Covid NEWS | Government warns hotels against stay-vaccination packages

The Union Government has warned hotels against offering stay-vaccination packages after reports that some hospitality sector players had started coming up with these schemes.

The government has warned hotels against offering stay-vaccination packages after reports that some hospitality sector players had started coming up with these schemes. Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan tweeted: “Hotels offering Covid-19 vaccination packages shall face strict legal action! Such activities are in contravention to rules under the national Covid vaccination program and must cease immediately.”

The Union health ministry wrote to all states on Saturday, saying it had come to its notice that “some private hospitals are giving packages for Covid vaccination in collaboration with some hotels, which is against (rules).”

The Centre has pointed out in the letter there are four available options for vaccination — government centres; private hospitals; government and private offices and “near to home” centres for the elderly and differently-abled. “Apart from this there is no other avenue to carry out (Covid) vaccination… therefore vaccination (being) carried out in start hotels is contrary guidelines and must be stopped immediately. Necessary legal and administrative actions should be initiated against such institutions,” the letter by Union health ministry additional secretary Manohar Agnani says.

Source

Research | Prices of a Beer aRound the World

Technology | Sony AI launches the “Gastronomy Flagship Project″ consisting of Research and Development of AI

Sony AI launches the “Gastronomy Flagship Project″ consisting of Research and Development of AI Powered Recipe Creation App, Chef Assisting Cooking Robot and a Community Co-creation Initiative

Tokyo, Japan – Sony Corporation established Sony AI as an internal organization in November 2019 and it became a new company in April 2020 with a global presence in Japan, the United States, and Europe. Sony AI  promotes fundamental research and development of artificial intelligence (AI) and aims to “create AI that unleashes human imagination and creativity.”

In addition to Sony’s existing business areas of “gaming” and “imaging & sensing,” Sony AI has set “gastronomy” as its flagship theme for new technical and business exploration. With the aim of enhancing the creativity and techniques of chefs around the world, the Gastronomy Flagship Project consists of the research and development of an AI application for new recipe creation, a robotics solution that can assist chefs in their cooking process, and a community co-creation initiative that will serve as a foundation to these activities.

In addition to games, Music, and Pictures, Sony AI sees great opportunities in Gastronomy as one of the global creative entertainment domains connecting chefs, who are creators, with their audiences. To this end, Sony AI will pursue its own research and development efforts in partnerships with various collaborators.

AI-Powered Recipe Creation App

Recipe creation is a very challenging research area for AI, as there are infinite possibilities for combinations of ingredients, as well as constraints such as location, climate, season, and a person’s health and food preferences, that must be taken into account.

Sony AI will utilize a variety of data sources – including recipes and ingredient data, such as taste, aroma, flavor, molecular structure, nutrients, etc. – to develop a Recipe Creation App that will be powered by proprietary AI algorithms to assist the world’s top-level chefs in their creative process of ingredient pairing, recipe design, and menu creation.

Through this App, Sony AI aims not only to assist in making delicious food but also to contribute to people’s health and the sustainability of the environment.

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Ingredient Ideology | THE AFFECTIONATE AMLA By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

THE AFFECTIONATE AMLA

Amla also known as Indian Gooseberries or Amalaki in Sanskrit which means “Nectar of Life” in Ayurveda is a fruit that has long been revered in India as a nutritive tonic and beneficial ingredient. Amla is small round berries with a light pastel green skin translucent to look at making it appear as if it is segmented and in the center of the berry lies a hexagonal-shaped stone with six small seeds. Indian gooseberry grows on trees found in the wild and cultivated in various parts of our country today. 

Amla is said to possess five of the tastes sour, bitter, pungent, astringent, sweet although sour is the dominating one. The berry is one of the three fruits in the Ayurvedic preparation which forms Triphala and is a base for the rejuvenating formulae for a chavanprash consumed by many of us to boost our immunity and more. The marble-like berries are not only used in a variety of recipes but also highly referred to and used in medicinal properties too in healing and treatment under Ayurveda.

Amla can be eaten fresh as it is though a light sprinkling of salt does make the bitterness and sourness a bit better as a mouthfeel to adapt to in for starters and at times we also soak it in a little salted water before cooking it since it reduced the pungency to an extent. Traditionally Amla has been used in India for making pickles and chutneys since it has both a dual sweet and sour application in our recipes of Indian kitchens. Amla murabba is a popular sweet preservative served with hot puris as a breakfast dish as well in various parts of India. Amla can also be baked into tarts or juice as we all know being popular to be had on its own or to flavor bottles of vinegar and marmalades. 

Amla juice with honey or jaggery can be enjoyed as a refreshing healthy shot of goodness for our overall well-being. Dried Amla powder sprinkled onto our fruit salads. Ayurveda also says that Amla can help us balance the three Doshas namely Kapha, Vata, and pitta thereby eliminating the underlying cause of many diseases. Amla holds a lot of religious significance too during the holy month of Karthik according to Hindu mythology the Amla tree is said to be germinated from the tears of Lord Brahma.

 These days Amla is available around us all year round which makes it easier to include it in our daily dietary routines to help us stay fit.

