Smoke House Deli renew its menu by introducing new favourites

There have been travel shows that talk about culture, food and places, but very seldom do you have a show that is all about the uncelebrated accompaniment that makes the meal complete – yes, we are talking about pickles.

Chef Kunal Kapur is all set to take his fans and foodie’s to a ‘one of a kind’ journey of discovering local flavors of pickles across the country through 18 fascinating episodes of Pickle Nation on Living Foodz channel.

The versatile and immensely watch-worthy chef travels across 11 cities of India such as Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pondicherry, Kochi, Assam, Meghalaya, Varanasi and Goa unraveling an interesting pickle tale of each region.

There have been travel shows that talk about culture, food and places, but very seldom do you have a show that is all about the uncelebrated accompaniment that makes the meal complete – yes, we are talking about pickles.

Chef Kunal Kapur is all set to take his fans and foodie’s to a ‘one of a kind’ journey of discovering local flavors of pickles across the country through 18 fascinating episodes of Pickle Nation on Living Foodz channel.

The versatile and immensely watch-worthy chef travels across 11 cities of India such as Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pondicherry, Kochi, Assam, Meghalaya, Varanasi and Goa unraveling an interesting pickle tale of each region.

“Making a pickle is the epitome of culinary strength; it is an art that is combined with a high level of science of preserving food. Around the world we have celebrated wine makers, cheese makers and even coffee brewers but we have never given the same stature to pickle makers. I am extremely excited to be unearthing these uniquely Indian stories of pickles & pickle makers, and sharing them with other food lover,” shared Kunal.

Chef Kunal will also explore how pickle is the very fabric of our existence, culture, tastes, beliefs and customs and gives us an inside view of each region.

The show will also telecast very interesting stories and facts which the 

“Making a pickle is the epitome of culinary strength; it is an art that is combined with a high level of science of preserving food. Around the world we have celebrated wine makers, cheese makers and even coffee brewers but we have never given the same stature to pickle makers. I am extremely excited to be unearthing these uniquely Indian stories of pickles & pickle makers, and sharing them with other food lover,” shared Kunal.

Chef Kunal will also explore how pickle is the very fabric of our existence, culture, tastes, beliefs and customs and gives us an inside view of each region.

The show will also telecast very interesting stories and facts which the

Rohit Bajpai, a seasoned hospitality professional with a celebrated career spanning in excess of 16 years has been appointed as the General Manager for Radisson Blu Hotel, New Delhi, Paschim Vihar.

A contemporary and inquisitive hotelier, Rohit has served various prominent hotel companies all over the country.

After embarking on his professional bandwagon with ITC hotels in 1999, Rohit left an indelible mark with the launch of Peshawri at the iconic Grand Maratha Mumbai.

A well balanced professional, he has had a great run with the multi-faceted teams at Kakatiya Sheraton (Hyderabad), Shangri- La (New Delhi), Royal Orchid Hotel (Bengaluru/Jaipur), Doubletree by Hilton (Goa), Hilton & Doubletree Hotel (New Delhi).

Prior to this, Rohit was serving as the General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel, New Delhi Dwarka.

Rohit’s interest in Geography makes him an avid traveller, thereby helping him to hone up his industry skills as well.

An efficient hotelier with all the traits of an expert, Rohit has a Diploma in Hospitality from Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Mumbai. He is also an ardent Wine enthusiast with a Diploma in Wines from Wine & Spirit Education Trust of England (WEST).

Rohit is fluent in Hindi, English & Urdu languages, and has a natural flair for hospitality management, specialization in opening of hotels, fine dining, affinity to beverages and culinary skills.

Rohit Bajpai, a seasoned hospitality professional with a celebrated career spanning in excess of 16 years has been appointed as the General Manager for Radisson Blu Hotel, New Delhi, Paschim Vihar.

A contemporary and inquisitive hotelier, Rohit has served various prominent hotel companies all over the country.

After embarking on his professional bandwagon with ITC hotels in 1999, Rohit left an indelible mark with the launch of Peshawri at the iconic Grand Maratha Mumbai.

A well balanced professional, he has had a great run with the multi-faceted teams at Kakatiya Sheraton (Hyderabad), Shangri- La (New Delhi), Royal Orchid Hotel (Bengaluru/Jaipur), Doubletree by Hilton (Goa), Hilton & Doubletree Hotel (New Delhi).

Prior to this, Rohit was serving as the General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel, New Delhi Dwarka.

Rohit’s interest in Geography makes him an avid traveller, thereby helping him to hone up his industry skills as well.

An efficient hotelier with all the traits of an expert, Rohit has a Diploma in Hospitality from Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Mumbai. He is also an ardent Wine enthusiast with a Diploma in Wines from Wine & Spirit Education Trust of England (WEST).

Rohit is fluent in Hindi, English & Urdu languages, and has a natural flair for hospitality management, specialization in opening of hotels, fine dining, affinity to beverages and culinary skills.

McDonald's Corporation has announced the appointments of Robert Gibbs as Executive Vice President, Global Chief Communications Officer and Silvia Lagnado as Executive Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer.

Both will report to McDonald's President and CEO Steve Easterbrook.

"Robert and Silvia are both highly-respected, talented leaders who will bring a wealth of experience and outside perspective to McDonald's as we build a more modern, progressive burger company," said Easterbrook.

According to the release both, Robert and Silvia -- with their respective teams -- will play critical roles in bringing this strategy to life.

In his new role, Gibbs will lead McDonald's corporate relations group, which manages internal and external communications and government and public affairs.

He will lead McDonald's in communicating clear, coordinated messages to internal and external constituencies, enhancing the brand and supporting corporate strategies.

Gibbs joins McDonald's from The Incite Agency, a strategic communications advisory firm he co-founded in 2013. Prior to that he held several senior advisory roles in the White House, serving as President Barack Obama's press secretary during his first term, then as senior campaign advisor during his re-election campaign. He will replace Bridget Coffing who announced her retirement earlier this year after 30 years with the company.

In her new role, Lagnado will be responsible for all aspects of global brand management for McDonald's, including global marketing, menu and consumer insights.

Lagnado was most recently chief marketing officer of Bacardi Limited, where she was responsible for setting the marketing vision for multiple brands. Prior to that she spent 20-plus years in positions of increased responsibility at Unilever, including serving as executive vice president of the Savoury business unit. She also created Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" -- one of the most awarded advertising campaigns in history. For the last two years, she has served as non-executive director on several boards in the UK, Brazil and the U.S.

Lagnado has been recognized by Ad Age as one of its "100 Most Influential Women in Advertising" and by the Wall Street Journal as one of the "Top 50 Women to Watch." Her appointment fills a position previously open due to organizational changes.

McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over 36,000 locations serving approximately 69 million customers in over 100 countries each day.

More than 80 per cent of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business men and women.

Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon has appointed Puneet Sharma as the new Food & Beverage Manager for the hotel.

