< PreviousSpecial Report Power 50 2019 Caterer Middle East | December 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 30/ Hot els The job Emma Banks did at JRG Dubai was always going to attract attention, but her next move was truly massive. As VP, F&B strategy & development, EMEA, Hilton, Banks oversees more than 200 F&B outlets across the Middle East, with a similar number again in the pipeline. 2020 will see Banks continue implementing her F&B strategy for Hilton, not just in the Middle East but across Europe and Africa also. She has highlighted the plant-based movement as a large shift in consumer preferences, and one Hilton will be look- ing to satisfy with new concepts. While Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts operates a total of 210 F&B outlets across EMEA, it's exciting new con- cepts like the first Nile boat in Egypt that are keeping it fresh and innovative. It will feature four individual outlets and offer something com- pletely different in Cairo. It's Gianluca Sparacino's job to ensure that these ventures keep coming and keep succeeding — something he's managed well so far in his five years in Dubai. Luna Sky Bar and Mina Brasserie at Four Seasons Hotel DIFC can legitimately claim to be key venues in the city's F&B scene. Emma Banks 3 VP, F&B STRATEGY & DEVELOPMENT, EMEA, HILTON British Having overseen the implementation of new restaurants including White Beach, Wavehouse, and Hakkasan in 2019, Sascha Triemer has once more made sure that Atlantis, The Palm leads the way in terms of F&B in the Middle East. Teaming up with the likes of Solutions Leisure and Addmind Hospitality to launch new concepts gives Atlantis access to a wealth of expertise to help make them as successful as possible. But the hard work is still to come with the opening of The Royal Atlantis and 17 new restaurants to come in Q4, 2020. Sascha Triemer 4 VICE PRESIDENT, FOOD & BEVERAGE, ATLANTIS, THE PALM German Gianluca Sparacino VP OF F&B, FOUR SEASONS HOTELS & RESORTS Italian 5Power 50 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com Special Report /31 December 2019 | Caterer Middle East Hot els It’s been quite a year for James Knight-Pacheco, with the British- Venezuelan chef leaving Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman to make the move as pre-opening executive chef of ME Dubai by Melia. Located in the Opus Building by Zaha Hadid, it’s set to be one of the city’s landmark properties and Knight-Pacheco will hope to bring it the same success as he brought to Six Senses. He’s set to launch four concepts: Central, the hotel’s all-day- dining, the pool bar, R&R Bar, and The Opus Studio in 2020. A mainstay of the UAE's F&B scene, Uwe Micheel has been making on the next generation of young chefs for longer than some of them have been alive. A regular at conferences and judging events, the longest- serving president of the Emirates Culinary Guild and assis- tant vice president of the world chef’s congress has made a career out of not only successfully running restaurants, but also in making sure the next generation of chefs are prepared to run them. Vikas Milhoutra wasted no time in spicing up the F&B off ering with a new, much more experimental menu being brought in to Bombay Brasserie. It’s been a success with F&B revenues rising over 10% in the year since Milhoutra has led the team, and now he is turning his attention to the two new Taj hotels set to open in Dubai this year. With 11 F&B outlets in the pipeline, Milhoutra says his vision is to create outstanding and unique experiences. You don't get quiet years, not when you're overseeing over 20 F&B outlets across both Grosvenor House and Le Royal Meri- dien Beach Resort & Spa. But it's been another successful one for Marco Torasso and team, with high performing outlets such as Toro Toro and Buddha Bar continuing to excel, while the introduction of another Vineet Bhatia concept, this time Indya by Vineet, at Le Royal Meridien, have kept the complex's off erings fresh and exciting. James Knight-PachecoUwe Micheel Vikas MilhoutraMarco Torasso 67 89 EXECUTIVE CHEF, ME DUBAI BY MELIA British CULINARY ADVISOR, RADISSON BLU German EXECUTIVE CHEF, THE INDIAN HOTELS COMPANY LIMITED Indian COMPLEX CULINARY DIRECTOR, GROSVENOR HOUSE ItalianSpecial Report Power 50 2019 Caterer Middle East | December 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 32/ Hot els With more than 25 years in the international hotel industry, Shaun Parsons needs to call on all his experience to help the directorship of no fewer than 18 F&B outlets at the Le Meridien Dubai Complex. Parsons