From food festivals to single source menu, from tea specials to chef’s tasting menu, pop ups and under 300 calories healthy breakfast, we look at what’s setting the cash register ringing for the F&B industry in the hotel.
BY MADHULIKA DASH
When it comes to the Indian F&B scene, diner-engagement concepts have always played a key role in generating profitability. Be it introducing the concept of 21 tea and coffee selection at the Emperor Lounge at Taj Mahal Man Singh and Sea Lounge in Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai, the “Unlimited Wok Buffet” at All Stir Fry at Gordon House Colaba that made interactive buffet a trend or the Sunday Brunch at the Emperor Court at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel that popularised the idea of limited menu live buffets.
However, the last one decade has seen a sea change in the way concepts are created and executed, which has from playing the guests to designing the palate. Varq, the fine dining restaurant of IHG pioneered the concept of experiential dining with their contemporary presentation of Indian food in a thoughtfully crated ambience that was put together to engage its guests. It became the first restaurant to curate its design around specially commissioned artwork of Anjolie Ela Menon.
Indian Accent, the dining destination of The Manor, Delhi, became a trendsetter at introducing the culture of fine dining to the scene with its table theatrics. Sofitel Mumbai BKC Tuskers made the vegetarian thali in a Scotch bar a winning revenue driver for the hotel.
How well these concepts worked vis-a vis the old methods was proved by the 2013 STR Global report, which put the total revenue from F&B on 45.6% as against 48.4% from the rooms making F&B an important part of revenue generation. So what has led to this change?
“The rise of the new food conscious culture”, says Sabysachi Gorai, founder Fabrica By Saby, a hospitality consultancy firm. “Dining out isn’t just about the food, it is about experiences – that something extra that every single thing in the restaurant including the fragrance used has to be in sync with the food and should be a conversation starter.”
Agrees Chef Manish Mehrotra, Indian Accent, whose limited menu has allowed him to effectively engage his guests and also garner newer ones. “A small well designed menu along with a chef tasting option while allows you to reach a bigger demographic of diners – both the experimental and the cautious – on the other hand it enables to keep the food offering fresh and seasonal and qualitative. The latter in fact works better on the modern diner who has shifted from tinned food to local and fresh.”
Chef Mehrotra’s concept of using local produce has found wider acceptance in the F&B scenario as it has helped restaurants not only introduce “in tune with the palate” menus but also keep the food cost low. Thanks to such concepts, F&B spend in 2013 in Mumbai accounted for 40% of total revenue as compared to room’ share of 48.1%, and in Delhi it was 42.8% of total revenues compared to room’s 48.2%.
While working around food has clearly been the revenue earner, there have been examples of restaurants that have worked better for their unique setting like Aer in Four Seasons’ Hotel, which is an open-air cocktail bar or Kiyan in Dusit Devrana that serves fusion of Middle East, India and Europe cuisine amidst Isfahan columns and surrounded by a royal blue waterbody. La Brise, the beach restaurant at Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort is yet another example of how a well-designed restaurant adds to business.
We look at some interesting concepts that have made F&B profitable, and will be the base of future concepts.
PLAYING THE REAL ESTATE
One of the effective ways, says Saket Gupta, GM sales and marketing, Waterstones Hotel, to cut expenses is to utilise the real estate to the advantage. And by that we don’t simply mean the banquet, but concepts that promise a superlative experience like our Room with a View. Essentially it’s a glass room meant for private intimate dinner for two where the menu is custom made by the chef with a live counter cleverly camouflaged to serve entrees as per the mood.”
Yet another successful concept has been the creation of SKKY at Ramada Powai Hotel & Convention Centre, Mumbai. Mumbai’s first open sky restaurant, its strategic location and view of the clear sky – a rarity in Mumbai — along with custom-made themed events and meal experience has helped the hotel’s F&B revenue rise from 32% in 2012-13 to 44% in 2014-15.
