Luxury travel market is expected to reach $ 1,614.4 billion by 2026. In the extensively researched book ‘The Emerald Handbook of Luxury Management for Hospitality and Tourism’, detailed and insightful discussions on the latest and greatest in luxury tourism and hospitality industry is presented.
Read MoreAloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park appoints Sita Lekshmi as General Manager
She will be responsible to create new business opportunities, develop talent, development plans, and guidelines to maintain market leadership
Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park has appointed Sita Lekshmi as the new General Manager. An enthusiastic hotelier with an urge to create innovative and bespoke experiences, she comes with over 15 years of experience.
An effective leader, in her new role she will lead complete operations at the hotel. She will be responsible to create new business opportunities, develop talent, development plans, and guidelines to maintain market leadership. With her skills and experience, she aims to build Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park as a preferred destination for social gatherings including weddings and a sought after space for Gen-Y travellers.
Lekshmi plans to take Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park to the next level by creating more interesting business plans and offerings for business travellers to have a comfortable stay and for millennials to relax and unwind. She has a proven track record of leading and executing business strategies.
Lekshmi holds a B.Sc degree in Hospitality Administration from IHM Kovalam, followed by an MBA degree in Human Resources Management and a PGDM in Guest Service Management from Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development. She commenced her hospitality journey by working with Oberoi Hotels for the first seven years of her career in F&B and room division.
She joined Accor in 2014 in sales and marketing. She grew her way in sales to become Director of Sales and then moved back to operations in 2019 as Rooms Division Manager. Lekshmi’s last assignment was at the ibis Kochi City Centre as General Manager before joining Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park at Outer Ring Road
Lekshmi is a state council member of the Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce, India, Hospitality and Tourism- Kerala chapter. Through this platform, she has conducted various activities during the second wave of the pandemic to ensure the mental well-being of not only female hoteliers but also the members of the hospitality industry as a whole. She is a fitness enthusiast and a yoga lover. When not at work, she loves to paint, garden, and read.
He joined Absolute Hotel Services at Eastin Easy Aishwarya Talegaon as Front Office Manager and was later promoted to Rooms Division Manager
Absolute Hotel Services India has promoted Prashant Shewale as Regional Manager – Revenue & Distribution. A hotel management graduate, he did his Business Administration from Greenwich University.
Shewale has over a decade of experience in operations, predominantly in the rooms division, with a sizeable tenure in the UK, notably with ibis and Novotel.
He joined Absolute Hotel Services at Eastin Easy Aishwarya Talegaon as Front Office Manager and outperformed to be promoted as Rooms Division Manager. Astute with numbers and a slant towards analytics, he has shown immense interest in understanding markets, revenue models, distribution networks and its implication on business.
“Absolute Hotel Services as a hotel operator is known to recognize, develop and nurture talent, empowering individuals to flourish in their space of interest. Homegrown aptitude always gives us the advantage of a clear understanding of our vision, culture, work style amongst other characteristics, hence Prashant’s advancement is in line with our Human Resource practices, as we keep increasing our footprints. Revenue and Distribution is one of our key pillars in our management process and he will fittingly shoulder this responsibility”, said Shalil Suvarna, VP – Operations & Pre-Opening of Absolute Hotel Services India
The UAE has eased capacity and social distance restrictions that were imposed on restaurants and venues across the country.
In line with the decision of the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, the capacity restrictions on food establishments have now been removed. Restaurants can return to pre-covid-19 conditions with 100 percent capacity.
Restaurant employees and customers need to still wear a facemask. Moreover, disinfection protocols remain unchanged.
Shisha cafes can return to 100 percent capacity with strict adherence to the standards of the Federal Tobacco Control Law, which states that two square meters per person in the smoking area.
As of Friday, February 25, the UAE reported 696 Covid-19 cases, 1,916 recoveries, 1 death.
Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology is going to host its 12th India International Hotel, Travel & Tourism Research Conference
Read MoreBLACK EYED BEANS TO BINGE ON
Also known as chawli beans or lobia it is one of the commonly available variety in the family of legumes and pulses which have come a long way offering their fruitful uses and benefits to us in our diets over the years. This is very popular in our day to day cooking and is prepared in a number of ways from starters to soups, from dips to salads from stews to curries and from Chaats to kebabs!
Lobia to me as a chef has been very kind enough to come about getting itself incorporated and transform into various forms, textures and even accepting flavors on the whole giving me great opportunities to impress my guests with wondrous recipes with lobia for instance the sun dried tomato and lobia paniyarams, the chawli bean pancakes, the lobia waffles with peanut butter salsa, nizami nargisi lobia wale chaap, black eyed beans in coconut gravy, lobia cheelas, dosas and uttappams etc.
Here are a few health benefits of Black Eyed Beans:
1. Lobia are said to be full of proteins, fiber and great source of potassium in our day to day diet.
2. Lobia also are a good source of iron and assist a lot in weight loss as well.
3. Lobia is good for the heart, a great anti-oxidant and also low in fat.
4. Lobia are good for our bone health and also helps in lowering of blood pressure.
5. Lobia promotes skin health and is also said to wash away free radicals, overall it has most of the essential nutrients for our body.
A few Culinary Uses of Black eyed beans:
1. Soaked, boiled add a dash of chaat masala or salt and crushed black pepper with a splash of fresh lime in a bowl being enjoyed the way it is, is heavenly.
2. Chawli beans as it is also called is a popular choice for us to make in a slightly gravy form while some like it with steaming hot boiled rice or jeera rice and some prefer to have phulkas or hot parathas, salad and curd or raita.
