asian hotel

& Catering Times

Published since 1976 Vol 35 August 2010

HERITAGE HOTELS

INTEGRATED DATA
RESORT EXPANSION
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Thailand Bt300
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ADVENTURES IN ICE
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 E d i t o r ’ s M e s s a g e

DESIGN W
elcome to the August edition of was touring Asia to “hug his customers”. You and the contemporary, what niche is there for
Asia’s favourite hospitality read, may need to get that close to your clients to heritage hotels?
home not just to the news but the ensure they keep coming back for more and On a lighter note, explore chic ideas
background that explains it. one way to do so is to harness technology to for ice cream and see why the Japanese are

MEETS WINE “I stayed in a real old hotel last night.

They sent me a wake up letter,” quipped
the American comedian Steve Wright.
collate all the data you have on guests and their
spending patterns.
However, as the industry recovers
talking big balls when it comes to ice in
their whisky.

Trite sentiment alert – in the current
competitive climate being behind the curve
on technological advances is not an option. At
the start of the financial crisis we encountered
one very senior hotel executive who told us he
occupancy if not yet revenue, now is also a
good time to be planning the next wave of
expansion. Can Integrated Resorts weave
their money-spinning magic in Cambodia or
Vietnam? In a region obsessed by modernity
Mischa
Moselle

Managing Editor
HARMONY 53
HARMONY Mischa Moselle
CARAFE mischa@thomsonpress.com.hk
Baking Industry The Federation
Hong Kong Hotels Hong Kong Federation Of Hong Kong Association
Design by Association Chefs Association Restaurant Owners Training Centre Of Hong Kong
Hotel Owners
Of Thailand

Koon Ming Tang

production@thomsonpress.com.hk
HARMONY 35
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Nadine Bateman Association Of
International
Singapore
Chefs Association
Hong Kong
Bakery & Confectionery
Hong Kong
Maitre D’hotel Association
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Hotel Association
Hong Kong
Bartenders Association
Andrew Dembina Hoteliers Shanghai Association

Mark Graham
Elle Kwan
Robin Lynam
Ruth Williams Shanghai Myanmar Chefs Malaysian Association Macau Hotel Club managers Association
Chefs Association Association Of Hotels

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Sharon Knowler
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August 2010 AHCT 3

 CONTENTS
Volume 35 August 2010

MARKET REPORT
14 Heritage hotels of Rajasthan
TECHNOLOGY
18 The low-down on integrated hotel
systems and the importance of
social media sites
EQUIPMENT
40 Chilled ice-making machines
EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
44 Events calendar
45 Hosfair reviewed
46 Hotel World Asia reviewed
47 IHIF 2010 reviewed

Cover photography courtesy of Rest Detail

Fit for a Rajah

14
Hotel, Hua Hin Thailand

NEWS
CULINARY
34 Dry-aged beef; Mooncakes;
Energy drink

INDUSTRY
6 Travel forecasts; expansion

6
plans; Thailand

PRODUCT
36 Crème Brûlée syrup; ovens; wine
glasses; cookware Rapid expansion
MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENTS
12 Asia’s casinos: who’s catching up 54 See who is moving where
with Macau?

Ice cream delight Advertisers’ Ind e x

Alpha International 23
Athena Tableware 25
Boncafe 10 & 11
Elle & Vire International OBC
Food Hotel China 48
Up and Coming... Franke 31
Global Chef 9
September
Global Search International 15
FOOD • Green issues
HICAP 52
• Market Report: Malaysia
22 Hong Kong’s dining scene HK International Wine Fair 51
• Security
evolves • Public spaces Hyperlux IBC
26 The world’s coolest frozen • Olive oil International Furniture Fair 49
desserts • Cocktails Manitowoc Foodservice 43
• Laundry; Induction cookers Meiko 49

26
Movenpick Nestle 29
DRINK
October Nespresso 17
30 Coffee – staff training for a • Spa Rastal IFC
better cup • Market report: Macau Restaurant & Bar 50
• Revenue/Yield Management
Routin 19
• Spa design
The Koffee Ko 33
• Caviar
• Wine
VIDACASA 39
• Spa amenities/Tabletops Wine & Gourmet Asia 53

4 AHCT August 2010 August 2010 AHCT 5

I n d u s t r y N e w s
Mainlanders plan most frequent travel
The region’s biggest travellers over the next two years will be the mainland
Chinese, who intend to spend their money close to home, whatever the
state of the economy.
That’s according to the findings of The Visa and Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) Asia Pacific Travel Intentions Survey 2010, which
found that the mainland Chinese plan to travel most out of all Greater
China travellers*.
The survey revealed that, on average, they are planning for 7.4 business
and leisure trips in the next two years, compared with the 5.6 and 4.5 trips
anticipated by Hong Kong and Taiwanese travellers.
It also showed they are less affected by the economic climate than
last year.
In the 2009 survey, 76 percent of Greater China respondents said
economic uncertainties would affect their travel
plans to the extent that they would either postpone
their trips or choose less expensive destination
options. However, this year, 50 percent of the
respondents said they intend to travel, irrespective
of economic uncertainties.
In line with the 2009 survey results, Asia Pacific
continues to be the number one destination region
for Greater China leisure travellers over the next
two years, followed by Western Europe and North
America.
Richard Chang, Group Country Manager,
Greater China, Visa, which commissioned the
survey, said: “This year the survey again highlights
the strong intra-regional travel preferences that exist
among consumers in Greater China. Hong Kong
remains a top leisure travel destination for mainland John Koldowski,
Chinese and Taiwan while mainland China continues Deputy CEO &
Head, Office
to rank as one of the most favourite holiday of Strategy
destinations for Hong Kongers and Taiwanese Management,
PATA
travellers.”
IN BRIEF
Singapore’s first waterfront hotel has opened. The Fullerton Bay
Hotel, Marina Bay, is joining the Preferred Hotels & Resorts stable.
Located in the heart of the Lion City’s central business district and
the historic arts and cultural precinct, the hotel features an impressive
glass façade and a 17-metre-wide lobby at the historic Clifford Pier.
The interior designs were inspired by Singapore's history, and
feature vintage nautical maps and contemporary art.
The 100-room hotel includes six suites named after the ex-
governors of the Straits Settlement and each has a magnificent view of
Marina Bay.
There are three dining rooms, an opulent 800-bottle fine wine
library and a stylish rooftop bar and swimming pool with panoramic
views of the waterfront, the Singapore skyline, and sunset.
The Mandarin Oriental has opened a new hotel on Macau’s waterfront.
Featuring all the luxury elements the name is synonymous with, the
rooms at the Mandarin Oriental, Macau, offer panoramic views of
the Taipa Island, west Nam Van Lake, Macau Tower and the hills of the
South China coastline.
The hotel is located in the One Central complex, perfectly situated
for high-end shopping and the requisite entertainment, but also just a
few minutes walk from the historic town.
The group’s award-winning spa concept is there in all its glory and
there’s also a 320 square-metre ballroom and a boardroom
6 AHCT August 2010
I n d u s t r y N e w s
That’s good news for the region’s travel industry players, government
tourism agencies and financial institutions.
Targets for growth
John Koldowski, Deputy CEO & Head, Office of Strategy Management,
Three major hotel groups are to significantly expand their Asia
PATA (the recognized authority on Asia Pacific travel and tourism, which
Pacific operations.
co-commissioned the survey) said the insights provided are useful to the
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Accor and Pan Pacific are
whole industry in formulating strategies for sustainable growth.
opening hotels in Greater China, India and Australia, respectively.
“(The results) coupled with the fact that the mainland Chinese became
IHG is to double its presence in Greater China to over 250 hotels
the world’s fourth biggest tourism spenders last year, indicates that the
over the next five years.
travel industry must adapt to the needs of the growing number of affluent
It is currently the largest international hotel company in
mainland Chinese who have the discretionary spending power for leisure
Greater China with 131 hotels open and a further 146 hotels in the
travel,” said Koldowski.
development pipeline.
The survey also shows that Macau has dropped down the priority list for
Group CEO, Andy Cosslett, said: “By establishing ourselves as
all Greater China travellers, particularly for travellers from mainland China.
the first international hotel company in China with the Holiday Inn
Lido in Beijing in 1984, we now have an extensive infrastructure with
Attractions
over 40,000 people across the country and a presence in over 40
Different travel preferences among Greater China
major, secondary and tertiary cities. We will create a further 87,000
travellers were recorded, with natural scenery,
jobs across China over the next five years as we open the hotels
sunshine and beaches and new places being the
in our pipeline.”
key attractions for mainland Chinese planning their
holidays. Hong Kong has been the number one Accor is bringing the IBIS brand to Bangalore
destination for leisure travel over the past two years,
French connection
The world's leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe,
with repeat visits largely driven by great shopping,
Accor, has teamed up with Interglobe and Pacifica Partners to open
dining options and natural scenery.
seven new hotels at key locations in India.
For Hong Kongers, it was Japan, mainland
These include a site at the recently opened Delhi International
China and Taiwan that were the most popular
Airport, one of Asia’s newest and largest airports. All seven hotels
destinations over the past two years and remain
will open between 2011 and 2013, when they will be valued at
the top choices for the next two years. For the
approximately US$325 million on completion.
Taiwanese, it’s mainland China, Japan and Hong
A fund for the hotels has been established with Pacifica, which is
Kong that hold the greatest appeal.
the asset manager for the joint venture hotel arm of the Government
The survey was conducted in May and 1,571
of Singapore Investment Corporation.
people in the Greater China region were interviewed.
Gilles Pelisson Chairman and CEO of Accor said: “The
establishment of this fund demonstrates Accor’s ability to enter new
*Greater China region refers to mainland China,
markets through effective partnerships, creating a portfolio of high
Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
quality assets and then realizing the potential of these assets. The
investment of Pacifica into this fund provides a platform for further
growth in the strategic market of India where Accor and InterGlobe
have already created an extensive development pipeline.”
In the five years since entering India with a joint venture
arrangement with InterGlobe Enterprises, Accor has opened eight
hotels. A further 43 hotels are committed in the country.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group will enter the Australian market with
an initial three properties by 2011.
This marks the beginning of its presence in what will be a
new growth market for the Singapore-based hotel management
company, which owns and/or manages more than 30 hotels,
resorts and serviced suites with over 10,000 rooms in Asia and
North America.
The three new properties in Australia will be Parkroyal, Darling
Harbour, Sydney, (rebranded from Crowne Plaza Darling Harbour),
ParkRoyal Parramatta (rebranded from Crowne Plaza Parramatta)
in Sydney and Pan Pacific Perth, in Perth, Western (rebranded from
Sheraton Perth).
“We are entering Australia with three great hotels,” said A.
Patrick Imbardelli, President and CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels Group.
“We are delighted to be able to introduce the Pan Pacific
hallmark of personalised service even as we reconnect the
ParkRoyal brand with consumers, guests, and all of our stakeholders
in this market and create memorable hotel experiences for each
one of them.”
IHG to expand its China presence
The bar of the newly-opened Mandarin Oriental, Macau
August 2010 AHCT 7
I n d u s t r y N e w s
Arrivals growth
for Thailand
and Bali
The negative impact on Thailand following the
political demonstrations has been devastating
and unnecessary, according to one long-term
resident and leading businessman, opining
before the late July blast in the capital’s business
district.
In an open letter to the country’s prime
minister last month, William E. Heinecke, blamed
the global media, saying it “unfairly portrayed
Thailand – the entire country – as being unsafe for tourists (when) in
actual fact, outside of Bangkok, and specifically the Rajprasong area,
life remained peaceful and unaffected by the events which took place.”
Heinecke, who is Chairman and CEO of the Minor group of companies
- which includes Minor International Plc, one of the largest hospitality
and leisure companies in the Asia Pacific region, and who moved to
Thailand with his family in 1963, becoming a citizen in 1991 – writes
that it is “heartbreaking to see a countrywide travel warning that causes
unnecessary panic for international guests and hardship for the millions
of people working in the travel sector and related industries.”
He goes on to say that he is confident that tourists will soon return to
the country to experience its “natural beauty, unique culture, and warm
welcome of its people”, adding that Thailand “will continue to be one of
the world’s leading tourist destinations.”
His confidence is not misplaced. Thailand is still a top travel spot and
visitor numbers are up, despite the sharp drop during the political crisis
months of May and June.
International arrivals in the first half of the year increased by more
than 13 percent on last year.
Figures compiled by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, showed total
arrivals of 7,515,025 from January to June, while over the same period
last year, the number was 6,609,313.
That’s due in part to the impact of the global financial and economic
crisis prevailing at the time and also reflects the fact that while arrivals to
8 AHCT August 2010
Bali visitor numbers have not suffered any knock on
effect from Thailand
Bangkok were significantly affected, arrivals to
Phuket remained relatively buoyant.
As the arrivals in June and July picked up
significantly, thanks to recovery programmes
and promotional packages, the Tourism
Authority of Thailand officials remain optimistic
Thailand still attracts visitors that it will still be possible to meet the year’s total
arrivals target of 14.5 million arrivals.
East Asians are the country’s most loyal
visitors, with Malaysians topping the list, followed by the Japanese,
Chinese and Koreans.
In Europe, the UK and German tourists are still holidaying in Thailand,
while visitor numbers from Russia continue to grow steadily.
Island of the statistics
Thailand’s troubles may have had a postive effect on Bali.
May foreign arrival figures have placed the island back into positive
growth, increasing 8.10 percent as compared to May 2009.
On a cumulative basis January-May 2010 produced 926,453 foreign
visitors for Bali, up 12.02 percent from the same five months in 2009.
If the current 12.02 percent growth rate can be sustained until the end
of the year, visitor numbers should reach around 2.497 million
Australia remains the largest source of visitors, with arrivals increasing
56.62 percent in the first five months of the year.
As Japan's economic downturn continues to worsen, their visitor
numbers declined to 23.25 percent of the total in the same period.
Although mainland China is third place in the race for Bali foreign
tourist arrivals, May 2010 figures plummeted by 19.16 per cent, but the
overall decline for January-May was 2.32 percent.
Malaysia and South Korea visitor numbers also declined by 5.36
percent and 6.11 percent, respectively.
However, U.K. arrivals to Bali are up a whopping 27.09 percent and,
Netherlands visitors, buoyed by a resumption of service to Amsterdam
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Photography courtesy of the St Regis, Bali
Mobile service
InterContinental Hotels (IHG) has announced the second phase of its
mobile app strategy with the global launch of its Priority Club Rewards
app for the Android.
In this way customers can find and book hotel rooms, check rates
and view or cancel reservations for all seven of IHG’s brands.
IHG is the first major hotel company to offer an app for the Android
and the announcement follows the successful launch of the Priority Club
Rewards iPhone app in late April, which has been downloaded over
70,000 times globally since.
Says Michael Menis, Vice President, Global Interactive Marketing,
IHG: “Our mobile capabilities are an important part of our powerful
system that brings guests into IHG hotels . . . The growth of our mobile
capabilities and their success in the marketplace in just one year tells us
that our customers want access to information wherever and whenever
they want. Our mobile strategy allows us to create the optimized websites
and applications that provide that access for our customers.”
Travellers on the move can now also book Worldhotels’
accommodation with a new website available exclusively through
smartphones.
Users of Blackberries and iPhones accessing www.worldhotels.
com are automatically linked to a splash page, enabling them to choose
between making a booking or searching the group’s full directory of more
than 450 properties worldwide.
Commenting on the new service, Worldhotels’ Asia Pacific Vice
President, Roland Jegge says: ‘We have responded to the massive
growth in the use of smartphones and the degree to which both business
and leisure travellers have come to rely on them. Worldhotels always
wants to make life as easy as possible for busy travellers.”
Reservations on the move
August 2010 AHCT 9
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 M a n a g eme n t M a n a g eme n t

