June Issue 2014

Vol 39 JUNE 2014
Published since 1976
SERVE YOU RIGHT

The evolution of buffet
equipment
Hong Kong SAR HK$50
China
RMB50
Singapore S$15
Malaysia
RM30
Thailand Bt300
Rest of Asia US$10
FOOD OF
THE GODS
The continuing
appeal of truffles
BUILDING ON HISTORY
Evoking Myanmars colonial past
HOW DO YOU WANT

YOUR GUESTS
TO MOVE?
852 2575 6262
elcome to the June issue of

AHCT, the most trusted source of
information on what is happening
in Asia-Pacifics hospitality industry.
While the weather in Hong Kong may
be depressing, there is no question that AsiaPacific is currently the most exciting place in
the world to be in the hospitality industry.
With the rapid emergence of the middle
class in countries such as China, India and
Indonesia, the region is increasingly looking
to indigenous consumers to drive its future
growth, as this issues particularly glamorous
cover illustrates.
Whether sophisticated markets such

as Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, still
developing countries like China, or emerging
territories including Myanmar and Cambodia,
the region is undergoing a very dynamic phase
of activity. We could fill the magazine with
news of hotel, restaurant and bar openings
alone.
In this issues design feature we focus
on Myanmars rapidly developing industry,
while our management and country reports
similarly focus on the untapped potential the
region offers.
d i t o r
e s s a g e
Check out these and other fascinating

stories in the magazine and also on our website,
at www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com
We need to hear from hospitality
professionals about the constant developments
in the industry, good or bad, so please
send your comments and suggestions in to
daniel@thomsonpress.com.hk
ENDORSEMENTS
EDITOR
Daniel Creffield
Design by
Koon Ming Tang
Contributors
Victoria Burrows
Michelle Cheng
Zara Horner
Rebecca Lo
Michael Taylor
Associate Publisher
Sharon Knowler
sharon@thomsonpress.com.hk
Circulation Executive
Becky Chau
enquiries@thomsonpress.com.hk
Chairman
JS Uberoi
Director
Gaurav Kumar
Hong Kong Hotels

Association
Association Of
International
Hoteliers Shanghai
Shanghai
Chefs Association
Hong Kong
Chefs Association
Singapore
Chefs Association
Myanmar Chefs
Association
Federation Of Hong Kong

Restaurant Owners
Baking Industry
Training Centre
The Federation
Of Hong Kong
Hotel Owners
Association
Of Thailand
Hong Kong
Bakery & Confectionery
Association
Hong Kong
Maitre Dhotel Association
Singapore
Hotel Association
Hong Kong
Bartenders Association
Malaysian Association
Of Hotels
MacauHotel
Association
Club managers Association

Hong Kong
Asian Hotel & Catering Times

is published monthly by
Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd (TPHK)
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AHCT June 2014
CONTENTS
Volume
39
June
2014
Photography by Koon Ming Tang

MANAGEMENT
10 Untapped potential

MARKET REPORT
12 We have lift off

TECHNOLOGY
16 POSitive progress
Cover picture: Zuma Hong Kong

Thanks to Stephanie Lai, Stephanie
Breteau, Michelle Cheng
NEWS
INDUSTRY
Good Karma in Indonesia; women mean
business; sharpening your wine skills

PRODUCT
36 Portable pavilion; wi-fi projector;

all juiced up

CULINARY
38 All-natural noodles; Rhone Valley

showcase; new from Nespresso
New-look Asian Hotel &

Catering Times website!

DESIGN
18 Designs on Myanmar

FOOD
22 Mushroom magic

DRINK
24 The flavour factor
4
AHCT June 2014

EQUIPMENT
28 Beautiful buffets
32 Healthy bottom line
40 Events calendar
28
41 FHA reviewed
Rise and shine

HOTELEX
42 reviewed
46 APPOINTMENTS

Whos moving where
32
July
Integrated resorts / MICE
Philippines
Cloud computing / SaaS
Swimming pool design
Cheese
Fruit juice
In-room amenities
Knives
August
Green issues/sustainability
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
Myanmar
Social media
Kitchens
Ice cream
Tea & coffee
Ice machines
Cleaning/hygiene solutions
Advertisers Index
Alpha International
Andy Mannhart
Athena Tableware
Boncafe
Food Hotel China
Global Search International
HICAP
HK International Wine & Spirits Fair
Life Fitness
Pevonia
Precor
Safemark
Zieher

IBC
29
27
19
43
9
45
35
IFC
14 & 15
OBC
21
31
AHCT June 2014
n d u s t r y
e w s
Peter Schn, managing director Granuldisk
Granuldisk
expanding
Sweden-based warewashing company
Granuldisk has set up new headquarters
and a production plant in Malm,
Sweden, in preparation for ambitious
expansion plans in Asia and the Middle
East. The company is now opening sales
offices in Singapore and Dubai. The new
plant covers 4,000 square metres and is
expected to be ready in the first quarter
of 2015.
A leading supplier to restaurants
and hotels, catering companies, staff
canteens, hospitals and schools,
Granuldisk was founded in 1987 and
manufactures pot washers utilising a
special granule technology. A market
leader in the Nordic countries, the
company says it sees new sales
opportunities in Southeast Asia and the
Middle East, where the restaurant and
hotel business-es are growing rapidly and
there is market demand for food safety
and reliable equipment.
Granuldisk pot washing is a
Swedish Innovation that has been
on the international market for more
than 25 years. The machines use
PowerGranules (tiny blue plastic pellets),
water and a small amount of detergent
to mechanically scrub pots and pans
clean. The blasting power, combined with
high temperatures, washes hygienically
clean in a matter of minutes, using far
less water, energy and chemicals than
traditional pot washing methods, offering
a sustainable and economic solution that
eliminates any need for pre-washing.
AHCT June 2014
Mid-air
culinary
partnership
Hugos, the fine-dining restaurant at
the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim
Sha Tsui, has partnered with Dragonair
to offer a new inflight menu featuring
authentic European dishes. The new
menu will be offered to first and business
class passengers flying on selected
Dragonair flights from Hong Kong to
Beijing and Shanghai until mid-April
2015.
This is the first time that Hyatt
Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui and
Dragonair have joined hands for a special
promotion, creating a menu that features
23 dishes including soups, appetisers
and main courses. Each of the dishes on
the Dragonair menu has been designed
and adapted by Michael Donlevy,
executive chef of the hotel.
Xavier Pech, GM of Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim

Sha Tsui and Patrick Yeung, CEO of Dragonair
Dragonair general manager Inflight

Services, Andy Wong said: Dragonair is
delighted to partner with Hyatt Regency for
the first time to create a mouth-watering
selection of inflight meals. Our professional
catering team has worked very closely
with executive chef, Michael Donlevy, to
overcome the various challenges of adapting
the restaurants flavourful dishes for our
passengers enjoyment in the air.
The new menu promotion includes
dishes designed exclusively for Dragonair,
including fresh crab salad la russe
appetiser and pan-fried Norwegian salmon
fillet, crayfish tails and caper parsley sauce.
Good Karma
in Indonesia
With the opening of Karma Reef late
last year, Karma Royal Group ushered in
barefoot luxury to the Gili, the idyllic trio of
islands clustered near the northwestern
corner of Lombok, Indonesia. Located on
Gili Meno, the tiniest of the three islands,
the luxury boutique resort operates under
Karma Royal Groups Karma Resorts
brand and brings to 24 the groups total
number of resorts across Southeast Asia,
India, Australia and Europe.
Taiwanese
cuisine hits
Hong Kong
Check-in Taipei, which has opened
in Hong Kongs Soho district, brings
contemporary Taiwanese cuisine of
a brand new level of sophistication
to the SAR. This new and upcoming
destination seeks to redefine the
Taiwanese culinary experience through
its delicately crafted food and drinks.
All the elements in each dish and

beverage are prepared in-house with
ingredients sourced fresh locally and from
Taiwan to ensure authentic tastes.
Women mean
business
The rise of the female traveller, on
business and leisure, in the AsiaPacific region continues to grow at an
exponential rate. By 2030, it is estimated
that the number of female travellers will
have increased by as much as 400%.
There is no doubt that there has
been a rise in female travellers across
Asia, says Lindy Andrews, CEO of
Luxperience, an exclusive business
exchange for the local and international
travel trade. The majority of these
affluent Asian women travelling are
from the wealthier areas of Asia, such
as Tokyo, Singapore, Taiwan, Beijing,
Shanghai, Hong Kong or Seoul. Just
as an example, in Singapore 32% of all
business travellers are female and Hong
HK bartender
of the year
At the recent National Final of Diageo
Reserve World Class Hong Kong
Bartender of the Year, Wallace Lau
(bartender at Wyndham The 4th,
pictured) and nine other competitors from
leading Hong Kong bars were tested
on their bartending knowledge, skill and
showmanship behind the bar.
Lau stood out from the other
competitors with his impeccable
n d u s t r y
e w s
St. Regis
Chengdu to
open in July
Kong has the largest percentage of female

business travellers at 36%.
Given the massive spending power of
the Asian woman, tourism operators need
to think about tapping into this market,
says Andrews. The number of women
travelling in Asia will continue to rise,
especially as Asian economies and the
travel industry continue to mature; tourism
operators need to respond to this.
The St. Regis Chengdu, which is

scheduled to open in July, will be the
32nd St. Regis hotel worldwide and
the sixth in the Greater China region,
following recent openings in Tianjin,
Sanya, Lhasa and Shenzhen.
The hotel is in Chengdus business
district, close to Tianfu Square and
the Chun Xi Road high-end retail area.
The 29-story St. Regis Chengdu is
part of the new Huazhi Plaza, a mixeduse development comprised of a
distinctive cluster of four towers that will
become a hub for residential, business,
entertainment and shopping.
The property will offer 279
guestrooms and suites ranging from 65
square metres to 325 square metres
among the largest available in the city. In
a nod to the citys epicurean pedigree as
UNESCOs first City of Gastronomy in
Asia, The St. Regis Chengdu will feature
six restaurants and lounges, including
Social a signature all-day dining
restaurant; Yan Ting St. Regis Chinese
restaurant; Yun Fu four distinct private
dining rooms; Decanter Chengdus
only dedicated wine bar; Vantage XXVII
an outdoor sky bar with views of the
spectacular city skyline; and The Drawing
Room.
technique, beautifully balanced drinks

and wealth of knowledge of spirits and
cocktails. He particularly impressed the
judges with his sophisticated cocktails.
Taking second place was John Ng,
also of Wyndham The 4th, while Cherry
Lam from Ori-gin came in third.
Lau will go on to represent Hong
Kong in the global finals to be held
from July 28 to August 1 across several
locations in the UK, including Edinburgh
and London, competing against the
worlds best bartenders from over 50
countries.
AHCT June 2014
n d u s t r y
e w s
Live the
Legend
Sofitel Luxury Hotels has announced
that discerning travellers can now Live
the Legend in China when they stay
at Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel
Xian. With this recent addition, Sofitel is
now managing a total of 19 properties in
Greater China.
Seven thousand years of history and
tradition surround this heritage building,
which has been transformed into the first
hotel in Greater China to join Sofitels
exclusive ultra-luxe Legend Collection.
Opened in 1953, as the State
Guesthouse, the hotel was designed
by Hong Qing, chief architect of the
Northwest Institute of Architectural
Design. He sited the building in an
extensive garden, formerly part of the
grounds of an imperial palace. Hong
Sharpening
your wine
skill sets
used a number of French touches,

including fleur-de-lis (stylised lily) as a
recurring motif.
As the first Legend hotel in Accor
Chinas portfolio and only the fifth in
the groups world map, we feel this
beautiful property strikes the perfect
note of French elegance in the heart of
this timeless city, with its long history as
a cultural crossroads at the start of the
Silk Road, said Paul Richardson, Accor
Greater China chief operating officer.
A new forum, Wine Sales Professionals,