3. Black eyed peas/beans is also popular in many international cuisines as well from being tossed into salads and quick fix meal bowls, one pot dishes, stir fries, baked dishes and stews!
4. Try lobia with a number of exotic veggies like zucchini, Babycorn, red capsicums, asparagus, mushrooms etc and add a touch of garlic and tomatoes in a stew format with fresh herbs and simmer it, serve the stew with toasted garlic bread.
4. While many of us like lobia with a spicy wet coconut based masala too the flavor of the coconut compliments chawli beans quite well, it can also be enjoyed with dosas, uttappams, appams etc too.
5. Lobia with fresh greens like methi, dill leaves, palak, coriander welcome each other pretty well and It can be prepared as a main course or even as a side dish to go with the main course with less oil and spices, healthy and nutri rich as well.
6. Lobia in the form or dahi bhallas, Kachories, steamed lobia idlis, dhokla with lobia ka atta, lobia goes well into a handvo concept as well. Always try to think of a mix- n- match concept when it comes to ingredients like lobia since it needs a little planning and it emerges as a winner at the end of it
Do try out these Simple- Healthy- Nutritious Black Eyed Bean Recipes:
Recipe-1] LAJAWAB BLACK EYED BEAN CURRY
Ingredients:
Chawli beans/lobia- 1 cup, cleaned and soaked for 1 hour in 3 cups water.
Oil/ghee- 2 tsp
Cinnamon stick- 1-inch piece
Cumin seeds- 1/ 2 tsp
Hing- 1 pinch
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Onions- 2 small chopped
Tomatoes- 2 med sized puree
Salt to taste
Kasuri methi- 1 tsp
Red chili powder- ½ tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Garam masala powder- ¼ tsp
Water as needed to cook
Fresh coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients the black eyed bean recipe.
2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add in the cumin and cinnamon stick and after 15 seconds add in the onions and saute till pink, add ginger garlic paste.
3. Add little water as required and add in the tomatoes, salt and all masalas, kasuri methi and mix well for 30 seconds.
4. Drain off the water from the chawli and add it into the pan, and saute on a medium flame for 2-3 mins add in water 2-3 cups and bring to a boil, cover and cook for 30-45 mins or use a pressure cooker
5. Finally add in the garam masala powder and coriander leaves and mix well, check for seasonings and adjust texture accordingly and serve with roti or rice.
Recipe- 2] MURGH AUR BLACK EYED BEANS KI JUGALBANDI
Ingredients:
Chawli beans/ lobia-1 cup- boiled.
Boneless chicken cubes- 250 gms.
Oil/butter- 2 tsp
Bayleaf- 2 no
Peppercorns-4- 5
Slit red chilies- 2 no.
Onions- ½ cup chop
Garlic- 1 tsp chop
Salt and pepper to taste
Cumin powder- ½ tsp
Tomato puree-1/2 cup
Veg stock/water- 2-3 cups
Assorted vegetables- carrots, peas, potatoes, mushrooms etc.
Soy granules or soy chunks can also be used with lobia beans.
Chicken – breast pieces or leg or drumstick with bones- 600gms cut
Chicken sausages-2-3 no. sliced.
Mixed herbs-1 tsp
Chili flakes-1 tsp
White wine/red wine- 2 tsp optional.
Parsley/coriander- 2 tbsp. chop.
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the stew recipe.
2. Heat oil/butter in a pan and add in the whole spices.
3. Add in the onions, garlic and saute for few mins.
4. Now add in the drained lobia, chicken curry cuts/boneless cubes and sausages or vegetables as per choice and tomato puree, salt and all spices to taste
5. Saute the mixture for 1 min, add in liquid in the form of water or stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 30- 45 mins until the beans are well softened and chicken too is cooked well.
6. Add in the wine if being used and parsley/coriander leaves and simmer for another 3-4 mins keep the gravy medium in this case as being served with french bread or bread rolls, serve hot.
Recipe-3] GREENS AND BEANS MASALA
Ingredients:
Chawli beans- 1 cup boiled.
Spinach- 1 bunch, cleaned, washed, blanched, and chopped.
Methi leaves-1/2 cup chopped
Oil/ghee- 2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Dried red chili-2 no.
Ginger garlic and green chili paste- 1 and a half tsp
Onion paste-1/2 cup
Tomatoes- ½ cup chopped
Salt to taste
Coriander powde-1 tsp
Cumin powder- ½ tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
Amchur powder-1/2 tsp
Water as needed
Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves-2 tbsp. for garnish.
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan add in the cumin and dry red chili and then add in the onion paste and ginger garlic chili paste to saute it all well, keep adding little water as needed. Add in the tomatoes, salt and all powdered spices and bhunao well for 3-4 mins on a medium flame.
3. Add in the boiled lobia and chopped spinach, methi and blend it all well in the pan, add a little water and simmer for 3-4 mins, check for seasonings, add in the aamchur powder, garam masala powder and coriander towards the end and serve hot with rotis, naans, missi rotis and laccha parathas.
Recipe 4: BLACK EYED BEAN CHATPATA CHAAT
Ingredients:
Boiled lobia- 1 cup
Khara boondi-1/4 tsp
Boiled cubes of potatoes-1/2 cup
Cucumber -1 small cubed
Tomatoes-1 small diced
Green chilies- 1 tsp chop
Onion- 2 tbsp. chopped
Mint leaves- 2 tbsp.
Coriander leaves-2 tbsp.
Chaat masala-1 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Roasted crushed jeera powder-1/2 tsp
Lime juice- 2 tbsp.
