AHCT Dec 2011 Websize

Published since 1976 Vol 36 december 2011

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

SCHOOL OF THOUGHTDifficult curriculum decisions for Asian hospitality educators

BeST OF BOTH wOrLdSCombining traditional and regional tastes on the festive dessert menu

eXPANdING HOrIZONSOpening up new markets in

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam

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

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

All rights reserved (c) 2011Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd

Welcome to the December issue of AHCT! The hospitality industry is booming across Asia, but while

the most high-profile development may be taking place in China, other areas, such as the Mekong River delta, are more quietly expanding. We look at how the industry is developing in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Elsewhere in the magazine we speak to some of the biggest players in the world of point-of-sale technology and discover how it

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

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

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

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is improving communication between hotels and their staff and guests.

In what is the busiest time of year for hotels we also look at the way imaginative chefs are combining the best of traditional Western and Asian desserts on their Christmas menus. Mango mince pies, anyone?

And on that festive note we would like to wish our readers and advertisers a very happy Christmas and a successful 2012!

edITOrDaniel Creffield

deSIGN ByKoon Ming Tang

[email protected]

CONTrIBUTOrSVictoria Burrows

Helen DalleyJessica Lam Hill Young

Rebecca LoMichael Mackey

Zara HornerRuth Williams

ASSOCIATe PUBLISHerSharon Knowler

[email protected]

AdverTISING SALeS MANAGerRoxane Aghilone

[email protected]

CIrCULATION eXeCUTIveBecky Chau

[email protected]

CHAIrMANJS Uberoi

dIreCTOrGaurav Kumar

endoRseMenTs

We are always interested in how hospitality professionals feel about the constant developments in the industry, either good or bad, so please do send your comments and suggestions in to: [email protected]

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E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E

december 2011 AHCT 3

MANAGeMeNT12 The challenges facing hospitality educators

MArkeT rePOrT18 Hotel development in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia is increasing exponentially

News Industry6 Marriott signs 100th China property; Korea taps into MICE market; Travelclick acquires EZYield

Culinary52 Mezcal hits Hong Kong; Christmas coffee flavours; new pastry ideas

Product50 Versatile food dehydrators, better blending; stylish pampering

cover photography courtesy of goa Marriott Resort & spa

JANUAry 2012• Sales & Marketing• Thailand• PMS• Guestrooms• Meat• Vodka• Luxury linen; Carpets

FeBrUAry• Management contracts• Indonesia• In-room• Bathrooms• Chocolate• Spirits market• Beds & bedding; Furniture

CONTENTSVolume 36 December 2011

Advertisers’ Index

TeCHNOLOGy24 Point-of-sale improves interaction between hotels, staff and guests

deSIGN28 Chic Cambodian retreats

FOOd32 Foie gras on the menu in Asia

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28 Agilysys 27Alpha International 37Barry Callebaut IBCBoncafe 22 & 23Comenda 45Ecolab 47Euralis / Rougié 11Global Search International 9Greenfield OBCGulfood 49 & 57Hotelex 41International Furniture Fair 35Lactalis IFCMeiko 43Pevonia 16 & 17SATS 21Taylor’s University 15Tequila Corralejo 31Zieher 29

drINk38 The rise of grower Champagne in Hong Kong

eqUIPMeNT42 Dishwashers go green46 The lighting market goes LED

eveNTS ANd eXHIBITIONS54 Events calendar

55 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair reviewed

INTervIew56 Ginger’s Liz Seaton APPOINTMeNTS58 Who’s moving where?

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Boathouse Phuket reopens for businessFollowing an extensive five-month renovation, the Boathouse Resort on the Beach at Kata beach, Phuket, has re-opened to show off its new multi-million dollar look.

Costing US$6 million, the 37-room property features a new two-bedroom beachfront penthouse suite, rooftop sunset lounge, beach club, spa, boutique with café, new wine cellar and extended family suites. The Boathouse Wine and Grill, meanwhile, now features a show kitchen where guests can observe chefs preparing the restaurant’s legendary Thai and French cuisine.

French designer Fredo Taffin, who designed Bali’s Ku De Ta and the Bar at Trisara in Phuket, oversaw the renovation.

Korea taps into MICE market

Starwood MICE recovery in JapanStarwood Asia Pacific says the progress of its MICE recovery campaign for Japan has netted more than US$6 million in meetings-related sales for its 15 properties.

Through the efforts of sales associates in 25 Starwood sales organisation offices, hotel occupancy quickly picked up after the earthquake and tsunami in March. At the St Regis Osaka, for example, occupancy returned to the norm of 80% just two months after the disaster.

“Post crisis, there were significant cancellations from MICE groups across our 15 hotels in Japan. We are keen to support and to work in tandem with the Japan National Tourism Organization to bring this business segment back to the destination. We are pleased with the results achieved so far and we hope that our efforts will continue to bear fruit,” says Starwood’s Chairman and President, Asia Pacific, Miguel Ko.

Marriott signs 100th hotel in ChinaWith the signing of its 100th hotel, the JW Marriott in Shenyang, the Marriott has asserted itself as a major player in the burgeoning China hospitality market.

Simon Cooper, Marriott International’s president and managing director, Asia Pacific, says, “While we have been operating in Hong Kong since 1989, we are a relative newcomer to the mainland, having opened our first Marriott-branded hotel in China in 1998. However, during a relatively short history on the mainland, we have seen solid and consistent growth and are already one of the leading lodging groups in the country.”

China is one of Marriott International’s most important markets outside the US, and the company expects to open a hotel in the middle kingdom at the rate of one per month over the next three years.

Six Senses reforestation project launchedTo coincide with the UN International Year of the Forest, Six Senses Resorts & Spas has partnered with the Plant A Tree Today (PATT) Foundation to plant over 200,000 trees annually in Chiang Mai.

The project will mitigate an estimated 160,000 tons of CO2 every year by replanting 200 acres of forest every 12 months, and between 20-30 different species of tree will be planted.

The scheme follows the Framework Species Method of Forest Restoration, designed so that birds and mammals, bring the seeds of other forest trees with them. This encourages the establishment of a forest with the widest possible biodiversity.

DongdaemunDesignPlazaandExhibitionCentre

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HilltribevillagersinChiangMaiplanttreesforSixSenses

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TravelClick acquires EZYieldRevenue generating solutions supplier TravelClick has acquired EZYield, the premier provider of distribution management solutions for hotels, which enables hoteliers to grow distribution reach and manage reservations electronically.

EZYield’s integrated solutions suite allows hotels to send and update availability, rates and inventory on more than 650 travel websites via an online portal and receive electronic reservations.

“Third party distributors such as online travel agencies are a critical source of revenue for hotels, and TravelClick is committed to bringing its customers the best global channel management solution to maximise revenue through these channels,” says Larry Kutscher, chief executive officer of TravelClick.

CORRECTION:InNovember’sProductNewssectionweincorrectlyspelledEZYield’sname.Weapologiseforanyinconveniencethismayhavecaused.Thecorrectwebsiteaddressshouldbe:www.ezyield.com

eat2eat arrives in Hong KongThe launch of eat2eat, the online reservation management technology partner for the hospitality industry, gives consumers in Hong Kong a more efficient way to make reservations.

Adopted by W Hotel’s Sing Yin and the Michelin-starred Ming Court at Langham Place Mongkok, eat2eat’s software employs cloud technology, so information can be saved on one platform and accessed anywhere with an internet connection. It can also accept reservations on an iPad or a mobile.

CEO of eat2eat Vikram Aggarwal says, “By enabling diners to access the restaurant online, a restaurateur can enhance service standards, boost revenue and productivity, and significantly improve customer loyalty and retention.”

With 32 new hotels poised to open in Seoul by 2015, Korea is pushing itself forward as a convention destination, with its ultimate goal to be one of the top five worldwide according to Evelyn Mihae Ho, global marketing manager of the MICE strategic planning team at the Korea Tourism Organization.

The government-backed initiative reflects the current Asia-wide interest in Korea’s pop culture, design and medical tourism.

At the forefront of Seoul’s MICE revolution is the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Exhibition Centre and Gyeonggi-do’s Kintex, which are both due for completion by the end of 2011. Gyeongju’s Convention Centre and the Korail Convention Centre, meanwhile, will open in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

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Hotel Icon launches food and wine academyHotel Icon, the hotel for the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has recently launched a food and wine academy.

The academy will host regular workshops covering hotel and restaurant practice and upcoming hospitality trends and will serve as a resource centre for the hospitality industry. It will also offer a series of practical seminars, from Gueridon service procedures and food preparation to Chinese food and wine pairing.

First Formula 1 sees region race aheadIndia’s first Formula 1 race in October this year brought unprecedented local and international attention to the Noida/Greater Noida area in Uttar Pradesh state, part of the National Capital Region of northern India. Noida/Greater Noida, about a 45-minute drive from New Delhi, is presently undergoing massive development, the Formula One track and attached facilities providing a major site for sports events, while the area also continues to develop as an educational, IT and manufacturing hub. Multinational firms such as IBM, AON Hewitt, Fujitsu, Honda, LG and Adobe all have offices here.

A growing number of hotel companies are meeting the need for hotel rooms, with hotels such as Park Plaza, Radisson, Radisson Blu, and Savoy Suites already in business, and a number of hotels at all budget levels under construction or in the planning phase.

The F1 race boosted bookings at existing hotels, especially in the five-star category, according to Manju Sharma, director of the Jaypee Hotels group which owns and operates four luxury hotels in Delhi, Agra and Mussoorie with a total capacity of 644 rooms, plus a hotel, spa and golf complex in Greater Noida.

“The demand for five-star luxury properties witnessed an all time high during the Formula One. Hotels located in the vicinity were running full and as the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort hosted all the F1 racers and the management, the hotel was working at full pace. We also received a substantial amount of booking queries from the Far East, Italy, France and the UK,” she says, adding that the hotel industry went through a “great phase” during India’s maiden Grand Prix 2011.

The Noida/Greater Noida area continues to attract a growing number of firms and business travellers, as well as residential property developments, as it benefits from Special Economic Zone status, a suburban atmosphere and its proximity to Delhi. Real estate is thriving along two national highways, the NH-24 and NH-58; these two highways have turned the dusty town into a bustling hotspot. The Delhi Metro rail project has also boosted connectivity in the area. Sharma says the demand for hotel rooms is strong.

Wynn Macau unveils rare vasesWynn Macau has added four rare Qing Dynasty Buccleuch porcelain vases to its growing art collection.

Representing an important part of Chinese culture, the vases cost nearly £8 million (US$12.5 million) at a Christie’s auction in London this July. They are currently on display in the Wynn lobby along with a Louis XIV Beauvais Chinoiserie tapestry The Emperor on a Journey that recounts the tales of travels to China in the 15th and 16th centuries.

ManjuSharma,director,JaypeeHotels

StephenA.Wynn,chairmanandCEOofWynnResortsandEdmundHoHauWah,vicechairmanoftheNationalCommitteeoftheChinesePeople’sPoliticalConsultativeConference

ChefHenrikNorströmatHotelIcon’sculinaryacademy

“The National Capital Region [the metropolitan area that encompasses the National Capital Territory of Delhi plus urban areas in the neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttarakand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan] has strong micro-markets; the pace at which Noida and Greater Noida are expanding makes it important for key hospitality chains to be present there,” she says.

While the hotel market in Noida/Greater Noida overwhelmingly caters to business travellers, a small number of leisure travellers also visit. The 18-hole Greg Norman golf course and Six Senses spa under development at the Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, and Atlantis – The Club – an integrated sports complex at Greater Noida, aim to develop the area as a weekend getaway destination for couples and families. Jaypee Delcourt at Jaypee Greens offers 27 hotel rooms and 36 serviced apartments for longer business or leisure stays.

To mark the opening of the academy, the hotel recently hosted a three-hour cooking workshop featuring Michelin-honoured Chef Henrik Norström, who not only showcased his culinary skills but also shared his experiences with students and SHTM alumni.

New entertainment hub for WanchaiMulti-faceted entertainment complex the Tonno is breathing new life into Hong Kong’s Wanchai. Incorporating bars, a live band area with dance floor, Moroccan-style clubbing zones, VIP party enclaves and karaoke rooms, the complex also boasts a Shanghainese restaurant and patio.

The three floor, 35,000 square foot space hopes to redefine Wanchai as an entertainment destination, according to founder Steven Lo, who also owns Hong Kong retro restaurants Loyal Dining and Dai Pai Dong.

