Hospitality Business Magazine

BREAKING: Donald Trump bans all travel from mainland Europe to US for 30 days

Sky News reports: The president blames the EU for not acting quickly enough and claims US coronavirus clusters were “seeded” by European travellers.

Donald Trump has suspended all flights from mainland Europe to the US for 30 days following the spread of coronavirus cases across the continent.

The US president said the sanctions will come into effect from midnight – but will not apply to flights from the UK.

He blamed the European Union for not acting quickly enough to address the outbreak of the virus and said US clusters were “seeded” by European travellers.

Mr Trump said: “We made a lifesaving move with early action on China. Now we must take the same action with Europe.”

The president said the US would monitor the situation to determine if travel could be reopened earlier.

Mr Trump said “we are marshalling the full power” of the government and private sector to protect the American people.

He also announced the US will defer tax payments for some individuals and businesses for three months to lessen the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak.

He said the Small Business Administration will also make low-interest loans available to businesses to help them weather the storm.

“This is not a financial crisis,” he said. “This just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome together as a nation and as a world.”

After days of playing down the threat, Mr Trump changed gears with his Oval Office address.

The mounting effort to contain the virus and financial fall-out intensified on a gruelling day.

Communities cancelled public events nationwide, universities moved to cancel in-person classes, and families grappled with the impact of disruptions to public schools.

The number of confirmed cases of the infection topped 1,000 in the US and the World Health Organisation declared the global crisis was now a pandemic.

Meanwhile, the NBA has suspended its season in the United States due to outbreak “until further notice”, the Association said in a statement.

The decision came after Wednesday night’s game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder was postponed after Utah’s Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19.

The NBA, one of the biggest and most watched sporting leagues in the world, is nearing the end of its home-and-away season.

Its play-offs were due to start on 18 April.

Coping through Coronavirus

Create a Plan

The current Novel Coronavirus pandemic has caused significant concerns for many of our Members. It is a good idea to create a plan to cope through the situation:

What you can do now:

Remind staff and customers that no discrimination will be tolerated, and no one will be treated differently due to nationality and/or religion.  Ensure employees are aware that any such behaviour will not be tolerated.

At this stage, employers must try to find a balance between taking balanced precautionary measures and being prepared for further developments. Employers should act in line with the overarching obligation of good faith when making decisions on how to deal with individual circumstances. Most employers will want to do the best by their employees and assist them where possible.

By Marisa Bidois – CEO Restaurant Association of New Zealand

 

Hop into Four Points Auckland for craft beer tastings

Craft beer tastings are on the menu at Four Points by Sheraton Auckland this month.

In celebration of this year’s Auckland Arts Festival, the hotel is bringing back its Four Points Best BrewsTM Kombi van, with tastings from local craft brewer Tuatara Brewery between March 12 and 21.

Parked up outside the hotel’s Queen’s Head Bar and Eatery, with tables, chairs and DJs Thursday to Saturday, the Best Brews Kombi will be the ideal spot to kick back before a show or to wind down once the work day is done.

With mini beer glass at the ready, guests can sample from a selection of five of the Kapiti Coast brewery’s best beers, including three brand new, limited release ‘new world’ IPAs.

These include the Pacific IPA, bursting with the tropical fruit flavours synonymous with New Zealand and Australian hops and moderately bitter; East Coast Hazy IPA with big citrus and tropical fruit US hop flavours, lower bitterness and the creamy mouthfeel typical of this hugely popular style; and at the more bitter end of the spectrum, a citrus and pine West Coast IPA.

Says Tuatara head brewer Paul Roigard: “New Zealanders have an undeniable thirst for new and interesting craft and no-one can dispute the ongoing love for the new world hop varieties coming out of the US, New Zealand and Australia. While all three new releases are hop forward IPAs, they’re all actually quite different in terms of look, aroma and flavour and intended to showcase the different hops and styles, creating a journey for the drinker.”

With a range of Tuatara beers available on tap and by the bottle, the Kombi will also be serving succulent Korean popcorn chicken – a Queen’s Head favourite – paired with an ice-cold pint of Tuatara for just $15.

Or head next door to the Queen’s Head and relax a while longer with a full bar menu including highlights such as spirulina vegan dumplings, 55 day aged beef brisket sliders and signature Te Mana lamb shoulder, rolled and braised with massaman jus, eggplant pickle and Aloo gobi.

On from 11-29 March, Auckland Arts Festival 2020 features more than 40 of the most exciting events and shows from New Zealand and around the world in in a feast of dance, theatre, music, opera, circus, cabaret, visual arts and aerial spectacle.

