asian hotel

& Catering Times

Published since 1976 Vol 34 December 2009

THE GOING RATE

What packages are
retaining staff?

CLOUD COMPUTING
Heaven-sent applications?

Hong Kong SAR HK$50

China RMB50 THE INDULGENT ISSUE
Singapore S$15
Malaysia RM30
Thailand Bt300
Beer, butter, cocktails and chocolate
Rest of Asia US$10
 E d i t o r ’ s M e s s a g e

T H E O R I G I NAL.

W
H A N D W O V E N FROM WEATHER-RESISTANT DEDON FIBER. elcome to the diet issue of Asia’s
favourite hospitality read!
While chocolate, butter, beer
and cocktails certainly are a diet, you may be
thinking this is not perhaps the healthiest diet
possible. It’s difficult to tell these days when
medical advice changes with each internet
‘refresh’ button click.
But the most recent research shows
flavonoids in chocolate may help keep blood
pressure down, keep blood flowing, and the
heart healthy. If you need another excuse to
spend money, the less processed and likely
more expensive the chocolate is, the more
flavonoids it will contain.
While vegetable based margarine has long
been considered healthier than butter, growing
awareness of issues surrounding hydrogenated
fats in marge make butter a safer bet. And a
tastier one.
It’s a tough call defending the health
merits – if any – of beer and cocktails but
scientists in Spain are claiming that for men
at least drinking large amounts of alcohol
(of any kind) is a good way of protecting the
heart. Sorry sisters – it doesn’t work for you!
They seem to be suggesting that drinking
eight bottles of wine a week offers the most
protection but please check with the experts
before taking our word for it.
If you are looking at butter, chocolate,
beer and cocktails you would appear to have
some of the material ingredients for a good
and well-deserved break.
We would like to wish all our readers and
advertisers the very best of the season!
Mischa
Moselle

ENDORSEMENTS
Managing Editor
Mischa Moselle
mischa@thomsonpress.com.hk
Baking Industry The Federation
Hong Kong Hotels Hong Kong Federation Of Hong Kong Association
Design by Training Centre Of Hong Kong
Association Chefs Association Restaurant Owners Of Thailand
Hotel Owners
Koon Ming Tang
production@thomsonpress.com.hk

Contributors
Zara Horner Association Of
International
Singapore
Chefs Association
Hong Kong
Bakery & Confectionery
Hong Kong
Maitre D’hotel Association
Singapore
Hotel Association
Hong Kong
Bartenders Association
Robin Lynam Hoteliers Shanghai Association

Euan McKirdy
Glen Watson
Ruth Williams
Shanghai Myanmar Chefs Malaysian Association Macau Hotel Club managers Association
Associate Publisher Chefs Association Association Of Hotels Association Hong Kong

Sharon Knowler
sharon@thomsonpress.com.hk

Advertising Sales Manager

Claire Sancelot
clair e@thomsonpress.com.hk Asian Hotel & Catering Times
is published monthly by
Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd (TPHK)
Circulation Executive
Becky Chau The opinions expressed in Asian Hotel & Catering Times do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or the publication.
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December 2009 AHCT 

 CONTENTS
Volume 34 December 2009

TECHNOLOGY
18 Call accounting allows you to
regain lost telephone revenues
20 Cloud computing stops IT costs
going sky high
FOOD
EQUIPMENT
48 Save money and the earth with
eco-friendly dishwashers
50 Putting LED in the accountant’s
pencil – new lighting technology
that saves cash

50
28 Popular, versatile chocolate
32 Butter exploring the merits

24 Light work
Cover photography by Johnny Han

Not voting for Xmas

NEWS
CULINARY
24 It’s Christmas! Wine news
EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
INDUSTRY 52 Events calendar
6 The million room pipline; awards 53 Hong Kong Wine & Spirits show
season; openings reviewed
54 Texcare Asia reviewed
PRODUCT 56 Wine & Gourmet Asia reviewed
46 Hot tables; Beer; Liqueur
APPOINTMENTS
MANAGEMENT 58 See who is moving where
14 How has remuneration been affected

6
in the last year? What are the future
prospects?

Opening soon Advertisers’ Ind e x

Alpha International 37

36
Up and Coming...
January
• Sales & Marketing
• Market Report: Thailand
• PMS
• Guestroom design
• Meat
• Vodka
Roll out the beer brands • Luxury linen; Carpets
February
High Spirited
DRINK
• Loyalty programmes
• Market report: Indonesia
36 Does a beer’s country of origin • CRM
really count for drinkers? • Bathroom
• Chocolate
40 What is the contemporary
• Spirits overview
bartender mixing? • Beds and bedding; Uniforms
Boncafe 44 & 45
Comenda IBC
Dedon IFC
FHA 31
Global Search International 25
Gulfood 13
Gulfood 17
HIFI 27
Horeca 35
Hotel Show Dubai 39
Hotelex 41
IHIF 57
LRT 11
Lutron 9
M -Tech 23
Meiko 7
Moet Hennessy Diageo (HK) Ltd OBC
Monin 29
Top Hotelier 33