Here are a few Health Benefits of AMLA:

1. Amla is said to be a complete powerhouse of essential nutrients for our bodies.

2. Amla improves our immunity levels and protects our body against any possible infections.

3. Amla is rich in vitamin- c and helps in the detoxification of our body.

4. Amla is also a rich anti-oxidant and eliminates toxins and improves body metabolism.

5. Amla helps reduce inflammation and is good for the eyes, hair, mental functioning, and skin.

6. Amla is also considered for weight loss and weight.

7. Amla is also known to have anti-aging properties, helps indigestion, and also lowers cholesterol levels.

Let us check on 10 uses of Amla in our kitchens:

1. Amla in making our classic style Indian pickle.

2. Amla in an authentic sweet form called Murabba.

3. Amla as a healthy drink with ginger, honey, lime as shots.

4. Amla in the form of condiments like chutney.

5. Amla as dehydrated form or powdered forms.

6. Amla infused water to be had as a detox fluid.

7. Amla in the form of tempered rice preparation.

8. Amla can also be prepared in curries or subzis, methi-Amla combination, or Achari Amla ka tadka as a vegetable format.

9. Amla also finds its way in the form of Jams & candies too.

10. Amla as a snack option is good as Pudina-Amla aur chukandar ki tikki, as a side dish as a Amla- Anar ka Raita.

Here are a few recipes with The Indian Gooseberries- AMLA:

Recipe-1] AMLA GAJRELA RAITA

Ingredients:

• Amla- 3-4 no cut and de-seed and boil/steam for 4-5 mins and cut into small pieces.

• Carrot-1 med sized, peeled, and grated.

• Freshly grated coconut

• Green chili- 1 no cut into small pieces.

• Curd- 2 cups, beaten.

• Salt to taste

• Sugar if needed.

• Mint leaves- 10-12 no

• Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp.
  

For the tempering on the raita:

• Oil- 2 tsp

• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

• Curry leaves- 10-12 no

• Hing- 1 pinch

• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

• White sesame seeds-1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the Amla raita.

2. In a mixing bowl combine together the beaten curd, add salt and sugar to taste if needed.

3. Add in the grated carrots and steamed/boiled Amla pieces, green chili, coconut mint, and coriander leaves, and mix well.

4. Heat oil in a tadka pan and splutter-crackle the tempering ingredients for a few seconds and pour it into the raita, give it a nice mix and chill the raita for 20-25 mins and serve, to variate the raita further one can also add almonds, walnuts or raisins as well, we can also add flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc to add a crunch to the raita.

Recipe-2] AMLA KA ANOKHA ANDAZ

Ingredients:

Amla- 10-12 no.

Ingredients for making the Amla pickle masala:

• Kashmiri red chili powder- 1 tsp

• Salt- ½ tsp

• Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

• Jaggery-2 tbsp. grated

• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

• Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp

• Hing-1 pinch

• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

• Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp

• Sesame oil/ regular oil- ¼ cup

Method:

1. To prepare the Amla achar firstly wash them well and prick it well with a fork and allow to remain in a sieve or colander for 15 mins and steam it over boiling water for 12-15 mins, there is an option of removing the seeds once steamed and cut into wedges.

2. On a Tava lightly roast the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and once cooled prepare a fine dry powder of the same and keep aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine together the spice powders and all other spices and salt into the steamed Amla mix them all up very well.

4. Add in the soft grated jaggery and mix it into the jaggery mixture, now heat up the oil separately to smoking point and pour it over the Amla pickle and mix well, cover it and keep it in the fridge and shake the bottle occasionally and start using it from the 3rd day from the day of preparation.

Recipe-3] MASALEDAAR AMLA

Ingredients:

• Amla- 10-12 no cut into halves and stone removed.

• Oil- 2 tsp 

• Ghee- 2 tsp

• Hing-1/4 tsp

• Ajwain-1/4 tsp

• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

• Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

• Ginger- 1 tbsp. chopped

• Green chili-1 tsp chop

• Red chili-1 no shredded.

• Onion- 1 small chopped

• Red chili powder-1/4 tsp

• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

• Coriander powder-1 tsp

• Tamarind pulp-2 tsp or as per taste

• Jaggery- 2-3 tsp or as per taste.

• Salt to taste

• Coriander leaves-2 tbsp. chopped.

• Roasted crushed peanuts-1 tbsp. optional.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the masaledaar Amla recipe.

2. Heat oil and ghee in a Kadai and add in the hing, ajwain, ginger, onion, and the seeds and allow to splutter for a few seconds, add in the cut Amla pieces which have been boiled in water with a little turmeric for 8-10 mins, remove the seed or stone from the Amla and cut into wedges.

3. Add in the green and red chili, the powdered spices, jaggery, salt, tamarind paste and little warm water as needed in order to get it all together. 

4. Cook this mixture on a low flame for 3-4 mins until jaggery is well dissolved and blended into the Amla subzi, I also like to add a tbsp. full of roasted crushed peanuts into this recipe for a crunch.

5. Check for a balance of salt, sweetness, and sourness and fine-tune it, add a nice helping of fresh coriander leaves and serve the subzi with hot phulkas, rotis, with some fresh-cut salad and a bowl of curd or raita.