Highlights include Snow White, high fashion meeting iconic fairy tale in this darkly delectable retelling imagined by acclaimed choreographer Angelin Preljocaj and with costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier. While the festival’s iconic Spiegeltent by Four Points Auckland in Aotea Square is where you can catch headline circus-cabaret extravaganza Limbo Unhinged, on from 12-29 March, as well as one-off performances by Estere – into the Belly of Capricorn on March 19 and @Peace & The Plutonian Noise Symphony featuring Tom Scott from Home Brew on March 26.

Sir John Key opens Pullman Rotorua

The Rt. Hon Sir John Key officiated at the March 4 opening ceremony of Rotorua’s first five star luxury hotel, Pullman Rotorua, which was attended by over 100 guests including local council members, chief representatives from tourism and trade, local and hospitality organisations.

The first international five-star hotel in the Bay of Plenty region, Pullman Rotorua is a dynamic and cosmopolitan hotel for the high-end domestic and international traveller on a trip to New Zealand’s popular tourism mecca.

Situated in the centre of the city, the 130 room hotel offers visitors the perfect base to explore the region’s geothermal attractions. Locals and visitors alike can start or finish the day with the very best tastes of New Zealand at the hotel’s modern brasserie, Barrel & Co Bar and Grill.

General manager Richard Bungeroth is thrilled with the response from the local community and domestic travellers since its soft opening in January.

“We were honoured to have Sir John Key with us to officiate our grand opening. We’ve received overwhelming support from the Rotorua community and have welcomed guests from all over New Zealand and the world since we opened our doors earlier this year.”

“Pullman Rotorua is perfectly suited for travellers, especially families, couples and business leaders looking for a world-class stay in one of the country’s most attractive tourist destinations.We hope to welcome many more visitors to New Zealand’s adventure capital,” says Bungeroth.

“The Bay of Plenty and Rotorua in particular have had a booming tourism economy for quite some time. It’s a privilege to officiate the grand opening of the region’s first five-star hotel.

“The Pullman Rotorua will certainly be meeting a need at the top end of the market and will entice visitors looking for that luxury offering that wasn’t in the region previously,” says Sir John Key.

The hotel has panoramic views of the city and lake area and also features a bar, gym, unique executive lounge experience as well as conference facilities, and signature restaurant.

Rotorua’s tourism economy is substantial with approximately $828 million spent by visitors in 2019.  Pullman Rotorua joins the well-known Pullman Auckland as the second Pullman to open in New Zealand.

General Manager for new QT Auckland appointed

QT Hotels and Resorts has announced Doron Whaite as General Manager for the highly-anticipated QT Auckland, scheduled to open mid-year. Boasting a 15-year career in hospitality, Whaite has been a key member of the QT senior management team for the past three years, contributing to the QT product offering, brand and culture.

Most recently, he’s driven the hotel’s strategy and operations at QT Sydney, after successfully developing QT Perth’s Rooftop Bar and the celebrated Santini Bar & Grill, which was crowned Best New Restaurant by the 2018 Western Australia Good Food Guide, and one year on, secured the title of Restaurant of the Year at the 2019 awards.

Prior to joining the Event Hospitality and Entertainment family, Whaite nurtured his love for the energy and vibrancy of hospitality, establishing his career across premium hotels, cocktail lounges and restaurants throughout Australia – with extensive experience in venue openings.

Whaite will commence his new role on 16th March, after relocating to New Zealand.

Simon White, General Manager Operations New Zealand – EVENT Hotels & Resorts echoes Whaite’s enthusiasm, saying “We’re privileged to draw on Doron’s extensive experience and leadership as the team brings QT’s quirky luxury to life in Auckland. Along with his commercial acumen, he brings a wealth of knowledge when it comes to venue openings, plus hotel and restaurant operations – which will be vital to QT Auckland’s success.”

QT Auckland will open at 4 Viaduct Harbour Avenue in mid-2020, and will be the 10th QT Hotel in the group and third New Zealand property, joining  QT Wellington and QT Queenstown.

Simon Gault to speak at MEETINGS 2020

Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) is unveiling a new professional development and education programme for MEETINGS 2020 in Auckland.

CINZ Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says event planners visiting MEETINGS for the day on either 22 or 23 April can choose to hear from four different speakers and gain fascinating insights and learnings to take back to their businesses.

