May-2014-issue

CONTENTSV o l u m e 3 9 M a y 2 0 1 4MANAGEMENT12 Keeping a clean house – trendsin housekeepingMARKET REPORT20 The sun still rising on JapanCover picture: Mandarin OrientalGuangzhou Tian He roomNEWSINDUSTRY6 Asia driving global travel; tie-up forin-flight meals; pulling your own beer24PRODUCT42 POS terminals from Epson; zero-sinkdishwash vision; ‘wedge’ LED TVsfrom SonyCULINARY44 Old stout new package; Green Pot Teagoes West; delectable collectiblesNew-look Asian Hotel &Catering Times website!TECHNOLOGY22 Relationship counsellingDESIGN24 Building for the bottom lineFOOD28 Think pinkwww.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com4 AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

M a n a g e m e n tPicture: VTC hospitalityKeeping aclean houseHousekeeping professionals discussinnovation and developments in the industryImproving andenhancing qualityAkina Ho, VP of strategy & global businessdevelopment of FCS Computer SystemsWe see a lot of opportunity to improve and enhance the qualityof housekeeping services by eliminating duplication and manualpaperwork. This would allow hotels to arrange their humanresources for more customer-oriented services rather than back-ofhouseduties. All these impact a hotel’s bottom line and enhanceguest satisfaction. Sometimes we forget that hotels are created andoperated to provide hospitality to guests.What will happen in the next 12 months and beyond is thatsmart hotels will use e-housekeeping to reduce human involvementin reporting and tracking, allowing staff to have more direct contactwith guests.Another key area is mobile apps, which allow guests greaterinteraction with the property and let the hotel expand their brandrecognition and drive other revenue generating services directly totheir guests via push messaging and proximity marketing.The FCS product range is comprehensive, taking in guestservices, engineering, concierge to duty management. As a softwaredevelopment companyF C S c a n c u s t o m i s esolutions to customersbased on 30 years ofhospitality experience,i n c l u d i n g c r e a t i n gsolutions by integratingwith third parties tostreamline all businessoperations.FCS e-HousekeepingSolution is an automatedcleaning and inspectionassignment system forguest rooms and public areas specially designed for housekeepingoperations. Together with the FCS m-Housekeeping mobile app,room attendants and supervisors can easily update room status forroom cleaning and room inspection with real-time, accurate roomstatus, as well as manage other daily duties such as amenity inventorycounts, lost and found recording and more.Founded in 1982, FCS is a leading global provider of comprehensivehospitality guest services applications and solution design services forindividual hotels, international chain hotels and integrated resorts.With three decades of experience, FCS has provided extensive solutionsto more than 5,000 hotels with over 8,000 installations in 32 countries.12 AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

M a n a g e m e n tA perception ofprofessionalismAmos Leung, registered executive housekeeper/chief instructor (housekeeping), HospitalityIndustry Training and DevelopmentCentre/Chinese Cuisine Training Institute/International Culinary InstituteThere are a couple of IT systems available on the market to enhancethe efficiency of housekeeping; some help to enhance standards ofservices (for example equipped with a rating system to grade thecleanliness of an area and performance of individual team member)and some even help to arrange the duty roster of the housekeepingteam. And the wide use of computerised systems can help to doeffective guest profiling, which also helps to enhance the guest’sexperience.However, in my opinion, while these systems can perform presetjobs they do not take human sentiment into consideration. Forexample, the arrangement of manpower for guestroom cleaningPicture: VTC hospitality– we have to consider different factors when we are planning dutyrosters, such as the personal needs of each individual team member.In order to maintain fairness it is hard to rely on technology 100%.In terms of what could be developed more via technology inthe area of housekeeping, I think it’s those innovative productsthat contribute to a better environment, such as cleaning tools thatrequire no detergents and chemicals that help minimise pollutionof the environment.At the end, I still believe that housekeeping is a highly peopleorientedindustry; one has to enjoy customer services in order toexcel at his/her job. All technologies are just helping to facilitateand increase efficiency, but without passion in serving our guestsbetter, technology doesn’t help much.Overall, I think we should increase professionalism inhousekeeping. People always have the perception that housekeepingis only performing simple cleaning tasks. In fact, all these cleaningtasks are supported by different technical skills, professionalknowledge about cleaning science and its principles.Established in 1984, the Hospitality Industry Training andDevelopment Centre provides vocational training for secondary schoolleavers and operates the T Hotel for students to receive professionaltraining in an actual working environment16 AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