 AHCT December 2009 December 2009 AHCT 

I n d u s t r y N e w s
Hotel pipeline at over
1 million rooms worldwide
A suite at Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, one of over
one million rooms in the current global hotel pipelines
According to German analysts Top Hotel Projects, there are 4,521 hotel
projects worldwide with 1,071,347 guest rooms. Of the hotels opening
in the next 13 months, more than 2,100 will be first class and luxury
hotel projects.
The ten largest construction projects combine more than 39,000
new hotel rooms and the largest project due to open in 2010 is the
6,500-room Asia Asia hotel in Dubai.
The number of first class hotel projects worldwide is 2,469 and
luxury hotels total 1,772, while the average number of rooms per project
is 237.
The analysts give a geographical breakdown of projects:
Africa 194
Asia 1,523
Oceania 38
Europe 1,475
North America 1,178
South America 103.
One of the properties singled out by the report is the Phulay Bay, a
Ritz-Carlton Reserve situated in Krabi, Thailand. The 54-suite resort is
the first in a new brand extension recently launched by The Ritz-Carlton
Hotel Company.
 AHCT December 2009
Private views at the Ritz-Carlton’s newest property in Thailand
From cop shop to
top peoples’ shops
Hullett House, Hong Kong’s first hotel in a heritage building opened
recently in the former Marine Police Headquarters built in the 1880s.
The marine police moved out in 1996 and seven years later property
developer Cheung Kong Holdings, paid HK$325.8 million (US$42
million) for a 50-year land grant to develop the site on the Tsim Sha
Tsui waterfront. The property developer is said to have pumped HK$1
billion (US$129 million) into redeveloping the project and controversially
transformed the small wooded hill below the former marine police
Dedicated to
headquarters into a faux 19th century shopping mall named 1881
Heritage and boasting many famous retail brands.
The marine police headquarters building itself was handed over to
warewashing
Aqua Restaurant Group to manage and the result is Hullett House a
boutique hotel, with five restaurants and bars that successfully preserves
the original features of the colonial style building but adding some distinct
around the
aqua touches. Aqua founder David Yeo is the creative force behind the
group and all Hullett House’s restaurants and bars were designed by Yeo.
Taking inspiration from both Hong Kong’s and the building’s history
world !
the restaurants have contrasting designs and location. Long clear of
police horses, the high-ceilinged Stables Grill offers casual dining, while
the tiny Mariner’s Rest offers gastropub fare and the chance to sup in
19th century police cells. European fine dining is available in St. George,
which evokes an old-world colonial club with its cosy dining rooms, velvet
curtains, leather sofas and crystal chandeliers. The Looh Toh Yuen offers
Cantonese fine dining plus the option for alfresco dining in a courtyard
The resorts will be smaller than typical Ritz-Carlton hotels and
that once served as a parade ground. Meanwhile, The Parlour serves Automatic dishwashers with stationary
afternoon tea and cocktails amid a kitsch but witty mix of Chinoiserie,
consist of low-rise suites and villas with private views of oceans tropical
brass dragons and murals inspired by colonial artists’ visions of Asia. operation · Automatic pass through washing
gardens or deserts.
“Each exquisite destination will feature signature, one-of-a-kind
On the first floor, units · Special dishwashing systems Con-
Hullett House’s 13
low density resorts situated in choice settings, each with a distinctive
personality and sense of place. Future development will be limited to
spacious suites range in veyor systems · Waste treatment systems ·
size from 800 to 1,100
select corners of the globe with upcoming locations to include Costa
square feet (74-102
Industrial kitchen equipment
Rica, Puerto Rica, Turks and Caicos and the United Arab Emirates,” the
square metres), each
company announced.
featuring a distinctive
United States analysts STR Global have also recently released
design style ranging
updated October pipeline numbers.
from a pure white
In Asia/Pacific the hotel development pipeline includes 985 hotels
honeymoon suite and
comprising 235,931 rooms. STR Global’s pipeline definition includes
English country house,
projects in construction and in the final planning and planning stages.
early 20th century Art
Broken down by chain segments, the company found that 23.9
Deco to Mao-inspired
percent of the total active pipeline (56,461 rooms) was in the Upper
pop art. Guests are
Upscale segment, followed by the Upscale segment making up 23,0
promised “exceptional
percent (54,365 rooms). The Luxury segment accounted for 16.6
personalized service”
percent (39,093 rooms), while Unaffiliateds accounted for 20.8 percent
ranging from in-room
(49,093 rooms) of the total active pipeline.
check-in to à la carte
Jonas Ogren, Area Director – Asia for STR Global told AHCT that
dining on the suites’
the heavy weighting towards 5-star properties could be a short-to-
outdoor terrace.
medium term problem in some markets. Referring to Shanghai and
Ruth Williams
Beijing Ogren said, “If you speak to many hoteliers in those markets Stable Grills, one of five restaurants at Hullett House
they would feel there are too many hotels.”
However, Ogren pointed out that in the long-term perspective China Soft cell – Hullett House has 13 suites and five restaurants
would be the driver of guest demand, so from that point of view there
were not too many luxury properties.
According to STR Global’s research Shanghai has the largest
amount of rooms in the total active pipeline (12,445 rooms) and in
the in construction phase (9,291 rooms), while Beijing ended October
with 6,267 rooms in the total active pipeline and 4,388 rooms in the in
construction phase.
Outside of China, New Delhi in India has the most active pipeline in
Asia with 6,736 rooms on the total active pipeline and 4,792 rooms in
the in construction phase.
MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG
P.O.Box 2040 · 77610 Offenburg · Germany
Tel. (+49) 781/203-0 · Fax (+49) 781/203-1121
www. meiko.de · e-mail: info@meiko.de
I n d u s t r y N e w s
Twenty contestants in the Miss Belgium 2010 beauty contest were welcomed to Sheraton Grande Laguna
Phuket as part of a November visit to Phuket
Hotel Star power
technology in
the spotlight
Amadeus, a leading global technology
partner to the travel and tourism industry,
has announced the Asia Pacific launch of
Amadeus Hotel Store. An industry-first, this
solution widens hotel choice options, delivers
upfront payment of commissions to travel
agencies and is a result of the partnership
between Amadeus and Transhotel, The Hotel
Store solution, allows travel agents to access
hotel consolidator’s content for 50,000+
properties via the Amadeus Selling Platform
and is expected to result in increased revenue
for travel agents, and improved service for
their customers.
Global electronic hotel lock provider
Saflok and OpenWays, a global provider
of mobile-based access-management and
guest-service solutions for the hospitality
industry have developed an interface that
enables Saflok locks to read a ‘key’ delivered
by an OpenWays-enabled cell phone, which
will streamline the check-in and check-out
process by allowing guests to bypass the
front desk. By interfacing with the hotel’s
PMS, CRS and CIS mobile bookings,
confirmations, upgrades and e-payments may
also be facilitated allowing for better guest
service, operating cost reduction, margin
improvement, and guest channel shift.
InterContinental Hotels &
Resorts’ website has been awarded Best
in Class for the Hotel/Resort category
at the 2009 Interactive Media Awards.
The judges considered design, content,
feature functionality, usability and standard
compliance and cross-browser compatibility
to determine which websites within the
 AHCT December 2009
It controls the lights. It adjusts the shades.
It saves energy beautifully.
Forbes gives the Wynn Macau a 5-star rating
The 2010 Forbes Travel Guide (formerly the 50-year-old Mobil Travel Guide) hotel and spa award winners
this year included Hong Kong’s Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Mandarin Oriental, The Four Seasons
and The Peninsula each designated five stars. Retaining 4-star status were Conrad Hong Kong, Grand
Hyatt Hong Kong, InterContinental Hong Kong, Kowloon Shangri-La and The Island Shangri-La. In
Macau, Wynn Macau retained its 5-star ranking while Altira Macau was elevated from 4 to 5 stars.
Four-star status was earned by the new Four Seasons Hotel Macau, with the same ranking retained by
Grand Lapa Hotel Macau (previously Mandarin Oriental Macau), MGM Grand Macau and Sands Macau.
Among spas, The Mandarin Spa and The Peninsula Spa by ESPA retained 5-stars in Hong Kong, with
The Oriental Spa at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental elevated from 4 to 5 stars. Four stars were retained
by Plateau Spa and The Spa at Four Seasons Hong Kong. Adjust shades Control lights Save energy Enhance the experience
For pampering in Macau, Spa at Wynn Macau retained its 5 stars with The Spa at Altira promoted
from 4 to 5 stars. The Spa at The Four Seasons Macau earned its first 4 stars, a ranking also retained by
Six Senses Spa at MGM Grand Macau and V Spa at The Venetian Macao.
Hong Kong and Macau accounted for five out of just 18 spas awarded 5-star status worldwide. In GRAFIK Eye® QS total light and shade control
Beijing, Aman at Summer Palace and The Regent, Beijing were newly credited with 4-stars, with the Lutron introduces the first solution that
same ranking retained by Grand Hyatt, Raffles, St. Regis, Shangri-La and The Peninsula.
simplifies control of both lights and shades,
providing your clients with comfort and
The Saflok Quantum RFID reader category deserved top marks. The content
on InterContinental.com gained full marks
flexibility while complementing your design.
(100/100) design achieved 99 out of 100, And, like other Lutron solutions, it can
feature functionality 98 out of 100 and usability save 60% or more in lighting energy.
97 out of 100.
EZYield.com, the originator of automated
online channel management solutions for the
Experience the power of GRAFIK Eye QS
hospitality industry, has launched RoomRez at www.lutron.com/hctgqs, or contact
a web booking engine that may transform Lutron at +852-2104-7008 (Hong Kong),
a hotel’s website into a fully transactional
+86-10-5877-1823 (Beijing), Product shown in three of the hundreds
and secure revenue source by bringing all of
EZYfield.com marketing technologies together +86-21-6103-8462 (Shanghai), of color combinations.
into one seamless system. +65-6220-3662 (Singapore),
Warwick International Hotels has upgraded 001-800-120-665853 (Thailand), Actual product dimensions: 239mm x 119mm
to the Pegasus Solutions’ NetBooker NG
internet booking engine to drive online bookings
+91-11-4051-4300 (India) and
directly to 27 of the company’s international +81-3-5575-8411 (Japan) or
collection of more than 40 hotels and resorts, email to asianad@lutron.com
with one in Bali and one in Bangkok. The move
makes Warwick the first Utell Hotels & Resorts
member chain to implement NetBooker NG,
one component of Pegasus’ new state-of-the-
art RezView NG central reservation system
(CRS) platform.
© 2009 Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
I n d u s t r y N e w s
Building on
Sands
The 16th initial public offering (IPO) on Hong
Kong’s stock exchange since October 1st 2009,
was made at the end of November - receiving
more interest than most. Following arch rival
Wynn Macau’s IPO, which many concluded had
a “lacklustre performance”, Sands China Ltd and
parent company casino giant, Las Vegas Sands
(LVS) raised HK$19.4 billion (US$ 2.5 billion, as
predicted by many analysts) having sold 1.87
billion shares, representing a 23.3 percent stake,
at between HK$10.38 and HK$13.88. The
price was dubbed, “not too bad” by analysts
considering present economic circumstances
and, together with US$1.75 billion bank financing
should help resume construction of the stalled
LVS integrated resort on Macau’s Cotai Strip. Debt
laden LVS, which came close to violating loan
covenants, is expected to re-start the project as
early as January 2010 with a completion date of
the end of 2011 hoped for.
Award frenzy
Hotel of the Year at the recent Hospitality Asia
Platinum Awards 2009-2011 Singapore Series,
was Conrad Centennial Singapore.
Hilton Kuala Lumpur has taken a stack
of awards recently, including: at the industry’s
so-called ‘Oscars’, the World Travel Awards 2009
where it was announced as Asia’s Leading City
Hotel and Asia’s Leading Design Hotel; Best
City Hotel Kuala Lumpur at the 20th TTG Travel
Awards 2009 Asia Pacific; and the Best City
Hotel in the Best of Malaysia Awards 2009.
Winning no less than four awards at the
World Travel Awards 2009, Hilton Beijing
Wangfujing walked away with World’s Leading
Lifestyle Hotel for the second year in a row
plus three regional awards - Asia’s Leading
City Resort, Asia’s Leading Lifestyle Hotel, and
China’s Leading City Resort.
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts had
a successful night at the World Travel Awards
2009 receiving awards for World’s Leading Hotel
Brand, Australasia’s Leading Hotel Brand, World’s
Leading New Hotel (InterContinental Residence
Suites, Dubai), as well as 11 other leading hotel
categories across different parts of the globe.
StarWorld Hotel & Casino, Macau has
been awarded the World Hotel’s Continental
Diamond Award, and named one of the Top Ten
New Symbolic Architecture Hotels. StarWorld
is the only hotel in Macau to have received
this award and has also won Best Hotel Brand
for Customer Satisfaction at The China Hotel
Industry Annual Meeting & Hotel Forum this year.
Wotif.com Holdings Limited, operator
of leading online travel brands in the Asia Pacific
region, has received an award from Forbes Asia
10 AHCT December 2009
The award-winning design at Jen Café
Le Meridien Angkor – Cambodia’s leading hotel and spa
Wotif.com’s Rita Goh accepts an award from Forbes
for being one of the ‘Best Under A Billion’
companies. The list recognizes the best small
to medium-sized listed companies in the
region under US$1 billion in annual revenue,
which have consistently grown and given the
best rewards to shareholders.
Le Meridien Angkor has been voted
in the World Travel Awards 2009 Asia as
Cambodia’s Leading Hotel and Cambodia’s
Leading Spa Resort.
Asia’s Leading Luxury Resort in the same
awards ceremony went to Ayana Resort
and Spa, Bali. The award comes just
months after the hotel owners initiated the
property’s re-branding to an independent hotel
managed by US-based West Paces Hotel
Group. Ayana was the only hotel in Indonesia
to make the list of Asia’s Top 15 Resorts in the
Travel + Leisure 2009 World’s Best Awards
readers’ survey; was ranked Bali’s number 1
resort by leading Japanese travel magazine
AB-Road; and was voted Asia’s number 3
Spa Resort by SmartTravelAsia readers.
C
Y
CM
MY
Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur CY
International Airport was named Asia’s
Leading Airport Hotel and the World’s Leading
CMY
Airport Hotel for a second consecutive year at K
the World Travel Awards this year. In addition,
Pan Pacific Singapore was recognized
as Asia’s Leading Business Hotel for the
fourth consecutive year, and World’s Leading
Business Hotel for the third year running.
In the 2009 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’
Choice Awards five of the Pan Pacific Group’s
hotels have been recognised including the
Pan Pacific Manila in the Top Hotels in Asia
category.
Sponsored by ‘Interior Designs’ and
‘Hotels’ magazines, at The International
Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show winners
of the Gold Key Awards for Excellence in
Hospitality Design were announced and
included, Designer of the Year, Alexandra
Champalimaud; Best Hotel Design – Resort:
BAMO (San Francisco, CA) for Four Seasons
Resort Bora Bora (Tahiti) Best Hotel Design
– Urban: Yabu Pushelberg (New York, NY) for
Las Alcobas (Polanco, Mexico) and Best
Restaurants - Casual Dining: AB Concept
(Hong Kong) for Jen Café at Hotel Jen
(Hong Kong) In addition, NEWH, Inc., the
Hospitality Industry Network, presented its
fourth Icon of Industry Award posthumously
to Jerry Hruby-Holy, founder of Unilight and
admired leader within the lighting industry.
I n d u s t r y N e w s
Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur has undergone a RM138-million (US$40.7 million)
re imaging programme resulting in a newly clad façade, new Horizon Club Lounge, Lobby
Lounge and swimming pool, as well as an all-new collection of 662 rooms, including 101
suites designed with all mod cons. The hotel group has over 40 projects under development
in Austria, Canada, mainland China, France, India, Macau, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles,
United Kingdom and the United States.
Six Senses rue de Castiglione
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has
announced the 1 December 2009 opening
of InterContinental Hua Hin Resort. A royal
retreat since the 1920s and Thailand’s first
resort town, principle design team, Space
Architect was inspired by the palace built by
King Rama VI.
Hotel Sahara Star Mumbai, has joined
Worldhotels as a Deluxe Collection affiliate.
Slated to open in two years, the hotel’s
Magnus Opus, will feature the world’s
largest pillar-less clear-to-sky dome with
the world’s first three compound-curved,
all glass panoramic elevators. Hotel Sahara
Star is owned by Sahara Hospitality Limited
an enterprise of Sahara India Pariwar, India’s
largest business conglomerate.
12 AHCT December 2009
IN BRIEF
International Finance Centre, Seoul has
announced an agreement with Hilton
Worldwide to manage Korea’s newest luxury
hotel, the Conrad Seoul scheduled to open
in the second quarter of 2011. The 446-room
hotel will also comprise three office towers, a
cineplex, luxury retail mall, as well as extensive
dining and leisure areas.
The renovated Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
The Conrad Seoul (artist’s impression)
Scheduled to open late December 2009,
Newly built Regal Jinfeng Hotel, the third
is France’s first Six Senses urban well-
Shanghai property under the management of
being sanctuary – Six Senses rue de
Regal Hotels International, one of the largest
Castiglione. The creative interior draws
hotel operators in Hong Kong, opened at the
on Parisian elements plus the natural and
end of October, while the Regal Master Hotel
organic forms of each of the five senses. The
in Chengdu is due to open by the end of the
comprehensive spa menu offers signature
year and Dezhou’s Regal Kangbo in the third
Asian packages as well as locally inspired
quarter of 2010.
treatments and ingredients. The opening of
Six Senses rue de Castiglione Paris brings
the number of Six Senses spas in Europe,
to eight. And scheduled to open late 2011,
Recent announcements by a number of airlines
Morocco’s first Six Senses Spa will be at 5 star
indicate cities in South Thailand will see a return
boutique hotel, The Baglioni Marrakech.
of international flights across all categories
— scheduled, low-cost, and charter — in
the last quarter of 2009. Four flights a week
from Singapore to Krabi from Tiger Airways;
Kuala Lumpur to Phuket on Malaysia Airlines’
subsidiary, Firefly; Phuket to Hat Yai once a
week on new regional Thai carrier, Happy
Air. All welcome news for the region and its
hoteliers, which has been affected by a sharp
decline in regional travel recently.
Chuan Spa at the Langham Place Hong Kong
A recently published league table, which appears
Working with luxury organic New Zealand
in the study, “A World Ranking of the Top 100
company Living Nature, Chuan Spa at
Hospitality and Tourism Programs” (Journal
Langham Place Hong Kong has devised
of Hospitality & Tourism Research, Nov 2009)
a two-hour full-body pamper that’s 100
indicates The School of Hotel and Tourism
percent pure, chemical free and ethical. The
Management of The Hong Kong Polytechnic
Organik Integrity Treatment uses more than 72
University is second in the world among
minerals and nutrients, manuka honey, kelp,
academic institutions in hospitality and tourism.
halloysite clay, Kumerahou and Totara.
Moving up from fourth place in 2005 it remains
the only non-US based institution in the top five.
 M a n a g eme n t
Good
help (still)
wanted
Y
Glen Watson ou’ve probably done the maths
and seen the sales figures for the
discovers retaining past year and thought: things
have to get better soon. Well, yes
and attracting the they should but that’s no reason to sit around
best staff is the way and wait for it to happen. Employers need
to be trying to recruit the best talent, and,
to stay in shape it would seem the talent around the world
is quietly checking to see if there’s a better
and take advantage offer somewhere in Asia.
of the hoped-for Dozens of new hotels, resorts and casinos
are scheduled to open across the region in
economic recovery. the next year or two. Quite a few opened this
year, adding competition in markets already
experiencing a decline in profits.
In some countries, the US dollar and
Euro exchange rates might make recruiting
more difficult. While companies in mainland
China may be able to offer more attractive
compensation packages than those in places
like Vietnam or Cambodia, due to the
strength of the Yuan (RMB). But the flip
14 AHCT December 2009
M a n a g eme n t
Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, one of some 1,600 projects in the Asia and Oceania pipelines
“Due to the
popularity of
China as a
destination for
expatriates, hotel
companies can
afford to be a bit
pickier in their
selection” René
J.M. Schillings
are also keen to strategically hire business
development people who can help them
expand into key growth markets like China.
Given a slight increase in market activity,
strong candidates within this sector are able
to command 10 to 15 percent salary increases
over their current packages.”
While getting a high salary may be
possible, other perks are no longer being
offered, on the mainland and elsewhere.
“Expatriate salaries and packages in
mainland China have been more or less
stagnant in the past 10 years, but are today
still higher than in most Southeast Asian
countries, or other typical countries where
expatriates are needed,” says René J.M.
Schillings, Managing Director of TOP
Hoteliers – Hospitality Executive Search.
“If I look at General Manager and
side is that someone being paid in Euros or
US dollars in Asia could get less money if the
department head candidates who worked
in China in the 1990s, they were making the
local currency’s exchange rate climbs. It will same salary then, in US dollar amounts, as
take more than pretty beaches and palm trees our clients are willing to pay today, but gone
in exotic locales to compete with places such are the extra benefits and privileges such as
as Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macau. school fees, R&R, and even the willingness
of employers to sponsor a spouse and/or
Not feeling perky children.”
“The hospitality industry – hotels and
catering – have suffered significantly in
Today, the average salary of a GM in
China is still around the US$10,000 mark,
2009. As new properties plan their opening
in 2010, they are looking for experienced
and department heads can expect something
in between US$4,000 and $6,000 a month,
talent who can bring with them creative depending on the level of their job and the
ideas and a proactive approach during city. But hotels are increasingly less willing to
the pre-launch and opening phases,” says pay school fees for expatriates with children,
Aruna Alimchandani, Director of Sales and and would prefer to hire an expatriate who
Marketing for recruitment firm, Hudson. is single or if with a spouse, then without
“Existing properties are also looking school-age children.
to strengthen their teams,” she adds. “Due to the popularity of China
“Multinational chains are looking for as a destination for expatriates, hotel
talent to help them grow their business via
new channels, such as e-commerce. They
Having the right language skills can put job
candidates on the express elevator to success
December 2009 AHCT 15
 M a n a g eme n t

Aruna Alimchandani, Director of

Sales and Marketing at Hudson
established common salaries of US$2,500-
$3,500. But already in 2004 it was hard to get
a really good Italian chef, with good overseas
experience in top 5-star hotels, for under
US$4,000 a month. And that quickly became
€4,000, which was at the time US$6,000.”
In the meantime, executive chefs were
still on those salaries. Then it was a matter
of profit and loss if a hotel could afford a
native Italian chef for their signature Italian
restaurant. The recent crisis has brought the
average going-rate for a good Italian chef
down towards US$4,000 again. “But those
hotels who ask us for a top Italian chef, and
come with 1990s salaries of US$2,500 to
$3,500 and single package only, will have slim
pickings,” according to Schillings.
Asian expatriates are still very much in
demand, albeit 90 percent for Mandarin
speakers – not the non-Mandarin-speaking
Asian nationals such as Filipinos and
hoteliers from the Indian Subcontinent
– and they command salaries equal to
Western expatriates. Mandarin-speaking
expatriate sales and marketing directors are
in such demand that they often become the
highest-paid department head in a hotel, a
position that was traditionally reserved for
the (European) executive chef.
Increasingly, more expatriates are willing
to accept single-status packages, choosing to
leave their families elsewhere in Asia, in order
to secure a good job in any of the booming
secondary cities in China.
Recent searches on recruitment websites
such as HotelsHR.com, GlobalSearchInt.
com and others reveal no shortage of
openings across Asia.
And why not? According to Germany-
based analysts Top Hotel Projects, there are
1,561 hotels in the Asia and Oceania pipelines
and they will all need staffing.

Weighing up the benefits of expatriate packages

René J.M.
Schillings,
Managing Director
of TOP Hoteliers
– Hospitality
Executive Search

companies can afford to be a bit pickier,”

says Schillings.
While GM salaries have remained stable
on the mainland, there was a slight hike in
salaries for expatriate department heads in
2006-08, due to the fast pace of new hotels
opening, demand for a higher level of
expertise before the Olympics, and all major
hotel corporations wanting to showcase
their flagship hotels in cities like Beijing &
Shanghai. In that period, the weakening of
the US dollar, the high Euro and strong Yuan
also took effect. Whereas US$4,000 was a lot
of money in the 1990s for Europeans, from
2005 onwards that wasn’t the case.