Puneet Sharma will be responsible for the day to day operations of the F&B unit, achieving revenue targets and driving strategic food and beverage promotions in the hotel.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to work with Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon. Having worked with Marriott International, previously, it feels like coming back home”, said Puneet Sharma.

Puneet comes with over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry. He joins Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon from Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield where he was a part of the pre-opening team and operated as a Director of Events.

Commenting on the appointment, Kanika Hasrat, General Manager stated, “Puneet Sharma comes with rich experience in the operations department. I’m positive he will put his experience into successful strengthening of our F&B division.”

Puneet holds a Diploma in Hotel Management from Institute of Hotel Management, Gwalior and has worked with hotels like the Sheraton Bangalore, JW Marriott, Mumbai, JP Palace Hotel and Convention Centre, Agra, Olive Beach Bar and Restaurant, Bangalore and Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd (Baskin Robbins).

With an understanding of International food and beverage trends, restaurant management and event operations, Puneet is a strategist who believes in Marriott’s promise of growth and possesses high motivational attributes. His multi-faceted approach and excellent communication skills will bring success to the organization.

Morning breakfast woes just got easier as Frish introduces ready to use Exotic Smoothie Fruit Mix and the Spanish Sangria Mix.

This new line of frozen fruits has been premixed together to offer a new level of convenience for the health-conscious consumers who make smoothies or other beverages at home.

The Exotic Smoothie Fruit Mix and Spanish Sangria Mix contain real fruits with no preservatives or added ingredients.

Shivam Gupta, Director, Frish, said,“The Sangria and Exotic Smoothie mixes are likely to change the way people make homemade smoothies by eliminating the need for fruit preparation. More importantly, these also ensure year-round utility.We continue to aim to bring high-quality, convenient and value for money products in the country, through as many retail outlets as possible.”

The Exotic Smoothie Fruit Mix includes Apple, Black Current, Pomegranate and strawberry is available in 150g packs priced at Rs 168, while Spanish Sangria includes Apple, Grapes, Green Melon, Mandarin Orange, Peach, Pineapple and Strawberry and is available in 250 gm packs priced at Rs 225.

Both these mixes are available across leading retail, multi-brand outlets and online on frozone.in.

Westlife Development Limited, owner of the Master Franchisee of McDonald’s restaurants in West & South India, is taking the next step in its beverage growth strategy with the launch of McCafé Real Fruit Smoothies in India.

The company’s goal is to establish a leadership position in a fast growing non-carbonated beverage category, which is estimated to cross over Rs 1,000 crore by 2015 end, according to estimates.

“From Real Fruit Smoothies, to authentic espresso-based beverages, Indians are truly embracing our McCafé brand which is 18 months old and telling us they’re lovin’ it. Our continued focus is on building strong beverage credentials and on gaining a greater share of the very sizeable non-carbonated beverage market in India,” said said Smita Jatia, Managing Director, Hardcastle Restaurants.

The introduction of Real Fruit Smoothies is part of the evolution of the McCafé brand, which has been a strong contributor to the company’s position as one of the leading quick service restaurants in India.

With the introduction of Real Fruit Smoothies – made with real fruit purée, milkand blended ice – McCaféis bringing delicious and mouth-watering smoothies to the patrons with the quality, convenience and value only McDonald’s can provide.

The launch announced just in time to welcome the summer, comes in three delectable fruity flavours: Mixed Berry, Passion Fruit and Mango to beat the heat.

McCafé Real Fruit Smoothies complements our existing range of hot and cold beverages such as iced latte, frappés,andteas and provides an additionalchoice for customers looking for nourishing drinks. Smoothies, the first fruit based option from McCafé, will also be available as part of Happy Meals and Value Meals.

Currently, Real Fruit Smoothies will be available at all McCafé outlets in West India across Mumbai and Pune and the company’s remaining restaurants will carry them in a phased manner by the end of 2015.

“We’re aggressively expanding our premium beverage portfolio, while keeping an eye on our core business - still a critical part of our enduring success. We have rolled out 37 McCafés across 6 cities in West and South India since its launch in October 2013 and plan to add 75-150 more in the next 3-5 years,” added Jatia.

Costa Coffee, one of the global coffee chains in India has introduced new summer range of coffees - fine roasted coffee blend from Costa’s international roastery, ‘shaken’.

Costa has introduced the Shaken Coffee as an extension of its time-honoured tradition of handcrafted coffee, and brought back the classic way of making iced coffees, in style.

“Costa Ice Shaken Coffee is a brand new concept developed by Costa to bring back the charm of custom made, hand crafted coffee to our valued patrons. Costa’s famous coffee blends can now be enjoyed with our Barista’s flair for shaking the coffee to a perfect consistency and taste. I am sure coffee lovers will appreciate the charm and the novelty of making iced coffee the old, authentic way,” said Ashish Chanana, Chief Operating Officer - Costa Coffee India.

Being promoted with the tagline ‘Shake up your day with shaken Iced Coffee’ , the new range, called Costa Ice Shaken Coffee, offers a wide range of coffees and flavours that includes Iced Latte, Iced Espresso Americano, Iced Cappuccino, Iced Mocha, Iced Macchiato, Iced Ristretto, Iced Chai Latte, and Iced Chocolate.

The delicious hand crafted Costa Ice Shaken at Costa Coffee starts at Rs 110 and will be available at all Costa Coffee outlets across the country.

With the onset of summer, the restaurants have come up with all new summer menu to gauge their customers with a refreshing and cool menu options.

And keeping the hot Indian summers in mind, Cafe Mangii, the casual dining restaurant chain by Mirah Hospitality, has crafted a special summer menu for its customers at Mumbai and Bengaluru.

The restaurant has picked the seasonal vegetables and fruits that will freshen up the customer’s taste buds and has included watermelon, cucumber, mint, melons, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, lemons, nuts, cream and of course, the king of the season – the mango – in their revitalizing menu.

The new summer menu is priced at Rs 1200 for a meal of two.

Some of the dishes offered at the Summer Special menu are, Watermelon Gazpacho Shots, Chilled Melon and fresh Alphonso with pistachio soup, Melon & Mango Bouquet, Rosemary Chicken & Mango Chunda Salad, Mint Pestle Cottage Cheese Morsel and Chocolate Marshmallow ravioli amongst others.

The Mix by the The BrewMaster restaurant is hosting an Arabian Food Festival “Flavours of Arabia” starting from May 15 and ending May 31st.

During this festival, mouth watering delicacies from different Arabic region ranging from soups, main course to desserts will be served.

The festival offerings will be served from 3:30 pm to 11:30pm. The meal for two will cost around Rs 1,500/- plus taxes.

