ahct august 2013 websize

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Published since 1976 V 38 At 2013

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GET WITH THE PROGRAMS

Embracing social media

SMALL BUTPERFECTLY FORMED

Designing privatekitchen restaurants

RICH PICKINGS

Coffee and tea'sAsian success story


2/29

AsiAn Hotel & CAtering timesis publisHed montHly bytHomson press Hong Kong ltd (tpHK)

The opinions expressed i n Asian Hotel & Catering Ti mes do not necessar ily represent the views of the publisher or thepublication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, noresponsibility can be accepted by the publisher, editors and staff, agents and contributors for omissions, typographical orprinters errors, inaccuracies or changes howsoever caused. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted attheir discretion. All materials published remain the property of TPHK. Reproduction without permission by any means isstrictly prohibited. Correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, Asian Hotel & Catering Times, Room 1205-6, 12/F,Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111 Fax: (852) 2851 1933. FantasyPrinting Ltd. 1/F, Tin Fung Industial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong.

All rights reser ved (c) 2013Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd

Welcome to the August issue o

AHCT, the most trusted source o

inormation on what is happening

in Asia-Pacifcs hospitality industry.

Last issue we touched on how, as with

other industries, hospitality must constantly

evolve in order to remain competitive. Tis

issue we highlight two key areas where such

orward thinking is not an option but an

imperative.

Environmental and sustainability issues

are here to stay. While it makes business sense

to reduce water and carbon dependency as

much as possible, it is as essential to show

hong Kong hoTels

AssociATion

hong Kong

chefs AssociATion

fedeRATion of hong Kong

ResTAuRAnT owneRs

The fedeRATion

of hong Kong

hoTel owneRs

AssociATion

of ThAilAnd

bAKing indusTRy

TRAining cenTRe

AssociATion of

inTeRnATionAl

hoTelieRs shAnghAi

singAPoRe

chefs AssociATion

hong Kong

bAKeRy & confecTioneRy

AssociATion

singAPoRe

hoTel AssociATion

hong Kong

bARTendeRs AssociATion

hong Kong

MAiTRe dhoTel AssociATion

shAnghAi

chefs AssociATion

MyAnMAR chefs

AssociATion

MAlAysiAn AssociATion

of hoTels

MAcAu hoTel

AssociATion

club MAnAgeRs AssociATion

hong Kong

HONG KONG

Thomson Press Hong Kong Limited/Media Transasia Limited

Room 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre,

233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong KongTel: +(852) 2851 7068, 2815 9111Fax: +(852) 2851 1933, 2581 9531

Email: [email protected]: Mr Daniel Creffield

AUSTRALIA

Mass Media PublicitasLevel 9, 215-217 Clarence Street

Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

Tel: + 61 2 9252 3476 Fax: +61 2 9251 3726Email: [email protected]

Contact: Mr Charlton DSilva

INDIAMedia Transasia (India) Ltd

323 Phase IV, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon - 122016 (Haryana)Tel: +91 (0) 124 4759500 Fax: +91 (0) 11 26867641

Email: [email protected]: Mr Xavier Collaco

Media Transasia (India) Ltd

1, A & B, Diamond House, 35th Road,Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai - 400 050

Tel: 91 22 26053702-06 Fax: 91 22 26053702-06Email: [email protected]

Contact: Mr. Xavier Collaco

THAILAND

Media Transasia Thailand Ltd14/F, Ocean Tower II, 75/10 Soi Wattana,

Sukhumvit Soi 21, Asoke Road, Klongtoey,

Prakanong, Bangkok 10110, ThailandTel: +66 2 204 2370 Fax: +66 2 204 2391

Email: [email protected]: Mr Gaurav Kumar

UNITED KINGDOM

The Powers Turner GroupGordon House, Greencoat Place

London SW1P 1PH, United KingdomTel: +44 (0) 20 7592 8300 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7592 8301

Contact: Mr Chris Morgan

USARiverside Media

159 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Lake Placid,NY 12946, USA

Tel: +1 518 523 4794 Fax: +1 518 523 4708Email: [email protected]

Contact: Ms Christina Eccleston

Marston Webb International60 Madison Avenue, Suite 1011,

New York, NY 10010, USA

Tel: +1 212 684 6601 Fax: +1 212 725 4708Telex: (023) 420773 BRANINT

Contact: Ms Madlene Olson

ITALYEdiconsult Internazionale s.r.l.

Piazza Fontane Marose, 3-16123 GenovaTel: +39 010 583684 Fax: +39 010 566578

Email: [email protected]: Mr Vittorio Negrone

JAPAN

Echo Japan CorporationGrande Maison Rm 303,

2-2 Kudan-kita 1-chome,Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0073

Tel: +81 3 3234 2064 Fax: +81 3 3263 5065Email: [email protected]

Contact: Mr Ted Asoshina

MALAYSIAPublicitas International Sdn Bhd.

S 105, 2nd Floor, CentrepointLebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama

47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.Tel : 603 7729 6923

Fax : 603 7729 7115

Email: [email protected]: Ms Audrey Cheong

your customers and the wider world that you

care. We look at latest thinking on the subject

on page 12.

One way to tell the world about your shiny

CSR initiatives is via social media, another

huge area under the spotlight this issue. An

increasingly vital communication tool, not

only do sites such as witter, Facebook, Weibo

and Youube present marketing opportunities

in their own right, they are also perect vehicles

or keeping in touch with customers, fnding

out what they think and what they want.

Asia n Hotel and Cate ring imes is

itsel moving with the times we have

EDITORDaniel Crefeld

DESIGN BY

Koon Ming [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS

Michelle ChengZara HornerRebecca LoJane Ram

Michael Taylor

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Sharon [email protected]

CIRCULATION ExECUTIvEBecky Chau

[email protected]

CHAIRMANJS Uberoi

DIRECTOR

Gaurav Kumar

endoRseMenTs

relaunched our website, which is at

www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

Please do check it out and let us know

what you think.

We nee d to hea r ro m hosp ita lit y

proessionals about the constant developments

in the industry, good or bad, so please do

send your comments and suggestions in to:

[email protected]

www.ranciliogroup.com

ss

9

The new patented technology or controlling andprofling the brewing temperature

The Xcelsius system enables the temperature of the brew water to be set dynamically, with an increase or

decrease of up to 5C (9F) during the 25-30 seconds it takes for each individual delivery. This technology

brings out distinctive avor characteristics of each blend or single origin.

Qualied by World Coee Events WCE 2011.

E d i t o r s M E s s a g E

AHCT At 2013 3


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MANAGEMENT12 The race or carbon neutrality

MARKET REPORT14 Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos

what does the uture hold?

NEWSINDUSTRYDavid Beckham; a hotel school with a

dierence; and why the uture could be

grim or Hong Kong hotels

PRODUCT2 News rom Hobart, Pevonia and Meiko

CULINARY4 Apple smoothies; divine chocolate and

healthy olive oil

September Recruitment Malaysia Revenue/yield management Guestrooms Olive oil Cocktails Laundry Induction cookers

October Spas Macau Security Dairy Jam Wine Spa amenities Tabletops

CONTENTSVo lu me 38 Au gu st 20 13

TECHNOLOGY18 Harnessing the social revolution

DESIGN22 Hong Kongs private kitchens uncovered

FOOD26 The ice cream market heat up

12

26

DRINK30 Coee and tea hot and getting hotter

EQUIPMENT34 Cool ice machines

40 Hygiene: keeping it clean

Eco-paradisesNew-look Asian Hotel &Catering Times website!

Adertisers Inde

Alpha International 43

Boncae 25

Bravilor Bonamat 33

EBLEX 21

Follett Corporation 37

Food Hotel China 50

Food Hotel Malaysia 49

Franke 31

Global Search International 9

Grohe IBC

HICAP 52

HKTDC Food Expo 38 & 39

International Wine & Spirits Fair 53

M.Schaerer 35

Nespresso OBC

Pevonia 16 & 17

Primo Limited 29

Rancilio IFC

Restaurant & Bar 51

Taywell Ice Cream Limited 27

The Hotel Show 45

Tiger Company Limited 11

Ice cream wars

EvENTS AND ExHIBITIONS46 Events calendar

47 FHM previewed

48 HOSFAIR reviewed

APPOINTMENTS54 Whos moving where

ParesaResortPhuket

www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

AHCT At 2013 AHCT At 2013 5


4/29

Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel general

manager Will Chen is a social media

convert. Quoting recent statistics, he

suggests there will be an expected 3.4

billion internet users by the end of 2015.

The growing trend of internet

mobility is unstoppable, says Malaysia-

born Chen. Online involvement has

become increasingly important in recent

years, and it is crucial to integrate online

with ofine branding and marketing

efforts to maximise convergence.