International expectations
“We had lots of clients in China asking, for
example, for Italian chefs,” says Schillings.
“And they all seemed to hang on to long-
Chefs for authentic Italian restaurants are in high demand (Pictured: Prego restaurant at The Westin Guangzhou)

16 AHCT December 2009

 T e c h n o l o g y T e c h n o l o g y

“A system that allows the

A fare exchange
Advances in hotel telephony tracking
management to track how
the telephony is repaying
its investment is very
systems mean using the in-room phone important” Matthew Kuan
is once again a competitive option.
Euan McKirdy reports Mobile telephones
are nearly universally
carried by guests at
full service hotels

Hotels can regain lost revenue by using the right technology

elaborate intercom, efforts are being made

to streamline charges, once again bringing
the hotel telephone into the realm of the
competitive. According to Matthew Kuan,
Hospitality Solutions Leader at Nortel, one
of the industry’s most recognizable suppliers
of communication technology, twenty years
ago revenue from phone calls would have
accounted for about 5 to 8 percent of total
revenue, a figure that today has dropped to
1-2 percent.
Having a good, trackable system, Kuan
says, is “very important, especially now when
we’re in a particularly difficult economic
situation. Hotels will tag every item to
ensure return on its investment and if they
want to ensure that the system at least pays
for itself you need to be able to track how it Tony Yeoh, Vice President, Global Technology Matthew Kuan, Hospitality Solutions Leader at Nortel
InterContinental Hotels Group Asia Pacific
is paying for itself. A system that allows the
management to track how the telephony is
repaying its investment is very important and billed to the final invoice upon check- telephony facilities at a much lower rate.”
and also something that allows you to see out. A good system should also determine ‘Evolve or die’ seem to be today’s
how to improve the system, to make it easier idle phone lines and be optimized for call watchwords, and hotels big and small are
or cheaper for the customers.” Modern path routing.” investigating how to bring their technology
Private Automated Branch Exchange In addition to the in-room services, into line and provide competitive rates.

W
e’re all global travellers
now and keeping in touch
with family and business
associates when on the road
is a crucial part of the journey. Of course,
keeping in touch these days has become a
much simpler task. Leaving home, let alone
getting on a plane, without your mobile in
your pocket is unthinkable and even the most
determinedly individualistic nations, such as
Japan and South Korea, have enabled 3G
GSM phones to roam.
But even novice travellers are aware
of the hidden costs that come with using a
mobile phone overseas. Roaming costs vary
from carrier to carrier, and are affected by
the region the user is calling from. Incoming
calls, rarely billed in one’s home country,
are routinely charged when using a mobile
overseas. The costs are myriad – and
confusing – but often the convenience of
retaining the same number and being easily
reached by colleagues or family overcomes
fretting over the bill.
The mobile’s inexorable rise has been
helped by popular perceptions of hotel’s in-
room phone charges. Back in the pre-mobile
bad old days, using the standard plastic lump
on your hotel bedside table was the only way
of staying in touch with overseas contacts,
short of fumbling unfamiliar coins into a
public payphone. Guests were traditionally
loath to use the hotel phone system, knowing
that even local calls – let alone lengthy
overseas communications – were charged
at a premium. Apocryphal stories abound
of charges running into the hundreds of
US dollars for seemingly short, snappy
conversations. Hotel phones have long been
considered the communication equivalent
of the minibar: expensive, and only to be
used in a pinch.
Restoring one’s reputation
This is in part the fault of the hotels that
do not provide rate information unless
requested. But IDD costs have fallen, backed
into a corner by competing technologies such
as Skype and other internet chat facilities,
and this fact, combined with competitive
rates enabled by technology means that in-
room call charges are perhaps not the bank-
breaking rates that could once have been
expected. However, most guests are unaware
of the savings that could potentially be made,
and thus blamelessly prefer the expensive but
familiar mobile phone route.
But as hotels see a decline in income from
telephone revenue, and the hotel system’s
gradual relegation to nothing more than an
(PABX) systems offer a variety of services,
and are easily integrated into a hotel’s PC
network, enabling up-to-the-minute tracking
of systems.
Wake-up call
Tony Yeoh, Vice President, Global
Technology InterContinental Hotels Group
Asia Pacific (IHG), agrees that an up-to-date,
smart telephone system is crucial to running
a hotel. “An efficient phone system for a hotel
shouldn’t be overlooked as it’s important
for tracking calls for billing purposes and
records-keeping,” he told AHCT. “Most
systems are able to track simple parameters
such as duration, origin and destination
of call records. A good system should also
be seamlessly integrated with the Property
Management System, where calls are tracked
hotels provide invaluable services such as
conference calling for meetings where using
a mobile would be impractical. But even
this is not enough to recoup the losses that
the mobile phone market has engendered.
The nature of keeping in touch has evolved,
and hotels, Kuan feels, need to employ
technology that allows guests to enjoy all the
communication services available in their
home country.
“With the pervasiveness of IP (internet
protocol) telephony, [a hotel’s communication
network] has the potential to do a lot more,
even to expand the communication reach of
the hotel to the guests beyond the glass doors
of the lobby,” he says. “With IP you can be
wireless, you can be in Starbuck’s coffee five
kilometres from the hotel and still be in touch
with that network and make use of their
Having an efficient tracking system is only
part of the technology that can make guests’
lives easier and the more services beyond
the simple voice tools of a standard mobile
phone, the more likely it is they will use it.
Kuan says, that Nortel recommends a
variety of systems to their clients, all offering
significantly expanded communication
options for guests. Nortel, he says, recommend
that hotels have a basic conference bridge
to connect multiple parties and are now
emphasizing communications systems
involving live video feeds and beyond –
collaboration, or remote white board charting
enabling the sharing of content. “If you’re
operating in the traditional mould of looking
at communication as simply voice,” Kuan
says, “then you’re not looking at the potential
that these services can offer.”

18 AHCT December 2009 December 2009 AHCT 19

 T e c h n o l o g y
Cloud
formations
W
ith Microsoft and Google
Data and the preparing to offer more and
programmes more software and storage
online the battle over ‘cloud
to analyse it computing’ even made it to the front pages
of The Economist in October.
don’t need Cloud computing is not as new as it may
to be on The sound. Pertlink Managing Director, Terence
Ronson explains that cloud computing is
property to merely a Web 2.0 term for something that is
already in use to varying degrees in the hotel
be accessed, industry. It shares some of the characteristics
Ruth Williams of ASP solutions, and if you have used
Hotmail, Yahoo!, Gmail or other webmail
reports accounts you have been working with cloud
computing for years. Ronson suggests that
cloud computing could be the way forward
for many companies that want to outsource
more non-core functions.
Clive Taylor, Vice-President of
Operations for EasyRMS, says, “Hoteliers
in Asia and around the globe are indeed
adopting more and more outsourced
software services as the initial capital
investment is lower, plus the responsibility
and maintenance of the software and
hardware is ultimately somebody else’s
headache, which also saves much ongoing
operational cost and removes the need to
have expensive and qualified IT personnel
20 AHCT December 2009
on the payroll at the property level,” In the
hotel industry cloud computing is also known
as Software as a Service (SaaS), which has
developed from ASP technology. Taylor says
that ASP, Cloud Computing and SaaS are
used to describe the same end result – “no
hardware or software installed at the hotel
property level”.
Cloud computing is all about the shift
to storing data away from one personal
computer so that it can be accessed via the
“cloud” i.e. the internet, from any location.
Meanwhile, the data is actually stored in
huge, very solid data centres that contain
hundreds of thousands of servers.
Unlike ASP solutions where software is
hosted offsite and accessed at property-level
via the internet via a specific computer,
with cloud computing or SaaS solutions
information can be accessed from any
browser via the internet.
“Today the biggest saturation of such
systems is the non business-critical solutions
such as RMS, CRM, back-of-house etc. The
uptake and acceptance of the PMS being
offsite is lower, as hoteliers still fear the lack
of control that is perceived in this scenario.
In reality these offsite solutions provide a
more stable and solid platform than has ever
existed before,” says Taylor.
Pertlink’s Ronson adds, “Ultimately
everything could go that way, especially back
office functions such as HR, sales, purchasing
and accounts. They are already ‘in the cloud’
for a number of other industries.”
Data security
On a recent visit to Asia, MTech President
and CEO, Luis C. Segredo, talked to AHCT
about his company’s experience with SaaS.
MTech has been offering its hospitality
solutions — PMWorks, QIC, HIP and
REX and HotSOS — as SaaS for over
five years. Established in 1993, the Miami-
based company specializes in developing
software and hardware solutions that help
hotels overcome a variety of operational
challenges. “We saw the opportunity for
creating something that would be easier
to use and would be more cost-effective
for our customers, and ourselves – there’s
less investment from both parties,” says
Segredo.
When weighing up the benefits of Saas
and concerns about storing data off-site,
Segredo says there are three aspects of data
security that hoteliers should think about: (a)
how the application is accessed by users (hotel
staff); (b) how good the network security is;
and (c) whether or not the data and the
T e c h n o l o g y
“Solutions delivered via
SaaS are the way of the
future” Grahame Tate
Pertlink Managing Director, Terence
Ronson
Clive Taylor, Vice-President of Operations for EasyRMS
Managing Director, IDeaS Asia Pacific and
Sub Continent, Grahame Tate
servers are completely secure and safe from
theft or any kind of physical damage to the
property itself.
He argues that by opting for SaaS
solutions, the hotel only has to safeguard
access to data at the application level, that
is the point at which authorized staff log-in
to the system. When the network is hosted
off-site the network security and physical
security of the data is managed by the SaaS.
At MTech’s data centres systems and data
are protected by state-of-the-art firewalls and
computer security systems. Segredo notes Oliver Winzer, Regional Director Asia – Head of IT for Amadeus
that MTech’s data centres are highly secure
and anonymous and also provide services
to government organizations. Adding SaaS
makes IT systems easier to manage. “There
are fewer integration points where systems
have to connect, just the point at which it
connects to our SaaS solution,” he says.
“Ultimately customers have a higher service
December 2009 AHCT 21
 T e c h n o l o g y
“The benefit
of SaaS is
no upfront
investment
and no need
for specialist
I.T. staff”
Oliver Winzer
Cloud computing means no hardware or software
installed at the hotel property level
level and only have to maintain an internet
connection.”
Options are available
Amadeus Hotel Solutions provides hotels
with a broad range of distribution and IT
solutions available as either ASP or SaaS
solutions.
“The choice of solution very much
depends on the managers and management
contract – Amadeus has all kinds of solutions,”
says Oliver Winzer, Regional Director Asia
– Head of IT for the company. Amadeus
offers a high-level of security via its own
facility, which is also the world’s largest non-
military data centre. “We have proven we can
deliver because of the airlines [reservation
business],” says Winzer.
“The benefit of SaaS is no upfront
investment and no need for specialist I.T.
staff – this is particularly interesting for
smaller hotels and 4-star hotels,” he adds.
Winzer says that SaaS options can be
good for economy hotels or hotels that are
not performing but desperately need to
upgrade their IT system, pointing to other
benefits such as management being able