“Arabic is one of the liked cuisines of the world and felt by doing this we could provide our guests something new and novel to enjoy. I am sure it shall prove to be a hit with food connoisseurs and regular guests alike,” said Santosh, Sous Chef, The BrewMaster. Tastes for finer things in life lie deep in Arabian culture and exquisite food is inherent part of it. In terms of sheer diversity and aroma, there is hardly any cuisine which matches Arabian cuisine. Loosely called Arabian, the food covers cuisines from countries such as Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Roman and Byzantine empires.

The festive offerings include starters like Sultan platter- A non vegetarian platter, grilled chicken, chicken shawarma, hammus, Baba ghanoush and 2 khub. In main course Trifhleate du khub, a vegetarian dish- zucchini, fungi, bell pepper, is served with pita bread. Further it offers Pasta in arabiata sauce with option available for both vegetarian and non vegetarian diner.

Another stand out dish is Dijaj Mishwi, a Non Vegetarian dish in which chicken breast is marinated in fresh herb stuffed olive and minced. To top up the starters and main course are delicious desserts such as Suzette crepe (sugar, butter, dates cinnamon zest), Riz bil halib (milk, sugar, and rose water pudding).

Westlife Development Limited owner of the Master Franchisee of McDonald’s restaurants in West & South India has announced the introduction of Focaccia buns as an option to their regular burger buns, reiterating their diligent efforts towards providing wholesome and customized menu choices to customers.

Focaccia bread contains the goodness of extra virgin olive oil and is packed with high levels of antioxidants. Focaccia is also a rich source of Vitamin E and is a culinary delight for its inherent full bodied aroma and flavour.

The introduction of Focaccia Bread by McDonald’s is in response to a recent growing trend of customers demanding varied bread options especially in the whole wheat and multigrain bread segment (6 per cent in 2013-14).

“McDonald’s, as a brand, has always been committed to developing our menu to reflect evolving customer tastes. We are focussed on creating modern menu options and work towards empowering the customer in making wholesome food choices when dining at McDonald’s, by ensuring that our products are aligned to the nutritional benefits that customers seek,” said Amit Jatia, Vice Chairman, Westlife Development Ltd.

Focaccia Buns get their flavour from fragrant herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary along with a sprinkling of savoury chilliand garlic.

McDonald’s has added ‘Soy Flour’ for which increases the protein quotient in the bun and the fact that sugar content in Focaccia buns is minimal helps uplift its wholesomeness. The Focaccia Buns are dusted with Cornmeal for added zing and fibreand make the delectable buns more visually appealing.

Continuing the emphasis on local sourcing, the Focaccia buns are sourced from Mrs. Bector’s state-of-the art facility in Khopoli, which follows stringent measures to maintain hygiene and food quality that are in sync with the McDonald’s philosophy.

“With Focaccia Buns we will provide customers the option to customise their burgers for the first time since McDonald’s inception in India. We aim to offer good food choices and personalization options, which are the key drivers for customer preferences in today’s competitive QSR space,” added Jatia.

Customers can now customise their burgers by opting for Focaccia buns instead of the original bun for an additional cost of Rs 15.

Focaccia Buns will be available for a variety of popular burgers such as McVeggie™, McAlooTikki™, McChicken™, Chicken McGrill™, McEggas well as the McSpicyand Masala grill range.

Focaccia buns are available across McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India for a limited time starting from May 1st up to 30th June 2015.

Vineet Wadhwa started Fio Country Kitchen in 2008, keeping natural beauty as a crux. Wadhwa always wanted to choose something that could continuously inspire his work and then he could not find a better choice than picking up a natural habitat in the environs of the Garden of Five Senses.

For Vineet, the actual business started 25 years back when he returned to India. “I started off with a catering  business initially as I thought it was a safe bet, but then seven years back in 2008, the inception of Fio Country Kitchen took place which then expanded in 2013 with Fio Cookhouse,” shares Wadhwa.

Idea of business

Inspired by Nature, Wadhwa named his catering business as Fio coming from an Italian word "Fiore", which means a flower.

“The idea took shape only because of my passion for a blend of nature with a perfect dining experience for people and that is what constantly drives me,” prompts Wadhwa.

The restaurateur kept in mind two most loved cuisines while curating the menu and serves as an extensive range of Italian and Indian food in its premises.

The Group has also come up with different zones within the restaurant. Al fresco, is a cosy interior dining space with a large space for events and parties.

Support from Family and Friends

Wadhwa always preferred getting funds from internal sources as it was a personal venture and he did not have any partners.

“I preferred to get funds from internal resources to avoid any risks,” adds Wadhwa.

Family has always been there to support him with his odd timings and crazy sense of exploring cuisines of the world. His family holidays always became culinary sojourns. Friends have been pillars of support to bring in the initial hype and draw which every new restaurant wants. There was a lot of support from friends and family also in term of financial assistance which has helped the Fio dream grow bigger each year.

Seeing a huge void for an authentic frozen yogurt player in the country, Red Mango entered the Indian market in 2012, to redefine health with a brand new experience. 

The brand did an extensive research on the Indian market before launching, and based on their study and survey, they considered Delhi to be a viable option to start with for their first store. As in 2012, very few Indian brands had the knowledge on the product and none of local Indian brands had unfortunately mastered the art of real and authentic froyo. As people did not understand the real taste of froyo, it was a challenge for the brand to create a premium health brand.

“We have brought in the international experience of enjoying frozen yogurt in India and customers love us for that. There are a plethora of Indian mom and pop froyo players, but to master the art of authentic frozen yogurt and giving the real taste is where we come in keeping in mind the health aspect of the brand, international standards and Indian consumers’ taste preferences in consideration,” shares Rahul Kumar, CEO, Red Mango India. 

Frozen health options

Red Mango, which is the #1 Zagat rated frozen yogurt and smoothie brand, believes in introducing healthy eating to the foodies of the town and bringing offerings of All-natural Frozen Yogurt which is their core product, fresh fruit smoothies, yogurt parfaits and Pro-biotic Iced Teas, Healthy Snack, Gourmet Sandwiches and Gourmet Waffles which are there in most of our cafes  and have also come up with a live healthy salads and pastas at affordable prices along with their core product and are all set to introduce a brand new health food menu this summers.

The brand claims of providing a health option in the food and beverage section to the youth who are their driving force. Meanwhile, the non fat authentic frozen yogurt is a hit among women and kids where the former love them for being low on fat and calories and the kids for the variety of toppings and the joy of making their own Froyo.

“We are not an ice-cream or frozen yogurt kiosk like others, we want our consumers to feel and experience in our cafes what they would in any Red Mango across the world and that makes us a mark above all and a success in India,” added Kumar.

How the business started

The idea was to have a premium health brand serving health with an experience. Red Mango started its operations as a first-of-its-kind in India on the same lines of flagship stores in USA. The DIY (Do it yourself) concept was new to the Indian market and had been well received with our flagship outlet which was opened in Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj in 2012 with a bang.

