< PreviousF&B FOCUS 30 HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 because I’ve never seen anything like this.’” Instrumental in creating the ‘vibe’ is the music. Allsop says: “There was a huge hole in the market so it was an easy call for us. We were going to do hip-hop, RnB, soca, reggae, dancehall and we’re going to bring down the size of the venue to probably quarter of what all the other ones are doing and we’re going to make it a more intimate feel.” Although they knew it had potential, they didn’t expect to be doing this well in a tough market. “It’s the third year and we’re doing better than last year in terms of revenue, people coming through, cov- ers, all of it, says Allsop. “I spoke to one of my friends in the city, they’re down 15%- 20% and others are closing. So we’re very lucky to be in this position and we know that so, we don’t take it for granted. Each guest has to be taken care of.” This approach has spawned a loyal clientele who help to spread the word. Riddick says: “Whenever we have guests coming in, they bring friends, they bring family. The amount of people that con- tinue to come in here with new people, every time they come in its outstanding. We can’t say enough about it because, without them there is no us. The word of mouth has been through traditional actual word of mouth and a digital pres- ence which is a virtual word of mouth. We’ve been extremely fortunate to have a handful of big names that have come through and helped shed some light on the venue. Ed (Sheeran) is an outstand- ing guy and we’re very fortunate that he comes in to dine with us.” The concept’s location is also an impor- tant factor. Allsop says: “The Sheraton Grand is great to work with. They’ve been fantastic throughout the process. Any part- nership has its ups and downs but they’ve really good to us and they are extremely accommodating. I can call the general manager of the hotel for a meeting and I get it immediately. I’ve also been able to build a good relationship with the concierge department. They’ll call me if they have someone downstairs or a guest there who needs help with a reservation. The relation- ship is more than just ‘we pay you rent’. We genuinely work together to make sure that people that are in this building wither they’re staying here or they’re just visiting here have a great experience.” Ian Riddick. Stephen Allsop. Miss Lily's beef tartare. Grilled octopus. When it comes to expansion plans, they have been conservative. Allsop says: “I can’t even tell you how many times peo- ple said ‘Oh man we need a Lily’s here.’ We appreciate that immensely but at the same time we have to make sure that what we’re doing is right for the business. We’ve got to make sure that we’re not can- nibalising ourselves and we’re not exceed- ing our bandwidth. So we’re focusing on this and now that we have this we feel that at a good temperature and at a good pace, self-contained. However, Allsop does confi rm that there is something on the cards: “We are putting together this new project that is going to be equally as amazing and we’re really excited for it. It’s taking time because it was very calculated. We didn’t rush in just because we had success at this place. We had to give it the right space.” The new project is French-Vietnamese New York celebrity haunt Indochine which is set to open in Dubai’s DIFC this month. There’s also a revamped menu at Miss Lily’s conceived by chef Dharamsingh Rana, who has introduced some lighter, inventive dishes that don’t stray too far away from the concept’s Caribbean roots. Riddick sums it up: “We stick to our strengths. We know what we do well and we stick to our lane. We try to be as suc- cessful as we can in that way.” Baked Jamaica. Sweet patties.www.accessabilitiesexpo.com accessabilitiesexpoAAExpoDubaiaccessabilitiesexpo00971 4 256 6707 accessabilitiesexpo1@naddalshiba.com00971 56 961 0407Fahed Mohammed Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre ActivitiesNew TechnologiesWorkshops Tourism for Everyone Dubai Accessible Tourism International Summit32 32 32 HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 By Claudia de Brito , Priy ank a Pr av een, Simon Ritchie, Saher Suthriw ala and Car la Sertin The regional hospitality industry came out in force to celebrate individual and col- lective achievements over the past year. The theme of the gala event held at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai was ‘Every- one is a Rock Star’ and we’re happy to report that the vast majority of the attendees fully embraced it. You’ll see some great shots of the celebrations and our best dressed guests here as well as on the Hotelier Middle East website – www.hoteliermiddleeast.com On the night, Oman’s Al Bustan Palace had plenty to celebrate, taking home an impressive three awards including Safety & Security Person of the Year, Unsung Hero of the Year and GM Of the Year, which went to Katrin Herz. Taj Dubai was just behind with two wins - Swati Tandon for HR & Training Person of the Year and Rabia Shaheen for Sales Person of the Year. This year we saw a slew of female winners as well as highly commended nominees (Dolly Mae Kong Parreñas for Safety & Security Person of the Year and Reema Ali AlShehry for Finance Person of the Year) in traditionally male-dominated roles. We also saw more nominations come in from candidates and properties from across the region, instead of primarily the UAE or the GCC as has been the case in previous years. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come. Read on for the full coverage of the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2019. Hotelier Middle East Awards 2020 Date: Wednesday 27th October 2020 Venue: TBC Nominations: Open on April 5, 2020 To sponsor the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2020, please contact: rose.adams@itp.com amanda.stewart@itp.com BBy C laia d e Br it o, Pri ya nk a Pr av een, Simon Rit chie , Sa he r Su th ri wa la a nd Cla S erer ti naar ladia d e Br it o, P ri ya nk a Pr av een, Simon Ritchie , Sa he r Su th riw a la a nd C aa udu ia dd C aar The 15th edition of the Hotelier Middle East Awards were held on October 23, 2019 at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai33 33 HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 34 Highly Commended Nominee Ismail Rusaik, InterContinental Jeddah Shortlist: Anil Kumar Katru, Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai Asif Khatri, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah and Hilton Dubai The Walk Christine Saldanha, Crowne Plaza Dubai Haytham Al Hassan, Al Ahsa InterContinental Hotel, Al Ahsa Kasun Eranga Hewa Dewage, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah Mohamed Hassan, TRYP by Wyndham Dubai Sangeeta Suryawamshi, Crowne Plaza and Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi Yas Island Sheeja Sasidharan, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek Dubai The Housekeeper of the Year at the 15th Hotelier Middle East Awards went to Tatjana Ahmed, Grand Hyatt Dubai. Ahmed stood out from the pack due to the fact that she constantly works on reinventing the housekeeping department in order to stay relevant and set new trends. She is committed to continuously learning about new cleaning equipment and techniques, infection control as well trends in the wider hospitality industry. Commenting on the keys to her success, Ahmed said: “Staying on top of things, educating yourself all the time. There are so many new things coming up all the time – technologies, new work techniques. You must be on the ball and you must be well- informed about what’s new.” When asked about the issues she is most concerned with, Ahmed replied: “Technology, technology, technology.” Highly commended in this category was Ismail Rusaik from InterContinental Jeddah. The award was presented by Alp Aksoy, vice president for Diversey at the ceremony which was held at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai. HOUSEKEEPER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSOR GRAND HYATT DUBAI TATJANA AHMED HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 35 Highly Commended Nominee Mohammad Qattash, Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City, Dubai Shortlist: Abdul Baseer Mohammed, InterContinental Jeddah Amer Farfour, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai Haitham Natour, InterContinental Hotels at Dubai Festival City Jaison Sebastian, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City Jamal Mustafa, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort & Spa/ Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa Mahmood Uddin Ahmed, Media One Hotel, Dubai Mehmet Akdeniz, Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi Syed Taha Mustafa, InterContinental Riyadh Anita Julie Lobo from Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Kuwait won the IT Person of the Year award at the 15th Hotelier Middle East Awards. Lobo, who supports sustainability initiatives had opted for paperless solutions and uses recyclable cartridges, started her career as a computer coordinator. But what really impressed the judges was her use of technology to create a resilient environment that can cater to future developments. “As an IT Person, one needs to understand that technology is changing so we need to make sure that we are aware of the new technologies that are coming in the market. It also is very important that one has a strong love for hotels and their job,” Lobo told Hotelier Middle East, when asked what makes for a good IT personnel. “I’m so happy, I can’t believe that I won, this really means a lot to me,” she added. Marina Buznikova from Sealand Pacific presented the award at the ceremony which was held at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai. IT PERSON OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSOR CROWNE PLAZA AND HOLIDAY INN KUWAIT ANITA JULIE LOBO HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 36 Highly Commended Nominee Naved Shaikh, Taj Dubai Shortlist: Daniel Carnota Lopez, Park Rotana & Arjaan Complex, Abu Dhabi Jahanzaib Anwer, Hilton Garden Inn, Al Khobar Julius Okot-Chono, Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai Mina Karim Mikhael Attia, Crowne Plaza Jeddah Premlal Kenaveeti, W Dubai – The Palm, Dubai Sajeev Viswanath, Crowne Plaza Sohar Tushar Govind Aranake, InterContinental Fujairah Resort Waleed Samuel, Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach, Dubai The Hotel Engineer of the Year went to Richie Edmunds, Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai. The judges felt that the winner of the Hotel Engineer of the Year award consistently supported colleagues in their efforts to achieve targets for their personal development and recorded a total of 11 internal promotions, which reflected savings in payroll and increased employee satisfaction. He is also currently involved in the planning and construction for the Museum of the Future, while ensuring that the construction activities do not impact the daily operations of the hotel. “We’re not used to the limelight, we stay in the background,” Edmunds said on