Imli chutney- 2-3 tbsp.
Schezuan chutney-1 -2 tsp if desired.
Crushed Papdi, sev, bhujiya or cornflakes chiwda for topping/garnish.
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the chaat.
2. Assemble all ingredients into the mixing bowl one by one and add in the seasonings, spices, sauces, chutneys etc and give it a nice toss and mix.
3. Seasonal fruits like mango cubes, grapes, chickoo cubes, pomegranate seeds can also be incorporated into the chaat to make it more nutritious.
4. Add in the mint and coriander leaves on the top along with the farsan or namkeen toppings, for non-veg options for this chaat one may add boiled cubes of eggs, boiled or tandoori chicken tikka pieces, sauté prawns etc.
Recipe- 5] BLACK EYED BEAN WALA DUM PULAO
Ingredients:
Basmati rice- 2 cups soaked for 20 mins
Soaked black-eyed beans-1 cup for 30 mins
Oil-2 tsp
Ghee-2 tsp
Bay leaf- 2 no
Peppercorns- 4-5 no
Cloves- 3-4 no
Ginger- garlic paste-2 tsp
Onions- 1 cup sliced
Tomatoes- 1 cup fresh puree
Salt to taste
Potato cubes-1 cup
Coriander powder-2 tsp
Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder-1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder -1/2 tsp
Water- 4 cups
Kasoori methi-1 tsp
Coriander leaves-2-3 tbsp.
Fried onions-1/2 cup for garnish
Fried nuts- ½ cup for garnish
To serve with:
Curd / raita/ papad/ pickle.
Method
1. Prepare all the ingredients as listed for the rice and bean recipe.
2. Heat oil and ghee in a pan, add in the whole spices, onions and saute for 1 min. add in the ginger-garlic paste, tomato puree and cook.
3. Add in the kasoori methi, all powdered spices, and salt to taste, and bhuna for a few minutes.
4. Now add in the drained black-eyed beans, the drained rice and add in the water/stock and bring to a boil.
5. Simmer the rice and allow the pulao to cook well, absorb all the moisture and once it is all set, remove onto serving plates, garnish and serve hot with fried onions and nuts, enjoy the recipe with bowl of curd/ raita.
Recipe- 6] BLACK EYED BEANS TOSSED SALAD
Ingredients:
For the base of the salad:
Ice berg lettuce/ Lollorosso lettuce- 1 cup
For the body of the salad:
Boiled black eyed beans-1 cup
Boiled sweet potato cubes- ½ cup
Boiled sweet corn-1/4 cup
Green and yellow zucchini- ½ cup small dices
Tomato-1 med sized, de-seed and cut into small dices
Assorted moong sprouts- ½ cup
Black and green olives- 3-4 no sliced.
For the dressing:
Olive oil-2-3 tbsp.
Honey-2 tsp
Mango pickle masala from the jar- 2-3 tsp
Lime juice-2 tsp
Chaat masala- ½ tsp
Roasted crushed cumin powder- ½ tsp
White vinegar-2 tsp
Grated jaggery-2 tsp
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
For the garnish of the salad:
Assorted nuts / seeds/ micro-greens/ olives etc as desired.
Mint leaves
Parsley leaves
Method:
1. Prepare all the parts of the salad as listed above and keep it ready.
2. Clean and rinse the lettuce leaves and place them in the serving salad plate after placing them on water absorbent kitchen towels.
3. In a bowl/ jar, shake together the ingredients for the dressing and give them a nice shake/ stir/ mix and toss it all well. Add some chopped dates in case it gets too sour.
4. Just before serving the salad, add in the body of the salad into the dressing and toss the salad well and check for seasonings, adjust accordingly.
5. Dish out the salad on a bed of crispy salad leaves, add garnishes of your choice from greens to nuts/seeds/ for non-veg variations try adding boiled cubes of chicken/ sliced chicken sausages/ boiled cubed eggs etc.
Novotel Kolkata has appointed Hitesh Mehta as Director of Finance. Over the past 14 years, he has worked with Hyatt Regency Chandigarh, JW Marriott Chandigarh, Indore Marriott Hotel, Le Meridian Nagpur, The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, and ICICI Bank.
Mehta is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce. He will organize and direct the team to supervise all revenues and expenses and all inventories in his current role. He will also be responsible for managing the day-to-day financial reporting and controlling requirements of the departments and will be required to review and analyze management accounts.
Mehta will plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate the activities of the personnel involved in the organization’s accounting and other financial functions. He will also analyze and interpret financial data and recommend changes to improve financial performance and maintain an account of all the transactions. He will be responsible for budget and cost controls, financial analysis, accounting practices, and reports.
The New boutique lifestyle Hub in Aqaba “Ayla” and Kerten Hospitality extend partnership with one-of-a-kind Hospitality offering
DUBAI: February , 2022: Following the success of the “Cloud 7 Residences Ayla Aqaba” which has been operating since July 2020, "Ayla " and Kerten Hospitality agreed to manage another one-of-a-kind Hospitality Hub to further diversify the hospitality offering and continue to increase the footfall.
“The Pulse", a Cloud 7 Boutique Hotel, consists of 75 rooms located at the Marina Village, the heart of Ayla - a real estate leisure hub with the potential to be a second home destination. It is a tailored destination seeking to attract wanderlusters and exploration lovers and seeking to become an attractive Business Hub suited for short and extended stays that will constantly evolve throughout the seasons, attracting a diverse audience for a variety of immersive experiences along with dedicated workspaces for ‘bleisure’ travelers, guests, music and art lovers.