Industry and Trade (WineSPIT), has been
set up in Hong Kong.
Six years after the removal of wine
duties in Hong Kong and the subsequent
flurry of wine activity, wine professionals
felt, it was the perfect moment to create
a forum for a group to maintain an
open dialogue both about wine itself
and the practical business of sales and
marketing, said WineSPIT co-founder
Debra Meiburg, MW. Especially as
the Greater Chinese market becomes
increasingly sophisticated, there is a
growing need for a forum where small
business owners and teams from larger
firms can hone their skill sets.
WineSPIT will hold an annual
conference and regular seminars with a
focus on educational activities around
market-specific product knowledge and
sales, business acumen and industry
networking skills. Through workshops
and seminars, and an annual all-day
conference, members are exposed
to essential wine knowledge, sales
techniques and best practices that
will be directly applicable to their job
performance.
Big 200 for Matfer-Bourgeat

The story began in 1814 in Paris with
the manufacture of various moulds and
utensils for chefs and pastry chefs.
After two centuries, the company
has grown and Matfer-Bourgeat Group
is now a worldwide leader for kitchen
tools and equipment, with about 1,000
employees across the world and a 150
million (US$205.5 million) turnover.
The groups four factories are still
located in France and combine tradition
and innovation. Its offering includes over
16,000 high-quality products combining
breadth and depth of range. This is a real
strength, giving the group recognition as
a specialist in the six markets in which it
operates: food trade, conventional and
AHCT June 2014
luxury hotels, catering, schools, hospitals

and workplace catering.
EuroChef Worldwide is the hotel
projects division of Matfer-Bourgeat
group with branches established all over
the world. Based on the groups quality
products and high level of services,
EuroChef is able to supply complete
kitchen and buffet operating supplies and
equipment for any new hotel opening.
Defining the list of required items,
providing comprehensive master lists,
integrating complementary products in
a quotation, delivering with high-quality
packaging and expertise in logistics
or unpacking goods on site are some
examples of EuroChef services.
WineSPIT co-founder Debra Meiburg
n d u s t r y
e w s
Winexpo 2014 is a hit
New hotel concept

in Vietnam
From mid-June 2014, Da Nang will be the home of a new hotel
concept in Vietnam called A La Carte. The concept was born to
offer guests choice and flexibility.
Located directly on Da Nangs Beach Boulevard, A La Carte
Da Nang boasts 202 apartments (of different sizes, each with
its own kitchenette and ocean views), various F&B outlets and
Vietnams first rooftop infinity pool.
A La Carte Da Nang means five-star facilities without the
upmarket price: the rate is room only and all else is up to the
guests needs and wants. They can choose from a creative and
fun list of add-ons and thus pay only for what they want. The
add-ons range from bathroom amenities, breakfast, ipads and
pillow menu to kids toys baskets, PlayStation games baskets,
DIY meals baskets and more.
HOTELEX Shanghai 2014 concluded successfully on April 3

at Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC), having
attracted increased numbers of exhibitors and visitors from
star-rated hotels, bars, restaurants, clubs and distributors from
all over the world. The number of professional visitors saw
impressive growth, with a 16% increase on the 2013 edition.
A total of 81,596 professional visitors from over 132 countries
participated. Competitions and industry forums became the hot
zones with the most foot traffic.
As one themed part of HOTELEX, Winexpo has been
successfully held for 11 editions and accumulated thousands
of domestic and overseas suppliers, importers and buyers.
It is becoming one of the most professional purchasing wine
fairs in the Chinese drinks
industry, providing a greentrade platform for import
wine enterprises, leading
the largest consumption
market and extending wine
revenues across all of China.
During Winexpo 2014, over
60 international wine brands
showcased their various
wines and spirits.
DEVELOPING BUTLERS SINCE 2002
Embrace
authenticity, BLINK
roundtable told
Leading luxury hotel design firm BLINK Design Groups core
belief that authenticity in hotel design is one of three key industry
drivers has been echoed at the second in its series of hospitality
roundtables at the recent HICAP Update event in Singapore.
Phukets industrial chic Indigo Pearl resort, the Rock Bar
at Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali and the Peninsula Hotel Hong
Kong were framed as illuminating examples of how authentic
and creative design separated properties from lesser rivals,
winnowing the competition and giving them a magnetism that
lured a consumer who luxuriated in the genuine and original.
BLINK Design Group director Christopher Chua said hotels
that refused or were unable to adjust their step to be in time with
this reality could become distant images in the rearview mirror of
propellant, enlightened brands.
Many hotels need to recalibrate their thinking and
understand that consumers will no longer settle for the same
old same old, he said. You have to embrace the essence
of your destination and offer a transcendent product by
encapsulating what draws people to a specific market. Failure to
do so will inevitably lead to failure.
THE BRITISH BUTLER SCHOOL

AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION WORKING WITH PRESTIGIOUS
COLLEAGUES WORLDWIDE

SHANGRI-LA, RAFFLES INTERNATIONAL, THE BURJ AL ARAB, ONE AND ONLY

RESORTS, INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS, PAN PACIFIC HOTELS

44 (0) 1254 883300
WAYNE@GLOBALHOSPITALITYINT.COM
WWW.BRITISHBUTLERSCHOOL.COM
AHCT June 2014
a n a g eme n t
Unlocking
the market
While China and Indias growing middle classes
are fuelling investment both domestically and
overseas there is a threat of oversupply in some
markets, Michael Taylor reports
hinas hospitality industry is

on a roll, and demand for
accommodation will continue
to grow rapidly for the next
few years, real estate consultancy Knight
Frank predicts.
The Greater China Hotel Report 2012
reported that Chinas tourism receipts grew
by over 50% among domestic travellers,
says Symon Bridle, chief operating office,
Rosewood Hotel Group.
We have full confidence in these
numbers and expect growth trends to
continue and with them, the desire for
unique hotel stay experiences across all hotel
categories. We are aggressively searching for
opportunities where our brands can meet
the demands and opportunities present in
this dynamic market.
First tier cities and leisure travel
destinations are attracting the most attention
from investors.
10
AHCT June 2014
Key gateway cities such as Beijing,

Shanghai and Guangzhou always present
great potential, with essential infrastructure
including airports already efficiently built
to cater for the needs of large and growing
numbers of travellers, Bridle says.
Ap a r t f r o m t h e c i t i e s , re s o r t
destinations are increasingly desirable for
both international and domestic travellers:
destinations such as Sanya, Haikou,
Qingdao and Lijiang.
Members of Chinas rapidly growing
middle class are travelling like never before.
As they visit other countries, where service
standards tend to be higher, they return
home with heightened expectations.
As Chinese travel more frequently
and more widely, their tastes broaden,
demand for quality increases and their
desire for travel grows, Bridle says. This
changing mindset is probably one of the
most important factors behind the sustained
expansion of the Chinese hotel industry.

But as well, their expectations of hotels in
their home country become higher they
demand the same quality, or even higher,
to what they have experienced overseas.
Sp a c i o u s g u e s t r o o m s , e l e g a n t
restaurants, impressive lobbies and fabulous
spas are no longer enough.
Contemporary travellers are also
looking for personalised and inspirational
services, those that incorporate or open
the door to discovering the destinations
authenticity, and a hotel that is distinctive
among the competitive set, Bridle adds.
Were trying to meet these expectations
in all our brands with their different target
audiences.
Hiring hassles
Acquiring and retaining qualified staff

remains one of the biggest challenges facing
the industry.
Rosewood Sanya, scheduled to open 2017, is the third

Rosewood property to be announced in mainland
China following Rosewood Beijing (opening summer
2014) and Rosewood Chongqing (opening 2015)
An on-going challenge is finding the

right hotel talent to fulfil and feed our
growth, Bridle says. We must continue
to offer not just competitive compensation
packages and benefits, but opportunities
for associates to learn, grow, develop and
advance. They need to see how a career
with us will be on a fast track and we are
well placed to offer them a bright future.
Another challenge facing hotel operators
is the governments new austerity measures,
which are putting a damper on the lavish
banquets that were a major source of
revenue for hotel operators.
The nature of government entertaining
has changed over the last year, so that is
encouraging hotels to stimulate additional
sections of the market to use their restaurants
and facilities, while, increasingly, the
quality from a variety of independent
restaurants has also improved dramatically,
thus increasing competition for food and
a n a g eme n t
Anthony Ross Preferred Hotel Group The trends we

have seen in the last 12 months will accelerate, going
forward as Chinese outbound travellers reach 200
million by 2020
Rosewood chief operating officer Symon Bridle We

are aggressively searching for opportunities where
our brands can meet the demands and opportunities
present in this dynamic market
beverage patrons, Bridle says.

Hotels are being built all over the
country. With so many new properties
coming on line, there is the danger of oversupply in some markets. Bridle believes,
however, that demand will quickly catch up.
Both India and Chinas growing middle
classes are increasingly eager to broaden
their horizons by travelling both at home
and abroad.
China and India are still in the midst
of a boom in hotel supply as international
standards of hospitality move to secondary
and tertiary cities in both countries, says
Anthony Ross, executive vice president, Asia
Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Preferred
Hotel Group.
If anything, the trends we have seen
in the last 12 months will accelerate, going
forward, as Chinese outbound travellers
reach 200 million by 2020.
Other factors fuelling both domestic
and foreign travel include the increasing
number of discount carriers that have
taken to the skies in recent years. Travel has
become more affordable for more people
than ever before.
We are finding more developers willing

to consider developing their own scalable,
market-specific concepts and using the
services of soft brands, such as the Preferred
Hotel Group, for global sales, marketing and
connectivity.
Branded residences, condo-hotels and
serviced apartments are all growing in
popularity, proving popular with employees
being sent overseas on work assignments as
well as with extended families increasingly
travelling together.
There is a fast growing trend of multi
generational family travel, which will fuel
the demand for such facilities, Ross says.
When it comes to lease-back
arrangements, however, the concept
has not proven as popular in Asia as in
the United States and Australia, where
many new projects are being financed in
this way.
Provided standards are maintained and
contracts are clear and transparent, this can
be a good way of financing a project, Ross
says. Preferred Hotel Group is happy to
consider working with developers financing
projects using this method.
Accurately identifying target markets
and developing marketing and sales
strategies accordingly is the key to success,
Ross believes.
This is absolutely critical and should
be executed the earlier the better. When
a project is conceptualised with a clear
understanding of the target market and
what it desires, it stands a far greater chance
of success. We like to work with developers
during this early stage, advising them
where the best opportunities for market
penetration lie and how the product can be
developed to fit the market.
Build and they will come
New tourist attractions such as Hong Kong

Disneyland and Sentosa Bay in Singapore
have also had an impact. As a result, demand
for hotel rooms in Asia is growing faster than
in other parts of the world, with growth
especially strong in destinations within a
four-hour flight of China, Ross says.
One of the biggest challenges facing the
industry is sourcing the right sites, having
access to a pool of willing and trainable
people and employing the right concept for
the market, Ross says.
AHCT June 2014
11
a r k e t
e p o r t
Taking off
Encompassing a convention centre and
at least 11 new hotels offering around
5,500 rooms across all budgets, New
Delhis Aerocity development is bidding to
become a MICE, business and leisure zone,
reports Victoria Burrows
espite an economic slowdown, Indias hotel market

continues to expand, although at a slower rate than
five years ago. The domestic business sector is showing
the biggest expansion, driven by the growing middle
class, with budget and mid-market business travellers, in particular,
buoying demand.
This phenomenon, which has been in place for about a decade,
has resulted in a shift to a more balanced inventory; cost-effective
hotels now account for more than half the countrys total rooms.
This positions India as a maturing hotel market.
The impressive Aerocity development being built next to the
Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi reflects this status:
the 43-acre hospitality zone will include a 5,000-person convention
centre, at least 11 new hotels offering around 5,500 rooms across
all budgets, with their own conference and meetings spaces and a
range of dining options, plus retail space.
The aim is to make Delhi a transit destination for travellers on
the lines of international formats as well as create a business and
leisure zone for the citys population.
Aerocity will operate almost as a business and leisure hub of
its own and not just an airport precinct, with a large number of
businesses, restaurants and entertainment facilities in and around
the area, says Jean-Michel Casse, senior vice-president of operations
at Accor India. We expect that within the next two to three years,
with the other hotels in the area developing, Aerocity will emerge
as one of the most stylish destinations in Delhi.
Accor is soon to open its first hotel at the site, the economy
ibis Delhi International Airport, while more is in the pipeline: a
12
AHCT June 2014
combined Pullman and Novotel property. The three brands will