‘Birnan – at the Terrace’ at The Taj Mahal Delhi is yet another clever use of the hotel’s real estate. Says Satyajeet Krishnan, GM, “The idea with Birnan was to ultilise the open terrace and the lush environs of Lutyen’s Delhi in such a way that people have a differential experience. So it was a conscious decision to keep the seating rustic yet comfortable with a grill menu that a diner could enjoy on a winter evening. And while it was a risk to take given the nature of our other restaurants, but as a concept it had more pull, especially during the winters when it full house.”
“Such concepts,” says Vijayan Gangadharan, GM, Four Point By Sheraton Pune, “have a unique appeal and can be really designed and managed at a much lower cost than an average restaurant.” Seconds Saurabh Khanna, GM operations, The Park Calangute, Goa. “In Peace, our open all side bar, we can use minimal lighting because of the view it offers. Plus since its open air, the interiors can be fuss free. Like we have beds in the bar and simply having them has insured that guests stay longer in the bar.”
CONVERTING TABLE INTO THEATRE
Today F&B is experimenting with quirky, customised tableware right down to the glass placed to serve water. The use of black graphite plate to serve or using the stoneware bowl to serve soup not only adds the element of wonder to the dish but also ensures that food is served at the right temperature, says Paul Kinny, culinary director, Pallazzio Hotels, who believes that interesting looking plates often egg diners to try out newer dishes, especially in a buffet where personalised portions have been well received.
In fact, Kokan Cafe at Taj Vivanta Mumbai, for Sunday Breakfast uses brass cutlery to give it a home-like feel. “The use of different style crockery weaves a story around the dish, which can be really engaging for the diners. It also helps give the restaurant a brand identity,” says Arun Sundararaj, executive chef, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi, who has kept the table presentation at Machan, the All-Day Dining outlet of the hotel, old style with more finger food on the menu.
DEDICATED TO A THEME
The new breed of theme-based restaurant needs not only a dedicated kitchen but also the right decor. Like Jyran – Tandoor Dining & Lounge is the signature restaurant of Sofitel Mumbai BKC, which has been designed around the Persian folklore of ‘lost love’ and has a magnificent 2-tonne elephant made of scrap metal as its talking point. “The thought behind putting Jyran,” says GM Biswajit Chakraborty, “was to work around a story that will bring back the guests instead of just having the regular Indian restaurant. So while Jyran stays the central theme, the interiors, which is a mix and match of things that are often associated with India like the multicolour trunks, has helped us garner repeat guests.”
Agrees Joshua Mascarenhas, manager F&B, Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort, “You need something more than food to connect. Like in Junho Bar, we serve beverages that are freshly brewed in front of the guests. Just the theatrics involved has enabled us attract diners, and walk-ins who eventually turn diners.”
Making the space playful has been yet another initiative that has worked well for the F&B space like InterContinental Marine Drive’s Long & Short. “With this gastrobar, we tried not only to make food cool with quirkier presentation, but also infused it with that sense of formal informality that made it a good venue for family dinners as well as business meetings. And that versatility has worked well to get more footfalls and guest repeats” says GM Manas Krishnamoorthy, who believes that such informal playfulness with the decor, the setting and the ambience is going to be the next big trend. This is evident at the Kebab Korner, which recently was relaunched replete with a new menu, decor and vibe that is a far cry from the heavy air of formality it once possessed. “The change of presentation and the decor, which is a more contemporary version of the wall carpeted 80s style, was deliberate to create options that can be conversation starter or simply good enough to be part of a Selfie or Instagrammed, adds the GM.
A fact that Hotel Diplomat’s Amreli, a cusp between up market London diner and a classic bistro has already achieved with a culinary free kitchen that doles out popular food, seasonal menu and tasting menu for its patrons, which ensures that no two visits of a guest is the same and they are cajoled to come back. “Of course,” adds Gorai, “the three different set up gives them options to create their own experience.”
“Multi-concept venues,” says Kamaljit Singh, resident manager at Alila Diwa Goa, “is the next big thing as guests today look forward to venues where they can custom-make their own meal experience, right down to selecting the perfect table setting for their mood, while having a newer experience each time.”