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Ayers Rock Resort eyes Asia-Pacific marketAyers Rock Resort has appointed the world’s largest hotel operator, Accor, to help take the resort and tourist attraction to new markets and maximise opportunities for indigenous employment and development.

Under the agreement, Accor will concentrate on opening up new markets for the resort, boosting domestic leisure and conference demand and providing career opportunities for Australians.

New initiatives to enhance the resort’s domestic and international popularity include the first-ever charter flight from China next month and the opening of a new conference and exhibition centre next August.

Ayers Rock Resort is the largest integrated resort complex in Australia, consisting of five hotels: Sails in the Desert, Desert Gardens Hotel, Outback Pioneer & Lodge, Emu Walk Apartments and Lost Camel Hotel. The hotels will retain their names, but will be aligned to corresponding brands in Accor’s portfolio.

AyersRockResorthasenlistedAccortohelpboostitsprofile Meating the

challengeTrilogy of Australian lamb leg served with assorted vegetables and stewed Australian beef flap meat in a rich tomato sauce were the winning entries in the inaugural MLA Pencil Box Culinary Challenge hosted by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) for young chefs held in Hong Kong recently.

Chef Cheung Cheuk Fung, the winner at just 18, created these dishes in two hours, using ingredients including Australian beef flap meat and bone-in lamb leg chump off, which were contained in a pencil box, hence the name.

Ng Ching Man was the first runner-up, with roasted Australian lamb leg roll with pumpkin mash, sauteed vegetables and Italian tomato sauce and Asian-style Australian beef flap meat salad, while Steve Lau Kwan Lok, the second runner-up, proved his expertise with pan-fried Australian lamb leg steak served with eggplant and gravy and pan-fried Australian beef flap meat. All three winners attend the Hong Kong Culinary Academy.

Twelve trainee chefs participated in the Pencil Box, which originated in Korea and is intended for young, up-and-coming chefs.

“Our young chefs have proved that they are up to the challenge and can create delicious food using non familiar beef and lamb cuts,” said Aaron Iori, MLA’s regional manager, Southeast Asia/Greater China. “We just introduced these non-loin Australian meat cuts yesterday at a meat cutting seminar.”

The day before the competition, the trainee chefs attended the meat cutting seminar where Amir Gan, MLA’s foodservice technical consultant, demonstrated the cutting and preparation of six non-loin Australian beef and lamb cuts: beef knuckle, beef flap meat, beef D-rump, lamb shoulder rack, bone-in lamb leg chump off and lamb chump.

“It is part of MLA’s strategy to create awareness of non-loin cuts and stimulate greater utilisation of the whole carcass and reduce wastage,” Iori said. “By hosting this challenge for young chefs, we let them get familiar with these alternative red meat cuts.”

New China hotel round-upChina continues to remain a hot-bed of activity, with numerous new developments in second and third tier cities.

Radisson Blu has just opened a property in Liuzhou, the city’s first internationally branded and managed hotel. Similarly proving its commitment to the middle kingdom, the Westin will open hotels in Ningbo, Xian and Xiamen before April 2012.

Not to be outdone, the Sheraton has opened 12 properties in China in 2011, including Jinzhou and Zhenjiang. Sister brand the St Regis, meanwhile, will open a property in Tianjin next February that will feature the largest presidential suite in the city.

fundamentals behind each programme. We don’t offer any specific subjects in technology, but we integrate it into relevant courses.

“So in the rooms division course we talk about Opera and other hotel management software and in the restaurant operations course we introduce students to point-of-sale systems,” he says. Lee emphasises that it’s important to focus on understanding the function or the concept so students can easily utilise new systems in real life situations. “Everywhere they work the systems will be different,” he adds.

With the opening this year of the school’s fully integrated training hotel, Hotel Icon, it’s able to integrate theory and practice more closely.

Exploring potentialIn the lead up to the opening of Hotel Icon, Dr Lee devised an assignment for his students that encouraged them to use Facebook’s potential as a marketing tool and the associated importance of personal networks.

Students quickly realised they couldn’t come up with promotions or traffic-generating content that conflicted with or damaged the Hotel Icon brand. Success was measured by how many contacts signed up as fans on a student’s page.

At Hotel Icon, researchers and students can get more real world and real-time information about operations and possibly monitor the impact of social media campaigns on reservations, enquiries and visits to the hotel’s website.

Dr Lee suggests hotels need to use as many platforms as possible and enable customers to choose how they communicate or interact with them. “Social media is a tool, it totally depends on the perception of the users,” he notes.

A new approachOne of Asia–Pacific’s newest hotel schools is Enderun College, established in 2005 in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City in Metro Manila. Founders Jack Tuason, Javier Infante and John Suits had previously built up one of the Philippines’ largest business process outsourcing firms. The three entrepreneurs were convinced there was a need for a different approach to business education.

The college offers a degree in international hospitality management with a major in either hotel administration or culinary arts. It has academic partnerships with the Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and French culinary institute the Alain Ducasse Formation.

Enderun’s hospitality management education incorporates the key academic elements of a general management education. There is a strong emphasis on the need to build technical skill-sets, gain real world experience through internships, and develop high-level problem solving and people skills.

“Technology is integrated into how we teach. We supplement the classroom learning experience with hardware and software improvements. We are currently setting up a learning management system that will enable faculty members to share materials (handouts, videos, presentations), give out quizzes, and for students to submit homework,” says Mark Tan, a marketing associate at the school’s Office of Admissions and External Relations.

Enderun regularly organises field trips to leading hotel properties to expose students to standard industry practice. “Also, our faculty, most of whom are in the industry, is the best resource for industry developments. They share information as to what is current and relevant,” adds Tan.

This ‘learning-by-doing’ approach strengthens academic

In an ever-changing technological landscape,

deciding what should become part of the curriculum is a challenge for anyone

working as an educator in the hospitality industry, writes

Ruth Williams

perspectives, and contributes to their students’ personal insights when they return to the classroom.

“Social media is taught indirectly in different classes at Enderun, though not as a subject of formal research. We inject social media cases in class. For example, we let students explore cases of social media usage in the hospitality industry. We also teach the importance of technology in subjects such as marketing and management information systems,” says Tan.

Ahead of the curveOpened in 2007, The Singapore campus of University Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) represents the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration and offers an undergraduate degree in hotel administration. The Las Vegas campus has 2,700 students and by January 2012, the school will have over 500 students enrolled in Singapore.

At UNLV Singapore, the director of IT and facilities ensures a technologically advanced learning environment for students. Faculty members stay abreast of all aspects of the hospitality and gaming industry, including technology and social media.

“Social media permeates classes at all levels; undergraduate, graduate and doctoral, and is the focus of research for some of our doctoral students and for some of our faculty members,” says Jennifer Weinman, director of external relations and executive education at UNLV Singapore. “Students choose UNLV because of its reputation for a robust business based curriculum with a hospitality concentration set in vibrant tourism and leisure centres – Las Vegas and Singapore.”

In Malaysia, Taylor’s University’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts places a strong emphasis on the need to stay on

the gradeMaking

Hotel schools throughout Asia-Pacific are working hard to keep ahead of the technology curve as they train the hoteliers of tomorrow. However, real-world applications and Internet 2.0 platforms are not

something taught in isolation.At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel &

Tourism Management, Dr Andy Lee specialises in hotel information technology. He also researches the patterns and phenomena behind social media trends.

Dr Lee stresses that technology is not something you simply learn about once only. “Technology keeps evolving, so we cannot teach a specific program or application. As educators, we teach the

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InternationalhospitalitymanagementstudentsatEnderunCollege,establishedin2005inMetroManila

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development that use the hotel as a laboratory to conduct experiment that it believes could be shared with the hospitality industry.

“Through such methodology and protocols we are able to offer consultancy and guidance to industry players on service innovation in the hotel industry based on the ongoing research and projects of academic staff.”

Neethia says research demonstrates that social media is transforming the relationships businesses including hotels have with their customers, and guests have become more empowered.

“Social media enables two-way communication and thus makes the relationships more transparent,” he says. “Firms that realise the value that can be created through social media for their customers

will benefit from the coming advances more significantly.”Although he believes only a limited number of hotels are

currently fully utilising social media, Neethia says in the long run it will give hoteliers the competitive edge that they need to ensure the success of their business.

“Through our marketing modules we expose our students to the theoretical aspects of hospitality while the practical orientation is done in our programmes through workshops and seminars for which we usually invite industry professionals to present the topics,” he explains.

Taylor’s’ students on degree and post-graduate programmes can opt to complete and research component for their dissertation and the dean expects the use of social media hospitality and tourism businesses to feature more in future. Neethia adds: “Given the nature of the field of tourism is multidisciplinary such topics of current demand and interest for research are highly encouraged in the school.”

“Social media permeates classes at all levels; undergraduate,

graduate and doctoral, and is the focus of research for some

of our doctoral students and for some of our faculty members”

Jennifer Weinman, UNLV Singapore

top of the technological innovations taking place in the hospitality and tourism industry. Its bachelor degree courses include modules such as tourism information systems and e-commerce.

Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan is dean of Taylor’s School of Hospitality & Tourism. He says the school’s Ruenmz Hotel helps it keep abreast with market changes in technology. “It allows the school to test and experiment with new product development in hospitality technology.”

The school also has agreements with companies such as Select TV and Panasonic to allow researchers to work on new product

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Management

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The hospitality industry in the Mekong River delta is experiencing rapid growth and leading the way is Vietnam,

where new hotels and visitors abound. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, international arrivals over the first nine months of 2011 reached over four million, a 15.5% growth over the same period in 2010.

What makes that figure attractive for hoteliers is over half of the total, some 2.6 million, were tourists. “Vietnam is fast joining the ranks of the region’s most popular tourist destinations and becoming an increasingly important centre for business,” says Willi Martin, area vice president, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.

To capitalise on Vietnam’s burgeoning tourism figures, Hyatt recently opened its second property in Vietnam, the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa. The hotel has 200 guestrooms, 182 residences and 27 private Ocean Villas, each with a private pool.

Chinese flock to VietnamVietnam’s largest group of tourists, meanwhile, are now those from mainland China, who account for almost a million arrivals annually, more than double South Korea with 380,000 and nearly three times the number of Japanese at 343,000. It’s a contrast to the less dynamic partner countries of the Mekong.

“Cambodia and Laos have been faring well, with slower, but incremental increases,” says Evan Lewis, Accor’s vice president for communications Asia Pacific. Accor’s base of one hotel with 168 rooms in Laos and two with 439 in Cambodia is significantly lower than its Vietnamese presence. According to Christopher Yeo, GM of the Hotel Mercure in Vientiane, Cambodia remains a hotspot for Europeans, and half its tourists are French.

Indeed, as Vietnam becomes increasingly affluent, domestic travel is also on the up, which is good news for Accor. “Vietnam has seen a higher influx of business travellers and domestic travel in the country, increasing demands for hotels in the mid-range and economy segments. Our Novotel hotels in leisure destinations such as Novotel Ha Long Bay, Novotel Phan Thiet Ocean Dunes and Golf Resort and Novotel Na Trang have seem more domestic guests in these past few years,” says Lewis, adding that the

Despite ongoing turbulence in the global economy, hotels in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are gearing up for a brighter future, says Michael Mackey

Mekong renaissance

hotelier has 2,090 rooms across 11 hotels in Vietnam.

A survey by chartered accountants Grant Thornton, which conducts an annual hotel survey, revealed hotels in Vietnam are riding the upswing as its survey indicated room rates had increased by an average of 6.8 % year on year in 2010.

This is at variance to the rates offered and outlook proffered elsewhere. But despite government support for the sector there are some problems. “The main issue for us is the macroeconomic environment,” says Michel van der Hoeven, senior vice president for development for the Minor Group of Hotels that includes the Anantara brand. “Vietnam could be as big as Thailand for us. One of the big problems is macroeconomics – high inflation, very high interest rates and constant devaluation of the dong and it’s

difficult to get overseas bank financing into Vietnam, especially now,” he adds.

Mid-range expansionWhile the group is keen to open an Anantara in either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, there is another local concern to factor in. “There is a big issue of land costs that makes doing a hotel [there] very difficult,” Van de Hoeven admits.

Despite the cost of land issues, others have managed it, such as the 334-key Hotel Nikko Saigon, which opened this month. Also joining the fray is Marriott. “Vietnam will be of great importance for us over the coming years. We have six projects under development in Vietnam and plan to expand the Marriott, Renaissance, JW Marriott and Courtyard brands,” confirms Brad Edman, Marriott’s area director of sales and marketing for Southeast Asia.