account for a total capacity of almost 1,000 rooms at the site.
Other brands now operating or being built at Aerocity include
InterContinental Hotels Groups Holiday Inn, Starwoods Aloft
and two properties by India-based Lemon Tree Hotels group: an
upscale Lemon Tree Premier and a Red Fox Hotel, for budget
business travellers.
Thai hotel company Dusit International will open two hotels
under their younger, hipper dusitD2 brand at Aerocity, while the
luxury Dusit Devarana New Delhi, a partnership between Dusit
and Indias Bird Group, has recently opened in a location to the
southwest of the airport.
Aspirational over luxurious?
Rustom Vickers, group director of development at Dusit, says

that the dusitD2 brand often fits particularly well in developing
countries. With the middle class in emerging countries engaging
in more travel and aligning with aspirational brands they feel best
represent them, dusitD2 allows us to meet market demand where
a traditional Dusit Thani or an ber luxurious Dusit Devarana may
not be the right fit.
High-end business property, JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity
was the first hotel to announce its opening at Aerocity. It had been
ready for business in April last year, but was delayed due to security
related issues, finally opening in November. Other properties have
faced similar red tape delays, as their proximity to the airport means
security is a major concern.
But for Balan Paravantavida, GM of JW Marriott New Delhi
a r k e t
e p o r t
ibis Delhi Airport facade
Dusit Devarana New Delhi Arrival Court
Aerocity, the costs incurred due to the delay are outweighed by the
benefits of the hotels location, size and facilities.
We are targeting international and domestic travellers in both
the business and leisure segments, along with social events and
wedding groups. The proximity to the airport serves as a definite
advantage in terms of targeting the business traveller. However, we
see ourselves as a stylish, destination hotel as well.
Aerocity is located between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 of the
international airport, and is serviced by a wide road network, just
off the major Delhi-Gurgaon Highway. It is accessible also by the
new Aerocity Metro Station, making it convenient to reach from
the business hubs of both Delhi and Gurgaon.
The events market is a particularly big attraction for hotel
developers at Aerocity. Central Delhi suffers from a dearth of
available land as well as a lack of big convention facilities, so Aerocity
with its large conference centre fills a much-needed gap.
At Aerocity, the hotel is well-placed to secure a large slice of the
increasingly important MICE market; at this location we have all
the four Cs: connection, convention, comfort and convenience,
says Paravantavida about his JW Marriott hotel. The site means
we can now compete with other world class cities, bid for major
international conferences and meetings and offer hundreds of rooms
and F&B offerings in one location.
The MICE market is also a big pull for Accor and the Aerocity
location has spurred the group to build its biggest ibis hotel in India,
offering 465 rooms.
The ibis brand has a fast-growing base in India and, for us,
Aerocity is an ideal location to showcase the brand to a broad range
JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity GM Balan

Paravantavida
JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity Drive Way
of target customers, says Casse. The hotel has been designed to

suit the travel requirements of both domestic and international
travellers across leisure, business and MICE segments. It will appeal
to travellers of all ages and nationalities who are looking for quality
international standards, an assured sleep and good value for money.
The group has high hopes for India and big expansion plans
across the country, in cities such as Delhi NCR (National Capital
Region), but also smaller hubs.
Increased domestic travel and its positive effect on hotels for
leisure purposes will open up new opportunities for development,
adds Casse. Urbanisation and high domestic travel to new cities
and tier 2 cities beyond the top three is also expected to grow.
As more low-cost carriers open up new markets in India and with
the growing middle class, the demand for travel will continue to
grow and the hotel market will continue to mature. Travel and
hotel needs will also increase beyond business travel to domestic
leisure tourism.
Paravantavida is hedging his bets on Delhi, particularly for
keeping the market for luxury hotel rooms healthy.
Delhi NCR has a comparatively higher growth in demand as
compared to other cities, despite the economic slowdown, he says.
The second half of 2014 looks significantly positive, with
improved business activity as well as inbound travel due to
elections and the stabilisation of global financial health. Delhi
NCR is anticipated to add a significant number of rooms in the
luxury hospitality sector, which itself shows the growth in demand.
India is growing and we see demand will outperform supplies in
coming years.
AHCT June 2014
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Picture: PAR Springer-Miller
Money on
the move
Among latest innovations Point
of Sale vendors are putting at
the centre of their business
focus are tablet-based solutions,
mobile payments and a more
personalised general approach,
often incorporating CRM software
integration, writes Daniel Creffield
s customer relationship marketing gains popularity,

POS systems are becoming increasingly CRM-centric.
By incorporating CRM tools in their POS systems,
retailers can enhance customer engagement and better
plan marketing strategies. The greater knowledge of customer
preferences and increased options attract more clients and keep
them coming back.
What we have implemented at a number of our Anantara
properties is an online dining reservations booking portal which
16
AHCT June 2014
directly interfaces to the propertys POS and table management

system, says Mike Stokman, group director IT for Minor Hotel
Group.
Anantara properties/outlets where this system is being used
includes Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa Benihana &
Trader Vics restaurants and Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort &
Spa Mekong restaurant.
This provides real time web reservations with immediate
interface into a restaurants electronic reservations book that
controls inventory and, when available, sends instant confirmation.
Customers can take advantage of the smartphone technology and
require no other interaction.
This drives from the brand website to the hotels F&B website
to possible member website all through one channel and directly
into the outlets POS.
The system captures the guests name, email address, phone
details and any special requests, along with number of visits, last
visit, preferences and spending habits, adds Stokman.
This information can be linked to other outlets to ensure diners
are recognised and their preferences known. The resulting database
can be used for CRM initiatives.
Seamless guest experience
PAR Springer-Miller has spent more than 30 years matching

technology solutions to operator needs for restaurant POS and
enterprise back-office solutions, as well as offering the ATRIO
platform of hospitality management software solutions.
PARs extensive offering includes technology solutions for the
full spectrum of restaurant operations, from both large chain and
independent table service restaurants to international QSR chains.
e c h n o l o g y
Technology integration has many benefits, including reducing

errors and creating a seamless guest experience, says the company.
We see the industry continuing to adopt cloud computing
as well as enhancing integration between systems. Were focused
on improving the user experience to reduce or eliminate employee
training on our systems.
Realising potential
Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spas Mekong restaurant utilising an online dining
reservations booking portal which directly interfaces to the propertys POS and table
management system
PAR Springer-Miller offers two POS solutions, the built-for-thecloud ATRIO POS and the SMS|Touch POS system. ATRIO
POS helps hoteliers realise the full potential of food and beverage
opportunities, while POS reduces total cost of ownership for hotel
and management companies by embracing a true cloud computing
platform that minimises on-site technology while boosting staff
efficiency.
Capable of being used on a terminal or tablet, ATRIO POS
leverages Microsofts multi-billion dollar investment in their
Windows Azure cloud platform to offer modularity, feature velocity
and superior connectivity. POS ensures nimble guest services, easy
access and no worries about downtime, says the company.
Creative possibilities
Micros Systems, a leading supplier of hospitality information
technology solutions, introduced its new mTablet E-Series and
new Micros Engagement feature at the National Restaurant
Association show which took place in Chicago last month.
The mobile solutions blend an enhanced user experience
with the enterprise-grade capabilities provided by Micros
software. They allow staff members to perform multiple
activities from one elegant device, enhanced for the hospitality
and retail industries.
Daylight viewable technology, weather resistance and
extended battery life make it ideal for both indoor and outdoor
use.
The Micros mStation provides connectivity to a wide
range of devices, including cash drawers, printers, scanners,
displays, scales or other peripherals. It is attractive and
versatile, allowing the mTablet to be displayed in both portrait
and landscape mode.
Available in eight-inch and eleven-inch versions, the
mTablet E-Series operates on Microsoft Windows 8.1
Embedded Industry Pro. The eight-inch handheld tablet
is perfect for on-the-go staff, while the 11-inch version is
compatible with the Micros mStation base, providing staff
the flexibility to be mobile or use it as a workstation with full
peripheral connectivity. Optional sleeves for either mTablet size
facilitate secure sign-in and management authorisation on the
device.
The Micros Engagement feature brings a highly animated
and interactive element to the Micros mTablet E-Series when
running Micros Simphony in an F&B establishment. It offers
a fluid touch experience with a modern look and feel with
interactive live tiles that can display and promote numerous
content including specials of the day and upcoming events,
connection to a loyalty programme, external content feeds for
guest entertainment and the ability to take orders.
The new mTablet E-Series allow staff members to perform multiple activities from
one elegant device, enhanced for the hospitality and retail industries
It is also configurable and customisable, based on

individual preferences, and can access actionable data,
analytics and tools for management staff.
The new user interface Micros Engagement provides
is exciting for us, embracing the whole mobility initiative,
commented Michael Sacks, managing director greater China
at Micros-Fidelio.
All F&B solutions today must offer a tablet option. We
wanted to do something more specific to the industry that
adds value.
Sacks adds that the solution has cross-vertical use, as the
new model can be used for hotel check-in and housekeeping
as well as with Micros Retail for an enhanced in-store
experience.
mTablet expands management information options, he
stresses. Graphical operating statistics, management reports
and live video security feed provide authorised team leaders
a view of whats going on in the kitchen, the restaurant, etc.
It also opens the door to a lot of creative possibilities for the
operator both for the in-house team and for the customer
experience.
AHCT June 2014
17
e s i g n
Belmond Governors Residence the challenge is to

retain its colonial ambience while adding to its facilities
Best of both worlds

With the countrys recent tourism
initiatives, Myanmar is fast
becoming Asias next destination.
Rebecca Lo examines three Yangon
hotels that together tell a story of
the citys design development
Photography Belmond Governors Residence courtesy GHC Asia | Sule Shangri-La
courtesy Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts | The Loft Yangon by Rebecca Lo
n October 2012, during a HICAP breakout session, Myanmar

Tourism Federations senior advisor Kyi Kyi Aye confirmed
what many attending already suspected: Her country was on
the cusp of exploding as a tourist destination.
Tourism is the fifth in expenditure for foreign investments,
she noted. By 2015, Yangon will have an increase of 11,451
guestrooms. Its a new frontier, with cultural as well as natural
attractions. We are a country that is emerging.
Myanmar Directorate of Tourism & Hotels project director U
Hlaing Oo stated at the same panel discussion: Tourists returning
to Myanmar shows international confidence in the country. We
are seeing a lot of colonial buildings in Yangon being redeveloped
and there are movements to preserve the rest. Iconic restaurants
and boutique hotels in heritage buildings will enhance the city as
18
AHCT June 2014
a tourist destination. In five years, Yangon will be a beautiful city.