Ayla’s Managing Director, Sahl Dudin, said: “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with "Kerten Hospitality" following their great success in managing the " Cloud 7 Residences" and we entrust the Group with the management of "The Pulse Hotel" whilst seeking to expand our hotel accommodation and entertainment offerings in Jordan in addition to the real estate development projects. Since its launch, Ayla has taken the initiative to work on promoting and diversifying the tourism offers in Aqaba. Our commitment to grow the hospitality and real estate facilities would not have been possible without the right partners.”
Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality said: “Our vision and efforts have always been exerted to create local collaborations and bring projects to life with depth and purpose that allow to bring communities together. Our relationship with Ayla has developed where we share and motivate new ideas for development; we are truly looking forward to bring this next project to life.”
This vibrant unique Boutique Hotel is aligned with Kerten Hospitality’s DNA to transcend spaces into locations for art and design lovers, and entrepreneurs who seek impactful collaborations, meaningful connections and a place to attend and host creative workshops and entrepreneurial networking events. The facilities, interior design and communal spaces have all been tailored to fit this unique environment.
Anantara Siam Bangkok Announces Key Culinary Appointments at Thailand’s Flagship Hotel
Bangkok, February 2022 – Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas announces four key culinary appointments at the international hotel group’s Bangkok flagship property – Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel.
Jérémy Jouan - Executive Chef
Chef Jérémy began his career at the one-Michelin-starred Château de Bagnols in his native France, before embarking on a culinary journey that saw him honing his skills in some of the world’s most famous kitchens – from the two-Michelin-starred La Chèvre d'Or, France; to Alain and Michel Roux’s three-Michelin-starred The Waterside Inn outside London; and the famed two-Michelin-starred Restaurant DANIEL in New York.
He joins Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel from The Oberoi, Marrakech, where he oversaw five food and beverage outlets as the Executive Chef. Prior to working in Morocco, he was the Executive Sous Chef at InterContinental Hanoi Landmark72 in Vietnam and held Chef de Cuisine positions at Armani Hotel Dubai; Burj Al Arab; and Capital Club Dubai.
Jérémy holds a Master’s Degree in Culinary Arts from École Hôtelière de Marseille and attained two national diplomas from Lycée des Métiers Alexandre Dumas in Cavaillon, France. In 2003 he was crowned the runner up in the Meilleurs Apprentis Cuisinier de France (The Best Apprentice Chefs in France) competition.
In his new role at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel Chef Jérémy Jouan will oversee the hotel’s award-winning restaurants and the annual World Gourmet Festival event, Bangkok’s oldest international culinary spectacular.
Anupong Nualchawee - Cluster Executive Pastry Chef
Thai-born Anupong is no stranger to the limelight in Asia, having won the Eat List Star television show search for the next big culinary personality in 2017; co-presented the McDang cooking show on Thai television; and participated in Cleo Magazine’s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors competition in 2015.
He started his professional career as Executive Personal Chef for the Thai Royal Family at Chakri Bongkot Palace in Pathum Thani in 2008, before relocating to the United States where he took up various Assistant Pastry Chef positions from Florida to New Hampshire. Anupong returned to Bangkok to take the helm in the pastry kitchen for various hotel openings and a rebranding, including Le Méridien Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa, and The Athenee Hotel and The St. Regis Bangkok where he led both culinary teams as Executive Pastry Chef.
The part-time lecturer at Bangkok University and Walailongkorn University holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Dusit Thani College Bangkok’s Faculty of Hospitality Industry; a Certificate of Master Chocolate Dessert from l’École Valrhona in Japan; and Certificates of Master Sugar Showpiece and Master Chocolate Showpiece from the Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia.
Anupong will also oversee operations at the brand’s Anantara Bangkok Riverside Hotel as well as its sister property Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel.
Kevin Montorfano - Chef de Cuisine, Biscotti Restaurant
Swiss-Italian national Kevin joins the Michelin Guide-listed Italian restaurant and Bangkok’s favourite trattoria from Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo where he was the Head Chef at Pesce Italian fine dining restaurant.
Starting his career as Commis Chef at the 17-point-Gault&Millau Villa Sassa Hotel & Spa in Lugano, Kevin relocated to the Middle East in 2013 and held Chef de Partie positions at Al Muntaha at the Burj Al Arab; Vanitas at Palazzo Versace; and the three-Michelin-starred Quique Dacosta restaurant’s popup in Dubai.
Kevin’s culinary journey took him to London’s Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in 2017 where he held the position of Demi Chef de Partie at the two-Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. In 2018 he returned to his homeland to take up the Sous Chef position at L´Accademia at the Beau-Rivages Palace in Lausanne.
Chef Kevin attained a Culinary Degree from the Hospitality and Management School of Lugano, Switzerland.
Alexandre Castaldi - Executive Sous Chef
French-born Chef Alexandre Castaldi joins Anantara’s Bangkok flagship hotel from Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel where he held the Executive Sous Chef position.
Alex made his first foray into the Asian culinary scene in 2011 as Chef de Partie at Sofitel Bangkok Silom Hotel, after which he returned to his native France to complete his two-year Brevet de Technicien Supérieur diploma in Hospitality Catering at Lycée Hotelier de Marseille. While studying, he started honing his culinary skills as a Commis Chef under legendary three-Michelin-starred Chef Alain Senderens, one of the founders of the nouvelle cuisine movement, and then as Chef de Partie at the one-Michelin-starred Restaurant Le Céladon in the heart of Paris.
In 2014, Alex returned to Bangkok to take up the role of Executive Sous Chef at Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant, and in 2016 he took the helm as Executive Chef at the Hong Kong edition of the popular French eatery.