Chen, who was appointed GM in

September 2012 and has 17 years

experience in the hotel industry, says

that unlike traditional marketing channels

such as newspapers, whose subscribers

have been dwindling over the past 10

years, social networks and the internetare incredibly efcient when it comes

to spreading news.

A posting on Facebook can reach

8,000+ users in a matter of seconds,

whereas a positive TripAdvisor guest

review can generate more bookings and

drive greater customer satisfaction for

the hotel, he enthuses.

A guest engaged in social

networks is 20% more likely to book

a hotel according to the likes or

recommendation of their peers. The

internet is a proactive and cost efcient

way to get your word out and be

noticed by viewers around the globe,

and gather key insights on guest needs

and behaviour. We are putting more and

more attention on this evolving channel

to leverage customer service and brand

loyalty.

Another area where the property is

hoping to achieve maximum leverage is

through the extensive renovation work

that has recently taken place.

As part of the Sheraton global

revitalisation programme, Grande Taipei

underwent a nearly NT$2 billion (US$67million) renovation to refurbish the iconic

property, reecting a luxurious new look

amid numerous facility enhancements.

The large-scale refresh was aimed to

meet the increased demand for high quality

accommodation, especially as business

and leisure travel to t he bustling Taiwanese

capital continues to grow, says Chen.

It also helps the hotel reafrm a

leading role in a highly competitive luxury

hospitality industry.

Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotels many

upgrades are reected in its new i dentity;

with the addition of the word Grande to

its name to reect a new standard of luxury

in the country.

The comprehensive renovation,

reecting a blend of classical elegance and

contemporary aesthetics, extends to every

aspect of the hotels 688 guestrooms and

suites, including bathrooms, work spaces,

entertainment units, carpeting, furniture

and upgraded in-room amenities.

Two-MichelinstarchefPhilippeLeveilleofLaltrorestaurantinHongKongrecentlypresentedhissummermenu.LaltrowasopenedinSeptember2012byLeveille,whoalsohelmsaMichelintwo-starredrestaurant,Miramontilaltro,inBrescia,Italy

Fresh approach, traditional values

Rhombus International Hotels Group has

announced the opening of Rhombus

Jukoupu Zhen Gaojiaao Primary School,

Hunan, China.

Since January 2012, Rhombus

International Hotels Group has worked

alongside Origin Charity Foundation by

implementing two initiatives at its hotels

and food and beverage outlets in Hong

Kong, providing nancial support to aidF&Baccountsfor55%ofGrandeTaipeistotalrevenue

GMWillChenledtherecentNT$2billionrenovationoftheSheratonGrandeTaipeiHotel

A roomwith a viewChef Paco Roncero has launched

Paco Roncero Catering at VIEW 62

by Paco Roncero Hong Kongs

only revolving restaurant.

The concept showcases chef

Ronceros Spanish nouvelle cuisine,

and the spacious, contemporary

VIEW 62, with its breathtaking vistas.

The aim is for clients and their

guests attending a Paco Roncerocatering event be it a wedding,

corporate happening, or MICE

incentive to have a truly bespoke

experience.

Together with the Hong Kong

culinary team, Chef Roncero aims

to set new benchmarks for creative

and culinary excellence at corporate

events, product launches, cocktail

parties, team building, or VIP

functions.

A team of culinary experts and a

professional events coordinator will

work closely with guests.

Myanmars newest boutique resort,

Bagan Lodge, soft opens this month in

the ancient Buddhist capital.

With stylised tenting and furnishings,

Bagan Lodges 85 rooms and suites

skirt the boundary of the shrine-studded

plains of the Bagan Archaeological

Zone. More than 2,000 historic temples

and ruins rise from the landscape east

of the resort, many dating back to the

11th and 12th centuries at the height of

the Kingdom of Bagan.

Conceptualised by French designer

Brigitte Dumont de Chassart, the

interiors and grounds of Bagan Lodge

are a melding of traditional Burmese

design, colonial-era trappings and

contemporary decor. Three classes of

accommodation range in size from 50

square metre deluxe rooms to the 196

square metre Queen Victoria suite, which

includes four bedrooms, a living room

and private garden.

As part of its soft opening, Bagan

Lodge will also be cutting the ribbon on

its open air restaurant, Tifn Box, as well

as a spa with eight private treatment

rooms and a swimming pool.

Bagan boutique

Reading, writing,arithmetic and Rhombus

the underprivileged in China. When guests

dine at any of Rhombus restaurants, a

HK$1 donation is added to each guest bill

and a HK$5 donation is added to each

accommodation folio when guests stay at

any Rhombus hotel. All funds are donated

to Origin Charity Foundation, enabling

them to develop and provide educational

facilities and infrastructure to those in rural

villages in China.

On the food and beverage side, each

restaurant venue will also be remodeled

and enhanced. As for stafng, a series

of professionalism boosting and servicequality improvement programmes are

being formulated, including an overseas

staff exchange, in order to further

enhance the guest experience.

This is important, as F&B accounts

for 55% of Sheraton Grande Taipeis total

revenue, thus playing a major role in the

hotels development. Nine restaurants are

available within the hotel, each featuring

different styles of ne cuisine from both

East and West.

The hotel is also making great

efforts to attract MICE business.

Hundreds of millions of Taiwan dollars

was spent constructing the propertys

banquet hall. Spanning more than

2,500 square meters and with a roof

reaching 4.8 meters decorated with

Preciosa handmade chandeliers, it is

one of the largest ballrooms in Taipei,

accommodating up to 1,800 guests.

Grande Taipei also boasts 18 meeting

spaces.

n d u s t r y n E w s

AHCT At 2013

i n d u s t r y n E w s

AHCT At 2013 7


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Minor gets biggerMinor Hotel Group (MHG), a hotel owner, operator and

investor, has announced a US$4 mill ion investment in the

luxury boutique hotel brand Per Aquum Retreats Resorts

Residences, equating to a 50% stake in the lifestyle

brand. As part of this strategic partnership with Universal

Enterprises Ltd, Maldives, MHG and Universal plan to j ointly

develop the brand to encompass at least ve additional

properties within the next ve years.

Per Aquum currently runs three award-winning properties

Huvafen Fushi and Niyama in the Maldives and Desert

Palm in Dubai.

MHG and Universal will further invest in the brand over

coming years and the planned expansion will mirror MHGs

current footprint across Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Middle

East and Africa. The addition of the three Per Aquum resorts

takes MHGs overall portfolio to 91 properties in operation

across 12 countries.

Too manyrooms atHong KongsinnsHong Kong hotels are facing a serious

problem of overcapacity that is likely to

become more severe over the comingyears, according to Dr Henry Tsai of

Hong Kong School of Hotel and Tourism

Management (SHTM).

Although there is consistently high

demand for hotels in the city, according

to Dr Tsai, demand forecasts indicate a

signicant shortfall in likely booking when

compared to the rooms available. The

failure to implement strategies to improve

this situation will decrease the protability

of Hong Kongs hotels, and signicantly

increase their operational risks.

Hong Kongs hotels are renowned

for providing high-quality services to

both business travellers and tourists,

Spanish brunchCatalunya resturant in Hong Kong has l aunched a new

Sunday brunch concept Catalunya Sundays, brunch

with passion featuring weekly changing off-menu

dishes, its most popular signature dishes and a dedicated

playroom for children.

The concept is based around Barcelonas Mercat de

Sant Josep de la Boqueria, offering a true Spanish feast

with different food stations representing the market stalls

offering many of Spains favourite dishes.

Ovolo goes maritimeThis August, Ovolo Hotels will launch 100 Shek Pai Wan Road in

Aberdeen, Hong Kong, a sleek new lifestyle hotel whose rooms

put a contemporary twist on the rich maritime heritage of Hong

Kongs southside waterfront community.

Featuring 85 guestrooms with sweeping sea views, a spacious

Lo Lounge, 24/7 gym and Ovolos signature detail-driven design

and all-inclusive services, 100 SPW will also feature a new citywide

wi- hotspot service, giving Ovolo hotel guests free access to over

8,500 hotspots across Hong Kong including the airport, malls,

restaurants and even remote areas.

The hotel was designed by award-winning Hong Kong rm and

long-term Ovolo partners KplusK Associates.

Comes inhandy

The Mira Hong Kong has become the rst

hotel in Asia-Pacic to provide guests with

Handy, a complimentary mobile solution.

The service includes unlimited

international and local calls, city guide, as well

as 3G data and wi- tethering capabilities.