Around 18 months later, Yangon is well on its way to fulfilling
those predictions. While the only truly international brand in the
city is Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Accor and Hilton have hotels
in the former Myanmar capital slated to open later this year. Hong
Kongs The Peninsula Group is considering the former red brick
colonial rail station on Boyoke Aung San Road as the site for its
first hotel in the country.
With the release of political prisoners, including Nobel Peace
Prize laureate Aung Sang Suu Kyi in 2010, followed by the easing
of economic sanctions in 2012 by the United States and European
Union, it looks likely that foreign investment will continue to pour
into the countrys most populous city.
Grand dame designs
For established properties such as Belmond Governors Residence,

the tricky part is to retain its colonial ambience while upgrading
and enriching the property to be on par with its 21st century
counterparts. Built in the 1920s, the teak mansion with its lush
gardens and pools is nestled in Yangons embassy district and its
old world charm is enhanced by a flock of peacocks that roam its
grounds.
Along with the Sarkies brothers legendary Strand hotel facing
the Yangon River, Governors Residence is the most respected
hospitality address in the country.
The 50-room property was designed by Frenchman Patrick
Robert, a longtime resident of Yangon known for his furniture and
accessories available through his home gallery. Like the surrounding
Belmond Governors Residence garden
e s i g n
embassies in the neighbourhood, the main house is surrounded by

extensive gardens. Guests enter the hotel via a reception pavilion
that connects to a central covered walkway with a lawn popular
for weddings and events on one side and a large swimming pool
on the other.
The main building consists of Kipling bar, Mandalay restaurant
and boutique, surrounded by verandas looking out to the view,
on the ground floor; the second storey is Mindon Lounge with a
Burmese curry buffet table under gently whirling ceiling fans.
Fifty guestrooms housed in three-storey villa-type buildings
are scattered behind the main house; one of the rooms is a business
centre where guests have the use of flatscreen computers and a
printer. Starting at 39 square metres, guestrooms face either an
internal lotus garden with reflecting pools or a leafy outer courtyard.
In keeping with the teak mansions look and feel, the teak furnishings
are streamlined and accented with Burmese silk fabrics in cushion
covers.
The teak continues in the bathroom where generous black
terrazzo bathtubs make soaking after a dusty day of sightseeing a
welcome respite.
The hotel hasnt been renovated since the 1990s, notes Thomas
Henseler, Belmond Governor Residences general manager. He is
in discussion with the likes of Singapore-based WTAG for possible
collaborations for the hotels renovations scheduled to take place
over a phased three-year plan. We want to keep the ambience that
everyone knows and loves, while adding to our facilities, such as a
larger reception area, Henseler elaborates.
Yangon-based interior designer Mya Myitzu, country director
AHCT June 2014
19
e s i g n
Peacock Lounge at the Sule Shangri-La
Yangon has a shortage of

hotels and it is encouraging
that hotel owners are
re-investing in their assets
to provide guests with an
improved experience of their
culture and city
Phillip Couvaras, Sule Shangri-La
Sule Shangri-La Gallery Bar
for Ho Chi Minh City-based Noor, believes that Governors

Residence is a good example of traditional Burmese design.
It is one of the most romantic properties in Myanmar, she says.
Sitting on the porch there sipping a cocktail you feel as if youve
travelled back to a 1940s Rangoon night. It was where my husband
and I used to go on quiet dates and where we got married last year.
It will always hold a special place in our hearts and we hope that
it remains as a landmark Yangon property as my country enters a
new era of reconstruction.
The emperors new clothes
In contrast, Sule Shangri-La was rebranded on April 28 as the first

Shangri-La in the country, following many years as a Traders hotel.
Due to its consistent popularity with tour groups and local business
20
AHCT June 2014
people, along with its proximity to the historic Sule pagoda, it made
sense to upgrade the business hotel into a five-star property.
Phased renovations began in 2012: phase one encompassed the
porte cochere, lobby, Peacock Lounge, Caf Sule, gourmet shop,
ballroom and guestroom upgrades, while phase two saw additions
including the Horizon Club Lounge and accommodation, suite
upgrades, Summer Palace, Gallery Bar, function rooms, health club,
swimming pool and business centre.
Shangri-La took back previously leased space to accommodate all
the facilities and now boasts 485 guestrooms, suites and a spacious
presidential suite. Singapore-based DP Architects were responsible
for many of the public areas renovations, alongside local firms Sinma
and Best Wood as well as Thai firm Serrano.
Fortunately, there were no huge challenges as the renovation
Loft Yangon dominated by red brick, black metal

accents and large-scale black and white photography
e s i g n
was timed and phased to keep any inconvenience or disturbance

at a minimum for our guests, says Phillip Couvaras, Sule
Shangri-Las general manager.
Prior to being based in Yangon, I was in Beijing for two
years overseeing Traders Upper East Hotel, Couvaras adds.
In comparison, Yangon has a shortage of hotels and it is
encouraging that hotel owners are re-investing in their assets
to provide guests with an improved experience of their culture
and city. The Myanmar people are gentle and sincere in their
interaction and have a genuine passion for the hotel industry.
They have the potential to develop and grow into true hoteliers
and have a long-term commitment to the industry.
And when Shangri-Las second hotel in Yangon opens in
2017, guests can choose between staying in the commercial
business district or at Lakeside Shangri-La, which is located by
Kandawgyi Lake.
The Loft Yangon is the ingnue in the citys hospitality
offerings. Its 32 boutique rooms and duplexes are housed near
the downtown core yet on relatively quiet Yaw Min Gyi Street,
about a block from the rail station and Bogyoke (formerly
Scott) Market.
Owner Frederic Goubet has given Yangon its first taste of
contemporary design merged with culture, with minimalistically
styled rooms dominated by red brick, black metal accents and
large-scale black and white photography depicting Burmese
street life. With the property still in soft opening stage, there
are plans for a retail area and restaurant slated to open later
this year.
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AHCT June 2014
21
o o d
gold
Weight in
ruffles and truffle oil have been described as the one

ingredient no chef can resist.
The growing popularity for this rare and revered
product, traditionally used in Italian haute cuisine, has
spread beyond Western cuisine.
Sushi chefs are serving truffle oil with sashimi, Chinese chefs
are pairing it with seafood and, increasingly, truffles are being used
in desserts such as black truffle ice cream.
Gregoir Cleary, managing director at Hong Kongs House of
Fine Wines (HOFWS) acknowledges truffle prices can be exorbitant,
but explains, Thats because air freight charges from source to
market are the biggest portion of the cost and have to be factored in.
But he goes on to say, a white truffle experience is something
you will never forget.
This season, HOFWS is focusing on Valnerina Truffle salsa,
a sauce with mushrooms, black olives and 10% summer truffle.
Our secondary products are whole summer truffles and white
truffle oil. Around 80% of our sales volume is in truffle salsa. The
truffle oil is olive oil with truffle bits and truffle aroma.
Christopher Poron is co-owner of truffle and truffle products
producer Plantin. Truffles are a very seasonal product only available
fresh for a couple of months in the year, hence the expense, he
believes.
On top of that, there is an amazing taste and flavour that people
love and all the mystery that is also around it, as we cannot cultivate
this tuber. Customers are always impatient to get the first truffles!
Plantin has been dealing in truffles since 1930, from the heart
of the French truffle production region.
During the season we buy the raw product directly from
farmers. We clean and process it and every truffle is checked and
categorised. So during the season we provide fresh truffles, but also
prepare all our preserved truffle products, such as preserved whole
truffle, pieces, peelings or brisures.
Plantin also carries a range of truffle-flavoured products, such
22
AHCT June 2014
Despite their cost, truffles

enjoy enduring popularity.
Zara Horner finds out why
that is, and how chefs are
using the legendary tuber
Picture: Plantin
as truffle oil.
The quality of the truffle oil depends on the quality of the truffle
aroma. Today, no truffle oil is made from infusing fresh truffles in
oil, because if it wont last. The flavour will disappear in a few hours.
It will also cost a lot more.
Poron says truffle oil was created so people who couldnt afford
the fresh product could still access the unique taste and aroma at a
more reasonable price.
But if you can go for the real thing it is always better, he insists.
The demand for truffles has been pretty high for the past year
but unfortunately the production has not been so good. Over 100
years ago in France we had a production of over 1,000 tons of black
truffles a year, but today we are about 30-40 tons.
Achieving the impossible
Supply imbalances, and pure flavourings are problems Al Blakers,

owner of Manjimup Truffles, says he can help with.
Manjimup Truffles in Western Australia is the largest producer
of perigord truffles in the southern hemisphere.
Blakers says the development of trufficulture in that part of the
world has thrown the sector into something of a spin.
According to accepted European [horticultural] science we
shouldnt be achieving what we are in Australia, he explains.
We are harvesting in very large volumes potentially 200
300kg per hectare unheard of in Europe, which has to scavenge
for the truffles across large tracts of land. But then we are in a unique
part of the world and it would seem perfect for truffles.
And Blakers has never been more excited about latest
developments in the industry in Australia.
Our business has gone through the roof. Demand is
outstripping supply by 100%. Weve got 20 new customers this
year and some pretty big players, too.
With an investment of A$100K and six years in the making,
Blakers has finally cracked the golden egg by producing a 100%
o o d
Hong Kongs House of Fine Wines distributes Valnerina

truffle salsa as well as other truffle products
Butter poached fillet of
French line-caught sea
bass with shaved fresh
black truffles at Hugos
Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha
Tsui, Hong Kong
Picture: The House of

Fine Wines
Truffles on the menu
unadulterated truffle flavouring.

Blakers has always prided himself on providing only the purist
product and refusing to have anything to do with off-shoot products
which until now have required a form of chemical synthesis to
ensure shelf life.
99.9% of anything which says truffle flavour or truffle aroma
has been produced using artificial petro chemicals. Its horrific,
shocking what ingredients are used in these products. Theyre a
hand grenade with the pin out.
But, at last we will soon be able to provide our customers with
pure flavouring. It will take about a year to build enough stock, but
this is going to revolutionise the truffle world. Pure truffle flavouring,
and aroma, which lasts.
With new orders from Asia coming in all the time, Blakers says
this is just what they have been waiting for from truffle producers,
and weve done it.
And for Blakers industry distributor colleagues this could not have
come soon enough.
Chefs are getting more adventurous when it comes to including
truffles and truffle products into their menus, Cleary says.
A favourite dish I enjoy is a meat ravioli, which contains
chicken, veal and pork. It has an intense flavour and matches the
truffle subtlety, which lifts the overall taste, perfectly.
A Hong Kong restaurant called Factory 99 has introduced a
signature gourmet burger with the truffle sauce, which is worth
mentioning as well.
For Poron, Chefs are amazing when it comes to finding new
recipes for truffles.
I think they like playing with the black truffle as it reacts well to
cooking. You can use it in so many ways as it goes well with nearly
anything. Chefs even use it for desserts now.
But I think the best rule is always to keep it simple and of
course have enough truffles in your dish to make a difference.
Nothing is more disappointing than having a truffle dish where
you cant taste the truffle!
In general I suggest using 10-15 grams of truffles in a dish.
And you can always use more if you wish!
AHCT June 2014
23
r i n k
The flavour factor
Kerrys DaVinci Gourmet classic range
From coffee and ice cream to cocktails

and sauces, syrups are a staple of every
bar and restaurant. Zara Horner finds out
the latest in this huge growth industry
n 2009, the flavourings and syrups industry was valued at

US$33.4 billion, and since then, with the continuing growth
of cafe culture in Asia, particularly in Korea, Japan, the
Philippines, Singapore and China, this figure is believed to
have risen considerably.
As well as coffee and espresso-based applications, flavourings
and syrups are a staple of cocktails, another huge growth area in
Asia-Pacific.
Foodservice supplier Kerry has a portfolio of brands specifically
developed with foodservice operators in mind.
Enabling customers to create innovative menu solutions and
maximise their offer while satisfying their guests ever discerning
expectations is at the forefront of the company mission, says
foodservice marketing manager, Anthony Wilkinson.
We are constantly looking for ways to enhance beverage
experiences for consumers and make life easier for operators to
create inspiring drinks and increase their margins at the same time,
Wilkinson says.
The company launched DaVinci Gourmet Frappe Choice to
allow baristas and progressive foodservice operators the chance to
express themselves in the world of blended beverages.
Frappe Choice is a liquid, frapp mix that can be used as a base
24
AHCT June 2014
for all frapp choices, including coffee and fruit mixes. Its non-dairy
base means it can be mixed with anything from soy milk, low fat
milk, full fat milk to smoothie bases, water or yoghurt.
Wilkinson says that customisation is king and as Frappe Choice
is a versatile base baristas can make any frapp they could wish for
or can think up.
Consumers want to be in control of what they order and so a
base like Frappe Choice puts the operator back in control and able
to cope with the rising demands of todays drinker, he says.
He goes on to point out that many customers are looking to
create a unique menu every day of the week, and that suppliers
have to enable this.
Keep the customer satisfied
Likewise, Italian company Toschi is working hard to stay ahead of

customers demands and needs.
This year Toschi will enrich the line of syrups with new flavours,
including anise, blueberry, mint mojito, easy spritz and elderflower,
says export manager Stefano Toschi.
Ideal for granitas, long drinks and milkshakes, our syrups are
also used to create cocktails quickly and easily.
Toschi says that mint mojito, easy spritz and elderflower syrups
r i n k
Syrups are there to

add flavour or to
marinate meat or
fish, to give a specific
taste or enhance
the caramelisation
process
Pino Lavarro,
The Ritz-Carlton,
Hong Kong
are proving particularly popular with customers at the moment and

thinks it may be because they allow the creation of more creative
mocktails.
These non-alcoholic alternative beverages can be made by
simply mixing our syrups with natural or sparkling water and a
pinch of fantasy for decoration: a mint leaf, a slice of orange or lime.
For lovers of the classics, drinks can be made following
traditional recipes but resulting in something just a little different
and more up to date for todays discerning customers.
A French syrups, liqueurs and gourmet sauces producer, Monin
now boasts a 140-strong flavour range. With more than 100 years
experience in the business, Asia marketing manager, Floride Talman
says quality remains the cornerstone of Monins production values.
Every bottle is lasered with a lot number and traceable reference
code for the ingredients and person responsible for blending them.
With our state of the art production processes we are always
ahead in use of technology and the creative development of new
products and applications. Imaginative drinks are what we want to
be able to help our customers deliver.
Customers look for quality and practical use above all else, Toschi
says. It even comes down to the fact that the bottles we use have
an easy, ergonomic shape.
Every day our research and development department works on
the preparation of new flavours and recipes. We observe the market
closely and propose new combinations and mixes to try to fulfill
special requests and create new opportunities.
Many projects are abandoned and many are carried forward
to become finished products.
Go big or go home
Wilkinson says Kerry operates similarly to keep ahead.