M a r k e t R e p o r tTokyo building boom continuesBuilt in 1981, Rose HotelYokohama has 178 rooms, two F&Boutlets and a ballroom that canaccommodate more than 600 peoplefor banquets. It is 30 kilometres fromTokyo and 20 kilometres from theTokyo Haneda International Airport.“Our hotel is primarily targetedat domestic guests, but we arereceiving an increasing percentageof international visitors from Europe,the US and Southeast Asia,” adds Lee.Jens Moesker, GM of Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo, agrees theRika Suenaga ofHotelsCombined says Taiwan,Hong Kong, Australia, Japan (fordomestic travel) and South Koreaaccount for 75% of Japan’s totalhotel bookingsPalace Hotel Tokyoindustry is on a roll. He attributes this to more than Tokyo’s beingawarded the 2020 Olympics and the depreciation of the Japaneseyen. He also believes that the earthquake and tsunami resulted inpent up demand. People who wanted to visit the country put theirplans on hold until they thought it was safer. This has resulted inan upsurge of inbound visitors over the last two years.“New hotels have been and will continue to be added to thesupply, thus fulfilling the rising demand of the industry,” Moeskersays. “Overall, it is going in a positive direction. We welcomethese new hotels, which will help further promote Tokyo to theinternational market.”Inbound travellers now account for the lion’s share of the hotel’sguests.“In 2012, 55% of our guests were Japanese but these numberswere reversed in 2013. Incentive groups from abroad have increaseddrastically. We also see an increased demand from the Middle East,South America and Australia.”Built in 2009, Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo is celebrating its fifthanniversary this year. It has 200 rooms, three food and beverageoutlets, and a spa. Targeting business and leisure travellers, it is theonly Shangri-La property in Japan.Five key marketsHotelsCombined is a hotel price comparison site that allowstravellers to find the best price in one search. More than 300 millionpeople use the service each year to find the best rates for more than800,000 properties in 120,000 destinations across the world.“Based on bookings we’ve seen for Japanese accommodationcoming in through HotelsCombined, the key market for the pastTokyo Toranomon Hills will open for business on June 11,making it the 12th hotel to join the Andaz group. It is the firstAndaz hotel to be located in Japan.With easy access to Ginza, Marunouchi and Akasaka, itis centrally located between the Imperial Palace and TokyoTower. It is being targeted at both business and leisuretravellers.Andaz Tokyo is located on the top floors of the 52-storyToranomon Hills tower, which has been developed as part ofan innovative urban engineering project integrating centralTokyo with the bay area, which includes a 14-kilometre loopedroad development set to become one of the most popularboulevards in Tokyo. The road will feature a tunnel runningunderneath the tower.eight months has been Taiwan, followed by Hong Kong, Australia,Japan (for domestic travel) and South Korea,” says Rika Suenaga,Japanese marketing manager for the website. “Together, these fivemarkets account for 75% of Japan’s total hotel bookings. We’ve seenthis to be a fairly consistent trend over the past few years.”The earthquake that rocked Japan in 2011 had a dramaticimpact on the number of travellers visiting the country, and thisled to a sharp decline in demand for hotel rooms. But the country’shospitality industry appears to have turned the corner.“We have seen booking numbers increase throughout 2012 and2013, and we anticipate that the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyowill help to boost the industry back to its pre-earthquake status inthe near future,” says Suenaga.www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.comAHCT May 2014 21

T e c h n o l o g yGetting themessageThe all-pervasive power of socialmedia and mobile technology haspermanently altered the hospitalitylandscape. Donald Gasper asks howcustomer relationship managementtechnology can help hotel groupseffectively factor in these developmentsSentimentAnalysis Reportswith Social Feedsfrom ZDirect, IncWhen hotels began rolling outCustomer RelationshipManagement (CRM)solutions in the 1990s,they faced challenges with disparate data,guest interaction channel consistency andestablishing loyalty programmes, says BobDunfee, director of marketing managementsolutions at US software company Infor. Hesays hotel operators that owned multipleproperties also faced the challenge oftrying to keep guests within their property‘ecosystem’.Over time, many of these challengeswere solved by technology and the guestexperience was greatly improved, as was thebottom line. However, over the last nineplusyears, social media use has exploded,resulting in a new set of opportunities thathotels need to be ready for.Social media provides a CRM channelthat allows guests to learn, interact and shareinformation more quickly than ever before.As social media channels are also accessiblevia smartphone and tablet apps, it becomeseven more important for hotels to find aneffective way to manage these interactionsof their ‘always connected’ guests.Power and responsibilityMichael Schaeffner, director of sales andmarketing at Serenata Intraware, based inMunich, Germany, says social media is ahuge opportunity for hoteliers. “Wouldit not be great to use all the valuable andcandid information from social mediachannels to enrich your customer profile andbenefit from the information your guests aresharing in the social web?”His says his own company believessuch an approach is essential for a state ofthe art CRM. Hoteliers are getting moresensitive to the accumulation of differentdata sources and realising the potential ofthe data out there. Ideally, this informationis captured and utilised in a comprehensiveCRM solution, which is becoming essentialfor the hotelier of today.“The question now,” Schaeffner says,“is: do you have fully integrated customerrelationship management in place and doesyour CRM solution allow you to integrateall touch points?“The core values of a CRM suite havenot changed at all,” he says. “Hoteliers arestill seeking as many details as possible toenrich the stay of their guests. Nowadays,however, they have new ways to gainvaluable details about their clients.”Not too long ago, he says, propertymanagement systems (PMS) and centralreservation systems (CRS) were the onlydata sources really looked at.The hoteliersof the 21st century, on the other hand, havea wider variety of options.It was never more challenging thannow, however, to create just one centralprofile, especially when looking at all thedata sources spawned by mobile technologyand social media over the past three years.In addition to targeted and relevantguest communication, today we havemultiple data sources to tap for information,something that could only be dreamed ofjust a few years ago, Schaeffner says. “Thinkabout the information a cashpoint (POS)in a restaurant delivers. Connect yourrestaurant visitors, who are not staying inyour hotel, to your central profile and usetheir food and beverage spending patternsto include them in your promotions andmarketing activities.”The same approach applies to a hotel’sspa outlet, which often lives from out-ofhousetraffic. These clients – potential hotelclients – can now be included in the hotel’smarketing strategy and communicationstandards and be converted from spa visitorsto hotel guests.Ignore at your perilShayne Paddock, CIO of ZDirect, Inc.,a provider of software solutions for thehospitality and resort industry, based inMiami, Florida, says it is obvious hoteliersare paying more attention to the impactmobile and social media is having ontheir brand.“More and more hoteliers are comingto us asking for new mobile solutions andfunctionality in their customer surveyreports that include feedback from socialmedia including Twitter, Facebook andTripAdvisor.”“The customer satisfaction survey thatused to only be seen by the GM is now beingbroadcast on the entire internet for everyoneto see, including prospective guests, so it iscritical hoteliers take action and gather thedata from these sites to help improve theguest experience,” Paddock says.He adds that it is hard to make senseof all this data, so it is the job of CRMproviders to develop new tools or metricswith predictive analysis to help themunderstand what the information means.Features such as sentiment analysis providea simple way to gain an overview of thepositive and negative content being sharedon social sites and on guest feedback22 AHCT May 2014 www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