The new scheme launches in all 492

rooms this month. Each handy phone is

available for guests as soon as they enter

their room, giving them instant access to free

unlimited local and international phone calls

(currently to 25 popular destinations) and free,

high-speed data connectivity.

The unlimited 3G internet connectivityalso allows for easy wi- tethering to other

mobile devices such as laptops and tablets.

David Beckham visited Marina Bay Sands

in the lead up to the Sands for Singapore

Festival.

Beckhams visit is a Sands for

Singapore initiative to give back to the

community as 60 local children from

The Guardian Academy and students

from Singapore Association for the

Deaf afliated schools were given an

opportunity to meet and be inspired by the

football legend.

I have great memories of this city as

it was it here that London won the 2012

Olympic bid. Coming back and seeing

these kids today has been an inspiration

to me, said Beckham.

The British football star also showed

his support for the inaugural Sands for

Singapore Festival, which takes place

August 16-18, by signing a jersey that

will form the centrepiece of The Art of

Shopping component to be held at The

Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. The public

will be able to view and bid for the signed

jersey during the festival with all proceeds

to benet local charity, Art Outreach.

Becks on the Bay

but they currently face a number of

challenges and opportunities. The

SHTM report points to the rapid growth

of counterparts both in Macau and

Guangdong province as one of the

challenges currently facing the Hong

Kong hotel i ndustry. For example,

the number of star-rated hotels in

Guangdong has increased at a rate of

15.2% per year over the past decade,

presenting increasingly erce competitionfor Hong Kong.

At the same time, however,

policies such as the introduction of the

Individual Visitor Scheme for mainland

Chinese tourists in 2003 and the

anticipated completion of the Hong

Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in 2015-16

should increase the number of visitors

from mainland China. This will help

facilitate economic activity and tourism

development in Hong Kong.

To support this promising growth

and overcome the challenges from

neighbouring regions, Dr Tsai argues

that a healthy Hong Kong hotel industry,

in terms of room capacity, is immensely

important. A situation of either under- or

over-supply of hotel rooms is detrimental

to hotel owners. Although hotels could lose

out if they have insufcient rooms, a blind

expansion of hotels could result in wasted

resources and nancial hardship for hotel

owners.

The over-construction of hotels in

the US during the 1980s led to serious

overcapacity, and two thirds of the hotelsbuilt subsequently went bankrupt.

To avoid such a situation in Hong Kong,

the hotel industry needs to plan its capacity

carefully based on demand. It is predicted

that Hong Kong will have almost 70,000

hotel rooms by 2013, an increase of more

than 17% over four years. Yet despite that

increase, Dr Tsai notes that the occupancy

rate has not shown a similar promising

upward trend and has remained relatively

steady at around 85% over the past

decade. Hence, it is important to determine

whether Hong Kong is likely to face the

problems of over- or under-capacity in the

coming years.


AHCT At 2013


AHCT At 2013 9


6/29

ModularBuffetSystem

Small WaresRoll TopChafingDishes

BuffetDisplays

AccessoriesInductionChafingDishes

Coffee &Tea Pots

Urns &dispensers

Trolleys

New face, new products and

even more commitment to quality.

Designing Tiger products is a global aair that starts with our

Italian designers and fnishes with Korean dedication to quality.

Our commitment to developing new and innovative designs

translates into quality, reliability and unctional style.

TIGER, NO COMPROMISE IN QUALITY

HeadquarterTiger Company Ltd.240-20 Ssd-,Chl-,g-s,

g-d, K, 464-861

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Factory & China Salesmyungjin TabLeware Co Ltd.06. Hsh rdj bzhk idstl pk

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European Officeyegam s..l...t

American OfficeSmarT buFFeTware LLC.stfft.c

www.tigerhotel.co.kr

Cleaning upin China

The 14th China International Laundry and

Dyeing Industry Exhibition will take place in

Beijing this month.

Organisers state the show will be a

chance to understand the latest leading

laundry technology, grasp the trend of

development for the industry globally

and exchange technology with expertsand senior management from famous

enterprises at home and abroad.

Participants include Sailstar, Sea-Lion,

Weishi, Primus, Speed Queen and LG.

A new lookor WesleyOZO Wesley Hong Kong has opened its

doors in Wanchai. OZO is a new hotel

brand created around a core concept of

less frills and more control.

OZO Wesleys Snooze Zone consists

of 251 guestrooms and suites and has

been designed to create a haven of

comfort and convenience.

Up-to-date amenities to keep guests

connected include IPTV, a multimedia

connectivity panel and free wi- internet

access throughout.

In a city that thrives on business,

Callebautcloses sweetdealZurich-based Barry Callebaut, which

manufactures high quality cocoa and

chocolate products, successfully completed

the acquisition of the Cocoa Ingredients

Division from Singapore-based Petra Foods

Ltd in June, following approval from the

regulatory authorities.

The combination of the two businesses

makes Barry Callebaut the worlds largest

cocoa and chocolate manufacturer, fully

integrated from bean sourcing to the

manufacture of the nest chocolate products.

It creates an organisation with over 8,000employees, an estimated annual sales volume

of 1.6 million tons and US$6.4 billion in sales

revenue, as well as further diversifying Barry

Callebauts global footprint to 50 factories on

four continents.

From Isaan toSheung WanChachawan Isaan Thai and Bar has opened in Hong Kongs hip Sheung

Wan neighbourhood, at 206 Hollywood Road. The concept is a creation of

entrepreneur Yenn Wong, founder of the JIA group of hotels and restaurants

which, in Hong Kong, includes 208 Duecento Otto and 22 Ships, in a

collaboration with seasoned Thai cuisine chef Adam Cliff a protg of the

renowned chef David Thompson.

Adam worked at Nahm London and Bangkok, and Bo.Lan Bangkok before

heading up the kitchens at Kha Singapore.

Chachawan serves Isaan

cuisine, which originates from

northern Thailand and has

a raw, down-to-earthiness

about it that is rarely found in

other regions.

Focusing on grilled meats,and salads the predominant

avours are sour, hot and

salty while still maintaining a

common balance.

At the bar, a selection

of bottled beers and Thai

cocktails pair perfectly with

the intense avours of the

food.

Make mine aquintupleBritaway WB will sponsor the fth

bartenders competition, organised by the

Hong Kong Cocktail School, taking place

in Hong Kong on August 11.

Fifteen bartenders will be competing

for the championship slot, and the winner

will be given a free trip to the Dominican

Republic to attend the annual Desalia

Party, which attracts around 5,000 guests

from around the world.

OZO Wesley Hong Kong features an

aptly named meeting space, Talk, offering

a wide variety of conguration options

to accommodate a range of meeting or

event types and capacities, from small

boardroom of up to 12, to classroom

or theatre seating up to 40, or cocktail

setups that can host up to 60 guests.

Spices to IndiaDWP Next has partnered with KA Hospitality,

the owners of the Michelin-star Hakkasan,

Yauatcha and Otto Innito restaurants in India,

to create a Thai restaurant brand concept for

rollout across India and beyond.

DWP Next prides itself on working with

prestigious companies, who are recognised

among the best in their respective elds of

expertise, said CEO Russell Paine.

In India, KA Hospitality is one of the

nest examples of such a brand, achieving

international standards of excellence in

hospitality. We are excited to be working

with KA Hospitality, to bring world-class Thai

cuisine dining experience concepts to India.

The 14th Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend,

together with the TATA Motors

International Indian Film Academy

Awards, took place recently at The

Venetian Macao.

The weekend showcased lm

briengs, press conferences, music and

fashion music and acting workshops,

culminating in the nale the TATA

Motors IIFA Awards, featuring stars

from the Indian lm industry including

Abhishek Bachchan and Shahid Kapoor.

As the 2013 Ofcial IIFA Host

Destination Partner, The Venetian Macao

is now one of the few destinations to

have twice hosted the IIFA Awards. The

Indian market is becoming increasingly

important to Macau, with over 100,000

visitors arriving on its shores since

2009 when IIFA rst came to town, and

growing each year.

The awards night saw performances

by the biggest names in the industry:

Deepika Padukone, who showcased

some of her signature moves from the

recent hit songs in her most successful

lms, and one of Bollywoods most iconic

leading ladies, Madhuri Dixit, made her

IIFA debut.

Bollywood in Macau


0 AHCT J 2013



7/29

In todays hospitality industry,

energy saving light bulbs, smart

air conditioning/heating systems,

environmentally riendly laundry

and cleaning products are almost taken

or granted, along with sustainable seaood

and the growing locavore emphasis inrestaurants.

Our next target is a ully carbon neutral

property, says Hiran Cooray, chairman o

Sri Lankan-based hospitality group, Jetwing.

