rich source of all vitamins, minerals, copper, magnesium, and antioxidants.

WATER RESISTANT WOOD REFRESHING TEA FROM TYPHOO

GAIA – one of the fastest growing health and wellness brands in India, re-vamps itself in new packaging of its health foods line. With distinctive, unmistakable and eye-catching designs, and mouth-watering photographs, GAIA’s new packaging is not only visually appealing, but is also a true game-changer in the Indian health and wellness industry. GAIA was established in the year 2009 and at that point of time there was no brand in the Indian market for the general consumer in the FMCG category that tried to sell exclusively on the promise of good health. As part of its growth strategy, GAIA has also been successful in formulating two specialised health

food lines- GAIA LITE and GAIA SPORT. While GAIA LITE caters to diabetics and weight-watchers, GAIA SPORT is aimed at those who lead an active lifestyle and require health products to match up to their energy levels. Roasted Green Gram, Roasted Gram Flakes, Roasted Grain, Legumes & Seeds, Stevia and Sugar Free Cookies are under the GAIA LITE banner, while GAIA SPORT has Trail Mix and Granola bars in four different variants.

EAT HEALTHY FROM GAIA

PRODUCTS

q pith tingling freshness of ty yet soothing flavour is

EVENTS

Puri Oil Mills participated in the Food For Thought Fest 2016 that

was organised in the capital. It is an event that witnessed the presence of crème de la of the food industry. A special one-of-a-kind initiative that focuses on the common heritage and history of the South Asian region, as well as the unique influences that are a part of it, it has set a benchmark as the forum for conversations,

cuisines and the exchange of ideas and philosophies.The participating countries will include India, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

Puri Oil Mills, the leaders in mustard oil production in India, were a part of the event. All the chefs used P Mark oil for their cook-offs in the 2016 edition of the Food for Thought Fest. There were talks and discussions around various cultures and cuisines. P Mark, being the pioneer in mustard oil, was used in all the cooking as there is no oil better than mustard oil for cooking in the South Asian region.The fest saw the presence of celebrity chef Kunal Kapoor, Chef Amrita Raichand, Chef Aditya Bal, Chef Gautam Mehrishi, cricketer Virender Sehwag, and Shweta Bachchan Nanda.

P MARK AT THE FOOD FOR THOUGHT FEST, 2016

His Holiness, the Tibetan Spiritual leader -The Dalai Lama, was in Mysuru to attend the 97th convocation of the University

of Mysore and deliver the convocation address. For his two-day visit to the city, The Dalai Lama was hosted at the Hotel Grand Mercure Mysuru on New Sayyaji Rao Road. Tibetans dressed in their traditional attire, Chupa, were gathered in numbers to get a glimpse of their leader. The Dalai Lama, a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace (1989), will be conferred with an honorary

degree along with Pramoda Devi Wadiyar during the convocation at the University of Mysore. Speaking on the occasion, Sachin Malhotra, General Manager of Grand Mercure Mysuru, said, “We are honoured and delighted to host His Holiness, The Dalai Lama and we thank him for choosing to stay with us. We are happy that since our opening seven months ago, the Grand Mercure Mysuru - AccorHotels unit, has become the preferred hospitality choice for global personalities and tourists alike.”

THE DALAI LAMA AT THE GRAND MERCURE MYSURU


EVENTS

In the true spirit of Christmas, Hyatt Regency, Mumbai kick-started the festivities of the season with a

thoughtful act of giving. With genuine ‘care’ at the core of it’s being, Hyatt Regency, Mumbai donated USD 2500 (INR 1,68,000) to one of their long standing partners ‘Little Sisters of the Poor’, an NGO committed to taking care of the elderly. The team at the hotel had planned an engaging day at the home, where they took with them delicious treats carefully prepared by the talented chefs keeping in mind their dietary needs. They spent time with the elderly who were thrilled to meet the enthusiastic bunch and regaled them with stories of their times. The sisters from the home were then invited to be a part of the hotel’s annual tree lighting ceremony.

HYATT REGENCY MUMBAI DONATES USD 2500

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces announced the launch of the Taj Tata Strive Entrepreneurship Programme in Cooking and

Baking at the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Centre in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. This tripartite collaboration between Taj, Tata Strive, and CII aims to provide financial, infrastructural and skill-based support to students for setting up small eateries in their villages. This programme, along with the support of local governments and forest authorities, will help young minds achieve a sustainable livelihood.