Long term, Accor plans to expand its network in Vietnam by at least 15 across its upmarket Pullman and midscale Novotel and Mercure brands. It will also introduce the economy ibis brand to Vietnam next year.

Such a tiered response involving multiple hotels is in direct contrast to Laos and Cambodia, where development is best described as incremental. Marriott has a Courtyard property under construction at Siem Reap and Accor plan on opening an ibis in Laos while weighing up several prospects in Cambodia.

Over in Siem Reap and Luang Prabang, the hotel market features several highly individual boutique hotels such as the Hotel de la Paix and Maison Souvannaphoum respectively which tend to compete on vicinity, furnishings and pricing.

MercureHanoiLaGare

MichelvanderHoeven,theMinorGroup:“Themainissueforusisthe

macroeconomicenvironment”

AnantaraMuiNeBeachRestaurantandBar

Marriott’sBradEdman–sixprojectsunderdevelopmentinVietnamandplanstoexpandtheMarriott,Renaissance,JWMarriottandCourtyardbrands

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




“They are very well priced. I don’t know how they do it,” says one hotelier, who suggested the properties may be hobby hotels offering a quick cash return rather than a longer-term franchise option. The presence of such boutique properties, however, restricts the opportunities of larger hotel chains in such a limited market. That the destinations these hotels cover tend to be highly seasonal, usually October to March, also dampens corporate interest.

“There is oversupply in Siem Reap, with many hotels below 60% occupancy rate,” says Anantara’s Van der Hoeven. “[Siem Reap] is not an area where we felt a need

to be, says Edman,” The group has limited interest in Cambodia, restricted to Phnom Penh and the islands around the port city of Sihanoukville.

Complicating matters further in Laos is the feared prospect of a price war. Some seven large (150 rooms plus) new hotels are due to be built in the capital Vientiane over the next three years – almost doubling the current number. Yet the 168-room Mercure has just 52% occupancy on an annualised basis, according to GM Yeo.

“We are definitely going to see a price war in the next three to five years,” he predicts, adding it would affect room rates for up to eight years. He offers two solutions for Laos, neither of which is applicable to the other Mekong countries. One is a detailed study of how many rooms will be needed in the next five years and a professional hotel school. The other is exposure to international markets to take up the oncoming slack. 2012 is Visit Laos Year but funding international publicity was unfortunately beyond the national budget.

One way forward for all is cooperation, and while there have been studies on regional cooperation in tourism before, they have been polite exercises in paper shuffling. One possible change is the Vietnamese government’s support for the idea of four countries one destination, or 4COD. This was signalled publicly at the recent International Travel Expo (ITE) 2011 in Ho Chi Minh City.

“The role of the ITE 2011 is not

only to enhance tourism cooperation and development of the four countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, but also to tap into the strengths, potential and development of tourism products of each country and create opportunities for tourism businesses to have access to, exchange and enhance business cooperation with partners from key markets and potential customers in the region,” says Vietnamese tourism minister Hoang Tuan Anh.

It’s a considerable sign of political cooperation and one that will hopefully contribute to securing the future of the hospitality industry in the Mekong.

“Vietnam could be as big as Thailand for us but it’s difficult to get overseas bank financing into the country”Michel van der Hoeven, Minor Group

NovotelNhaTrang

EvanLewisofAccorsaysCambodiaandLaoshavebeenfaringwell,withslow,butincrementalincreases



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Point-of-sale (POS) technology is a vital part of the way restaurants and hotels operate today. A computerised network operated

by a main computer, linked to checkout terminals and sometimes supervisor workstations, POS systems are increasingly integrated with other core software as well as technology, such as web-based solutions, apps and PDAs.

Recent innovations in the market include real-time interaction for instant transactions and remotely hosted software services such as cloud technology. These are transforming the ways in which both F&B and hospitality industries carry out essential transactions with customers while simultaneously monitoring transaction patterns, inventory and accumulating other valuable business data.

Back-of-house technology is, of course, ever-morphing, but hopefully not so fast that aged 40-plus employees who didn’t grow up in computerised world are bedazzled by its capabilities. A POS system

“The wireless component today potentially switches control from the order-taker to the diner himself whereby he or she is able to view, study or order themselves, through the system” Rajagopal Gampa, New World HospitalityFrom real-time

interaction for instant transactions to cloud

computing, advances in point-of-sale technology

is changing the way hotels interact with

staff and guests, reports Andrew Dembina

should be a logical extension of existing business procedure in a restaurant or hotel, enabling computerised efficiency, customer loyalty information and data security. All functions should contribute to streamlining manual tasks and thus aid profitability.

Upwardly mobileA leader in the POS field is MICROS, with headquarters in the US and Asia-Pacific subsidiary operations in 20 cities. Asked about the smartest recent additions to hotel and restaurant systems, Mark Page, director of sales, enterprise systems – MICROS-Fidelio Asia Pacific, says, “The most dramatic change in the quick service arena has been the growth in web-based or mobile ordering solutions interfaced to store-level POS systems. By driving mobile and internet booking, overall order processing costs for chain restaurant groups have dropped significantly.

“In the broader hotel and restaurant POS market, the general shift towards service oriented architecture (SOA) has

enabled enterprise customers to centralise their POS solution rather than maintain server-based systems in each property. By doing this, the total cost of ownership is reduced.”

Regarding new developments, Page says Micros has spent the last few years developing Simphony, its next-generation enterprise POS solution. “It offers unparalleled scalability, as [client] Starbucks North America has proven with close to 10,000 stores in North America and the UK, hosted in a single data centre. Simphony’s ability to run ‘offline’ with virtually no loss of store-level functionality is a major advantage, as noted by our first site in Macau, the Galaxy Macau resort. Simphony also allows for rapid deployment to large enterprises with

very little human intervention.”Tina Stehle, senior vice president

and chief operating officer of another big player in POS, Agilysys, notes the increase in the use of mobility in POS systems for hotels and restaurants. “In recent years, we have seen mobility in different forms and hardware platforms, from traditional handheld terminals to the use of tablet PCs and smart phones. There is also a demand for integrated F&B management solutions, as operators seek to more effectively control food costs and the supply chain,” she adds.

Of the company’s current integrated F&B solutions offered, Stehle explains, “The Agilysys InfoGenesis POS System is an enterprise-wide point-of-sale system, designed for multi-unit operations common in hospitality environments and can manage any combination of dining, bar service and

retail operations. Our customers include five-star hotels, integrated resorts, cruise lines and restaurant chains.

“These customers want reliability, ease of use, and the ability to obtain accurate and timely information. The InfoGenesis helps them streamline operations and provide enhanced guest service and, because it is an enterprise solution, it can grow with the customer. One of our customers has 2,000 terminals running InfoGenesis POS, which is a testament to its scalability and reliability.”

Tailor-made solutionsBoth Stehle and Page acknowledge there can be challenges in using the latest systems. “With high-tech POS solutions, the initial investment is higher than that required for cash registers,” says Stehle. “However, when

Central bankingimprovements in accountability as well as the ability to obtain real-time information are considered, the benefits far outweigh the additional costs.” With a similar rationale Page says, “The owner or operator needs to understand the potential added revenue and cost savings POS solutions offer in order to reap the benefits. Successful results are only achievable with true ‘ownership’ of the solution.”

One of the many Asia-based F&B chains utilising POS is Hong Kong-based Cafe Deco Group, with operations there and in Macau, plus one outlet in Australia. Its director of operations, Sherman Wong explains, “We use two POS systems in its our Asian operations: UCR and MICROS. We went through a long selection process and found that these two systems are quite reliable and suitable for our operations.

TheMICROSWorkstation5A

TinaStehle,seniorvicepresidentandchiefoperatingofficerofAgilysys

MarkPage,directorofsales,enterprisesystemsforMICROS-FidelioAsiaPacific

GalaxyMacauhasrecentlyimplementedMICROSSimphonyasitspoint-of-salesystem

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“They are fairly easy to use and training is provided by the POS company. So it won’t be a problem for staff who may be unfamiliar with advanced technology. We can choose to use either Chinese or English versions so there are no language barriers too. General security has been greatly improved in recent years in POS system use.

“One of the best functions was tailor-made for our VIP programme. We needed POS capability to record all VIP data, link up with the VIP backend system, and our new website. Our current POS providers

fulfil the requirements perfectly.” Wong adds that he is aware of POS computer tablet versions but believes that the system is just not very stable. “It would be great if that can be improved,” he says.

Rajagopal Gampa, corporate director of information technology at Hong Kong-based New World Hospitality, says, “All our hotels use the standard product from MICROS. Standardising the technology not only helps in costing but also ensures we have consistent practices and procedures and budget control to effectively and efficiently use the system. Also, integration with other systems like inventory management to better manage the procurement process is of great help.”

Positive on POS tech development, he notes, “The wireless component today potentially switches control from the order-taker to the diner himself whereby he or she is able to view, study or order themselves, through the system. Understanding and integrating guest preferences is very useful. I’m not advocating the promotion of digital menus, but what would be interesting is an integrated database that the staff can use at the point of sale, providing them with valuable selling information. A good example would be a wine list.”

A consumer futureBoth Page and Stehle say that every effort to develop new applications that are easy to use is being made. “We believe cloud-based and mobile solutions will shape the POS market in the coming year, driving business performance and influencing guest behaviour,” comments Stehle, adding, “We’re developing mobile POS applications for both Android and iOS platforms for a number of vertical markets, which will increase choices our customers have in deploying mobile solutions.”

Page believes POS technology is being aimed more at consumer devices. “Mobile smart phones are key to the success of technology companies and hotels and restaurant operators alike. The phone enables restaurateurs and hoteliers to get to know their customers, giving operators the ability to understand consumer habits and in turn provide higher levels of product and service offerings.”

Page adds that cloud-based services will become more commonplace as a way to reduce costs and resources at the property level.

Case study: Galaxy Macau and MiCrosGalaxy Macau has implemented the MICROS Simphony enterprise solution across more than 50 F&B outlets at its 2,200-room resort. The company has provided a single POS solution to the resort’s three hotel operators: Galaxy Hotel, Hotel Okura Macau and Banyan Tree Macau. “Having everything integrated means we don’t have to invest in multiple servers,” says Ian Farnsworth, director of information systems and technology at Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG).

“MICROS Simphony’s consolidated financial reporting eliminates the need to manually combine data from each of the hotels, and reduces the time required to prepare reports. That saves on hardware costs, and streamlines the way infrastructure is managed.”

Lewis Goh, senior manager of non-gaming solutions at GEG, explains that even if the network is down, offline functionality means the system can still continue to operate. “At one point, we were able to relocate our server from StarWorld Macau to Galaxy Macau, and the users were not even able to tell – they could continue to perform normal transactions in offline mode.”

EnterprisereportingFor an organisation the size of Galaxy Macau, Farnsworth says one of the most important benefits of Simphony is that it allows management and storage of data centrally – saving the resort time and money.

“Having everything integrated means we don’t have to invest in multiple servers,” he says. “That saves on hardware costs, and streamlines the way infrastructure is managed.

If we didn’t have an integrated system, we would have multiple point-of-sale systems, and separate reporting on all of them,” he says. “Instead we have a single database across all our properties.”

Having that consolidated financial reporting eliminates the need to manually combine data from each of the hotels, and also reduces the time needed to prepare reports.”

AgilysysPOSsystemsofferauser-friendlyinterface

LewisGoh,seniormanagerofnon-gamingsolutionsatGalaxyEntertainmentGroup

t E c h n o l o g y


www.zieher.comwww.facebook.com/ZieherGermany

„Solid“

„Solid“

„Tribo“

„Stablo“Cambodia’s luxury resorts combine touches of the country’s rich history with modern sophistication to offer memorable stays for a wide demographic, writes Rebecca Lo

Khmer chic It wasn’t too long ago when travelling to Cambodia was considered a risky undertaking. Ravaged by war and ethnic

cleansing at the hands of the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1993, the country has been steadily rebuilding its infrastructure since King Norodom Sihanouk’s monarchy was restored to power less than two decades ago.

In the past decade, the country’s economy has grown at a rate of nearly 8% per annum— an astonishing success story. Part of that growth is directly related to tourism, and particularly to the ruined city of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. For many, Cambodia itself is synonymous with the 12th century temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is a treasure chest of classical Khmer architecture. It is no wonder that the country’s best resorts draw their design inspiration from the formal majesty and haunting beauty of Angkor Wat.