If you cant keep up with demand, you should just pack up
and go home! he says. This is what makes the world of speciality
beverages so exciting to be a part of.
Consumers expectations are always changing and are different
within and across market regions, so this means there is always a
desire for the next unique flavour or drink.
However, he stresses there must always be a balance between
having a core offering that works hard on the menu, and seasonal and
more expressive drinks that drive true engagement with consumers.
We have noted a move towards dessert-based beverages and
the use of beverages as an anytime snack, for example, [suggesting]
consumers are looking for something they can enjoy at any part of
the day, not just meal times.
This is a powerful insight for operators to maximise all-day
beverages offerings which keep the modern consumer fuelled up
on the go. Blended ice and smoothies are key to this.
Monin agrees and has several new offerings, including Asian
lemongrass.
With a hint of spiciness, this syrup delivers refreshing authentic
flavour, perfect to create beverages with an Asian twist, Talman says.
A common ingredient across Southeast Asian cooking,
lemongrass is becoming more and more popular all over the world.
Our Asian lemongrass syrup features an appealing herbal aroma with
a slight citrus note to create refreshing delights.
Talman suggests combining the syrup, which is transparent with
a hint of haziness, with lime, kaffir lime leaf, mint, and/or tamarind
AHCT June 2014
25
r i n k
In response to customer demand

Toschi has introduced a wide range
of new flavours this year
Praline from Monin
Tosca at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong syrups and flavourings

are important ingredients throughout the F&B department
to create an authentic Asian experience.

Monins lemonade concentrate is another new product.
Our customers have long wondered if lemonade is supposed to
be sparkling or not, Talman says. Actually, there is no right answer.
Everyone has their own idea of what a perfect original lemonade
should taste like and we have developed a perfect base to fulfill any
expectations for any type of lemonade, such as pink lemonades,
lemonades cocktails etc.
Yellow with orange glints, the concentrate is the perfect balance
between citrus sourness and sweetness, Talman says and has a
gentle citrus nose.
Thirdly, offering refreshing crispness is the new Le Fruit de
Monin Green Apple syrup.
26
AHCT June 2014
So easy to use, you can conjure up zingy green apple cocktails,

lemonades, sodas and iced teas in the blink of an eye, Talman
points out.
Apples are one of the most popular and enduring fruits with
more than 7,500 different varieties, ranging in colour from green
to gold to red.
Green apples, the most well-known variety being the Granny
Smith, are crisp, juicy and tart-sweet.
The refreshing taste can be enhanced by mixing with other
tart flavours or mellowed by mixing with rich, sweet notes such as
buttery toffee.
My favourite use of it is in cold tea, based on Monin Lemon
Tea concentrate, garnished with lemon slices and apple slices.
Moving ahead
We spend significant time developing new flavours, drink concepts

and recipes, Wilkinson points out.
Clearly there is always a cost attached to development work but
when we are able to launch a revolutionary product such as Frappe
Choice into the market, you can see where that investment pays off.
When it comes to flavours its as much to do with the flavour
itself as what customers do with it.
We would always recommend multiple uses for a flavour,
which allows operators to create different beverage experiences but
keep inventory tight.
Chef Pino Lavarra is director of Tosca restaurant at The RitzCarlton, Hong Kong. Demand is always growing in this sector
and we are constantly ready to follow and find new opportunities
in order to keep pace with guest demand, he says.
In order to maximise flexibility, Lavarra does not use a specific
brand of syrup.
For example, on some of my marinades I use honey instead.
For Lavarra syrups are there to add flavour or to marinate meat or
fish, to give a specific taste or enhance the caramelisation process.
For example, I love to enhance the flavour of red onion with a
grenadine syrup, which I actually infuse with basil.
Lavarra says syrups and flavourings are important ingredients
throughout the F&B department, including for ice creams and
sherbets, to dehydrate vegetables, cookies, cakes and pastries.
I find syrup flavours such as cherry, mint, and almonds most
useful.
Tea flavoured syrups from Giffard
q u i p me n t
If youve got it
flaunt it
A
The Merchant Box range from Athena allows the flexibility for
different display requirements thanks to its modular design
28
A HCT June 2014
s with many hospitality trends, it was the US that

perfected the modern buffet concept. It may have been
France or Sweden that originated the idea, depending
on which culinary history books you favour, but it was
America that saw the potential, both as consumer draw card, and
in terms of the bottom line.
Buffets make sense for both diners and restaurants. For
customers they offer a wide variety of food, which diners can serve
themselves, usually at a reasonable price, to suit those with large
and small appetites. They also allow people to mix and match and
experiment with cuisine they may be unfamiliar with.
For restaurants buffets offer economy of scale, a less intensive
wait staff requirement and potentially a healthy return on
investment. The Champagne buffet at the Four Seasons Hotel in
New York produces a typical take of US$15-20,000 in just three
hours on Sundays, for example.
About 60% of room guests will use the breakfast buffet.
Typically this will offer a minimum of fruit juices and other hot
and cold beverages, jams, conserves and other spreads, various
breads and pastries, vegetables and fruit, eggs to order, fried
breakfast meats, such as bacon and sausage, a cheese board,
yogurts, ethnic dishes, cold cuts, variety of crpes and more.
This requires a wide range of versatile equipment. Improved
service and eye-catching presentations have seen hotels rethink
their buffet offerings and, accordingly, the equipment used to
present food and keep it hot or cold has improved hugely over
the years.
A hospitality staple, the buffet

is a firm favourite with both
diners and management
and buffet equipment must
maximise its appeal, writes
Daniel Creffield
Andy Mannhart AG
Venta interior series mobile induction

buffet from Andy Mannhart
Daniel Sutter, CEO of Andy Mannhart AG, agrees that

functionality and design have advanced considerably. And this in
turn has boosted innovation, he adds.
Andy Mannhart offers a variety of solutions for the hospitality
industry. Their two latest innovations are livecookintable and the
mobile induction buffet.
livecookintable is the companys first modular and portable live
cooking furniture. Offering sleek design, high quality finishes and
patterns, what looks like luxury domestic kitchen furniture is actually
a new solution for professional catering.
livecookintable sets a new standard, enthuses Sutter. Its a
modular furniture system with interchangeable devices for live cooking
and food presentation. It is easy to set up, assemble and dismantle,
without using tools. It is intuitive to handle and carry.
In the livecookintable frame, devices can be inserted as needed,
whether to boil, chill, grill, warm or cook in a wok. Up to five devices
can be used within one frame while the cooking odours are easily
filtered out with the mobile Airwall.
Applicable in catering areas, including banqueting rooms,
restaurants, event locations, cooking schools, fairs and exhibition
centres, casinos, terraces, VIP lounges and sport stadiums,
livecookintables high quality manufacturing and modular concept
makes it compact to store and easy to transport for outside catering
and it is available in three sizes, adds Sutter.
Meanwhile Andy Mannharts mobile induction buffet Venta
interior series was developed to meet the professional demands of the
hotel, catering and event business.
THE EASY WAY

ALL IN ONE:
Live-Cooking-Station
Dinner Events
Event Catering
Tasting
Restaurant / Bartable
Casino / Canteen
Chefs Table
VIP Lounge Catering
Cooking Class
Selfservice-Buffet
www.andymannhart.com
YOUTUBE
LIVECOOKINTABLE
MOVIE
q u i p me n t
Asian Counter, Carousel, Royal Plaza on Scotts
Turkish cast iron Lava brand from Athena
The interior is very functional and flexible in order to enable

adjusting to specific needs, says Sutter. Its a winning combination
of design and function.
Venta tables can be folded, stools can be stacked and all can be
stored in transportable trolleys for effective space saving.
Our Stage Induction tables are easy to handle and attractive,
adds Sutter. The Venta buffet equipment is easy to use for both
guests and staff. Our field induction table is a perfect system to keep
the food warm (no cooking). The induction tables include four fields
to place chafing dishes and/or pots with different temperature options
(range: 50-100C to keep the food warm, adjustable in 1C steps).
Whet the customers appetite
Athena Tableware HK offers buffet solutions for displaying bakery and

cheese, cold cuts and salads, juice and fruit, warm and grilled food,
30
A HCT June 2014
noodle and congee, savoury and desserts. Utensils are designed

to maintain freshness of food and whet the customers appetite,
according to director Asia Raymond Tam.
Having the right utensils with good design, well-rounded
functionality and safe material only means you may serve your
food properly, but not necessarily sexily, he stresses. Nowadays
customers wish to see stories while they taste the food. To cope
with ever-evolving demands, chefs and FB professionals may
need to redesign or modify the display stories from buffet bench
to dining table, from big theme to small touch.
Tam says that while there are many different ways to build
a create a strong buffet identity, it is possible to make it more
systematic and easier to achieve, whether looking for a rustic home
feel, a market look or other idea.
Athenas latest Merchant Box range offers great flexibility for
different display requirement thanks to its modular design, which
allows users to create their own desired height and depth of box.
Meanwhile the companys Prince series induction chafers offer
top quality, work on all kind of heating sources and are designed
to keep food fresh and attractive for hours.
Athenas ranges of miniatures are best for serving savoury,
desserts and petit fours suitable for smaller and healthier food
portions.
Athenas prestige Turkish cast iron Lava brand offers colours
with a homely touch for the buffet setting.
Produced for over 40 years in Turkey, the Lava brand embodies
the most advanced iron casting and enamelling techniques.
Features include excellent conductivity, moisture retention for
simmering and a perfect grilling performance.
Favoured by great chef and amateurs alike for years, Lava
provides solutions for serving on table and displaying on buffets via
livecookintable modular and portable live cooking furniture range from Andy Mannhart AG
Vidacasa offers a temperature-controlled serveware system for chefs and caterers seeking
modern, efficient ways to keep food hot or cold, without electrical cords, fire or ice
q u i p me n t
different size pots and pans in different colours and is perfect for
presenting, roasting, baking, frying, risotto and other applications.
The seven open satellite kitchens in Royal Plaza on Scotts
award-winning buffet restaurant, Carousel, serve up Japanese,
Mediterranean, Western and Asian cuisine.
Kitchen equipment for the restaurant is chosen for its
functionality, quality and ability to complement the look of the
restaurant. It includes convection ovens, hot plates, induction
woks and induction chafing dishes. The modern technology
utilised ensures temperatures remain consistent throughout the
meal period, says Abraham Tan, F&B manager at the property.
The dishes on the buffet counter are prepared on the spot
with this equipment so guests can enjoy freshly cooked food. It
enables chefs to braise, deep fry, roast, pan fry and gratinate at
the buffet counters. This also helps to increase productivity in
the restaurant as associates do not have to shuttle back and forth
between the kitchens and restaurant for replenishments.
Associates can also engage guests better to create a great
dining experience. The time saved can be then channelled into
other aspects of operations.
Carousel offers a live cooking pasta station, which utilises
induction stoves for the pasta section and an iron griddle at the
Teppanyaki counter.
Other equipment guests have direct access to includes userfriendly soft-serve yoghurt machines, self-serve coffee and hot
chocolate machines and chocolate fountains. The interactive
element is very well received by guests, Tan adds.
BUFFET SETUPS - designed by ZIEHER!