Sustainable practice was unknown back in

1973 when the company was ounded. But

Jetwing soon grasped that Sri Lanka has a

resource that provides immense potential

or industry growth, country development,

and international exposure, says Cooray.

All Jetwings new projects incorporate

the highest measures o sustainability

biomass boilers, LED lighting, solar

power and waste recycling, he adds. Te

groups engineering team has developed a

solar-powered mobile water fltration and

bottling plant.

Jetwing Lagoon eatured a frst or us

air conditioning requirements provided

by absorption chillers which run o steam

generated by biomass boilers.

Natural essenceCoco Collection has won a number o

local and international awards or its

commitment to preserving the natural

essence o the Maldives, says Lisa Brightwell,

VP o sales & marketing. Te company

upholds numerous environmental values

and initiatives, so guests as well as the local

community may enjoy the Maldives today

and or many generations to come, she says.

Coco Collection oers associates and

guests the opportunity to take part in

eco activities such as beach clean ups,

lagoon and ree cleaning, building o

coral nurseries, planting o trees around

the eroding areas o the resorts as well as

the provision o water tanks to assist with

water shortages.

Singapore. Grand fnale or the three-day

celebrations will be a partnership with

the Community Chest or the ComChest

Heartstrings Walk 2013, including a vertical

marathon up the Marina Bay Sands Hotel to

Sands Skypark, a undraiser that will beneft

over 80 charities.

Renaissance hotels across Asia-Pacifc

took a very dierent tack back in June

when guests were encouraged to celebrate

a global day o discovery. Renaissance

Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong hosted

a local heritage tour ollowed by a night at

the local racetrack.

Meanwhile Renaissance Bangkok

Ratchaprasong and Renaissance Phuket

Resort & Spa welcomed the worlds largest

open air art exhibition o decorated elephant

statues, entitled he Elephant Parade,

with the brightly-coloured, jewel-encrusted

art pieces set to attract support or Asian

elephant conservation.

Green ngersKirimaya and Muthi Maya gol-spa resorts

have gone several steps urther in their

800-acre site bordering a UNESCO World

Heritage National Park in Khao Yai,

Tailand. Since last year the resorts fve-

acre arm has been producing virtually all

vegetables, herbs and ruits or guests.

Under the supervision o hands-on

culinary director and passionate oodie,

David Bedinghaus, the project has expanded

to include a worm arm and a compost

project to produce natural ertiliser to

improve plant yield. Tis enables the arm

to become sel-sustaining while reducing

by 75% the waste dumped into landfll.

Fermented ruit and vegetable peelings are

the basis or an environmentally-riendly

insecticide.

Environmental issues are top o the

agenda in China and Worldhotel Grand

Juna Wuxi is dete rmin ed to esta blis h

credentials rom its launch as a responsible

and concerned corporate citizen, says

Worldhotels executive vice president Asia-

Pacifc, Roland Jegge. Tis new convention

and exhibition hotel occupies a unique

location on the shore o Shangxian River

Wetlands at the heart o aihu New City.

Te 370-room property is committed

to being an environmental ambassador or

green issues rom recycling and organic

arming to orestry preservation and wetland

conservation. Te resident environment

protection ambassador introduces guests to

local wetland ecology.

On a more modest scale, Yangshuo

Mountain Retreat, established in 2000, has

consistently been dedicated to meeting the

needs o the present without compromising

the ability o uture generations to meet

their own needs. A 5% green tax is levied

on all rooms and meals to help implement

the propertys many green initiatives.

he retreat began as a simple eco-

lodge and has contributed to Yangshuos

prosperity by creating employment

opportunities or local people and a deeper

appreciation or their culture and history

among all who visit. Furniture is all locally

made rom local materials, ood is mostlygrown in the hotels own garden or locally

sourced and the place is managed by local

residents with the exception o the training

manager.

Reducing carbon footprintsHong Kong has the second highest carbon

ootprint per capita o any country in the

world, says Carmen Ng, sustainabilit y

manager o Langham Hospitality Group.

Tis is why the groups three Hong Kong

hotels actively participate in the growing

Green Monday movement by oering

vegetarian menus at all F&B outlets as part

o a move dedicated to improving health

while reducing the diners carbon ootprint.

Hong Kongs newly opened Hotel

Indigo in Wanchai has many green

architectural eatures, explains Max Connop,

board member o Aedas International, the

propertys architectural consultants. Te

orientation o the building takes advantage

o the shade provided by neighbouring

buildings, this unique external shading

device used only where it is most needed.

Te resulting pattern creates a distinct sweep

around the building and Aedas expressed

this through the application o burnished

bronze solar fns to the outside o the crisp

glazed acade.

Double glazed Low-e glass is used or

the curtain wall to minimise solar heat gain

and reduce energy consumed or air-cooling.

Natural ventilation can be used during

spring and autumn by opening lobby and

guestroom windows, thus reducing the need

or airconditioning. Renewable bamboo

looring has been used in superior and

deluxe rooms.

Our resident marine biologist oversees

all o our eco initiatives and ensures

preservation and sustainability guidelines

are ollowed in all day to day activities

on our resorts. In addition, our biologist

holds weekly educational sessions to enable

guests to learn about the marine lie o theMaldives, the environmental issues the

region is acing as well as how they may

help counteract negative environmental

actors both on holiday and back home,

says Brightwell.

At the other end o the spectrum, mega-

size integrated resort Marina Bay Sands,

Singapore, is the islands largest single

building to be certiied with the Green

Mark Gold Award by the local Building

and Construction Authority. Tis year sees

the 2,561-room resort breaking new ground

with its frst large-scale charity estival to

beneft Singaporeans as part o its corporate

social responsibility programme. During the

three-day event in August the resort will

leverage the unique aspects o its property

to raise unds or its designated charities and

other local non-proft organisations.

As a socially responsible corporate

citizen, Marina Bay Sands is dedicated to

positively impact the community. For the

very frst time, all parts o our integrated

resort, in their individual ways, will work

together to give back to our designated

charities and beyond during this three-day

estival. We want to champion the spirit

o giving and we hope to inspire others to

come orward to do their part to help those

in need, says George anasijevich, chie

executive ocer and president o Marina

Bay Sands.

Act iv it ie s in clu de sp on sor in g a

perormance by 80 young dancers and a

und-raising dinner in aid o the Singapore

Association or the Dea. All restaurants

owned by Marina Bay Sands will donate at

least S$10 rom each dish to Make-A-Wish

Foundation. Te resorts ashion retailers are

joining an auction in aid o Art Outreach

HongKongsHotelIndigofeaturesgreenarchitecturewhichenablesthe

buildingtotakeadvantageoftheshadeprovidedbyneighbouringbuildings

a n a g E M E n t

2 AHCT At 2013

M a n a g E M E n t

AHCT At 2013 13

As far as hotels are concerned,it seems Kermit the Frog got itwrong with his signature lament,Its not easy being green!Exclusive island hideaways andmega-size integrated resorts fromSri Lanka to Singapore are allnding new ways of going green.

Jane Ram reports

Takingthe

greeninitiative

JetwingchairmanHiranCooraynexttargetisafullycarbonneutralproperty

KirimayaandMuthiMayagolf-sparesortsfarmvegetables,herbsandfruitsforguests

CocoCollectionCocoBoduHithi

CocoCollectionintheMaldivesoersassociatesandgueststheopportunitytotakepartinecoactivitiesincludingbeachcleanups,lagoonandreefcleaning,buildingofcoralnurseries,plantingoftreesandmore


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a r k E t r E p o r t

4 AHCT At 2013

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

AHCT At 2013 15

Savoir-faire

yet adapted to or become intoxicated by the

tourist dollar. Its still very possible to visit

locations which are unaected by outsideinuence.

But Cambodia is also seeing a urry o

new hotel openings, many o them in Siem

Reap, which is close to Ankor Wat, one

o the worlds most revered heritage sites.

According to Rida Khun, managing director

o Te Sothea, a member o Preerred Hotels

and Resorts, more than 360 hotels and

guesthouses have opened in Siem Reap, and

more are on the way.

ourism has increased rom year

to year, with about 19% growth in the

irst ive months o 2013 compared to

the same period last year, Khun says.

Foreign investors are generally welcome in

Cambodia, and the government encourages

these investment activities with corporate

incentives. Te hotel, garment, real estate,

and fnancial services sectors, as well as

embassy ocials o oreign governments

and managers o NGOs, are positive about

the governments treatment o oreign

investors.

he Sothea is a luxurious all-suite

hotel located on a large estate in Siem

Reap. It embraces local Cambodian art

and cratsmanship, which can be seen

throughout the property. It caters to

individual travellers, couples, extended

amilies and small leisure travel groups.