The opening of SEEN Restaurant & Bar, Bangkok’s newest society rooftop hangout, in 2018 and the opportunity to work alongside Olivier da Costa, one of Portugal’s most successful chefpreneurs, lured him back to the City of Angels as Chef de Cuisine. In 2020 Chef Alex was appointed as Executive Sous Chef at Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel where SEEN is located.
Alma Resort Cam Ranh Welcomes Son Hoang Le as Director of Sales
CAM RANH, Vietnam FEB 2022– A talented hospitality professional with more than 16 years of experience in sales, marketing, events, and operations at some of Vietnam’s most acclaimed hotels has been named Alma’s director of sales.
Vietnamese national Son Hoang Le’s appointment to the 30-hectare family resort, with 196 pavilions and 384 suites overlooking Long Beach on Vietnam’s Cam Ranh peninsula, comes after he worked at the Caravelle Saigon as the director of room sales.
Before that, he was the director of sales and marketing at Diamond Bay Vung Tau Resort & Spa and the director of sales at Hotel Majestic Saigon.
Son embarked on his hospitality career in early 2005 as a bellman at the Caravelle Saigon, where he spent the next 10 years also working as a receptionist, night supervisor and banquet sales executive, learning about various facets of the hotel business.
He moved to the Hotel Nikko Saigon to become a corporate sales executive, before progressing to the Pullman Hanoi where he became a sales manager and then an acting senior sales manager.
Son holds a Bachelor of Arts, English Linguistics and Literature at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and also studied electronics at Cao Thang College. Both institutions are based in Ho Chi Minh City.
Describing him as “an excellent negotiator and strategic thinker”, Alma’s managing director Herbert-Laubichler Pichler said Son’s background in operations enriched his leadership abilities among the hotel’s management ranks and, coupled with his rich sales and marketing experience, placed him in great stead to spearhead the resort’s ambitious sales efforts for 2022.
Bold, spacious and emblematic of Vietnam’s maturation as a destination, the independently owned and operated Alma features 14 food and beverage outlets and a cascade of 12 beachfront swimming pools. Other drawing cards include a science museum, 6000 square metre waterpark, 13-treatment room spa, art gallery, cinema, convention centre, amphitheatre, youth centre with virtual reality games, kid’s club, water sports centre, gymnasium and yoga room and an 18-hole putting green.
To contact Alma or to make a booking, please visit alma-resort.com or email info@alma-resort.com
The Fern Hotels & Resorts, India’s leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain will be opening six more hotels in the first half of the calendar year, taking the tally to 88 operational properties across 70 locations by June 2022, the CEO of the company, Suhail Kannampilly said.
The company will be opening two more hotels in Gujarat which will further expand its footprint to 24 properties in the State, Suhail said. One of the resorts in Jamboghoda, Gujarat is spread across 6 acres of land and will have 108 rooms.
Similarly, two new hotels will be opened in Maharashtra, one in Navi Mumbai with 76 keys and another in Lonavala, with 24 villa rooms. Besides, the other two hotels will be in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, and another luxurious tent resort in the Union Territory of Diu with 90 rooms. Altogether the company will be adding 393 keys in the first half of the year which will take the overall key count to over 5100.
Informing the expansion of the Fern Hotels during the past few months he said, “Despite the terrible second wave which impacted the hospitality industry very badly, we still opened new hotels in Pune, Haridwar and Hubballi.”
Expressing his optimism about the business growth for the hospitality industry in the ensuing financial year he said, “we hope that the worst of the covid is behind us and we are expecting improved occupancies and ARRs”.
The Fern Hotels & Resorts is India’s leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain and amongst the fastest growing hotel brands in India, with 88 hotels & resorts currently operational under management or opening shortly across 70 locations in India and internationally, under The Fern, The Fern Residency, The Zinc by The Fern and Beacon Hotels brands. The company is a part of CG Corp Global, a multi-dimensional Nepalese conglomerate.
Care as a term or measure of service is most commonly used in healthcare or medicine. I believe it can be a pivotal service differentiator.
Here are 3 Actionable Insights for the service leader that cares:
1. Hire With Care
If you only want to implement one thing from this insight start with this. Hire with care includes making hiring decisions with a lot of care, and adding a ton of care to your entire candidate experience. From your careers website to the communication, to the real world interview, everything should exude care for the candidate.
2. Assess For Care
Does your selection process check for a care parameter? A good selection process checks for KSA - Knowledge, Skills & Attitude. Now some might point to that and say doesn't attitude assessment include care? If it does for your organisation, kudos, but what I generally see is 'pleasant personality' checks. While a smiling, warm persona is a very good thing to have, it does not mean the person is high on care score.
Care checks could include, checking for listening skills, the ability to make someone feel welcome, being interested in the other person's story, being positive, showing concern, creating solutions, explaining things clearly.
3. Embed Care
This is super powerful. Embed every process with care. Ensure that there is a core CARE element for both your team and your guests.
Real-World Examples
For Hire With Care
Here is a hack that can make you a super boss:
take everything good that you do for your guests/customers and do it for your team.
Reservation confirmation is (usually) an email that is sent to the customer once the booking is confirmed. This has the guest details, dates, type of room, payment, any other services etc. Some hotels have improved this to include information about the country, city, airport, directions and even things to see & do. Imagine if you sent a similar confirmation for interviews.
The candidate gets the following in an email:
Date, time, venue of the interview
About the company, unit, city
An introduction to the interview panel. A little write up whom they will meet with or maybe LinkedIn URLs. You can also use this to see how much research the candidate does. Do they care enough to read about the people they will meet with?
