< PreviousFood Safety caterermiddleeast.com April 2020 20 products with service and training, which will save them money in the midterm and let them keep their peace of mind. “They should remember that short cuts with hygiene may have severe consequences on their investment and brand. They should seek to use dispensed, concentrated products to overcome human mistakes, as many operators may think the use of more products would deliver better cleaning. Such misconceptions may not cost us much at home, yet in professional environments, with the high volumes, the costs can be high, and frankly, unnecessary.” Hajjar agrees that training is key, but keeping the vital information front and centre will keep it at the forefront of the staff’s mind. ”Post stickers and posters related to food safety all over the premises so the staff will have it in front of them as a reminder, and implement a reward system to encourage their teams to abide by the food and hygiene policies,” he says. While the coronavirus outbreak has had a devastating impact on many in the F&B sector in the Middle East, some have been able to thrive during it. Abhijit Rajwade, founder and managing director of Let’s Cook, says: “It has given us an opportunity to cater to all the homebound people with their daily diet requirements. We are a home delivery service of fresh pre-portioned ingredients and recipes which encourage people to cook at home. This is a good time for the family to come together around the kitchen, exchange positive vibes and cook their own meals. “We are doing our best to ensure that all our customers get regular supplies of fresh ingredient boxes without any interruptions.” But for F&B operators with standard brick-and-mortar operations, these are trying times. Chang Sup Shin, CEO of Korean outlet 1004 Gourmet, believes the challenges it poses shouldn’t be underestimated. He says: “I think this is, and should be considered, a very serious issue. It's not ‘just the flu!’ I'm hoping we will be able to contain it within six months but I would not be surprised if it lasts until next year.” From a food safety point of view, Chang hopes the lessons learned from Covid-19 will become a standard part of our hygiene culture long term. He says: “I think it's important to control the number of people in a space so it's not too crowded and to educate the customers to wash their hands and sanitise regularly. Our cultures believe in the role that masks play to minimise contamination so we would like to see more people wearing it. It's become a taboo in Western countries that people who wear masks are sick or intimidating but it's a great way to not only spread any viruses but protect yourself from it.” For Panchali Mahendra, managing director of Atelier House which operates Mohalla and Marea in Dubai, financial concerns are a big obstacle to returning to normal. She says: “This is the time for the landlords to be supportive and look at the market and give significant deductions. As a part of the industry, we can only hope to see the impact lessen and provide measures to make sure each environment is virus-free at the minimum. We need to keep working and moving forward and be calm, not create more panic within the clients.” With locations around the globe, Trevor Mackenzie, CEO of Mango Tree Worldwide, is keenly affected. He hopes that “governments, no "Short cuts with hygiene may have severe consequences on their investment" Chang Sup Shin Panchali Mahendra21 April 2020 caterermiddleeast.com matter what country, are quicker to act and quickly start to offer businesses the help they need to get back to business as usual and keep the economies going. Otherwise it will have the opposite effect and we will have mass bankruptcies, mass unemployment, and mass overall recession which will burden the government even more and push all the work to them.” But for Ohan, the immediate government response has been impressive and he believes that ultimately the industry will come out of this crisis stronger. He says: “I am very encouraged by the aggressive global response to the situation by the UAE government and many international governments. This is the kind of thing you want to be out in front of. I am inspired as I see the world coming together to figure this out. We are an innovative, resilient and powerful species. This too shall pass.” "I am inspired as I see the world coming together to gure this out" Trevor Mackenzie R www.santos.fr santos@santos.fr BRUSHLESS BLENDER #62 Long Lifetime Extremely Quiet Two-way rotation Excellent energy efficiency No maintenance GULFHOST DUBAI 03 — 05 NOVEMBER 2020 Sheikh Saeed Hall — Booth S1-C81Super Clubs caterermiddleeast.com April 2020 22 A th th B c NOT SO SILENT NIGHTSuper Clubs 23 April 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Although not a uniquely Dubai phenomenon, he super club has found a home amongst he city’s big spending, fun loving populous. But, with F&B outlets reporting lower average heques than ever, is it on borrowed time?Super Clubs caterermiddleeast.com April 2020 24 "We can have two to three international artists performing in the same city on a weekly basis" "Where else in the world can you wake up on a Fri- day and think ‘let’s go to see that Grammy award-winning artist here or that international super- star DJ there?” Drai’s Dubai GM Paul McGee succinctly sums up what it is that sets Dubai’s club scene apart from the rest of the globe. For years it has attracted the cream of the crop when it comes to rappers and DJs. Wiz Khalifa, Tyga, Tinie Tempah, Akon. All have performed in Dubai in the past year alone, attracting crowds of thousands to clubs like Drais, White, and Base. As McGee states, customers can choose between different household names each week, and Base Dubai operations manager Julien Polaniok believes the city “has become one of the centrepieces of the international nightlife