In 2012, we achieved occupancy o

about 35% or the year and expect to run

about 50% or 2013, Khun adds. Best

available rate rom now until September 30

is rom US$220++ per room, per night or

a deluxe suite to US$780++ per suite, per

night or the king suite.

Boom timesJose phi ne Lim , reg ion al dir ect or or

Southeast Asia or the Preerred Hotel

Group, agrees that Cambodia is experiencing

signifcant growth in its tourism sector.

According to a Ministry o ourism

report published early this year, the country

saw a jump in visitor arrivals in 2012, with

an increase o at least 200,000, reaching

almost 3.5 million visitors or the year, Lim

says. It is a country with a lot o untapped

potential being a destination steeped in

rich historical and cultural heritage, with

renowned world heritage sites, namely

Angkor Wat, and the delights o Khmer

cuisine waiting to be discovered.

he hospitality industry is closely

watching Cambodia and has cautiously

begun to expand its presence in the country.

Currently, the implementation o

the Ayeyawadi-Chao Phraya-Mekong

Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit

single visa, political stability and security

having hosted important meetings like the

ASEAN Summit, has not only incre ased

tourist arrivals, but also boosted confdence

or investment and business in Cambodia,

Lim says.

In spite o ongoing issues that have yet

to be resolved, such as the improvement o

the current inrastructure or more ecient

accessibility to other destinations within the

country, as well as the establishment o more

requent direct ights rom key markets

such as India, China and Japan, leisure

and business travel to Cambodia still looks

poised to grow exponentially in the next

ew years.

The former French Indochina countries arestarting to attract international investors, but

they have a long way to go before they canhallenge Thailand as Southeast Asias premiertravel destination. Michael Taylorreports

Open doors and open hearts

T sta Ma Rrt a pa prprt rat artt b

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tr atvt.

accessibility to second and third tier cities,

improvement in the inrastructure and

enhancement o management skills and

language capabilities.

Russia has traditionally been one o

the largest sources o inbound tourists or

Vietnam, but airlines are cutting ights, and

this is having an impact on tourism.

I you look at government data, total

inbound tourism to Vietnam is stable

or slightly in decline year on year, but I

suspect this is symptomatic o the shit in

the demographics o travellers, Basset says.

Russia has been a key driver or Vietnam

because o a history o avourable visa

conditions, but these numbers are alling

in many areas as ights are cut and capacity

reduced.

On the increase are the northern EU

countries as they develop a taste or new

destinations like Vietnam. I would see uture

numbers growing steadily rom German

speaking countries, Australia, the UK and

Scandinavia, particularly as their economies

navigate into better conditions.

Ongoing expansionhai-based Anantara Hotels, Resorts &

Spas has opened two hotels in Vietnam.

One is located in Mui Ne, which is a

three-hour drive rom Ho Chi Minh City.

Te other is in Hoi An, a historic ormer

port with a layered architectural heritage

reecting Chinese, Japanese and southern

European inuences. wo more properties

Avani Phu Quoc and Avani Harbour

View Haiphong will open in the coming

months.

Vietnam is developing and maturing

as a destination or inbound t ourism, says

Mark Eletr, general manager, Anantara Mui

Ne Resort & Spa. Te country and its

people seem to be emerging quickly rom a

very complex history and despite continued

controls rom government, the pace seems

to be sensible and sustainable.

Vietnam might not be ready to displace

Tailand as Southeast Asias top destination

or inbound tourism, but it does oer an

attractive alternative or travellers looking

or a change o pace.

Tailand will continue to dominate

Southeast Asia or new travellers, but I

suspect the experienced traveller to this

region is now looking or a dierent avour,

and Vietnam is illing that niche quite

rapidly, Eletr says.

Vietnam in general oers a more raw

journey. Te people are largely unchanged

by tourism, and I would go as ar as to label

tourists more appropriately as visitors. Te

country is challenging because it has not

Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are

a bit o Southeast Asias well-

beaten tourism track. But the

three ormer French colonies

have a ew things in common that suggest a

bright uture or their respective hospitality

industries. All have UNESCO world

heritage sites, stunning colonial architecture,

a rich cultural heritage, outstanding ood

and riendly people yet to become jaded by

the impact o mass tourism.

O the three, Vietnam seems to have

attracted the most interest rom international

investors. ake Accor Hotels, or example.

Te French hotel group currently has 15

in Vietnam, two hotels in Cambodia and

one in Laos.

hese three countries have great

potential to become successul tourist

destinations with their economic and

political stability, diversiied natural

resources, unique cultures and traditions

and a population eager to succeed and

excel, says Patrick Basset, senior vice

president o Accor hailand, Vietnam,

Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines.

Although these countries have made

leaps o progress in the tourism and

hotel industry, there still remain some

major challenges. For example, there

is a need or improved air and ground

TheSotheaSiemReap,Cambodia,kingsuitethepropertyexpectstorunabout50%occupancyfor2013

MarkEletr,AnantaraMuiNeResort&Spa,Vietnamthecountryanditspeopleseemtobeemergingquicklyfromaverycomplexhistory

JosephineLim,PreferredHotelGroupleisureandbusinesstraveltoCambodiapoisedtogrowexponentially

AccorsPatrickBassetseesfuturenumbersgrowingsteadilyfromGermanspeakingcountriesincludingAustralia,theUKandScandinavia

ShintaManiResort

ShintaManiFoundationDevelopmentCenterClassof2013


9/29

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M a n a g E M E n t

AHCT At 2013 17


10/29

work and mistakes will be made.

Some have realised that there are major benefts

to be gained rom using social media to promote short

term oers [in order] to shit unused inventory.

While people worry that this may cannibalise

their core business, the evidence suggests this doesnt

really happen. I it is Tursday aternoon and Im

making discount rate oers or people to stay or

the weekend, it is very unlikely that the people who

take up those oers would have booked at rack rate.

Te hope is that they will come back once they have

experienced the property on the discounted trial.

Its a point Dr Ada Lo, assistant proessor at the

School o Hotel & ourism Management, Te Hong

Kong Polytechnic University reiterates. It is almost a

standard that hotels have presence on social media channels.

hey have created links on their websites to take guests

to platorms such as Facebook, witter, Youube and Weibo.

However, not every hotel is doing a good job in capitalising on

the power o social media. Most o them still see it as a promotion

platorm. Social media is much more powerul customer

relationship management, service quality management, d istribution

management, revenue management, or instance.

Lo cites the Wyndham Hotel Group ripAdvisor link as an

example o how social media can be positively adopted by the

hospitality industry.

Wyndham has stopped sending their own post-stay surveys

to guests. Instead, they send an email to ask guests to post their

comments on ripAdvisor, she notes, adding: Wyndham in China

uploads guest reviews on their website.

Social screeningaking a step-by-step approach to social media t ools, one o Hong

Kongs newest hotels, Auberge Discovery Bay, has had a recent

ocus on Facebook.

Our ocial Facebook page opened in September 2012, and

we plan to start inviting key bloggers to visit and stay at our seaside

retreat, Loretta Wong, marketing communications manager,

explains.

Social media provides a more direct and eective communication

channel or guests to acquire up to date hotel inormation and share

their stay experiences with us and other visitors.

It is a powerul and eective marketing and advertising tool

that draws potential guests attention towards the hotel. Social mediacan also act as a guideline or hotels to understand the needs and

expectations o guests so we can improve, Wong says.

Te hotel plans to turn to key social media platorms such as

witter and Weibo in order to target a larger international audience.

We also monitor key online orums in Hong Kong such as

Discuss.com and Uwants.com, she adds.

Currently the hotel is searching or a candidate to fll the role

o a social media expert within the property.

We are looking or someone who is creative and innovative

with an insight on the social media landscape. Meanwhile, we are

working with a social media agency to roll out a series o campaigns,

such as Facebook eeding and blogger engagements, explains Wong.

For Wong, the overriding strength o social media sites is that

they allow direct connection with guests.

Teir experiences and responses are immediately reected on

dierent online platorms. Te reviews then go on to inuence

decisions and expectations o potential guests.

While we thrive on good reviews, we also take notes rom the

negative and take corrective action, making sure that the deects will

not be repeated again. Social media platorms continuously pushus to better ourselves, which is why we believe this will be a sooner

rather than later experience.

Taking the power backWith social media, power is in the hands o the customer, agrees

alwar.

Tey can rate, share opinions, highlight good service, shout

about poor experiences and ampliy both the best and worst o

what is on oer.

Te key is to have dedicated resources listening to social

media trac to see what is being said and actively contributing to

discussions to build your brand reputation as a helpul provider o

valuable inormation, he says.