Any other information that is important - dress code, parking rules, use of changing rooms etc.
How much time the entire process might take. If there are steps (like written tests, online tests etc) these could be mentioned too.
On the day of the interview, imagine the security guard at the staff entrance actually welcoming them and wishing them all the best! Letting them know where they can get ready/changed for the interview.
For Assess For Care
While most interviews check for knowledge and skills (thing tests, food trials, make-a-room or set-a-table challenges), add a formal process to assess for care.
How? Simulations. Give the candidate an elaborate scenario or situation. This could be a fictional case or even better is to take something from your 'incident logs'. Sometimes the responses, ideas, from candidates will surprise you and make you rethink your team's response.
In these responses, look for care. If that quality comes through, you can always train them on hard skills.
For Embed Care
An example of Care For Restaurant Service Staff.
Health experts commonly recommend drinking about 2 litres of water a day. Do you make this happen for your team? Have you created a process to measure this? Help them with it, or even ensure they do?
What if you used a little whiteboard in the back area, with everyone's name and 8 glass icons that they keep filling in. What if you as a leader kept checking it and once in a while stopped someone and made sure they had a sip? What if we cared that much?
The good thing about caring is that you can keep doing more of it. For example, once you achieve the above for your team, you can do the following: for climes that are cold, you can keep warm water for your team in the service area.
Hey! Thank you for reading till the end. Do get in touch - p.bedi@eclathospitality.com - if you would like to:
receive a sample of a CARE interview email confirmation,
add 'assess for care' to your interviews
set up amazing 'incident logs'
create more CARE for your teams
p.s. If you think this insight could be useful to someone, do care to share.
This is Insight #28. For all insights published so far, do visit www.eclathospitality.com/insights
Prabhjot
Bedi
is an Hospitality Ideator. A process innovator, trainer, and professional speaker, he has worked with the Taj Group of Hotels, conducted training programs for hospitality leaders, launched a National Council Accredited Hospitality Institute as Principal, successfully launched and sold three hospitality businesses. He now assists hospitality leaders and educators in creating superlative services and products. He also edits the very popular www.hospemag.com - the largest hospitality career e-mag
She will lead India and South Asia Commercial Team to achieve business targets for all Accor hotels in the region while ensuring the execution of global strategies
Accor has appointed Pratima Badhwar as the Head of Commercial India & South Asia. With an extensive background in Sales and Distribution in the hospitality industry, she will lead India and South Asia Commercial Team to achieve business targets for all Accor brands and hotels in the region while ensuring the execution of global strategies.
Throughout her 19-year long career, Badhwar has been a key contributor to various hotel leadership teams as a collaborator, effective communicator, and result-oriented individual driving business growth through exemplary organizational capabilities. Her forte is creating and managing high-performing teams that offer intangible products to translate her ideas into results.
Congratulating Badhwar on her appointment, Puneet Dhawan, Senior VP Operations, India and South Asia said “Pratima comes with vast expertise in the sales domain and will surely drive Accor’s commitment to offer the best experience to our guests and owners. Having worked in the field, upholding various senior management roles, she brings with her strong expertise, and we are confident that her knowledge and approach to hospitality along with her passionate outlook will further enhance our positioning in the industry.”
On her appointment, Badhwar, “Accor has a rich hospitality legacy, and I am absolutely delighted to join the commercial leadership team. I look forward to deep diving into the distinctive brands and discerning the best strategies that will bring out their unique color all under the Accor umbrella, as one.”
Badhwar holds a diploma in Hotel Management from IHMCTAN Chandigarh, affiliated with IHM Pusa. In the past, she has been associated with Marriott International. In her most recent assignment, she was the Area Director of Sales and Distribution – North India, Nepal and Bhutan and was responsible for defining and leading sales and pricing strategy, strategizing effective pricing across all segments, evaluating market demand trends, and identifying and communicating strategic opportunities amongst many others.
It will operate 540 service apartments of both brands in Lucknow
Real estate company, Omaxe Ltd, has on-boarded Eastin Hotel and Eastin Easy, the 4-star and 3-star brands of hotels by Absolute Hotel Services (AHS), to manage and operate 540 serviced apartments in its project Omaxe Hazratganj in Lucknow.
This is the first foray of AHS, a hospitality management company, in the emerging North Indian market. The company operates 11 properties across West and East India. Atharva Hotel Superfluities is a Bridge company that has brought together AHS and Omaxe.
Spread across 4.13 Lakh sq. ft., the G+12 storeyed Omaxe Hazratganj in Gomti Nagar extension will have space for retail, food court, multiplex and serviced apartments. The serviced apartments would be operated as international hotels, the largest one in Lucknow, making it a destination in itself.
Commenting on the development, Jatin Goel, Director, Omaxe Ltd said, “This association with Absolute Hotel Services is another step in our endeavor to provide to our patrons the best-in-class international services. Lucknow is one of the most visited cities in North India for purposes ranging from business to healthcare, tourism, education, etc., and Omaxe Hazratganj, located in an emerging commercial and institutional hub, will cater to all kinds of consuming class.”
Prawal Choudhary, Director-Business Development, AHS India, said, “This association with Omaxe heralds us into the league of scale and magnitude. Sensing an enormous opportunity, Omaxe Hazratganj has the confluence of two Brands, Eastin Hotel and Eastin Easy, expanding diversity in offerings, both product and services, thus substantiating our brand essence of providing ‘value for all occasions’ and quality.”