Recipe- 4] TADKEWALA AMLA RICE

Ingredients:

• Rice- 2 cups cooked- white or brown- boiled/ pre-cooked.

• Oil- 2 tsp

• Ghee- 2 tsp

• Amla- 4- 5 pieces.

• Jaggery- 2 tsp grated or as per taste.

• Hing- ¼ tsp

• Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

• Split urad dal-1 tsp

• Split Bengal gram-1 tsp

• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

• Red chilies-2 no slit

• Green chili- 2 no slit

• Curry leaves- 4-5 no

• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

• Salt to taste

• Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

• Fresh desiccated coconut-2 tbsp.

• Fried sliced cashews- 2 tsp.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the Tadkewala Amla rice.

2. Heat oil and ghee in a Kadai and add in the hing, red and green chilies and add in the split grams and other seeds for the tempering allow them to crackle and splutter for a few seconds, also add in the curry leaves.

3. Add in little water to prevent burning followed by the pre-cooked and boiled Amla wedges or cubes without the stone and seeds, add in the fresh coconut, powdered spices, salt, and jaggery to taste in order to balance the Amla sourness, and cook for 3-4 mins.

4. Now add in the cooked rice white or brown rice can be used as well give it a nice toss with the Amla, allow to cook for 2-3 mins, and add in coriander leaves, nuts, and seeds of your choice for garnish and serve hot with a bowl of curd, papad, and pickle.

Recipe-5] AMLA KA COOLER

Ingredients

• Amla- 5-6 no.

• Sugar syrup/Jaggery syrup or powder/Organic Honey- anyone sweetener can be used avoid sugar if possible, try coconut sugar.

• Mint leaves- 10-12 no.

• Roasted crushed jeera powder- ½ tsp.

• Green cardamom powder-1 pinch optional.

• Black salt-1/2 tsp of pink salt may be used.

• Water and ice cubes as needed

• Lemon juice-1 tsp.

• Ginger- 1 tbsp. juice.
  
  
  

Method:

1. Assemble all the ingredients for the Amla cooler recipe.

2. Wash and cut the Amla remove the stone and seeds and cut into wedges. Using a mixer jar combine together the Amla, water approx. 1 cup, few mint leaves, roasted crushed jeera, black or pink salt, and give it a nice blend.

3. Remove into a mixing bowl, add in the sweetener of your choice as per taste and mix well, add a dash of lime juice and ginger juice to balance it.

4. Place the mint leaves in your serving glasses and pour this nutritive and refreshing Amla cooler and serve it immediately.

Brief About The Writer:

Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef, is a Mumbai-based Author, Writer, Healthy Eating - Lifestyle Specialist, Food Designer, Academician & having mastered over 33 International Cuisines, is also a Food & Beverage Consultant. He has worked with esteemed properties like the Taj Group of Hotels, Kuwait Airways to name a few, he has been awarded several Global and National Awards for his outstanding performance in his chosen field he loves to share his knowledge and experience of over 2 decades with the Food & Hospitality Industry.

Covid NEWS | Anantara Eases Quarantine Stays with Virtual In-Room Wellness Programmes in Bangkok

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas introduces targeted wellness programmes for guests undergoing Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) in Bangkok – a mandatory quarantine stay in a government certified hotel for all travellers arriving in Thailand. Designed to refresh and balance the mind, body and soul, the Enhance. Detox. Restore. programmes elevate a luxurious ASQ stay, ensuring guests arrive in Thailand rejuvenated and ready to explore the Kingdom.

At a glance:

• Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel and Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort are the only certified ASQ hotels in Bangkok to offer virtual in-room wellness programmes for quarantined guests.

• The Enhance. Detox. Restore. in-room wellness offerings encompass a series of curated digital programmes featuring personal lifestyle wellness consultations and supervised health classes with an Ayurvedic doctor

• Wellness ASQ packages at Anantara Siam and Anantara Riverside have been developed in partnership with Bangpakok 9 International Hospital to transform a quarantine stay into a luxurious wellness experience.

NEWS | Burger King Q4 results: Posts net loss of INR 26 cr

Its total income during January-March 2021 stood at INR 199.45 crore, against INR 192.95 crore in the year-ago period.

Burger King India Ltd on Wednesday reported a consolidated net loss of INRE 25.94 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 2021.

It had posted a net loss of Rs 37.41 crore during the January-March 2020 quarter, the quick-service restaurant chain said in a regulatory filing.

Its total income during January-March 2021 stood at Rs 199.45 crore, against Rs 192.95 crore in the year-ago period.

Burger King India's total expenses in the March 2021 quarter stood at Rs 219.81 crore.

For the full financial year 2020-21, the company reported a total income of Rs 522.93 crore. It was INR 846.82 crore in 2019-20.

Shares of Burger King India Ltd on Wednesday settled at INR 156.35 on the BSE, up 2.26 percent from the previous close.

Appointment | Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel appoints Debarati Bose as CDoSM

Prior to this, Bose was the Director of Sales & Marketing at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu.

Debarati Bose is appointed as Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center and Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park. In her new capacity, Bose will play a pivotal role in driving and overseeing all aspects of sales and marketing strategies, optimizing both the hotel’s revenue and market share.