Japanese gaming lobbyists have yet to win over successive premiers

would buy the UK casino businesses of
Andrew Dembina Genting Singapore Plc to expand overseas
asks if other Asian UK gaming. But will Malaysia step up
domestic gaming to keep up with neighbour
countries can Singapore?
The Philippines, Cambodia, South
cash in on the Korea and Taiwan have reportedly all been
success of casino- developing existing or mulling over new
casinos as tourist attractions.
resort complexes There are different issues in each country
in Macau and before they might challenge Macau and
Singapore as gaming destinations.
Singapore Raking in the RMB
Forever tight-lipped about its operations, and
forecasts it seems, gaming industry senior
executives and lawyers approached for this
article declined to comment.
One exception, however, was gaming
consultant Ben Lee, based in Macau. The
Managing Partner at IGamiX Management
& Consulting Ltd has an ideal overview of
the topic: he has been helping and advising
on new gaming projects in Asia over the past
five years, the last two as freelance consultant,
frequently travelling for industry public
speaking appointments.
To place all in context, AHCT asked
Lee to explain Macau’s runaway success in
overtaking Las Vegas revenues so quickly.
“Simple, Macau is right next door to 80
million people in Guangdong [Province],”
he said. “It was a matter of an opportunity
they never had, which started when the PRC
Inspiring imitators: entry to the casino at
permitted their citizens to travel to Macau
and Hong Kong after the SARS [health]
crisis hit the two Special Administrative
Regions quite severely. That are a lot of
Chinese with a cultural penchant and affinity
for gambling.”
But can the current levels of gaming
spending there be sustained, and is there
room for Macau to go on growing this
industry further? “Absolutely,” ensures Lee,
referring to population statistics. “China has
1.5 billion people. Macau has so far tapped
into only 80 million. However the demand
for gambling is restricted by the Central
government, both directly – restricting
individual visas – and by indirect means – like
having the Macau government also limit the
number of days a PRC citizen can spend in
Macau. What the PRC will do next is one
question no-one in Macau can answer.”
Lee, like many in the region, was quite
surprised when Singapore, after much
talk, finally opened up to gaming earlier
this year. “The Singapore courts, prior to
the IR [integrated resort] tender, rejected
an application by an Australian casino
to enforce a debt on the grounds that as
gambling was not legal at that time, any
debts resulting from it would not have stood
“The Singapore situation has added
legally,” he clearly remembers.”
Unexpected perhaps, but most welcome,
to the regional impetus already
Lee reflects: “The Singapore situation
has added to the regional impetus already imparted by Macau”
imparted by Macau. The two IRs in
Singapore will continue ramping up their and inviting tourism dollars, Cambodia is that the industry there will remain as it is for
facilities and marketing, and we should the only country in the region that does not the near future.
see annual combined revenue reaching

I
n 2005, when American casinos came
to town in the ex-Portuguese colony,
everyone forecast a surge in profits
in gaming and related industries.
One year later, Macau’s gambling revenues
famously overtook those of Las Vegas.
Naturally, Asian neighbours have been
encouraged by this and some have turned
their attention to developing their own
gaming industries. In January, Macau casino
revenue rose 63 percent from a year earlier,
to 14 billion patacas (US$1.80 billion),
according to Portuguese news agency Lusa.
Singapore’s much-anticipated casinos
started changing up chips from February
this year. Though there have been some
teething problems, with one launch stalling
and attracting criticism from its staff,
innovations, such as female-only tables, and
Singapore’s clean-cut reputation gives a
flutter in Lion City some fresh appeal. The
two casinos are expected to contribute a
combined additional S$5.4 billion (US$3.84
billion), some 0.5 to 1 percent, to Singapore’s
gross domestic product by 2015, estimates
Singapore’s Tourism Board.
Malaysia has operated relatively low-
key gaming in the Genting Highlands for
decades. The sole player in the country’s
casino business announced in July that it
Macau’s City of Dreams
somewhere between US$3.5-4 billion.
Where next?
So what of the other Asian gaming
contenders? Perhaps Malaysia’s quietish
small-scale gaming could be expanded. Lee
thinks not. “The gaming scene will remain as
it is in Malaysia for the foreseeable future,”
he surmises. “Caught between [being] an
increasingly Islamist state and a monopolistic
situation, it already has lost significant
revenue to Singapore and will continue
to do so. In fact, I won’t be surprised if
Genting shifts some of its business down to
Singapore, due to the lower taxes there, as
well as increasing uncertainty brought about
by the religion factor.”
There are murmurs of interest from
other Asian nations to join their high-rolling
gaming neighbours. No concrete plans have
been publicly announced yet, though.
Cambodia, which has an established
gaming industry that attracts Thais across its
border (there is no legal gaming in Thailand),
looks the likeliest to continue expanding. “It’s
vibrant there, said Lee, “around 30 casinos
at last count, with another five or six on the
drawing board. With its stated objectives
of attracting investment, creating local jobs
Foreign investors have found the Philippines a challenging environment
levy a gaming revenue tax. This has driven
up real estate value where none was to be
had, particularly in the border areas, with
new border points now coming up.”
On other Asian nations’ plans, Lee is
less hopeful. “The Philippines has been
attempting to grow its gaming industry,”
he said. “But the effort has been mired in
local politics. Institutionalised corruption,
a government regulator who is also a
competitor – Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), opaque
tax and incomprehensible labour laws, have
all combined to render the Philippines a
veritable revolving door as far as foreign
investors are concerned. It’s a challenge to
get overseas gamblers in any large numbers
to visit the Philippines now that Macau and
Singapore are both large draw cards.
Unappealing odds
“South Korea has 17 casinos, with locals
permitted to enter only one, which is a few
hours drive away from Seoul. The other
foreigners-only casinos’ combined revenue
does not add up to that enjoyed by the
local one. There’s a huge pent up demand
in Korea and foreign operators are keen to
invest; however, the government’s steadfast
refusal to permit free local access has meant
“There has been recent hullabaloo about
two islands in Taiwan, first Penghu, now
Kinmen. As locals will tell you, though, it’s
easier to fly to Macau than it would be to get
to those islands. Given that it’s unlikely for
overseas visitors to visit Taiwan for gaming,
and that there is doubt as to whether the
PRC would allow citizens to gamble there,
the whole question is moot.
“There has been internal movement
within Japan over the last five years to bring
in casinos, however these efforts parallel the
discontinuity in government. Every time it or
the prime minister changes, the casino lobby
groups’ efforts get reset to zero.
“I would think that Indonesia may even
start debating the issue, to retain tourism
funds that they now see flowing out to
Singapore.”
Hong Kong has gambling officially
controlled through the Hong Kong Jockey
Club, through sports betting and a lottery,
but no gaming. Lee foresees no change there.
And as for mainland China, it “already
has enough problems with corruption
internally, without bringing in a highly
volatile complicator like casinos,” he said.
“Right now, it is probably happy to keep it
‘quarantined’ in Macau, where it has control,
anyhow.”

12 AHCT August 2010 August 2010 AHCT 13

M a r k e t R e p o r t
Right
places
The venerable Ambassador takes
guests to the Umaid Bhawan
The castles and palaces of the Indian
desert state of Rajasthan, which once
housed the ruling royal families, their
courts and concubines, are now popular
heritage hotels reports Mark Graham
14 AHCT August 2010
royal
to stay
T
imes became tough for the Indian maharajahs when
independence arrived sixty years ago, bringing with it
a diminution of their power and privileges. The tiger-
shooting parties became less frequent, the lavish palace
balls a little more irregular and the fleets of Rolls-Royce limousines
had to be trimmed back drastically.
Then one of the brighter sparks among the Indian aristocracy hit
on the idea of renting out castle rooms to the paying public, allowing
tourists a glimpse of the gilded life that had once gone before. It was
a spectacular success, particularly in Rajasthan, the desert state which
has the greatest concentration of grand family palaces, originally built
with funds raised from feudalistic taxes on the peasantry.
Modern day visitors get to stay in these blue-blood creations at
blue collar prices: rooms with cavernous bedrooms and four-poster
beds go for as little as US$100 a night. Places such as Samode Palace,
Umaid Bhawan and the Lake Palace at Udaipur are fabulously ornate
creations, castles and palaces where the architects had a money-no-
object brief.
They also have a roll-call of interesting guests past and present.
Among the Samode stayers was former American First Lady Jackie
M a r k e t R e p o r t
Moghul-style
gardens at the
Lake Palace
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August 2010 AHCT 15
M a r k e t R e p o r t