A multitude of offerings, ranging from a plethora of room options, all-day multi-cuisine restaurant, contemporary bar and a microbrewery, fitness centre, spa, swimming pool and huge banquets along with Club Membership will be provided to the patrons.
Omaxe Hazratganj is a part of an integrated township in Gomti Nagar Extension, an upcoming hotspot in Lucknow. The project is located along Shaheed Path Road, the semi-circular road around main Lucknow – connecting Kanpur Road with Raebareli Road, Sultanpur Road and Faizabad Road thereby enabling the smooth movement of people and goods; and also, with the International Airport. Aided and supported by corporates in IT/BFSI, healthcare and education sectors and the Government’s infrastructure developments like CG City, cancer Hospital, Cricket Stadium, Police Headquarters etc., the region is becoming the latest attraction for commercial, residential, malls and hospitality activities in Lucknow.
Culinary Culture announces FoodSuperstars, India’s first and only Awards platform celebrating Chefs
~ India’s leading culinary platform, Culinary Culture, will reveal the first edition of their annual Chef ranking recognising the country’s greatest Chefs on 19th March 2022
India, February, 2022: With an aim to recognize and reward India’s most talented chefs, Culinary Culture announces FoodSuperstars, a first of its kind annual ranking of the top 30 Chefs from across India.
Culinary Culture, the foremost culinary platform in the country, was Co-founded by Vir Sanghvi, India’s most respected food critic and Sameer Sain, Co-founder and CEO of the Everstone Group. It was established to transform the perception of India’s culinary culture globally. It is all set to now reward Chefs as the true heroes of the Indian Food & Beverage industry.
FoodSuperstars will release its much-awaited list of India’s top 30 chefs ranked in order from one to thirty. Each chef will receive an award and a plaque as a badge of honor and in the event the chef leaves their current restaurant/ hotel they can take the award and plaque with them.
FoodSuperstars followed a detailed selection process with nominations put forward by Culinary Culture’s seasoned community of FoodHunters consisting of over 40 food connoisseurs from across the country. Each nomination was submitted along with an explanation of why a particular chef deserves a place on the list. The process included a physical session to debate the nominations, where the FoodHunters were made to defend their choices. The final list of nominated chefs was then shared with Culinary Culture’s Secret Jury consisting of India’s topmost culinary experts and biggest foodies. The Jury further culled the list to arrive at the TOP 30 and the process was overseen by Vir Sanghvi. The final list will only be disclosed on the night of the awards ceremony and is not shared with the FoodHunters.
These are the only food rankings in India with no form of outside influence or commercial consideration. No restaurant or hotel advertisements are accepted. Along with the ranking of the Top 30, each edition will also feature special awards that will be bestowed on Chefs for exceptional achievements through the year. These will include awards for Social Activism, Sustainable Cooking Practices and an award to a Food Legend. After a very challenging two years of the pandemic, India’s F&B Industry finally has something to look forward to and celebrate.
Speaking about the launch of the new Awards platform, Vir Sanghvi, Chairman, Culinary Culture said, “While many platforms recognize restaurants, FoodSuperstars is the first platform that has been created to shine the spotlight on Chefs’ endeavors, to remind us of the real heroes who work with their hands to create the food that brings us so much joy.”
The first edition of FoodSuperstars will be launched at an invitation-only high-profile Awards ceremony at The Leela Palace, New Delhi on 19th March, 2022. The event will have in attendance, prominent chefs from over the country who will fly in for the evening as well as leaders from the food & beverage industry.
About Culinary Culture
Culinary Culture is India’s definitive voice in food. Co-founded by Vir Sanghvi, and Sameer Sain it is a movement that encompasses all aspects of the food space in India. It is the country’s only authoritative, independent rating organization, awarding stars to restaurants and recognizing and rewarding India’s best chefs and street food vendors. It organizes global culinary exchanges, bringing the world’s greatest chefs to cook in India and sends Indian chefs to cook at the best restaurants in the world. Culinary Culture creates engaging culinary content and has a large and dedicated community of followers on social media. In 2020, Culinary Culture organized events in India with Chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in France, the three Michelin starred restaurant, rated as World no.1. Culinary Culture has an academy of FoodHunters, consisting of 40+ of India’s top food experts based around the country. Culinary Culture’s various popular IPs include FoodSuperstars, Culinary Conversations, StreetFoodSuperstars, Culinary X Change and Plate of Love amongst many others.
Instagram: @CulinaryCultureCo
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) today announced the signing of a new SeleQtions resort in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. The formerly operating resort will be rebranded as Anand Kashi, an IHCL SeleQtions resort post-renovation.
Commenting on the signing, Suma Venkatesh, executive vice-president – real estate and development, IHCL, said, “IHCL remains committed to the vast tourism potential of Uttarakhand. This will be our second hotel in Rishikesh, the Yoga Capital of the world. This exciting new addition to our portfolio will offer travelers yet another breath-taking location to explore the beauty and myriad experiences the state offers. We are delighted to partner with Mira Kulkarni on this project.”
The 24-room resort is located at the foothills of the Himalayas in the Tehri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Nestled on the banks of the river Ganges, amidst lush green forests, the resort offers stunning scenic views. The hotel will have an all-day diner, bar, meeting rooms as well as banqueting facilities for social gatherings. It will also offer leisure experiences such as a swimming pool, gymnasium and wellness areas including a spa. With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have seven hotels across brands including three under development in Uttarakhand.
TAAI 66th Convention in Sri Lanka Signs Tripartite agreement with SLTPB and SLAITO
On the invitation from the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB) and Sri Lankan Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), TAAI shall be holding its 66th Convention in Sri Lanka from 19th – 22nd April 2022.