Hotel guests expect more and more personalisedinteractions from the properties they decide tostay at, says Bob Dunfee of Inforsurveys. Hoteliers are benefiting fromanalysing this data to help improve customerservice, amenities at the hotel, budgetingfor improvements or staying ahead of thecompetition.His own firm, ZDirect, uses advancedanalytics disciplines, such as predictiveanalysis and data mining to analyseinformation coming in. It crunches all data,looking for hidden patterns and unknowncorrelations to help hoteliers make sense ofit. This gives them a competitive edge overtheir rivals, more effective marketing andultimately increased revenue.Serenata offers a similar service.“We have created a social media modulewhich synchronises social media data,such as shares, likes and comments fromFacebook and transforms this unfiltered,raw information directly into the centralguest profile within Serenata NetHotel,”says Schaeffner. “This gives hotels a newangle on their guests and enables them tofine-tune and redirect their communicationbased on the newly gained information fromsocial networks.”Serenata’s latest Social Media Integrationstudy with Lindner Hotels & Resorts showsthat Lindner, a well known hotel chain withmore than 30 hotels in Central Europe,Shayne Paddock, ZDirect, Inc – The customersatisfaction survey that used to only be seen by theGM is now being broadcast on the entire internet foreveryone to see, including prospective guests, so it iscritical hoteliers take action and gather the datahas been able to tap social media to acquireconsiderable additional data regarding thepreferences of its guests, such as the kindof music or sports they like and whetherthey enjoy spas. This information is nowembedded in the hotel group’s marketingstrategy.The mobile channelMobile also presents an opportunity forhoteliers to communicate easily with guestsbefore, after and during their stay throughvarious email communications designedto engage consumers. Strategies fromupselling ancillary services such as spa, golf,dining and others help increase incrementalrevenue for hotels. Mobile also provides achannel for immediate feedback from gueststhat can be resolved quickly face-to-faceand decreases the likelihood they will postnegative content through social channels.However, mobile technology requiresproviders to develop more sophisticatedemails that adhere to responsive designstandards so that users on smartphones,tablet and phablets can interact and reviewthe content on the appropriate screen size,Paddock says.“Hotel guests expect more and morepersonalised interactions from the propertiesT e c h n o l o g ythey decide to stay at,” says Dunfee of Infor.“While this may not be a new concept, it isnow becoming more important than ever.”Taking actionHotels are now actively monitoring socialconversations using any of the available toolsdesigned to do this, he explains. This enableshotel marketing to better understand all thethings happening in a much more connectedway. The next step most hotels are takingis to put a plan in place to take action onthese conversations, allowing hotels toengage their guests in a more direct, oneto-onemanner. The end result is a morepersonalised guest experience.“Imagine that an incoming guest tweetsthat her airline flight was delayed, the airlinelost her luggage and she is just having abad travel day,” says Dunfee. These kindsof interactions are actually posted to socialmedia and can be leveraged to improve theguest experience, no matter if it is the faultof the hotel, airline or rental car agency.The hotel can really take advantage andset itself apart from its competition. Theguest arrives and during check-in the hotelhost sympathises with her about her stressfultravel and offers her a complimentary glassof wine at the poolside bar. Later thatevening the guest tweets that her hotelis great and she will definitely be back.“Think about the power of that kind ofadvertising, all for the price of a glass ofwine,” comments Dunfee. “These types ofinteractions are just the beginning as hotelsstart to take advantage of the onslaught ofsocial media and mobile connectivity.”To sort and analyse all the data nowavailable from the new channels thehospitality industry needs the help oftechnology which can provide hotelierswith the options to leverage maximumbenefit from this information. “In otherwords,” says Schaeffner, “increased revenue,increased average daily rates and, mostimportantly, and often forgotten, increasedguest satisfaction.”Images: Inforwww.asianhotelandcateringtimes.comAHCT May 2014 23

D e s i g nDesigns on diningAn Nam24 AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

D e s i g nGonpachi is an established Japanese restaurant brand with anopen Izakaya bar, extensive use of raw wood in furnishings and aseries of semi-private dining rooms separated by shoji screened doors.Together, the restaurants take up the fourth floor of Lee Gardensand each boasts a large terrace.One of the main reasons 1957 & Co. opened another tworestaurants in Causeway Bay is to better manage Kwok’s time: he candrop by all four venues easily during the course of a business day tomake sure that things are running smoothly. Despite a challengingsite, which is essentially a doughnut attached to a triangle, Leungwas confident he could make them work in his favour.“The layout was difficult: there is an open atrium that can see andbe seen from the retail floors below,” says Leung. “We turned thosedisadvantages into advantages. We used the curves and irregularshapes to create a variety of different experiences.”Since An Nam has opened, it has quickly achieved success withtwo seatings per evening. “An Nam has exceeded all our expectations,in terms of the quality of the ingredients and execution. Althoughthe price is higher than other Vietnamese restaurants in Hong Kong,people here are willing to spend the money on quality.”After four years, developers are now knocking on Leung’s dooroffering space for additional 1957 & Co. restaurants. Leung is nowstudying which of his existing brands will work in mainland Chinesecities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. “We’llopen An Nam and Mango Tree first.”Sushi Ta-ke entranceG E R M A N Y10„Plat de Luxe“„Solid“„Podia“„Podia“www.zieher.comwww.facebook.com/ZieherGermanywww.asianhotelandcateringtimes.comAHCT May 2014 27