Th e O r iginal SKYLINE!
0
Skyline
Solid
Squareline
Podia
GERMANY
w w w. z i eher.com
w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / Z i e h e r G e r m a n y

AHCT June 2014
31
31
q u i p me n t
Lets get
physical
The long-held industry

belief that while 70%
of hotel guests base
booking decisions on
whether the property
has a gym, but only 7%
then actually use the
gym, is no longer valid,
reports Michelle Cheng
32
A HCT June 2014
ravellers in Asia are becoming

decidedly more health conscious.
Not only is this reflected in the
regions cuisine, but also in the increasing
demand for quality fitness equipment at
hotels and resorts. Hotels also report that
their gyms are being used by an increasingly
diverse demographic.
Anthony Cheng, health club manager
of Conrad Hong Kong, notices that
Japanese and Korean guests have always
been very health conscious. We also
observe an increasing number of mainland
visitors using health club facilities. Business
travellers usually visit the club before or
after work.
Caroline Risby, marketing manager
Asia-Pacific at Precor, one of the worlds
largest fitness equipment suppliers for
commercal gym sees a similar situation in
the fitness market in Asia.
The once niche wellness travel sector

is booming, thanks to an increased concern
about healthy living, coupled with a growing
middle class with a higher disposable
income.
Precor equipment is being sold across
Asia, adds Risby. China, India and
Indonesia are all booming hospitality
markets, so were seeing a lot of new hotels
in need of fitness centres in these areas,
she adds.
Technogym, which has been offering
innovative solutions since 1983, also sells
products and solutions around Asia with
a direct presence in mainland China,
Japan, Australia and Hong Kong, and
exclusive distributors in Korea, Philippines,
Taiwan, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia
and India.
Tommaso Cancellara, Technogyms
Parkroyal on Pickering wellness floor pool and gym
q u i p me n t
Technogym UNITY console
APAC marketing manager, sees the benefits

of exercising at a whole new level. Wellness
is a social opportunity for everybody: for
governments to reduce health costs, for
companies to increase productivity and
realise full staff potential and for society
as a whole to improve peoples health and
daily lifestyles.
Conrads Cheng agrees, adding that as
far as their gym is concerned, equipment
is equally popular for cardio and weight
purposes. The treadmill is one of the most
popular facilities since it suits people with
different exercise capacities.
For Life Fitness, a pioneer in the
industry, the treadmill is the most popular
of the 400 products it delivers to thousands
of commercial and home fitness customers
worldwide.
They are in demand by users for a great
running experience, suggests David Chioe,
Wellness is a social opportunity

for everybody: for governments
to reduce health costs,
for companies to increase
productivity and realise full staff
potential and for society as a
whole to improve peoples health
and daily lifestyles
Tommaso Cancellara, Technogym

AHCT June 2014
33
33
q u i p me n t
Life Fitness PowerMill
global accounts manager of Life Fitness

Asia-Pacific. Cardio exercise, especially
running, has continued to be the most
popular exercise in gyms, which we believe
has to do with the increased awareness of the
importance of exercise as part of a modern
lifestyle.
Easy care essential
Gym equipment can be expensive. Easy

maintenance and durability therefore
become the priorities hospitality groups
look for when weighing up purchasing
decisions. Technogyms Cancellara knows
very well that hotels look for a peace of
mind solution.
With the wellness area just one of
many facilities hotels must take care of, wellmaintained equipment works in maximising
their financial return, potentially leading to
increased trade-in value in conjunction with
increased member satisfaction.
Precors Risby shares the same view.
Reliability is the key, especially in
unsupervised fitness centres. Hotels dont
[always] have the resources to deal with
breakdowns, and may not even notice
something is wrong until a guest reports it.
User friendliness is also essential, since
there may not be instructors or personal
trainers on hand to guide guests on how to
operate equipment. It needs to be intuitive,
so people easily know exactly what to do at
a glance, she adds.
Besides a comprehensive selection of
quality gym equipment, travellers often
expect technology when they are enjoying
the gym. The ability to track their workout
data on smartphones and other wearable
devices is becoming increasingly popular.
Cancellara is excited to introduce
Technogyms UNITY console. We live in a
digital world and Asia is leading the change
where, with smartphones, tablets and new
34
A HCT June 2014
communication technologies, we are always

connected to our online content.
Travellers need to customise the
information and entertainment options on
cardio equipment, much as they customise
their mobile devices. With the look and feel
of a tablet, Technogyms UNITY console
provides an interactive experience that
constantly offers new programmes and
virtual training sessions.
Its features are designed to give a
personalised, intuitive, easy-to-use training
experience. Users can log in through several
different ways and immediately access their
favourite social media, apps, TV channels
and websites. Users then interact with
the screen as if they were using a tablet by
swiping, scrolling or clicking through from
one activity to another, adds Cancellara.
Get with the programme
The advance of personal IT devices is

helping to keep track of exercise programmes
and progress, explains Life Fitness Chioe.
The personal experience is dramatically
enhanced when getting on a piece of
equipment that recognises you and lets you
access your favourite contents right away.
Exercise apps on personal IT devices
allow users to virtually workout with a
buddy remotely via an internet connection.
They are one of the latest technologies that
makes a users workout more challenging
and engaging. We are expecting to see more
apps of a similar kind becoming available in
the market, Chioe says.
Risby agrees that digital progress
tracking is the hottest fitness trend in Asia.
There are now thousands of apps on iTunes
and Google Play to help people track every
aspect of health and fitness. Not to mention
watches that track the distance youve run
via GPS, fashion fitness wristbands like
FitBit that track calories and more.
Precor equipment at Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok
The Capitol Hotel Tokyu guests request a

large variety of gym equipment
Digital progress tracking is now being

embraced by the masses, not just the
hardcore fitness elite. And its easy to see
why: People feel great when they see that
they are improving by beating a previous
time; it keeps them motivated and therefore
more likely to achieve their goals.
Whether the gym is equipped with
equipment that can track their workout
properly is becoming an important factor
when users look at their gym experience.
As gym users become more
knowledgeable about the equipment they
use, the industry is looking increasingly
at customisation offer to differentiate
their gym from the competition and
provide greater options and a richer
experience for guests. The ability to offer
different levels of customisation and choices
of equipment will become more
important.
r o d u c t
e w s
All juiced up
The result of 60 years of experience, the
new centrifugal juice extractor Miracle
Edition #68 is the latest product from
Santos, a leading manufacturer of
commercial juicers.
The centrifugal juice extractor is
designed for hotels, bars, restaurants,
cafeterias, cocktail bars, institutions,
hospitals, health food stores, juice bars,
ice cream shops and anywhere else
fresh juice is served, the company says,
adding that it is more powerful, more
robust and easier to clean.
Continuous juice production by

centrifugal action and automatic pulp
ejection is possible thanks to the
extractor, with a high output of more than
one litre per minute. Because of a wide
circular feeding hole (the diameter of
which is 79mm), there is no need to cut
fruit or vegetables, Santos says.
And with a stainless steel bowl and
base, the unit is easy to use and clean.
All removable parts can be put in a
dishwasher or easily cleaned with hot
soapy water.
For more information: www.santos.fr
At-visions
integrates
Chromecast
Austrias at-visions has announced the
integration of Googles Chromecast with
its ONEvision Hotel TV solution, providing
hotel guests the opportunity to connect
their devices to the in-room TV to play
content they prefer.
Instead of using the guests device
to receive content via the internet and
then streaming it to the TV, wouldnt it be
better to just tell the TV which content
to play and let it do the streaming by
itself? Well, that is exactly the functionality
Chromecast provides. Based on the
DIAL (Discovery and Launch) Protocol, it
receives the information on what to play
from the guests device, launches the
necessary app (such as Netflix, Youtube,
BBC iPlayer, etc.) and starts playing. This
way the guests device doesnt have to
stream, is normally useable to browse or
check emails, doesnt drain battery power,
etc. because it is just checking what is
played on the TV while Chromecast does
all the hard work.
For more information:
www.at-visions.com
36
AHCT June 2014
Nespresso
shows its
Inissiative
The Inissia is Nespressos latest
coffee machine. Recently awarded
the prestigious Red Dot Award for
Product Design 2014, it is designed
by longtime Nespresso design partner,
Antoine Cahen from Les Ateliers du
Nord in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is a
compact, contemporary solution bringing
together modern design, functionality

and fun. Sleek, streamlined and simple to
use, the Inissia features all of Nespressos
advanced technologies, including a
quick, 25-second heat up time, a 19 bar
pressure extraction system, automatic
pre-programmed coffee buttons to
ensure the perfect coffee serving size
each time and an automatic power off
mode after nine minutes of inactivity.
www.nestle-nespresso.com
r o d u c t
e w s
V&B and
Belmond
expand
collaboration
Along with long-term cutlery partner,
Broggi, German ceramics manufacturer
Villeroy & Boch has become the
preferred tableware supplier to Belmond,
and will supply that companys
luxury hotels, river cruisers and trains
worldwide.
Many in Belmonds portfolio already
feature Villeroy & Boch tableware,
including river cruiser Belmond Orcaella
in Myanmar and Belmond Grand Hotel
Europe in St Petersburg and the worldfamous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
train from London to Venice.
Villeroy & Bochs Hotel and
Restaurant Division has equipped the
Venice Simplon-Orient-Expresss three
on-board restaurant cars with high
quality, exclusively designed tableware
since 2012. Named LOriental, Etoile
du Nord and Cte dAzur, each series
is made of premium bone porcelain and
features a custom-made pattern that
reflects the trains vintage art-deco style
interiors.
www.villeroy-boch.com
Portable
pavilion from
Kettal
Kettal has come out with a new Winter
Garden pavilion, which comes in a largerthan-usual standard size (5.3m x 5.3m x
2.8m) and with optional special sizes. It
is finished in tempered glass on both the
sides which feature sliding doors and
casement windows and the ceiling. The
Winter Garden pavilion has a new closed
aluminium ceiling and a new sliding
ceiling made of fabric.
It provides a completely closed
space, although all its sides can be
removed for conversion to a pergola. The
floor is made of composite wooden slats.
With single or double aluminium
frame, Kettal Landscape pavilions seek

to bring order, form and structure to
outdoor areas, although functionally they
are designed to provide shelter: to shade
and cool or protect from the rain and
wind.
Also available from Kettal is its Basket
chair, created in the 1950s by Danish
designers Nanna and Jrgen Ditzel.
Made from oak, it comes in its original
version, hand-braided in wicker, and in
an outdoor version, made from artificial
fibre and teak.
The cushion fabrics, also designed
by Nanna Ditzel, the queen of Danish
design, are pure new wool and come
in four colour combinations and eight
Hallingdal fabrics by Kvadrat.
www.kettal.com
ASUS wi-fi
projector
With 700-lumen light output and WXGA
1280 x 800 resolution, the ASUS B1M
Ultra-bright Wireless LED Projector
delivers bright, sharp visuals. It features
a small wi-fi adapter which allows stream
presentations and connects wirelessly
to a notebook PC, or Android and iOS
devices.
This removes the need to carry a
video cable solely for presentation use,
and allows presentations, documents
and multimedia files to be streamed to
the B1M wirelessly from elsewhere in a
room. An Android or iOS device can also
be used as a wireless remote control for
a presentation, and even to annotate

slides in real time.
The travel-friendly B1M weighs less
than 900g (2lbs) and easily fits inside
bags and briefcases. Compatible with
most ASUS notebook AC adapters, it
offers the convenience to power the
B1M if you happen to forget to bring the
projector charger. The B1M also comes
with two-level kickstand design for a
higher, more easily-viewable level.
www.asus.com