Bose comes with a rich experience of over 13 years in the sales and marketing industry, a stickler for perfection and attention to detail, she has motivated her team at all times to achieve targets and has been responsible for business growth in her previous roles. Her contribution goes beyond the growth of just the hotel. She encourages and drives the team to deliver the best results and puts immense focus on their personal and professional development.

Prior to this, Bose was the Director of Sales & Marketing at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. Unparalleled strategies and innovative ideas consistently implemented by the team under Bose’s leadership have distinguished the hotel and strengthened its position to remain the Market Leader on RGI.

She has worked with reputed brands such as The Oberoi Hotels in the past and joined the Marriott family in April 2017 at the JW Marriott Pune as the Director of Sales and Marketing.

Source

Appointment | Tanmay Vaidya joins Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield as Director of Operations

Vaidya joined the Marriott family in 2018 as a Director of Food and Beverage in Mumbai where he played an instrumental role in orchestrating successful restaurant openings and product enhancement.

Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center has recently appointed Tanmay Vaidya as the Director of Operations. Vaidya is a result-driven individual with a track record of guiding teams to deliver optimum results with his creative and practical approach. He will be responsible for driving the hotel operations and guest engagement.

Vaidya is a graduate of The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development (OCLD). He began his career at The Oberoi, Mumbai. As he grew up the ranks, he learned the nuances of hospitality with industry exposure to hotels like Trident Nariman Point Mumbai, The Oberoi New Delhi, The Oberoi Cecil Shimla, The Oberoi Rajvilas Jaipur. His last assignment with the Oberoi group was at The Oberoi Beach Resort, Mauritius. During this tenure, he has conceptualized and spearheaded numerous Food and Beverage projects at various luxury locations.

Vaidya joined the Marriott family in 2018 as a Director of Food and Beverage in Mumbai where he played an instrumental role in orchestrating successful restaurant openings and product enhancement. During this role, Vaidya also assisted the openings of The Ritz- Carlton, Pune and conceptualized and supported the launch of Port Muziris, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Kochi.

Covid NEWS | HAI appeals to PM to extend help for the hospitality sector

HAI, in its appeal, highlighted that more than 40% of hotels have shut or are on the brink of closure and 70% of overall jobs are now in danger directly or indirectly.

Hotel Association of India (HAI) has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for immediate intervention to provide relief to the hospitality industry in five key areas.

The key areas are one-time settlement of loans and extension of loan moratoriums till September 2021, waiver of all statutory liabilities at Centre, state, and municipal levels for the pandemic period, stimulus package subsidising of salaries of hotel employees, and to bring hospitality to the concurrent list of the Constitution.

HAI, in its appeal, highlighted that more than 40% of hotels have shut or are on the brink of closure and 70% of overall jobs are now in danger directly or indirectly.

In its representation to PM, HAI has strongly urged the government to consider the one-time settlement of loans and extension of loan moratoriums till September 2021, pointing out that the increasing loan burden at a time of almost non-existent income may serve only to increase the NPAs of banks and moratorium will provide a breathing space to the already crippling industry.

HAI, therefore, has requested the PM to offer a stimulus package-subsidizing of salaries of hotel employees by 50% from April 2021-March 2022 as is being done by many countries as a part of their economic recovery programmes.

While lauding the government’s effort to promote domestic tourism the industry body also stressed the fact that expansion of domestic tourism will require the creation of suitable accommodation to meet the incremental demand.

The Indian hospitality sector has a critical role to play in the post-pandemic economic revival and has been announced as the fourth pillar of the Indian economy. HAI urged for the PM's bold intervention and directions for implementation of the suggestions to save the Industry jobs and the lives and livelihoods of the citizens employed in hotels and to enable the industry to get on its feet so that it can make its contribution to the national economy added HAI.

Source

Appointment | Sanjiv Kapoor is the new Oberoi Group President

Sanjiv Kapoor will be the new president of the Oberoi Group from June 1, 2021. Kapoor used his Twitter handle late on Thursday night to make the announcement.

“I am delighted to share that I will be joining the Oberoi Group as President effective June 1, 2021. Oberoi is a storied brand and wonderful institution, a true home-grown and world-class Indian success story. I am honored and privileged to be joining them and look forward to working with the Oberoi family from whom I will have a lot to learn. Quality, brand, operational & service excellence, and above all basic human decency are things I am truly passionate about, and those are the essence of the Oberoi DNA and culture,” he said in his post.

Kapoor, who is an aviation industry veteran, worked in SpiceJet as its chief operating officer, before switching over to Vistara as chief strategy and commercial officer. He then left Vistara in 2019 to become a senior advisor at Alton Aviation Consultancy based in New Delhi.

Kapoor is a graduate of Wharton School and Dartmouth College and completed his schooling at La Martiniere For Boys in Kolkata.