F o o dPicture: Alaska SeafoodThink pinkAsia, led by China, is eating everincreasingquantities of salmon.Zara Horner finds out howregional chefs are sourcing andserving the ‘king of fish’Fresh, smoked, pate, and primarily as a sushi ingredient, theregion seemingly cannot get enough salmon.Politics mean that China now sources salmonfrom Scotland rather than Norway, but with demandoutweighing supply is rapid expansion needed to meet requirements?Certainly the industry seems to agree changes are necessary.But ideas about what exactly these should be seem more blurred.Chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation(SSPO), Scott Landsburgh says, “Scottish salmon is healthy anddelicious, and widely renowned for its provenance and quality.”Set up in 2006, the SSPO encompasses over 95% of the tonnageof Scottish salmon production and all members participate in theCode of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture.The organisation plays a central role in representing the industryon political, regulatory, media and technical issues in Scotland, theUK, EU and internationally.“Scottish salmon is enjoyed in over 64 countries throughoutthe world,” Landsburgh points out. “It offers endless possibilities tothe most discerning chefs, and is the ingredient of choice for many.“More and more people are demanding high quality, nutritiousfood and Scotland’s farmed salmon easily ticks all the boxes.“Raw, baked or grilled, smoked or fried, Scottish salmon offers anappetising choice to even the most selective palates.”Landsburgh also says that for the past 40 years, the popularityof salmon has soared, first on homegrown soil, then Europe, andthen in the largest [Scottish] export market, the US.“That market was worth £200 million last year,” Landsburghpoints out.“Asia is a relatively new market for Scottish farmed salmon, butdemand is progressively increasing, which is encouraging. “Overthe past three years, China has consistently delivered good resultswith exports growing from virtually nothing in 2010 to become thethird-largest export market in 2013.“Chefs have told us that Scottish salmon is ideal for sushi andsashimi thanks to the firm texture and unique flavour it offers, andas the popularity of Asian-style cuisine grows in major cities acrossthe world we anticipate demand will continue.“However, we intend to grow the business sustainably andtherefore we will only fulfill demand which matches our production.”28 AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

Double filet of salmon from Delicious by NordicRobin Wang, China in-market representative for the Alaska SeafoodMarketing Institute – a public/private marketing organisationcommitted to increasing the economic value of Alaskan seafoodresources through collaboration, planning, technical industryanalysis, education, and research, among other things, accordingto the organisation.“Some global strategies include a spike in salmon farms,” Wangexplains. “But these have been outlawed in Alaska, which insteademphasises sustainable fishing for wild salmon to ensure our Alaskanwild salmon remains environmentally sustainable and yet a premiumquality product.“We can’t expect a steady or increased supply, as every fishingseason fluctuates.“If our supply of wild Alaskan salmon remains steady, prices mayrise if demand increases. Yet if pricing becomes too high, demandwill lessen. Truly, the market dictates!”Wang agrees it’s the versatility of the fish, its nutritional value,and unique taste which has contributed to its growing popularityin Asia.And the popularity is across the board, including as it does bothchefs and consumers.“Chefs prefer fish that offers unique tastes and are from thedeep sea. Salmon is convenient for them as it’s a fish that’s readilyavailable with many known applications.“In these few years, we’ve seen consumers become more healthconscious and demand more wild fish – not farmed.“This drives the demand for our Alaskan wild salmon. The publicis also increasingly demanding more organic food, without chemicaladditives, and consumers are becoming more knowledgeable aboutthe difference between farmed and our wild salmon.”Scotland is blessed with a fantastic larder of some of thebest naturally healthy produce in the world.Food and drink is Scotland’s top export industry – we sellour produce to over 200 markets worldwide. And that figureis growing all the time.Whether you’re a wholesaler, retailer, foodservice operator, importeror an agent – and wherever you are in the world – if you’re interested inbuying the very best Scottish food and drink products, ScottishDevelopment International is here to help you.To find out more about what makes Scotland the world’s land of food anddrink, please visit www.sdi.co.uk/foodanddrink

D r i n kindustry and a change in direction away from Europe and towardsChina and Southeast Asia.”Limited varietals; versatile winemakersWhile it’s almost impossible to compete with the Italians, who havea winemaking history founded on the availability of some 3,000wine varietals, Australia’s fifth place as an exporter owes greatly tothe versatility of its winemakers who, in general, have essentially onlyeight varietals to work with – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shirazand Pinot Noir for the reds and Chardonnay, Semillon, SauvignonBlanc and Riesling for the whites (though minor varietals such asGrenache and Malbec do persist).Certain states have stood out for producing wines of real eleganceand finesse, such as the previously overlooked Tasmania, now hometo excellent Pinot Noir producers such as Stefano Lubiana andMoore’s Hill.“People are now tending to choose more elegantly structuredwines over fruit-forward wines,” said Walter Koo, marketing andsales executive at 80’s & Co. Wine Merchant, the Hong Kongimporter of both estates. “Tasmania caught our attention becauseof its moderate maritime climate, with mild summers and longautumn days, resulting in maximum varietal flavour developmentfor elegant, cool climate wines.“We visited Stefano Lubiana and Moore’s Hill in 2012 and wereattracted by the way they produce wine – both are family-ownedboutiques that manage both vineyard and winery, and the ownersthemselves are grape growers as well as winemakers. Steve Lubiana,in particular, is himself a fifth-generation Italian winemaker livingin Tasmania, and he makes wines in the traditional European stylePicture: Moore’s Hillwww.asianhotelandcateringtimes.comVirginia Willcock, chief winemaker at VasseFelix – for consistency in Australian Cabernet,look to Coonawarra or Margaret RiverAHCT May 2014 33

