< PreviousZero-proof cocktails caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 20 Caption here please A zero-proof ocktail from Alembic - Liquid Education ExperienceZero-proof cocktails 21 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Take a walk around DIFC on a Thursday evening and you may forget that we’re living through a global pandemic. In restaurants, all the tables are full. Live music is being performed and there’s an air of revelry and enjoyment. The only signs that things aren’t as they should be are the staff wearing masks and the fact that tables are a bit further apart than they used to be. But while the restaurant scene returns to some form of normality, bars remain hamstrung with tougher rules. While social distancing in restaurants means pushing tables slightly further apart, in bars it means no socialising, no dancing, and not even being allowed to sit around the bar area or order directly from bartenders. In short, the essence of what makes bars popular has been stripped out. “The impact has been detrimental to the bar world, with many business closures across the globe, from big- to small-sized companies closing their doors for the last time,” says Adam Carr, managing director of Aura Consultancy. “The full effect has not been seen as of now, I believe, with those businesses recently re-opening yet to determine whether or not they can sustain themselves in the current market. Most businesses did not account for a global pandemic and loss of revenue for over four months in their cash ows and were just not ready for such a hit on the bottom line.” John Gillespie, managing director of Tonique Consultancy, says the impact in Dubai alone has been huge, with his sources at African & Eastern and MMI telling him that more than half of licensed premises in the Emirate are yet to reopen their doors, or may never, and the ones that have only able to operate at 50 percent capacity. Adapting to these new rules and regulations will be a challenge for bars, and Carr says “attracting new custom is going to be a pivotal aspect of sustaining any hospitality business”. To do that, many experts are suggesting it’s the right time to tap into the growing trend for low- and no-alcohol cocktails, an area that the Bacardi 2020 Cocktail Trends Report highlighted as an ever-increasing market. According to the report, 83% of bartenders say low-alcohol drinks are “hot” right now. Eugene Conradie, F&B director of Taj Holding Group, says it’s an area that has been overlooked in the past, particularly in hotels. “A restaurant without creative vegetarian menu options is unthinkable today. Unfortunately, across the bar counter in most hotels, non-alcoholic cocktails remain stuck in the culinary dark ages. Juice blends, shelf life syrups and carelessly sweet, unbalanced ‘mocktails’ embarrassingly still feature on the majority of hotel menus. Usually on the last page, barely be tting as an afterthought. “Surveys show a decline in alcohol “Non-alcoholic drinks are stuck in the culinary dark ages” Adam CarrZero-proof cocktails caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 22 consumption across all demographics. The healthy living trend continues to gather momentum and the impact of alcohol is making headlines. From sober curious to total abstinence, guests are looking for creative, tasty alternatives to cocktails.” While it’s usually Dubai that is the F&B trendsetter across the Middle East, this is one area in which it may need to defer to Saudi Arabia’s expertise. According to Giffard’s Nassim Bouchafa, the Kingdom “is one of the biggest markets in the world for dry mixology”. He says: “We have been initiating the ‘cocktail zero’ trend in Jeddah and See page 42 for cocktail recipes CHANGE OF CONCEPT With nightclubs still closed at the time of writing, some brands are switching up in a bid to reopen. 1 Oak in Dubai has relaunched as a restaurant and lounge with a menu from Hawksmoor and Meatopia’s Richard Turner. Operations director Alberto Barbieri says the new concept has been well received and wasn’t too dif cult to implement, despite Covid-19. “Fortunately for us, the oor plan that we used for the club, had a natural ‘social distancing’ element to it so the switch from club to restaurant and lounge was very straightforward. The surfaces are very easy to disinfect, and we do so on a regular basis, making sure that our staff and guests are in as safe an environment that we can create. “The most interesting thing that we have found is that our guests have really welcomed being able to come back to a very familiar setting for them, where they have spent many great nights. We now open at 10pm and have seen that we are able to welcome an ‘early crowd’ that will enjoy a late dinner, some cocktails, and lounge music. This was something that was always a real challenge in a more traditional nightclub setting.” Zero-proof cocktails 23 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Riyadh for more than two years. “Saudis have real appetite for avours and beverages, it is part of the culture. Today, coffee shops, lounges and restaurants are allowing men and women to gather and share drinks with the recent societal changes seen in the Kingdom. Evenings out, therefore, still tend to revolve around food and non-alcoholic drinks: the more Instagrammable, the better it is.” Having launched a dry mixology course with ICCA Dubai in 2019 to teach bartenders the