Boutique majesty“The country finally has peace, and Cambodians are really looking forward to the future,” begins Chloe Chomienne with Exotissimo Travel’s Siem Reap office. “It’s a good value for money destination with a lot of authenticity and very safe for women and single travellers. Plus the fast track visa available upon landing makes things much easier for travellers.”

Chomienne works c losely with properties such as Hôtel de la Paix in Siem Reap to ensure her clients have memorable experiences. Designed by Thai-based firm Bill Bensley – previous projects include Indigo Pearl Phuket and Four Seasons Koh Samui – the city resort made a big splash on the international design scene when it opened in 2005. “This hotel is great for open-minded people who are looking for mood and personality in their hotel,” she notes.

With 107 keys, de la Paix is one of Cambodia’s most hip properties, and the arts lounge is a vital part of the hotel, according to Christian de Boer, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. “We change the

artwork every two months and can use the space for creative events. The corridors are designed like the temples, with an art deco style,” he elaborates.

The monochromatic, understated interior design is what sets Hôtel de la Paix apart. A series of arches from the entrance leads to corridors outlined by colonnades, much like the feeling of walking through a Khmer temple. Like Angkor Wat itself, water features are scattered in the many courtyards and open areas in the form of ponds, fountains and reflecting pools. Design features such as oversized daybed swings add a playful touch, while its signature restaurant, Meric, dishes up international and Khmer specialties in a

RafflesGrandHoteld’AngkorSiemReapvillainterior–thepropertydatesbacktotheearly1930s

SongSaavillasonSongSaaislandinthesouthofCambodia

AnaerialviewofSongSaa

Night-timeambience:candlesatavillainSongSaa

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Hotel, two private villas set within the property’s gardens will be updated to include a private plunge pool and tropical garden.

A l though sun and su r f don’t immediately come to mind given the country’s other distractions, the southwest region of Cambodia has historically been a backpacker’s paradise. Australians Rory and Melita Hunter are changing that with the opening of Cambodia’s first luxury island resort Song Saa in late December. It is situated on a pair of islands in the Koh Rong archipelago and about 30 minutes by speedboat from Sihanoukville.

Song Saa means ‘sweethearts’ in Khmer and is an appropriate moniker for the 27 romantically appointed, over water, beach and jungle villas.

Melita Hunter designed the villas to bring as much of the outdoors inside as possible with details such as tree trunk columns and natural materials. Other facilities at the resort include a fine dining restaurant perched over the sea, a wine cellar set deep into the island’s centre and a spa and wellness centre suspended above the rainforest on its own island. In keeping with Song Saa’s sustainable mandate, there are a number of ecological experiences that illuminate the resort’s active preservation of marine life.

Room in Ho Chi Minh City. Since Raffles took over the management

of the colonial legends in the late 1990s, it has been steadily positioning them to appeal to a wider demographic with contemporary expectations for luxury hotels.

“In the last year, we have introduced the legendary Raffles butlers at both hotels, to give our guests truly personalised service 24 hours,” says John Johnston, president of Raffles Hotels & Resorts. “This refurbishment is the next chapter: it will reinstate the hotels’ original exotic glamour and take them up to the next level of comfort and luxury.”

Marrying French colonial details with art deco elements, Noor-specified Khmer patterns, sustainable local wooden floors, and Jim Thompson fabrics with Cambodian silks give staterooms an updated yet charming ambience. Artwork sourced from local artists includes silver, woodcarvings, lacquer and sculpture all serve to enhance the designs. At Le Royal, two balcony suites will be added while the lobby and Conservatory Bar will undergo a subtle metamorphosis.

Acknowledging the ever-increasing MICE market, meeting rooms and the ballroom will be revamped, with the latter expanded to seat 300 guests. At the Grand

Dancing girlsScattered throughout Siem Reap’s Hotel de la Paîx are various depictions of the ethereal apsara, a female spirit of water and clouds in Hindi and Buddhist religions closely associated with fertility. These supernatural, beautiful women, the equivalent of Western nymphs, are gifted in the art of dance and can be seen throughout Angkor Wat’s temples depicted in bas relief.

Architect Bill Bensley uses the concept of the apsara as a design motif, as seen on a lightbox or as a monumental sculpture greeting guests in the lobby. Graciously elegant, they are reminders of the hotel’s Khmer inspiration while giving the contemporary interiors a sense of place.

“Due to the size of the hotels here, groups can have exclusivity by booking out the entire property” Olivier Marchesin, Exotissimo Travel

bright dining space with nods to Khmer traditions.

Guestrooms and hallways include cast-pewter artwork inspired by 13th century Khmer artefacts. Well-equipped for a boutique property, the hotel features the sumptuous Spa Indochine and Kandal, a meeting space for business functions or intimate weddings.

MiCE boomIt’s not just chic boutique properties that are flourishing in Cambodia: the region is also becoming more popular with business travellers. “Previously, Cambodia was purely a leisure destination but things are changing and it is beginning to attract MICE groups,” says Olivier Marchesin, general manager with Exotissimo Travel’s Phnom Penh office. “Due to the size of the hotels here, groups can have exclusivity by booking out the entire property. An ideal group is 50 to 80 people.”

Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Siem Reap and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor in Phnom Penh are grand dames that date back to the early 1930s – the golden era of Southeast Asian travel. This year, they are both being renovated, courtesy of Ho Chi Minh City-based interior design firm Noor, and will feature modern upgrades while still retaining their colonial charm. Renowned for its culturally significant yet contemporary outlook, Noor’s portfolio includes Le Meridien Danang and Amber

RafflesHotelLeRoyalPhnomPenhnewstateroom

RafflesHotelleRoyalPhnomPenh’snewlobby

EthnicyetcontemporarybathroomsatSongSaa,Cambodia’sfirstluxuryislandresort,whichopenedinDecemberlastyear

ApsaraimagesinthelobbyatSiemReap’sHoteldelaPaîx

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our terrine,” he says. “We have had a lot of positive press for our foie gras, so we are thinking about exploring and expanding the range ... we are looking at other seasoning methods, thinking of using a good whisky as a marinade, also possibly Chinese rice wine. But we are not rushing to put anything on the market.”

Deliciously convenientRougié’s Saint-Laurent says that the company’s most popular products are

individually quick-frozen slices of raw foie gras, raw, deveined flash-frozen foie gras and raw, hot, flash-frozen foie gras.

Rougié products are available at upscale hotels and restaurants and luxury goods shops in 120 countries. The company’s main customers are chefs working in five-star hotels and private restaurants.

Popular in AsiaSaint-Laurent adds after many years of selling exclusively into Europe, Rougié products are increasingly popular in Asia, and he is frequently impressed with the imagination shown by chefs in combining foie gras and traditional regional cuisine.

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

Saint-Laurent makes the point that foie gras contains a large variety of essential elements for a good nutritional balance. These include water, proteins, lipids, glucides, sodium, magnesium, phosphates, calcium, potassium, iron, retinol, folic acid, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin B9.

Christophe Gibert, a chef at La Baie French restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Osaka, says that foie gras is a top-selling item.“People like the association with foie

Foie gras is gaining popularity around Asia where it is increasingly being used in fusion cuisine, reports Daniel Creffield

Pleasure principlesFoie gras continues to divide

opinion. While revered for its richness, delicacy and versatility, its method of production still

leaves many questioning its place in the modern kitchen.

Such is the enduring popularity of this classic dish, however, most F&B professionals don’t consider exclusion to be an option.

Guy de Saint-Laurent, commercial export director with Rougié, a market leading French producer of foie gras, duck and goose meat and truffles, says that across Asia the company is primarily selling into Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and emerging markets including the

Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.He says foie gras receives an unfair

press, and that production methods have improved greatly over the past few years.

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

Just act naturallyThe natural behaviour of waterfowl in the wild bears this out. Foie gras was discovered in Egypt around 5,000 years ago, after people caught geese about to return to

Scandinavia after spending the winter in the swamps of the Nile delta. Surprised by the size and flavour of their livers, the epicurean Egyptians soon realised that the geese were naturally fattening their livers by overeating, in order to build up energy reserves necessary for their long migratory flight. Since the secret of foie gras was discovered this phenomenon has been replicated through domesticated fattening of waterfowl.

Long-time Hong Kong residents Jean Yves Chatté and his wife Marie-Christine have been importing and selling foie gras and other home-made traditional French dishes such as premium cheese, saucissons, charcuterie, chocolate, biscuits, jams and more for many years.

Originally adoptive inhabitants of the Gironde/Bordeaux region, the Chatté family imports foie gras from one specific small/medium size independent producer in the Landes district in the Southwest of France, renowned for the quality of its duck and waterfowl products.

Consisting of a whole foie gras that has been de-veined, cleaned, seasoned and cooked in its own fat, without any additives or preservatives, Monsieur Chatté has a firm and dense texture.

Chatté believes that as a product foie gras is well known in Hong Kong, even if it is not consumed on a regular basis by local people. He says the most popular way it is served is pan-fried, as it’s regarded as being easier to work with in this way, and frozen foie gras can be used.

He makes the point that in France the product is usually served in terrine form which is more ‘fiddly’, requiring it to be de-veined, and can mean working ten days in advance.

“We use have an old family recipe dating back to 1948 that we still use to produce

gras as it indicates a certain status, whether they eat it in a leisure or business situation. It represents luxury and wealth. Both Japanese guests and Westerners order it; 75% of our guests, however, are Japanese.”

Gibert says that the delicacy is mainly served as a starter; as a cold appetiser terrine or hot appetiser in the form of bonbon of foie gras, sautéed and caramelised. “The hot appetiser is a restaurant speciality and is very popular.”

He adds that while La Baie, as a classic French restaurant, doesn’t incorporate fusion-style cooking, foie gras is used in the property’s Chinese and Japanese restaurants.

Don’t spread the loveIn terms of serving foie gras terrine, Jean Yves Chatté has the final word.

“Foie gras is the perfect start to an outstanding dinner. Monsieur Chatté is a ready-to-eat product, is fresh, and must be consumed within ten days of the cooking date. Don’t put it in the oven or microwave and don’t pan fry it. Keep it refrigerated until use.

“When out of the fridge, cut thin slices of the foie gras slowly, with a sharp knife. Put the slice delicately on a plate and accompany with a piece of toasted bread. You can put the slice directly on the toasted bread but do not spread. Accompany with a glass of sweet white wine, preferably Sauternes.”

icy innovationAbout 15 years ago Rougié pioneered a method of freezing foie gras while perfectly maintaining its taste and quality. This type of conservation is increasingly being adopted by the industry.

flash-freezing, or instant quick freeze (iQf) preserves all the organoleptic qualities of the foie, and insures, if not actually improves, its bacteriological quality, while allowing efficient and hygienic distribution.

The method of flash-freezing involves taking the liver immediately after removal from the duck and instantly freezing it to -180c. This advanced flash-freezing technique guarantees unparalleled conservation while avoiding any detrimental effects, such as ice on the tissue of the cells. it is a costly method as it necessitates a tremendous surge of energy in a short time. The product has to be consumed quickly once defrosted and returned to room temperature.

ChristopheGibert,LaBaieFrenchrestaurantattheRitz-Carlton,Osaka–foiegrassisatop-sellingitem

MonsieurChattéhomemadefoiegrasterrine

Rougiéduo

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Experience a true Hospitality Showcase in

9 - 12 March 2012 • Singapore Expo

A subsidiary of: Supported by:Organiser: Official publication:Held in:Endorsed by:

IFFS unveils the inaugural edition of SingaPlural, which represents a celebration of design elements in the city, taking the form of a creative and inspirational journey with a unique design trail. From 9-11 March 2012, SingaPlural will feature bite-sized tours around key design hotspots in the city centre to showcase local furniture design talent. Held in conjunction with IFFS/AFS, SingaPlural will be open to both trade visitors and the public.

Debuting for the first time alongside IFFS/AFS, the Hospitality.Design.Furniture. CONVERGE ASIA 2012 is a conference that brings you an unprecedented platform to discover and gain insights into the latest hospitality design trends, innovations and tap on new markets. For bookings and more information, please visit www.hdf.tpgi.org

Network and source at Hospitality Asia 2012 for a dynamic showcase of products, coupled with the latest developments and trends for the hospitality and contract manufacturing industries from Asia and beyond.

Co-locating Shows: International Furniture Fair Singapore 2012/29th ASEAN Furniture Show | Deco Asia 2012www.HospitalityAsia.com.sg / www.iffs.com.sg / www.decoasia.com.sg

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Asia may be dominated by Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist countries yet even for these predominantly non-Christian cultures, Christmas is an important time, not least because of the influx of tourists to the continent desperate

to flee chillier climes. Less tied to the classics, chefs in the region can get creative

and use unconventional ingredients. “Christmas provides the opportunity for chefs to produce the finest of the dishes from their repertoire,” notes executive chef Sunil Kumar of the Goa Marriott Resort and Spa. “It’s a chance to not only create standards such as Christmas pudding and mince pies, but also for chefs to showcase their talent.”