S p o n s o r e d F e a t u r eAngliss Chef ’s Table dinnerhighlights top ingredientsand culinary skillsAngliss Hong Kong Food Serviceand Gourmet Cuisine HongKong, one of Hong Kong’s largestsuppliers of quality food for thehospitality industry, recently held a chef’stable event to highlight both its superbproducts and the exquisite talents of visitingFrench chef Olivier Bellin.One of the region’s primary foodimporters, Angliss Hong Kong Food Servicehas been in business since 1946, and carriesthe best international brands of meat,poultry, seafood, dairy, dry foods, pastry,vegetables and gourmet fine foods.It was this last category that the companyrecently wanted to showcase at the chef’stable event, which took place at Hong Kong’sbeautiful and historic Ammo restaurant.Angliss invited two Michelin starChef Bellin to prepare an extensive menuof contemporary French cuisine thatmaximised the potential of the productson offer, bursting with his intriguing andunique signature touches.These included a cauliflower and caviaramuse bouche; black pearl oyster scentedand celery smoked tomme cheese; pan-friedgiant langoustine with pineapple and blackpudding sauce; foie gras ravioli; Canadianking lobster; and Australian kobe beeftenderloin with asparagus and brioche.Dessert was layers of apple and tarragonwith ’12-hour’ caramel from Brittany, ChefBellin’s homeland.Even the seasoned chefs invited to theAngliss Chef ’s Table dinner – includingAngliss regional MD Asia Johnny Kang with Chef BellinChef Bellin preparing the chef’s tablefrom two Michelin star restaurant Amberat The Landmark Mandarin Oriental inHong Kong, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong,Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sheraton HongKong Hotel & Towers, The Peninsula HongKong, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, andother prestigious properties – expressedastonishment at both the quality ofthe produce on offer and Chef Bellin’sculinary finesse.Positive responseSenior management from both AnglissHong Kong and Food Service and GourmetCuisine Hong Kong were also delighted withthe meal and the overwhelmingly positiveresponse from the discerning guests.“The Chef ’s Table is a cooperationbetween us and the chef – a combination ofgreat food and great cooking,” said JohnnyKang, regional managing director – Asia. “Itenables us to highlight our products and thechef to demonstrate his flair to a table of hisinternational peers. Chefs are always curiousto try other famous chefs’ cuisine!”With 65 years’ experience as a foodbusiness in the Hong Kong marketplace,Angliss has extensive distribution channelsand geographic coverage, with offices inBeijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou,Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Haikou,Xi’an, Hunan, Macau, Singapore andMalaysia.The company’s expertise in cold chainmanagement, its state of the art logistics andwarehousing, supplier network and sourcingability and professional sales and marketingteam has made it a market leader.“We chose Chef Bellin not only becauseof his two Michelin stars, but because of hisreputation for flair, originality and the abilityto offer surprises,” added Mr Kang.Owner of L’Auberge des Glazicksrestaurant in Plomodiern, France, ChefBellin has been listed as one of the 158 bestchefs in the world by Les Grandes Tablesdu Monde, an association of chefs andrestaurants covering four continents.While still young he worked withlegendary French chefs including JoëlRobuchon and Jacques Thorel, at La Roche-Bernard. In 1998 he successfully took upthe challenge of turning his parents’ inninto a top restaurant. In 2005 he won hisfirst Michelin star, in 2010 his second andhe also won a Gault et Millau gold medal.His ‘fried lobster, chorizo and tomatocondiments’ concept was presented atMaster Chef France 2011, for competitorsto try to reproduce.For this occasion Angliss and GourmetCuisine wanted someone different, ChefBellin explained, “and my cooking style isvery different! For example, my signaturelangoustine with pork blood and pineapple... most restaurants won’t offer this, even threeMichelin star ones, as it’s too demanding abalancing act!“It’s great to have the opportunity toshow off my cuisine and work with suchpartners as Angliss and Gourmet Cuisineand their wonderful products.”Many of Hong Kong’s top chefs invited to the event wereimpressed with both the quality of the produce and ChefOlivier Bellin’s unmatched culinary skillsMany thanks to our exclusive partners

E q u i p m e n tBartech C32 Frosted Glass – over 20 years the companyhas become an expert in helping hotel operators withthe optimisation of operational efficiency and revenuemaximisation of minibarsA feature of many hotel rooms worldwide, Omnitec minibars range includes the A,A-Plus, Glass and Glass-Plus series. The Glass-Plus series’ modern aesthetic, blackframe and triple-tinted glass offers greater thermal insulation performance andreduced power consumptionBartech eTrayConvenience storesMinibars are becomingincreasingly automated andconnected, and as well as beingable to offer cost savings versusmanual systems can also be tiedinto guestroom systems to driverevenue, writes Daniel CreffieldIndel B Drawer Minibar KD50in Asia, we see that automatic minibarshave gone from the exception to the norm,” saysJan Willem Strijker, Bartech managing director,“EspeciallyAsia-Pacific region.“Our installed base is ever increasing and we see that the marketis maturing considerably. We see a trend that hotel operatorsand owners alike are constantly looking at increasing minibarmanagement efficiency, and as a result, are able to allocate staff toother tasks, other than running around, checking minibars whichdo not have to be checked.“We increased staff efficiency by 75%, meaning that instead offour staff for a 400-room, manually-operated hotel, we only needone person! Many hotel operators still have their housekeepingdepartments check and refill minibars. The inefficiency of doing thatis enormous and there are a lot of hidden costs and extra inventorylosses associated with it.”Bartech offers fully automatic, semi-automatic and manualupgradeable minibars worldwide. Additionally, the company’s eTraysystem allows hotels to offer and track sales of dry goods, snacks,souvenirs and others.“Bartech’s products and solutions are designed to create greateroperational efficiency and maximise revenue,” stresses Strijker. “Wealso work closely with our customers and the designers contractedby our customers in customising door finishes, colours andconfigurations. We are a bit biased but we believe strongly that ourminibars are also good looking!”Bartech also offers a drawer minibar, cooled by the company’srenowned silent compressors.“Cooling drawer minibars is a huge challenge. As such, a reliable,powerful, yet silent compressor is essential! It is embarrassing for ahotel operator to have to offer lukewarm drinks because a minibarhas an alternative cooling technique and can’t cope with the coolingchallenges a drawer offers.36AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