“We entered and tried to change the perception of healthy being boring and lacking in taste. We provide great taste without worrying about your waistline and tried to position it as fun with a “cool quotient” and a lifestyle option. We cater to women and children and now we see a radical change in men coming and having a yogurt parfait as a meal,” says Tanvi Bhatia, Brand Head, Red Mango.

Location played a vital role in the success of Red Mango as today it is located in the most premium areas and in the malls in Delhi and Chandigarh with their cafe style outlets.

The capital’s best known alfresco dining, Lodi – The Garden Restaurant, will now be delivering to your doorstep.

Lodi’s new initiative Lodi At Home will ensure that all its customers relish their meal at their convenience and comfort.

An array of dishes on the menu will include a mix variety of delectable range of salads, chargrills, soups, appetizers, platters, pastas, rolls & wraps, desserts and many more iconic dishes.

Having a rich experience for more than a decade, the Home Delivery menu has been expertly curated keeping in mind the discerning choice of the consumers whilst maintaining an emphasis on fresh homegrown produce from Sewara Farms.

Commenting on the new initiative Virender Singh Negi, General Manager, Lodi – The Garden Restaurant said, “With the launch of Lodi At Home, we have taken care and preparation crafting together a zealous menu and swift, efficient delivery options whilst at the same time retaining the freshness of every bite due to our state of the art packaging. We want to bring the experience of dining in to the comfort of the consumers’ home.”

The delivery box has been designed meticulously in a way that it not only attracts the customers but also ensures that the food doesn’t get soggy during transit.

Pita Pit, the Canadian chain which entered India last year is offering colourful salads and healthy Pita sandwiches this Holi.

The customers can make their spirit of festivity more colourful and fun with Pita Pit by opting their favorite coloured veggies and sauces to make their salad and sandwiches all the more colourful and yummy to taste.

The customers can choose from the varieties of veg and non veg sandwiches like Hummus, Baked Potato, Chicken Caesar, Chicken Crave.

Customers can also convert their sandwiches to their favourite salads with delectable and wide varieties of sauces like Eggless Mayonnaise, Caesar, Honey Mustard, Salsa and many more.

The offer is available at Pita Pit Lounge, M18, Greater Kailash, Part I, New Delhi (First Floor) from 11 am to 12 pm.

On the other hand, Vivanta by Taj Begumpet is offering Holi Brunch on Friday.

The customers can choose an extensive buffet featuring an array of sumptuous dishes.

Some of the special Holi delicacies are Gujia and the much awaited Thandai with a special magical touch of Chef's innovation.

The offer is available from 12:30 pm to 3 pm on 6th March. The buffet is priced at Rs 1499.

Barbeque Nation is organizing a kabab festival where customers will be transported back to the medieval times

There are hosts waiting at the door dressed in their KababGarhi livery. KababGarhShakahari, Diwan-e-Shakahari (for the vegetarian diners) and KababGarhMansahari and Diwan-e-Manashari (for the non vegetarian diners) and Shan-e-Misthan and Diwan-e khas (Desserts) are a king’s spread laid out at Barbeque Nation’s  outlets in Delhi-NCR region.

The KababGarh fest will be hosted between February 18 and March 8, 2015.

‘KababGarh – The Land of Kababs’ is a kabab festival that seeks to bring to the diners of India’s capital the finest kababs that the land has produced.

The battle starts off when you enter the heart of the state of KababGarh. That is where they have lined up their chieftains to tempt you with their myriad flavours. On the green side, ie the vegetarian side, there is the delectable Chatpata Fruit Kebab, followed by the spicy Theekha Khumb. Then there is the sour but delicious Paneer Achari and the evergreen Hara Bhara Dum Kabab.

In the non-vegetarian army, there’s the giant Bharwan Murg Tangri, flanked by the evergreen Haryali Murg Boti. Then there’s the hot and spicy Teen Mirch Jheenga with the redoubtable Gilaafi Sheekh along with others from the delectable Kabab family.

The Diwan-e-Shakahari main course for the vegetarian gourmands has such delectable items as the Akbari Paneer, the Badshahi Baingan or the Shahi Mattar Mushroom etc. The Diwan-e-Mansahari main course for the non-vegetarian diners equally has items as Murg Lababdaar, Mutton Shah Pasanda, Nizam Fish curry etc.

There will be chance to show off your aim by throwing darts, a la mini-spears, and being designated the Sultan, the Warrior, Minister or even the Court Jester. There will be miniature paintings on the wall for sale and gongs and cymbals to show your appreciation of the festival by ringing them.

“KababGarh is Barbeque Nation’s citadel. It is our attempt to transform the whole dining experience for our diners – from taste, to feel, to sound, touch, smell and even to take back the memories of the meal you had there through photos or the paintings. Of course foremost among these are the taste of the dishes which have been crafted by our expert chefs. We have done our best to ensure not a single sense is left untouched by an unforgettable culinary experience,” said Vikram Vikas Varma, Head – Marketing, Barbeque Nation Hospitality.

Barbeque Nation is a pioneer in India to promote ‘DIY’ (do-it-yourself) cuisine with a concept of live on-the-table grill in India and is today the largest casual dining brand in the country. The restaurant offers a pre-fixed menu with a fixed price. The menu is drawn from Mediterranean, American, Oriental, Asian and Indian subcontinent.
 

Murginns, one of the leading dairy brands in Delhi-NCR has launched three flavours of Gourmet Butter.

The group has now launched another exciting new variant- Cumin, Coriander and Chilly Gourmet Butter, for discerning customers in Delhi and NCR.

Murginns, in a short span of just a year since its foray into the sector, has introduced a range of healthy, innovative dairy based products that have made it popular among adults and children alike.

Murginns Gourmet Butter, a first of its kind product in the category, is made with pure white butter blended with fresh and natural ingredients.

It is now available in four variants- Garlic and Herbs, Cumin and Coriander, Cracked Pepper and now Cumin, Coriander and Green Chilly.

“We have kept in mind the Indian palate that loves the kick of green chillies. When combined with Cumin and Coriander, the other two much loved spice/herb, this medley of flavours is sure to become a hit with those who crave Indian touch in their food”, said Deeptanshu Khemka, CEO, Murrgins.

Murginns Gourmet Butter range is priced at Rs 125 each for a 125 gm pack and will be available across select stores in Delhi and NCR region including Spencer’s, Big Bazaar, Le Marche etc.

Among the other products from the Murginns stable are Vitamin D-enriched Dahi, Pro-biotic Fruit Yougurt range, Shrikhand, Paneer, flavoured Lassi, Butter Milk and White Butter.
 

Costa Coffee, which entered India in September 2005 has redefined winter indulgence with the launch of its three ultra luxuriant drinks for the season.

With a tagline ‘Seasonal Delights’, the new range of indulgent beverages is sure to bring cheer and spread warmth this winter.