The Taj Group’s Lake Palace hotel
A former royal hunting lodge
is now a Taj Group-operated
79-room property
Jai Mahal palace in state capital Jaipur – 263 years old
city lake; originally it was merely a
summer getaway, so the royal court
could escape from the 50ºC-degree
heat of the non-air-conditioned
summers.
In more recent times, visitors Nostalgia – the Rambagh
have included Queen Elizabeth of Palace’s afternoon tea offering
Britain, soon after her coronation, and the actress Vivien Leigh. The
Hollywood theme continued when the James Bond crew arrived to
make Octopussy. In that movie Roger Moore was on 007 duties battling,
among other villains, Vijay Armitrage, the Indian tennis star who
was cast as a baddie.
In the past few years, giggly actress Goldie Hawn has woken up
to a Lake Pichola sunrise; British foreign secretary William Hague
checked in for his honeymoon; a regular visitor was the late Beatle
George Harrison, an enthusiastic champion of Indian music and
culture.
“Most of the time people don’t want to leave,” says a hotel
spokesman. “We find a lot of people just sit around and read or
sketch. Foreigners also come here to get married, dressing up in local
costumes. People love to come to Rajasthan because of its history: it
has always been the land of wars and chivalry and big moustaches.
There is an image that it is the land of kings and rulers.”
Nostalgic ride
Visitors often build an itinerary around heritage hotels of Rajasthan,
cruising around the desert state by Ambassador, the unfashionable,
yet dependable, automobile of choice for the often-rough roads of
the desert. A popular circuit is to hire a car and driver in New Delhi
for a two-week tour around Rajasthan after first visiting the Taj
Mahal in Agra.
Major Rajasthan settlements are located around 200 kilometres
from each other – just the right distance for a day’s sedate motoring,
stopping at attention-grabbing sites along the roadside.
The antique Ambassador vehicle, designed in the 1950s, fits
into the nostalgic mood evoked by the Rajasthan castles, helping to
recreate an era when tiffin was taken in the afternoon, bagged tigers
were displayed on the lawn and the maharajahs’ wealth was measured
in many, many millions of dollars.
The more entrepreneurially minded maharajas have moved
with the times, realising that tourism can be a nice little earner. His
Excellency the Maharajah Gaj Singh, whose family ruled the fort city
of Jodhpur for centuries, is an example of the new, commercially-
minded royals.
Not that he had much choice. Earlier this century, his grandfather
built Umaid Bhawan castle, a building of stupendous proportions
and extravagant design, where the architect appears to have had
influences ranging from Walt Disney of America, through to Louis
XIV of France and, closer to home, an ancestral committee of
maharajas from Jodhpur. Its preposterous size – there are more than
300 rooms in all – meant it soon began to make a serious dent in
the family fortune.
Enter tourism. Visitors, who pay from US$200 a night, check into
a building equipped with all the royal trappings a huge banqueting
hall, an extensive collection of stuffed tigers, bears and leopards, and
expansive, carefully-manicured grounds. The maharajah himself
lives in one ample annex of the building, holding court beneath the
portraits of rulers past and present.
“Guests bring the building alive,” says the maharajah, whose
palace recently hosted the wedding of movie star and model Liz
Hurley to her Indian beau Arun Naya. “Radical changes have come
and this was part of it. Tourism is an engine of growth.”
The palace is considered the flagship property of the Heritage
Hotels of India, a collection of distinguished properties. Also in the
maharajah’s portfolio are Sardar Samand Palace, Bal Samand Lake
Palace and tented camps that allow trips into the desert.
The company that is most closely associated with upscale heritage
properties is the Taj Group. On the company books is Umaid
Bhawan, the Lake Palace hotel and the 100-room Jai Mahal palace
in the Rajasthan capital of Jaipur, a building that dates back to 1747
and was once the residence of the state prime minister.
Guests, who pay US$277 a night for a standard room in the
plush property, are free to wander around the Moghul-style gardens,
considered to be among the finest anywhere.
Another Jaipur hotel, the 79-toom Rambagh Palace was
originally built in 1835 on a modest scale for the maharani’s favourite
servant and was later refurbished as a royal guesthouse and hunting
lodge. In 1925, Rambagh was converted into a palace, and became
the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, switching to luxury hotel
use in 1957 and to Taj management in the 1970s.
There are scores of other palaces, castles, forts and havelis (royal
city dwellings), throughout Rajasthan, some members of larger hotel
chains, others independently managed. Their future looks bright,
given the surging popularity of heritage-style tourism and culture-
themed vacations.
Having Liz Hurley’s wedding in Rajasthan hasn’t done any harm,
either. Rajasthan had a free publicity ride, as the world’s paparazzi
trained their lenses on the glamorous couple and the magical castles,
glorious landscapes and colourful people.

16 AHCT August 2010

 T e c h n o l o g y
Central
Integrated hotel systems combine
multi-functions in one database.
Elle Kwan finds out why it pays
to get connected
A
t Blue Mountain Resort, in Canada, the IT-team has
done away with CRM. Also gone is PMS. The loyalty
computing system is no more. Business and Intelligence
and other financials interfaces are a thing of the past.
In its place is a single database system by Centrum powered by
Microsoft.
During a recent webinar, the group’s IT Director, John Gowers,
outlined all the possible benefits he saw for using a single database
solution; staff have one system to learn. If they migrate departments,
their existing computing skills travel with them. Staff also input less.
If, for instance, a guest books a room, and then requests dinner
reservations, a tennis court and a spa treatment, all actions can be
made by one employee, in real time and bookings show up on each
relevant system automatically. If that same guest cancels his room,
the act of actioning the request cancels all connected bookings.
The tennis court is available immediately, the spa has room for
one more.
Gowers says that the costs involved in connecting multiple
disparate systems and their upkeep is diminished, and in the single
database, all customer records are held in one place, making it an
invaluable marketing tool.
Reporting success
Not everyone prefers a single solution. Sandesh Dessai, Group MIS
Manager for Meritus Hotels and Resorts employs nine systems,
including Opera PMS, Micros POS, Grait Plain Accounting, IdeaS
for revenue management, Synxis for CRS, and FCS Connect for
one-touch service, but Meritus is in the process of linking Opera
with IdeaS and Synxis for greater integration to improve efficiency.
“Hotel management needs to see the morning report or flash report
at every morning meeting. Without integration it’s very difficult to
generate this type of report or information,” says Dessai.
Properties regularly use synergised systems to target performance
in specific areas of the business. Hyatt Hotels Corporation cut
problem orders in their meetings and groups business by a third
after syncing the company’s own sales system, Envision, with
Daylight, a hosted sales and catering solution created by Newmarket
Hamilton Island’s use of the internet and social media
is a text book success story
18 AHCT August 2010
T e c h n o l o g y
“Those organisations
that understand and
implement strong social
media strategies will reap
the benefits” Grahame Tate
Photography courtesy of Meritus Hotels and Resorts
International. Envision deals with leads and booking, while Daylight
manages servicing, and makes use of Microsoft BizServer technology
to gather event information and create focused to-do lists for relevant
departments. According to Steve Enselein, Vice President of
Catering and Convention Services, using the system has raised the
group’s competitive edge. “The benefit of utilizing reporting is the
information is delivered in real-time and the detail is more focused
for each department, resulting in understanding expectations so we
can deliver an exceptional experience,” he says.
Properties may find integrated systems beneficial as the internet
becomes an integral part of customer service and branding. Systems
that feed data from a booking site, for instance, into the main CRS or
similar, can be used to monitor customer preferences and behaviours
useful for targeting marketing campaigns.
“Capturing guest information is critical to a hotel’s ongoing
marketing efforts in a couple of ways,” says Paolo Torchio, Vice
President, Emarketing & Revenue Consulting for Sabre Hospitality
Solutions. Obtaining address information and analysing spend and
buy habits, says Torchio, is a first step. Capturing “clean” email
addresses to communicate with past guests and build loyalty, he says,
is another. “One often overlooked opportunity to utilize consumer
information is to try to get them to opt-in to your prospect database.
The website is a great opportunity to do this.”
Complicated buying processes in hospitality have led to average
web conversion rates of two to three percent. “Which implies that 97
percent of site visitors leave without taking an action,” says Torchio.
“The website should be as much about getting them to opt-in to
the marketing database as it is about reservations through calls to
action. These visitors then become great prospects for sending offers
or encouragement to stay at the hotel where they have shown an
interest,” he explains.
Website bookings for Hamilton Island Enterprises, a resort
destination in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, have risen 50 percent
with conversion rates up 85 percent year-on-year following a
competition campaign offering its winner the chance to live on
the island for a year in exchange for blogging the experience. The
campaign, Best Job in the World, scored a huge viral following and 中国总代理─美商 义式企业有限公司
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August 2010 AHCT 19
 T e c h n o l o g y

asian hotel
traffic to the company’s site surged. Hamilton Island implemented
Guest Connect by Synxis as its booking engine, which, says Bernard
O’Keefe, Group Online Marketing Manager for Hamilton Island,
turned “lookers to bookers.”
& Catering Times Published since 1976
“That increase translates to a more than a 40 percent increase in
revenues just from the booking engine channel alone. In this economy,
that is incredible,” says O’Keefe. Encompassing:
Features of the system include the ability to examine where n Hotels You can
customers fall out of the booking process. Hamilton Island can also n Restaurants subscribe
insert survey questions into the booking procedure to record customer n Catering operations online at our
preference and views. Captured information is fed into SMS Host,
n Equipment website
n Technology www.
the Group’s property management system where it is extracted n Human Resources thomsonpress.
and analysed to be used for marketing, while booking figures taken n Investment com.hk
through Guest Connect can be measured for effectiveness and used
IDeaS Managing Director Grahame Tate
to record return on investment for the marketing spend. Buoyed Essential reading for:
n General Managers
by positive results, Hamilton Island says it can now concentrate on n Restaurant Owners and Operators
intensifying direct marketing efforts. n F&B Managers
n Executive Chefs
Tools n Purchasing Managers
n Human Resource Managers
Profiling is a central feature of the OPERA Customer Information n IT and EDP Professionals
System (OCIS) part of the Opera solutions suite offered by leading n Executive Housekeepers
provider Micros Fidelio. Detailed profiling capability flows seamlessly n Marketing Managers
with other products in the Opera range. OCIS allows multiple contact n Developers and Investors
numbers, addresses and preferences to be stored and syncs duplicate
profiles that may have been recorded in a group’s other properties.
Guest affiliations can be recorded for special offers and a membership
module supports many loyalty programmes.
This type of technology is becoming expected, says Micros
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Fidelio’s Hong Kong Managing Director, Carmen Lam, as customer Asian Hotel & Catering Times
relationship management channels widen. The advent of internet (AHCT) has been serving the
and social media has created change in the way hotels need to deal Asian-Pacific region as a familiar
with customers. It has also changed the way a customer approaches and trusted industry publication
the hotel, and Lam says the four and five-star properties she deals
Using technology to build profiles of guests with require technology that enables direct outreach. “Without these
for three decades, and is widely
tools, a hotel will find it very hard to book 500-plus rooms a day.” acknowledged to be the only
“Capturing guest Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Trip Adviser
are having noted effects on the industry and already technology is
magazine that covers all aspects
of the hospitality industry.
information is critical to a racing to enhance the medium. SAS, the company that owns IdeaS,
has recently launched analytics that offer hospitality a wide view on
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hotel’s ongoing marketing
market activity occurring in social media.
Analytics works in three ways. To give basic performance insight
on friends and followers of the brand, take-up rate from posts, and
efforts” Paolo Torchio most active sites; to single out key influencers in networks, who can
be targeted with offers and promotions; and to mine text to gather
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Ignoring social media is not an option thinks, Grahame Tate,
Managing Director of IDeaS. “To ignore this trend would be a Company:
disservice to any business in the hospitality industry, as it is akin to
direct customer feedback on their facility and can have a real impact Address: Country:
on the perception of the hotel and its brand. Those organizations Tel: Fax: Email:
that understand and implement strong social media strategies will
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Industry: Hotel Catering Manufacturing Suppliers Others