The Oberoi Group was founded in 1934 and owns and operates 32 luxury hotels as well as river and backwater cruises. Kapil Chopra was its last President before leaving the company in 2017.

source

New Opening | Lords Hotels and Resorts opens its second Hotel in Jamnagar

Lords Hotels & Resorts the largest hotel chain in the state of Gujarat opens its second hotel in Jamnagar. Lords Eco Inn at Jamnagar is situated near Apple Gate. This is the second property which the group has in Jamnagar after Lords Inn at Moti Khavdi. Lords Eco Inn is perfect to experience an exquisite life with forty beautifully well- appointed rooms, lawn, banquet halls, multi cuisine restaurant and Cafe. Commenting on the development Pushpendra Bansal, Chief Operating Officer,

Lords Hotels and Resorts stated “We are happy to expand our presence further in the state of Gujarat. The state has seen high tourist visitation, attracting a good mix of business and leisure travellers and we look forward to welcome them." Lords Eco Inn promoter stated "We are proud to partner with Lords group and witness their famed hospitality and True Value Service". Rishi Puri Senior Vice President of the group concluded "We see great growth potential in this market and will cater to the needs of corporate, groups, leisure and conference.

Taj Resorts, North Goa in collaboration with Don Bosco, Parra creates F&B and Housekeeping labs for students

From conceptualizing the layout to providing most of the required equipment, Taj, North Goa ensured the Labs are well equipped to deliver the best to the students undergoing training at the institute.

Taj Resorts, North Goa in collaboration with Don Bosco, Parra have created Food & Beverage and Housekeeping Labs to help train aspiring youth who are keen to join the hospitality industry.

From conceptualizing the layout to providing most of the required equipment, Taj, North Goa ensured the Labs are well equipped to deliver the best to the students undergoing training at the institute.

Some of the essential elements used to build the Food & Beverage Training Lab include the different types of Crockery, Cutlery, Glassware, Tableware and Bar Essentials. The Housekeeping Lab is a representation of a guest room with furnishings, upholstery and linen.

In addition, the departmental trainers of Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa and Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa will also visit the center to train students on various expert skills. Furthermore, the Resorts with continue to support by providing industrial exposure to the students which is mandatory part of their curriculum.

Speaking on the collaboration, Anmol Ahluwalia, Cluster General Manager – Taj, North Goa said, “It is our responsibility to ensure that the students are equipped with best of knowledge to help shape the hospitality industry in the years ahead. We are thankful to Don Bosco for their contribution and for allowing us to be part of their initiative to assist the needy youth and create livelihoods for them.”

Taj Resorts, North Goa also engages with ambitious students through various online sessions sharing insights and expert skills in different segments of the hospitality industry.

Covid NEWS | FHRAI requests GST Rationalization for hospitality industry

The association has suggested of the upcoming meeting of the GST Council to the Finance Minister.

Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) suggested consideration of the upcoming meeting of the GST Council to the Finance Minister.

The hospitality sector in the country is engulfed in massive losses and mounting debts due to the Covid pandemic and is undergoing a very gloomy economic situation with no respite to be seen in the near future. Being the first sector affected by Covid -19 and the last to revive, the hospitality sector in the country is waging a battle for its existence today.

The first wave of the pandemic and the unprecedented second wave with very strong ripple effects have destroyed the entire hospitality eco -system in the country which would take many years to recover. Therefore, at this time of deep crisis, some affirmative action from the Government of India can only save this sector from crumbling down. We are sure that a favourable consideration of the following policy measures can go a long way in reviving the tourism sector in the country.

The association has laid down 10 suggestions for consideration.

• Suggestion 1

• Enhance the threshold limit of hotel room tariff for charging GST @ 18 % to INR 9500/- from INR 7500/-

• Justification

• Raising of the threshold limit will bring parity of rates between the Rupee and Dollar. While the threshold was fixed at INR 7500/- the exchange rate of Dollar per Rupee stood at 64, but the same reached at INR 73 per dollar today.

• Suggestion 2

• Enhance the threshold limit for zero GST for hotel rooms from INR 1000/- presently to INR 2000/- per room per day

• Justification

• This move will boost the lower budget segment, which in turn will encourage more domestic travellers to venture out and thereby promote the tourism sector in a big way. Under the present situation where the foreign travel is restricted, promotion of domestic tourism is the need of the hour.

• Suggestion 3

• Treat all F&B revenue in a hotel & standalone restaurant as bundled services to be charged GST on the following manner:

• a) 5 % composite scheme for units that are not availing ITC

• b) 12% GST for units that are availing ITC.

• Justification

• Simplification of GST rules will lead to greater compliance especially from small units. A mechanism should be in pace to enable the establishments to avail input of GST paid on rent and other GST cost. This will make the businesses more viable.

• Suggestion 4

• Allow valid GST hotel bills of any state other than the home state of the Individual assessee paid for by digital mode exempt under section 80C for an additional amount of INR 50,000/-.

• Justification

• The potential additional tax saving of INR 50,000/- will encourage citizens to travel within India. This will give impetus to hotels as well as ancillary industries.

• Suggestion 5

• To allow IGST billing to the hotels for corporate bookings & MICE.

• Justification

• This will enable the companies to avail GST input credit which will incentives them to spend their annual budgets in Indian cities other than holiday destinations of South East Asia.

• Suggestion 6

• Reduction of GST for LPG used in hotels

• Justification

• Reduction of GST from 18% presently to 5% for LPG cylinders consumed in hotels at par with domestic cylinders, can bring down the operational cost of the hotels which could be further percolated down to the customers.