Costa’s winter warmers includes Hot Spiced Apple - imbued with the goodness of spices and perfect for a cold wintry day, Salted Caramel Latte - rich & sinful latte with flavor of the season- salted caramel and finally the Sticky Toffee Latte – divine, velvety and aromatic to the last drop.

Hot Spiced Apple is priced at Rs 200/-, Salted Caramel Latte and Sticky Toffee Latte is priced at Rs 180/- each.

The hot beverages are available across all the outlets in December, ‘Seasonal Delights’ range is sure to hit a sweet spot with everyone and make winters that extra special time to enjoy Coffee and sumptuous treats with friends and family.

Costa was the first international coffee chain to start operations in India. Costa Coffee currently operates over 100 stores across India. Since its launch, Costa Coffee has set new benchmarks in coffee retailing in the country with its hand crafted coffee.

At Costa, each cup of coffee is treated as a work of art and served with a personalized touch. Over the last few years, Costa has created a distinct image for itself with its great coffee and food, friendly and efficient service and stylish and relaxing surroundings. Besides Coffee, Costa worldwide also lays heavy emphasis on food. A wide range of scrumptious sandwiches, Paninis, Tostatos and many kinds of deserts make it an exciting place to visit for a complete eating out experience.

Shiv Sagar, the iconic pure vegetarian restaurant chain based out of Mumbai has opened its first outle in the heart of the capital recently.The restaurant is located at Janpath in Connaught Place. Shiv Sagar's launch party witnessed the presence of well-known names from the social circuit enjoying Pav Bhaji and sipping its premium range of juices.

We are there in restaurant segment since 1982. Our speciality lies in serving multi cuisine vegetarian foods. We serve everything from Mexican, American, Italian, Japanese and Chinese.

We are very focused about what we serve. We have a centralised kitchen and team of professionals including the executive chefs, the junior chefs and the managerial level people who maintain the processes including the flow of work and pressure.

The restaurant serves the delicacies like Vada Pav, Masala Pav, Chettinad Dosas and an assortment of Dilli and Bombay street food.

The menu at Shiv Sagar offers its customers a smart choice with wide variety of Indian dishes. The restaurant is looking at the average Delhi foodie and has distinctive vegetarian dishes to satisfy everybody’s palate at reasonable prices.

Presently, the restaurant has its outlet in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Kolkata. And has their franchised outlet in Ahmedabad and Baroda.

Torrp-it-Up, the QSR brand by SGM Enterprises has offered its customers new vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies at Rs 50 on 3rd December.

The restaurant was celebrating the Torrp-It-UP day giving a flavourful and delectable surprise to its customers.

The offer was available at all the outlets on the day.

Torrp-it-Up offers excellent quality and value for money without compromising on health and hygiene. It has a unique self-service QSR concept, where customers are able to select their type of meal such as wraps, torpedo sandwiches or croissants.

D’lecta Café, which entered the tea brewing segment in 2001 has announced the unveiling of the world’s first ever automatic tea brewing machine.

The company has already filed the technology for patent. Tea vending machines that are currently available in the market merely dispense pre-mix tea comprising of instant tea powder, sugar and powdered milk. The quality of such tea are often sub standard and have a sugar content of as much as sixty two percent.

The new machine, meanwhile, does not mix tea, but brews it through the use of a patented technology. Tea leaves of choice are infused in the machine to maximize flavor, smoothness and aroma of the final brew and dispense a cup of refreshing hot tea.

The tea can be had black, green or white. Adding milk and/or sugar is as per preference, and has been provisioned separately on extended trays attached to the machine. Creamers made of evaporated cow milk, and aseptically packed, are used in place of powdered milk. The new tea vending unit will dispense a cup of freshly brewed connoisseur tea within thirty seconds, and can dispense up to 400 cups a day.

“Unlike coffee making, which has been seeing automation and technological advancements on an ongoing basis, tea brewing has largely remained a manual process. This is because tea brewing is a delicate process. But with the introduction of D’lecta Tea Brewing Unit, connoisseurs will be able to enjoy their tea of choice without going through the labourous process of manual brewing,” said Deepak Jain, Founder & Managing Director, Dlecta Foods Pvt Ltd.

This automatic fresh-tea vending unit is a first of its kind that will brew tea at the press of a button. It’s capable of dispensing a choice of beverages including the classic Assam tea, masala tea and green tea besides also offering black coffee, premixed coffee, café mocha, hot chocolate and soups.

The machine has been designed, developed and patented by Dlecta Foods, which has recently forayed into the consumer markets with its dairy based products after successfully operating in the B2B segment for over 12 years.

The machine is aimed at catering to the needs of the urban Indian offices and workplaces.

Indian organised ice cream market is over 3000 crore and is growing at 19.5 percent annually with innovations taking place in the industry. Not only the,  ice cream players in the country, but the restaurant chains the country have also started serving elaborate ice cream and kulfi menu in their offering.

Barbeque Nation, the casual dining restaurant chain which is known for serving authentic barbeque food has introduced the latest concept of ‘Kulfi Nation’ in its menu.

“We are pleased to launch Kulfi Nation as an essential extension of the Barbeque Nation experience. The Kulfi Nation ‘concept within a concept’ will further define the experience at Barbeque Nation and delight the entire family. We are proud to be the first to launch a full range of the Kulfi Nation experience in Bangalore” said, Uday Menon, Chief Business Officer, Barbeque Nation.

The casual dining restaurant chain is presenting over 800 options of Kulfi and toppings at the restaurant chain’s latest concept – Kulfi Nation.

While Kulfi Nation will keep staple flavours like KesarPista and Malai, customers will also have on offer unconventional options like Paan and Fig. These can be glazed decadently with thick dip sauces of Caramel, White and Dark Chocolate and teamed with just the right sprinkle of Choco chips, Praline, Silver Balls and Dry Fruits. The Kulfis can be generously topped with Rabdi, Gulkand, Falooda, Fig Compote and Strawberry Compote.

Guests can drool over a range of Kulfi with plentiful options on dip sauces, toppings, sprinkles, flavourings and crushes in a true barbeque style where they do not have to pay extra on food.

The Kulfi Nation will be starting from 17th of November at all Barbeque Nation outlets in Bangalore and will cost Rs 1600 for a meal of two.

Thus, we can say that restaurant is bringing new and innovative options in their menu where they are trying to match the global standards.

Burger King, which entered India with lots of bang,  is betting high on the Indian market. The burger chain is planning to open 12 outlets in India within a year. After opening of its first store in Delhi, the brand will do subsequent launches in Mumbai and 10 other locations.

Burger King, the world’s second largest burger chain has opened its doors for burger lovers in India at Select CityWalk on November 9.

The burger chain has witnessed huge response among the locals with waiting queues and crowd outside the outlet.

The burger chain which has also partnered with e-commerce platform, ebay to sell it whoppers burger online has extended duration of ebay vouchers till 16th November.