AHCT June 2014
37
u l i n a r y
e w s
Exclusively Salon 2002

Hong Kong leading premium wine importer Altaya Wines has become the exclusive
distributor of Salon 2002 Champagne in Hong Kong. Regarded as an outstanding
vintage, Salons 2002 has been allowed extra time in the cellar to develop a more mature
character.
The legendary champagne house Salon was formed in 1911, with its first vintage
in 1905 produced from one single cru, le Mesnil-sur-Oger. In the past 103 years,
Champagne Salon has produced 37 vintages, all highly admired.
Mellow golden in colour with a delicate yet lively nose, Salon 2002 is priced at US$426
per bottle and US$974 per magnum.
For more information: www.altayawines.com
Not too Chablis

The Bourgogne Wine Board was recently in Hong Kong to promote Chablis.
Chablis, in Bourgogne, is renowned as one of the classic white wines, producing
a distinct dry combination of citrusy, floral and mineral aromas.
The annual event is hosted by the Bourgogne Wine Board and this year
focused on seven Chablis wines ranging from Petit Chablis to Chablis Grand Cru.
Chablis wine producer Sbastien Christophe guided guests through the
diversity of terroirs presented by Chablis wines, famed for their distinctive
minerality, refreshing crispness and elegant purity.
The wines included Petit Chablis 2012, Domaine Christophe et Fils; Chablis
2012, Domaine Jean Collet et Fils; Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2011, Domaine Grard
Tremblay; Chablis Premier Cru Vau de Vey 2012, Domaine Laroche; Chablis
Premier Cru Fourchaume 2012, Maison Simonnet-Fbvre; Chablis Grand Cru
Bougros Cte Bouguerots 2011, Domaine William Fvre; Chablis Grand Cru
Preuses 2011, La Chablisienne.
For more information: www.chablis-wines.com
Rhne Valley showcase

A showcase of wines from Frances fastest growing exporter, Rhne Valley, took place
at VINEXPO Asia-Pacific 2014 last month.
Hong Kong is Asias third-largest market for Rhne Valley wines, with a total of
6,600 hl exported in 2013, representing growth of 33% and an expanding market
share. Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan and South Korea are its four leading Asian
markets.
In the past year, Rhne Valley Wines registered a 5% rise in volume and a 9% rise
in value across all markets, while export sales surpassed 30%.
Seen as good value in terms of quality and affordability in the region, bottle prices
typically range between US$10 and US$20.
Rhne Valley wines are especially renowned for matching with food. Under a
promotional campaign called The Taste of Rhne the region has worked closely with
over 300 restaurants in mainland China and Hong Kong, pairing its wines with Chinese
cuisine. Wine pairing tips with Chinese dishes are also on its website.
The Rhne Valley is the second largest A.O.C. in France with more than 6,000
grape growers, covering 188,700 acres and delivering more than 390 million bottles of
wine per year.
For more information: www.rhone-wines.com
38
AHCT June 2014
u l i n a r y
e w s
Wisemenship wine
collection
Chinas winemaker Dynasty Fine Wines has launched a unique
tribute to traditional Chinese culture, the Wisemenship Wine
Collection. The collection of four vintages is named after the Four
Gentlemen, also known as the Four Noble Ones, of ancient Chinese
folklore.
Depicted as four plants the orchid (Elegantia), bamboo (Modesta), chrysanthemum
(Ravissantia) and plum blossom (Fiera) they represent the admirable qualities of character and refined
skills in traditional Chinese scholarship, now replicated in Chinas finest wines.
The premium collection was launched to target the corporate market at VINEXPO Asia-Pacific 2014.
Dynasty produces and exports some of Chinas finest wines. Headquartered at Chateau Dynasty in Tianjin, the group also works
with a number of renowned wineries from France, New Zealand and Spain importing their luxury wines to China, marketed through
Dynasty Fine Wines expanding distribution network.
Dynasty is the premier winemaker in the Peoples Republic of China, established in 1980 as a joint venture with Remy Cointreau.
For more information: www.dynasty-wines.com
Fortissio, bravo!
Nespresso has re-released its Fortissio Lungo Grand Cru, as a richer, more full-bodied, long coffee experience. Fortissio Lungo has
been re-mastered to deliver a more intense Grand Cru, which has jumped one notch to 8 on the Nespresso coffee intensity scale.
This renovated blend is now the most intense coffee of the Nespresso Lungo range. Increasing the blends intensity was
achieved while continuing Nespressos relationship with farmers in the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program a
commitment to build strong and long-lasting relationships with coffee farmers and ensure the coffee is consistently of
the highest quality.
Fortissio Lungo rejoins the Nespresso Lungo range of Grands Crus, which includes Linizio
Lungo with its malted cereal notes and Vivalto Lungo with its subtle floral and
roasted notes, both with an intensity of 4. Rounding out the Nespresso
Lungo range is the light and full-flavoured Decaffeinato Lungo with an
intensity of 3.
For more information: www.nestle-nespresso.com
All-natural noodles launched

By Jenny Wang
A new line of pasteurised and preservative-free noodles has been launched in Hong Kong.
The Kang Kang range comprises six varieties Hokkien Noodles, Hokkien Flat Noodles,
Kway Teow, Silver Needle Noodles, Laksa and Hor Fun. The suggested retail price for each
pack is around HK$15 (US$2).
Produced by Singapore-based Tan Seng Kee Foods (TSK), Kang Kang noodles are
pasteurised and preservative and additive free. It is also the first in the fresh noodle industry
in Singapore to be Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) certified.
Continuing a family legacy that dates back to 1936, Annie Tan and her brother Raymond
are third-generation owners of TSK Foods. Adapting a traditional family recipe, the siblings have reinvented the way locals consume
fresh noodles.
In the past, noodles purchased from wet markets and kept refrigerated had a limited shelf life of only a few days. With the arrival
of Kang Kang noodles, TSK is set to revolutionise a much-loved staple of the Hong Kong diet.
Originally solely producing rice noodles, TSK did not branch out into other noodle varieties until the 1970s.
A dietary staple in Asian countries, TSK takes the masses as its target customer, making its noodles affordable and accessible
commented Annie Tan, adding that following global trends, the company is hoping to introduce more health-orientated products.
For more information: www.tskfood.com
AHCT June 2014
39
v e n t s
Date
Event
ORGANIsER
June 18 20

Food & Hotel Myanmar 2014,

Myanmar Convention Centre
Yangon
The International Exhibition for Food & Drink, Hotel,

Restaurant, Bakery & Food Service Equipment, Supplies
& Services.
Bangkok Exhibition Services Ltd.

Tel: +66 2 615 1255 Fax: +66 2 615 2991
press@besallworld.com www.foodandhotelmyanmar.com
Jun 26 28

The 12th Guangzhou International

Hospitality Equipment &
Supplies Fair
China Import and Export Fair
Area A, Guangzhou, China
HOSFAIR Guangzhou is a platform for Chinese and

foreign hotel suppliers, manufacturers and agents.
Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd.

9H, Jinsui Tower, No.900 Guangzhou Ave Mid
Guangzhou, 510620, China
Tel: +86 20 3891 0875 / 3886 6965 Fax: +86 20 2222 3568
hosfair@hosfair.com www.hosfair.com
Aug 27 29

Natural & Organic Products Asia

Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre
Wan Chai
Hong Kong
Natural & Organic Products Asia is the only event to

deliver the entire natural and organic industry under
one roof in Asia. It showcases more than 1,000 items
and provides an opportunity for business professionals
from the natural and organic sector to connect with
the industrys top decision makers, leading experts and
opinion leaders.
Diversified Communications Hong Kong

Tel +852 3105 3970
Fax: +852 3105 3983
info@naturalproducts.com.hk
www.divcom.com.hk
Sep 2 4

Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong 2014

Hong Kong Convention &
Exhibition Centre
Wan Chai
Hong Kong
Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong is the fastest growing

exhibition for the hospitality sector in the Asia-Pacific
region. Currently in its 12th year, it has a growing
reputation as the biggest and best niche gourmet
hospitality event in the region. It focuses on presenting
excellent products and services to inspire and create ideas.

Unit B, 32/F, @Convoy169 Electric Road,
North Point, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3105 3970 Fax: +852 3105 3974
sales@restaurantandbarhk.com
www.restaurantandbarhk.com
Sep 2 4

Seafood Expo Asia

Hong Kong Convention &
Exhibition Centre
Wan Chai
Hong Kong
The 5th Seafood Expo Asia is an annual, seafood-only

expo that connects retail, foodservice, and distribution
buyers with suppliers of live, fresh, frozen and packaged
seafood products and services worldwide, showcasing
a wide selection of premium seafood products and
complementary services.

Unit B, 32/F, @Convoy169 Electric Road, North
Point, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3105 3970 Fax: +852 3105 3974
ilam@divevents.com.hk
www.seafoodexpo.com/asia
Sept 20 22

Laundry Expo
Shanghai Everbright Convention &
Exhibition Center
Shanghai
The most influential and authoritative annual event in

the China laundry industry, Laundry Expo showcases
the latest technologies, machines, apparatus and
chemicals for laundry, dry-cleaning, stain removing,
ironing, dyeing and disinfecting.
Unifair Exhibition Service Co., Ltd.

Tel: +86 20 83276369
Fax: +86 20 8327 6330
echo@unifair.com
www.laundryexpo.cn
Sep 28 30

The Hotel Show

Dubai World Trade Centre
Dubai
Celebrating 15 successful years in 2014, The Hotel Show

is the largest dedicated hotel and hospitality exhibition
for the Middle East region. Including investment,
build, design and fit-out, refurbishing, operating
and management, it is for everyone involved at every
touchpoint of the industry.
DMG Events
PO Box 33817, 5th Floor, The Palladium, Cluster C,
Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971 4 445 3749 Fax: +971 4 438 0358
rogercardoso@dmgeventsme.com
www.dmgeventsme.com
Oct 15 17

Hotel Investment Conference Asia

Pacific (HICAP)
InterContinental Hong Kong
Hong Kong
For 25 years, HICAP has been the unequalled annual

gathering place for Asia-Pacifics hotel investment
community, attracting the most influential owners,
developers, lenders, executives, and professional advisors
from around the globe. Make new contacts, strengthen
existing relationships, learn, orchestrate a deal and
attend energetic sessions and workshops and unrivalled
networking events.
BHN, Horwath HTL, and Stiles Capital Events

Tel: +1 714 540 9300
marketing@burba.com
www.HICAPconference.com.
www.HICAPconference.com
Nov 26 28

The 10th International Hotel Expo

Cotai Strip CotaiExpo
(The Venetian Macao)
Macau
International Hotel Expo is the longest-running

exhibition for the hospitality industry in Macau.
Combining exhibition, conference and awarding
activities, it is a multi-dimensional platform supported
and attended by increasing numbers of executives from
hotels and related associations from China, Thailand,
Malaysia, South Korea, Philippines and more.
Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd.