Asian flavourEnsuring every taste is catered to at such an important time of the year begins months in advance. “Asia is far away for us so we have to begin shipping preparations in August, and quickly look ahead to Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day as well,” begins Pierre Tabarie from French chocolatier Valrhona, who says Asia-based private dining clients offer a unique challenge for the brand. “Their orders are very different as they look for unusual aromatics. They order our crunchy pearls or truffle shells to fill with their own creams and ganaches,” he adds.

Like Valrhona, fruit and vegetable puree manufacturer Ravifruit has a policy of working very closely alongside clients. Business director Bruno Guillon says, “It’s important for us to understand what chefs are looking for to supply exactly what they need to create their best work.”

This festive season is an opportunity for chefs to shine. But in a multi-cultural region

such as Asia, what are the expectations for Christmas

fare? Zara Horner reports

The sweetest

Christmas

Producing frozen exotic mix purees for use in ice creams, coulis, cocktails, sorbets, smoothies and fillings, Guillon says the last few years have seen much change in Asia. “Before they didn’t know how to use products like ours, then they found out but chose cheap, locally made purees. Now, people in Asia realise how much difference using quality ingredients makes. Hong Kong and Singapore are especially important to us as we enjoyed around a 30% growth in business last year,” he adds.

Like other suppliers, the company has a team of specialist chefs who run workshops around the region to introduce Ravifruit products and recipes. While the Asian dessert palate is edging closer to European tastes, Guillon says there are still exceptions to this rule that must be catered for.

“Durian fruit, for example, would not sell anywhere else other than Asia and Mandarin compote is popular because of its combination of sweet and bitter. The number one flavour in Asia is mango, whereas in Europe it’s strawberry and raspberry.”

As for his own Christmas treat, Guillon will be reaching for a layered fruit log, which he maintains is refreshing, healthy and a perfect way to end a heavy dinner.

Taste, texture and aromaWith over 2,000 offerings – the widest range on the market – Barry Callebaut’s vice-president sales and marketing gourmet Asia-Pacific, Paul Halliwell, notes that countries with a colonial history often seem to prefer milk chocolate and pralines although it has noticed a pronounced increase for dark chocolate with a higher cocoa content overall.

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The premium chocolate maker – whose global brands include Cacao Barry, Callebaut and Carma – has chocolate academies around the world, including Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and India. It also partners with training schools and ‘ambassadors’ to help educate about chocolate. “Much has changed in the last decade; the gourmet chocolatier has seen strong development, although still relatively minor in Asia, while the hotel business has seen rapid growth and the bakery business, too – especially in India, China and Southeast Asia.”

France-based multinational dairy products corporation Lactalis, meanwhile, manufactures a variety of products used by Asia’s top-level hospitality establishments in the creation of specialist desserts and pastry dishes. At this time of year, Lactalis comes into its own as butter, cream and milk demand increases.

Accounting for 6% of its turnover, Asia is a growth market for the company, and a spokesman tells AHCT it has compiled several recipe suggestions that are proving popular, as they provide a lighter end to meals than the more traditional offerings. These include mascarpone and espresso mousse with Galbani mascarpone, chocolate flecked cannoli filling and frosting with Sorrento ricotta and strawberry shortcake with Sorrento parmesan biscuit with custard or creme fraiche.

Forward planning“I wrote my Christmas menus back in May,” says executive chef Volker Marecek of The Langham Auckland. “Working for a large hotel we plan for the busy Christmas period many months ahead. We’ll be getting creative in the hotel’s interactive restaurant, Eight, where I’ll be able to have some fun with Christmas fare at each of the eight open kitchens. But our guests still like to see their traditional favourites.”

Marecek adds, “Traditional Christmas favourites in New Zealand include pavlova and trifle for dessert, and a Christmas fruit pudding would always be on the menu. I’ll add some drama by lighting a whiskey or brandy sauce over it.”

Even taking into account the different/summer weather in New Zealand, Marecek likes to include traditional European fare in his menus. “Last year I made gingerbread houses like we have at home in Germany. The guests responded well to this Christmas favourite, which is not common in New Zealand,” he says.

This Yuletime, Volker has planned a special Christmas afternoon tea event in The Langham’s grand ballroom. Billed as “a decadent event for about 600 people”, the festive tiffin will include petite mince tarts and chocolate-dipped strawberries. The Langham’s Barolo restaurant’s Christmas menu, meanwhile, will include fig and rhubarb tart, gianduja mousse and mint and coconut panna cotta for a less traditional take on Christmas dinner.

“The number one flavour in Asia is mango, whereas in Europe it’s

strawberry and raspberry.” Bruno Guillon, Ravifruit

Ravifruit’sseasonalfruitlogfrompastryworldchampionChristopheMichalak

FestivefoodattheGoaMarriottResort&Spa

PremiumchocolatemakerBarryCallebaut’sglobalbrandsincludeCacaoBarry

ExecutivechefVolkerMarecekofTheLanghamAucklandsaysheplannedhisChristmasmenusbackinMay

FruitandvegetablepureemanufacturerRavifruitproducesfrozenexoticmixpureesforuseinicecreams,coulis,cocktails,sorbets,smoothiesandfillings

Few wines captivate to the extent that Champagne does: Marilyn Monroe was reputed to occasionally bath in the stuff and she was certainly not alone in her fascination with and love of bubbly. As Hong Kong palates become

more sophisticated, wine lovers and connoisseurs are going beyond the big names to seek out artisanal Champagnes made by small grower-producers. To meet demand, high-end hotels, restaurants, and wine merchants are expanding their wine lists to include small-production Champagnes.

Most top Champagne houses, including Taittinger, Dom Pérignon and Krug, blend grapes from all over the Champagne region to create something with a distinctive ‘house style’, and the complexity of Champagne hinges on the success of the blend. To challenge this status quo, a rising number of Champagne grape growers in recent years – many of whom have long supplied the big houses with quality grapes – have begun making their own wines to create Champagnes that reflect a distinctive terroir, which expresses the characteristics of land and soil.

Grower Champagne can be identified by a discreet ‘RM’ on the labels, which stands for récoltants-manipulants (harvester-makers). Champagne houses that buy these grapes, meanwhile, have ‘NM’ or négociants-manipulants, on the label.

“Terroir is a concept that is spoken of frequently, particularly in France,” begins Kavita Faiella, wine director of the Press Room

Group, which is launching a grower Champagne-dominated wine list.“But what’s interesting is that it’s not often used to describe Champagne. Of course people speak of Champagne’s special terroir, but they very rarely draw attention to the smaller, unique terroirs within the region like they would in Bordeaux or Burgundy.

“This is because traditionally, large Champagne houses buy grapes from hundreds of grape growers across the regions, so it’s known as a ‘blanket’ terroir. The small growers are bringing back the idea of terroir to the region by making wine from very small vineyards located in one specific place, so it’s possible to recognise the various Champagne terroirs. It shows how the north varies from the south, the Vallee de la Marne from the Cotes de Blancs, and so on.”

Zachary Yu, the self-proclaimed ‘Wine Guy’ at Langham Place, Mongkok, Hong Kong, has brought in about 26 types of grower Champagnes to the hotel’s wine list, and echoes Faiella’s sentiments. “It’s difficult to control the quality of any mass-produced product, and the same is true of Champagne. With smaller houses using top grapes to produce smaller batches of wine, the quality will certainly be better,” he says. Yu adds that while grower Champagnes are not necessarily more affordable than big name Champagnes, they often deliver better value by offering enhanced quality, such as finer bubbles and greater acidity, at comparable or lower price tags.

A growing trendL’imperatrice, a wine supplier dedicated to fine French varietals, has focused on an emergent portfolio of grower Champagne in the past year to meet demand for these artisanal wines, including from Four Seasons Hotel and the Hotel Lisboa Macau.

“Grower Champagnes offer an artisanal wine expressive of vineyard, and a connection to the farmer. It’s a real wine grown and made by a family rather than from a company,” says Jessica

Chan, events manager of L’imperatrice. The wine supplier notes that as palates become more educated, an increasing number of Hong Kongers are becoming interested in the back story to the Champagne they purchase. “When we did a Chinese food wine dinner paired with Champagne, everyone was really surprised by how diverse these Champagnes are and how well they complement Chinese food,” she says.

The Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, a worldwide organisation with Champagne house members including Drappier, Taittinger, and Moët, is dedicated to promoting the diversity of Champagne. Its Hong Kong chapter, chaired by Claudio Salgado, hotel manager of Grand Hyatt Macau, recently hosted a sold-out grower Champagne dinner at Langham Place’s two-star Cantonese restaurant Ming Court, featuring dozens of boutique producers.

“The more knowledgeable people become, the more they reach out to smaller boutiques for new taste experiences,” he says. With

Champagne beyond the big houses

As Hong Kong palates become more sophisticated, hoteliers are going beyond the major brands to seek out artisanal Champagnes made by independent grower-producers, writes Jessica Lam Hill Young

PannierrangeofChampagnes

HarvesttimeatPannierChampagne

L’ImperatriceUlysseCollingrowerChampagneCellarsatJ.Dumangin

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increasing interest, grower Champagnes have also been introduced to the Hyatt wine list over the past six months to highlight these variations in Champagne.

Adding prestige Many grower Champagne enthusiasts also believe that listing Champagne beyond the big names raises a wine list’s profile. The Langham’s Yu believes it’s how you distinguish yourself as a high-end restaurant. “Since grower Champagnes are small production wines, you are enabling the customer to choose an added level of handcrafted detail. Another advantage is that you can offer seasonal promotions since these wineries offer less expensive vintages.”

Salgado cautions that it’s important not to immediately label grower Champagne as superior to big house Champagnes, saying the former is just more artisanal, while the latter offers consistent quality. Like any wine indicator, neither is an ‘RM’ label on a Champagne bottle an immediate guarantee of quality wine. He elaborates, “If I go to Champagne, buy a vineyard, and produce

my own Champagne, the bottle would be labelled ‘RM’ too, but the quality may not be good.”

Regardless of the type of Champagne, consumption is on the rise, outstripping still wines. According to the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne in Epernay, France, Hong Kong is currently the 15th largest Champagne export market with 1.3 million bottles sold in 2010.

While that is far behind Japan and Australia, Hong Kong is still ahead of Singapore and China. “The Hong Kong market may be quite small in volume, but it’s dynamic and a real showcase for branding and marketing and a gateway to the China market,” says Renaud Banchilhon, export manager of Champagne G.H. Martel & Co., the fifth largest Champagne groups globally.

Terence Kenny of Champagne Pannier agrees. “Champagne in Hong Kong is moving from an expatriate favourite to a necessary accoutrement to festive occasions,” he says, adding “we’ve recently shipped and prepared many of our most prestigious vintages – ’88, ’89, ’90 – just for this city.”

Hong Kongers now understand that smaller Champagne houses may be better quality than big brand names, since in the latter, most of the budget is spent in marketing and not necessarily in the vineyard, according to Banchilhon. “As for China, it will still take some time to catch on, but we expect considerable growth over the

next five years,” he concludes.

Growing in AsiaChampagne maker J. Dumangin produces a range of characteristically feminine premier cru champagnes which are also growing in popularity across the region.

Through his love of cooking and travels in Asia, Gilles Dumangin, the family’s fifth generation of successful winemakers, introduced Extra-Brut, a Champagne that both helps complement spicy cooking and also balances diets with a low sugar content.

Other quality champagnes include Premium, a Blanc de Blancs cuvee in an attractive frosted white bottle and Dumangin Rosé, which due to its untypical blend of vintage cuvées and red wine from Pinot Meunier, exhibits finesse and fruit rather than vinosity and strength.

Champagne J. Dumangin is distributed worldwide through a network of brand ambassadors.

ChampagneZoémieDeSousa

DumanginChampagne1982vintage

GrapeproductionatMoët&Chandon

sampling grower Champagnes

ChampagneUlysseCollinThe newest star in Champagne, Ulysse Collin is made in the village of Congy in the Sézannais, south of the Côte des Blancs, with an intriguing pronounced chalkiness that emphasizes the expression of terroir over fruit flavour. This is the most popular grower Champagne from L’imperatrice and costs under HK$500 ($64).