As part of the programme, 18 students, including five women and two members of the tribal community in Chhindwara have been trained. Starting next year, Taj will train four batches comprising 20 students each. Speaking about this initiative, Dr. PV Murthy, Senior Vice President and Global Head – Human Resources, Taj

Hotels Resorts and Palaces, said, “Globally, entrepreneurs are not only respected for great ideas, but for their ability to create jobs. At Taj, through such partnerships, we have empowered people with the objective of making them future-ready and self-reliant. Taj Tata Strive Entrepreneurship Programme will encourage rural youth to imbibe necessary skills and partake in entrepreneurship opportunities, creating a sustainable means of livelihood in the villages.”

Data from the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) shows that India’s food services industry will be worth `4.98 trillion by 2021. Over the years, the market has grown significantly because of factors, such as a change in the way consumers spend, widening exposure to new cuisines, an increase in the tendency to eat out, and the rising popularity of home delivery and take-away.

TAJ NURTURES FOODPRENEURS

APPOINTMENTS

appointmentsNEWROLES

GREESH BINDRARegional General Manager IHG

IHG has announced the appointment of Greesh Bindra as the Regional General Manager (RGM) of North & West India hotels

years now. He has won many awards, including the 'Hotelier of the Year 2006' by Safari India and the 'Best General Manager' from India Travel Awards, 2015. In the new role, Greesh will further contribute to IHG’s growth in the Northern Indian markets. Being based in Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, he will oversee the performance of the company’s 13 hotels within the region. Aside from his professional background, he is a dedicated sportsperson who spends his free time playing golf and other sports.

STÉPHANE DE MEURVILLEManaging Director, IndiaMoët Hennessy

Moët Hennessy, India has appointed Stéphane de Meurville as Managing Director, to spearhead the

development and execution of business strategies at Moët Hennessy India. He is tasked with growing and strengthening the business of Moët Hennessy brands in India. The Moët Hennessy portfolio includes prestigious brands as Dom Pérignon, Moët &Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Belvedere, and Chandon. He will report to Wiboon Arunthanes, Regional and Business Development

GM, Moët Hennessy Portfolio in Canada since 2011.

ANAND GANESAN General ManagerKochi Marriott Hotel

VIJAY KRISHNAN General ManagerAlila Fort Bishangarh, Jaipur

ROHIT CHOPRARegional Director of SalesAccorHotels India

Anand Ganesan has been appointed as the new General Manager at

Kochi Marriott Hotel. A veteran in the hospitality industry, he has more than 25 years of rich experience across a wide range of hotels in several countries. Prior to his new role, he was the multi-property General Manager at the Renaissance

In his current role, he will oversee the overall management of the property and ensure smooth functioning of all key departments.

Alila Hotels & Resorts has appointed Vijay Krishnan as the General

Manager of Alila Fort Bishangarh, Jaipur. Drawing on more than a decade of experience in the hospitality business, Mr. Krishnan will be responsible for all operations at this beautifully restored 59-suite fortress. Prior to his appointment with Alila, he was the General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton Jaipur, where he had successfully completed the conversion of The Anya, Gurgaon – Member of Design Hotels to Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

AccorHotels has announced the appointment of Rohit Chopra

as Regional Director of Sales, India for AccorHotels India. In his new role, Chopra will be responsible for expanding the proposed sales structure by developing various global sales

AccorHotels’ global sales network, goals and objectives and drive promotion of AccorHotels’ unique brands and sales and marketing programmes. Chopra was an Executive Assistant Manager, Sales and Marketing at Novotel Pune.


APPOINTMENTS

RAJAT SETHIGeneral ManagerThe Grand, New Delhi

The Grand New Delhi has appointed Rajat Sethi as the new General

Manager. He possesses an in-depth understanding of the Delhi NCR market, coupled with sound knowledge of hotel operations. Before joining The Grand, Sethi held the position of General Manager with Hilton Worldwide and Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. His career also boasts of a very successful eight year stint with the Oberoi Hotels and

Gurgaon, working in diverse roles from

Room Division Manager and eventually Executive Assistant Manager. In his new role, he will be in charge of overseeing the transformation of The Grand, New Delhi.

SARASWATHI NAVEENHotel ManagerAloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park

AloftBengaluru Cessna Business Park has announced the appointment of

Saraswathi Naveen as Hotel Manager. She has been associated with Starwood Hotels and Resorts (now Marriott International Inc.) since August 2011. Her expertise lie in developing talent, creating business development plans, sales operational policies, and guidelines for maintaining market leadership. Her earlier projects

where she was designated as Associate Director of Sales, General Manager at Regus Millenia Bangalore and Area Director for all four Regus Business Centres in Bangalore.