A tripartite agreement was signed on 23rd February 2022 between the parties in Colombo. TAAI will be organizing its 66th Convention in Sri Lanka in April 2022. Sri Lankan counterparts shall be extending full support in terms of accommodation, logistics, and all arrangements to welcome around 400-500 delegates from India’s oldest and nodal Travel & Tourism Association, stated Mrs. Jyoti Mayal, President of TAAI.
This convention shall not only strengthen bilateral tourism ties between the two countries but, will act as a catalyst in reviving the travel industry for both countries post the pandemic, she added. We shall create opportunities to sell products of Sri Lanka as a tourism destination but also shall be promoting Incredible India to local Sri Lankan stakeholder partners.
Jay Bhatia, Vice President stated that TAAI Conventions (Indian Travel Congress) are the most eagerly awaited events of the Travel & Tourism industry not only in India but in the overseas markets as well.
The visibility this annual event of TAAI brings to the global tourism stakeholders is fantastic. Generally, 500 to 1000 TAAI delegates are offered an excellent opportunity to network; attended b2b interactions, promote or buy, and more importantly take home some great learnings from the knowledge sessions and updated information from the destination. We are excited and are looking forward to a great opportunity after nearly 2 decades to come back to Sri Lanka for our Congress.
TAAI has a large membership who is actively involved in several industry verticals, and thus its focus is to promote these effectively and connect members with opportunities for all stakeholders i.e., Airline Ticketing, Outbound Tourism, MICE & Specialty Events, Adventure sports, Rail Journeys, and Self-drives, Cruises, Destination Promotion, Wellness, and Weddings, etc. said Bettaiah Lokesh, Hon. Secretary-General.
TAAI does these conventions for Facilitation of Bilateral Tourism, Interactions with Dignitaries i.e., Diplomatic Missions, Governments, High Commissioners, Ambassadors, etc. and Networking Events / Knowledge Sessions / Round Tables added Shreeram Patel, Hon. Treasurer.
The 66th Convention shall be historic, creating greater opportunities and enhancing travel and tourism from and to India, to create opportunities post the crisis of the pandemic.
Present on the occasion from SLTPB and SLAITO to sign the MoU were Managing Director of SLTPB Ms. KPP Siriwardana, Mr. DP Daluwatte, Director Events, President of SLAITO Mr. Thilak Weerasinghe, IPP Mr. Maheen Kariyawasan, along with their core teams and committee members and the 4 National Office Bearers of TAAI.
He will be responsible for driving revenue optimizations, key account sales, and company-wide marketing efforts at the hotel
Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa has announced the appointment of Gaurav Ganapathy as Director of Sales &Marketing. He has a defined work experience of over ten years and is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with cumulative exposure to great brands.
He will be spearheading the sales and marketing team to drive revenue optimizations, key account sales, and company-wide marketing efforts in his current role. Ganapathy is an avid cricketer and sportsman who played for the state and in multiple sports and likes to drive and explore new places in his leisure time.
While talking about his appointment, Ganapathy said, “If opportunity doesn’t knock the door, build one.” He will continuously dedicate himself to his role and lead the team to drive a stunning performance. His fresh ideas, assertiveness, and experience will add value to the team.
Gaurav Basnet has joined Pushpam Lords Resort Karjat as General Manager. An accomplished hospitality professional with over 17 years of experience, he has a postgraduate degree in Business Management from XLRI.
Basnet spent the initial days of his professional career at ITC Windsor Sheraton and Towers, Bengaluru, as Restaurant Manager and Marriott International New Delhi. He later joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts (West Bengal) as Operations Manager.
He later moved to Golkonda Hotel & Resorts in Hyderabad as Operations Manager. He worked with Goa’s Nanu Hotels & Resorts as Operations Manager below joining Mint Hotels & Resorts as Regional Manager. His last assignment was General Manager of Montrose Golf Resort and Spa, Coorg.
Mr. Varun Mehrotra elevated as Director, Sales & Marketing at Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Centre
Hyderabad Feb 2022: Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) & Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) announced the elevation of Mr. Varun Mehrotra, as the Director of Sales & Marketing of the complex. In his present role, he will be responsible for strategizing and implementing sales and marketing activities for the property. He has been a part of the sales department handling various roles and responsibilities since 2013 and has earned a reputation of being a go-getter with a determined focus on business, relationships, and reputation.
Varun started his journey at Accor Group with NHCC & HICC as Associate Director of Sales in Delhi and was responsible for driving the North India market for Associations. He is a hotel management graduate from IHM, Ahmedabad with a Master’s in Business Administration from Symbiosis, Pune.
Varun has a proven track record of 17 years with extensive experience managing International conference Business, Convention & Banquet sales business. Varun has worked with renowned brands in the Hospitality sector like The Oberoi Group, Shangri-La Hotel, Kempinski Ambience Hotel, New Delhi handling corporate and MICE sales teams and being actively involved in strategic revenue planning across verticals. He has successfully driven the business and sales in both national and international markets and has proved his leadership qualities, adaptability, and communication skills.
Speaking on the appointment Mr. Manish Dayya, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Centre said “We are extremely delighted to announce the elevation of Mr. Varun Mehrotra as the Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM). He has strong business acumen and has proven his abilities in attracting both National & International business. He has been instrumental in positioning and promoting the property in the right light and is a catalyst in our development. We are confident that he will strive hard in his new role and contribute in bringing back the same levels of MICE business to the property that we at NHCC and HICC are synonymous with.”
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