Sabre Hospitality Solutions – encouraging
guests to opt-in to prospect databases

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20 AHCT August 2010
 F o o d
Celebrity chef Martin Yan evolving a lighter style of cooking
Dining Concepts offer “quality food in a casual environment”
Mischa Moselle talks to industry
insiders about the evolution of
dining in Hong Kong
Keeping it simple
H
ong Kong was once considered the bastion of traditional
Cantonese cooking, the place where chefs were mindful
of the history behind the dishes they cooked and keen
to preserve it. Now, according to celebrity chef and
restaurateur Martin Yan of television’s Yan Can Cook fame, Hong
Kong’s chefs are driving the evolution of Cantonese food.
Yan, who learnt his craft in the territory before moving to the
United States in the 1960s, visits several times a year. He is involved
with the Hong Kong Chefs’ Society and was in Hong Kong recently
to give a demonstration of his skills at the Towngas Cooking Centre
in Causeway Bay.
Culinary combinations
There he talked about the reason for this shift, which he attributes to
many Cantonese chefs having worked in international hotels during
the last few decades. He says this has given them the opportunity to
“work with chefs (from around the world) and learn about different
types of ingredients, herbs and spices, and to gain greater exposure
to the culinary arts.”
A perfect example of this is Executive Chinese Chef, Ip Chi
Cheung of the Island Shangri-La Summer Palace restaurant, who
has been gradually introducing Western ingredients into his cooking.
His combinations include Cantonese dishes with Western ingredients
such as stir-fried beef ribs with goose liver pâté, tiger garoupa fillet
22 AHCT August 2010
F o o d
company’s success – a steady expansion of restaurant numbers and
diversification of food – is also due to offering good quality dining
in a casual atmosphere.
During the darkest days of last year’s economic downturn the
restaurant group was able to capitalize on this strength by attracting
diners from both ends of the spectrum – those moving away from the
very top tier restaurants and, to an extent, from customers moving
from lower end competitors.
Observers Bissett puts the group’s staying power down to its business model
of knowing the neighbourhood.
of the For example, the latest opening is a steakhouse called Prime in
the Elements shopping mall located next to the ICC tower in West
Hong Kong Kowloon. While the current lack of tenants in the latter building
has been something of a disappointment, the restaurant is also next
restaurant door to a residential housing development with 80,000 residents. It’s
still early days for the restaurant, which not only offers the expected
scene have prime cuts of beef, but also an extensive salad buffet, yet Bissett says
Prime is “thriving”.
identified a Authentic and simple
“Authentic experiences” is a phrase with increasing currency in the
Photography courtesy of Blanc
White Pan and Wok
desire for a hospitality business and includes dining – customers are eschewing
culinary clichés in favour of simpler “genuine” food. The idea remains
simpler dining controversial. One restaurateur says that the customers at his Thai
restaurant only want Pad Thai and Tom Yung Goong.
experience Andy Curtis, Managing Director of Lime Concepts Group begs
to differ.
Lime has been one of the outstanding success stories of the last
year, starting as a takeaway in unfashionable Kennedy Town and
Morton’s –
recognisably a
steakhouse
2 temperature zones
for professionals World leader in Wine Cellars
DualZone
with fresh lily bulbs and truffle pesto sauce and stewed fresh frogs
with porcini mushrooms.
Assistant F&B Manager Nicholas Liang characterises Chef Ip’s
cooking as not being “a complete departure from offering traditional The first “product” from the EuroCave
Cantonese dishes”. Professional, Dual Zone, is a 2 temperature
zone wine serving cabinet combining a
Lighter and fresher
modem design with the latest technology.
Both Yan and Liang note that local diners are looking for dishes with
less salt and oil in them and healthier, lighter options with less meat Two large zones, which are completely
and more fruit and vegetables. While Yan also believes local diners independent, allowing your red wines, white
are looking for food that is fresh and free from chemicals, Liang wines all to be kept at the right serving
says: “There is an awareness among our guests but they generally temperature.
do not ask about organic or sustainable sources.” In this way, Dual Zone allows you to easily
Other observers of the Hong Kong restaurant scene have access bottles when dealing with customers’
identified a desire for a simpler dining experience. wine orders.
This is where Morton’s comes in. The Steakhouse at the
Sheraton Hotel, Hong Kong, is an American import, which is
evident as soon as you walk in the door. It’s where great food is For a free brochure containing full detail,
served by professional staff with genuine hospitality in a relaxing please contact:
environment. “Guests definitely want quality, more so now than ever
before, and are prepared to pay for it,” says Stephen McCrimmon, Alpha International Food Services
General Manager of Morton’s. 909, Chai Wan Industrial City, Phase 2,
Garry Bissett, Director of Marketing at Dining Concepts 70 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.
(owners or franchisees of 17 restaurants) agrees. He says the Tel: (852) 2889 2123 Fax: (852) 2889 1757
http://www.eurocave-alpha.com
Model: D-290 Email: alpha@eurocave-alpha.com
Made
in France
August 2010 AHCT 23
 F o o d
Dining Concepts newest restaurant Prime
is in a carefully considered location
Morton’s The Steakhouse
focuses on the main attraction
Chef Ip, introducing Western ingredients
to Cantonese dishes and diners
quickly growing into a small restaurant with a regular and devoted
clientele.
Highly positive press coverage has helped but Curtis, a former TV
host and radio personality with a long career in hospitality, attributes
much of the business’s success to his Thai wife Kittiya Fuang Foo
and her passion for cooking authentic Thai food.
As one reviewer wrote: “For me, Thai food is all about stacks of
fresh herbs and vegetables mixed in with the chilies and protein, and
this meal ticked all those boxes.”
Curtis says that many customers are bankers who live in newer
private developments in the area and who come to Lime dressed in
t-shirts and shorts and “feel as if they are on holiday in Phuket.”
Next month Lime is opening a bigger branch in Central with
more on the menu, but Curtis is adamant they will be sticking to the
genuine article.
Perhaps that, as opposed to responding to trends, is the key to
success for Hong Kong restaurateurs.
Morton’s McCrimmon says that staying focused is crucial. He
believes that the best restaurants “have identified a formula or a
dining style that they can successfully manage and develop, and that
is continually well received in the market.”
Finally, Martin Yan warns chefs that they must never be
complacent in such a highly competitive industry.
24 AHCT August 2010
Service check-up
How Singapore hotels are improving their
customer handling skills
An accreditation scheme set up to help Singapore businesses identify
their strengths and weaknesses, is producing good results, according
to several of its members.
The Singapore Service Star was launched by the tourism board in
December 2008, to “recognise and promote businesses that deliver
good service and exhibit sound practices,” says Paul Tan, Director of
Communications.
The scheme uses assessments by mystery shoppers to provide
an overview of performance, highlighting the strengths as well as
areas requiring improvement.
Swissôtel The Stamford is one of the scheme’s members. Its
restaurant, Kopi Tiam, has been established for 23 years.
Nigel Moore, Director of Food and Beverage Services for
Swissôtel The Stamford says: “The mystery shopping assessment
has been the most valuable aspect of the programme.”
The exercise revealed that the restaurant and its staff could
improve in two areas: customer service attitude and customer
management, which included “offering guests a faster remedy to their
queries.”
Moore concludes: “The ratio of customer compliments to
feedback for improvement at Kopi Tiam has improved to a stellar
95:5; previously, the ratio was 70:30. The percentage of repeat
customers has also increased.”
Tarik Temucin, Executive Assistant Manager Food and Beverage,
The Ritz Carlton, Greenhouse, says the most useful aspect of the
scheme was the programme to “equip employees with effective
problem resolution skills” and “skills to anticipate and fulfill the needs
of its guests”.
Kellvin Ong, General Manager, Rendezvous Hotel, Singapore,
is also pleased his company joined: “In the first year after our Straits
Café joined, the establishment saw a 50 percent increase in positive
feedback from customers. The compliment to complaint ratio
currently stands at 44:1.”
When it comes to sustaining the improvements, Ong is equally
confident: “We believe that a happy guest will patronise the outlet
again. Research shows that it is easier to retain customers than find
new ones.”
Greenhouse – turning complaints to compliments
 F o o d
The inside scoop
Fruit Tea, part of the series
at Harbour Grand Kowloon,
which combines white,
green and oolong tea jelly
26 AHCT August 2010
F o o d
Another Tea World dessert from Harbour Grand Kowloon
“C
an you do anything with sweet melons?” asks Todd Darling, who
recently launched Homegrown Foods, upon acquiring farmland
in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
“I can make sorbet...or granita,” answers business partner A.J Bellarosa.
“I bought a hundred watermelons this morning,” says Darling.
Bellarosa snaps his fingers. “I’ll make a granita. Add water and sugar, freeze
it, and then fork it.” He mimes running an instrument through the dessert. “Or
maybe a sorbet is better. Bring them to the lab. I’ll make a sorbet.”
Bellarosa makes dessert-concoction look easy. Director of Creative
Development for Commune, a burgeoning farm and food producer
in Hong Kong, he is also pastry chef for one of the Group’s first
enterprises, a restaurant called Posto Pubblico. Bellarosa, whose
resumé lists some of the world’s best kitchens (Spain’s El Bulli, and in
New York, L’Atelier Joel Robuchon and Jean Georges), has a million
and one ideas for desserts. His dishes collide texture and flavour
and are a sumptuous mouthful to describe, let alone eat: Ciliegia, a
New York cheesecake with a digestive-biscuit crust, cherry sauce, a
sour cherry, raspberry and blueberry compote and a morello cherry
sorbet; Zucchero, a caramel semifreddo with a brown sugar cookie
crust, rum raisin sauce, brown sugar cake and brown butter ice
cream with a Rice Krispie swirl; and Ananas, a polenta pineapple
upside down cake with crème fraîche, ginger rum sauce and sage
The Harbour Grand Kowloon’s Tea frozen yogurt. “Sage and pineapple go very well together. Their
World desserts include ingredients Mövenpick’s Cognac VSOP
such as tea, coffee and mango
flavour profile is like peanut butter and jelly,” says the American chef. ice cream with Tarte Tatin
A.J. Bellaroso’s Zucchero
What are chefs preferences when it comes to frozen desserts? Elle Kwan
delves into the kitchen to find out what dishes are as cool as ice
Flavour array
for Posto Pubblico, a Since Heston Blumenthal plated bacon and egg ice cream at his
caramel semifreddo with a
brown sugar cookie crust, Fat Duck restaurant, the world seems to have rediscovered frozen
rum raisin sauce, brown
sugar cake and brown
desserts. Count: sorbet and sherbet, semifreddo and gelato, frozen
butter ice cream with a yogurt and granita, high-fat and low-fat and no-fat, advances toward
Rice Krispie swirl
pro-biotic and calcium-fortified options, artisanal and savoury.
Flavours have come into their own.
Top chefs welcome every choice. “When I design desserts
there is always a frozen component. The range of ice cream
flavours available for food service really depends on the modern
chef ’s ambitions. You can pretty much do whatever you like,” says
Bellarosa, who makes all of his in house, on trend – handmade ice-
cream is seeing a huge resurgence.
Premium coffee, chocolate and wine have all educated Asian
palates, and so the profusion of new and exotic ingredients, like the
herb-based temptations Bellarosa offers, are increasingly popular.
An emphasis on specially-sourced and handmade gelato propelled
Hong Kong-based Gelato company XTC On Ice Gelato into the
limelight, but it’s specialty flavours prepared with the Asian market in
mind that has cornered a niche in the market, says company director
Georgie Riley. Recent local hits have included black sesame, Hong
Kong milk tea and tofu, with honey lemongrass and raspberry lychee A.J. Bellaroso’s Ciliega for Posto
Pubblico, a New York cheesecake
upcoming. “Members clubs and supermarkets like our range where with a digestive biscuit crust, cherry
global players cannot flex to the local flavour,” says Riley, “We have sauce, a sour cherry, raspberry and
blueberry compote and a morello
customers hooked on these ‘only in Hong Kong’ flavours. cherry sorbet
As interest in emerging economies such as China and India
grows, so does interest in flavours local to those cultures. XTC is
currently working on an Indian-inspired pistachio kulfi, using star
anise and crushed cardamom.
Universal appeal
But not everybody agrees such clear preferences are evident. “I
do not see very strong flavour differences from one Asian country
to another. What differs is the expectations of the consumers in
Mövenpick’s Cognac VSOP
ice cream on Coffee Zabaglione
August 2010 AHCT 27
 F o o d A.J. Bellaroso’s Ananas for Posto Pubblico, a
polenta pineapple upside down cake with crème
fraiche, ginger run sauce and sage frozen yoghurt

ingredients are processed in a natural manner without artificial

additives, artificial flavourings or artificial colours. Implementing
this policy in all circumstances requires dedication, effort and close
collaboration with the suppliers but is essential to ensure the perfect
intensity of the ingredients’ authentic aromas and tastes.
Maîtres Glaciers, flavour developers for Mövenpick in
Switzerland, recently created ricotta cheese with pink pepper ice
cream and basil pesto ice cream with consumers’ increased expections
XTC is often in mind, and encourage chefs, through training and supplied recipes,
booked for
weddings, where to get creative. High-end consumers have moved past viewing ice
gelato replaces cream as a summertime treat – Jakubowicz says his sales peak around
the traditional
wedding cake. special occasions like Chinese New Year, Christmas and Valentines
Guests enjoy – and now want imaginative fare.
dipping in and
picking their own The company’s suggestions for a Cognac VSOP ice-cream
flavours released last Christmas included serving scoops alongside a scallop
carpaccio or with beef tartare. “Cognac VSOP is part of our
gastronomy range which is aimed at chefs who are willing to go
beyond the traditional consumption of ice cream as a dessert,”
Jakubowicz explains.
The Swiss company also felt compelled, in 2009, to tackle
another key trend – health – by creating a list of ‘one scoop’ dessert
recipes, and also in launching a yoghurt sorbet. Jakubowicz suggests
The Harbour Grand Kowloon’s restaurants do well to offer at least one low-fat option to diners as
Mocha Tiramisu
the trend for wellness grows.