The burger chain has also eliminated ‘Beef’ from its menu due to the religious reasons in India. The restaurant will be serving chicken, mutton and vegetarian burgers in the country priced almost same to the other competitors in the QSR segment.

Not only this, the world's second largest burger chain has kept the menu very reasonable targeting the middle class customer of the country.

Benihana, a taste of authentic Teppanyaki- Japanese style of cooking, which entered earlier this year, is offering exhilarating ladies lunch on Wednesday. To cater to the Indian palate the eatery incorporates a number of vegetarian dishes and also hosts separate tables for vegetarian customers at its outlet.

Earlier, Benihana, the Japanese restaurant chain has come up with the special gesture at Diwali by offering free spa to its customers to make sure that the guests get rejuvenated whilst having a sumptuous meal at Benihana.

Speaking to Restaurant India during Diwali, Divyansha, Marketing Head, Benihana India said," Diwali is a time of celebrations and people are constantly on the move either to buy goodies or to distribute them or to shop for new clothes, decorative items etc.

The ladies can enjoy a non-stop chatter over tinkling drinks and special lunch every Wednesday.

The gorgeous ladies can enjoy sumptuous Japanese Teppanayaki selection with the chefs going out of their way to impress the girls.

The special ladies lunch is priced at Rs 599 plus taxes on every Wednesday from 12-3 pm.

Intense speculations are rife over probable locations of Burger King’s outlet in India, as Miami based company is all set to make India entry. However, its Indian foray is somewhat enigmatic. As frenzied media in India is relentlessly speculating its probable locations. Not only this, the media is also trying to solve the mystery of number of outlets that BK is planning to come up with.

Recently, a media report speculated that the chain will open 12 outlets in India. However, when Restaurant India examined the issue, a senior official requesting anonymity said there is no such number has been decided.

‘The burger chain will either open its first outlet in Delhi-NCR or Mumbai,’ he added.

’Rumours are also rife that the brand is planning to open its first outlet in Select CityWalk mall located in Saket, South Delhi.

Wall Street Journal in a recent report said, ‘it is unclear when, or how many outlets, the U.S. fast-food chain plans to open in India’. Burger King declined to comment ahead of the launch, the report added.

The WSJ report said that the Indian media expecting the company to open at least 12 outlets over next three months in cities including Bangalore, Pune and Chennai.

A first outlet is due in New Delhi, according to Burger King’s Indian partner, Everstone Capital Advisors. But an Everstone spokeswoman chose to remain tight-lipped about the exact location,” the report further added.

The burger chain will enter India by November.

Photo Courtesy: Burger King

By Invite:

Vijay Kumar, a Blogger and Content Writer

Here are 10 surefire tips that will work wonders for your restaurants in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. Pay careful attention:  even an expert marketing consultant might not include all of these in his brief!

Maximise Occupancy during Peak Periods

Bringing about even small efficiencies can boost utilisation of tables during peak hours and produce substantial returns. For example, reducing average service time by 10 minutes could significantly reduce wait time and increase table occupancy. Secondly, restaurants must carefully consider and optimise usage offloor space during peak times. Keeping at least a section of the floor space flexible with smaller 2-seater tables can help increase table occupancy, as it is possible to join together or separate them as per group size demand.

Build Local Alliances with Other Businesses

Traditionally, restaurants focus primarily on targeting the consumers with marketing messages. It is also important to form local alliances with other businesses in the neighbourhood like salons, spas, gyms or a doctor’s clinics. Restaurants can enter into an exchange tie-up with such non-competitive businesses for distribution of gift cards, for incentivizing both customers and staff, and also for advertisement in each other’s premises. Such mutual benefit arrangements create long term value for both parties against competition.

Ensure Well-Presented Menus

Menus are the first thing customers will hold in their hands as they select the items for their meal. It is a very personal experience. If the menu cover is worn out or tattered, it signals a lack of interest and disorder. When a diner is about to shell out their hard earned money for your food, they expect an appealing experience starting with the menu. Note that a well-presented menu will ultimately increase profits.

Kids are Powerful Marketers!

Kids wield immense power over parents’ decisions, especially when it comes to family outings. If they like your restaurant, they are powerful word-of-mouth marketers with their friends at school. Keep kids happy and the spill-over benefits are many. The overall experience builds a positive feeling among kids towards your restaurant. Make your restaurant a vibrant place with activities, games, television etc that can engage kids, thereby giving comfort to parents as well in enjoying their meal. Note that marketing tactics like “kids eat free” are no longer as effective as used to be, since it is overdone by every other restaurant nowadays.

Build Value Driven Checks

Build average check value of the guest through value-based suggestions. Of course, suggestive selling does produce incremental sales, but usually it is not based on what the guest needs. It is what the server suggests and so can be flatly declined by the diner. It is a better approach to build the check by adding value to what the guest had already ordered i.e., create some form of value.

Boost Occupancy in Off-Peak Hours

It is the usual practice to offer discounts and special offers to increase business in off-peak periods. Instead of offering open-ended deals and offers like daily deals, it is more optimal to float controlled promotions in terms of time of the day, group size, type of meal, one lucky group etc. In comparison to an open-ended deal, this strategy helps restaurants fill tables during low business times without dilution of quality. Grouptable.com is that kind of a unique platform. One can float controlled, customised promotions. You will see that such a programme will help build sales, cover overhead and often attracts preferred customer demographics.

Give Good Experience to Deal Customers

Ensure that customers availing of a deal are treated in the same way as your loyal customers. Give them your best food and your best service and you will earn repeat customers. If you treat them as deal seekers who deserve lower quality food and service, they will never come back again. What is more, they will tell everyone they know not to go to your restaurant.

Sell Packaged Gifts

This is an excellent method to build brand awareness of your restaurant. By rolling out this strategy, you will get an additional revenue stream for your restaurant. For example, you may put together a gift basket consisting of your speciality ingredients/sauces/dressings/pickles, a chocolate box, recipe book by your chef, a T-shirt and a gift card. The packaging should look bountiful and attractive. Display and sell it at the counter so that it is visible to guests while exiting your place. Such a step will not only bring in additional revenue but also power your brand.

Offer Complementary Snack

You may consider offering guests with complimentary snack while they are seated and waiting for their order. For example, freshly baked loaf, pita crisps or bread sticks may be greatly appreciated by customers. A good beginning to the dining experience will also make a good first impression! Ensure that what your offer is valued by guests, it is executed effectively and it adds value to the guests’ experience.

Keep Take Away Option

Due to life style changes and resultant fast-paced life, double-income nuclear families are frequently finding no time to prepare meals at home. More often than not, they are looking for convenient options to source pre-cooked meals from outside. This presents a good opportunity to dine-in restaurants to tap into this demand. Your loyal customers could be more than happy to take away food from your restaurant, if they are aware that such an option exists. So offer them the opportunity, thereby building an additional revenue stream for your restaurant. Maximise the convenience of ‘Take Away’ with easy ordering information, quick fulfilment and quality packaging.