Room B, 16/F, Times Tower
391-407 Jaffe Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Tel: 852 2827 6766 / 3187 7226 Fax: 852 2827 6870
general@coastal.com.hk yannes@coastal.com.hk
www.coastal.com.hk www.hotel-exhibition.com
28-30 SEPTEMBER 2014

DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE
40
Details
AHCT June 2014
x h i b i t i o n s
Food & Hotel Asia 2014

closes on a high
COMING NEXT
FHA 2016 and WSA 2016
Singapore Expo
April 12 15, 2016
www.foodnhotelasia.com
ood&HotelAsia2014 (FHA2014), Asias largest and muchanticipated mega biennial food and hospitality tradeshow, closed
on a high on April 11. Attendees to the show had an exhilarating
week closing deals, forging new partnerships, making new business
contacts and learning about the latest trends in the industry.
We are pleased to see the show flourishing over the years, said
Stephen Tan, chief executive of Singapore Exhibition Services (SES),
organisers of the tradeshow. It is now a renowned platform that brings
tremendous value to our exhibitors and visitors. With the show growing
with each edition, our team will continuously innovate in order to meet
rising and evolving expectations from all participants.
The 19th edition of the show started off by setting new records.
Spanning an area of 102,000 square metres, the show had 3,213
exhibitors, the largest assembly to date, and 63 group pavilions. It
attracted 64,826 attendees, 43% of them from overseas.
German company SYS Systemfiltration, the producers of the
Vito Oil Filter System and oil tester, reported that it had closed a deal
worth US$136,816 with an Australian company and another worth
US$45,149 with a Singapore seafood chain. A US$95,768 deal with a
China company is pending.
We have sold more than 100 units in the first three days of the
exhibition, an average of 30 per day, said Michael Theiss, sales director
of SYS Systemfiltration, a third-time exhibitor at FHA. People are now
not looking for basic technology but innovation and a touch of green for
their business. So they come to us. FHA is the most important event in
Asia for our company. It has helped us to touch base with our potential
buyers and to meet our partners from all over Asia.
Keng Sheng Engineering sold two process cookers for S$450,000
(US$360) and S$325,000 (US$260) respectively. Earlier, within
minutes of the official opening of the show, Dutch hotel room products
manufacturer Bentley Europe concluded a deal with Tritunggal
Adyabuana, an Indonesian hotel and restaurant supplies company, for
1,000 Sirocco hair dryers.
There were many positive remarks over quality buyers and exhibits
at the show.
We had a good mixture of Australian companies which have
an established presence in the market and companies that are
trying to break into the market, said Christopher Rees, senior trade
commissioner of the Australian Trade Commission, representing
exhibitors at the Australian Pavilion.
They are happy with the show. The established companies had a
chance to meet their distributors while the others met good visitors from
many countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand
and Vietnam. They were serious buyers, who knew what they wanted.
Clearly, the show has a regional presence which many exhibitors are
happy about.
AHCT June 2014
41
\ E
x h i b i t i o n s
HOTELEX Shanghai
2014 sets new records
COMING NEXT
HOTELEX Shanghai
Shanghai New Intl Expo Centre
March 30 April 2, 2015
rganised by China Tourism Hotel Association, Shanghai UBM

Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co., Ltd, and supported
by Shanghai Tourism, HOTELEX Shanghai 2014 came to a
successful conclusion on April 3 at the Shanghai New International
Expo Centre, having brought together more exhibitors and visitors than
in any previous year.
There were more than 1,600 exhibitors taking up 14 halls,
covering an exhibiting area of 140,000 square metres. This marked
a 19.5% growth compared with 2013. Famous international brands
from Italy, Spain, USA, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other
countries and regions came together at the exhibition to display their
new products and explore more business opportunities.
The number of professional visitors also saw impressive growth,
with a 16% increase over 2013. There were 81,596 professional
visitors participating from over 132 countries and regions.
Coffee culture always plays an important role of HOTELEX.
Among the many events taking place during the exhibition, the 2014
China Barista Championship was once again a hit among coffee
professionals and enthusiasts, with 43 regional winners representing
24 Chinese cities. Zhang Yinzhe from Dalian emerged as the champion
who will represent China to attend the World Barista Championship,
which will be held in Seattle next year.
Other events included a World Latte Art Championship, a China
Cup Tasters Championship, a China Master Bartender Competition,
the 2014 China Gelato Championship, the Im chef China Bakery
Master Championship, the China Pizza Championship and the
Jinhong Cup Star Hotel Western Buffet Display Competition.
HOTELEX 2014 also featured a Star Hotel Uniform Competition,
where models displayed the latest trends in uniform design. Five firsttier hotel groups competed, including Tian Ping Hotel, Yan An Hotel,
Dong Jiao Hotel, Ceisip Hotel Shanghai and Holiday Inn Shanghai
Pudong. Yanan Hotel ended up winning the competition.
www.hotelex.cn
42
A
HCT June 2014
n t e r v i e w
A vision of hospitality
Karma Royal Groups chairman John Spence, credited with
pioneering the holiday ownership concept in Asia, tells
Catharine Nicol why what he does is not the kind of the
thing you can learn at hotel management school
ou may have heard of Karma Resorts. The Ibiza cool meets

Balinese charm of ber-luxurious Karma Kandara on the
cliffs of Uluwatu gets much of the attention. However,
Karma Royal Groups portfolio includes 22 resorts across Asia,
Europe, Australia and the Caribbean and employs more than
3,000 people within brand names Chakra Resorts, Karma Beach
International, Karma Spa and Royal Resorts.
The captain at the helm of this fast-growing fleet is John Spence,
university dropout, ex music agent and philanthropist.
Of course when you drop out of university and wind up
managing 80s greats such as Eurythmics, Bananarama and Culture
Club youre more high-flyer than failure.
Every night of the week you were on a guest list of 20 bars
and clubs. You could pick a band up at midnight and lose them by
seven in the morning, he remembers. It was huge fun though.
And it taught me how to sell. How to be direct and get a decision
out on the day.
People think if you have a band like Culture Club life is easy.
In reality every band starts as nothing. When you have a transvestite
lead singer playing songs no one has heard of, its brutal. Plus the
commodity was always moving. They might leave you. They might
smash up a hotel room.
Spence took his sales skills and sold holiday property for Global
Group for almost a decade before a life-changing trip to Goa spurred
him to create Royal Resorts, a vacation ownership company.
So Im not really a hotelier, Im a sales person. I sell property,
real estate and hotel nights. The reason we have developed hotels
is to provide and deliver on the promise of what were selling. We
could have brought in outside brands but I felt we could deliver a
better product.
Beach clubs, music, CDs, wine whether its the Laura Ashley
Estate or a fashion show or the kids club, we have fun. We do
things I think my friends will like. Its not what you learn at hotel
management school!
Like any good hotelier (and perhaps sales person), he gleans as
much as he can from wherever he is and transforms the best ideas
into his own properties.
I spend my life picking up ideas. I have a diary and if I dont
have two or three entries every day its a bad day. Im a plagiarist
and I morph ideas into my own products. Without a shadow of a
doubt, the gods of boutique hotels were Adrian Zecha and Aman
44
AHCT June 2014
Resorts. I learned a lot and took a lot from Aman.

But if he takes a lot, he also gives back. I believe, as I think most
people in Asia do, There but for the grace of God go I. There are
so many obvious examples of poverty and I feel very motivated to
give back. We support a school in Bangalore, an orphanage in Bali,
the Karma Foundation its the concept of Karma, the name. Its
a nave interpretation, give to the universe and youll get back and
its much more than that, but I definitely think there is a karmic
quality to the universe.
15-17 OCTOBER 2014

INTERCONTINENTAL HONG KONG
Patrons
InterContinental Hotels Group
Jones Lang LaSalle
Jumeirah Group
Langham Hospitality Group
pentahotels
Platinum Sponsors
Accor Asia Pacific
Ashford
Baker & McKenzie
Canyon Equity LLC
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
CBRE Hotels
FSC Architects
Hilton Worldwide
Hyatt International Asia Pacific Limited
KPMG
Marriott International, Inc.

Mayer Brown JSM
MGM Hakkasan Hospitality
Milbank
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts
Paul Hastings LLP
Premier Inn
Proskauer
QUO
Ryan Lawyers
Shangri-La International Hotel
Management Ltd.
The Brand Company
The Indian Hotels Company Limited
WATG / Wimberly Interiors
Media Sponsors
Asian Hotel + Catering Times
GlobalHotelNetwork.com
Hotel Analyst
Hotel News Now
Hotelier Indonesia
HOTELS Magazine
Sleeper Magazine
ST Media Group International
TTG Asia
Supporters
HAMA Asia Pacific
International Finance Corporation
International Society of
Hospitality Consultants
International Tourism Partnership
Pacific Asia Travel Association
Patrons, Sponsors, and Supporters as of 15 May 2014
Hosts:
www.HICAPconference.com
p p o i n t me n t s
New look
Asian Hotel & Catering
Newly appointed as resort manager at the

beachside Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Abhijit
Ghosh returns to Six Senses Hotels Resorts
Spas. Most recently with Hilton Hotels &
Resorts in India as director of operations,
Ghosh served seven years with Six Senses at Six
Senses Samui, Thailand; Evason Main, Jordan
and the former Soneva Gili in the Maldives.
Times website!
Abhijit Ghosh
Leading boutique hotelier Alila Hotels &

Resorts has announced Patrick Murray as
general manager for Alila Jakarta. With more
than 30 years experience in the hospitality
industry, Murray has worked extensively
overseas, and was part of the opening teams
for the Prince Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, the
Legends Hotel on Australias Gold Coast and
Palazzo Versace, the first Versace hotel.
Patrick Murray
Alila has also announced Siddharth Biswas

as resident manager at Alila Villas Uluwatu.
Since graduating from the Ecole Hoteliere de
Lausanne in Switzerland Biswas has worked
at properties across Europe, Southeast Asia,
Africa, the Middle East and China, often as
part of pre-opening teams.
Siddharth Biswas
Karen Savery has joined eforea: spa at Hilton

Queenstown Resort & Spa as spa manager.
Savery has a wealth of experience from the
wellness industry, having worked the past
eight years at Millbrook Resort in Arrowtown.
She has received training from the Hospitality
Standards Institute, NZIM NZ Institute of
Management and MATRIX Circle of Service
Business Building Program.
Martin Davies has been appointed executive
chef at Six Senses Laamu. A specialist in
French, Asian and Mediterranean food, he
spent the last nine years in Turks and Caicos
at resorts including Parrot Cay by COMO
Hotels and Resorts and Grace Bay Club. Prior
to his relocation to the Caribbean he was the
executive chef at The Penthouse in London
and Soho House in New York City.
Karen Savery
Martin Davies
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Asia-Pacific has

promoted Andrew Gee to regional director
of sales and marketing for Australia and New
Zealand. He was formerly director of sales and
marketing for Outrigger on the Lagoon, Fiji.
He will be based in Sydney.
Andrew Gee
46
AHCT June 2014
The
Revelation
range
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- Quiet and smooth shelves handling
- Low energy consumption
- 5 years spare parts warranty
For a free brochure containing full detail,

please contact:
Alpha International Food Services

Tel: +852 2889 2123 or +86 (755) 2561 7383
Fax: +852 2889 1757 or +86 (755) 2561 1213
Showroom: 909, Chai Wan Industrial City, Phase 2,
70 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.
Web-site: http://www.eurocave.com.hk
Email: alpha@eurocave.com.hk
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June Issue 2014

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Vol 39 JUNE 2014

Published since 1976

SERVE YOU RIGHT

HOW DO YOU WANT

elcome to the June issue of

Whether sophisticated markets such

Check out these and other fascinating

Hong Kong Hotels

Federation Of Hong Kong

Club managers Association

Asian Hotel & Catering Times

AHCT June 2014

Photography by Koon Ming Tang

Cover picture: Zuma Hong Kong

New-look Asian Hotel &

AHCT June 2014

Rise and shine

AHCT June 2014

Peter Schn, managing director Granuldisk

AHCT June 2014

Xavier Pech, GM of Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim

Dragonair general manager Inflight

All the elements in each dish and

Kong has the largest percentage of female

The St. Regis Chengdu, which is

technique, beautifully balanced drinks

AHCT June 2014

used a number of French touches,

A new forum, Wine Sales Professionals,

Big 200 for Matfer-Bourgeat

AHCT June 2014

luxury hotels, catering, schools, hospitals

WineSPIT co-founder Debra Meiburg

Winexpo 2014 is a hit

New hotel concept

HOTELEX Shanghai 2014 concluded successfully on April 3

DEVELOPING BUTLERS SINCE 2002

THE BRITISH BUTLER SCHOOL

SHANGRI-LA, RAFFLES INTERNATIONAL, THE BURJ AL ARAB, ONE AND ONLY

AHCT June 2014

hinas hospitality industry is

AHCT June 2014

Key gateway cities such as Beijing,

expansion of the Chinese hotel industry.

Acquiring and retaining qualified staff

Rosewood Sanya, scheduled to open 2017, is the third

An on-going challenge is finding the

Anthony Ross Preferred Hotel Group The trends we

Rosewood chief operating officer Symon Bridle We

beverage patrons, Bridle says.

We are finding more developers willing

Build and they will come

New tourist attractions such as Hong Kong

AHCT June 2014

espite an economic slowdown, Indias hotel market

AHCT June 2014

combined Pullman and Novotel property. The three brands will

Aspirational over luxurious?

Rustom Vickers, group director of development at Dusit, says

ibis Delhi Airport facade

Dusit Devarana New Delhi Arrival Court

JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity GM Balan

JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity Drive Way

of target customers, says Casse. The hotel has been designed to