circuit”. He says: “The competition is so intense between the big clubs in the market like Base that we can have two to three international artists performing in the same city on a weekly basis. Dubai is also on the calendar of all the nightlife artists too as they have to pass by Dubai today which was not the case five or six years ago.” Dubai has firmly established itself on the international circuit agrees McGee, who says the calibre of talent who perform on a weekly basis is “truly breathtaking”, adding that “not only do artists love to visit this amazing city, but they always come back for more. It’s like a bug that you cannot shake once it gets you”. Poloniak believes that Dubai is “the most competitive nightlife in the market”, saying: “We have in our market today between four to six clubs that book huge artists on a weekly basis which really gives the Dubai scene something extra compared to New York or London.” Competing with other top party cities is not an easy task and the most recently opened superclub in Dubai, Sky2.0, takes a different tack to its competitors by not bringing in international talent. But, Sky Management Holdings CEO Chafic el Khazen agrees it holds its own as city against the Big Apple and the British capital. He says: “The three cities are comparable because of their cosmopolitan feel and the fact they have an eclectic crowd. “Dubai being a world class holiday destination is to my opinion more joyful than the other two cities. It hosts a beautiful crowd with a sensational, positive energy. Dubai is not only a holiday destination for travelers but also the go-to destination for party-goers.” Instead of working against it, not bringing in international DJs, Sky2.0 has set itself apart from the likes of Drai’s and Base, part of its aim to “re- invent Dubai’s current nightlife”, says el Khazen. By adding an institutional structures and systems, and giving as much focus to its regular guests as the big spenders, el Khazen hopes Sky2.0 has added more professionalism to its experience that will benefit it long term. “We are not opportunistic and our vision is for the long run which is why our venues are built to last,” says el Khazen. “Sky2.0 put an end to the already existing concept of the more you spend the better it gets. We pay attention to each and every detail: all the small things add up and Julien Polaniok Sky2.0 is in D3Super Clubs 25 April 2020 caterermiddleeast.com unconsciously people end up enjoying the experience more.” While Sky2.0 originated in Lebanon, and Drai’s is a Las Vegas import, Base is a homegrown Dubai venue, and, in fact, it has made the move abroad thanks to its popularity and brand recognition. Polaniok says: “We have done the coolest pop-ups, whether it’s the Abu Dhabi F1, Monaco, and Mykonos and have built a name for ourselves in the international circuit. The nightlife market follows the same rules of the fashion industry where we need to constantly re-think our concept of partying which Base does incredibly well.” “Staying fresh” is vital, agrees McGee, who says clubs need to “provide what people want even if they don’t know what it is that they want”, if you want to see them turn into repeat customers. And while restaurants have repeatedly told Caterer Middle East that average cheques have been reduced in the last couple of years, the superclubs say they've not been affected. “Since the beginning of Base, we have not found a decrease but more of an adaptation to current market trends,” explains Polaniok. McGee agrees, saying “the spenders are still here and still enjoying themselves week in/week out”. Ultimately, Dubai’s superclubs aim to continue servicing their customers with an experience unlike anything else in the world. As McGee sums up: “We are gifted with the ability to make memories for people. Our job is the best. We are all so lucky to have the power of creating moments that people will remember for the rest of their lives.” “Provide what people want even if they don’t know what they want” caterermiddleeast.com April 2020 26 MIX MASTERS Fancy an aperitif? An early evening delight in Italy, the Aperol spritz has spread around the world. Here’s how to make it with a twist – one alcoholic, one not Jan Marc Menicable Beverage innovation manager, Monin MEI Cocktail: Saffron spritz “Part of our job is to keep up with the beverage trends - we adopt and then localised. Monin, through its consistent innovation, we combined a spritz with the newly launched saffron syrup. With its unmistakable floral, herbal, and exotic scent and taste, it is easy to see why saffron is always in demand. It is great for coffees, teas, lemonades, adventurous cocktails and culinary applications.” Ingredients: 30ml Monin Orange Bitter syrup 20ml Monin Saffron syrup Soda water Red grapefruit Method: Pour the two complemen- tary Monin fl avours into your glass and top with soda wa- ter (or tonic water). Garnish with a slice of red grapefruit.Mix Masters 27 April 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Anoop Chandran Head barman, Lah Lah Cocktail: Mint and lime Aperol spritz "This version of the famous Italian cocktail has proven to be a true favourite at Lah Lah. "The twist of mint and lime take the edge off Aperol’s bitter avours, making this popular summer drink sweeter and fresher. A chilled glass in the sunshine is the perfect accessory for all occasions." Ingredients: 60ml Aperol 60ml prosecco 60ml soda water 10ml lime juice 10ml sugar syrup 3 lime wedges Orange Fresh mint Method: Fill a wine glass with ice. Add in the Aperol, prosecco, soda, lime juice and sugar syrup into wine glass. Squeeze in the lime wedges and stir. Garnish drink with dehydrated or- ange and fresh mint. Place non-plastic straw and serve.Over 120 years of Parisian tradition comes to the UAE capital FOUQUET’S, LOU caterermiddleeast.com April 2020 28UVRE ABU DHABI 29 April 2020 caterermiddleeast.comNext >