INDU KHATRIAssociate Director of SalesCrowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road

Indu is a dynamic professional who

through effective strategic and tactical management decisions and new business development skills. She has a proven experience of over eight years in managing sales and marketing activities and increasing revenues by developing productive customer relationships in the hospitality industry. Her most recent position was Associate

Hotels and Resorts. She also has been

Palace, New Delhi. She is a graduate of Hotel Management and has keen interest in cooking.

ANIRBAN DAS GUPTAExecutive ChefHyatt Regency, Pune

Hyatt Regency Pune has recently appointed Anirban Das Gupta as the new Executive Chef at the hotel. A

self-motivated professional with 16 years of experience, Das Gupta’s expertise in world cuisine, his innovative approach to food, and keen interest to develop new F&B concepts has brought him a long way. Prior to joining Hyatt Regency Pune,

Guwahati where he overlooked the culinary operations of the 150-key property with varied food and beverage offerings, including an all-daydining restaurant specialising in global cuisine and also a modern Chinese and Japanese specialty restaurant. The hotel also featured a banqueting capacity of 25,000 sq. ft. which earned its reputation as one of the most sought after wedding spaces.

AJITH NAIR Director of Sales and MarketingNovotel Imagica Khopoli

AccorHotels has appointed Ajith Nair as the new Director of Sales and Marketing for Novotel Imagica Khopoli. In his role,

Nair will be responsible for leading and further improving all aspects of the sales and marketing communications, promoting brand strategies, and providing the best of Novotel Imagica hospitality experience to the guests. A seasoned hotelier, Nair has been in the hospitality industry for over 16 years. Prior to joining AccorHotels, he was the Director of Sales and Marketing at Radisson Blu Resort, Karjat. He was also the Director of Sales and Marketing at Radisson Blu Resort, Goa, Alcon Victor Group of Resorts, Goa. A master in people management and client servicing, Nair’s deep understanding of the hospitality industry is critical to his role as the Director of Sales and Marketing at Novotel Imagica Khopoli.

An entrancing winter vacation package combining the charms

and delights of two beautiful Himalayan hill stations is brought to you by Mayfair Hotels & Resorts in the form of the “Sights of the Himalayas” package. The two hill stations are Gangtok in Sikkim and Darjeeling in West Bengal. The package consists of two nights stay each at Mayfair Darjeeling and Mayfair Spa Resort & Casino, Gangtok.

Gangtok is the enchanting capital of the tiny state of Sikkim which is nestled in the lap of the Lesser Himalayas. There is nothing quite like a cosy vacation during a chilly Gangtok winter. You get amazing views of the distant mountains from here. Mayfair Spa Resort &

Casino, Gangtok is one of the best spa resorts in India. It is also home to one of the only on-shore casinos anywhere in India. The property is set across 48 sprawling acres and offers various categories of luxury accommodation including opulent villas, comfortable cottages, and spacious family rooms. Facilities include an award winning spa, a well-equipped health club, superb multi-cuisine restaurants, excellent event venues, kid’s play area, recreation room, and a swimming pool.

Darjeeling is located in a beautiful hilly region in the state of West Bengal and surrounded by several charming tea estates most of which date back to the colonial era in India. There are gorgeous views

of the Kanchengjunga and other colossal Himalayan peaks as well as a popular heritage toy-train service. Mayfair, Darjeeling, is gloriously perched on a scenic hill and offers unbeatable hospitality and lavish accommodation options. Facilities at the hotel include multi-cuisine restaurants, an English bar, an excellent Spa, a well-equipped gym, a state-of-the-art banquet hall, a children’s play area, and a nice library.

(“Sights of the Himalayas” is priced at `65,000/- plus taxes, on twin sharing basis and includes accommodation with breakfast and dinner along with transfers and local sightseeing with fixed itineraries. Other perks include casino entry for one night for two people.)

WINTERHIMALAYAS

Mayfair Hotels and Resorts run luxury properties across a melange of captivating settings in India. They have recently come up with the “Sights of the Himalayas” package.

in the lapof the

ADVERTORIAL


RNI No. DELENG/2000/1230Posting Date 15-20 (Every Month)

No. U(C) - 306/2015-2017Postal Reg. No. DL (ND)-11/6173/2015-16-17 NDPSO-1

Date of Publication 12-01-2017

Documents

magazine - DDPPL Jan 17.pdf · SPA TRENDING WELLNESS HOLIDAYS The concept of holidays is changing. Guests want to come back rejuvenated and not tired from a holiday. Dr. Vijay Aggarwal,