is in overall control of the smooth running of everything from the party brunches at Yalumba to the authentic Japanese teppanyaki experiences at Kiku. Over the past year, Le Meridien Dubai has undergone extensive renovation with Parsons at the helm. With much of its F&B being updated and refurbished and the launch of new venues as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, Parsons has led Le Meridien Dubai into a new phase of its existence. Heading into 2020, Parsons believes the focus of F&B will continue to be on healthy lifestyles, with plant-based and keto diets proving popular. He will be aiming for a value over price approach to drive volume and foster loyalty to be successful in the coming months. Shaun Parsons COMPLEX GM, LE MERIDIEN DUBAI COMPLEX Australian NUMBERS GAME... 10 30 YEARS IN F&B 1243 ASSOCIATESPower 50 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com Special Report /33 December 2019 | Caterer Middle East Influencer s The argument about the effect The Entertainer has had on Dubai’s F&B scene has changed. It’s no longer about how massive the effect was (is), but whether it’s been in the best interests of the restau- rants involved. Many will point to the billions of dirhams worth of restaurant meals purchased using the famed 2-for-1 app, while others will point at dwindling margins and restaurateurs fighting to dis- count their venues in a bid to get people through the door. Either way, no single person has had as big an effect on the industry as Donna Benton. And she’s not stopping there. Having sold a majority share in The Entertainer for upwards of US$100m last year, Benton has now joined the board of Sunset Hospitality Group, where she will use her forensic knowledge of the Middle East’s F&B industry to help expand the group further. Armed with more knowledge of con- sumer buying habits than probably anyone else in the region, she’s sure to bring a wealth of experience to Sunset’s stable of global brands. Donna Benton CHAIRMAN, THE BENTON GROUP Australian NUMBERS GAME... 1 18 YEARS IN F&B 1 YEAR AT THE COMPANYSpecial Report Power 50 2019 Caterer Middle East | December 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 34/ Influencer s Responsible for overseeing the entire food and beverage off ering at one of the biggest events the world has ever seen is Darren Tse. More than 200 F&B outlets will serve the expected 25 million visitors during the six months of Expo 2020, and will generate an anticipated AED2 billion in revenue. From Michelin star-inspired din- ing outlets to fast service, grab and go outlets, Expo 2020 will provide the full possible range of F&B experiences across its grounds. The challenge for Tse is im- mense, yet it's also an incredible opportu- nity to showcase what Dubai can do and the quality of its dining offering. The multi-billion dollar F&B program will involve over 100 different companies and an estimated 17,000 staff to complete. So the experience Tse earned while work- ing on the London 2012 Olympic Games will be fully tested. Tse is aiming to encourage local SMEs to be involved with the expo, and they will receive support and expertise to help grow long after the expo has rolled out of done. Th is legacy will be key to ensuring the pros- perity promised from Expo 2020 is fulfi lled. Darren Tse COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, CONCESSIONS, EXPO 2020 Canadian NUMBERS GAME... 2 03 YEARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST 15 YEARS IN F&BPower 50 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com Special Report /35 December 2019 | Caterer Middle East Influencer s The so-called ‘vegan prince’ has continued to make waves in 2019, galvanising his online and offline following with a number of investments in plant-based food ventures. Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud’s KBW Ventures company is a shareholder in Beyond Meat which became the first plant-based brand to be listed on the Nasdaq, quickly surging to a value in excess of US$3 billion. His vegan collaboration Folia with American chef Matthew Kenney also reached Bahrain and is heading to Dubai soon. Popularly known as FooDiva, Samantha Wood has been the trailblazer of impartial food criticism throughout the Middle East. What started as restaurant reviews has grown into so much more, with a team of anonymous guest writers doing their part to showcase the best of the best in Dubai’s dining scene, while offering honest and constructive criticism. Now Wood has launched a three chefs dinner experience bringing together her favourite culinary stars in