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22 AHCT December 2009
Amadeus’ data centre – the world’s largest non-military facility of its kind
to access data from anywhere in the world
or a regional revenue manager having full
access to a number of properties without
being on-site.
Winning ideas
IDeaS was one of the first companies in Asia
to offer SaaS to hotels, and in October 2009
won the Best of SaaS Showplace Award at
The BOSS awards, an initiative designed
to raise the profile of SaaS and cloud
computing companies that are producing
tangible business benefits for users. The
winning criteria include increased sales,
lower costs, higher customer satisfaction,
faster operations, and greater profitability.
“More than 1,500 clients are using
SaaS for our Revenue Management System
solutions,” says Grahame Tate, Managing
Director of IDeaS Asia Pacific and Sub
Continent. “A reasonable proportion of these
are 5-star, but the power of SaaS is that hotels
that might not normally be able to afford a
premises based software solution can also
now use this state of the art technology.”
Tate told AHCT that winning the
Best of SaaS award was significant to
IDeaS, “because it reinforces our belief that
solutions delivered via SaaS are the way of
the future.
“We will continue to leverage our
expertise in SaaS to deliver innovative
pricing, forecasting and optimization
solutions to the market,” he adds. “IDeaS
now offers services to deliver full solutions
to our clients based on their needs. We have
a high-end Revenue Management solution,
a market entry-level forecasting solution and
a consultancy practice, which also provides
Station Casinos Counts Its Savings . . .
⦁ Faster response with fewer staff
by consolidating guest call
center for 11 hotels
⦁ Faster, more accurate service
by empowering thousands of
employees daily with wireless
workflow
⦁ Greater slot uptime with
automated slot maintenance
wireless alerts
⦁ Lower cost of ownership from
SaaS solutions
an outsourcing service.
“All our solutions are supported by a
rich web-based client community which we
call IDeaS for Success where clients engage
with our teams for project management,
training and support. The consultancy and
outsourcing piece is completely customized
where part of it may be delivered as SaaS
and other parts are delivered on site,”
explains Tate.
Final mile
Given the high levels of security at data
centres used by leading software providers,
proponents of SaaS are in agreement that
it can offer greater security than managing
data and servers at a hotel. However, the
connection between the property and the
data centre may turn out to be the weakest
...because they count on HotSOS
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link. “Telecommunications companies in
Asia are more fragmented and monopolistic
than Europe,” notes Pertlink’s Ronson.
For Station Casinos Inc., owner and operator of 11 “Station Casinos chose HotSOS to provide our hotels the abil-
“Having said that, connectivity is improving
hotels located throughout the Las Vegas Valley, sav- ity to consistently track all guest and team member requests.
on a day to day basis.”
ing costs and satisfying guests is in the cards! Our hotels can now respond more quickly to our guests and the
He predicts that hosted applications
will become increasingly transaction based. HotSOS connects thousands of employees via gue- reporting functionality provides us the detail to get to the root
“The fee will likely go hand in hand with stroom phones, wireless devices and NEXTEL phones cause of our recurring defects. The wireless dispatch feature all
business trends – use more, pay more – use but eliminates the need for our PBX agents to ‘track down’ the
to streamline service requests and maximize the
less, pay less - but probably with a minimum appropriate team member to resolve the open ticket. With our consolidated PBX
product quality while working more efficiently. Call Center now handling incoming calls for 11 hotels, we are making our team
fixed fee to maintain the support and
connection to the vendor. ISPs will have to
Only HotSOS can work in tandem with remote member’s jobs easier, which will provide a heightened, superior level of service to
offer increasingly competitive packages and PBX operations to support an enterprise of this mag- our guests.”
secure connections.” nitude. Data from 11 individual hotel PMSs is brought –Michael Grisar, Station Casinos’ VP Hotel Operations
And what happens the day the internet together at the Call Center for seamless operations.
connection fails or is cut as recently happened HotSOS’ open architecture has enabled Station “Station Casinos is a very progressive group that epitomizes
in one western Chinese city? Ronson asserts, Casinos to yield greater value from its investment in the savings that HotSOS can help a hotel group create. We are
“Any system should have a contingency plan,
HotSOS by additionally integrating its automated very grateful for the opportunity they have given us and hope
if it’s thought out properly then you won’t
have a problem,” he says. slot maintenance requests. they inspire other groups to be as progressive.”
–Orlando Acosta, MTech Director of Operations
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 C u l i n a r y N e w s
EAGERLY ANTICIPATING
THIS FESTIVE SEASON
Turkey and trimmings at the Novotel Nathan Road
While a lavish festive feast with Santa Claus and live
music is enjoyed at one venue, there’s the chance
to win a trip to Bangkok in another at the Novotel
Nathan Road Kowloon, Hong Kong. Throughout
the season, the “abundantly” decorated hotel will
offer a festive carving lunch rounded off by a special
afternoon dessert buffet.
The Novotel Citygate promises to spoil guests
The Novotel Citygate Hong Kong is promising
to spoil guests with celebrations in different styles
including a full buffet of seasonal treats freshly
prepared from the ‘show kitchen’; candle-lit dinners
and “unbeatable” getaway packages.
Balinese, and traditional Western culinary and
cultural delights are on offer at InterContinental
Bali Resort this holiday. From eggnog cocktails
and carols to seafood bonfire bbq’s, sophisticated,
and more relaxed menus and events … the hotel
promises guests of all ages the opportunity to
unwind in style.
24 AHCT December 2009
The tree is trimmed, the lights are up
and the InterContinental Grand
Stanford is ready for Christmas with
menus filled with all things Italian, the
best-selling turkey feast, and special
holiday fare from award winning Chef
Leung. Plus guests can see the ‘Dream
Girls’ on New Year’s Eve.
South African-style steakhouse, The Meat
& Wine Co is serving a festive-season
menu coupled with boutique wines priced
at RMB 488 (US$70) throughout December
at Beijing’s lifestyle development Ch’ien Men
23. Complimentary sparkling wine welcomes
guests to the new venue, which specializes in
office cocktails, parties and dinners throughout
the holidays.
Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong
Kong has two luxurious gift boxes to choose
from this season. With a selection of festive
treats and delicacies, prices range from
HK$880 to HK$1,480 with two days’ notice.
H one is serving up a gastronomic feast starting on Christmas Eve with a decadent six-course tasting
menu priced at HK$980 per person. The Christmas Day lunch buffet is HK$528 per person, or dinner
buffet priced at HK$680 per person and feature traditional dishes. Tailor made gourmet hampers are
supplemented by two hampers for wine and cigar lovers priced at HK$5,888 and HK$8,888 featuring
Dom Perignon 2000, Krug NV, Hennessy X.O and 36 Months Aged “Joselito” Iberico Ham. Welcome
2010 James Bond 007 style, complete with tasting menu priced at HK$1,688. Corporate orders over
HK$10,000 receive a 5 percent discount and orders over HK$50,000 receive a 10 percent discount.
This Christmas there’ll be festive buffets,
candlelit Italian dinners, authentic Japanese
fare, Asian fusion specialities and more at
The Royal Garden, Kowloon … with a
Broadway dancing troupe and live bands
to boot.
Fancy a bit of Swedish this Christmas?
Head to Shanghai’s Mesa where authentic
fare from that nation will be delivered buffet
style on December 5th.
Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong’s
team of chefs, including Michelin three-star
Chef Chan Yan Tak of Lung King Heen
and Michelin two-star Chef Vincent Thierry
of Caprice, have created festive menus
in Caprice, Lung King Heen, The Lounge
and Blue Bar to bring the best of winter to
guests, and some surprises along the way.
Traditional treats from the InterContinental Grand Stanford
It’s a “Merry Mira Christmas” at one of Hong
Kong’s newest hotels where local artisans have
created a series of lit-from-within contemporary
art pieces and a comprehensive programme
of Christmas and New Year’s Eve activities and
menus is planned throughout the hotel’s five bars
and restaurants. Jazzy carols, a “partylicious” New
Year’s Eve celebration, festive room packages,
international and local seasonal buffets and set
menus with free flowing champagne, private
parties, deluxe hampers, customized confectionery
and more are promised.
Italian, Japanese and Chinese fare come together
this Christmas at aqua restaurant group’s seven
venues. aqua roma and aqua tokyo will serve a
five-course ‘Taste of aqua Christmas’ priced at
HK$898 per person combining Japanese and
Italian cuisines. Christmas Eve will be celebrated
with a six-course gastronomic feast priced at
HK$1,088. At Chinese restaurant, Hutong, a
seven-course Christmas menu priced at HK$1088
will include signature dishes. Shiro at Pacific Place
shopping mall will be offering a Japanese seven-
course menu on Christmas Eve and Day for last
minute shoppers priced at HK$488 per person
including a complimentary glass of Prosecco.
At WasabiSabi Chef Iwahashi will present a five
course menu of signature dishes for HK$628
on both 24th and 25th December. tivo and vivo,
aqua’s “neighborhood hangouts” will both be
cooking up home style Christmas menus and
Yun Fu will be serving a Chinese menu of dishes
inspired by the Northern and Western regions with
a complimentary glass of bubbly per person for
HK$488.
C u l i n a r y N e w s
“Time-honoured and full of tradition,” is how A 15-foot crystal Christmas tree heralds the season at
the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong the Harbour Grand Hong Kong. Setting the stage
describes it’s yuletide offerings. All 10 of it’s for a host of international festive culinary adventures
restaurants and bars will offer festive themes,
including gourmet dinners in Michelin-
as well as special afternoon tea buffets and a lavish
supper buffet on 31 December 2009. A visit from
starred Pierre restaurant, a British menu in Santa, a choir, and orchestra are topped off with the
The Chinnery and Cantonese specialities Christmas grand deluxe harbour view room package,
at Man Wah. Ballet, carols, roast chestnuts inclusive of either a 7-course set dinner at Le 188˚
and mulled wine are also thrown in for good Restaurant & Lounge or dinner buffet at Harbour
measure. Grand Café.
The Harbour Grand celebrates Christmas
This holiday season The Peninsula Christmas at The Langham, Hong Kong
Boutique presents a selection of gifts and features 3-course semi buffet lunches and 4-
gourmet food items in a choice of seven course semi buffet dinners on Christmas Eve
hampers. Monogram mugs, aromatic candles, and Christmas Day and an 8-course dinner
silk ties, silver-plated photo frames, edible on New Year’s Eve at The Bostonian. Main St.
treats including chocolates, cakes, fine Deli is going “all-American” including its Turkey
teas, sauces, biscuits, preserves and much Takeaway: “a festive meal, without the hassle”.
more … as well as gift certificates for the There’s Asian and Western fare at L’Eclipse,
hotel restaurants, accommodation and spa. a chocolate feast at Palm Court and fairy-tale
The Peninsula Boutique’s hand made and inspired Christmas Hampers, priced between
decorated Christmas cakes are available with HK$1,088 and HK$1,488.
three days’ notice. The Langham, Hong Kong’s turkey
A “gourmet Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fit for royalty” is
Renaissance Kowloon
promised at Hong Kong’s Cépage. Gastronomic menus created by
Hotel Hong Kong’s
Michelin restaurant veteran Chef Thomas Mayr showcase some of the
“exquisitely” tailor-made
world’s most prestigious ingredients – complemented by one of Hong
array of festive buffets
Kong’s most extravagant (HK$20 million) wine cellars.
has been designed to
help everyone celebrate
the season whatever
their cuisine preference.
There’s a 10 percent early
ROYAL BUTLER TRAINING GLOBAL SEARCH INTERNATIONAL
bird discount on the first
100 bookings. On New
Year’s Eve pipers and
drummers will welcome
2010 in style.
Festive fare from the Renaissance Kowloon EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT
WWW.IGBH.COM WWW.GLOBALSEARCHINT.COM
The team at Park Hyatt Saigon, is preparing a variety of seasonal ROYAL BUTLER TRAINING
international favourites, and authentic regional cuisines. Saigon Luxurious butler training designed specially for your resort
and your guests. Helping to re-define your service excellence.
Children’s Charity Choir will perform on 24 December 2009 when
Santa will also visit while New Year’s Eve functions are planned in
Teaching essential skills, developing standards and services
Opera, Square One and the Park Lounge with a special Prosecco
by targeting the mindset of the butler to understand, meet and
brunch the following day. Santa’s Shop at Opera restaurant will be exceed the expectations of every unique guest.
open from 28 November 2009 to 1 January 2010.
For visual demonstrations; enter ‘Wayne Fitzharris’, on www.youtube.com
ENQUIRIES WELCOME
Email: Wayne@globalsearchint.com OR Wayne@igbh.com
Tel: ++ 44 (0) 207 7 033 666 Fax ++ 44 (0) 207 2525 212
Don’t miss Saigon’s celebrations at the Park Hyatt
December 2009 AHCT 25
 C N
u l i n a r y e w s

.OW
ISTER
Unknown
wines that are taking awards at international
competitions.
2EG *ANUARY

qualities
Australia’s major wine regions and producers
need no introduction to the Asian hospitality
industry. However, a couple of smaller corners
of the country are producing lesser-known
A group of Tasmanian producers recently
visited Hong Kong to promote their wares at
the International Wines and Spirits fair and on
its sidelines.
Australia’s first PhD in Viticulture, Dr
Andrew Pirie, represented the Tamar Ridge
Estates vineyard, noted for its Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay among other varieties. Although
Tasmania is probably best known for Pinot
Noir, the island was also represented by
varieties such as Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris,
Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.
The Frogmore Creek FGR Riesling has
scored very highly in local competitions.
Even less well-known outside of Australia

2ENAISSANCE-UMBAI
are wines from Queensland. Winemaker Adam Not all Australian wine regions are equally well-known
Chapman was recently in China and Hong
0!42/.3
Kong to promote the winery’s 820 Above
Hilton Worldwide

range of wines – varietals include Cabernet
Sauvignon, Pinot Gris and Shiraz.
Although Queensland wines have a low
profile even in Australia, Chapman feels this
is undeserved. His own training took him to
leading estates in France and the New South
Wales native told AHCT that he wouldn’t work
(OTEL#ONVENTION#ENTRE
in Queensland if he thought he was producing
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels
inferior wines.
Sirromet’s wines have taken some 400
Marriott International, Inc.
awards in the last nine years, including prizes 0,!4).5-0!24.%23
and seals of approval from competitions
in San Francisco and London and the
international wine media.
Group RCI
Hotel Leela Venture LTD
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Sirromet is Queensland’s largest wine producer
Port of call
Port vintages are declared roughly only three
times in a decade, so the decision to declare
2007 a vintage year has prompted a tour of
major Asian cities to showcase that year’s
labels.
The road show was mounted by The
Fladgate Partnership (representing Taylor’s,
Fonseca and Croft) and Symington Family
Estates (uniting Graham, Dow and Warre).
The year became a vintage because of
an unusual weather pattern that allowed the
grapes to ripen over July and August in sunny
but relatively cool conditions. There was no
intense heat until September. By this time the
grapes had developed healthy leaf canopies
and so could benefit from the warmth before
the harvest.
The vintage has received praise from
Masters of Wine, specialist and general media
and wine merchants.
For purposes of comparison, guests were
also given tastings of bottles from 1980, 1985,
1994, 1997, 2000 and 2003.
26 AHCT December 2009
)NDIACOM
Asia wine
market
flourisihing
Vinexpo Asia returns to Hong Kong’s
Convention and Exhibition Centre from
May 25-27, 2010. The show organisers are
currently expecting 700-750 major producers
and 9,500 trade visitors to attend the 8,000-
square-metre expo.
Wine consumption in Asia is expected to
rise by 103.15 percent over the period 2003-
2012, according to recently released figures
from exhibition organisers Vinexpo, taken from
research conducted on their behalf by the
International Wine and Spirits Record.
The increase represents a growth in
volume from 72.937 million 9-litre cases to
-UMBAI)NDIA
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)
Oakwood Asia Pacific
The Oberoi Group
Wyndham Hotel Group International
-%$)!'/,$0!24.%23
Asian Hotel & Catering Times
GlobalHotelNetwork.com
Hospitality Biz (Saffron Media)
Hospitality Design/ Nielsen Company
Photo Vinexpo/Samantha Sin
Hotel Interactive.com
The Indian Express Ltd
3500/24%23
Asian wine
consumption is
increasing
American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AH&EI)
Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)
Hotel Association of India (HAI)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC)
148.169 cases. The value of the Asian wine International Tourism Partnership (ITP)
market is predicted to reach US$6.36 billion
by 2011.
World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)
/&&)#
/&&)#)!,!)2,).%0!24.%2
The period 2008-2012 is forecast to Jet Airways
show a growth in overall consumption of 46-%$)!0!24.%2
29.80 percent. Over this timescale still light
wine drinking will grow by 30.60 percent from
109.274 to 142.712 million cases. Sparkling
NDTV Profit
HIFI Partners as of November 16, 2009
wine consumption is expected to grow by
11.87 percent from 4.878 to 5.457 million
cases.
(OSTEDBY
The same research indicates a growth in
spirits consumption of 4.91 percent over the
period 2003-2012, from 0.958 billion 9-litre
cases to 1.005 billion. The period 2008-
2012 is expected to register a slight decline
in spirits consumption, due to a decrease in
consumption of local spirits.
For the purposes of the research, Asia
is defined as China (including Hong Kong),
Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, India,
Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.
WWW()&)
 F o o d

Chef de Patisserie Alain Guillet’s pralines

V
ersatile only begins
to describe the many
uses of the ingredient
that lights up faces as
soon as it is mentioned.
Chocolate …
Braised oxtail may not excite
many but this pasta dish as served

Chocolate
at new Italian restaurant Bistecca
is finished with 50 grams of bitter
chocolate to make a classic – and
richer – Roman dish.
InterContinental Hong Kong
Executive Chef Philippe Duc
Limitless possibilities?
Ryan Zimmer, Pastry Chef at the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel has
let his imagination go wild in creating the cutting edge honey truffle
cigar. Chef Ryan likes the Italian brand Amadei for this novel petit
four, an item not on the regular menu at Cucina restaurant but

creations
available for banqueting and VIP requests.
Chef Ryan originally infused the chocolate with tobacco but found
the flavour overwhelming. The honey truffle gave the earthy flavour
he was looking for without spoiling the chocolate.