ChampagneEglyOurietOne of the original grower Champagnes, its Ambonnay Rouge “Cuvée des Grands Cotes,” a Pinot-based Champagne with a gorgeous depth of flavour derived from old vines, delighted many at Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne’s grower Champagne dinner at Ming Court. All its vineyards are classified Grand Cru and the maker produces some of the best Pinot Noir-based Champagne, plus a stand-alone Pinot.

ChampagneJacquesSelosseThis is the Press Room Group’s Wine Director Kavita Faiella’s all-time favourite grower champagne. Winemaker Anselme Selosse took over the winery in 1980 and has since then challenged the definition of Champagne excellence by embracing low yields, chemical-free vineyards, and terroir-based wines.

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The arrival of the modern commercial dishwasher to hotel and restaurant kitchens in the 1970s and ‘80s meant that kitchen staff could breathe a collective sigh of relief. No longer would they have to load machines

that were largely ineffective, or put elbow grease into scrubbing scorched pans and greasy plates: instead, soiled dishes were simply loaded into the machine and, after a clean and rinse, came out the other end ready to be stacked away and used again.

Since the popularisation of commercial dishwashers toward the end of last century, brands have differentiated themselves from the competition by offering unique features: Fisher & Paykel revolutionised the dishwashing market with the creation of the DishDrawer, a machine that effortlessly blended in with kitchen cupboards and décor and was perfect for small business operators.

On a larger scale, Whirpool’s KitchenAid makes life easier with hard food disposals, while its TurboZone features a bank of jets in the back of the dishwasher designed especially for pot scrubbing. Self-cleaning filtration to ensure loads can pass through the machine quickly without having to change filters was another important development in the world of commercial dishwashers.

The industry continues to evolve, particularly from an environmental perspective, and many companies now offer machines with green features, from eco-friendly cycles that use less water and detergent for lightly soiled loads to quicker rinse systems to reduce energy consumption. Detergents are following suit, and many are now phosphate-free to reduce water pollution, such as Dankor’s industries E-Clean or Earth Friendly Products’ Wave Commercial Washer Detergent, which is made from sustainable plant-based ingredients.

New to marketGerman firm Meiko recently debuted its new M-iQ series of warewashers at the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers show, which takes a green approach to dishwashing with an exhaust air management concept to minimise consumption and a heat recovery that reduces exhaust vapour condensation by 90%.

Managing director Bill Downie claims, “Meiko’s reputation has been founded on our creative approach to reducing energy, water and chemical consumption on all our equipment and we can guarantee the M-iQ will more than fulfill all these criteria.”

It’s no longer enough for dishwashers and detergents to produce sparkling dishes: both products must incorporate environmental concerns too, says Helen Dalley

clean

Boschdishwashershaveearnedareputationasoneofthequietestbrandsonthemarket GermanfirmMeikorecentlydebuteditsM-iQseriesofwarewashersthatreducesexhaustvapourcondensationby90%

Comenda’sundercounterfrontloadingdishwasherscankeepwatertemperatureatalowerlevelwhileonstandbytosaveenergy

Squeaky

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AHCT december 201142

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Available as a flight or rack conveyor, the brand also produces undercounter and door-type dishwashers, the latter of which includes the DV 80.2T, which has an extra-tall (27-inch) interior clearance height to accommodate taller ware such as sheet pans and trays. The M-iQ also features a triple filter system, items that need cleaning are colour coded and just click in and out, and it has a solid build.

Another company making waves on the dishwashing scene is Italian brand Comenda, which recently launched its FE Undercounter front loading dishwasher for the small and mid-sized restaurant market. It features an electronic card for independent management of washing, dripping and rinsing times and a Quick Heating System for quickly heating water during filling and optimising consumption.

When the machine is on standby, water temperature is kept at a lower level to save energy and for not-so-dirty dishes, some models feature the ECO cycle with reduced water, chemicals and energy consumption. The ACS range of rack conveyer dishwashers, meanwhile, now features a new version for big kitchens, the ACS ECO2, which uses 37% less rinse water and detergent and 23% less energy than previous models.

In addition, ECO2 accessories can also be fitted to the ACS ECO2 machines for energy efficiency such as the Proportional Rinse System and the Automatic Proportional Rinse System, which can reduce water and detergent consumption by over 50%, according to the brand.

Similarly, German company Winterhalter has also embraced environmental considerations: different power reclamation systems use residual heat for the heating of cold water on its MTF Flight-Type dishwashers, for example.

Asian trendsAsian countries often look for a high capacity performance from relatively small spaces from dishwashers because of the eating-out culture and soaring rental rates when compared to the rest of the world, according to Ecolab, whose clients in Hong Kong include Disneyland, Ocean Park and the Marriott and Starwood Hotel Groups. Field sales manager Alan Cheung says its most popular products in Asia are the single tank door type series, the ET-100 and CSH-60.

While eco-friendly considerations need to be addressed by all dishwasher manufacturers, noise pollution is also an issue for many restaurants and hoteliers, and while those looking for quiet machines at home have turned to Bosch, in the commercial sector, brands such as Italian brand Elettrobar’s Pluvia 280, a hood washer that

features double-walled construction to diminish noise. Its CaterChef range also features a double-walled door for

optimal insulation and noise reduction. Canada’s Garland is another good choice for those looking for less noisy machines, as its AJ-100 Conveyer, for example, features a quiet self-draining stainless steel wash pump to keep noise to a minimum.

When it comes to dishwashing, it’s not just machines that need to be eco-friendly but detergents too and many companies are launching planet-conscious products, not only to help save the earth but also meet the demands of customers in the hotel and restaurant industry. In addition to the previously mentioned E-Clean and Earth Friendly Products’ Wave Commercial Washer, there are new products coming through, including Ecolab’s Solid Power XL.

“This new advanced technology solid detergent, Solid Power XL, is 99.7% phosphate and phosphorus free and needs 80% less packaging than liquid detergents, which reduces CO2 emissions.” Cheung adds that the detergent is also capable of washing 50% more dishes per cycle when compared to its other detergent, Solid Power.

As for changes to the commercial dishwasher market over the next 12 months, Cheung says that while operational efficiency will remain the key concern, hotels and restaurants are geared to embrace green considerations when it comes to dishwashing. “I expect the market will continue to look for more effective solutions on food safety and sustainable products to enhance their image of social responsibility.”

“The market will look for more effective solutions on food safety and sustainable products to enhance their image of social responsibility.” Alan Cheung, Ecolab

AlanCheung,fieldsalesmanageratEcolab

BEcolabSolidPowerXLis99.7%phosphateandphosphorusfreeandneeds80%less

packagingthanliquiddetergents

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environment, but it’s green technology in other ways as well. Since no heat is produced, it can reduce interior temperatures by one to two degrees, considerably lowering air conditioning costs and CO2 emissions. LED lighting is also safer for the environment as it is mercury free and doesn’t produce IR or UV rays, which can be harmful.

For those still not sold, LED also claims to offer superior colour and increased comfort, scoring high marks on the ‘colour rendering index’, which indicates accurate true colour reproduction.

These advantages were not lost on Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong. As part of the property’s ongoing renovation it recently had full colour Red Green Blue (RGB) LEDs, on a different control system from other general lighting, installed in its Oasis and Concord Rooms.

To support the multi-purpose use and room partitions, each wiring circuit is separated by types and divisions, each dimmable. For convenience, switches can instantly recall preset ‘scenes’ for each room partition and for the entire ballroom. Twelve scenes in various combinations of intensity and colour are pre-programmed into the system.

The Renaissance Harbour View’s corridor and lift lobby lighting also utilises LED with trimless downlights mainly used to subtly emphasise the interior design.

The hotel used Sirius Lighting Office, a lighting consultant based in Japan and a local Hong Kong supplier, First Collection Lighting. The consultant particularly wanted to work with a local supplier experienced in hotel lighting supply, who could work closely on site and supply fixtures quickly. Another advantage was that First Collection Lighting offers a wide range of trimless and glareless downlights.

Traditionally slow to react to new technology, hotels are catching onto the energy saving power and convenience of Light Emitting Diodes, more commonly known as LED, writes Daniel Creffield

The final result is a modern system with the flexibility to set 12 different scenes to further enhance the ambience of the function rooms. The hotel can use different colour scenes for different events according to clients’ requirements.

No compromise necessaryMassimiliano Merzario is a lighting designer with CityGroup, based in Guangzhou. Having recently worked on the lighting systems at the Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe, he agrees that current trends concern reducing energy consumption and lowering costs without compromising on comfort and convenience.

“With the improved lifetime and reduction of power consumption it offers, the future is LED. Working in the hospitality sector, however, we have to adopt designs which provide both a low-energy consumption system and a comfortably lit environment.”

He makes the point, however, that combining new and existing lighting technology is still a viable option. “Considering how long traditional light sources such as the tungsten filament lamp and the fluorescent tube have existed, it’s understandable that our eyes are much more used to them and the kind of light they produce … that’s why I consider a mixed system well balanced.”

Merzario adds that many hotel clients are currently requesting that he deliver, “new visions of lighting design that make places unique,” created though lighting integrated with the other architectural elements. This, he believes, can turn a stay into an experience, using light as a medium to create emotions. “We live in a time of globalisation, and travellers expect a modern yet familiar Seen the

light

Good quality LED lighting can save up to 70% on energy usage compared to standard dichroic low-wattage halogen and incandescent lamps, lowering electricity bills. It’s this

– and the fact that LED lamps are generally regarded as the most environmentally friendly source of light on the market – which is attracting the attention of the hospitality industry.

An 5W LED MR16 bulb generates as much light as an 9W compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and an 35W halogen, and represents an 80% energy saving compared to a CFL downlight. A 15W LED downlight, meanwhile, generates as much light as a two 13W CFL downlights and a 75W incandescent bulb.

This lower energy usage also makes LED lighting better for the

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do so and continue to work hard to change perceptions of LED technology. LED is no longer just a niche product.”

Hsu makes the point, however, that not all LED lighting is equal and that it is vital to choose a quality product. “Our LED lamps last 35,000 hours – 30 times longer than incandescent, 25 times longer than halogen and four times longer than compact fluorescent lamps. This is particularly useful in public areas which have to be lit around the clock, whether they are used by customers or staff. Not only will you be helping the environment, you’ll be saving money, too.”

And he adds that with LED’s greater life expectancy, there are also savings that can be made in other areas, such as routine maintenance. “In a regular hotel room, changing lights is not such an issue, but imagine in the lobby area, perhaps two or three floors high ... special equipment has to be used, often using a team of staff. Areas need to be blocked off, guests can’t enter … using quality LEDs means this major maintenance work doesn’t need to be carried out nearly so frequently.”

Philips Dynalite is an industry leader in the control of energy-saving LEDs for both greenfield and retrofit applications across a range of industry sectors. The company says effective combinations of control systems and LEDs deliver maximum energy savings, while

accommodating lighting requirements.Daniel Walker, product manager at Philips Dynalite says hotels

are looking to enhance the hospitality experience for customers while reducing costs.“Hotels are also becoming more integrated, linking different systems such as lighting, room service and room booking together so that staff can spend more time servicing their customers rather than navigating between different systems. This has led to the development of dedicated control systems for the hotel market.”

He says that hotels are the most enthusiastic market for LED not only for the reduced power consumption but also because of the expected lamp life. This trend alone can reduce hotel running costs dramatically through reduced power consumption and less ongoing maintenance.

He adds that the introduction of RGB lighting has enabled hoteliers to dramatically change the mood of a room by adjusting these colours. This trend has added complexity to the systems that manage the lighting as there may be up to 80 different lighting groups required to achieve these effects. Adding in the flexibility of different room configuration can leave some staff struggling with the control of the different systems with in a space, he says.

“Philips Dynalite has many ways of allowing complete automation of these spaces enabling seamless control over the many different elements in the room,” concludes Walker.

atmosphere; an easily recognisable ambient, enriched with some regional characteristics.”

He also believes that as control systems are now less complicated and more user friendly than in the past and additionally offer more intuitive design, saving energy has become much easier. “The intelligent control system exploits the potential to save energy: for example, presetting reduced brightness levels and lighting scenes which are adapted individually to suit particular activities. Using efficient luminaries associated with an intelligent light control system ensures a green system which can reduce energy consumption between 20% and 40%.”

LED championsHoward Hsu is assistant general manager at Hong Kong-based Optiled, a leading LED lighting brand and champion of the technology for over ten years. Optiled’s lighting solutions aim to reduce electricity, operational costs and users’ carbon footprint and its LED lighting applications cater to infrastructure, offices, retail, industrial, residential, hospitality and outdoors.