“When I design desserts The less sugary treat

MEC 3, a leading gelato base and pastes supplier working with

there is always a frozen standalone stores, hotels and restaurants globally, agrees. The
company developed their Yoga line with a well-known fruit drink

component” A. J. Bellarosa
Mövenpick’s Cognac VSOP
ice cream scallop carpaccio
Valhrona chocolate goes
into these hand-crafted
chocolate cookie and gelato
creations by XTC
terms of sophistication, which is closely linked to their exposure and
understanding of western gastronomy,” says Olivier Jakubowicz,
Business Country Manager for Swiss ice-cream company, Mövenpick.
We sell more sorbets during the summer; however the increase
is not that significant. We usually launch a limited edition sorbet
each summer.
This year we launched Mango sorbet, made of creamy Alfonso
Mangos from India. Natural mango puree is the heart of the recipe
(37 percent fruit content), with morsels of the natural fruit flesh
adding the occasional delicate contrast. Of course all our selected
maker, Yoga, and offer a rice milk gelato. “Healthy, low fat and low
sugar and natural ingredients are basically the new trend,” says,
Emanuele Manenti, Manager for Asia, adding that showcasing
ingredients, nutrients and source go towards meeting increased
customer needs for information.
At the Harbour Grand Kowloon, Pastry Chef Ken Lee is offering
a Häagen Dazs ice cream promotion whose recipes revolve around
another trend for natural ingredients, using tea, coffee and mango as
a starting point. Lee recently began serving the famous brand, which
has a long history in the region, in response to customer comment
cards showing a preference. “Guests comment that Häagen Dazs ice
cream is less sweet than other brands. I used a brix meter to test it
and found that the sugar content of Häagen Dazs ice cream is 1-1.5
degree brix lower than other ice creams,” says Lee.
Those newer to the region are working hard on image. Ben
and Jerry’s entered Hong Kong almost a decade ago, and also
has branches in Singapore. While they might not compete with
companies offering such low-fat options, Ben and Jerry’s is famously
rich and packed with contrasting flavour and texture – an exclusive
Asian release, Cookie Affair, included two types of cookie chunks
– a worldwide company move to supply 100 per cent fair trade
ingredients by 2013 may be just the environmentally-friendly initiative
needed to entice a wider market share. In the meantime, the Hong
Kong franchise is actively using social media to target their core 18-
34 market, aiming to gain stronger brand awareness amid plans for
retail expansion in the region.
In his restaurant tbls, Chef Que Vinh Dang is hand-making a
yamamomo sorbet, using the little-known fruit found in Hong Kong
markets. While he delights in using sorbet as a summertime refresher,
his heart remains with ice cream. “The best way to enhance any
dessert is with ice creams. The more flavors available, the more a
chef can get creative with their desserts,” he says.
But Dang predicts the tide will turn on wackier flavour options,
with consumers demanding a return to simple flavours made with
exceptional quality. Then, Dang says, skill is required. “If you know
how to make a really good vanilla, that’s always going to be your
foundation.”

28 AHCT August 2010

 D r i n k
Hong Kongers are adding coffee-drinking
to their tea-drinking patterns D r i n k

Coffee
The flat white – an Australian classic from Oscar’s

culture
Ruth Williams finds guests are
demanding a higher standard
from their barista
number of guests and consumers in Hong Kong are seeking out
good coffee.

First mover
Duncan Cave believes hotels and fine-dining restaurants should be
striving for the finest coffee the way they do other ingredients and he
wonders why they’d offer anything less than five-star coffee.
Cave is Chief Operating Officer at Uncle Russ Coffee, the longest
established chain of gourmet coffee bars in Hong Kong, which started
brewing in1992. He is an established machine importer and coffee
roaster with almost two decades of experience in the coffee business.
Cave says that training staff to operate modern espresso machines
and make different types of drinks is straightforward and that it’s a
false economy to invest in a very expensive machine.

T
he appearance of two new independent coffee shops
in Hong Kong’s Central district has been hailed as
the latest sign of a genuine coffee culture emerging
in Hong Kong.
Next door to the Luk Yu Teahouse, an icon of the
city’s yum cha and tea-drinking traditions, is new girl on the block,
Holly Brown. With two floors of stylish space and comfy seating, the
chic café also offers multi-coloured gelatos and cupcakes along with
coffee brewed by two Grand Barista champions.
One block away on Wellington Street, Oscar’s espresso bar, which
opened in February, promises a taste of Sydney’s coffee culture. Co-
founder Rebecca Mikula-Wright explains: “We had been bringing
my brother Saxon’s coffee from Australia for years and we wanted
to bring that level of quality and taste to Hong Kong. We found that
many people were looking for the same thing.”
Saxon Wright is a leading light of the Australian coffee scene. A
co-founder of the Australian Independent Roasters, a specialty coffee
roasting business offering custom-made, private label roasting, he also Spectra: Bringing individuality
runs Pablo & Rusty’s, a chain of Sydney coffee bars and is certified
as a World Barista Championship judge. to the next level – day in & day out
Oscar's blend is roasted in Australia by Saxon Wright, using beans
Taste is unique to all of us. Even more so when talking about coffee. It lies within
from El Salvador, Ethiopia and Guatemala among other locations the
the capabilities of a great machine to evoke the sheer endless product variety it upholds.
owners were reluctant to disclose, but 50 percent are from Rainforest Combine this unimaginable level of enjoyment, paired with versatility that could
Certified farms. previously only be dreamt of, in one great looking piece of art. May your wishes become
Whether it’s the drip effect of 15 years exposure to global coffee reality – with Spectra. Astonish your guests with this flexible and sleek looking machine.
chains, the ease with which people can now make coffee at home
www.franke.com
thanks to innovations such as Nespresso’s capsules and machines,
or the growing forums for coffee connoisseurs and enthusiasts and
competitions such as the World Barista Championship, an increasing

Increasing sophistication – a latte

macchiato from Nespresso

30 AHCT August 2010

 D r i n k
“The better hotels are now
looking to put specialty For would-be baristas, the Uncle Russ training course starts with
a general introduction. Given enthusiastic trainers with a willingness
grade coffees throughout to share their knowledge, Cave says it’s easy to train staff how to make
great coffee in a relatively short time. Basic training takes about four
the hotel” Blair Donaldson hours and after that it’s a matter of practice.
“There has to be a reason why gourmet coffee shops use semi-
automatic espresso machines,” says Cave. “Once you have taught
someone the basics they should be able to make any kind of drink
by just following the recipes.”
These days the Uncle Russ company roasts coffee at its own
roastery in Aberdeen, Hong Kong. “We roast in 10kg batches, which
compared to larger roasters is very small, but it means we can custom
roast and blend,” explains Cave.
Nespresso – present in MICE space
and premium guestrooms Rebecca Mikula-Wright and Pavel Mikula, co-founders of Oscar's
Acting as a consultant to clubs and restaurants in Hong Kong, the
Uncle Russ company has provided training services and developed
Hong Kongers are seeking out good coffee
custom blends, which has helped venues sell more coffee.
To keep their guests on site and stop them heading off to specialty
outlets, some Hong Kong hotels are attempting to compete in this
highly lucrative market.
In Causeway Bay, The Excelsior Hotel has an Italian-style
coffee bar in its lobby called EXpresso, which offers freshly brewed,
premium Italian coffee brand, Illy.
While the brew at the Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel’s
Java+ coffee shop in its lobby lounge is impressive, according to Cave.
Specialty coffee
In the 13 years since he founded The Koffee Ko Limited, in Hong
Kong, Managing Director Blair Donaldson says he has also noticed
an increase in demand for better coffee in Hong Kong hotels. “Some
want a high-end or exclusive blend for their fine dining restaurants,
and a second tier coffee for other locations. But the better hotels are
now looking to put specialty grade coffees throughout the hotel,”
says Donaldson
Koffee Ko offers over 45 blends with origins from around the
world. “We are seeing a lot more interest in private label coffees for
hotels and larger clients. We work with their head chef to design a
custom blend based on their specifications. Some of these might be
certified organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, or ‘shade grown’
coffees.”
Koffee Ko has been working with many of these suppliers
since1997 and Donaldson says that there is a lot more interest in
the source of the coffee. “We also work closely with Bolaven Farms
- a sustainable farm using Fair Trade practices which is certified
organic,” he adds.
32 AHCT August 2010
Impressive coffee at Marriott Sky City
The most popular coffees at Koffee Ko are from Brazil, Ethiopia,
Indonesia, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras. Koffee Ko also sells
machines and offers training. Donaldson, too, is confident that the
basic skills for operating a semi-automatic espresso machine can be
taught in less than four hours.
“This includes machine functions and operation, correct espresso
extraction, grinder settings, milk foaming, drink preparation,
preventative maintenance and cleaning,” he says, adding “Obviously
we like to spend longer than that with each client because we like to see
the staff in action so we can correct mistakes and offer tips.”
After that Donaldson says it is down to practice. “Normally, about
10-14 days is needed for someone to become proficient and confident
enough to make all drinks unsupervised.”
“Fully automatic machines are a different matter. The technology
today is so sophisticated that a child could use it, and make fairly good
drinks too,” he says. “But even today, nothing can compare to a skilled
barista behind a good semi-automatic.”
Consistent coffee from Grand Crus
Since it was launched, Nespresso has been a huge success. With high-
profile marketing campaigns featuring the man smoother than latte,
George Clooney, and the creation of coffee boutiques in high-end malls,
the premium brand has become the fastest growing on the market.
Nespresso machines and its Grand Crus coffee are now seen in
many meeting and banqueting venues and in premium guest rooms in
leading hotels. Nespresso reports a significant increase in demand for its
machines and coffee in F&B areas because hotel guests are demanding
greater quality, consistency and variety of coffee.
Matthieu Pougin, Country Manager, Nespresso Hong Kong, says
hotel guests appreciate and recognize the Nespresso brand and that
staff find it easy to operate its coffee machines, quickly learning to make
espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos and other popular coffees.
“Often staff are amazed at how easy our machines are to use
compared to the other traditional, fully-automatic machines,” says
Pougin. “Staff do appreciate the fact that they need to spend less time
preparing and worrying about in-cup quality and now have more time
to interact and talk about the coffee with guests.”
Nespresso also provides front- and back-of-house training for staff
to increase their knowledge and understanding of coffee, preparation
and pairings as well as technical troubleshooting. “We are delighted
to provide this as it enhances both the guest experience and reinforces
our partnership with our international hotel partners,” says Pougin.
“With Nespresso, our customers benefit from recognized expertise
and the highest standards of quality at every level, from the production
of our gourmet coffees through to the design of the machines
themselves, which combine clean lines and cutting-edge technology.
The result is consistently superior coffee that will satisfy the most
discerning palates.”
Email : sales@koffeeko.com
 C u l i n a r y N e w s
Ideal gifts?
Hotels across the region are gearing up for the
Chinese mid-Autumn festival with offers on
mooncakes and gift hampers.
Ying restaurant at Altira Macau is offering
traditional white and gold lotus seed paste
mooncakes, along with a low sugar option,
while the Hotel Nikko in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia is serving up cakes in five colours,
each representing one of the elements.
In Singapore, the Orchard Hotel’s Hua
Ting restaurant is creating both contemporary
and traditional pastries while Raffles Hotel is
making snow skin Champagne truffle cakes
and hazel chocolate cakes.
Hotels in Hong Kong offering the full
gamut of modern and traditional cakes include
the Grand Hyatt, Kowloon Shangri-La, the
Kowloon Hotel, Langham Hotel, the Landmark
Mandarin Oriental and the Miramar.
Champagne truffles from Raffles Hotel
Aged for 35 days – Canadian
prime Angus porterhouse beef
Benefits of smoking
The Steakhouse Bar and Grill at the
InterContinental, Hong Kong has introduced dry-
aged beef to its menu, some of it cold smoked.
Dry aging works by giving time for juices
to be absorbed into the meat, which enhances
flavour and tenderizes. The process also gives
time for the beef’s natural enzymes to break
down connective tissue in the muscle, which, in
turn tenderizes the meat.
The ageing happens in a cabinet that
refrigerates and has an environment controlled
for humidity. The cabinet has glass windows so
34 AHCT August 2010
that the meat can be monitored without being
disturbed.
Cold smoking means the beef is held over
hickory wood chips at less than 100ºF (38ºC),
which imparts flavour without cooking.
The meat, selected by the hotel’s
Executive Chef Graham Burst, comes from
four sources. The United States Nebraska
striploin is aged for 21 days, Canadian prime
Angus porterhouse steak and Angus prime
rib steak are both aged for 35 days while the
latter is also smoked. Japanese Wagyu beef
C u l i n a r y N e w s
Premiumisation process
The Langham Place, Mongkok in Hong Kong recently hosted the launch of a new ultra
premium vodka, Shanghai White.
In marketing terms the vodka is being positioned over the pricey Grey Goose.
The justification for the high price is the unique distillation process for the new Diageo
product. Distillation is in Szechuan and in small batches in a 35-litre pot still. The process is
based on 600-year-old Chinese techniques, takes six months and is only done to order.
Chinese distillates are used to create a drink that is distilled four times and then given
a light charcoal filtration. This is a vodka that can be sipped on the rocks, or even warm
(though purists may disagree). The drink even shows a degree of terroir, having a slight lip-
tingling, peppery kick. Russian drink
with Chinese
characteristics
Insert joke
New drink prompts orgy of innuendo
Elements of celebration from Hotel Nikko
here
Pussy, the latest natural energy drink
A selection of eight salts has been launched in Hong Kong to an
from around the world
unsurprisingly large amount of lewd and
laboured humour from the English language
press.
The drink was originally launched in
England in 2006 and spread in popularity
Traditional skewers from Roka
Roka in nightclubs there purely through word of
mouth. The drink is said to give a natural
innovates
high, free of the chemical jitters of heavily
caffeinated drinks and to boost the memory.
Pussy is also being positioned as a
Robata in Japan means a down-to-earth grill mixer for cocktails or with Champagne,
with a blue-collar feel. gin, vodka and tequila. Aimed at the “fresh,
Hong Kong robata restaurant Roka, sister creative, original and entertaining” the
to Zuma, is moving the concept upmarket makers are keen to emphasise the drink’s
with the addition of premium ingredients and a all-natural ingredients. Pussy has a base of
sophisticated sake and beer service. white grape juice from southern Italy, key
New sake tasting sets comprise three limes from Mexico, lychee and passion fruit.
different rice beverages – sparkling Hitotoke These are infused with a blend of six herbs
Rose, a light drink ideal as an appetizer or – milk thistle, a Chinese stimulant called
with a dessert; the medium-bodied Shirayuki schizandra, Siberian ginseng, the South
Honjozol and the strongest of all Akishka American tonic sarsaparilla, ginko biloba
‘bambi’ Junmai. and guarana, which is, ahem, Brazilian.
The beers include a stout, a pale ale and a
wheat beer, all brewed in Japan.
On the food front, new menu items mix
and match Japanese and western ingredients.
New appetizer foie gras no ume shu is goose
striploin (F1 grade) is aged for 14 days and
smoked to provide an intensely flavoured and
succulent piece of meat.
liver marinated in plum wine and served on
seaweed bread. In a similar vein butterfish
Christmas Carole
tatatki is served with white asparagus and a
F1 beef is from a first generation mix of Regular readers will remember that the Scrooges of AHCT get a bit tetchy
yuzu dressing while a prime tuna maki roll with
Gunma meat and dairy livestock. at unfeasibly early mentions of Christmas from the hospitality industry. The
sesame and wasabi is topped with caviar.
The dry-aged beef joins a menu that prize for earliest reference has gone to someone from a Langham property
Adding to the traditional mains and
already features premium beef from Japan’s for two years in a row.
signature dishes such as black cod skewers,
Saga and Gunma provinces, Australian Wagyu This year though the tip of the Santa hat goes to the InterContinental
are a 20 oz tomahawk ribeye steak, a cut
and the best grades of the meat from Canada Hong Kong – they started planning their Christmas activities in early July,
from Australia that resembles the eponymous
and the United States. as they told us on July 14th, leaving a mere 164 shopping days to the
weapon. Parties of two or three can share the
Eight salts and 12 varieties of mustard big event! But judging by past experience these will be events well worth
35 oz Australian porterhouse.
accompany the main event. looking forward to.
August 2010 AHCT 35
 P r o d u c t N e w s P r o d u c t N e w s