fundamentals of the bar, the usage of spice and herbs, and showmanship, Giovanni Depergola, co-founder of Alembic – Liquid Education Experience, says venues should introduce zero-proof cocktail menus alongside the classic alcohol- inclusive ones. He says: “This will give their guests an immediately different perspective, since nowadays consumers are looking for a variety of options and are no longer “It’s a great opportunity for many venues, especially hotel lobbies that in general don’t serve alcohol and most of the time look like airport lounges or dated coffee shops. Dry bars can take advantage of the great pro t margin by adding to their selection a well-made, non-alcoholic drink.” But how do you create a great zero- proof cocktail menu, is it the same as creating a traditional one? “There’s a lot to consider,” says Russell Sanchez, brand amabassador – Midddle East, Britvic. “Whether you’re starting from scratch or revamping your current offerings, it is not so different from creating your cocktail menu. “First, think about your patrons. Having a separate drink menu is more practical and does a better job of showcasing your options. “Include drink descriptions: Why is it that food items get vivid and embellished descriptions like ‘slow- roasted,’ ‘succulent’, and ‘crispy’, but WE HELP YOU TO CREATE BITS & BITES OF HAPPINESS FOR PROFESSIONALS Chocolat Frey has been synonymous with first-class Swiss couvertures ever since its founding in 1887. From the cocoa bean to the professional user – the original, traditional manufacturing process with selected raw materials makes the product variety of Chocolat Frey couvertures unique. It also guarantees utmost quality and safety. Distributor: FOOD SOURCE INTERNATIONAL DIP2, DIRC Complex, Warehouse No W6-H1, Dubai, UAE | P.O. Box. 54681 sales@foodsource.ae | www.foodsource.ae T +971 4 299 88 29 | F +971 4 299 81 15 satis ed by fruit juices, sugary sodas, or plan sparkling water. They are looking for much more complex avours that will suit their tastes and preferences. Giffard’s Jean Abou JaoudeZero-proof cocktails caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 24 drink listings sometimes don’t even include their ingredients? To help customers make a decision and to upsell certain drinks, include a short but effective description for each item. “Use creative cocktail names, Cocktail names shouldn’t be an afterthought. “Strategically place pro table drinks: customers tend to look at the top right- hand corner of the menu rst. After this spot, peoples’ eyes go to the rst and last few items on the menu. To push your most pro table drink items, be sure to strategically place them in these areas to attract the eyes of your customers. The more attention you draw to them, the more likely they are to sell.” Santanu Chanda, bar supervisor at Buddha-Bar Dubai, adds that in the day and age of shareable content it is vital your drink looks like something customers will want to show off. He says: “Ensure that whatever is created behind the bar is very well presented and fully Instagrammable. Social media is the leading marketing tool for a great cocktail menu as the images projected will directly re ect your menu presentation.” As highlighted by Conradie and Depergola, too many non-alcoholic menus of the past have been pale imitations of traditional cocktail with no inventiveness, that’s why Doors Freestyle Grill, an unlicensed restaurant in Dubai with a wide range of zero-proof drinks encourages creativity from its bartenders when coming up with new menu items. Marketing manager Sari Mounzer says: “Choosing the right kind of fruits according to the season plays a key role in creating a great mocktail menu. Fresh ingredients, the right combination of flavours, the perfect type of ice, and aesthetic presentation are also important to curate a great mocktail menu. But the mixologists also have to be very passionate about mixology to come up to delicious new blends or reinventing classics.” According to Rudolph Raven, beverage manager at Waldorf Astoria DIFC, that passion for mixology should allow any bartender to create great zero-proof drinks, rather than being speci cally trained to do so. Something Okku Riyadh won KSA’s rst ever cocktail competitionZero-proof cocktails 25 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Nana Sechere EUGENE CONRADIE’S TOP FIVE TIPS FOR THE ZERO-PROOF TREND The rst step is sourcing products with zero proof drinks in mind. Exotic essences, homemade infusions and an ever-growing selection of quality fresh produce are widely accessible to most bars today. Demand for zero-proof has seen major innovation in non-alcoholic spirit substitutes, with several excellent products on the market. Many of these brands have even published their own zero proof cocktail recipes, which is a great source of inspiration. The options are greater than ever, the only limit is the bartender’s skill and imagination. Flavour and presentation, however, remains key to success. Revive texture. One of the often subconscious qualities of a great cocktail is the mouthfeel. Recreating this effect without the heat of alcohol is a hurdle most zero proof drinks fail to clear. Start with aquafaba for a foamy texture, gum arabic for silky smoothness, and the astringent tannins of tea for dryness. Embrace bitter. Cocoa, coffee, radish and green tea are all great sources of complex bitterness. Of course, there’s an endless list of alcoholic bitters available, but to be truly zero- proof requires more thought and effort. Experiment with fruits, vegetables, seeds, and extracts to nd unusual bitter tastes that can add nuance to drinks. Balance creativity. It’s easy to pursue an idea to its extremes in the search for a unique avour pro le, but that’s not always a good thing. Aim for pleasing, accessible avours in the bulk of the menu and experiment with a small number of more intriguing combinations to gain an understanding of customer preference. Commit. 