Speaking at the recent Hong Kong International Lighting Fair 2011, Hsu said that LED lighting makes huge sense for hotels over traditional halogen systems. “LED saves energy, which means money. We have touted its benefits long before it became cool to

“LED saves energy, which means money. We have touted its benefits long before it became cool to do so and continue to work hard to change perceptions of LED technology. LED is no longer just a niche product”Howard Hsu, Optiled

RenaissanceHarbourViewHotelHongKongConcordRoom–12scenesinvariouscombinationsofintensityandcolourcanbeinstantlyrecalled

HiltonGuangzouTianhegrandballroom

MassimilianoMerzario,lightingdesignerwithCityGroup:“Hotelclientsarecurrentlyrequesting‘newvisionsoflightingdesign’thatmakeplacesunique”

E q u i p M E n t


Futuristic minibar solutionsBartech has created a stir in the minibar market by adding three new products to the market: The eCube, eDrawer and Flat Fridge.

Compact enough to fit in a small space, the eCube’s sleek design makes it suitable to showcase nine small specialty beverage bottles, while the eDrawer is a modular furniture-based drawer system that blends easily into a room’s design. Available as a stand-alone unit or wall-mounted version to optimise guestroom space, the Flat Fridge takes a minimalist approach to design, which is accented by a cool double glass door.

Formoreinformation:www.bartech.com

MakepresentationsmoreinterestingwithZiehertraysandboxes

At your serviceMade from European walnut, Zieher’s new trays and boxes boast high quality workmanship and a distinctive grain that makes every product unique. Suitable for serving up cheese boards and bread selections, they can be subdivided and complemented with fitting inserts made of glass or porcelain. There are also small trays with glass inserts that make it possible to serve dishes directly onto the tray. Stackable bowls in different sizes complete the collection.

Formoreinformation:www.zieher.com

Riedelcrystal’sGreenMambaraisedUS$2,000forcharityatarecentHongKongauction

Stylish pamperingEuropean fashion designer Bogner has debuted a new body care line for hotels, ‘The Spirit of Sports and Style’ in partnership with ADA Cosmetics. Containing plant-based surfactant Plantacare, which gently cleanses skin and hair, the product range includes shower gel, shampoo, body lotion and soap characterised by a distinctive woody aroma. The products are presented in a sophisticated light grey and silver packaging and the collection also features a golf ball-shaped soap. Offered in 30ml tubes and 30g/50g bars, this new product line is also available in the eco-friendly press and wash dispenser system.

Formoreinformation:www.bogner.com

TheBognerproductlinefromADAisfreefromartificialcolours

Kitchen range from AlessiAlessi has teamed up with Parisian pastry chef Pierre Herme and designer Matali Crasset to launch a range of essentials for the pastry kitchen: a cul de poule mixing bowl, whisk, spatula and a serving plate. The bowl features a round bump that enables chefs to initially mix the ingredients in small quantities, while the whisk can be used without the corolla for light operations such as beating egg whites and with the corolla to make creams and pastes. The fusion of a plastic spoon and silicone blade, the rigid part of the spatula mixes the ingredients at the beginning while the soft part finishes the process and is suitable for scraping the container out. The cake plate, meanwhile, consists of a round central section and a small and large ring.

Formoreinformation:www.alessi.com

ThenewFlatFridgefromBartechisadaptedtoaccommodatethelatestin-roomdesigntrends

Better blending from SantosThe latest kitchen blender from Santos, the Santosafe #37, can mix, liquefy and crunch hot and cold preparations from ice to creams.

Equipped with a silent commercial motor, the high resistance blades are capable of seamlessly crushing hard ingredients such as lobster carcasses. The Santosafe locking system for bowl and cover enables hands-free use and also protects the user by stopping the motor when the locking system is opened. All the removable parts of the blender can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Formoreinformation:www.santos.com

Riedel Crystal has created two limited edition decanters, the Green Mamba and the Black Mamba. Produced in quantities of just 100, these collector’s items are available in Hong Kong marked with numbers 8, 18 and 88. The first two numbers were auctioned during the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and each sold for HK$15,000 ($2,000), which was donated to the Foodlink Foundation. Designed by Mamillian Riedel, 11th generation CEO of Riedel Crystal USA, the mamba’s double-decanted bends mean wine flows faster than it would in a typical bowl-shaped carafe.

Formoreinformation:www.riedelcrystal.com

ThenewkitchenblenderfromSantoscanmix,liquefyandcrushvirtuallyanyingredient

Mambas for charity

p r o d u c t n E w s


p r o d u c t n E w s


Versatile dehydratorsExcalibur dehydrators can quickly and efficiently preserve fruit, vegetables, dry fish, meat and herbs. Particularly popular for making beef jerky, they can also handle liquids, purees and other wet produce.

Made in the US and the only machine to feature the Parallexx Horizontal Airflow Drying System, Excalibur’s commercial line dryers’ innovative multiple motor designs create precision airflow and increased thermal control. Affordability, efficiency, versatility, design superiority and ease of cleaning make Excalibur the leader in the food dehydration market.

Excalibur commercial units feature a stainless steel cabinet inside and out which is welded and finished to strict NSF specifications. Door, trays and tray supports are removable for easy cleaning. Motor and fan are connected to a hinged back assembly, which is held to the case with wing nuts, allowing easy access when cleaning.

The units feature a computerised digital readout, 99-hour timer and 80-200+ degrees fahrenheit temperature control with automatic shut off.

Formoreinformation:www.excaliburdehydrator.com

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


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


Mezcal magicTraditional Mexican Mezcal Jaral de Berrio Mezcal is the only drink of its kind to be certified by COMERCAM, the regulatory council for the spirit in Guanajuato, Mexico. Characterised with a soft, velvety palate, it received the highest award, ‘Silver Best in Class’ at the International Wine & Spirit Competition last year.

Formoreinformation:www.jaraldeberrio.com/ingles/inicio.html

Christmas tippleIce Apple Wine producer Domaine Pinnacle has launched three new flavours in time for Christmas: Pinnacle Ice Apple Wine (still), Pinnacle Sparkling Ice Apple Wine and Pinnacle Summit Select Apple Wine (still). Highly regarded by the world’s most influential wine critic, Robert Parker, each 375ml bottle is made from around 80 apples hand-picked on the slopes of Canada’s Pinnacle Mountain. This full-bodied beverage works well as an aperitif or with desserts and cheeses.

Formoreinformation:www.domainepinnacle.com

Spanish sparkleRaventós i Blanc has debuted two new vintages, the de Nit Premium Cava and L’Hereu Brut Premium Cava, both from 2008. Yellow in colour, L’Hereu has crisp green apple, lime and green herbs on the nose with a good stream of tiny bubbles while the pale pink de Nit has aromas of cherry, peach and raspberry. Made from hand-harvested grapes that are immediately pressed, the production process is controlled by dry ice and all Raventós wines are aged for at least 15 months.

Formoreinformation:www.raventos.com

Great wine, low alcoholFollowing the trend for vintages that are low in alcohol, Astoria Vini’s 9.5 Cold Wine is a dry Spumante with 9.5% alcohol content. Using grapes from an early harvest and special yeasts to keep it fruity and aromatic, the wine is all about subtlety. The award-winning vintage has already garnered popularity in the restaurants of Venice and Miami’s nightspots and is now poised to win over Asian palates.

Formoreinformation:www.astoria.it

Vanilla Blossom, Cherry and Dark Chocolate are Nespresso’s limited edition offerings for the festive season. Using the velvety Livanto Grand Cru – a blend of Central and South American Arabicas – as its base, these flavoured coffee capsules capture the tastes of the season. The Vanilla Blossom is smooth with light floral notes while the Cherry evokes traditional Christmas fruitcake.

With dark and bitter notes, cocoa lovers will appreciate the Dark Chocolate blend which is reminiscent of chocolate squares with a high cocoa content. The limited edition variations are not only intended to be drunk but can also be used to create festive desserts, says Nespresso.

Formoreinformation:www.nespresso.com

Nespresso’sChristmascapsulerangecomprisesVanillaBlossom,CherryandDarkChocolate

Pinnacle’sSparklingIceAppleWine

Pastry pleasureBridor de France and FB Solution have teamed up to present Gourmandiz, four delicious breakfast and snacking pastries. Made with fine French butter and already proofed and frozen, the range includes a Custard Cream Danish, Cinnamon Swirl, Cranberry Twist and Chocolate Twist. They are available in two different sizes: 30g to 40g for hotels, catering companies and restaurants, and 90g to 100g for bakeries and coffee shops. The makers claim that the range represents a refreshing alternative to croissants and pain au chocolat.

Bridor products are exclusively distributed by FB Solution in Hong Kong and Macau.

Formoreinformation:www.groupeleduff.com

Boncafé new lookBoncafé has launched a new look for its ready-to-drink coffee beverage iCafe, featuring playful illustrations of a young man and a young woman going about their daily lives. Boncafé International managing director Christian W. Huber commented that “One should keep up with the times so consumers can relate better to products. It was time to give the appearance a face-lift without losing its current appeal or great taste.”

iCafé is available in three flavours: Caffè Latte, Caffè Mocha and French Vanilla.

Formoreinformation:www.boncafe.com

Theaward-winningAstoriaisadrySpumanteat9.5%proof

BoncafédebutsitsfunkynewpackagingfortheiCaférange

Bridor’sGourmandizpastriesaremadewithfineFrenchbutter

Give a figWing Kee Produce, one of the premier importers and distributors of premium food products in Hong Kong, Macau, and China, has announced new items for Christmas.

Leading Swiss chocolate producer Frey has produced a new festive assortment for 2011. Combining the finest milk and dark chocolate truffles, they are also available in 124g heart tin, 173g and 297g tins and 198g box.

For almost 125 years all Frey’s chocolate products have been entirely produced in Switzerland. High-grade ingredients are used, including the finest cocoa beans.

Meanwhile Productos La Higuera has announced a range of ‘Rabitos Royale’ chocolate fig bon bons. Produced in Spain, in an area famous for the quality of its figs, the bon bons are made using the finest Mediterranean figs, filled with truffle liquor cream and covered with a delicate layer of chocolate.

Formoreinformation:www.wingkee.com

The perfect blendLeading Cognac house Camus has announced an exclusive new release as part of its Camus Masterpiece Collection by current president Cyril Camus. The new collection is the culmination of the mission Camus set himself to discover the rarest eaux-de-vie and offer them as limited releases, each in a Baccarat crystal decanter.

The new release, Cuvée 2.105, represents the passing on of skills from the fourth to the fifth generation of the family, and as such blends 40-year-old cognacs chosen by Cyril and 65-year-old cognacs chosen by his father Jean-Paul, matching their ages and personalities.

The two Grande Champagnes are of differing yet complementary characters, and the result has been described by Cyril Camus as the finest cognac the

Christmas coffee

house has yet produced.Presented in an exclusive Baccarat

crystal decanter designed by Serge Mansau, the celebrated French artist and sculptor, Cuvée 2.105 is being released in just 1,228 numbered pieces.

Formoreinformation:www.www.camus.fr

Hong Kong Wine & Spirits Fair now Asia’s biggest wine event

Hong Kong wine imports received a boost of 57% to top US$940 million over the first nine months of 2011. Reflecting this interest in all things grape, attendance at Hong

Kong’s Wine & Spirits Fair was up nearly 40% on 2010 with over 900 exhibitors and more than 19,000 buyers descending on the Convention & Exhibition Centre this November.

Georgia, Latvia, Malta, the Slovak Republic and Sweden participated for the first time to boost exhibitor numbers by 37% on last year’s figures. Countries and regions recording significant buyer growth included this year’s wine fair partner country Italy (up 86%), mainland China (up 82%), France (up 59%), Taiwan (up 43%), the US (up 31%) and Australia (up 18%).

Wine fair partner Italy featured the largest group pavilion with over 200 exhibitors, a considerable increase of 80% on last year’s figures. The Vino Sangiovese Forum was one of the fair highlights, and there was a special tasting area at the Vinitaly Pavilion dedicated to Italian wine education. The organiser, Veronafiere, also offered seminars, sommelier-led tastings and wine-pairing cooking demonstrations.

A new category, the Wine Investment Zone, made its debut at the fair, which attracted industry leaders such as US auction house Acker Merrall & Condit, UK wine agent Berry Bros & Rudd and Wing Lung, the first Hong Kong bank to provide wine loans. As per last year, exhibit categories included Liquor and Beverage products, Wine Services (storage, education and packaging), Wine Accessories & Equipment and Friends of Wine, which covered bakery products, confectionery, seafood and pasta.