Wine glass offers

harmonious results
The Harmony 53 wine glass from Rastal has been designed by noted
wine and sensory analysis expert Martin Darting.
The accomplished winemaker and communicator of aromas is
quality manager for food & wine magazine; originator of the Sensory
Wine Picture Sensory Colour Analysis; an IHK-certified lecturer at the
German Wine and Sommelier School and a sommelier trainer at the
Swiss College for Sommeliers and Wine Connoisseurs.
Darting’s input has created a glass with a shape that intensifies the
diversity of aromas in wine. Even light aromas
can be detected and subtle aromas gain in
intensity while sharpness in the top notes is
reduced and the varietal remains distinct.
For best results both full-bodied wines and
those with less pronounced aromas need to be
swirled in the slightly tilted glass. The relatively
short, narrow body of the glass facilitates a
quicker aroma volatilization, heightening aroma
density.
According to Rastal, fruity wines also
benefit from being tasted in the glass.
“The perceived well-balanced, overall
impression of aroma diversity makes Harmony
53 an ideal tasting glass.”

For more information:

www.rastal.com

Non-stick means low fat

Danish oven manufacturer Hounö’s newest trays, sheets and grilling grids come
with the non-stick coating QuanTanium.
The coating conducts heat rapidly, meaning lower cooking times. It also means
trays are easy to clean after use.
The Combi Sheet is a 2-in-1 solution as one side is for grilling meat and
vegetables while the other, plain side is ideal for cooking pizzas. The thickness of
the sheet and the QuanTanium coating ensures very crisp pizza bases. Trays are
ideal for roasting breaded products and eliminate the need for pre-frying, reducing
fat use by up to 90 percent.
The new Hounö Potato Spikes with 28 spikes is perfect for the preparation
of potatoes, chicken legs and tomatoes. The enamelled spikes ensure quick
preparation, as heat comes from the spike inside each product as well as from the
oven chamber.

For more information:

www.houno.com

36 A HCT August 2010 August 2010 AHCT 37

 P r o d u c t N e w s

I’m a little teapot

The 0.4 l or two-cup teapot from Finum takes the
www.vidacasa.com
tedium out of making tea. e-mail: sales@vidacasa.com
The Tea Control 0.4 features a filter basket
made from the new BPA-free material Tritan – all the
diner or waitstaff need to do to stop the brewing

A modern twist on ICE

process is to turn the lid on the filter. There is no
need to remove the leaves or teabag from the pot,
leaving the table clear of mess and spillages.
The new Tea Control tea maker is a redesign
of the larger previous model, which had twice the
capacity.
Keep chilled food fresh at 4°C for 6 hours without external power
Tea Control 0.4 l is also available with a dark
filter basket, which can hide staining.
The stylish borosilicate glass pot allows one

Outdoor
to monitor the expansion of the tea leaves and
spreading of color.
It comes with an elegant stainless steel knob &
heat-insulating coaster made from merino woolfelt
and is dishwasher safe.
drinking
Tea Control 0.4 is created for the modern tea
enthusiasts who appreciate design, functionality and enthusiasts
quality.
Utility patents held include those for the EU, The designers at Italesse have come up with
For more information: Beach, described as the “optimal solution for
United States and China.
www.finum.com outdoor events, and also for al fresco parties,
around the pool or on a boat.”
Beach is a collection of coloured
goblets and tumblers made of unbreakable
dishwasher-safe polycarbonate. The variety of
sizes makes the set ideal for serving all types
of beverages – wine, beer, long and short
drinks and cocktails.

For more information:

Italesse S.r.l.
Via dei Templari 6 Loc. Noghere
34015 Muggia
Trieste
Italy
Tel: +39 040 9235555
Fax: +39 040 9235251
italese@italese.it
www.italese.it

The choice of Congress,

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Revolution in cookware quire Electr t Require W

Re No

ici

et
s
t
Blanc nano-ceramic cookware from White Pan and Wok is as big a revolution in cookware as the

Does No

Doe
ty P

Ice
change from black and white to colour was in television, says company director Robert Chua. He

ower
should know – in his multi-decade career as a TV tycoon that was only one of many changes he has
observed in Asia.
The technology in the cookware allows it to heat up quickly from a low temperature source and
also heats evenly and rapidly. The non-stick surface, which is a new technology that avoids the
carcinogens present in some other non-stick coatings, also means cooking with less oil or other fats.
The pans are said to be environmentally-friendly with a relatively low energy manufacturing
process.
The white surface is easy to clean with just warm water. Currently the cookware is more suited to
Every °C counts when it comes to serving a fresh cuisine.
domestic use but a professional range is under development. Vidacasa™ Diningware delivers a temperature of 4°C on the plate surface for up
For more information: to an extended period of 6 hours without external power, made possible by
www.blancwok.com advanced iThermo® cooling technology. As the first of its kind, Vidacasa serves
chilled food with extra values of freshness, coldness and hygiene, while getting rid
of the inconvenience caused by dry ice or wet ice.
38 A HCT August 2010
 E q u i p me n t
The modular 400 lb unit
from the Maxx Ice Line
Ice
T
he right ice-making machine is
a hugely important purchasing
decision for any F&B business,
and has to be made subject to a
range of criteria - the type of ice and volume
of production required, the amount of space
occupied, and the amount of noise generated
by the units among them.
“Ice machine sales have soared over the
last 10 years,” says Jerry Kaiser, Commercial
Director for Asia Pacific, Australia, and India
for Manitowoc Foodservice Asia Pacific,
a specialist in professional ice making and
refrigeration equipment. “Markets for ice
that are growing every year are India, China,
Australia, the Philippines, Korea, Taiwan,
and Indonesia.”
Manitowoc’s products in this field
include cube, flake and nugget ice machines,
as well as ice dispensers and storage bins.
The company, established in 1964, claims
to be America’s top selling ice machine
manufacturer, and also asserts that its S-
Series range of units were “the first ice
machines designed to meet the demanding
criteria for sanitation established by NSF/
ANSI Standard 12-2003”.
In common with many of its competitors
the company stresses its green credentials,
which include the use of non-CFC
refrigerants.
Manitowoc is one of several companies supplying
small machines with large capacities
40 A HCT August 2010
Attention to detail
in the ice making
process pays off in the
quality of the drink,
says Robin Lynam
right
“The Manitowoc EnerLogic program
helps operators conserve energy and
maximize profits. When you see the
EnerLogic mark you’ll know you’re getting
the most from every energy dollar spent on
Manitowoc Foodservice equipment,” says
Kaiser.
The company’s clients in Asian markets
include restaurants, clubs, bars, hotels,
cinemas, convenience stores, ice production
plants, golf courses, fast food outlets, meat
and food processing plants, hospitals, schools,
universities, military bases, government
offices, nursing homes, laboratories, health
clubs and gyms, medical applications, sports
arenas and stadiums.
“Customers are asking for ice machines
that make a lot of ice in a small space – taking
up less of their important storage space –
and also ice machines that do not make a
lot of noise and that do not add heat to the
location,” Kaiser adds.
“We have the 5 S’s – Sanitation, Savings,
Sound, Serviceability, and Styling. Our ice
machines are the easiest to clean in the
industry with the SeCS self-cleaning features
and the optional Auto Cleaning Accessory
or AuCS. We have several Energy Star
models; our ice machines have insulated
walls to reduce sound, are designed for ease
of service, and are designed to look good
wherever installed.”
E q u i p me n t
Large capacity, small unit
Manitowoc has been selling ice machines in
Asia for almost four decades, by comparison
with which another US company, Maxx
Ice, a division of Fort Lauderdale Florida
based The Legacy Companies, is a relative “Customers are
asking for ice
Photography courtesy of Manitowoc
newcomer to the field.
“Although our Maxx Ice line has only
been available in Asia for a short time, our
experience in the region with a multitude of
machines that
other product lines has made the entrance
into Asia’s commercial market decades in the
make a lot of ice
making, and has contributed to its successful in a small space”
launch. We provide ice-making equipment
for hotels, restaurants, and bars across Asia, Jerry Kaiser
irrespective of the size of the operation. By The right ice for the right drink
far our most popular units in Asia are the 250
lb (113 kg) self-contained unit and the 400
lb (181 kg) modular unit,” says Maxx Ice’s
Frankie Mendez.
Like Manitowoc Ice, Maxx Ice recognizes
a clear connection between green credentials
and sales performance.
“We have seen a growing number of
clients seeking ice machines that are energy
efficient. They are concerned with the
ecological impact of the equipment, and also
realize that energy and water consumption
affects their bottom line. Maxx Ice equipment
is specifically designed to conserve water
and energy without sacrificing production
Photography courtesy of Manitowoc
capability,” states Mendez.
“The entire Maxx Ice line is designed
to be compact and efficient. We understand
that our clients need units with large output
capacity, but not large units. Our ice machine
designs are streamlined to help the client
maximize use of space. Additionally, we
continue to focus on energy and water
conservation technology because of our
Worldwide demand for ice machines is growing
clients’ concern for the environment and
economy in business.”
Venues such as cocktail bars use ice
in huge quantities, although much of it
is thrown away after a single shake. Bar
consultancy Alconomics Asia’s Sam Jeveons
estimates that the bar of Café Gray Deluxe
at Hong Kong’s Upper House, which he
manages, gets through the whole of his cube
ice machine’s 80 litre capacity in a single shift,
and on particularly busy nights ice has to be
bought in from outside suppliers for purposes
such as filling champagne buckets.
Ice can be made in many shapes and
sizes – for professional bar use Alconomics
Asia’s bartender manual lists no fewer than
14 different types – but in Asia most bar
operations manage with one machine for
crushed ice and one for cubed ice. Many get
by with a cubed ice machine alone.
Even within this category however
machines can offer a range of shapes and
sizes of ice, with different options being
optimal for different drinks (see overleaf).
Maxx Ice Line’s 250 lb capacity ice machine
August 2010 AHCT 41
 E q u i p me n t