EXPLORATION MORE THAN INNOVATION
If there is one concept that has worked wonderfully in the F&B space, says Ravitej Nath, executive chef, Oberoi Gurgoan, “It has to be food festivals. Not only they offer a unique opportunity for diners to explore newer cuisine, but also give restaurants a break to evaluate their own offerings and tweak it to the appeal to the newer palates. “
But these 10-day food bonanzas, too, have seen a concept change. “So a Peruvian food festival will be more preferred than say an Italian fiesta, which can be a part of a smaller promotion during breakfast or dinner,” adds Chef Nath. Oberoi Gurgoan runs a concept called ‘Rivaayat – The Indian Culinary Conclave’ with an objective to revive traditional Indian cuisine in modern times but more on the lines of a food festival. The success of Grand Mercure, Goa Shrem Resort’s Saraswat Thali is an apt example of the changing mindset of the diners.
“Food festivals contribute in a major way in generating revenue. It creates an opportunity to retain our guests and act as a tool to gain new guests. Marketing strategies which we use to promote festivals help us in sustaining our brand value in market and the guests in return gets a good will of something new/different from the regular activities/offers/menu,” reveals Prarvez Sheikh, F&B manager, Marine Plaza, Mumbai.
THINK SMALL REGULAR INTERESTING
While big food festivals clearly bring in more moolah for the F&B outlets, the one thing, according to Kishore Kumar Bhagat, F&B manager, Radisson Blu Paschim Vihar which works fantastically well, are the small promotions like a tea festival, wine pairing, a fresh gluten-free menu and out-of-the-restaurant activity like a farmer’s market and the community table learning. The Organic Farmer Market, in fact, has been one of the successful activities at the Westin Garden City to attract walk-ins. According to Rajat Malhotra assistant manager, mar-comm, Hilton Garden Inn, “The beauty of such initiatives is while these allow the use of idle spaces in the hotel, it becomes a fantastic opportunity for the hotel to market their outlets well. Be it in form of a live cooking demo by the executive chef or creating a fresh high-tea menu on that day at a special price that gives the walk-ins a preview of your food without pinching their pocket.”
LIGHT MUSIC CLEAN
Ever since the first iPad menu made its appearance at Koh in InterContinental, technology has been an intrinsic part of the dining experience. And by technology we do not limit to ordering of dinner on an iPad or filling the food preference on a mobile app so the hotel can tailor make your meals as per your taste, but the entire setting of a restaurant – right down to the mood lighting.
Says Yogesh Kamat, director of engineering, Grand Mercure, Goa Shrem Resort, “At Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort, we have used unique dramatic lighting in a hotel lobby which helps to accentuate the furnishings and artworks, while setting the mood for the dining experience. 95 % of the hotel is illuminated with LED lighting. The light arrangement in Junho bar has a unique quatrefoil design that reflect the essence of the Goan-Portuguese design theme. The fibre optic lighting is not just innovative but also lends an air of relaxation and comfort.The entire music is controlled through a centralised system called Moods Media, which has infinite combinations and varieties of music, matching the ambience and kind of service that has been offered, so there is never a moment that the music is jarring or hinders conversation.”
Agrees Prashant Vaidya, director of engineering, Sofitel. “Though paid little attention, positioning of the tables and the lights play an important part at making the dinning experience memorable. And with the guest’s expectation of privacy while being a part of the restaurant has allowed us to design each of our outlets accordingly. Like Pondichery Cafe, which sees the maximum footfalls has a combination of all table settings including the long board table, cross table for two and the King Arthur table for medium-size group carefully placed in a manner that gives enough space for the service to run smoothly while giving each diner the sense of not being looked at while dining.”
With F&B gaining prominence as a revenue contributor, the think tank has to continually be on their toes to be ahead of the game and out think the competition in their space. But that is not all, they evn have to ensure that the guesat is always left wanting for more and comes back for it!