• Suggestion 7

• Remove GST for rent payments

• Justification

• GST for rent payments to be removed for those who are not eligible to claim input tax credit.

• Suggestion 8

• Refund of unutilized GST credit lying with state governments

• Justification

• Hospitality establishments must be allowed to get refund of unutilised GST credit lying with state governments which will enable them to get much needed liquidity.

• Suggestion 9

• Include a new provision in law for immediate refund of GST paid by new hotel projects and existing expansions

• Justification

• Thiss will reduce the dependence on debt-financing and bank loans as well as enable hotels that are under construction or whose construction has been stalled because of lack of funding or cash flow to complete their projects which otherwise would have become NPAs. This is also important due to the fact that the Covid pandemic has caused delay of more than a year in completion of existing projects.

• Suggestion 10

• GST to be charged on the receipt of payments only and not on advances

• Justification To comply with the law of paying GST on advances received against the events planned in future has become a big trouble for the industry due to sudden cancellation of bookings on account of the surge in infections and Covid related restrictions. The establishments who are already under huge distress have to undergo another set of burdensome procedures to receive the refund.

Source

Innovation| Innovative delivery experiences necessary to stay ahead of the curve

With the outbreak of Covid having shut down dining rooms across India, home deliveries aren't just a nice-to-have, it's a lifeline.

The food industry has undergone a lot of changes and transformations in the last couple of months and one such change is surely the way we look at the Delivery of food.

With the outbreak of Covid having shut down dining rooms across India, home deliveries aren't just a nice-to-have, it's a lifeline. And the owners now must adapt so that their food is still high-quality after it arrives at its final destination. No matter how delicious a dish is, if it doesn’t travel well, it could risk a poor customer experience. In the age of reviews, social media, and hyper-competition, that's risk restaurants can’t take

Zorawar Kalra,Massive Restaurants

Zorawar Kalra, Founder and Managing Director of Massive Restaurants feels that innovation is the key to distinguishing the offering both in the dining scenario as well as in the delivery scenario and helps to stay ahead of the curve. Currently, there is a lot of clutter in the space so it's important to carve out a niche and stand out in the mind of the consumer. Kalra is soon to introduce new brands that are delivery-only across the country. “These have been conceptualized from the ground up specifically keeping delivery in mind and will not be a part of our dine-in concepts,” he informed.

“Importantly it is not just the food but the packaging that has to be innovative as well as with delivery. We have very unique packaging for each brand and has been specifically designed keeping brand identity in mind,” Kalra informed. The brands under Massive Restaurants are delivering packages that include the must-haves like sanitizer and a little guidebook on how to safely receive the food. Similarly, all sauces are sent in small glass bottles to ensure the taste is not compromised and the environment is protected. All condiments have a specific separate packing and are marked for clarity.

Amit Bagga,Daryaganj

Other restaurant veterans like Amit Bagga, Founder of Daryaganj too launched an innovative delivery experience with the launch of The 5 Senses Delivery by Daryaganj. It all started with a thought process when the team realized that guests feel that they don’t get the same experience when they get food delivered compared to dining in at their favorite restaurants. It involves the taste of the food, fragrance of the restaurant, soothing music in the background, the touch, and feel of the crockery, and the look of the vibrant interiors.

Vishal Jindal, Biryani By Kilo

In terms of innovative packaging, few companies were already bringing unique style to their patrons much before the pandemic. One such example is Biryani By Kilo. “Honestly, it had always existed but the momentum it has gained today is of a new sort. From time to time it is seen that dine-in restaurants tend to overlook the innovations required with respect to home deliveries to maximize customer satisfaction. At Biryani by Kilo one of our main aims has always been to provide our customers with the best delivery experience,” commented Vishal Jindal, Co-Founder of Biryani By Kilo. Brands like Biryani By Kilo are very particular with their delivery fleet and who their riders are and most have their own delivery fleet.

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Visit Maldives | MALDIVES MINISTRY OF TOURISM LAUNCHES ‘I’M VACCINATED’ CAMPAIGN

Visit Maldives together with the Ministry of Tourism launches "I'm Vaccinated" campaign in order to share a positive message regarding the vaccination of staff working in the tourism sector as well as promoting the initiatives undertaken to ensure the Maldives remains one of the safest destinations in the world for travelers.

Under this campaign, the ultimate target is to make the Maldives the first fully vaccinated tourism sector in the world. Along with the unique geographical formation of the islands which offer natural physical distancing, and the stringent health and safety measures in place, a fully vaccinated tourism sector will become an added advantage in encouraging tourists to visit the destination.

The campaign was launched during a special press event held on 28th April 2021 organized by Visit Maldives and the Ministry of Tourism. The event was joined by the Minister of Tourism, Minister of State of the Ministry of Health, Secretary-General of Guesthouse Association of Maldives and Vice Chairman of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry.