License to chill
Round dining ware from Vidacasa

Bespoke ice
Mendez says that “Cubes and bullets are
the type of ice requested most often by our
The bar at Café Gray Deluxe easily dispenses
over 80 litres of ice a night clients,” while Kaiser states that Manitowoc
Master mixologist Sam Jeveons was has “dice ice cubes, half dice ice cubes,
taught by his mentor Dale DeGroff that regular ice cubes, flaked ice, nugget ice, and
“ice is the soul of every drink” and must octagon shapes. Our ice shapes in Asia are
be thought of as an ingredient, not merely the same as in the USA or in most parts of Thora Jacobsen reports on some new dining
as a cooling agent. He took the advice the world”.
Outside the bar world in outlets ranging
ware keeping things cool at HKCEC
to heart.
Every serious bar, in Jeveons’ from cafés and fast food outlets to convenience
Keeping F&B items cold is not just the preserve of the bartender – it’s
opinion, needs at least two high quality stores, Kaiser notes a growing vogue around
also important in foodservice, especially for a buffet concept restaurant.
ice machines – and, ideally, three or four Asia for frozen drinks, particularly in
If anyone knows about restaurant concepts, and especially buffets,
to provide a choice of shapes and sizes. Singapore.
it’s Maurice Kong, Director of Food & Beverage at the Hong Kong
“The better machines filter the ice and “The newest beverages are ice smoothies
Convention and Exhibition Centre.
purify whatever water source you have that can have all kinds of ingredients such
This catering operation is “not on a small scale” Kong tells AHCT
coming, in to its optimum level. After that as fruits, juices, and coffees. And these ice
as he explains that the centre has seven restaurants supplied by seven
it’s all about how long it takes to make blended smoothies are healthy too,” he
individual kitchens and seven production kitchens. If there are any
the ice cubes. The slower the machine, observes.
catering facilities employing more than the 305 staff that HKCEC does
the clearer, denser, harder the ice - and These drinks can be made with various
they can only be the airline catering kitchens at the international airport.
that’s what you’re looking for. It’s a bit like types of ice, but businesses that sell them in
Here chefs specialize in the cuisines of Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, the
when you are looking at a diamond. You serious volumes and need a steady supply
west and of course China.
are looking for clarity, and clarity in this on tap require dedicated “slush” ice making
Outside of the restaurants themselves, those kitchens have to
case means a lack of oxygen inside the equipment for the purpose.
cater for banquets and be prepared to serve as many as 250 tables
ice, and therefore a denser ice that will This is a field in which Italy has led
simultaneously. A recent event saw Kong’s staff cater for a conference
melt slower. It’s not just about the shape the way, and Italian company GBG has
of international bankers – 1,600 attending a sit down dinner while 2,400
of the ice, it’s about the way it’s produced,” he says. been specializing in cold and frozen drinks
were at a buffet.
Different drinks however do call for different types of ice. For long “highball” drinks Jeveons machinery since the 1960’s.
recommends cube ice – and the more of it the better. The more in the glass the slower it Today the company manufactures a
melts. Cube ice should also always be used for shaking purposes. Crushed ice is used for range of machines to produce slush, sherbert
cocktails in which the ice is supposed to progressively dilute the drink, the best example, and cold drinks including the Granismart
according to Jeveons, being the Mojito. Frozen Drink Machine, which is particularly
The principles, he says, for using ice in cocktails and ice in neat spirits are subtly different. suitable for outlets in which space is at a
“You want dense ice in spirits, but you also want a large surface area. Connoisseurs don’t premium. The company claims it is “The
want their spirits diluted, but they do want them chilled. A bigger ice cube will melt more smallest professional slush machine in the
slowly. There are ice machines that produce 3cm by 3cm large ice cubes. It takes about 25 world” and “up to 30 percent smaller than
minutes per cube, but overnight you can get 20 or 30, and those are great for single malts and standard frozen drink machines”.
things like that,” Jeveons explains. GBG’s Granisherbet machines are
specially designed to produce natural
Sphericalisation sherbet, fresh granita or other frozen drinks
Another unusual ice option at Café Gray is made using a device called the Taisin Ice Mold, a for F&B outlets, and are also constructed
Busy man – Maurice Kong, Director of F&B at the
Japanese invention which emulates the hand-sculpted ice balls made by Japanese bartenders with transportability and ease of use for Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
by remolding large ice cubes rapidly, under pressure, into spheres. The process takes about a events such as banquets, conferences and
A catering operation of this size needs to stay on the latest trends
minute and provides a useful element of bar theatre. meetings in mind.
and be ready to innovate, a motive that drives Angus Cheng, Executive
Jeveons has an agency arrangement with the manufacturers and has also sold Taisins Although Europe and the United States
Chef – Western Kitchen. It was Cheng who introduced Kong to
to a number of other bars and private customers, including the newly opened Sliver in Hong have a long history of ice machines and
Vidacasa’s Thermal-Controlled Dining ware, especially for use in the
Kong’s Wyndham Street. frozen drinks making, Asian companies are
east-meets-west concept restaurant Congress – presentation trays
When the Taisin was first launched Macallan bought a number of units and presented also very much to the fore in the business.
that keep food chilled from below with ‘advanced green technology’.
them to upmarket bars internationally, subject to the condition that only The Macallan could Not surprisingly Japan has led the way, and
The Congress restaurant serves a wide variety of international cuisines,
be served with the special ice. Jeveons recommends the spheres for premium vodkas as well Hoshizaki International enjoys a particularly
buffet style, with some living cooking stations.
as whiskies, however, and reckons that the flexibility to do as you please with the units justifies good reputation in this area.
As with any buffet, much of the food has to be kept cold and crisp
the purchase cost. Because of their lack of corners and smaller surface area, the spheres are In China Focusun Refrigeration
and the dining ware stays at a temperature of between 0ºC and 4ºC for
slower to melt than cubes. Te c h n o l o g y C o L t d . i s a l e a d i n g
six hours, easily long enough to last any meal service.
Depending on the size of ice sphere required, Taisins cost between US$600 and manufacturer.
One of HKCEC’s specialities is Chinese appetizers but “not
US$1000, and can now be found in various locations in Asia, Europe and North America. You The growing market for ultra-cold
barbecue pig but Shanghainese appetizers” from its Shanghainese
will not, however, find them in Japan. drinks may or may not be a by-product
restaurant. These are generally served cold but it is impractical to keep
“They have a culture of shaping ice by hand, and they run a two year bartender of global warming, but it is increasingly
2,500 portions for a banquet cold on ice, a job that Vidacasa’s dining
apprenticeship where you have to learn all these things prior to making drinks. They see it as a clear that F&B professionals are investing
ware can do.
tool to sell to Westerners who don’t have that dedication,” says Jeveons philosophically. well in their businesses when they buy high
Kong is very keen on the look as well, which he describes
“It’s just a quirky cool thing to have. It really does show attention to detail.” quality ice making technology. People do like
as “simple and elegant”. The white colour is suitable for all food
to chill.
presentations and the oval, square, rectangular and round trays are
adaptable to most styles of food. The oval tray for example looks
equally good for a dessert presentation as a savory one.
Kong is also impressed with Vidacasa’s green credentials,
commenting on its low carbon footprint and energy saving features –
the ThermoBattery is re-chilled by being placed in a freezer for 24 hours.

42 A HCT August 2010

 E v e n t s E x h i b i t i o n s

Date Event Details ORGANIzER

Exhibitor boost for

Sep 7-9 Restaurant & Bar Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong is the fastest growing Diversified Events Hong Kong Ltd
Hong Kong exhibition for the hospitality sector in Asia Pacific. Telephone: +852 3105 3970
Hong Kong Convention Currently in the ninth year, it has a growing Fax: +852 3105 3974
and Exhibition Centre reputation as the biggest and best niche gourmet E-mail: sales@restaurantandbarhk.com

Guangzhou fair
Wanchai Hospitality event in the region. Its focus on bringing www.restaurantandbarhk.com
Hong Kong excellent products and services will inspire and
create ideas to help you develop your foodservice
and hospitality business.

Sep 7-9 Asian Seafood Exposition Meet face-to-face with seafood buyers from Hong Diversified Events Hong Kong Ltd
Hong Kong Convention Kong and throughout Asia Pacific with direct Telephone: +852 3105 3970
and Exhibition Centre purchasing responsibility for live, fresh, frozen Fax: +852 3105 3974
Wanchai and packaged products. The Asian Seafood E-mail: hteh@divevents.com.hk
Hong Kong Exposition is the newest product in Diversified www.asianseafoodexpo.com
Business Communication’s global seafood portfolio
that includes the world’s largest seafood fairs: the
European Seafood Exposition and the International
Boston Seafood Show.

Incorporating 3 exhibitions: IPA, In-Food and
Oct 17-21 SIAL (France) Parc des
Expositions de Paris Nord, SIAL this is the largest international meeting place
Villepinte - France for the food industry under one roof. Including all
processes, semi processed, ingredients and finished
products the exhibition caters for retail, trade,
manufacturing and catering services showcasing
different stages of the industry and is the food
industry’s main growth driver.
T
Compexposium/Immeuble Le Wilson he eighth Guangzhou International Hospitality Equipment and
70 Avenue de Général de Gaulle, 92058 Paris La Supplies Fair – Hosfair – attracted 928 exhibitors – a 34 percent
Défense Cedex, France increase over the previous year.
T: 33 (0) 1 76 77 13 33 Pavilions came from as far and wide as Italy (newcomers), Spain,
F: 33 (0) 1 53 30 95 15
Australia, South Korea, Sweden, the United States and, of course, greater
www.sial.fr
China and its regions – China itself, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Exhibitors occupied four indoor halls of the famed exhibition complex –
or 43,200 square metres.