Do you already follow any of these methods? If so, please share your experience. Of course, not all of them may be suitable for your restaurant. You may implement the ones that fit your overall strategy. We are sure you will see boost in your business!

The rich Hyderabadi cuisine has a cultural lineage that dates back to many centuries.

This cuisine has a blend of influences – heavy Mughal, traditional Andhra and Telangana cuisine along with a mixture of gentle Nawaabs.

The major ingredients used in the preparation of Hyderabadi foods or commonly called the pakwaan are onions and yoghurt, and a wide assortment of spices.

The history of Haleem dates back to the mughals and the nawabs of the Lucknow and Hyderabad regions.

Mutton Haleem is today the most demanded dish when one visits Hyderabad. Hyderabad House which has its outlet in Hyderabad for years is an authentic name in the segment. The dish is also heavely consumed by Muslims during Ramazan.

Biryani has become the household name today in the country. The dish is prepared with the blend of onions and yoghurt, and a wide assortment of spices, mutton/chicken and rice.

The Hyderabadi cuisine has its own customer base which nobody can threaten and as it has a standard way of cooking. 

The Rail Budget 2014-15 has given a new hope to Indian restaurants by announcing several amendments and opportunities. The railway budget which was proposed on Tuesday, 8th July 2014 has announced to introduce ready-to-eat meals or to be precise pre-cooked meals from reputed brands to ensure better quality food. The budget has also proposed to cancel any such vendor’s contract if they found are not meeting quality standards.

Moreover, the announcement to have more food courts in major rail stations has received big thumbs up from the restaurant industry. Striking a similar note, Arun Rajan, CEO of Yatra Chef (they provide food in trains) says, “As far as food courts are concerned, just like in the case of pre-cooked foods, it’s all in the implementation and execution of the project. If license are issued to good restaurants/caterers and proper audits and monitoring are conducted frequently by railways, it will be a great initiative where people get to have good hygienic food. As far as the licensees are concerned, the number of footfalls at major stations is in lakhs per day. That equates to a tremendous number of potential passengers and if you can convert those potential travellers as your customers by providing fresh hygienic food at competitive prices, then definitely it will be huge money spinner opportunity. It is too early to comment on the outcome but we feel if implemented rightly by the railways it is definitely going to impact the industry in a good and huge way.”

Besides food courts, the rail minister also has talked about bringing innovative strategies like ordering through SMSes, emails so that passengers can taste regional cuisines from these food courts. As per the media reports, this service will be started shortly between New Delhi- Amritsar and New Delhi-Jammu Tawi sections.

Sharing his reaction on the budget announcements, Samir Kuckreja, President, National Restaurant Association of India and Founder & CEO, Tasanaya Hospitality Pvt Ltd says, “These new initiatives are definitely going to benefit the QSR and Coffee chains and the packaged food industry as it is a large opportunity for them. Allowing third party vendors to provide pre-cooked meals is beneficial to both the consumers and the companies. There is significant potential for setting up of various operating formats in the food courts at stations serving a variety of cuisines at affordable prices. Overall, the restaurant industry has a positive view on the announcement as it provides potential for growth opportunities for both Indian and foreign QSR and coffee shop brands.

Rajan says, “It is good for us that more food courts are going to be added by the railways although we do have a good number of food plazas who are already there in our network. What we see here is a Win Win situation for all parties involved and we welcome and strongly appreciate the new initiatives concerning food proposed by the railway ministry in rail budget 2014.”

Expressing his reaction on the union budget, Shachin Bharadwaj, CEO & Founder, Tastykhana.in says, "Overall the budget sends positive signals - 10,000 crores setup for small enterprises, tax holiday on power sector, investments in infrastructure, and also more tax savings will increase the take home money for people. The introduction of service tax on digital advertising, which   will make marketing  bit more expensive for e-commerce companies.There are many other initiatives promised, what needs to be seen is the implementation plan".  

To be Continued....

There is a paradigm shift in the consumer’s palate from ice-cream to a healthier frozen yogurt which is low on calories and available in variety of flavours, textures, fat content, milk sources and sweetness.

Seeing this, many international and national brands have started manufacturing flavoured yogurt in variety of range. And the renewed popularity of frozen yogurt has created a great deal of change and growth in the industry. According to a study conducted by the Tata Strategic Management Group, the size of the Indian health and wellness food market will rise to Rs 550 billion by 2015, from an estimated Rs 101 billion in 2010 - a growth of 35-37 percent where yogurt fits well.

Leading names

International brands like Red Mango, Yogurberry, Danone, Kiwi Kiss have already created brand identity for their products in India which has driven major Indian brands like Britannia, Amul and also Murginns selling probiotic fruit yogurts in different flavours and textures.

The international brands believe that they have succeeded in redefining frozen yogurt in India by bringing the international experience. In this context, Red Mango was the first one in India to offer the very successful concept of “Self Serve “You Swirl It, You Top It, You Weight It”.

Speaking about the strategy, Rahul Kumar, Managing Director, Red Mango India, says, “There was a certain void in the Indian market for certified authentic yogurt player. We wished to bring to India a healthy eating option and with our pro-biotic ‘froyo'- the Red Mango frozen yogurt and smoothies in their preferred flavors.”

Power punch

Unlike other desserts that often contain artificial ingredients or excessive calories, the frozen yogurt is all-natural, non-fat or low fat and certified gluten free with variety of toppings that are available in the market today. It is valuable health food for both infants and elderly persons as it is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and B12.

Moreover, yogurt which was earlier consumed in the form of Dahi, now with its new avatar as ‘yogurt’ has entered into the orgainsed food market. Observing the change, Rajiv Khemka, Managing Director, Murginns, says, “Consumer education coupled with health awareness has driven the shift from unorganised to organised segment for fermented products thereby taking the volumes sky high in the recent past. The major factors which have led to such growth are the rapid urbanisation, growing retail market, the rise in bovine population, marketing campaigns of various manufacturers that have revolutionised the Indian consumption patterns in the FMCG segment.”

Marketing strategies

ATL and radio campaigns on regular basis to educate the consumer on the benefits of frozen yogurt in a fun way by using jingles and music is the strongest strategy to lure in the customers. At the same time, the brands participate in schools to get the kids acquainted with the concept of healthy eating. And also host events of various forms that relate to brand and its positioning.

At the same time these yogurt brands also focus on point of purchase and organise ‘tasting sessions’ by giving a chance to consumers to taste this yogurt as the most powerful strategy. Unlike other segment which focuses on mass media, the frozen yogurt brands believe on promoting through events and such specifically designed tasting sessions.