“Anyone responsible for organising events from board meetings to team building activities, staff functions, parties or award ceremonies can attend MEETINGS free of charge, meet with any of 190 exhibitors from 18 regions across New Zealand, and boost their knowledge at the same time,” she says.

Opening the MEETINGS Education Series on 22 April is former New Zealander of the Year, Dr Lance O’Sullivan, who will address the subject of courageous leadership and how to be brave, resilient and innovative in an ever-changing world.

Celebrity chef, entrepreneur and health ambassador Simon Gault, will talk about his own diabetes journey, and the knowledge he gained from research during his role as presenter of the critically-acclaimed documentary series ‘Why Are We Fat?’ covering issues including nutrition, sleep, and fitness.

MEETINGS is held across two days at ASB Showgrounds, and free parking is available. The new MEETINGS Education Series’ speakers are scheduled for 10am to 10.45am and 2.45pm to 3.30 pm on 22 and 23 April.

Science and gastronomy to merge for Top 100 chefs awards

The Best Chef has announced the Top 100 new candidates for the 2020 Awards as well as their plans for this year’s event which takes place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The event, will take place on 21-23 September and the culinary platform will also host the Food Meets Science conference, the Area Talks live debate and the Award Gala in Rotterdam.

Cristian Gadau, Creative Director and Founder of The Best Chef said “We are delighted to organise a prestigious event like The Best Chef Awards in Rotterdam, as the Netherlands play an important role in contemporary gastronomy. The event is a gathering of top chefs from all over the world so it’s the perfect opportunity for the community, international visitors and industry professionals to stay up-to-date with what’s hot and happening in the global world of haute cuisine, as well as to connect them with their peers.”

The Top 100 new candidates and voting process

Each year, 100 new chefs are selected by The Best Chef’s independent partners. France, Spain, USA, Brazil, the Netherlands and the UK represent the most new candidates for the 2020 list. All new entries are published on the website of The Best Chef Awards: www.thebestchefawards.com

Among the new chefs are Gaggan Anand, Dan Barber, Ricardo Chaneton, Vicky Cheng, Luca Fantin and Jordan Khan. There are many new female candidates including Manu Buffara, Leo Espinosa, May Chow, Monica Galetti, Margarita Fores, Antonia Klugmann, Vicky Lau, Angela Hartnett and Helene Darozze.

This year, the voting will start on 1 April. All chefs included in the 2019 list, plus the new candidates for 2020, will be invited to vote for their peers. Additionally, a selection of culinary professionals, photographers and foodies is asked to vote for their favourite chefs. The panel scores 10 chefs, awarding them between 100 and 1000 points. They vote for the chef as a person, recognising the chef’s talent, experience and personality.

The 100 best-performing chefs make up The Best Chef Awards 2020 Top 100. This year, a new awards category will be launched – The ‘Science’ Award is a distinction for the chef who is outstanding in relation to research, experimental techniques and transformation.

A three-day culinary event in Rotterdam

Following on from Warsaw in 2017, Milan in 2018 and Barcelona in 2019, Rotterdam has been selected as the host city for The Best Chef Awards 2020. This year, the platform provides an enhanced three-day event programme. The Food Meets Science conference creates a dialogue between top-notch speakers from the world of science and gastronomy. The Area Talks live debate engages top chefs, foodies and experts in discussions on traditions, the roots of different cuisines and other contemporary topics in gastronomy. The highlight of the three-day event will be the awards gala, where the winners of The Best Chef Awards 2020 will be announced.

New York fine dining icon dies

One of the most influential chefs operating in New York City’s fine dining scene, chef Gray Kunz, has died. The news was confirmed on the website of Cafe Gray Deluxe, Kunz’s longstanding restaurant located within Swire Hotel properties in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Kunz was a fixture on the New York City dining scene in the ’90s, where he led the kitchen at the critically-acclaimed Lespinasse, a luxurious Manhattan institution that received four stars from the Times during Kunz’s eight-year tenure. Aside from receiving a slew of awards, Kunz also trained several chefs who have gone on to make their own high-profile marks on the city’s dining scene, including prolific restaurateur Andrew Carmellini of Locanda Verde and Floyd Cardoz of Tabla and Bombay Bread Bar.

“The world never got to know your true genius in cooking like the few of us who worked with you closely,” Cardoz wrote in a tribute to Kunz posted on Instagram. “You knew flavour like no one I know.”