GLOBAL CHEF ®UNIFORMSInternational QualityAvailable LocallySince 1997Designedby ChefsCall (HK)+852 9673 0222 (Macau) +853 6246 5065(Singapore) +65 6748 0688 (China) +86 21 6124 2766(HQ) info@globalchefstore.com2013 E-Catalog Available Now“When we are looking to change or to create a new design, it isimportant a new uniform complements the existing design themeand matches the existing collection and working environment,”McWhinnie adds.Picture: Sofitel So Bangkok“The uniform design immediately gives the customer a strongimage of your outlet,” agrees Nicolas Dujardin, Kwintet’s areamanager, Middle East and Asia. “Whether frontline or in thekitchen, a nice trendy uniform will obviously enhance the staffwelcome for guests.”Kwintet offers a portfolio of well-known international workwearbrands such as Fristads Kansas, Wenaas, Lafont, Bragard, ClinicDress, Djupvik, Acode and B&C as well as its own bespokesolutions, developing and producing tailor-made corporate wearcollections.Hotels may demand different uniforms for frontline staff andfor backstage staff. Mark McWhinnie, senior vice president ofdevelopment and shared services and director of Sands Cotai CentralHotel in Macau, describes what the group looks for.“For generic styles such as white business shirts, black pantsand black suiting, we require comfortable and long-lasting fabrics.For restaurants and front of house departments, we look for designswith a luxurious look that reflects our brand image.Hi-tech solutionEvery property wants their own look and feel for their particularbrand. Problems can arise, however, if ideas are not practicable. Thisis where Chef Works’ online self-design application comes in, saysthe company, which supplies hotels including Hilton, Marriott,Ritz-Carlton, Starwood and others. Embracing modern technology,Chef Works gives customers the opportunity to put together designsthat work best for them remotely, through the use of mannequins.“We have taken it a step further, through allowing screen shotsto be placed behind the mannequin to simulate how their particularlook will come out in the relevant environment. A decision makeranywhere in Asia can create their desired look from wherever theyare,” says Adam Josselsohn, sales director of Chef Works, on theinnovative new service.The current Asian market includes Hong Kong, Macau, ChinaSoutheast Asia and is expanding to Korea and Japan.The hot and humid Asian climate is a significant motivatingfactor for uniform providers to design an airy fabric. That is whyChef Works’ new lightweight fabric has become a best sellingproduct. “It is designed to handle the often harsh laundry processesin Asia but at the same time is much lighter, resulting in greatercomfort in the hot Asian climates,” Josselsohn stresses.Kwintet also offers light, affordable fabrics for the Asian market.“The fabric we dedicate to executive teams is light, supple, a bitshiny and overall very classy,” says Dujardin. “We also recommend

E q u i p m e n tAs well as supplying hotels and restaurants, Antonhill, established in Hong Kong in 1981, alsoprovides uniforms for Star Cruises, the third-largest cruise line in the worldTop selling chef’s jacket from Global ChefKwintet offers light affordable fabrics for theAsian marketOrange Women’s Universal Shirt and Black ChalkStripe Bib Apron from Chef Worksour different technical fabrics dedicated for working in hot andhumid countries.”From the perspective of the end-user, Sands’ McWhinnie alsoechoes the importance of fabric quality. “The fabric selection iscritical. This is based on the wardrobe manager’s experience. Thewash test report involves laundering or dry cleaning the garment 20times, and then reviewing the following criteria: shrinkage, weightloss, colour fastness, appearance, piling, accessories durability and ableach test. We have a team member wearing the garment to providefeedback on comfort and functionality.”Although there is no doubt that comfort and fabric qualitycome first when customers make purchasing decisions, Antonhillunderstands that different customers have different concerns. Aubelieves that environmental friendliness should be added to the list.“Seldom do suppliers and end-users put environmental friendlinessas a priority. I think we, as a professional uniform supplier, shouldput more effort in changing this tradition.”Sands China Limited shares the same environmentally friendlyintentions. “In order to support our company’s sustainability goals,we are looking for sustainable fabrics. Conrad, Holiday Inn andSheraton housekeeping uniforms are using a sustainable fabric –40AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

C u l i n a r y N e w sOld stout new packageGuinness has revealed new packaging for its Foreign Extra Stout variant in HongKong. A complete refresh from the existing packaging, this is the first change indesign since 2005 and “reflects the adventurous character of Guinness Foreign ExtraStout with more style and more soul”, according to the company.Across the Guinness Foreign Extra Stout pint and quart bottles, as well as the330ml cans in Hong Kong, the new packaging design boasts a combination of itsmetallic gold and yellow finish, with contemporary typography. Topped off with theswoop of Arthur Guinness’ signature, the redesign adds “a new sense of quality,craft, ritual and authority to the world’s favourite stout”, says Guinness.Jon Good, general manager of Guinness Greater China, said: “While theGuinness packaging may have an updated look, what’s inside the bottles and cansis still the same authentic taste that comes from St. James’s Gate in Dublin.”To date, the Guinness brew created by Arthur Guinness in 1759 is available inmore than 100 countries with over 10 million glasses consumed daily and 1.8 billionpints sold every year.For more information: www.guinness.comDivine winefrom NapaValley2010 marked the 125th anniversary of FarNiente, and the current owners are onlythe second people to make wine at thehistoric estate. The vineyard links its housestyle, vineyard ownership, and socialresponsibility as factors of success. Thewines are Far Niente Estate’s Chardonnayand its Cabernet Sauvignon, produced inthe California’s Napa Valley.Gil and Beth Nickel purchased theabandoned winery in 1979 and developeda plan for the site that had sufferedsix decades of neglect. The Nickelsdetermined to produce just two wines –Chardonnay, which was introduced thesame year they acquired Far Niente, andCabernet Sauvignon, first produced in1982.The absence of malolactic fermentationprovides the Chardonnay with the abilityto age gracefully for several years afterrelease, which is unusual for CaliforniaChardonnay. The company also likes totell of its social responsibility with solarpower, sustainable and organic farming,powering farming vehicles with biodieselfuels, recycling, the use of hybrid companyvehicles and other environmentallyresponsible measures.Green Pot Teagoes WestSingaporean F&B brand Green Pot Tea hasintroduced another collection of premiumWestern tea blends. This is the second teacollection launched by the company whichwas established only in late 2012, andcomplements its first collection of Taiwanesestyle green Oolong teas, launched in late 2013.This one comes in four varieties whichnot only offer the great tastes expected ofa high quality tea but also health benefits.A listing of their main ingredients tells thestory: Chamomile Lemon Balm, Citrusy Mint,Osmanthus Green Rooibos and LemongrassGreen Tea.All Green Pot Tea blends are 100%natural with no added flavourings and the teaingredients are sourced from their Germanpartners who have a treatment technologyusing ecologically friendly CO2 High PressureDisinfestation process.As well as the Western Blend Collection,Green Pot Tea offers an Oolong Tea Collectionof four different blends.www.greenpotonline.comFor more information: http://farniente.com44 AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