How to …
Heating 35 percent fat cream, Chef Ryan adds a little black truffle
Chefs demonstrate the versatility honey and allows them to combine. He then pours the mixture over
chocolate drops or chopped up blocks, themselves a mix of 70 percent
of one of the world’s most popular and milk chocolate. Taking a blender to the mix, being careful not to
ingredients. Mischa Moselle indulges put in too much air as the final result needs to be fairly solid, Chef
Ryan pipes the mixture into strips - an operation that has to be done
in a cool room - and leaves to set for three hours or more. The next
stage of the operation is to cut the strips into cigar butt shapes.
Chef Ryan’s specially created chocolate powder, which represents
ash, is made by blending modified starch from tapioca maltodextrin
with melted chocolate. The resulting powder takes on a smooth
creamy texture in the mouth.
Chef Ryan learnt this technique while on a stage at renowned
Chicago restaurant, Alinea. He explains the technique can be applied
to any fat including olive oil, coconut butter and even bacon.
The cigar butts are now rolled in a mix of cocoa powder and icing
sugar to give them a more convincing cigar look and then rolled in a

Spoon dessert Chocolate Raspberry for contrasts lovers

28 AHCT December 2009
 F o o d
Frou-Frou
may be simple
but 10 orders
a day make it
a winner
Winning formula – the
Frou-Frou from the Island
Shangri-La
Creating the ‘ash’ for chocolate cigars
tempered chocolate for a hard finish that prevents them melting too
soon. The butts are now dipped in ‘ash’ and placed on an ashtray (an
actual one) that is filled with darker ‘spent ash’ made from a sesame
sponge made in the microwave from a mix that includes siphoned
egg whites, egg yolks, flour, sugar and Japanese sesame paste.
Chef Ryan believes that a chocolate cigar, a real cigar and a glass
of cognac are, “the real way to a gentleman’s heart.”
Over at Spoon by Alain Ducasse at the InterContinental Hong
Kong it’s all about chocolate and all about Valrhona, the famed
French brand that introduced the concept of terroir, in particular.
‘All About Chocolate’ is the name of a perennially popular dessert
on the Spoon menu, retained even after the restaurant’s recent radical
evolution, during which many changes were made to the menu, and
the wine list was completely rewritten.
The dessert always has three components but these change on a
regular basis. Typical parts could be a chocolate fondant, a chocolate
sorbet and a chocolate mousse, although previous incarnations have
included a reinvented Black Forest Gateau and a milkshake.
The chocolate sorbet is made using a very simple technique of
boiling the ingredients, chilling them and then putting them in the
Pacojet – a churn that creates small quantities of very smooth sorbets
and ice creams by applying pressure as it turns to avoid too much
aeration and the formation of big ice crystals.
Another advantage of the Pacojet is that it can make small
quantities, so that Spoon can have the 10-15 servings a day that it
needs without wastage.
Also on the menu is the Raspberry Chocolate for contrasts lovers,
made with 70 percent Valrhona. This has a base of chocolate sable
– cocoa and almond mixed with butter – and a second layer of sache
biscuit. These are topped by a layer of raspberry confit - raspberries
cooked down to a marmalade-like consistency. The top layer is a
ganache made from 70 percent chocolate and with the unexpected
addition of a little chilli. There is not enough chilli to add heat, just
a fruity note. Garnish is raspberries filled with raspberry coulis.
The chefs at Spoon – hotel Executive Chef Philippe Duc, Spoon
30 AHCT December 2009
The unlikely chocolate jelly
F o o d
flavour of the chocolate and
says he likes desserts like this as
the list is small as Chef/Partner Christopher Mark, who has spent
some time in Europe, especially Italy, points out Italians do not often
he believes the texture of the eat dessert and when they do they tend to like something simple
chocolate survives the baking and/or cold.
process. One dessert highlight at the restaurant is a chocolate and
How to …
hazelnut semifreddo made with Barry Callebaut chocolate. The
restaurant sometimes uses Valrhona.
Melting chopped chocolate in
butter Chef Grégoire then stirs
Thai Pastry Chef Prima makes the dessert but the idea came
from Chef Christopher who previously worked at BLT where the
in – without whipping – whole
eggs and egg yolks mixed with
A classic Italian combination at Bistecca
very American peanut butter and chocolate mousse was a big hit.
The Chef wanted to recreate
sugar. Then just enough flour to those textures in an Italian
Four Seasons Hong Kong Pastry Chef
prevent the fats and dry matter from separating are added and the Grégoire Michaud’s chocolate pudding context and chocolate and
mixture is set to chill for a few hours. After this, the mix is piped into hazelnut are a classic Italian
paper-lined rings and baked at 200°C for 10-12 minutes. combination.
The idea of chocolate jelly intrigued Chef Grégoire for some The dish is composed of a
time as he liked the idea of mixing fat with water, a combination layer of simple sponge made
that is generally difficult to achieve. The dish combines a 70 percent with cocoa powder, topped
Maragda chocolate with a 37 percent Nayarit milk chocolate. by a chocolate mousse made
Unusually the milk chocolate is mixed with yoghurt, giving it an the classic way, with whipped
acidic contrast to the cloying sweetness of some milk chocolates. cream, egg whites and sugar
The jelly, which is served on a shortbread, is made by blooming and set in the fridge. On top
gelatine leaves in cold water. Then milk, water, sugar and cream are of this lies a layer of hazelnut
boiled, the gelatine leaves added and then egg yolks. Chef Grégoire mousse made in a similar
believes these are vital for giving a smooth jelly and ensuring the style with a purée instead
texture is not rubbery. The chocolate is blended in and the mix of chocolate. The dessert is
poured on to a tray and allowed to set in the fridge. To serve, 2.5 served with a hazelnut praline
Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel
An original petit four Pastry Chef Ryan Zimmer centimetre rings are cut and decorated with chocolate nibs. on top and dusted with cocoa
Back at Bistecca, afters are not exactly an afterthought but powder.
Executive Pastry Chef Yannick Opperman, and Sous Pastry Chef
Pang – use French chocolate because the restaurant has a French
concept, not through any patriotism.
Not all French chefs stick to their own country’s produce. Chef
de Patisserie, Alain Guillet at the Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong
is a big fan of Belgian brand Belcolade. Amongst others Guillet also
likes the artisan Italian Pralus chocolate but finds it expensive, and
even likes to use milk chocolate, depending on the dish, finding that
it works well with passion fruit, for example.
The hotel’s French restaurant, Petrus carries a Guillet creation
in the form of a chocolate cremeux with caramel, a new version of
a traditional dish made by a baking a ganache with eggs and sugar
at a low temperature for 20 minutes.
At Café Too a chocolate pudding and chocolate crumble feature
on the buffet dessert station as well as chocolate crème brulée, a
chocolate mousse and tiramisu.
Chocolate retail therapy
It’s in the hotel’s Island Gourmet deli shop that Chef Alain comes
into his own as a chocolatier, providing customers with 12 types of
pralines and a selection of chocolate filled macaroons. All are hand
made in-house. Chef Alain’s best selling product is a cake called the
Frou-Frou. It may be simple – an almond daquoise, crispy praline and
chocolate mousse made with 53 percent chocolate – but 10 orders
a day make it a winner.
Swiss French Chef Grégoire Michaud, Pastry Chef at the
Four Seasons Hong Kong and author of Never Skip Dessert (Food
Paradise Publishing) uses six types of Chocovic chocolate. And he’s
not in the least bit bothered that the manufacturer is Spanish. The
product was chosen after extensive blind tasting and without regard
to branding.
Chef Grégoire has a large repertoire of desserts but is keen to
show AHCT his chocolate pudding and his chocolate jelly.
The pudding uses single origin Ocumare chocolate and contains
very little flour, as the chef believes adding flour would dilute the
 F o o d
Spreading A
the word
Butter is more than just ‘an
edible emulsion of fat globules
made by churning milk or
cream’. It’s tastier and more
complex with a range of different
applications. Glen Watson looks
at what’s on offer in Asia
32 AHCT December 2009
The cow’s diet affects the quality of the butter produced
sk Chef Muhammad Haikal Johari what ingredient is
his favourite and the answer is instantaneous: “Butter!
I love good quality French butter. You can do so much
with it. We do a lot of contemporary European dishes
with Asian touches at Ember,” the Singaporean TV personality and
Head Chef at the highly regarded Bangkok restaurant, recently told
the Reuters news agency.
Fortunately for Johari, who’s worked at Les Amis, Pierside and
Raffles Hotel, as well as trained with Joel Robuchon and Laurent
Gras, great butter from Europe, Australia and New Zealand is widely
available in Asia.
But with the drought problem in Australia and the price of cattle
feed increasing around the world butter prices have risen steeply.
Around 22 litres of milk are required to produce 1kg of butter
and it’s in such high demand in Japan, with chefs complaining of
shortages there, that the country’s Farm Ministry recently ordered
its four major dairy producers to churn out more to counter a 230
tonne shortage.
No kitchen can afford to be without this key ingredient. Many
recipes call for it, not just the obvious ones and various types of butter
have long been used from the emulsified variety (melted butter with a
little water whisked in) to the practically unheard of clarified butter
(melted butter with the milk solids skimmed and strained).
With rising prices, the temptation to create butter ‘alternatives’
has been too much to resist for some and police in India recently
raided a manufacturing unit where ‘butter’ made using palmoline
oil and Dalda hydrogenated vegetable oil was discovered.
The good stuff
Butter provenance of course plays a major part in its taste and
consistency. While he concedes there’s an element of marketing
hype surrounding this aspect of the product, Director of F&B at the
InterContinental Grand Stanford, John Drummond says where it
F o o d
Fonterra accounts for about 40 percent of the global
trade in butter, milk powder and cheese
all begins is important. “Just as what humans put into their bodies
effects them, so too with cows. If they’re eating well and eating good
stuff what they produce should be good.”
Drummond says butter is now a staple ingredient in Asian
kitchens because people are travelling more, are experiencing different
cuisines and are more likely to experiment. “Using butter in Asian
cooking would be difficult of course. I don’t think it could be used
in Cantonese or Thai food for example, as it would alter flavours too
much. But replacing ghee with butter in Indian recipes is probably
more likely. Butter is being consumed in Asia because we’re eating
more Western style dishes.”
Alastair Bruce emphasises New Zealand butter’s healthy qualities
The InterContinental Grand Stanford uses butters from
Australia and New Zealand to cook with, whilst preferring French
varieties for the table. “There’s a matter of perception here as well only grass-fed. “As well as improving taste, butter from grass-fed free-
of course. French butter is seen to be richer, creamier and a good ranging cows is higher in Omega 3, Vitamin A, and Beta Carotene,
accompaniment to bread. We use Australian and New Zealand all proven to be beneficial to health.”
butters in recipes because there’s a difference in how butters react New methods of production, indeed new butter products are
to temperatures. Also different butters have different water and salt increasingly prevalent. In the Middle East Fonterra recently launched
contents which can effect flavours.” a specially formulated clarified butter and is looking to introduce it
The Président brand from Lactalis is probably the best-known in Asia in the near future. Made entirely from cow’s milk, with no
of French butters. additives or preservatives, the butter is said to be able to withstand
extremely high heat, and impart a delicious concentrated butter
Innovation flavour.
Maker of iconic brand, Anchor, the New Zealand dairy farmers Sales of butter to the catering industry in Asia are increasing, cites
cooperative group, Fonterra accounts for about 40 percent of the an Arla Foods spokesperson for Danish brand, Lurpak, saying this is
global trade in butter, milk powder and cheese and sells products in mainly due to its portion butters and spreadables. Drummond says
more than 140 countries. you only have to take a look on supermarket shelves to know butter is
Substantiating Drummond’s belief that what the cows eat effects an important kitchen ingredient in Asia now. “A few years ago there
the taste of butter, Alastair Bruce, General Manager of Fonterra were hardly any butters available in the region. Now there are literally
Foodservices in Asia, Africa and Middle East, notes their cattle are shelves and shelves of them. There’s an enormous variety and choice
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December 2009 AHCT 33
 F o o d
The InterContinental Grand Stanford uses French butter on the table and Australian and New Zealand ones in the kitchen
“If [cows are] eating well and eating
good stuff what they produce should be
good” John Drummond
Arla attribute growing Asian sales to mini portions
making it easier to use the right butter in the right application.”
Lurpak is one such brand. Often praised for its emulsification
in sauce making, during baking Lurpak is said to display much less
melting and ‘bleeding’. Only dairies participating in a rigorous system
of regular blind tastings can use the Lurmark Danish Butter brand
34 AHCT December 2009
(two iron age lurs entwined; the lur was a musical instrument), which
was introduced in 1901 to prevent inferior butters from masquerading
as their Danish counterparts.
History plays an important part in how butters are perceived.
The fame of Isigny butter from Normandy in France goes back to
the 16th Century. By the 19th Century, the population of Paris alone
consumed 800 tonnes of it a year. Again, geography is said to play a
part in the taste of the product. The Isigny terroir is said to have the
advantage of a mild, damp climate, and sea marshes. The cows graze
on grass rich in iodine, betacarotene and trace elements. The quality
of Isigny butter reflects all these natural advantages. Impossible to
confuse with any other butter it is: “yellow like buttercups, has a
faint taste of hazelnuts and is rich in vitamin A”, as noted in the
Appellation d’Origine Controle specification, which has been in
force since 1986.
As with most ingredients, it would seem Asian chefs love to
disagree about butter as well. Drummond again, “If you were to speak
to 20 different chefs they’d probably mention 12 different butters
which they’d consider ‘best’ for making croissants. In fact there are
butters produced now which are only for croissant making. It’s all
to do with temperatures and there are different butters for different
applications definitely.”
Belgian producer Corman specialises in just such specific
applications, making butters with different fat contents and melting
points that can be applied to making, for example, brioches, cakes
and madeleines.
 D r i n k D r i n k

F
or many people the appeal of beer has a lot to do with
the place it comes from. Beers, like wines and spirits, are
supposed to derive some of their individuality from their
place of origin.
Some of the explanations for this are precise, scientific and easy
to understand. Others, as is the case with wine and whisky, range
from vague to quasi mystical.
For Belgian monasteries and American microbreweries this is
“retains its age-old German brewing tradition, unique technology
and know-how” - but is brewed by the Oriental Brewery Company
Ltd in South Korea.
Hong Kong still imports Tsingtao from China, and German style
beer has been brewed in Qingdao since 1903, but that brand too has
dropped a value-adding assertion from its marketing.
The packaging used to state the beer was brewed with “mineral
water from the Lao Shan Spring”. Some of it still is, but since the

Pint of
a distinct marketing advantage. The provenance of their product
is clear, and people are prepared to pay more for it because, in the
world of beer, small is generally deemed to be beautiful - even if
most beer drinkers aren’t.
For the big beer companies the issues are more complicated,
and provenance is now a subject that brands that used to focus on
company began to acquire other breweries around China, which
also make the brand, there is no guarantee the premium, attractively
healthy sounding ingredient is present in the beer.
Does it really make a difference? Certainly there are people who
believe that Tsingtao no longer tastes as it used to – although that
could easily have something to do with modifications made to the

origin
it now prefer to gloss over.
Take some of the major players in the fiercely competitive Hong
Kong market, for example. Carlsberg and Heineken, both of which
now brew regionally, were originally marketed as premium priced
imports, the implication being that they were a notch above the
dominant local brew, San Miguel.
Back to the source
From 1923 to 1981 Carlsberg was imported to Hong Kong. Then
the brand aggressively took on San Miguel by opening a Hong Kong
brewery, and price wars began. Carlsberg became an import again
in 1999 – but this time from China, and it is now marketed very
Robin Lynam asks how much much as local brew.
Blue Girl, a German beer which also has a long history in
influence brewery location Hong Kong, used to sport a label that proudly proclaimed it was
makes to the product and to “Brewed in Bremen”. Now it makes the more modest claim that it
recipe in recent years to bring down production costs.
Taste the difference
San Miguel spent years trying to dismiss as myth the assertion made
by many Hong Kong resident beer lovers that when they went to
the Philippines the brew there tasted better than the stuff they got
at home.
Finally the company bit the bullet. The distinctive stubby brown
bottles of Philippines San Miguel became available in Hong Kong,
alongside the local bottles and cans. Now the draught product also
comes from the brand’s Philippines breweries.
“Whether there is an actual difference in taste – and breweries
will tell you that there is no difference – or just a perception that a
beer is better because it comes from the original location is hard to
say,” observes Rhys Adams, beer connoisseur and Marketing Director
of El Grande Holdings Ltd, which operates the Hong Kong Brew

drinkers’ perceptions
Guinness Brew Master Fergal Murray

Brewing location is perceived to give

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imported by El Grande,
has the great selling 70 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.
point of its provenance
Tel: (852) 2889 2123 Fax: (852) 2889 1757
http://www.eurocave-alpha.com
Model: D-290 Email: alpha@eurocave-alpha.com