The event commenced with opening remarks by the Minister of Tourism Honorable Dr. Abdulla Mausoom. The Minister remarked upon the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry during 2020 and emphasized the immense sacrifice, effort and hardwork invested by the health industry, tourism industry, and all members of the Maldivian society. In addition, the Minister stated that being able to provide vaccination to members in the tourism industry was a huge accomplishment. The Minister officially initiated the ‘I’m Vaccinated’ campaign followed by a short video showcasing the ‘I’m Vaccinated’ logo.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of State of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Shah Abdulla Mahir stated that over 65% of the eligible Maldivian population have received the vaccine and over 90% of the eligible tourism industry is vaccinated. The Minister of State of the Ministry of Health placed importance on practicing health and safety measures regardless of the vaccination and placed emphasis on the importance of achieving herd immunity. He thanked MMPRC and the Ministry of Tourism for launching the ‘I’m Vaccinated’ campaign as the campaign will promote the vaccination drive and motivate facilities in the tourism industry to vaccinate their staff.

Afterwards, MMPRC presented the esteemed delegation with a special ‘I’m Vaccinated’ badge. The badge will be presented to members of the tourism industry who have received the prescribed dose(s) of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Following the launch of the program, The Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Mr. Thoyyib Mohamed stated that the purpose of the ‘I’m Vaccination’ campaign is to promote vaccination for all members in the tourism industry and for the Maldives to have the first fully-vaccinated tourism industry in the world. The Managing Director of MMPRC also unveiled a microsite that will be launched under the ‘I’m Vaccinated’ Campaign and social media activities that will be initiated alongside. .

The microsite will display a counter displaying the number of tourist industry staff vaccination as well as information regarding registration for vaccination of employees and the latest HPA guidelines. Furthermore, the social media campaign component of the campaign will present images and videos of workers in the tourism industry with a pinned vaccination badge that will be presented to them by Visit Maldives once they receive the prescribed dose(s) of the COVID-19 vaccination. The social media campaign will further help advertise the Maldives as a ‘safe haven’ destination across the globe.

Speaking at the conference, Secretary-General of Guesthouse Association of Maldives, Saudhulla Ahmed Hassan Didi noted on the impact of COVID-19 on the guesthouse industry and island communities while Vice Chairman of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry, Mr. Salah Shihab recognized the sacrifice undertaken by members of the tourism industry as they had to stay apart from families during the pandemic, stating that the ‘I’m Vaccinated’ campaign gives hope to workers across the industry.

The campaign will uplift the destination's beautiful name in the global market and reassure travelers that the Maldives will further remain as one of the safest destinations to travel to during this unprecedented time. In addition, the campaign will also ensure travelers from all over the world of the immense effort and investment into ensuring the safety of both the local population and travelers.

On 1st February 2021, Maldives initiated the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the government aims to provide free COVID-19 vaccine to all citizens and residents of Maldives in the upcoming months. The initiation of the vaccination drive is bound to offer hope to the local population, as well as ensure the safety of tourists. This conveys the message that the Maldives is a low-risk destination for travelers and will hopefully generate a surge in tourist arrival.

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Appointment | Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha appoints executive chef and front office manager Mert Duran and Alena Dmitrienko are both Hyatt stalwarts

The recently-opened Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha has brought in a new executive chef and a front office manager.

Turkish national Mert Duran joins the property as executive chef with more than 15 years of culinary experience, most of which has been within the Hyatt Hotels group already. He joins the Hyatt Regency in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

He will now look after five venues, which include all-day dining venue Choices, The Cellar, Al Nafourah Garden, Jazz Club, and Sky lounge. He must also take care of in-room dining operations, banquets and outside catering.

His focus will be on creating new menu concepts across each of his venues, while also bolstering the banquet offerings of the property.

Much of his experience has been within his home country of Turkey, starting out as a commis for the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul and then the French Brasserie Istanbul. He joined Hyatt in 2004 as the commis for Grand Hyatt Dubai before being made chef de partie at the hotel a year later.

He stayed with Hyatt ever since, climbing the ladder across the portfolio at hotels in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Atakoy, and other locations.

Russian national Alena Dmitrienko is also a Hyatt veteran, having served the group for 10 years. She steps into Qatar after being the front office manager of Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow.

She will be tasked with elevating the guest experience at the hotel and making sure stays are as stress-free as possible.

General manager of Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha, Julien Gonzalvez, said: “We are very thrilled to welcome two of the key personnel to our Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha family. I am confident that Mert and Alena would help us in taking Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha to greater heights.”

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Rational India | Who likes what: The world's favourite takeaway food

It's easy to understand why Europe likes pizza. Just as sushi is at the top of the bestseller list in Japan and Chinese food in China. But sushi in Brazil? Pizza in Saudi Arabia? Chinese food in Australia? Turkey is into pasta, while Russians prefer kebab, which you think you'd find more in Turkey. And in India, the land of curries, people also prefer pizza. Has the world turned upside down?

Obviously, tastes have become more international, especially in takeaway food, so local cuisine has to adapt to more diverse recipes. "Not all food is equally suitable for takeaway or delivery," knows Stephan Leuschner, Key Account International for Ghost Kitchens at Rational.