the side lines of the awards. “You can’t really do it without a good team… it is our job to stay in the background and make sure they have the very, very best experience. “I’m very lucky to be working for a very good company, Jumeirah. They put me in one of the most prestigious buildings in Dubai.” Emma Barnett, sales manager of Caterer Middle East presented the award at the ceremony which was held at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai. HOTEL ENGINEER OF THE YEAR JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, DUBAI RICHIE EDMUNDS HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 37 Highly Commended Nominee Dolly Mae Kong Parreñas, InterContinental Abu Dhabi Hotel Shortlist: Ahmad Mustafa, Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, UAE Muhammad Ans, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh Muhammad Waqar Azeem Qamar, InterContinental Jeddah Nahid Parvez, Dar Al Hijra InterContinental Madinah Mukhtar Al Maskari from Al Bustan Palace, Oman won the Safety & Security Person of the Year title at the 15th Hotelier Middle East Awards. Al Maskari took home the award because judges felt that he went over and beyond the job description, putting great importance on the development of his team which is 100% Omani, while focusing on their learning and training. What also worked to his advantage was his long service in the hotel and experience gained in various departments. Speaking about his win, Al Maskari said: “We had closed Al Bustan Palace, Oman for almost 15 months for renovation, and we opened the hotel in October. Pre- opening is not an easy job and there was a lot of work to be done in terms of security, especially since the hotel is well known among delegations and top VIPs. This award would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the support of the management and the team. I am very happy that I won the award this year.” Sam Tucker head of manpower services at Transguard Hospitality Services presented the award. SAFETY & SECURITY PERSON OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSOR AL BUSTAN PALACE, OMAN MUKHTAR AL MASKARIHOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 38 Highly Commended Nominee Mohamed Azakir, Phoenicia InterContinental Beirut Shortlist: Abdullah Saad Al-Otaiby, InterContinental Jeddah Carleo Tarun, Crowne Plaza and Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi Yas Island Lorelai Lanot, Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai Mohamed Aleemuddin, InterContinental Riyadh Muni Pratap, Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa Shahid Jabbar, Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai Shrouq Amin, Semiramis InterContinental Cairo Tripat Mehrotra, Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East & Africa The HR & Training Person of the Year at the 15th Hotelier Middle East Awards went to Taj Dubai’s Swati Tandon. Tandon impressed the judges with her dedication. She is a member of “L&D Centre of Excellence” and her projects include creating a Training Lab where all L&D professionals are trained during on-boarding process. After visiting a special needs school in Dubai she created a learning platform for students to learn and develop useful skills. Inviting one student to work and learn as a part of their team, and overseeing his development. Commenting on what she loves about her job, Tandon said: “I started my career 13 years ago and my passion lies with training people. I think whatever I’ve done throughout my career has paid me back today.” When asked about the challenges she faces, Tandon replied: “Our biggest challenge is the retention of staff. As Taj Dubai, the biggest asset we have is ‘Taj-ness’ and we ensure that we communicate this to all of our associates.” The award was presented by Eddie Abou Khalim, Middle East area manager, Cosentino. HR & TRAINING PERSON OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSOR TAJ DUBAI SWATI TANDON HOTELIER MIDDLE EA ST | November 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 11 39 Highly Commended Nominee Ashley Lobo, InterContinental Abu Dhabi Hotel Shortlist: Abdulrahman Alanezi, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh Biju Philip, Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Hatem Mohamed, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Kuwait Malik Adil, Sofi tel Dubai The Palm Mohammad Al Wahaibi, InterContinental Muscat Tedela Negussie, Sofi tel Dubai Downtown Gaurav Malhotra, Jumeirah International from Jumeirah International received the Procurement Person of the Year Award at the 15th Hotelier Middle East Awards. What impressed the judges was the fact that he has a proven track record of delivering successful automation projects and that he serves as a consulting member to various committees of the property’s procurement clients to assist in their automation projects. Unfortunately, Malhotra couldn’t be there to collect his award, so his colleague Rajkumar Chanchlani received it on his behalf. Speaking about why Malhotra deserved to win this award, Chanchlani said: “Gaurav is someone who looks after all the operations of our hotels. He won this award because he does a great job supporting operations at the property. He is one person who works closely with the management as well as his colleagues. He is a great team player and rightly deserves this award!” Eddie Abou Khalim, Middle East area manager, Cosentino presented the award. PROCUREMENT PERSON OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSOR JUMEIRAH INTERNATIONAL, DUBAI GAURAV MALHOTRANext >