Oct 28-30 Wine & Gourmet Asia 2010 Wine & Gourmet Asia is a trade, networking and Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Carbon footprint
Hall D, CotaiExpo at culinary platform showcasing the very best of Tel: +65 6500 6712 Visitor numbers were up as well, by 14 percent over the previous year.
The Venetian Macao Asia Pacific’s fine wine, gourmet and hospitality Fax: +65 6294 8403 Visitors came from 57 countries or regions and numbered 41,022,
Macau SAR, China industries. The event is for the region’s hospitality Email: wgasia@koelnmesse.com.sg according to the organizers.
industry leaders as well as all gourmands and wine www.wineandgourmetasia.com
The eighth edition of the show was subdivided into ten categories –
enthusiasts.
Kitchenware and catering equipment; Tableware; Hotel furniture; Hotel
textile; Cleaning and laundry equipment; Hotel guestroom and lobby
supplies; Coffee; Wine; Hotel hot water facilities and Air conditioning and
Nov 10-12 FHC China 2010 FHC China is the most international trade show Lily Zhu
last but not least Hotel intellectual and technology products.
Shanghai New for food, wine and hospitality equipment in China. China International Exhibitions
FHC China features Wine and Spirits China Room A2402-03, Singular Mansion, The fair was also marked by a series of events looking at the catering
International Expo Centre,
Shanghai, China 2010, Meat China 2010 and Tea and Coffee 2010 No.318-322 Xian Xia Road, Shanghai and green issues currently to the fore in the industry. These events included
specialist areas, with Olive Oil China, Ultimate (200336), China the 2010 Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau World Gourmet Summit
Barista Challenge China, Ice Cream University, DID:(86-21)6209 5209 & Promotion Meeting for Most-Popular Kitchen Brands; Summit Forum
Wine Seminars, China Sommelier Wine Challenge, Fax:(86-21)6209 5210
FHC international cooking competition and more. Email: fhc@chinaallworld.com for Hotel Intellectualization & Networking in a Low Carbon Economy; The
Innovation Forum of Technology, Pro-environment and Health of Hospitality
Products; The 2nd Cooking Performance of Guangdong Gourmets and The
5th Guangzhou International (Barista) Latte Art Championship.
Nov 24-26 Hotel Expo 2010 After the success of the past five editions, The sixth Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd.
The 6th International Hotel Hotel Expo will be held in The Venetian Macao Room 2106, China Resources Building,
Equipment, Supplies and again. Gathering thousands of hospitality industry
decision makers and procurement groups from not
26 Harbour Road,
Wanchai,
Hosfair Guangzhou 2011
Food & Beverage Expo
The Cotai Strip Convention only Macau, but also Hong Kong, China and other Hong Kong China Import and Export Fair
and Exhibition Center at the major Asian countries. Hotel Expo is the largest Tel: +852 2827 6766 Complex
Venetian Macao exhibition in the hotel, catering and hospitality
sectors of Macau.
Fax: +852 2827 6870
general@coastal.com.hk
Guangzhou
www.hotel-exhibition.com China

June 30-July 2, 2011

Mar 29 – Hotelex Shanghai 2011 Hotelex shows are the meeting point for the Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition
Apr 1, 2011 Shanghai New International hospitality industry. Managers, manufacturers, Co., Ltd. www.hosfair.com
Expo Center traders and distributors gather annually to source, 10/F, Xian Dai Mansion, 218 Xiang Yang Road (s),
Shanghai sell, network and debate future trends. Shanghai, 200031, China
China Tel: + 86 21-6437 1178
Fax: + 86 21-6437 0982
hotelex@ubmsinoexpo.com
www.hotelexchina.com

44 AHCT August 2010 August 2010 AHCT 45

 E x h i b i t i o n s
Expo highlights
hotel design
T
he Hotel World Asia event has been hailed a success by the organizers.
The event comprised IHIF (see opposite page), a design expo
under the auspices of hospitality architecture and design title Hospitality
Architecture+Design (HA+D) and a technology conference by Hotel
Management Asia.
A post-show survey of exhibitors at the HA+D Expo & Conference found
that almost 90 percent of them had their expectations met and were satisfied
with the quality and number of attendees. The survey also found that the
exhibitors felt there was a positive environment for doing business and that they
were intending to return to the event in 2011.
The aim of the expo was to showcase the products and services of
hospitality interior suppliers and manufacturers to architects and designers and
to connect the latter to owners and operators.
The conference programme featured speakers from the United States,
Britain, Italy, France, Australia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong
and Singapore. Topics discussed were as diverse as branding and design,
developments in China and India, the prospects for Thailand, Vietnam and the
Mekong delta and designing destination restaurants.
The event attracted more than 1,700 visitors from 26 countries, while the
HMA Technology Conference attracted 120 delegates from hospitality IT and
the technology industry. The delegates heard sessions on in-room technology
and infrastructure, cloud computing, telepresence and mobile applications.
“We have been extremely pleased with the success of all the combined
elements of our HotelWorld Asia event: IHIF, HA+D Expo & Conference and
HMA Hotel Technology Conference,” says show Director and Executive Editor
of Hospitality Architecture+Design magazine, Tony Smyth. “We have had
very positive feedback to each of the conference programmes from the many
high-level delegates who attended the sessions and we are really excited that
so many of our exhibitors to our first HA+D Expo have said that they made
valuable contacts, did some serious business and want to sign up for next
year’s event.”
46 A HCT August 2010
E x h i b i t i o n s
Keen insights from
industry players
N
etworking and mapping the future of the hotel industry were key
themes of the recently held International Hotel Investment Forum Asia
Pacific 2010.
Networking opportunities included a “speed dating” style event at the
Venetian Macau, with delegates – not always successfully – encouraged to
move at some pace between tables, introduce themselves and swap business
cards.
More conventional networking opportunities were the cocktail events held
at the same venue and the Four Seasons Macau.
Seminars at the show highlighted revenue-generating strategies for hotel
investors in Asia.
Steve Jacobs, President Sands China, spoke on the benefits of mixed
use resorts, citing the Venetian Macau as an example of a resort anchored by
exhibition space and with shopping, restaurants and, of course, casinos, that
had generated spectacular revenues for its owners. Jacobs also told delegates
that the company was mulling – but not yet actively interested in – integrated
resort-style projects in countries such as Vietnam and South Korea.
Tony Wheeler, founder of the Lonely Planet guides that have become
synonymous with independent travel, gave a well-received speech on his
favourite and least favourite properties.
Attendees also heard sessions on hotel development and investment
trends; differing interpretations of the hotel pipeline; thoughts on new markets
and players in them – the Pacific islands coming in for scrutiny in one session;
asset management and finance and the importance of finding lenders who
understand the hospitality industry.
As the Asia Pacific hospitality industry rebounds from the poor environment
of 2009, there were also sessions examining the global risks and upsides of
hotel investment and the event included interviews with owners and leading
players in design, daily operations and from economists.
The 300 or so attendees also heard insights on branding, the key to
achieving good branding being to value staff, according to one speaker
August 2010 AHCT 47
 The clean solution

Experience a true
HOSPITALITY
SHOWCASE in Asia

Hospitality
Asia 2011
9 – 12 March 2011 • Singapore Expo
www.HospitalityAsia.com.sg

Hospitality Asia 2011 is co-located with:

International Furniture Fair Singapore 2011

28th ASEAN Furniture Show
www.iffs.com.sg

Deco Asia 2011

www.DecoAsia.com.sg

Organiser:

International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd

62 Sungei Kadut Loop, #04-19, International Furniture Centre, Singapore 729507
Tel: (65) 6569 6988 • Fax: (65) 6569 9939 • Email: enquiry@hospitalityasia.com.sg
 www.wineandgourmetasia.com

Wine &
Gourmet ASIA 2010
28 – 30 October 2010
Hall A, The Cotai Strip® Cotai Expo™ at The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel
C

Y Koelnmesse Announces Expansion Wine & Gourmet Asia –

CM
of Hosted Buyers Program Your Gateway to An Untouched
MY

CY
Market!
CMY
Wine & Gourmet Asia Hosted Buyers Program was Featuring epicurean events, wine master classes,
K
launched successfully in 2009 and received very positive seminars and the Asian Cocktail Championship, Wine &
feedback from its participants. Gourmet Asia is much more than your traditional B2B
trade show.
Exhibitors can be assured of additional sales
channels as we match you with your Located in Macau, Asia's Las Vegas of the East, Wine &
Gourmet Asia is a premier gateway to the Macau/Hong
preferred buyers even before the trade fair Kong / Southern China region and the economically
takes place. Hosted buyers are pre-screened to assess thriving Pearl Delta region. Since its premiere in 2007,
their purchasing power and if they are genuine. this boutique event attracts over 7,000 trade
professionals annually and successfully established itself
More than 100 hosted buyers are expected to be present as a reputable trade platform in this region.
at Wine & Gourmet Asia 2010.
Exhibit Profile
What’s in it for exhibitors?
- Guaranteed one-to-one meetings with hosted buyers
from major retailers, importers and distributors.
- Receive a personalized meeting schedule.
- You can nominate up to 5 top clients to become a
Hospitality & Food & Wine &
Hosted Buyer.
Foodservice Beverage Spirits

With support from Organized by

Asia (excl. Hong Kong, Macau)
Ms Lynn How
Tel: +65 6500 6712
Fax: +65 6294 8403
l.how@koelnmesse.com.sg
Hong Kong, Macau
Ms Winky Fung
Tel: +852 2591 6083
Fax: +852 2591 6380
talentasiainfo@netvigator.com
 A p p o i n t me n t s
Hansar Samui in Thailand has announced
the appointment of Stephen Jean Dion as
Executive Chef. The young Quebecois chef
started his culinary career aged 18 at Les
Halles and has since worked in renowned
restaurants in Malaysia, Singapore and
Thailand. Dion has also worked as a private
chef for royalty.
Stephen Jean Dion
Hotel analysts STR have announced the
appointment of Brad Garner as Chief
Operations Officer. Garner will be responsible
for the company’s day-to-day business
operations and a primary point of contact
for clients and other relevant parties. Garner
joined STR in 1995 after gaining a BS degree
in marketing from Old Dominion University.
Brad Garner
Hotel analysts STR have announced the
appointment of Amanda Hite as Chief
Strategy Officer, a role that will see her
supervise strategic and long-term goal
planning. Hite joined STR in 2006 from a
post as Director of Research for the Nashville
Area Chamber of Commerce. Hite has a BS
in Business Administration.
Amanda Hite
Langham Hotels International has appointed
Amy Ho Director of Public Relations (Asia).
Ho has previously worked in media relations,
event management and PR, including for
5-star hotels and the world-renowned agency
Ogilvy. Her last post prior to Langham was
with Estée Lauder.
Amy Ho
Ativa Hospitality, Bangkok has announced
the appointment of Kanchana
Ruangsiriwichayakul as Hotel Manager
of SilQ Bangkok. The Bangkok native has 10-
years experience in hospitality, including stints
with Novotel and Sofitel. Her background is
mainly in Front Office and Operations.
Kanchana
Ruangsiriwichayakul
Langham Place, Mongkok has announced
the appointment of Teresa Poon as Hotel
Manager. Poon returns to the hotel after a
short period away, having been a crucial part
of the pre-opening team as Director of Sales
before promotion to a sales and marketing
role after the opening. Mongkok-born Poon
has opened four hotels in 23 years in the
industry.
Teresa Poon
54 AHCT August 2010
Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced
the appointment of Nigel Roberts as
Vice President, Area Operations, Oceania.
Roberts started his career in England 36
years ago, before moving to posts across Asia
with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, before
working for Sheraton in Australia, Vietnam
and Malaysia and recently for Langham
Hotels International.
Nigel Roberts
MGM Hospitality has announced the
appointment of Michael Saglid as Managing
Director, Asia-Pacific Development. The Ecole
hôtelière de Lausanne graduate has worked in
Asia for Hyatt, Shangri-La, Le Meridien and
Minor Hotels and Resorts. Saglid’s last post
was as CEO at Stein Group International.
Michael Saglid
New luxury hotel brand Saffron has announced
the appointment of Patrick Schaub as
General Manager of its Oriental Residence
Bangkok. The Swiss native has 16 years
experience in hospitality, having held senior
F&B posts with leading hotels in Switzerland
and the United States. In Bangkok, Schaub
has worked at The Peninsula and Westin
Grande Sukhumvit.
Patrick Schaub
Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced
the appointment of Andy Tan as Vice
President Sales, responsible for global sales
in seven regions. Tan joins Pan Pacific from
a stellar career at Starwood that saw him the
recipient of sales awards in 2005 and 2007.
Tan has worked for Accor and in Thailand
and Singapore.
Andy Tan
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel has
announced the appointment of Deanna
Varga as Associate Director of Sales and
Marketing. Varga has previously worked in an
S&M role for Accor at the Swiss Grand Resort
and Spa but much of her career has been with
Tourism Australia. Varga has had marketing
roles outside of hospitality and some print and
advertising experience in Hungary.
Deanna Varga
Anantara has announced the appointment of
Axel Jarosch as opening General Manager
of its Anantara Al Madina A’Zarqa Resort
& Spa in the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian-
born German who studied in the Philippines
is a polyglot with degrees in economics and
hotel management. Jarosch has experience in
Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Axel Jarosch
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