one place, offering a collaborative elevated showcase of Dubai’s gastro- nomic talents. HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud 3 FOUNDER AND CEO, KBW VENTURES Saudi Arabian The name East Coast Shellfish may not be instantly famil- iar to you, but Dibba Bay Oysters almost certainly will be. The Fujairah shellfish farm has become the epicentre of aquaculture in the UAE, driving a new appreciation for locally produced goods in the UAE. Ramie Murray has pioneered the industry in the region, creating a product appreciated not just locally but internationally. Big plans are afoot to increase the scale of the farm, and make Dibba Bay a global brand born in the UAE. Ramie Murray 4 FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, EAST COAST SHELLFISH British Samantha Wood PUBLISHER, EDITOR, AND EVENT ORGANISER, FOODIVA British 5Special Report Power 50 2019 Caterer Middle East | December 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 36/ Influencer s Year after year, Sunjeh Raja continues to be the most positive and inspiring force for young talent coming through kitchens in the Middle East. As director of the ICCA, he has implemented a number of im- pressive schemes to ensure chefs in Dubai get the best possible training before heading into the workforce - and every year he adds more and more development programs to make the ICCA a world leader. Up next? Saudi Arabia. In the middle of the desert it’s not easy to be sustainable. It’s not easy to buy local. Th at’s what makes Omar Shihab’s dedica- tion to doing so all the more impressive and infl uential. Th e general manager at Boca has been a driv- ing force in the Middle East’s sustainabil- ity movement, hosting fully vegetarian din- ners, zero-waste events, and increasing its use of local seafood to 90%. Over two years ago, and well before it was in fashion, Boca ditched plastic straws and cutlery, and bottled water is next on the hit list. It’s not always cheap or easy, but Shihab is proving it’s possible. Since it started in 2014, the Global Restaurant Investment Fo- rum (GRIF) has become synonymous with bringing the F&B industry’s top minds together into one room. In a sector where competition is fi erce, it brought would- be rivals together as confi dantes, working together to improve the industry for all involved. What started in Dubai has spread around the world with regular GRIF society meetings in London, Riyadh, and Africa, as well as the 2019 GRIF event in Amsterdam. Travelling the world, eating at the fi nest Michelin-starred restaurants, Zoe Bowker may have the most enviable job on the planet. But as a Tastemaker for Th e World's 50 Best Restaurants and Bars, Bowker does more than that. She uses the knowledge she acquires to help Dubai restaurants up their game, and has been in- volved in taking Tresind to other continents to show what Dubai has to off er, while also taking Michelin-starred chefs back to Dubai. Sunjeh RajaOmar Shihab Jennifer Pettinger-HainesZoe Bowker 67 89 DIRECTOR & CEO, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR CULINARY ARTS Indian GENERAL MANAGER, BOCA DIFC Jordanian CO-FOUNDER, GLOBAL RESTAURANT INVESTMENT FORUM Australian TASTEMAKER, WORLD'S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS AND BARS AustralianPower 50 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com Special Report /37 December 2019 | Caterer Middle East For almost five years now, Lindsay Trivers has been the leading light in wine and spirit education in the Middle East. Through her company The Tasting Class, Trivers has made the WSET curriculum a standard for the industry in the region, improving knowledge and education beyond all recognition with the likes of Emirates Academy for Hospitality Management and Sarood Hospitality only now following in her wake. The Tasting Class was the first com- pany in the region to offer the wine WSET qualifications to both trade and consum- ers in 2017, and in 2020 it's set to follow that up by doing the same with the newly developed spirits programme. Since starting, The Tasting Class has put hundreds of students through WSET, with a 90% pass rate for level 1 and 2. Up next, Trivers is bringing the Middle East Wine Awards to fruition to fulfill her mission statement of elevating the alcohol industry in the region and raising the profile of the industry professionals here on the global stage. Doing so will finally put the region firm- ly on the map when it comes to alcohol. Lindsay Trivers CEO AND FOUNDER, THE TASTING CLASS Canadian NUMBERS GAME... 10 05 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY 06 YEARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Influencer sTop suppliers of 2020 Gulfood Manufacturing post-event review Ingredient focus: chocolate 56 The Tasting Class bringing WSET spirits course to region The Tasting Class is add- ing to its extensive array of alcohol education with the introduction of the WSET spirits course to the Middle East. Led by Lindsay Trivers, The Tasting Class already provides wine and beer education in the region, but it will be the first time that the WSET spirits course is available for both trade and consum- ers in the Middle East. Speaking to Caterer Middle East, Trivers high- lighted the importance of industry profession- als acquiring the new qualification, and their ability to create superior F&B experiences for their customers. She said: “If you work in the beverage trade, there’s no better way to enhance your CV, establish your credibility and develop a deeper understanding of your craft. In the 2018/2019 academic year a total of 108,557 candidates took a WSET qualification in 75 countries, so they are truly considered as the global standard in bever- age education. What is more, they are regulated by the UK government (Ofqual) so students really can trust they are getting the best quality interna- tional education.” The first level one beginner course will take place on Friday, January 24, 2020 from 10am to 6pm and costs AED1,680. The level two interme- diate course runs three consecutive Saturdays in May 2020 and costs AED3,675. It’s not just for trade, with spirits enthusiasts also able to take the course, which Trivers said is “a chance to gain a deeper knowledge of spirits and the laws around them”. She explained: “Enthu- siasts will learn how to assess quality and style, while also developing an ability to recognize the good from the not so good. Great skills to have at a restaurant or bar, or when looking for the next retail purchase. Plus, students get to sample a number of styles all side by side, in one day.” You can book your place on The Tasting Class’s new WSET spirits course at: www.thetastingclass.com Will be available for both consumers and trade for the fi rst time 44 42 Supplier News Products & Updates www.caterermiddleeast.com Caterer Middle East | December 2019 38/CREAM The content of this advertorial represents the views of the author only and is his sole responsibility. The European Commission do not accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the information it contains. CAMPAIGN FINANCED WITH AID FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION Exceptional ingredients A cocoa bean from Ecuador or Dominican Republic will not offer the same aroma as one originating from Peru or Madagascar. The same applies to cream. In Europe, France have the largest number of PDO creams (Protected Designation of Origin label) recognizing the special characteristics of these dairy creams originating from Isigny and Bresse regions. On one hand, the rich pastures of Cotentin and Calvados produce a cream with a unique taste and an incomparable smoothness. On the other hand, the wooded plains and diversity of flora in the Bresse region add notes of biscuit, vanilla and fruit to the cream. After straining, the mixture is kept cold overnight before being used the next day. All that remains is to choose the cream which will be best paired with the chocolate, and this is the art of the pastry chef. The pastry chef must perfectly master his or her ingredients to ensure that no single ingredient clashes with another, allowing harmony to prevail. For example, some creams would, by nature, clash with a fruity chocolate, you should then go for a natural, more neutral-tasting cream to brings out the delicate chocolate fragrance. Once the products have been chosen, it is up to the pastry chef to express his or her creative genius with a pastry which skillfully marries the fragrances and textures. Vincent Cockenpot, pastry chef in Dubai, considers this marriage of European cream and chocolate as one of the best due to the way the two ingredients complement each other. The combination works wonders, because they blend, intertwine and play with each other so well... So that in the end, the chocolate reveals its character, its power, its bitter taste and the complexity of its fragrance. The dairy cream brings its smoothness, fullness, softness and lightness of texture to the cake, it adds another layer of pleasure to the eating experience, making the flavours soar to new heights. J14397 - Sopexa - Cream of Europe - Advertorial 8 - 205x275 - v1 indd 111/10/19 5:23 PMNext >