15 to 20 percent of the menu should be custom zero- proof creations and feature the drinks alongside alcoholic cocktails, taking care to highlight the zero-proof offerings to avoid confusion. Listing zero-proof and alcoholic cocktails side-by-side may seem odd at rst, but it’s a statement of intent to serve consistently high-quality drinks, no matter what the ingredients are. Educating the service team on the recipes and how to sell the drinks is, of course, extremely important. of bene t to bars looking to tighten their budgets post-Covid-19. “I am not sure if it is an issue of training,” he says. “If you are a good bartender you should understand avours and if you understand avours you should be able to put good mocktails together. The basic is to replace the alcohol with a non-alcoholic substitute: rum for fresh apple juice in mojito and swap whisky for a good quality black tea like lapsang. I don’t think it is rocket science after you get a bit of inspiration.” However, with customers looking for more experiential nights out, and also in need of a reason to venture out to spend their money in uncertain economic Zero-proof cocktails caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 26 times, Beam Suntory portfolio brand ambassador for the Gulf Nana Sechere believes an investment in training will pay dividends in the long run. He says: “I am very big on continuous training. I think if the service staff continues to push themselves and keep mastering their craft, the guest will always benefit and it will be cyclical. Happy guests, means they keep coming back, and that generates good times for the guests and good revenue for the restaurants. Everyone post-Covid is searching for value, and the best way for the restaurant to show value is by the work of highly trained staff creating the right atmosphere.” Despite the growing trend for no- and low-alcohol drinks in the Middle East, there are some industry issues which are holding back its growth here, says Gillespie, who has been pushing the trend for the past two years. “The major issue is that most non- alcoholic spirits like Seedlip, Ceders, Everleaf, all popular brands in the UK, fall above the 0.3% ABV UAE standard [for drinks to be classed as non-alcoholic) as the UK is 0.5%, meaning they would be reclassi ed as low-alcohol spirits. Maybe we can lobby the authorities to change the UAE standard to 0.5% to support the growing trend, but now the market is too small for the brands to change their recipes and most F&B venues will not spend AED250 for a non-alcoholic spirit.” At popular Dubai beach club Zero Gravity, general manager Peter Skudutis says he “hasn’t seen a noticeable switch to non-alcoholic cocktails” and demand for the venue’s non-alcoholic beers and wines has remained low. However, Skudutis has noticed customers going for more light beers, beverages with low sugar content, and less sugary mixers. “Our guests are de nitely more interested in what goes into their drinks and in turn into their bodies,” he says. Although he has seen an increase in people thinking about their health, Sechere says he “doesn’t think it’s as glaring a difference as we may believe”. Instead, Sechere says that as Dubai’s F&B scene slowly returns to normal, people will quickly switch back to their old habits and return to their favourite restaurants. So how do you attract new customers? Sechere says that in the end “it will all come down to experiences”. “People are watching their wallets, and if they spend, they want to make sure it’s worth it. So if restaurants focus more on giving people the best night they can, through service, food, and even throwing some unique events, I think that’s what people are looking for.” According to Gillespie, “staying in is the new going out of the future” as he predicts consumers will not ock back to bars. “This whole process has pushed most venues to create a full takeout and delivery menu, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails to–go, which has taken us out of our comfort zone to create new, alternative experiences for our guests.” Whatever the future holds, it appears that non-alcoholic drinks may have a bigger presence than ever before. Giovanni Depergola “Coronavirus has made us create new alternative experiences”27 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Succumb to this new generation of snacking products, for savoury and flavoursome mini snacks! exportsales@groupeleduff.com www.bridordefrance.com Mini Snacks 3 mini swirls : cheese pizza pesto Mini cheese Extravant Serving sugges tion - photo : A point s tudioThe Rent Crisis caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 28 Recovering from the corona virus pandemic is the biggest issue the industry has ever faced, but are landlords doing enough to help their tenants? THE RENT CRISISThe Rent Crisis 29 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.comNext >