36 AHCT December 2009 Made in France

 D r i n k
Asian beer drinkers are trying
a wider selection of brews,
regardless of the beer’s origin
Carlsberg is
brewed in various
sites around
the world but to
exactly the same
specifications
House in Lan Kwai Fong as well as 16 other outlets in Hong Kong,
the Chinese mainland and the Philippines.
“It seems the Philippines San Miguel is more popular than the
Hong Kong beer, and everyone says that Guinness always tastes better
in Ireland. I’ve never tried it in Ireland, so I don’t know whether
that’s true or not, but I have been able to taste beers produced at
different breweries in the same country [which tasted different from
each other]. They were very fresh beers, so I don’t know whether it
changes during transportation. They were just very slight differences,
but there are subtle differences even between batches which any brew
master can recognise. It’s like wine,” says Adams.
Carlsberg is adamant that its Chinese brewed beer tastes exactly
the same as its Copenhagen pilsners – except that it is 0.4 percent
stronger.
“Our standard Carlsberg is 5 percent alcohol by volume with
exactly the same specifications all over the world – same flavour,
alcohol, colour, bitterness etc. However, there are local exceptions
normally driven by taxation. For example, in Denmark the standard
Carlsberg is 4.6 percent alcohol by volume,” says Kristian Dahl,
Regional Technical Director for Carlsberg Indochina.
Watering the plants
Water, says Dahl, definitely does differ from location to location, but
brewers have the technology to give it a uniform profile.
“Depending on your brewery location your water source will
definitely differ. You might have town water that has been chlorinated
by public treatment, or ground water too rich in heavy metals etc.
To make sure our water used is of high quality we treat water to
uniform standards depending on the source. Water is an important
resource and we specify the specifications the treated water must
meet,” states Dahl.
38 AHCT December 2009
The Danish brewer has exported
to Hong Kong, brewed in Hong
Kong and then relocated to China
At a certain level of brewing uniformity
certainly seems to be achievable, as Adams points
out.
“If you look at an American mass produced
beer, like Budweiser, it is brewed all over the place,
and that all tastes exactly the same. Breweries have
these big machines that stick the same amount
of ions and salts into the water so scientifically
it should be exactly the same, but there’s always
that little bit of local atmosphere that can get
into the brew that could give it that tiny bit of
taste difference.”
Guinness Brew Master, Fergal Murray
concedes quite frankly that the company’s beer
does taste different from different breweries,
but says the difference is not the water profile
but the need to please local palates. In Asia
Pacific Guinness brews in Singapore, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
“Guinness is made of just four ingredients:
barley, hops, yeast and of course water. Our
Can you afford
breweries are strategically located with easy
access to the highest quality water available so
to miss it?
that we can ensure that all of our brewing specifications are met
every time. It is a combination of tasting and technology that ensures
C
I visit The Hotel Show to find
consistency of flavour,” says Murray.
M
the latest equipment, services
Surge in demand Y
and innovative ideas for our
“Taste, style and alcohol content of Guinness varies internationally
Food & Beverage departments.
to reflect the breadth of differing palates across the world. We brew
CM
in 44 countries, including Malaysia which supplies a majority of Asia MY
with great looking, great tasting Guinness. While there are differences CY Martino D’Souza
in the Guinness we brew, one thing remains constant – the quality
Head Chef, Millennium Airport Hotel, Dubai
of our product. Our ancestral home at St James’ Gate in Dublin is CMY
General Secretary, Emirates Culinary Guild
home to some of the industry’s most sophisticated technology which K
we use to ensure consistency in the quality of every single Guinness
we sell, wherever we make it.”
The demand for authentic Irish Guinness however persists, and
the brewery appears to have come up with a compromise which
not only makes real Irish Guinness tasting much as it does from a
pump available worldwide, but could revolutionise the transport and
service of draught beer internationally should other brewers adopt
the technology.
The “Surger” – an ultrasonic device which agitates the contents
of a pint glass to create the “surge and settle” effect of a freshly
poured chilled draught beer such as Guinness – has been in use in
various markets since 2003 when it was introduced in Japan to allow
small bars with insufficient space for additional kegs and bar pumps
to serve the beer.
“Guinness draught in a can comes straight from St. James’ Gate
in Dublin and is widely available in Asia, not only for the off trade,
but also as an option for the on trade to serve alongside our ‘Surger’
technology, which allows bartenders to craft a surging Guinness for
their patrons, as if it were poured from the tap,” confirms Murray.
Adams is a fan.
“The ‘Surger’ is a very good idea from an operator’s perspective,”
he says. “It cuts down on pouring time and storage space, and the
amount of space used on a bar surface. I’m all for it. You see the
bubbles come out the same as you would in a normal draught. I
think things are probably going to go the way of the ‘Surger’, even
more because just shipping kegs across the world is such an expensive
operation. The keg is worth a lot more than the beer inside it and
you have to ship it back empty.” Book now! 18 - 20 MAY 2010
DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE
 D r i n k The Upper House’s Angel
includes: Tanqueray gin,
cointreau, lychee, lemon
juice and Champagne
Base
Robin Lynam looks at the
ingredients behind contemporary
and classic cocktails
S
o far as Sam Jeveons is concerned a cocktail is only as
good as its ingredients - all of them; base spirit, liqueur,
juice, garnish and ice.
Jeveons is an authority on his subject. Managing
Director of “bar and beverage specialists” Alconomics
Asia he is currently in residence at Swire Hotels’ new Hong Kong
property in Pacific Place, The Upper House. As ‘Bar Consultant’,
Jeveons is making sure the Café Gray Bar builds up a reputation for
cocktails to match that of celebrity Chef Gray Kunz’s food.
Attention to detail
In the four years since he arrived in Hong Kong, to work on reopening
the bars at the Mandarin Oriental, Jeveons has watched the Asian
cocktail scene evolve and although he reckons that – leaving Japan
out of the equation – even the region’s leading centres of the cocktail
culture are behind London, Melbourne, and New York, progress
has been rapid.
“When we worked at the Mandarin we had to bring in our tequilas,
our whiskies, our vodkas – the good stuff. Now some of the things that
we imported are readily available in Hong Kong,” he says.
Take bitters for example. The range available to the mixologist
now extends well beyond the classic little bottle of pink Angostura.
“One of the things we have here is a range called The Bitter Truth.
40 AHCT December 2009
The Deluxe Mojito, the classic cocktail is
rapidly becoming the world’s favourite
Ice-capades
For Jeveons cocktail making aesthetics represents a fine balance
between the classic and the contemporary. While interested in the
technique, he has not modified the Upper House Bloody Mary to the
extent of the currently fashionable Canadian variant, The Caesar,
where the mixologist adds vodka to ice cubes also made from clam
tomato juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauce.
“The Japanese are very keen on this at the moment. It is a trend
that is happening a lot. They do a very simple drink called The
Greyhound which is essentially the Salty Dog - vodka and grapefruit
juice. The ice that you get in the drink is frozen grapefruit juice and
as that melts it really heightens the flavour of the drink,” he says.
Flavoured ices and high quality finessing ingredients however
are of little use without a high quality base spirit, and for the last
three years Jeveons has worked with Moët Hennessy representing
their spirit portfolio across Asia, with a particular emphasis on
Belvedere vodka.
Consumers, he believes, care less about which vodka they drink
than other premium spirits – a fact some unscrupulous bar operators
have been known to take advantage of.
“Here I have chosen only Russian and Polish vodkas – classic
vodkas. No New World and no Grey Goose, which is a world favourite,
but is French and modern. I love 42 Below but I wanted to be a bit
more traditional and I want to stand behind every product I use in
this bar. Vodka is changing and it is pioneering, but I’m still quite
traditional with the vodkas, I like to think, and I think most people
should be,” he says.
desires
The Upper House’s Hong
Kong Highball is made
using Belvedere raspberry
vodka, cassis, honey,
lemon & pomegranate
juice, Canton ginger and
Champagne
We have a selection of 13, from celery to chocolate to cucumber
to rhubarb to orange to cloves – all sorts of things like that. The
bitters market is becoming huge, and the ability to play with these
different ingredients and the variance of what they do to drinks is
magnificent,” Jeveons states.
“Finessing ingredients” such as bitters, pepper sauces and esoteric
liqueurs are now much easier to obtain around the region, which Jeveons
sees as a sign that people are paying closer attention to detail.
“Tabasco have upwards of 20 different products available and
they can be very useful. One of the best selling cocktails at The
Upper House is our Bloody Mary and we keep it very simple. That
obviously involves a lot of Tabasco use. A lot of the Asian cultures
can take quite spicy drinks, so the use of Tabasco is going very well.
We use a really unique homemade tomato juice which is very light,
and flavours like the green Tabasco sauce really represent themselves
well in those drinks,” says Jeveons.
Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is also a critical Bloody
Mary element, but Jeveons does not advocate its use in other
cocktails.
“Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce is pretty much a Bloody
Mary ingredient. It needs those savoury flavours. We use three dashes
of Worcestershire Sauce and three dashes of Tabasco here as our
standard, and if someone wants it spicier, a little bit more.”
 D r i n k
Molecular Magic
“I think the whole molecular mixology movement has had a profound
effect,” says Sam Jeveons.
“It is an entirely new skill set, basically, and it is something which
requires the full support of your venue, the bar, and the kitchen. It
is not something you can go half heartedly into. There are some
great things going on in Hong Kong at Finds where Antonio Lai is
really pushing the boundaries in Hong Kong to produce molecular
mixology.”
Lai is a leading Asian exponent of ‘caviars’ - chemically solidified
droplets of liquids – a technique, like many of those used in molecular
mixology, borrowed from the kitchen/lab of Ferran Adria’s elBulli
restaurant.
“Three years ago you had to order the chemicals from Europe,
now you can get them from suppliers here, but you need quite a bit of
gadgetry and you need know-how, because it is all about learning the
science of liquids – sugar densities, how much chemical is required
per litre of solution, and it is very much trial and error. Many people
who haven’t got it perfect are trying it out on customers and they
haven’t got the years of experience,” says Jeveons.
Matthew Bax’s Smoky Old Bastard elBulli-style ‘caviar’ at FINDS Molecular mixologist
Antonio Lai at FINDS
Surprisingly, given that view, Jeveons is less doctrinaire about
flavoured vodkas. A citrus vodka, he says, is now a bar essential,
and he is also currently using Belvedere’s orange and raspberry
flavoured spirits.
Latin lovers
Jeveons sees a strong trend developing towards Central and South
American cocktails, spurred on by the huge international popularity
of the Mojito, and believes the time is right not only for high quality
aged Caribbean rums but for great tequilas, served as something more
elegant and interesting than the traditional salt-rimmed Margarita.
“Our Peasant’s Margarita, is my twist on a margarita which is
Don Julio Tequila, Agave nectar, honey, grapefruit juice and lime
juice – so two citrus and two sweeteners, no salt. It’s a really smooth
entry into the tequila world. My favourite named drink, the ‘Soul of
Happiness’ was invented by a friend of mine in London, which is great
tequila, fresh watermelon, lemon juice and orange bitters. That is a
classic. Tequila and rum are the spirits that are increasing the most
in the world market – something that Asia is perhaps unaware of.
People know about Bacardi, and Cuervo Gold and Olmeca tequilas,
but we start above that standard and go way beyond.”
Don Julio’s Añejo, Reposado, Blanco, 1942, and Real tequilas are
consistently strong performers in international spirit competitions,
and the Real won a gold medal at the 2008 San Francisco World
Spirits event. Real and 1942 are sipping tequilas best drunk unmixed,
but the others are first class cocktail base spirits.
42 AHCT December 2009
D r i n k
“Vodka is changing Chocolate bitters
Grand Marnier have been
promoting their limited
edition bottle for 2009
and it is pioneering,
– new mixers are at the Mandarin Oriental
A way to go giving bartenders Hong Kong
creative
Out of the hundred or more bars in Asia with molecular cocktail opportunities
offerings Jeveons says there are only about 15 doing the job well.
He singles out Finds in Hong Kong, The Tippling Club in Singapore but I’m still quite
and the bar of Laris at Three On The Bund in Shanghai as particularly
good exponents of molecular mixology in Asia, but believes that
generally the movement regionally has yet to catch up with the
traditional” Sam Jeveons
advanced work being done in Europe, Australia and North America.
As to whether molecular mixology is the future of cocktails,
Jeveons believes that the jury is still out.
“I think foams and airs could become more commonplace, but
only if it is done well, and I think the customer will ultimately decide. In
ten years’ time will this become second nature? I’m not sure. It could
do. Whatever comes of it the fact that people are now thinking about Aged tequila
is rising to
liquids in a different way, presenting things in a different way and trying prominence
to educate the customer in a different way and offer something new
- whether it works or not - is helping us all move forward.”
Blending the blends
Whisk(e)y is one of the classic base spirits for
cocktails, and Jeveons favours North American
or Irish spirits for purposes of mixology, but
says they enjoy low esteem around Asia by
comparison with Scotch single malts and
Antonio Lai’s baked tequila The Tippling Club’s co-founder
Matthew Bax
deluxe blends.
“I love Irish whiskey cocktails especially the Pisco Sour – lemon,
lime, Benedictine and Jameson. Some people love single malts.
Messing with a 25 Year Old Fine Oak Macallan is a little bit difficult,
though, because the end result is often not as good as the individual
components. In certain cocktails, yes, we can do it,” says Jeveons.
There is, he believes, an increasing level of interest in cocktails in
Asia thanks to bars that cultivate connoisseurship, such as Singapore’s
Tippling Club where Australian mixologist Matthew Bax has
organized a series of “masterclass” events with visits to the city by
such giants of the cocktail world as fellow Australian Sam Ross who
tends the bar at New York’s Milk and Honey.
In Hong Kong the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG)
has been promoting cutting edge cocktails at it’s Landmark property,
with guest bartender appearances from such stars of the world of
molecular mixology as New Yorkers Eben Freeman and Jim Meehan,
and Sydneysider Linden Pride, while the MOHG has run a series of
cocktail promotions highlighting particular base spirits, most recently
Grand Marnier, with cocktails prepared by French mixologist and
brand ambassador, Julien Defrance.
Whatever trends may come and go, however, good ingredients, Alconomics Asia Managing Director Sam Jeveons
Jeveons, stresses are always the paramount consideration in mixing
a successful cocktail.
“All the ingredients need to be of quality. The citrus juices need
to be fresh. If you are using a liqueur it needs to be of the highest
grade possible. A bad liqueur or a bad citrus juice can spoil a spirit the
second they are put together, so making sure that all your ingredients
are great is the stepping stone to being able to use the good spirits in
your cocktails.” Jeveons concludes.
A Sam Jeveon’s special, After Dark
December 2009 AHCT 43
 P r o d u c t N e w s P r o d u c t N e w s