"The best performing dishes have been pizza, pasta, and Chinese." These dishes are easy to prepare, can be brought to consumption temperature quickly, and transported in such a way that they also look good on the table at home. But Leuschner has another tip for a successful takeaway business: consistent food quality: "Especially when customers choose the same brand more often, they want to be confident they'll get the same food as last time." That's why he recommends intelligent cooking systems to his customers, such as the iCombi Pro combi-steamer, which allows cooking processes that have been defined once to run over and over again, ensuring the same quality every time. And not just for one dish, but for thousands of international recipes. So you could prepare the whole range of the world's favorite takeaway dishes with an iCombi Pro. And if tastes change a few weeks down the track, it doesn't matter - the iCombi Pro will manage.

Saurabh Puri

Marketing Communications Manager

Tel. +91-9811510376

s.puri@rational-online.com

rational-online.com

Brand Marriott | Be Nourished - Immunity Boosting Menu In The Comfort Of Your Home From JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

Mumbai, May 2021:Crafted to leave you feeling nourished in mind, body, and spirit, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar has curated an Immunity Boosting Menuready for order and delivery through “Marriott on Wheels'' food delivery service.

Health and well-being are more important now than ever. The thoughtfully curated meal experience creates a holistic and intentional focus on well-being, allowing guests to enrich their minds and body. This nutritional powerhouse menu is prepared with ingredients that provide various benefits. Featuring food and beverages that are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, the menu aims at boosting one’s immunity, focusing on a healthy lifestyle, and uplifting the mood. The meal experience is prepared with the utmost care, necessary hygiene, and safety standards.

Some of the highlights include Salad Garbanzo(Chickpea, Barley, Roasted  Peppers, Broccoli, Lemon Dressing, Almond Flakes), Shakarkandi ke kebab(Garlic ginger and mint chutney ), Baked Spinach Parcels( Served with roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato Salsa ), Broccoli, Spinach and Bell Pepper Mornay( Served With Garlic Bread ), Pan Seared Norwegian Salmon(With Wilted Spinach and Apricot, Baked Garlic Sweet Potato), Grilled Prawns AOP(Garlic, Chili Flakes, Olive Oil), Citrus Ginger Baked Chicken ( Chargrilled Peppers, Garlic Broccoli, Buttered Carrot, Sweet Potato Chips ). One can round off the meal on a sweet note with Turmeric, Candied Ginger, and Key Lime Pie  ( Berry Compote).

The menu also includes special immunity booster drinks such as melon Mint Cooler(Watermelon, Mint, Lime, Strawberry), Revital Delight(Orange, Ginger, Lime, Honey), Blended Carotene(Carrot, Beetroot, Tomato), Anti-inflammatory( Mint, Apple, Orange, Celery), Detox Booster ( Green Apple, Curry Leaf, Cucumber), Detained Vitalizes( Tomato, Coriander, Guava), Immune Spitzer( Pineapple, Mint, Aloe Vera, Turmeric, ). 

Focus on The Whole You and reinvigorate your body with the healthy and delectable menu from JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.

A Snapshot of Marriott On Wheels Immunity Boosting Menu

●    20th May 2021 onwards 

●    Orders will be delivered from 12 pm to 8 pm

●    All orders need to be placed a minimum of 02 hours in advance

●    Reserve your order at 022 6882 8656 or Whatsapp on +919136981955

Innovation | Two young entrepreneurs launch India’s first Ayurveda-Inspired Functional Chocolate brand

Designed to help the urban working millennials deal with their modern-day lifestyle disorders, two friends Pranav Sharma and Kritik Thakur, have launched India’s first Functional Chocolate brand, Awsum. Awsum is first of its kind chocolate brand which is using Ayurvedic principles to make products healthier that nowhere compromises on taste. Awsum uses the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda and combines it with premium dark and milk chocolate to create exciting products that come with functional benefits.

The Functional Chocolate as a category is very new and novel for the Indian markets with no similar brands available in the same space. These Chocolates are packed with herbs and nutrients that help the body to deal with the modern-day lifestyle health disorders and are very relevant for the current scenario where we are all dealing with a pandemic like Covid. The chocolates have a rich and smooth texture and do not come at a compromise of taste.

Awsum has initially launched 4 variants to start off with which are: Daily Energy, Sleep, Goodbye Stress, and Active Immunity.

“The mission of the brand is to inspire lifelong healthy habits by bringing simplicity, inspiration, and delight to the world of supplements and nutraceuticals. These functional chocolates immensely help you to fight and deal with modern-day lifestyle problems- from sleep deprivation to stress and anxiety. So, a product like this has become all the way more relevant in the current scenario where India is fighting a battle with a global pandemic, wherein everyone is looking for immunity boosting products, and problems like sleep deprivation stress and anxiety has aggravated all the way more”, said the Co-founders, Pranav Sharma and Kritik Thakur.

The idea of Awsum was conceived in the backdrop of nationwide lockdown declared by the government last year in 2020 when the co-founders themselves grappled with problems such as sleep deprivation, daytime lethargy, and anxiety. And their own experience led to the creation of the brand that aims to help people deal with these problems in a more convenient and exciting way. Their ‘Awsum’ thought took shape at Gurugram based start-up incubator, Huddle that closely works with selected high-growth start-ups. The company is also backed and mentored by a group of highly accomplished individuals and industry experts.

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