Some groups are seeing the value o using social media metrics to

target advertising towards specifc sets o potential customers based

on their social profles and behaviours, alwar notes.

Examples include Marriotts and Hyatts special Facebook pages

or their rewards programme members. But, he says, the results are

mixed in terms o the returns.

Learning to experiment, and a willingness to continually refne

the messaging and propositions being promoted are key, according

to alwar.

It is about investing time, reading the research, talking to your

own sta and customers about what they use and encouraging

customers to share their experiences on social media, and thenrewarding them or it, he says.

Lo points out, Its transparent, public, and instant. o date,

short messages with visuals are proving most appealing.

Customers expect quick responses on social platorms, Lo says,

adding she is not sure hotels understand the dierences associated

with each method, or how customers use them.

Some hotels have a dedicated person to respond to comments

and upload new inormation. Some use service providers or

management companies and these can be a useul resource to help

understand how to better engage in social media. Te analysis and

reports are then used or management and marketing purposes.

But when something goes wrong it is apparent hotels need to

have a social media policy with a crisis management component,

Lo says.

Again, its this quick response. Hotels nee d to be p repared to

involve senior management, be honest in publishing an ocial

A positive presence onTwitter, Facebook, Flickr,YouTube, Weibo and othersocial media entities isessential but are hotels in

Asia embracing these newcommunication ideas?Zara Horner logs on

The socialnetworkS

ocial media has become a vital part o the way most

companies and organisations communicate with customers,

business partners, the media and the world at large.

While inter net inter action can provid e a golde n

opportunity or greater contact, partnership building and brand

development, it is easily mishandled, with potentially dire results.

Despite a lot o pseudo-science, we are still very much in the

inancy o our understanding o how best to use social media or

business, cautions Rohit alwar, CEO Fast Future Research, a

research and analysis consultancy.

oo many people have just used it to promote their standard

products directly and readers tend not to be interested unless they

are receiving genuine special oers.

More than that, alwar says, people want to be educated,

inormed, entertained, challenged and inspired. Tose seem to be

the postings that get relayed, anyway, with some going viral.

Learning how to use social media eectively is a whole new

crat or marketing people. It is very much an experimental process

and spontaneity seems to be important: responding to events and

developments, fnding ways o catching both the moment and

reader attention.

Sometimes the penny drops, says alwar, and companies put

their social media presence in the hands o those who use it most

and have to learn to trust them and accept that not everything will

HongKongsAubergeDiscoveryBayplanstoutilisesocialmediaplatformssuchasTwitterandWeibototargetlargerinternationalaudiences

t E c h n o l o g y

8 AHCT At 2013

t E c h n o l o g y

AHCT At 2013 19


11/29

Top of the class

A rt rak t t mar a rak t

ta mpt 100 prt ra ca

a ta markt, a ma a m,

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t art t sa w a yk

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c T tr Maar.

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ppar ar .

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farmt, Pa, war Atra a cra a

rak a .

Shangri-LaHotelsandResortsenjoysasubstantialfollowingonitsSinaWeiboandYoukuaccounts

response by senior ocials and monitor systems or comments.

alwar agrees it is a harsh reality that a brands reputation can

spin out o control within seconds.

You cannot stop people posting negative things about your

brand or spreading bad news. Te key is to have clear responsibilities

within the organisation or monitoring mentions o your brand on

the various social platorms, assessing sentiment and responding

when you eel you are being misrepresented.

Tis is dicult because a poor response to negative commentary

can make the situation worse.

alwar cites the Icelandic Eyjaallajkull volcanic eruption in

2010 as a good example.

Some airlines and hotels did a antastic job o communicating

with customers and keeping them inormed about exactly what

was going on and used social media to provide instant eedback to

questions and concerns.

Others basically went missing and provided little or no support

via the social media with a consequent damage to their reputations.

Moving imagesFor Lo the uture is mobile, and images.

People like to use social media on the go, she says. Te

popularity o using visuals is also apparent.

Facebook used to be text driven, or example, now it has ar

more photos and video sharing eatures. imeline is visually driven.

witter also has links to photos and the sharing o videos, and

Pinterest is mainly visuals and images.

Videos are shared 12 times more than text links on Facebook so

they are obviously a much more eective, ecient, and memorable

way to convey a message.

People also like to share the eeling o connection, Lo says.

raditionally word-o-mouth was obviously limited to the

people you spoke to directly, but social media means there is no

such limitation now as you can literally talk to anyone at any time.

So, hotels should make their activities sharable on social media.

And share interesting items o others that are relevant to the hotel

and its customers.

All o which can generate interest in the hotel, which is what

its all about, ater all.

Lo cautions that everything is now transparent so management

mechanisms need to be eective.

Also, whatever is out there may be monitored by your

competitors. Inormation is ree and open on the web.

RohitTalwar,FastFutureResearchcompanieswhoputtheirsocialmediapresenceinthehandsofthosewhouseithavetolearntotrustthem

t E c h n o l o g y

0 AHCT At 2013

K


12/29

d E s i g n

2 AHCT At 2013

d E s i g n

AHCT At 2013 23

Private kitchen restaurants exist in one

orm or another all over the world.

Enterprising ches who dream o

manning their own restaurant oten test

the waters by opening tiny venues to serve

whatever they ancied making. Some may

discover they need to expand to bigger

premises, while others preer to keep their

operations small and homely.

In Hong Kong, it is common or rentsto triple overnight in urban areas oten

orcing the relatively low margins o F&B

outlets to vacate premises in search o more

inexpensive spaces. As private kitchens

reputations are gained through word o

mouth, the harder they are to fnd, the

better. Yet they must balance the challenge

o allowing multiple sta to work in

oten cramped quarters with all the right

appliances and accoutrements to prepare

a delicious meal. Tat is what makes the

design o their successul kitchens worth

investigation.

Phyllis Loo and Sheila Wong are

riends who both used to live in Shanghai

and requented Willy urllas Morenos

restaurant El Willy. Tey loved his version o

contemporary Spanish cuisine highlighting

Asian ingredients and wanted to bring the

concept to Hong Kong. Ater opening

FoFo by El Willy in upscale Central

district, they thought that a more exclusive

restaurant would suit che Alex Fargas

various activities.

It is like his workshop and laboratory

with a dining table, says Loo. FoFo Privatcan be booked or private parties. We have

a roo that is or the exclusive use o our

guests.

FoFo Privat can seat 40 people across

two oors in one o Centrals rare low-rise

buildings. OpenUU, an up and coming

architectural team consisting o Kevin Lim,

Eddy Kim and Edward Kim, designed the

space to harmonise with FoFo by El Willy,

but with its own characteristics. As one o

the two large tables look directly into the

open kitchen, the space was kept light and

airy. Glass screens sandblasted with FoFos

signature graphics are placed strategically

and storage cabinets are incorporated into

the walls.

Te open kitchen is very important

as it osters a closer connection to the

che, explains Loo. Te kitchen is barely

15 square metres; the counter between it

and the dining table is used as a passing

line with plating on the surace below. Te

kitchen is arranged in an ecient U-shape

with some specialised appliances or tapas

and other signature dishes. Deep ryer, our-

hob induction cooker, salamander, vacuumpacker, slow cooker, ridge, wash up sink

and prep sink are laid out in a ring along

the walls or the maximum space to allow

sta to crisscross during busy periods. We

have up to three ches working nightly, plus

a dishwasher and two sta on the oor,

says Loo.

Plump penguins and pigsFoFo is Spanish or chubby and conveys

a happy, cheerul place, says Wong. We

wanted to keep a lot o open areas or a

bright look. Decorative ceramic penguins

and pigs are our mascots and carried over

rom FoFo by El Willy.

In contrast, Magnolia is a ground oor

space in Sheung Wan a more traditional

yet rapidly modernising area that does

triple duty as a restaurant, catering space

or Go Gourmet and team-building centre

or corporate frms. American Lori Granito

started Magnolia as a three nights per week

private kitchen restaurant ater closing

Centrals popular Bayou more than a

decade ago.

I didnt want to run a restaurant again,

Granito states. In Hong Kong, a restaurant

takes over your lie. Magnolia is not about

Hong Kongs private kitchen restaurants make thebest use of prime real estate, combining efcientlayouts with reliable appliances to keep guestswell fed and happy, writes Rebecca Lo

Ptrap: ff rt opuu; Maa Ra l;M Prvat l rt cat o & c.

putting bums in seats. I can open it with

only 10 people and they have to eat what

I make.

Known or her Louisiana home cooking,

Granito fnds that ribs, gumbo and pecan

pie are what her guests come back or time

and again. She inherited the 80 square

metre kitchen in the two-storey, 420 square

metre space already equipped with our

cooking stations set against opposite walls.