The fair also presented over 50 special events including the Wine Industry Conference, Asia Top Sommelier Summit – featuring sommeliers from 10 countries and regions – and the third Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition. Open to spirits for the first time, the competition received over 1,700 applications, up 32% on 2010.

Coming nextHong Kong Wine & spirits FairHong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong8-10 November 2012www.hktdc.com/fair/hkwinefair

DATE EVENT DETAiLs orGANisEr

HIFI is designed to provide an annual meeting place for leaders in the hotel industry to discuss important trends, to network, to identify new opportunities and to do deals through a combination of plenary sessions, breakout panels, and interactive development workshops focusing one of the world’s hottest hotel markets – India.

Supercharge your business at Gulfood! The world’s biggest annual food & hospitality showcase, at the heart of one of the most important global markets Gulfood is the essential sales and sourcing opportunity for the entire MENASA region, with over 20 years’ experience connecting international buyers with market-leading suppliers from around the world.

Established in 1994, HORECA is the region’s largest annual meeting place for both the Hospitality and Food & Beverage Service Industries. HORECA 19th edition includes The International Trade Show for the Hospitality & Foodservice Industry, The International Trade Show for the Food Industry and Beirut International Wine & Drinks Fair.

Hotelex 2012 will offer 100,000 square metres of exhibitions space, with 1,100 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors. The show will continue to focus on the low-carbon development of the hotel industry and the development direction of the global hotel industry, so as to create a new future with an international and professional philosophy.

With a focus on promoting the Asian food and hospitality industry, Food & Hotel Asia has grown tremendously along with the industry as the premier trade event synonymous with the food and hospitality industry in Asia and beyond. Today, the show is a made up five specialised events: Food Asia, Hotel Asia, Bakery & Pastry, Hospitality Style Asia and Hospitality Technology; and an up-and-coming segment named Tea & Coffee.

In 2012, the 13th edition of SIAL China will be back in Shanghai. SIAL China will set the benchmark for overseas companies stepping into China as well as providing valuable insights and trends regarding the Chinese F&B market. New events for 2012 include a team contest, hospitality forum and coffee trends area.

The Hotel Show provides a unique networking and sourcing platform within the region. The event gathers over 14,800 hospitality professionals for three days of intensive business networking, industry awards, conferences and hospitality functions. With its proven track record of delivery, spanning 13 years, The Hotel Show is the largest hospitality supplies event for the Middle East and North Africa region.

THAIFEX – World of Food Asia, held in Bangkok, Thailand, is where global players in the food and beverage industry meet. The show covers food & beverages, featuring halal & organic food, catering, food technology, hospitality service and retail & franchise.

HOSFAIR Guangzhou has been successfully held for nine years with a 30% rate of growth every year, and has become one of the leading exhibition and trade platforms for hospitality suppliers and manufacturers, as well as a bridge for Chinese hospitality internationally.

Burba Hotel Network2900 Bristol Street, Ste. D101Costa Mesa, CA 92626 USATel: +1 714 540 [email protected]/

Dubai World Trade CentrePO Box 9292Dubai UAETel: +971 4 308 6081 Fax: +971 4 318 [email protected]

Hospitality Services s.a.r.lDekwaneh, Main Road, Borghol Bldg, 2nd FloorP.O Box 90155 Jdeidet-El-Metn 1202 2020 Beirut, LebanonTel: +961 1 4800 81 Fax: +961 1 48 28 [email protected] UBM Asia8/F Xian Dai Mansion218 Xiang Yang RoadShanghai 200031, ChinaTel: +86 21 6437 1178 507Fax: +86 21 6437 0982www.ubmsinoexpo.com

Singapore Exhibition Services Pte LtdNo. 1 Jalan Kilang Timor, #09-02Pacific Tech CentreSingapore 159303Tel: +65 62336638 Fax: +65 62336633www.foodnhotelasia.com

COMEXPOSIUM Shanghai Room 301, Dongyi Building 88 Changshu Road,Shanghai 200040, CHINA Tel: +86 21 62 49 20 28 / 24 10 Fax: +86 21 62 49 34 14www.sialchina.com

dmg eventsSuite 502 - 509, The PalladiumCluster C, Jumeirah Lake TowersP.O. Box 33817, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesTel: +9714 4380355 Fax: +9714 438 00361www.thehotelshow.com

Koelnmesse Pte Ltd152 Beach Road#25-05 Gateway EastSingapore 189721Tel: +65 6500 6700Fax: +65 6294 [email protected]

Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd9H, Jinsui Tower, and No.900 Guangzhou Ave. Mid, Guangzhou, ChinaTel: +86-20-38866965Fax: [email protected] www.hosfair.com

Jan 11 – 13 Hotel Investment Forum India2012 Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel Mumbai India

Feb 19 – 22 Gulfood Dubai International Exhibition Centre Dubai

March 20 – 23 HORECA Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center Beirut Central District Lebanon

April 9 – 12 Hotelex Shanghai Shanghai New International Expo Centre Pudong, Shanghai China

April 17 – 20 Singapore Expo Singapore Expo, Halls 1 – 9 1 Expo Drive Singapore 486150 Singapore

May 9 – 11 The 13th SIAL China Shanghai New International Expo Centre Hall N1-N5, E7 Pudong New Area Shanghai China

May 15 – 17 Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai United Arab Emirates

May 23 – 27 IMPACT Exhibition Center Bangkok Thailand

June 28 – 30 China Import and Export Fair Complex Guangzhou China

E v E n t s


E x h i b i t i o n s


The demands of running a successful catering business in Asia keep Liz Seaton on her toes, she tells Daniel Creffield

As the boss of one of Hong Kong’s leading catering firms, Liz Seaton is used to challenges. But she says that

one incident in particular pushed her close to the edge.

“It was a wedding in a venue across three different areas, and we were catering for 135 people,” she recalls. “Then the generator stopped working. We cooked risotto on gas, and had just enough heat left to finish the desserts. We got away with it by the skin of our teeth!”

With up to 1,000 events a year, Seaton, whose firm Gingers (named partly after the root which is so popular in Asia, and partly after her red hair), says improvisation is key to being successful in this competitive business.

“We are constantly having to deal with

queen of cuisine

variables,” she stresses. “The weather, not enough space, stairs we weren’t aware of and people who insist on doing things their own way, even though we have a lot of experience in this industry and know instinctively what will work and what won’t.”

Part of the job, therefore, is managing clients’ expectations.

“We find ourselves in a wide variety of venues – colonial and listed buildings, museums, galleries … in some of these places the ‘kitchen’ might be two floors up and they want a sit-down dinner for 40 people,” she says. “We have to tell them that there could be a problem with timing, with getting food to the table hot … people have to be realistic about what is possible and what isn’t.

“We very rarely find ourselves working out

of a nice, air conditioned five-star kitchen and have to therefore drum into both clients and staff that there are limits to what we can do taking the location and elements into account.”

This notwithstanding, Gingers has earned a reputation for delivering quality service at competitive prices, demonstrated in an extensive client portfolio which ranges from large multinational corporations to small local firms and private individuals.

Seaton says she picked up her enthusiasm for food from her parents. Her mother had an extensive collection of cookbooks to create “wonderful dinner parties” and her father made “absolutely the best Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes”.

Tough apprenticeshipSo it was only natural that after school she enrolled in a chefs’ college in Edinburgh, after which she served a tough apprenticeship there, then in Glasgow and Jersey, before cooking on private yachts in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

With a taste for travel she then moved to Hong Kong on the recommendation of a friend and initially worked as a chef for the same catering company where she had been employed in Scotland.

Following on from organising a successful dinner party for a friend’s employer she found herself increasingly in demand as a party caterer in her spare time, and going full time in December 2001 seemed like a natural progression, she says. A 500 square foot Chinese street restaurant was converted into a catering base, with just four permanent staff and a team of trusted freelancers, and Gingers was in business.

In March 2003 she expanded into a 700 square foot neighbouring art gallery, hiring more permanent staff.

Today the boutique catering company employs a full time team of 15 with around 35 support staff and caters for over 1,000 events per year. The service extends to lunches, cocktails and boat trips to private dinners, buffets, barbecues, weddings and more.

Speaking just after the completion of week of ‘pop-up’ dinners to celebrate Ginger’s tenth anniversary, Seaton says she is not tempted to go into the restaurant trade.

“I’m not a restaurateur – catering is hard enough work without having a restaurant as well! Having said that, running a restaurant, in a way, is easier … you know how many tables you have and what you are dealing with. With catering there is always an unpredictable element. But at least we don’t have the huge rents restaurants here have to pay!”

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AndrewTan

ChristophVoegeli

MurrayAitken

RyanArboleda

AlbertCheong

PhilipSchaetz

TaroTan

MinChingChristopherDavidJohns

ErichFriedl

DewiTrinawati

Albert Cheong is the new area general manager for the Landmark Lancaster Hotel Group, Thailand. Formerly with the Shangri-La, in his new role, he will be responsible for the group’s existing hotel, the Landmark Bangkok and its upcoming sister hotel, Lancaster Bangkok, which is due to open during the second half of 2012.

Millennium and Copthorne International Limited have appointed Andrew Tan general manager of the Orchard Hotel Singapore, a 656-key property, situated in the heart of the city on Orchard Road. Prior to taking on his new role, Singaporean Tan was GM of Millennium Gloucester and Millennium Bailey’s Hotel, both based in London.

Christoph Voegeli has been named general manager of Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, the brand’s flagship property in Malaysia. Voegeli joins Meritus following his assignment with the InterContinental Hotels Group as GM of Holiday Inn Melaka and has also worked at Aerowisata’s Hotel Sanur Beach in Bali, Rembrandt Hotel and Towers Bangkok, and Carlton Hotel Singapore.

The Renaissance Harbour View has appointed Christopher David Johns director of operations. Johns joins the hotel from the Renaissance Seoul, where he was Director of food & beverage. He joined the Marriott Group in 1996 as beverage manager at the Renaissance Sydney.

Erich Friedl was recently named GM of Luxury Collection’s new Naka resort, the Naka Island, just off the coast of Phuket. Friedl has more than 20 years of hospitality experience, with several of them spent in Thailand, most recently, as hotel manager of the Westin Kuala Lumpur and director of food and beverage at The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok.

The Intercontinental Bali has a new director of food and beverage: Gindo sianturi. With over 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Sianturi has held key positions with many luxury hotel brands in Southeast Asia including Four Seasons and the Hyatt. Most recently, he was director of food and beverage at the Andaman Langkawi.

Dewi Trinawati has also joined the Intercontinental Bali as director of sales. Passionate about travel and environmental issues, Trinawati joins the resort following a long stint as director of sales & marketing for Oberoi Hotels & Resorts Indonesia. She will be instrumental in driving the sales and achieving targets in both the wholesale and MICE markets.

The Regent Bali, a US$100 million luxury resort and residences scheduled to open next June in Sanur, has welcomed Murray Aitken as general manager. A South African national, Aitken’s hospitality experience includes appointments with Raffles and Swissotel in Southeast Asia, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in Jakarta and the Caribbean and Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town.

Fine dining resort Paresa Phuket has appointed New Zealander ryan Arboleda as executive chef, overseeing Talung Thai and Diavolo. Arboleda joins Paresa from Crown Casino and Towers in Melbourne. He began his career in his native New Zealand at Auckland’s award-winning Partingtons restaurant at the Langham Hotel, and Peter Thorley’s renowned Bracu restaurant.

In other Paresa news, Min Ching has been appointed food and beverage director. Lin joins Paresa from Langham Place Samui, where he successfully opened new dining experiences in the same role. A Nicaraguan/Taiwanese native, he worked in Nicaragua, Switzerland and the US before first moving to Asia as food & beverage manager for the Sofitel Silom Bangkok.

Kosmopolito Hotels International – whose portfolio includes Grand Dorsett, Dorsett Regency and Silka – has appointed Philip schaetz as senior vice president of sales & marketing. Schaetz is an expert in data analytics and electronic distribution strategies and also possesses a sound knowledge of the development of shared and worldwide reservation centres. He will implement advanced revenue data systems and enhance the data collection process.

Taro Tan is the new area director of rooms for Landmark Lancaster Group. He will be responsible for the group’s existing hotel, The Landmark Bangkok, as well as its upcoming sister hotel, Lancaster Bangkok, which is slated to soft-open during the second half of 2012.

GindoSianturi

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