Born in Singapore and raised in Switzerland, Kunz was known for bringing diverse, global perspectives and an uncompromising take on fresh ingredients and sustainable sourcing to his dishes, long before that was a regular part of the city’s dining lexicon. In an interview with the Times in 1994, Kunz displayed the Asian fusion cooking on Lespinasse’s menu that was groundbreaking at the time — marinated crab meat paired with a melon-citrus sauce, squab ragout with turmeric served with a rice-flour crepe — and the painstaking methods he would use to develop flavor on the plate. This was also the time period in which Kunz developed the Spoon, a beloved, perfect kitchen tool that has been praised by subsequent chefs and home cooks for decades.

After Lespinasse, Kunz opened and closed a few restaurants in New York City — including a version of Cafe Gray that ran for four years at the Time Warner Center — before moving back to Hong Kong. He also briefly returned to the states in 2016 to open Salt & Char, an American steakhouse in Saratoga Springs.

“In a career that spanned more than four decades over three continents, he was revered as the chefs’ chef,” the tribute posted on Cafe Gray Deluxe’s website reads. “His contribution to Swire Hotels, and the wider culinary world, is immeasurable.”

 

 

 

Taupo Hilton appoints new manager

Tracey Poole

Tracey Poole has been appointed Hotel Manager for Hilton Lake Taupo. With a hospitality career spanning more  than 20 years, including the iconic Soneva properties, under the Six Senses brand in the Maldives, Poole returns to New Zealand to join Hilton Lake Taupo, bringing a vast experience across multiple markets.

Most recently, Tracey was General Manager of Alila in Wuzhen, China and, prior to that, at the Anandi Hotel & Spa in Shanghai where she oversaw the pre-opening for the brand. Work during this transitional time included the development of the luxury and wellbeing concepts to increase the hotels’ brand awareness and alignment with the growing hospitality trendsacross the world.

“My vision for Hilton Lake Taupo is to integrate global hotel trends into the resort’s core philosophy to enhance guest experience and overall wellbeing. My experience with renowned wellbeing brands has given me some great concepts to bring into the region. Watch this space!” says Poole.

Originally, from Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, Poole is delighted to be returning closer to home and family. Poole is excited to be an integral part of the Hilton Lake Taupo and Australasian teams to bring her experience and passion for hospitality and high-end luxury wellness resorts.

Poole joins the Hilton Lake Taupo team as the hotel celebrates a successful 10 years of hospitality in Taupo. Originally built in 1889 as The Terraces Hotel, the property has transformed into an iconic North Island destination and an integral part of the Taupo community. The team has spent the past decade working to refine and constantly revise the property welcoming guests from all over New Zealand and the World.

Vodka is not a hand sanitiser!

Tito’s vodka might be “handmade,” but it’s not made for your hands. The social media team at the Austin-based vodka maker — which is the top-selling spirit in America and is sold in New Zealand through Super Liquor outlets — is working overtime on Twitter today, forced to repeatedly explain that its product is not a suitable substitute for hand sanitiser — it just smells like it would be.

The confusion arises amid a shortage of hand sanitiser as concerned members of the public attempt to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus. That lack of supply has led to price gouging for hand sanitiser online: a box of small Purell bottles that might sell for $10 typically are now listed for hundreds from secondary sellers on Amazon. It’s also led to DIY advice and online recipes for homemade hand sanitisers, most of which call for rubbing alcohol (99 percent alcohol by volume) plus aloe vera gel.

Tito’s, meanwhile, is actually just 40 percent alcohol by volume, not the 60 percent required to kill viruses. As Dallas Morning News reporter Dom DiFurio noted, the company will probably have to keep Tweeting ad nauseam while people on Twitter threaten to “get me a handle of @TitosVodka and make some hand sanitiser for my family.”

“Per the CDC, hand sanitiser needs to contain at least 60% alcohol by volume,” Tito’s writes soberly in reply after reply, attaching an explanation for added clarity.

“As soon as we saw the incorrect articles and social posts, we wanted to set the record straight,” a representative for Tito’ s says. “While it would be good for business for our fans to use massive quantities of Tito’s for hand sanitiser, it would be a shame to waste the good stuff, especially if it doesn’t sanitise…”

Tito’s has clung fast to its roots as a distiller of the craft spirit good stuff, but these days the brand is more of an industrial product than anything else. “Based on the sheer quantity of Tito’s output… its vodka is almost certainly made by re-distilling pre-made grain neutral spirit, or GNS, an industrial high-proof alcohol produced in massive distilleries by large agribusiness firms,” Tammie Teclemariam explained to online foodie site, Eater last year in a company profile.