Hot tables
The latest range of outdoor furniture from
Kettal is designed to, “bring the space to
Grand cocktails
life”, says the company. In collaboration with Grand Mimosa
Emiliana Design Studio the ZigZag series of
In 1880, Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, Here are some of the
the son-in-law of Eugène Lapostolle, son suggested drinks: 20ml Grand Marnier
braided flowerpot holders, puffs and porcelain 40ml Orange Juice
of the founder, created the famous Grand
oil lamps is supported by an aluminium and Top up Champagne
Marnier liqueur, a blend of cognac and tropical Irresistible
ceramic coffee table, which may double as a No Garnish
oranges. Today, the company is run by 5th 30ml Grand Marnier
fire cum barbecue.
and 6th generation members of the Marnier 30ml Strawberry Juice
Lapostolle family, including Jacques Marnier 20ml Apple Juice Grand Mojito
Lapostolle, the current Chief Executive Officer. 10ml Lemon Juice 45ml Grand Marnier
Brand ambassador Julien Defrance Garnish with Strawberry Quarter of Orange cut into
recently demonstrated the versatility of the pieces for muddle
liqueur with a show of cocktail mixing at the Grand Cosmopolitan Mint
M Bar of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. 45ml Belvedere Vodka 20ml Passion Fruit Juice
The bar held a promotion of Grand Marnier- 15ml Grand Marnier 1 pack Raw Sugar
based cocktails using this year’s limited edition 15ml Cranberry Juice Garnish with Mint Sprig
Irresistible – only 300 bottles were set aside for 15ml Fresh Lime Juice
the Hong Kong market. Garnish with Flamed Orange Twist For more information:
www.mhdhk.com
The Irresistible edition of 2009

For more information: www.kettal.com

The plain white tableware series is heights,” enthuses the company. Not only

Urban … available in a wide range of articles, including,

gently contoured rectangular-shaped cups,
for the table, the ‘bridge’ may be positioned
at reception or in lounge areas to present
Seven years of Grand Marnier limited editions

naturally snack boats, small dip dishes and plates

Villeroy & Boch’s Hotel & Restaurant Division
presents an innovative tableware concept,
which, they say, offers a casual yet stylish
interpretation of the presently popular ‘Back
to Nature’ theme.
and platters of various sizes as well as an,
“elegant tableware bridge”. This crockery
‘bridge’ enables links to be formed between
different tableware items introducing a new
kind of vertical dimension to the table layout.
“New possibilities are opened up to the chef,
allowing him to raise his creations to new
fruit or confectionery. Villeroy & Boch present
Urban Nature as, “a real 24-hour tableware
series”, which can be used just as easily in the
gourmet-cuisine sector as in the latest trend-
catering sector.
For more information: www.villeroy-boch.
com/en/de/hotel-restaurant.html
Quality brew
The top German beer brand Warsteiner is
brewed and bottled only at the Warsteiner
Brewery, located in the small town of Warstein
in the heart of the Sauerland region east
of Cologne. The company is one of the
largest private breweries in Germany; it was
established in 1753 and is now in its ninth
generation of ownership by the Cramer family.
The discovery of the Kaiserquelle
(“Emperor’s Spring”) in 1927 provided the
basis of the success story of the Warsteiner
Brewery. The spring water has only one or two
degrees of water hardness.
High-grade summer brewing barley
and an extremely mild brewing process give
rise to the typical, uniquely light gold tone
of Warsteiner beer and make this beer very
drinkable. Over a whole year the Warsteiner
Brewery utilizes between 500 000 and 600
000 cubic metres of its own soft spring water
to brew its premium pilsner-style beer. All
Warsteiner beer for the international business
is brewed originally by the Warsteiner Brewery
in Warstein, except for licensed production in
Argentina and Russia.
Today Warsteiner is exported to India,
China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong
Kong and Thailand as well as Vietnam,
Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia
and New Zealand.
For more information: www.warsteiner.com

46 AHCT December 2009 December 2009 AHCT 47

 E q u i pme n t E q u i pme n t

Because an older model of dishwasher was being used Blake

identified the inefficiencies: heat was escaping and detergent used Comenda’s AC2A

haphazardly.
The insulation from an effective splash curtain before the initial
rinse represented a six percent energy saving for every degree of
temperature saved. Other improvements could lead to a further three
percent saving in energy: using dirty water for scraping the rubbish off
the plates before cleaning represented a saving in water used and as
18 percent of hotel energy costs are incurred in the kitchen – and 33
percent of water costs – these modifications added up.
The Langham, Auckland eventually plumped for a Hobart conveyor
heavy-duty washer and found the German machine gave a saving of
The K-Tronic from Meiko (European model)
20 percent a month in water usage. The savings in water alone came to
NZ$38,858.63 a year, meaning the machine paid for itself in three years.
German manufacturer Hobart has a team of 300 research scientists
and registers an average of 1,000
“Increasingly,

Dishy
patents a year. Latest Model, the
Premax CP boasts such innovations
as precision nozzles to ensure an
even coating of water when rinsing
customers are looking
for greener, more

efficiency
off detergents and in general, “saves
up to 50 percent water, 30 percent
energy, and 80 percent chemicals
in comparison with conventional Nicholas Blake’s
environmentally
technologies.”
Meiko, another European from
career progressed
dishwasher
friendly credentials”
operator to
manufacturer, told AHCT that, Environmental
“Increasingly, customers are looking Manager
Meiko representative
for greener, more environmentally- Banquets generate vast amounts of washing up
friendly credentials, particularly in water-saving, detergent usage,
machine longevity, and improved atmosphere conditions in the wash up

N
Mischa Moselle icholas Blake turned the trials and tribulations of a fresh
graduate on the employment market into a successful
discovers ‘where career in environmental management. The New
Zealander had hoped to be saving the national emblem,
there’s muck there’s the endangered Kiwi bird. Instead, after several years of tertiary
money’ … how to education and months knocking on prospective employers’ doors,
he found himself washing dishes in the kitchens of the Langham
reduce costs by Hotel, Auckland.
Not one to take the easy option and drift mindlessly through
washing up properly his shifts, Blake applied his scientific training to the process he was
engaged in and was soon writing a report for management on how
the hotel could save money and do its part for the environment by
making the dishwashing process more efficient.
The 8-page report was soon followed by a 34-page write up on
sustainability that brought him to the attention of management
at a time when the hotel group’s owner, Dr K S Lo, had declared
his intention of making the company more sustainable and had
appointed John Dick as environmental champion, now General
Manager of the Eaton Hotel. Management gave Blake six months
to prove himself.
Blake soon created an eight-step plan for implementing
sustainability in the hotel and within a record time the hotel was the
first in New Zealand to gain a Green Globe Certificate. Since then
there have been more awards, meetings with government ministers,
and a move to Hong Kong.
So what exactly did Blake learn from his time with his hands in
the suds and how generally applicable are the lessons?
The Langham Auckland could be serving 5 - 600 people in 12
minutes for a banquet and all that washing up had to be manually
scraped before being loaded on to the conveyor before passing
through a curtain for an initial rinse at 60-65°C, followed by a
second high pressure rinse at 65-70°C and a final rinse at 82-90°C.
The crockery and cutlery then passed through a heat exchange,
Hobart’s Premax CP where the heat rising off the utensils was circulated back through
the machine.
area. Interestingly, opting for greener warewashing systems ultimately
saves operator costs.”
The company explains that re-using water and saving energy are
standard elements of its larger rack systems, in particular the Series
2 K-Tronic basket transport model. An exclusive pumped, heated
auxiliary rinse zone facilitates re-use of the rinse water, yet still delivers
pristine and consistent high quality clean wash results, claims the
manufacturer. In order to optimise the use of energy consumed by
the machine, an optional heat recovery condensing system and simple
heat pump are available.
Chemically speaking
Blake also worked with chemical supplier Ecolab to cut down on
resources used in the process, representing another saving in costs.
JohnsonDiversey also advises hotels on dishwasher efficiency. The
company recommends focussing on water quality; how much heat is
used in the process; the quantity and quality of chemicals used and the
efficiency of the dishwashing machine’s mechanical actions.
Water should be soft or scale will form, leaving dishes dirty and
machines clogged. Magnesium and calcium salts can be removed with
a softener before the water enters the machine or by using a cleaner
that controls the effect of salts on the cleaning process.
According to JohnsonDiversey the use of the correct equipment
and regular maintenance to ensure the temperature is between 65-82°C
means resources are not wasted by having to re-wash items that have
been washed at too low a temperature or by having the temperature
hotter than it need be.
The company are firm believers in auto-dosing the chemicals into
the system – that is having a machine to inject super concentrated
washing chemicals rather than a human being ‘guestimating’ with
powders – often wastefully and/or hazardously to the person.
All in good order
Making sure your dishwasher is working correctly may seem like
an obvious point but Blake found that maintenance was not always
frequent enough and JohnsonDiversey seems to agree:
“The maintenance department of the hotel should perform regular
checks of the machine to ensure that all critical parts are in proper
working condition and should replace worn out parts immediately.
They should also check for water leaks and mend them immediately. A
single small water leak in the dish wash machine can result in wastage
of approximately 60 litres per day.”
Manufacturers are keen to promote their green credentials and the
bottom-line benefits of efficient washing.
Italian manufacturer Comenda has adapted its heat pump for use
on a smaller potwasher. The device saves 2/3 of the heat expenditure
compared to traditional machines and is adapted from technology
originally developed for refrigeration purposes. It has been in use on
larger machines for some 15 years.
Comenda’s AC2A is a small, high-speed unit that can wash 1,800
dishes in an hour. “Fitted with technologically innovative systems, this
machine automatically stops in the absence of racks to be washed,
thus eliminating the risk of energy waste, and includes a system which
controls the rinse water consumption quantities and consequently
detergent and rinse-aid according to machine speed,” boasts the
company.
The company’s GFS90 CRC ‘heat recovery unit’, as the name
implies, recovers the heat generated when water is heated to washing
temperatures and prevents it being dissipated into the kitchen, cutting
wasted energy, and discomfort to the operator.

48 AHCT December 2009 December 2009 AHCT 49

 E q u i pme n t
LED mood lighting by Philips
The green light
LED lighting systems give
designers flexibility, are good
for the environment and the
bottom line – eventually.
Thora Jacobsen takes a look
Global Zone’s Flambeau range
50 AHCT December 2009
L
ight Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are electronic components that
date back to the 1960s. Recent developments in technology
mean that the scope of their use has been extended from
the micro to the very large indeed.
The recently opened YAS Hotel in Abu Dhabi is one of the
world’s biggest hotel LED projects and it combines over 5,300
diamond-shaped steel panels, containing nearly 5000 RGBW LED
fixtures. The dramatic effects are obvious from the photo opposite.
Of the many teams working on the lighting, Arup Lighting, New
York were responsible for design and a partnership between British
firms Enfis and Cooper Lighting for the LED lighting itself.
Enfis’s design philosophy states that “Designers are attracted
by the design flexibility accorded by a directional spot source that
is capable of saturated colour, and most applications in lighting to
date have been for coloured Multi-Watt LED Light Engines. The
combination of red, green, blue and amber Multi-Watt LED Light
Engines provides a far greater selection of colour and greyscale (4.3
billion variants) than any other light source.”
While one of the advantages of LED systems are their ability
to create a range of colours and moods, the key selling point in the
current political climate is their environmental friendliness.
Cutting costs
One factor that potentially stands against them in the current
economic climate is the perception that they are expensive. According
to one industry insider it can take three-five years to gain a Return On
Investment when owners are generally looking to recoup expenditure
in under three years.
As far as investment goes the long life of solid-state LED lights can
also be put in the plus side of the accounts sheet. For example, Global
Zone’s Flambeau range of tea lights, as described in November’s
AHCT, have a lifespan of 15 years. Philips Master LED lights have
a lifespan of 45,000 hours and can be retrofitted.
LED lights are also low consumers of electricity. A conventional
50-Watt incandescent bulb can be replaced with a 4-Watt LED panel.
Incandescent lamps are notoriously wasteful, turning only the first five
percent of electricity consumed into actual light and the remaining
95 percent into dissipated heat.
The YAS Hotel in Abu Dhabi
for cost savings
LED lighting solutions
can turn the exterior of
the building into an eye
catching landmark in its
own right” Sean Hughes
The Ledino from Philips
E q u i pme n t
In hotels applications range from setting the mood in ballrooms
and dining venues to lighting in lifts and outdoor signage through to
making the guestroom comfortable.
According to Sean Hughes, Senior Director at Philips Design in
Hong Kong, lighting plays a fundamental role in shaping the guest
experience.
“This customer experience begins even before they enter the
hotel, the choice made in relation to the exterior architectural
lighting approach can have a dramatic effect on the impact that
the building forms in the mind of the customer. With the advent
of LED technology the exterior scheme can be highly animated,
constantly changing colour or changing effect to evoke different
moods, impressions or feelings. LED lighting solutions can turn the
exterior of the building into an eye catching landmark in its own
right,” says Hughes.
Within the hotel, the right lighting can do everything from
creating pools of privacy in the lobby lounge to helping guests
navigate their way to their room and within their room.
James Woudhuysen, Professor of Design and Innovation at the
University of Leicester in Britain and a consultant to industry on user
interface issues, believes it is important for hotels to concentrate on
the basics as outlined by Hughes.
As well as ensuring that guestrooms are dark enough for sleep,
the lighting has to be adequate so that “taking a midnight pee in a
bathroom you don’t know” doesn’t become an awkward experience,
says the co-author of Energise!, a book advertised as a “refreshingly
pragmatic, scientific view of the use of energy in our society”.
Shedding more light than heat
Professor Woudhuysen has criticised other alternative forms of
lighting to the incandescent bulb as not being up to the job in terms of
the amount of light they emit, perhaps being better named as ‘darks’.
However, he believes that LED lights represent progress. His views
concur with research commissioned by Philips. The independent
research was carried out by the Dutch Metrology Institute.
“In the study, The Dutch Metrology Institute tested Philips’
Master LED lamp across various optical and electrical criteria. The
results of the tests confirm that the Master LED reached specifications
of at least 240 lumen in terms of light output and a power factor
of 0.68. This is even higher than the average CLFi lamp [Compact
Fluorescent Lights] which have an average power factor of 0.50.
During the tests the Master LED even achieved a higher lumen
output,” Michael Lim, Senior Manager, Global Product Planning,
Global Business Unit LED, Philips Lighting told AHCT.
Lim also points out that, “Since LED is durable, the maintenance
needed is relatively low, therefore, there will be quite some savings in
human resources to manage checking and replacement of LED.”
The low energy consumption of LED lights is an obvious
environmental benefit as well as a cost-cutter.
Global Zone’s Flambeau is marketed as being environmentally-
friendly to manufacture and to dispose of.
The lights contain no mercury and emit no Ultra Violet or
Infra Red radiation, meaning they are safe around food products.
As Philip’s Lim points out, lower energy consumption means lower
CO2 output, useful for any company having emissions reductions
targets to meet.
December 2009 AHCT 51
 E v e n t s E x h i b i t i o n s

Date Event Details ORGANIzER

Jan 12-14, 2010

Hotel Investment Forum India
Renaissance Mumbai Hotel &
Convention Centre
Mumbai
India
Feb 21-24 Gulfood 2010
Dubai International exhibition for the foodservice and hospitality
Convention and Exhibition sectors. The event provides industry suppliers with
Centre
HIFI conference is designed to provide an annual
meeting place for hotel executives, investors, lenders,
developers, and the professional advisory community
Burba Hotel Networks/Horwath HTL
BHN
2900 Bristol Street, Ste. D101
HKTDC stages
interested in doing deals in one of the world’s hottest
hotel markets - India.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626 USA
Tel: +1.714.540.9300
Email: marketing@burba.com
second wine fair
Gulfood is the Middle East’s leading dedicated Dubai World Trade Centre
Tel:+971 4308 6081
Fax:+971 4318 8607
the region’s largest central business hub, ultimately gulfood@dwtc.com
delivering an unrivalled product and service www.gulfood.com
showcase and the opportunity to meet serious
international buyers face to face.