E v e n t sDate Event Details ORGANIsERMay 13 – 15 SIAL China 2014Hall N1-N5, E5-E7Shanghai New InternationalExpo CentreShanghai, ChinaMay 21 – 25 World of FoodService 2014IMPACT Exhibition andConvention Center, Bangkok,ThailandSIAL China is the leading Asian meeting point for thefood and beverage industry. The 2014 edition will boast2,400+ exhibitors, 45,000+ visitors and 100,000+ squaremetres of space in eight halls.World of FoodService is an international tradeexhibition for the food service, catering and hospitalityindustry in Asia.Comexposium Shanghai20/F, No 118 Qinghai Road, 200041Shanghai, ChinaTel: +86 21 6217 0505 Fax: +86 21 6218 1650www.sialchina.comKoelnmesse Pte LtdTel: +65 6500 6712l.how@koelnmesse.com.sgwww.world-of-food-service.comMay 21 – 25 THAIFEX – World of Food Asia 2014IMPACT Exhibition andConvention Center, Bangkok,ThailandTHAIFEX World of Food Asia is an international tradeexhibition for the food and beverage, food technologyand retail and franchise industry in Asia.Koelnmesse Pte LtdTel: +65 6500 6712l.how@koelnmesse.com.sgwww.worldoffoodasia.comMay 27 – 29The International Wine andSpirits exhibition for Asia-PacificHong Kong Convention andExhibition CentreWan Chai, Hong KongOrganised by VINEXPO, the world leader in its sector,VINEXPO ASIA-PACIFIC, for its 8th edition in Asiawill bring together about 1,300 producers and spiritsexhibitors from 30 countries and 18,000 professionalvisitors.Sopexa France Tel: + 33 5 56 56 00 22visiteur@vinexpo.frhttp://asiapacific.vinexpo.comSopexa Hong Kong Tel: + 852 2866 7163Contact: Elodie Niatel, elodie.niatel@sopexa.comJune 18 – 20 Food & Hotel Myanmar 2014,Myanmar Convention CentreYangonThe International Exhibition for Food & Drink, Hotel,Restaurant, Bakery & Food Service Equipment, Supplies& Services.Bangkok Exhibition Services Ltd.Tel: +66 2 615 1255 Fax: +66 2 615 2991press@besallworld.com www.foodandhotelmyanmar.comJun 26 – 28The 12th Guangzhou InternationalHospitality Equipment &Supplies FairChina Import and Export FairArea A, Guangzhou, ChinaHOSFAIR Guangzhou is a platform for Chinese andforeign hotel suppliers, manufacturers and agents.Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd.9H, Jinsui Tower, No.900 Guangzhou Ave MidGuangzhou, 510620, ChinaTel: +86 20 3891 0875 / 3886 6965 Fax: +86 20 2222 3568hosfair@hosfair.com www.hosfair.comSep 2 – 4 Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong 2014Hong Kong Convention &Exhibition CentreWan ChaiHong KongRestaurant & Bar Hong Kong is the fastest growingexhibition for the hospitality sector in the Asia-Pacificregion. Currently in its 12th year, it has a growingreputation as the biggest and best niche gourmethospitality event in the region. It focuses on presentingexcellent products and services to inspire and create ideas.Diversified Communications Hong KongUnit B, 32/F, @Convoy169 Electric Road,North Point, Hong KongTel: +852 3105 3970 Fax: +852 3105 3974sales@restaurantandbarhk.comwww.restaurantandbarhk.comSep 2 – 4Seafood Expo AsiaHong Kong Convention &Exhibition CentreWan ChaiHong KongThe 5th Seafood Expo Asia is an annual, seafood-onlyexpo that connects retail, foodservice, and distributionbuyers with suppliers of live, fresh, frozen and packagedseafood products and services worldwide, showcasinga wide selection of premium seafood products andcomplementary services.Diversified Communications Hong KongUnit B, 32/F, @Convoy169 Electric Road, NorthPoint, Hong KongTel: +852 3105 3970 Fax: +852 3105 3974ilam@divevents.com.hkwww.seafoodexpo.com/asiaSept 20 – 22Laundry ExpoShanghai Everbright Convention &Exhibition CenterShanghaiThe most influential and authoritative annual event inthe China laundry industry, Laundry Expo showcasesthe latest technologies, machines, apparatus andchemicals for laundry, dry-cleaning, stain removing,ironing, dyeing and disinfecting.Unifair Exhibition Service Co., Ltd.Tel: +86 20 83276369Fax: +86 20 8327 6330echo@unifair.comwww.laundryexpo.cnSep 28 – 3028-30 SEPTEMBER 2014DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTREThe Hotel ShowDubai World Trade CentreDubaiCelebrating 15 successful years in 2014, The Hotel Showis the largest dedicated hotel and hospitality exhibitionfor the Middle East region. Including investment,build, design and fit-out, refurbishing, operatingand management, it is for everyone involved at everytouchpoint of the industry.DMG EventsPO Box 33817, 5th Floor, The Palladium, Cluster C,Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 445 3749 Fax: +971 4 438 0358rogercardoso@dmgeventsme.comwww.dmgeventsme.comOct 15 – 17Hotel Investment Conference AsiaPacific (HICAP)InterContinental Hong KongHong KongFor 25 years, HICAP has been the unequalled annualgathering place for Asia-Pacific’s hotel investmentcommunity, attracting the most influential owners,developers, lenders, executives, and professional advisorsfrom around the globe. Make new contacts, strengthenexisting relationships, learn, orchestrate a deal andattend energetic sessions and workshops and unrivallednetworking events.BHN, Horwath HTL, and Stiles Capital EventsTel: +1 714 540 9300marketing@burba.comwww.HICAPconference.com.www.HICAPconference.comNov 26 – 28The 10th International Hotel ExpoCotai Strip CotaiExpo(The Venetian Macao)MacauInternational Hotel Expo is the longest-runningexhibition for the hospitality industry in Macau.Combining exhibition, conference and awardingactivities, it is a multi-dimensional platform supportedand attended by increasing numbers of executives fromhotels and related associations from China, Thailand,Malaysia, South Korea, Philippines and more.Coastal International Exhibition Co., Ltd.Room B, 16/F, Times Tower391-407 Jaffe Road, Wanchai, Hong KongTel: 852-2827 6766 / 3187 7226 Fax: 852-2827 6870general@coastal.com.hk yannes@coastal.com.hkwww.coastal.com.hk www.hotel-exhibition.com46 AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