Its previous owner ran a cooking school or

team building and, while Granito preers gas

over electric hobs, she has made them work.

A central stainless steel work area lets sta

prep ood while others stir roux or check on

cornbread in the oven.

What you see ...One o Magnolias eatures is that guests

with a booking are invited to arrive ahead

or cocktails and canapes. Tey can observe

their ood being prepared as they head

upstairs or one o three dining rooms that

seats a total o 56. I like the idea that people

have to come through the kitchen, saysGranito. It gives them security to see how

their ood is made.

As many o Magnolias dishes require a

lot o slow cooking, the kitchen activity is

in its latter stages by the time guests arrive.

Our stove top and oven are what we rely

on the most or rying and baking, she

says. We keep separate ridges labelled or

dierent ingredients so that no one would

put a pie beside onions. Im very sensitive to

how things taste and separate ridges make

things easier with all thats going on.

On the other end o the spectrum,

Miele Private Lounges workshop is a very

private kitchen that caters to Mieles VIP

members by oering cooking classes and

Foryoureyesonly

FoFoPrivatcanseat40peopleacrosstwooorsinoneofHongKongCentraldistrictsrarelow-risebuildings(aboveandbelow)


13/29

AmericanLoriGranitostartedMagnoliaasathreenightsperweekprivatekitchenafterdecidingshedidntwanttorunarestaurantagain

d E s i g n

4 AHCT At 2013

wine dinners with guest ches. Te German

appliance manuacturer elt that it should

have a place where its customers can ully

understand how its products unction in a

relaxing and un environment.

Te workshop, one-third o the space that

also includes a salon and lounge, is a bright

250 square metre open kitchen designed by

FAK3. Equipped to sotly sell Mieles latest

cooking and rerigeration appliances, its o-

white colour scheme is punctured by splashes

o red on the dining chairs surrounding a

central table to seat 20.

We have worked with the brand or

a long time and understand its products,

says Miho Hirabayashi, director with

FAK3 who worked with partner Johnny

Wong on the project. All o the cabinets

were custom designed and manuactured

to encase Mieles products. It is not

obviously a showroom and the appliances

are hidden until you need to use them. Te

space is neutral, with grey tile ooring in

a stone pattern. Te mirrored ceiling gives

it a dynamic, distinct look and echoes the

long table below.

Hirabayashi says that the space is easy

to maintain and looks resh.

Since dierent ches will work with

groups o students, the kitchen had to be

exible enough or dierent people with

dierent specialities. We put basics such

as the sink in a certain place and heating

elements close by. Cold storage is in a

separate room. As its a demo ki tchen, not

much storage is necessary.

MielePrivateLoungesworkshopcaterstotheGermanappliancemanufacturersVIPmembersbyoeringcookingclassesandwinedinnerswithguestchefsinarelaxingandfunenvironment

Magnoliadoestripledutyasarestaurant,

cateringspaceforGoGourmetandteam-buildingcentreforcorporaterms


14/29

A multi award-winning new arrival intoAsia, bringing the finest quality icecreams and sorbets from the lushpastures and stunning orchards of the

Garden of England - the county of Kent.Now available for hotels & restaurants from:International Fine FoodsUnit 2611-13, 26th Floor Hing Wai Center7 Tin Wan Praya Road AberdeenHong KongTel: +852.3583.3366www.iff.com.hk www.taywell.co.uk

F o o d

6 AHCT At 2013

F o o d

AHCT At 2013 27

Alexander the Great is known to have enjoyed snow

avoured with honey and nectar, while Marco Polo

amously introduced Europe to an Asian recipe or

sherbet, which is believed to have evolved into the

worlds most popular dessert ice cream.

While ice cream classics will always sell, new varieties such as

sorbet, gelato and rozen yoghurts are catching on in a big way

with e xotic and combination avours a very noticeable tre nd

over recent years.

Te International Diary Foods Association 2012 survey o the

sector concluded vanilla was still number one avour; chocolate

chip mint, and cookies and cream are the next most popular, butthis hasnt stopped the experimenters.

British celebrity che Heston Blumenthal introduced mustard

avoured ice cream last year; and chocolate and rosemary, chilli,

beetroot, and whisky ice creams have all popped up on menus

across the region this year.

What is technically dierent is that gelato is milk-based,

sorbetto (or sorbet in French), is water-based and rozen yoghurt

is produced with a dierent kind o reezer and its consistency

is very smooth, explains Paolo Predonzan, Hong Kong master

gelataio at I-Scream.

I-Scream presents new avours every season and this summer

has introduced our savoury varieties using all-Italian ingredients:

Apulia olive oil sorbet, Modena balsamic vinegar sorbet, Pra basil

sorbet, and red cow parmesan cheese sorbet.

We think summer is the best time or sorbets, Predonzan

says. Te savoury sorbets have been introduced to give our

customers a new experience.

Tis new experience is something other manuacturers are

keen to develop.

We are trying to get restaurants to take lavours more

suited to their cuisine than take standard avours, says Alastair

Jessel, managing director o British artisan ice cream and sorbet

manuacturer aywell Ice Creams which will be launched in Asia

in September.

With so many dierent avours on oer, no two restaurants

need to compete on avours. Tere is nothing worse than going

into a restaurant and fnding the same branded ice cream in the

same avours. Its o-putting.

aywells most popular lavours are honeycomb, vanilla,chocolate, strawberry and pistachio.

Our Japanese green tea has become a best seller, Jessel says,

adding the market has changed because the choices oered have

increased so much.

It changes each year as people become more adventurous and

try avours they would never have considered a ew years ago. Tey

like them and so switch rom the avours they ate be ore.

Other more unusual aywell avours include lemongrass and

chilli, urkish delight and tahini, margarita-inspired Mescal ice

creams, and Tai tea sorbet.

Limitless versatilityFor XCs director Georgie Riley this versatility is one o the reasons

ice cream is so interesting.

Ice cream is a massive umbrella term or very dierent genres,

Riley points out. Te production equipment, reezing methods

and manuacturing expertise have improved so much ... avours

and orms are limitless.

Since taking over the Hong Kong artisan gelato and sorbet

company eight years ago, Riley has increased the recipe range rom

40 to 350 avours.

I quickly realised customers wanted variety, she says. Using

Australian milk, Riley only uses all natural products in her ranges.

We use inused whole plantation vanilla beans never extract,

or example. We always use resh ruit. And or this reason the recipes

themselves vary, as the sugar content has to change according to the

type o ruit used so that the product is not too sweet. However,

its a fne balance because sugar is a natural stabiliser, so i theres

not enough, the ice cream, gelato or sorbet wont scoop properly.XC ranges change every our months with new avours

introduced and old avourites returning.

For the past 10 years lemon pepper has been a very popular

summer avour so that comes back every season, Riley says. Rose

petal and Tai lemongrass coconut are two new avours or this year.

Tere are some avours which I dont think would travel well

and are regionally appropriate, Riley says. For example, our Hong

Kong milk tea variety.

According to Riley sorbets are big i n Asia probably because

there is no dairy content. Its an important consideration in a

region where a lot o people are dairy intolerant, so we always have

a large sorbet range.

Tis summer XC is introducing a new sorbet avour, Pabana,

a mixture o our ruits: passion ruit, banana, lemon and mango.

Regional variations are indicated in the sorbet market as well,

Jessel says. Sorbets are healthier than ice cream and contain part

o your fve a day. Sadly, demand or sorbet in Europe is nothing

From fast food chainsto Michelin starred

restaurants, ice creamand other frozendesserts are hugelypopular across Asia-Pacic. Zara Hornergets the scoop on thelatest trends

Not every avour isprotable but the rule is

that you need all of themDominic Tai, Primo

Financialmeltdown

HoneycombfromTaywell(aboveandfacingpage)

PrimotheItalianmanufacturercreatestwoorthreenewavourseachyear,withnineavourstobesoonintroducedtoAsia

Pic:Primo


15/29

F o o d

8 AHCT At 2013

F o o d

AHCT At 2013 29

like that o ice cream because they simply dont taste the same. Tis

is due to the at content in the milk and cream.

Jessel says his company has noted that gelato is more popular

than ice cream in Asia, and attributes this to the quality o ice

cream available.

Some brands are made rom some very dubious ingredients

so we believe there is room or higher quality products [in Asia],

Jessel says.

With more than 100 avours, aywell ice creams and sorbets

contain no artifcial additives, colours, stabilisers, milk powder,

reconstituted whey or GM products. Many varieties are also gluten-

ree with special edition ranges produced or diabetics. Te company

is about to launch a range o sugar-ree ice creams and sorbets that

contain all natural ingredients.