Mar 22-26 Alimentaria Alimentaria is the most important international food Alimentaria Exhibitions


Fira de Barcelona
Barcelona
and beverages exhibition in Spain and one of the
leading international events of this type. The show
Disputació, 119
08015, Barcelona
Reaction to the Hong Kong International Wine
Spain will present the latest products from the international Spain & Spirits Fair, Nov 4 – 6 2009
food and beverage industry, distribution channels Tel: +34 93 452 1800
and consumer tastes. Fax: +34 93 452 1801 Coming next

I
www.alimentaria-bcn.com
n it’s second year, the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair, held at the city Hong Kong International Wine
Convention & Exhibition Centre has been awarded an overall thumbs up from exhibitors
Hotelex shows are the meeting point for the Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo Int’l Exhibition
& Spirits Fair 2010
Mar 29 – Apr 1 Hotelex Shanghai 2010 with organizers, The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) deemed to have
Shanghai New International hospitality industry. Managers in the hospitality 10/F., 218 Xiang Yang Rd. (S), done a good job. 530 exhibitors, double the inaugural figure, from 34 countries including 13 (Dates to be confirmed)
Expo Center industry, manufacturers, traders and distributors Shanghai 200031, China
know that Hotelex provides them an annual get Tel: +86 21 6437 1178 new ones showcased wine, beer, spirits, products, services, accessories and equipment.
together – to source, sell, network and understand Fax: +86 21 6437 0982 With the Asian consumer wine market said to be growing seven times the rate of any other Hong Kong Convention and
the trends that will determine the future of Asian hotelex@ubmsinoexpo.com region, the show focussed on wine education, tourism, and investment.
hospitality industry www.UBMSinoexpo.com, www.hotelexchina.com Exhibition Centre
Room for improvement Wanchai
Apr 20-23 FHA 2010 The 17th international Food & Drinks, Hotel, Singapore Exhibition Services “The booths were good, the sign posting excellent,” says Toby Marion, Director of Golden Hong Kong.
Singapore Expo Restaurant, Bakery & Foodservice Equipment, No. 1 Jalan Kilang Timor, #09-02 Pacific Tech Gate Wine Co Ltd. a five year-old company specialising in American wines. The show,
Singapore Supplies & Services Exhibition & Conference with Centre, which Marion says was, “laid out effectively with really good organization” had one flaw:
FHA culinary Challenge. Singapore 159303 “We couldn’t clean our glasses properly and this should be fixed. At any first class wine fair http://hkwinefair.hktdc.com/
Tel: +65 62336638
Fax: +65 62336633 there’s a service provided to collect glasses and wash them in hot soapy water to ensure
events@sesallworld.com hygiene.” Marion goes on to say the turnout was “sub standard” conceding the current
www.sesallworld.com economic climate could be to blame. “There weren’t enough people to justify the effort and
expense. But the HKTDC did a great job overall and are working very hard.”
Apr 27-30 HORECA The 17th edition of the Middle Eastern show Hospitality Services A member of the Hong Kong Food, Drinks and Grocery Association, Marion is
BIEL for catering equipment, furniture & fixtures, Contrast building, Dekwaneh
Beirut tabletop, uniforms, linens & amenities, laundry PO Box 90-155 keen to emphasise the importance of working together to ensure the future growth and
Lebanon equipment, maintenance & hygiene, technology: Jdeidet El Metn success of the industry in the region. “Recently the government in China re-instigated
software, telecommunications, security, audiovisual; 1202 2020 Lebanon difficult paperwork to import wine into the country which effectively kills Hong Kong as a
packaging, franchise, finance & management Tel: +961 1 480081 passageway. It’s now easier to go direct from the United States. The local government
companies, hotels & restaurants chains, services, Fax: + 961 1 482876
is trying to get this simplified again and we’re all keen to work together to ensure this
food & beverage. www.hospitalityservices.com.lb
happens.”
At the show white wines and rosés featured heavily on the winner’s podium
May 25-27 Vinexpo Asia Pacific The international wine and spirits exhibition for Vinexpo contradicting what many believe to be Asia’s preference for hugely concentrated wines.
Hong Kong Convention and Asia-Pacific and the world’s largest wine and spirits 2, cours du XXX Juillet However, Hagen Wong, Portuguese wine, port and Madeira importer and distributor says,
Exhibition Centre trade exhibition. 33074 Bordeaux Cedex, France
Wanchai this has more to do with the judging panel than anything else. “The show wasn’t what
Tel: +33 556 560 022
Hong Kong Fax: +33 556 560 000 I expected and I preferred last year’s event. There were less locals this year and having
info@vinexpo.com the public day on Friday instead of Saturday certainly effected the success of the show.”
www.vinexpo.com Accepting a Gold Award in the Other Reds category for Quinta Do Crasto Reserva Old Vinca
2007 and a Silver for Luis Tato Vinha Barrosa, Wong says the local market is proving to be
Jun 10-13 ITE The 24th international travel expo TKS Exhibition Services Ltd
Hong Kong Convention and Room 601, Stanhope House, open to trying and accepting unique, different grape varieties and flavours.
Exhibition Centre (Hall 1) 734 King’s Road, It was Susan Haythornthwaite’s first time at the show and the New Zealand boutique
Wanchai Quarry Bay, wine maker says she will definitely be back. “Well organized, a great venue, accessible,
Hong Kong Hong Kong with good facilities and a good booth position,” gave the Haythornthwaite Wines owner the
Tel: +852 3155 0600
opportunity to achieve her goal of finding a Hong Kong distributor. “I’ve had a couple of fact
Fax: +852 3520 1500
www.itehk.com finding visits to Hong Kong over the last couple of years and felt it was the right place and
the right time for us. I feel we can service the area reasonably easily with the view to moving
into Vietnam and Taiwan. I was fascinated by the number of people wanting to get into wine
Jun 10-13 ITE MICE The 5th MICE, business and incentive travel expo TKS Exhibition Services Ltd
distribution but it was difficult to tell who was really serious.” Like her fellow exhibitors the
Hong Kong Convention and Room 601, Stanhope House,
Exhibition Centre (Hall 1) 734 King’s Road, Silver, Bronze and Bronze Wine & Food Matching winner (Gewürztraminer 2008 (Bronze)
Wanchai Quarry Bay, and 2009 (Silver)) believes the show would be better serviced if it included a weekend day,
Hong Kong Hong Kong and says at times there weren’t many people around. “They came in waves and really only
Tel: +852 3155 0600 after lunch time. It’s probably best to start later and end later.”
Fax: +852 3520 1500
www.itehkmice.com

52 AHCT December 2009 December 2009 AHCT 53

 E x h i b i t i o n s
Texcare’s show of
energy efficiency
For more information about
Texcare Asia, organised by
Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co
Ltd, please visit
www.texcare.com
or email texcareasia@china.
messefrankfurt.com
54 AHCT December 2009
asian hotel
& Catering Times Published since 1976
Encompassing:
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In fact, the fair attracted over 5,900 visitors from 51 countries and regions to its
Beijing venue. The top five visiting countries and regions outside of mainland China were
Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
A wide range of products and services was shown by the 133 exhibitors from 17
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Also pleased with the flow and the relevancy of the visitors attending the fair was of the hospitality industry.
Wendy Chi, Marketing Director of Shanghai Sailstar Machinery Group. “Over the last few
days, we have met with many customers from Russia and Southeast Asia. The calibre
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Among buyers there was a strong emphasis on sourcing energy efficient products.
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 E x h i b i t i o n s

Wine & Gourmet Asia

M
acau recently hosted Wine & Gourmet Asia, an international wine and
gourmet foods, hotel and foodservice equipment, supplies and services
exhibition. The show attracted 7,163 trade visitors – buyers, chefs,
restaurateurs, hotel managers and other industry professionals found new suppliers
and met business associates.
At the same time 100 exhibitors presented their finest products.
“Bringing to Macau the very best of Asia-Pacific’s fine wine, gourmet and
hospitality industry, offering a unique networking and culinary platform, as well as
an extensive range of supporting activities, Wine & Gourmet Asia 2009 is appealing
for both trade and leisure visitors,” said João Manuel Costa Antunes, Director of
the Macau Government Tourist Office. He added that with the strong development
seen in Macau’s tourism industry in recent years, the city is becoming a quality and
multi-faceted tourism city, and a unique leisure, entertainment and business tourism
destination in Asia.
Organizer Koelnmesse launched a Hosted Buyers Program this year,
demonstrating its commitment to providing a business platform for the regional
industry. The programme is in line with the policies and strategies set by local
government organizations such as the Macau Government Tourist Office and
Macau Trade and Investment Institute. Besides the buyers, the new Hosted Buyers
Program also proved to be popular with the exhibitors.
Carlos Batalha, distributor of J.Portugal Ramos wines complimented the high
quality buyers brought in, “I think the organizers did a good job over the years to
improve the trade fair, especially with this new buyers programme. These buyers
come here with the dedicated objective of purchasing, resulting in direct business
for us.”
Exhibitors came from countries and regions such as Australia, mainland China,
France, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea
and Spain.
It is the second year that Portugal has had a group pavilion here and the
feedback continues to be positive. Silvinia Baptista of Associação Industrial
Portguesa, the organizer of the Portugal pavilion said, “Our exhibitors have received
impressive contacts from the past few days.”
Kenichi Asahara, President of the Asahara Brewery from Japan echoes the
view of the Portuguese pavilion organizer, “We do not need to meet many visitors
but just a few good ones who are real potential buyers are sufficient for us. This is
Coming next our purpose in participating, to make business and we are satisfied.”
Wine & Gourment Asia A number of exhibitors took the opportunity to showcase their products to
Nov 3-5 2010 chefs and to meet up with existing customers. Steve Tan, Director of Vismark
The Venetian Macao Food Industries from Singapore said, “Our products are already exported to
www.wineandgourmetasia.com a couple of big hotels in Macau so we are taking this chance to build deeper
relationships with our clients.”

56 AHCT December 2009

 A pp o i n t me n t s
Worldhotels has announced the appointment
of Leonie Ameringer as Director of
e-marketing. Previously Ameringer was in
charge of all online distribution activities for
Hilton in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
She also worked for KLM in e-sales and
marketing communications. Ameringer has
a degree in cultural sciences with majors in
marketing and tourism management.
Leonie Ameringer
Worldhotels has appointed Robert van der
Graaf as Director Marketing Services. After
seven years with Hilton, he joined Worldhotels
five years ago in a role generating development.
Van der Graaf holds a Bachelors degree in
hospitality management from the renowned
Hotelschool The Hague.
Robert van der Graaf
Ayana Resort & Spa Bali has appointed Yoan
Irma as Director of Weddings. Australian-
educated Irma brings a wealth of event
planning and wedding expertize to the resort,
having previously held senior positions with
Bali-based events company M&M Innovation
Concepts and the Conrad Bali Resort & Spa’s
weddings team.
Yoan Irma
Ayana Resort & Spa Bali has appointed
Melinda Kusnadi as Director of Sales.
Indonesian, English, German and Dutch
speaker Kusnadi has previous sales experience
with Marriott and will oversee the global sales
strategy with personal responsibility for the
Australian market.
Melinda Kusnadi
Singapore based GHM has announced the
appointment of Stefan Noll as General
Manager of The Chedi Club at Tanah Gajah,
Ubud. Noll joined GHM in November 2005
and has previous experience with Mandarin
Oriental after education in Germany and
Switzerland.
Stefan Noll
Michel Rochat has been named as head of
the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. A member
of the school’s board of governors since 2003,
Rochat has extensive education management
experience, most notably as General Director
of the entire tertiary education system for the
Swiss Canton de Vaud.
Michel Rochat
58 AHCT December 2009
Fits
Matthias Roeke has been appointed as
General Manager of China World Summit
Wing, Beijing, by Shangri-La Hotels and
in a small
Resorts. A German national with twenty years
of hospitality management experience, Roeke
has been with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
for six years. Roeke attended hotel school
Matthias Roeke
training in his native Germany, commencing
his professional career in Berlin. space
Sofitel Plaza Hanoi has announced the
appointment of Christophe Marcel
Strahm as Director of F&B. Stahm holds
a Masters degree in Business Administration
from the European Université de Lausanne,
Switzerland. Strahm also has over 5 years’
experience in Food and Beverage Management
at various hotels and food enterprises.
Christophe Marcel Strahm
Hilton Petaling Jaya has appointed Denis
Vecchiato as its new Executive Chef.
Vecchiato began his culinary career 13 years
ago in Venice, Italy, and has since worked in
some of the most luxurious and upscale hotels
around the world.
Denis Vecchiato
Marco Veringa has been appointed F&B
Manager/Executive Chef at the United
Services Recreation Club. Veringa brings 25
years of experience to the position. Having
started his career in the Netherlands he moved
to Asia and has led teams at the Royal Hong
Kong Yacht Club and Hong Kong Golf
Club. He will take charge of the club’s overall
Culinary Operations
Marco Veringa
Preferred Hotel Group has announced that
Peggy Yip will be responsible for marketing
initiatives, partner relations and revenue-
generating strategies for it and its members A tailor made washing system to meet everyone’s needs
in Asia Pacific. With a wealth of hospitality In a little bit more than one square meter the new Comenda AC2A features
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Thanks to its corner configuration it fits perfectly everywhere, thus making it
Bachelor of Science degrees at New York
University. the clever solution for small and medium-sized catering businesses. As a result
Peggy Yip
to Comenda’s commitment to design products with a low environmental
impact, the AC2A prevents any risk of energy waste and performs
The St. Regis, Singapore has appointed an exact evaluation for the rinse water consumption and the chemicals.
Amadeo Zarzosa as General Manager. The
Spaniard was previously at Atlantis, The Palm
in Dubai and has been in hospitality for 30
years. Zarzosa is a graduate of Slough Hotel
Hospitality College in Britain.
designed for hygiene
Amadeo Zarzosa
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