E x h i b i t i o n sWines and spiritsabound in Hong KongVinexpo Asia-Pacific invites all wine and spirits professionals to itsthree-day benchmark exhibition in the heart of Hong Kong fromMay 27 to 29, 2014.Since its very first show in Asia, Vinexpo Asia-Pacific has continuouslyincreased its international reputation. 2014 promises yet another greatexhibition with many things on show for the first time displayed byexhibitors, among the many tastings and presentations.Launched in 1998 in Hong Kong, one of the liveliest and mostsparkling cities in Asia, Vinexpo Asia-Pacific serves today as a benchmarkfor all wine and spirits professionals. Since 2006, the exhibition has grownlarger and larger until 2012, when it exceeded 1,000 exhibitors and15,000 visitors.To satisfy the demands of its exhibitors, Vinexpo Asia-Pacific hasincreased its available floor space by 50% for this year’s show. The 1,300exhibitors will now share two halls in the Hong Kong Convention andExhibition Centre.More than 20 producing nations from Chile to Australia includingFrance, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Japan and Mexico are representedat Vinexpo Asia-Pacific. Among the visitors, travel retail decision-makerspace the aisles alongside importers, distributors and major purchasersfrom all over Asia-Pacific. In total, almost 18,000 professional visitors areexpected in 2014.COMING NEXTVINEXPO ASIA-PACIFIC 2014Hong Kong Convention andExhibition CentreMay 27 – 29, 2014www.vinexpoasiapacific.comExclusive conferences and tastingsWorld-acclaimed Masters of Wine, tasters, economists, sommeliersand oenologists will discuss their views and opinions at a wide rangeof conferences and tastings that are all part of the Vinexpo Asia-PacificAcademy.Among the master classes already announced feature someprestigious tastings of French wines with spotlights on South African,Portuguese, Chilean and Spanish wines, as well as a range of spiritsbasedevents.Spiritual – the concept barThe title Spiritual results from Vinexpo’s ambition to launch a daring newbar concept to reflect the vibrant world of spirits. The bar offers producersthe opportunity to present their beverages in an original way and to gainvisibility at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific in the middle of Hall 3, where the spiritsbrands congregate.Professional mixologists, all members of the International BartendersAssociation, will present the spirits in their best light by inventing uniquecocktails before the visitors’ very eyes and inviting them to taste. A seriesof master classes has already been planned. Spiritual, which has beenorganised in partnership with The Spirits Business magazine, alreadypromises some amazing new things to taste.48AHCT May 2014www.asianhotelandcateringtimes.com

The largest wine andspirits exhibition inAsia-Pacific welcomesyou in the centreof Hong Kong.This is a uniqueopportunity to browsethrough an unparalleledrange of products anda perfect venue to meetmajor decision-makers inthe industry. VinexpoAsia-Pacific, definitely theplace to be for the successof your business.ONLY FOR THEASIAN PACIFICTRADETHE INTERNATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS EXHIBITION FOR ASIA-PACIFICSopexa Hong Kong I Tel: 2866 7163I vinexpo@sopexa.comvinexpoasiapacific.com

www.worldoffoodasia.com/www.thaitradefair.comExperience theBest in AsiaPre-register your attendance atwww.worldoffoodasia.com odasia.com before 15 May 2014.THAIFEX – World of Food AsiaCelebrates 10 Years With ItsLargest Showcase To Date• 60,000 square meters of exhibition space• 28,000 trade visitors from 135 countries & regions• 1,400 exhibitors from 40 countries• 25 country and province pavilions• 1 comprehensive platform with 3 specialized trade fairs• Multiple industry-endorsed competitions, conferences, ASEAN FoodIndustry Thought Leaders Panel and many others ...21. - 25.05.2014IMPACT Exhibition andConvention CenterBangkok, ThailandInternational Trade Exhibition forFood & Beverages, Food Technologyand Retail & Franchise in AsiaPresentsHeld alongsideEndorsed byJointly organized byThe Thai Chamberof Commerce

*Ratings do not apply to all rangesCustom DesignedStone Hearth OvensPizza OvensChar GrillsParillas & ChurrascosCustom DesignedGrillsTandoor OvensDuck OvensRotisserieswww.beechovens.com