For XCs Riley, all natural is all-important. We have built

expectations. A richer variety ice cream is served in our speciality

restaurants which we mix with other dessert components.

As well as the usual, avourite avours are lemon, cookies and

cream, green tea, and raspberry. We also provide local avours such

as coconut, lime, and mango, Rohrbach says.

As ar as guests demand, che says not much changes by way o

avours, but condiments have changed a lot.

oday, guests like dierent kinds o nuts, sauces, chunks o

cake, berries, as well as resh baked waes, cones, and pancakes.

Guests also enjoy hot and cold combinations, and want a less sweet

taste.

Choosing a local brand (its more cost ecient) Rohrbach

says he fnds guests in Asia are drawn more to the lighter gelatos

than the richer textured ice cream and that sorbet is top o the list

or health conscious customers.He says guests enjoy an interactive experience, so the hotels

eppanyaki style (cold stone) ice cream and spaghetti ice cream

making is proving very popular.

Weather matching?For Aero Lee, Asia area manager or Italian ice cream, rozen yoghurt

and pastry products manuacturer PreGel, two things determine the

choice o ice cream: It has to match the ood you had beore the

dessert, and the weather. For winter, mascarpone, chocolate rum,

and green tea are still the avours customers preer. For summer,

ruity avours and yoghurt are the best sellers.

Lee says Asian fne dining restaurants preer t he ice cream to be

made with local ingredients. We know o de mands or preserved

egg, and lychee with osamathus wine, or example.

PreGels most popular product in the region is rozen yoghurt.

Because it is healthy and it is easy or customers to do what they

long-term, aithul customers on this premise, she says.

Servicing local groups including InterContinental, Four Seasons

and Te Peninsula, as well as leading attraction Ocean Park, Riley

is happy to customise.

Teyre my own recipes so I can develop them as I, or my

customers want. At the moment I am working on gelatos to

accompany a new Argentine inspired menu at the Four Seasons,

Hong Kong.

Dierent avours are the attraction or customers in Asia, and

the provenance o natural ingredients. Remembering my products

are someones treat or the day is something I love.

Shifting des(s)ertsAngus Cheung, business development manager or Nestl Greater

China, agrees ice cream is a perennial avourite, though he eels thesorbet and gelato trend is slowing down.

Nestl owns several ice cream companies, including Swiss

outft Mvenpick, Dutch company Hagen Dazs which has just

introduced new pear and toasted pecan avour Dreyers, and

own-name brand, Nestl which is available in all natural, low/no

sugar and lactose-ree varieties.

Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry continue to be the best sellers

with the company noting regional variations such as the green tea

variety being more popular in China and Japan.

Dierent customers want dierent things, Cheung says. It all

depends on the ches imagination and menu creation. We provide

premium ice cream with premium ingredients to allow the ice cream

to be used or the best outcome.

Tis is something Urs Rohrbach, pastry che at Millennium

Hilton Bangkok, knows all too well. Dierent varieties o ice cream

are served at the hotels F&B outlets, because guests have dierent

want with it with dierent toppings or fllings.

Dominic ai rom Primo meanwhile says, Not every avour

is proftable but the rule is that you need all o them.

With that in mind the Italian manuacturer creates two or three

new avours every year, with nine avours to be soon introduced to

Asia, including amalf (lemons renowned or their unique avour

and intense aroma), orange milk cream with pieces o orange, curd

cheese lime and cheesecake raspberry.

Teir best sellers are the usual, plus stracciatella, mango, banana,

and pistachio, because all these avours

are used to make ice cream desserts, says

ai.

ai says Asias interest in all things ice

cream may be attributed to diners being

more adventurous and keen to try Western

cuisine. People here on the whole do not

like ood with a high at content, so gelato

also fts. Gelato is soul ood and puts a

smile on your ace, ai says.

Its not so much dierent lavours

customers are looking or, says ai, but

quality.

It doesnt matter i customers want

exotic avours or not, it is very important

that we use the best ingredients.

Whole milk, natural ingredients and

good production values. In one phrase

only quality counts.

MilkteaavourfromXTCcreatedfortheAsianpalate

XTCsGeorgieRileyrangeschangeeveryfourmonthswithnewavoursintroducedandoldfavouritesreturning

UrsRohrbach,pastrychefatMillenniumHiltonBangkoksaysguestsinAsiaaredrawnmoretothelightergelatosandsorbetthanricher-texturedicecream


16/29

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through mouthwatering visuals.

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d r i n k

0 AHCT At 2013

Five years ago I would not have thought to bring in the brand

I am bringing now Cas Richard because the market was not

mature enough to recognise and appreciate the quality o the product.

Now Hong Kong is a really mature market and has the best coees

rom all over the world. Beore the market only wanted the big brands

this is no longer the case.

Martin B Jones, vice president, F&B, Asia Pacifc, Starwood

Hotels & Resorts Worldwide says tea and coee are without a doubt

as two o our highest consumables. Tere are very ew people who

dont drink either or both. While we continue to oer these products

at a competitive price range, we go extra miles by monitoring the most

undamental consuming habits including i it is consumed frst thing

in the morning or last thing at night or just any time during the day.

Te importance o experience is essential as we ensure all our hotel

brands oer an array o premium products that suit everyones palate

as well as value or money.

Jones adds that a key strategy is to ensure consistency in quality

across all Starwood hotels, resorts and restaurants.

We have a coee and tea manual with guideline and standards

on how to prepare [them], which ensures that when a guest orders a

beverage o their choice, no matter where they are in the world, they

will have the same standard o brew. In addition we have partnered

with quality brand coee and teahouses to match the style and

personality o our branded hotels.

He adds that the group doesnt partner with just one brand or

blend across the Starwood properties worldwide, as this approach

simply wouldnt work.

All o our brands have a unique DNA, with its own character,

that dierentiates to target dierent guests. In the same way, coee

is a personal choice and we like to oer our guests a range; which

includes the popular to the unique one-os. Above all, our decisions

are quality based; there are always opportunities to work with

lesser quality products at lower prices but this doesnt ollow our

quality ocus.

Niche interestBonca managing director, Christian W. Huber agrees there is a

growing interest in niche caes where one can enjoy a good cup o

coee and experience the cae culture growing in Southeast Asia.

Huber says that with this comes a better appreciation o coee

culture and thus better awareness and appreciation or coee drinking.

Tis trend then becomes a liestyle. As innovations are rare in

this industry, the last real innovation remains to be the coee capsule,

Tea and coffee industriesrepresent big business acrossthe region and look tocontinue expanding, writesDaniel Crefeld

Brewingup a

storm

W

hile its dicult to put any fgures against the coee

and tea industries continuing growth in Asia-Pacifc,

one things or sure theres money to be made at

every level o the business.ea is o course a perennial avourite, sales o which are now being

enhanced by quality imports and avour orays taking in new and

imaginative ruit inuences as well as emphasis on tradition Asian

and Western blends rom lapsang souchong to Earl Grey.

Coee has been the real success story, however, with the big US

chains buying up prime locations in almost all major Asian capitals.

In June or example, Starbucks announced its intention to open 100

stores in Malaysia over the next our years.

Meanwhile Pacifc Coee Company, a US-style coee shop group

which actually originated in Hong Kong, now has outlets in China,

Singapore and Malaysia.

Eric Daniel, managing director o Fine Aromas, a amily owned

coee company supplying supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, oces,

private clubs, coee shops with coee and coee machines in Hong

Kong, believes there are several reasons why the coee market is

exploding in Asia.

For sure one reason is increasing incomes in the region and the

rise o the middle class. Vietnam or example which is a producing

country as well as an emerging country registered around 20%growth in coee consumption in 2011. In the Philippines it was

around 9%. Indonesia is also growing.

Daniel says that all the major coee heavyweights are ocusing

on emerging markets, and they have the fnancial means to make

their presence elt.

Manuacturers such as Nesca and chains like Starbucks show

the way. Ten the many copycats arrive. Once one company opens

the market others will ollow; once the market is mature all the others

will come.

Te smaller coee manuacturers which are usually more

quality oriented could not spread to China or Hong Kong without

the big players opening the market up frst giving away ree samples

educating the market, generally spreading coee culture.

Daniel makes the point that while the smaller players cannot

compete in terms o scale, they can on quality.

TeaForteKatiSystemLooseteaforRooms1fromTeaConcepts

nkstoitsmodularesignandvariouseesofexpansion,rersCoeePrimenbeconvenientlytedonlocationtoxpandingneeds.Iterscostsavings,

ahct august 2013 websize

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