Expanding an Empire
Prominent Lebanese restaurateur Pierre Ziadeh and his partner Souhail Nassar took over the Minet El Hosn area of Downtown Beirut in 2009 with international culinary concepts and development. Through SP Holding, Ziadeh has now successfully expanded throughout the Middle East and is on track to franchise the first of many unique concepts in 2020.
Clean as a whistle
Any owner, operator or employee at a hotel or restaurant will tell you that the associated elements to ensure an optimally hygiene-friendly hospitality environment, are staggering. These generally depend on two main factors – machines and the best practices system(s) instituted by the operators.
Articulating Spaces
The interior architect Ramy Boutros sees movement in every texture, life in every stone, warmth in every metal and a dance in every fabric. Specializing in realizing dreams, he is an expert at breathing new life into any space. Here, HN talks to him about the challenges involved in designing some of Lebanon’s most successful homegrown F&B concepts.
Rate Parity or Disparity
Hotels’ pricing is complex and disparities in rates are extremely common. With the rise of newage channels, hotels are also having problems maintaining a clean, clear vision over their pricing strategy. Spirals in the inventory and rates distribution have made it even more important for hotels to take control of their distribution channels. Serge Chamelian, managing partner of h-hotelier, gives a no-nonsense explanation of the different distribution channels available to hotels.
Lebanon’s Culinary Ambassador
Globe-trotting chef, television personality and culinary consultant Joe Barza is credited with introducing Lebanese cuisine to diners around the world. We managed to sit him down for a few minutes and ask him to share his thoughts on the past and plans for the future.
The Best Dressed Takeout in town
Branding the box has gone mainstream, providing a great communication channel for showcasing the company’s logo and expressing the purpose of the business or relaying what the brand stands for. Chirine Salha, senior consultant at Ulysses Consulting, lifts the lid on the latest trends.
The Food Hall Frenzy
Over the years the restaurant concept aswe know it has been challenged, revisited,rejigged and redefined. Nada Alameddine,partner at Hodema consulting services,enlightens us on the most recent shakeup.
Looking Ahead
Kostas Nikolaidis, Middle East and Africa executive for STR, takes a first glimpse at businesson- the-books for London and Dubai as at the third week of October 2019.
Wishes and Expectations
Exceeding guests’ expectations is all too familiar to hospitality professionals and is something we strive to do on a daily basis, but what if the tables were turned? As the year winds down, we thought it would be an interesting idea to present the wishes and expectations of our dear friends in the industry, with the intention of gauging their reactions and finding out if 2020 will exceed their own expectations.
Season’s Greetings
The hospitality industry is a busy place to be during the festive season. Products are sourced from near and far as hotels and restaurants up their game in F&B offerings. Find out what the latest trends are in the market to set yourself apart this season.