Location and format

International yogurt chains establishing their identity not only in Delhi-NCR region but also expanding presence in cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore and they are preferring kiosk format for their brands. Yogurberry, the South Korean yogurt brand has opened more than 100 outlets across cities in India. At the same time, Kiwi Kiss, the Canadian brand also forayed into the Indian market by targeting major cities like Bangalore and Chennai.. Informing about the footfall Red Mango gets in a week, Kumar, says, “We have an average footfall of 2000 per week at a single store.

With summer season on its way there is nothing better than yogurt to beat the hit with its unique taste. The brands are coming with new options which shows that the yogurt majors will gain customers throughout the year.

Not only the festivals but cricket matches have also become good earning points for restaurants and bars in the city. Today when the cricket is on the peak, with T20 World Cup and now with IPL season-7, restaurants are acknowledging a great footfall of approximately 40 percent doing a great business these days.

What’s cooking?

The restaurants have come up with a wide variety of offers to lure the cricket fans during the cricket season. They are arranging a complete show of the live IPL matches at their outlets with great deals on food and drinks.

Who are the restaurants?

Restaurants like Smokeys BBQ & Grill located at GK II, New Delhi are offering special happy hours throughout the day matches and till 8.30 pm during the evening matches. Commenting on the validity of the offers, Shiv Karan Singh, Owner, Smokeys BBQ & Grill, says, “The offer is valid till 1^st June 2014 at all time during the IPL matches.”  

At the same time, Veda Cafe, Vasant Kunj, Delhi has introduced an IPL menu along with the live screening of matches with a bucket of six beers and one vegetarian or non-vegetarian starter. The menu consists of delicacies from different regions of the country representing its respective IPL team. The price varies with the choice of drinks. If you go for imported drinks it will cost Rs 1,449 whereas an Indian spirit will cost at Rs 699.

Commenting on the same, Anshuman Mohta, Director, Market Cafe, says, “We are offering pitchers like classic & flavoured margarita, green apple martini, watermelon martin, jumbo mojito, cosmopolitan and much more at Rs 699 throughout the IPL season.”

Not only the footfall is increasing at the restaurants but the demand of people has also gone up demanding the dishes on their favourite’s players name and team. Mia Bella, a pub owned by Bhanu Nehra, brother of Chennai Super King player, Ashish Nehra is getting frequent calls from cricket fans about IPL packages. The outlet has planned to invite cricket players to give its customer a chance to meet his favourite players.

Promotional strategy

This time the restaurants do not require going through much advertising tricks. As the IPL fever is high, the customers themselves are attracted to restaurants offering best deals and options in the city. However hoardings and also print has turned to be good tool to communicate to the people this time. Besides television ads and online marketing through Facebook and other networking sites are on high too.

Experts say with international tournaments like IPL, restaurant business definitely goes up. But planning right strategies is what needs to be done which many restaurants fail to understand at the first point.

Wine consumption has gone through a paradigm shift with globally travelled people and wide adoption of western culture. Today, serving and drinking wine has become a part of the culture. Seeing this growth, not only bars and pubs but restaurants have also started serving wine along.

According to a research by Technopak, it is estimated that wine in India has penetrated only 1-2 million individuals resulting in a very low per capita consumption at the national level. The global per capita consumption of wine is estimated at 4 litre per annum while the Indian figure stands at 4.6 millilitres. According to industry estimates, the per capita consumption has gone up and is estimated to be 9-10 millilitres per annum.

Consumption pattern

People do not prefer a simple non-alcoholic drink when out for a dinner or lunch. Popular choices have gone beyond the simple drink preferences and wine consumption is on high today. Experts say people are trying the alcoholic drink that is not only made in India but has an international tag attached. For example, Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is on high demand by the local people.

As per Raj, Manager, 10 Downing Street, a multi-cuisine bar in Chandigarh, “At our restaurant about 60 percent of the people prefer alcoholic beverages when they come for dining. Wine consumption is though low limiting to the corporate, old and the ladies.”

Commenting on the same, Lalit Sharma, Restaurant Manager, Ramada Gurgaon Central, says, “People with their family and women are the one who prefer wine mostly. The demand goes higher on weekends among the ladies.”

Popular wine themes

The variety of wines offered by restaurants and the type of wine menus depends on the complexity of the restaurant operation with reference to their price point, cuisine and style of service. For example, a fine dining restaurant will have a much more defined wine menu while a casual dining will have a smaller menu. Some other wines that are a hit today are ‘new world wines’ apart from the traditional Indian wines.

Manish Kumar Baheyti, Owner, Haute Services Pvt Ltd says, “The thumb rule is that any restaurant which offers wines should offer white, red, rose and sparkling wine. A casual restaurant or a QSR might only offer red and white wines as it depends on the cuisine they serve.”

Speaking on the same, Huzoor Ahmad, General Manager, The BrewMaster, says, “Imported wine from France is a big hit in India apart from this old wines are commonly used at restaurants and bars.”

Pricing

Price of a wine depends on its quality and brand. If the wine is imported and has a tag for an international brand it will cost much more than the local wine. Generally the cost of wine is between Rs 1200 to Rs 25,000 depending on the quality and the type of restaurant you are taking wine in.          

Know the suppliers

The beverage industry is excelling in the market with people visiting restaurants regularly. About 70 percent of people prefer to have wine or other alcoholic beverages when they are out. With this the increases in the suppliers have also increased in the city. Hotels like Ramada Hotel Gurgaon Central, The BrewMaster and Chi Kitchen and Bar get the wine supplies from the local suppliers.

Speaking on the same, Baheyti, says, “Restaurants source local wines from authorised distributors and get the international brands from importers.”

According to Praful Maru, Director, Flags Restaurant, Milestone, Brinco, “Candy Wines (typical wine supplier) are few of the suppliers who supply international wine in the country apart from Sonary Wines (typical wine supplier) which supplies local taste”.

Legalities involved

Starting a restaurant and serving food is much easier than a restaurant serving wine along with the food. A restaurant and a bar go through certain legalities before serving wine at their places. There are two kind of licenses offered in Delhi, one is wine and beer license (due to their low alcohol content and the other is a license for running a full fledged bar.

Speaking on the difficulty faced while getting a license for the bar here in Delhi, Virender Kumar, Restaurant Manager, Chi Kitchen and Bar, says, “We went through many legal aspects. Getting licenses from Delhi Police to Municipal Corporation was very difficult.”

“But today it is very easy to open a bar in India. It depends on each state govt and the Delhi govt is very accommodating towards giving licenses as Delhi is the capital city of the country which has people from all over the world and running a bar here in Delhi is not that difficult, he adds.”

For running a bar and a pub, the license requires spending approximately Rs 15,000 to Rs 20, 000 and is approved within a week to a month depending on the legalities that the bar goes through.

By analysing the alcohol consumption of the Indian consumer, it can be said that traditionally consumers were more inclined towards spirits and beer, while wine has been steadily gaining acceptance now than ever.