Spicing up the festive season

The winter months are a festive time of year – with Eid Mubarak, Christmas wishes and New Year’s cheer, there tend to be plenty of high spirits around.

Of course, with these high spirits come high prices. F&B outlets all over the region will be doing a roaring trade, with prices reflecting customer demand.

But today’s consumer is a discerning creature; he will not pay through the nose for the same old offering. Nowadays, people demand a little more bang for their buck.

As a result, the Middle East is seeing a steady increase in unusual festive F&B offerings that deliver not just a meal, but an experience.

Promoting the party season

Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates will mark UAE National Day and Eid Al Adha with one of the city’s largest Arabic buffets at Sezzam restaurant, located on the edge of the shopping mall.

For Christmas, Sezzam will have Santa‘s Grotto – and each afternoon Santa will make a special appearance at Aspen, the hotel’s lobby café, for a festive afternoon tea where customers will be given an entry pass to Ski Dubai’s winter wonderland.

At the Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai, outlets will host a range of entertaining experiences, including caroling at all-day-dining outlet Pergolas and live band performances at British pub Double Decker.

Pergolas will also host a special ‘1001 Arabian Nights’ themed evening to celebrate the New Year, with a DJ and tannoura – a traditional skirt dance – to entertain guests.

“Being a local-based company, Rotana constantly put emphasis on the local culture,” explains the property’s F&B manager Dominique Jossi.

The newly-opened Dubai Marina Yacht Club (DMYC) is also looking for a piece of the festive action. The waterside café-bistro 25/55 is already open, as is in-house deli The Gourmet Store, while main restaurant Aquarra, a seafood and Asian fusion concept positioned between bistro and fine dining, is set to open this month.

DMYC is covering every base, offering various brunch, dinner and events packages. But the club’s really unique proposition will be a floating pontoon located in the marina’s waters, offering a top-end outdoor dining option.

The club’s food and beverage manager Helen Landau comments: “Obviously we’re new, but that can be an advantage; the staff are raring to go – and of course we’re offering something different, with our main restaurant lending a seafood slant to the festive season.”

Landau also highlights the pontoon concept as a major selling point. “We’re especially promoting this for romantic dinners and Christmas lunch.

 And for New Year’s Eve, it will be a great spot to watch the fireworks from,” she adds.

Elsewhere, another newly-opened property is hoping to make its mark. Media Rotana Dubai’s three outlets – Italian Prego’s, all-day-dining concept Channels and gastro- pub Nelson’s – will offer a variety of traditional meal deals.But the extra incentive for guests will be the New Year’s Eve entertainment: a performance by an Elton John tribute, apparently “second only to the man himself”.

Of course it is not just outlets that must be innovative if they wish to make the most of the festive season; suppliers are also under pressure to deliver new and exciting products.

Dulsco Event Equipment Rental – a company supplying everything events-related, from service staff to tents, crockery and even portable toilets – is offering its clients tailor-made festive package deals.

Dubai-based Desert River, which specialises in events rentals and European lifestyle products, goes so far as to offer special festive-themed products such as internally-lit plastic Christmas trees, penguins and stars.

Christmas competition

For an outlet to attract a decent market share, it needs to consider its customer’s needs first and foremost.

Kempinski Mall of the Emirates food and beverage manager Gerrit Thiebes believes the key lies in choice. “Our customers have a lot of options to choose from this year,” he explains.

“From National Day dining promotions to festive brunches and lunches, gala dinners and dance parties, there are events to suit all ages, tastes and budgets.”

Maintaining service standards in the face of increased demand is also essential, points out Al Murooj Rotana’s Jossi. “Our commitment is to offer true Arabian hospitality by providing guests with distinctive standards and service from caring people – and we stick to that,” he asserts.

Such measures, if properly implemented, can make the festive season incredibly lucrative for outlets – and according to DMYA’s Landau, being a newcomer will not change that.

“We only opened last month, but every day we’re increasing our covers and turnover,” she says.

Media Rotana’s F&B manager Graeme Ure has seen similar interest, with high booking figures and numerous enquiries.

Seasonal challenges

Competition between F&B outlets in the region is becoming increasingly fierce – Kempinski’s Thiebes and Al Murooj Rotana’s Jossi both consider the packed market place a challenge, although Jossi says this makes the season an “exciting experience” for hospitality industry professionals.

DMYA’s Landau suspects the logistics of getting all the food ordered might prove a challenge for some at a busy time of year, a point of view confirmed by Media Rotana’s Ure.

“A lot of the food items need to be ordered well in advance from abroad,” he notes. “Our kitchen department started preparing a good four to five months prior to the actual festive period.”

For suppliers as well, logistical issues can spring up at such a busy time of year.For Dulsco HR solutions manager – business development hospitality Satnam Grover, the season “automatically implies loads of orders and deliveries”. “To deliver on time and to consistently produce quality solutions within a very short time frame is a major challenge,” she adds.

Desert River owner Michiel Schroeder agrees that the import of goods from abroad takes longer, but says he does not find it too much of a problem. “We keep a good regional stock of products, so our customers do not have to wait long,” he explains.

Festive finances

Cost is a major factor, for both customer and outlet; everyone is competing to find the best product for the lowest price.

DMYC has done its research and is planning to hit the market “with prices at the same level as your average five-star hotel”, says Landau.

“Overheads go up anyway at this time of year, with food costs, staffing, decorations and so on. People tend to forget that – they just think you’ve doubled your costs,” she comments.

 “Generally, it’s reasonable for prices to rise.”

But Al Murooj Rotana’s Jossi says festive season pricing in the region has spiralled out of control and believes customers are carefully seeking out true value-for-money options.

 “With the rising cost of living, people are much more cautious with their spending,” he says. “They are seeking quality, affordable experiences – not necessarily the most expensive.”

Media Rotana’s Ure adds: “We have focused very much on offering value for money. We want to excite our guests with our products while being fair from a price point of view.”

Outlets need to recognise that when it comes to festive food, customers want it all: they want the old, in the shape of traditional high service standards and cultural touches, and they want the new, with innovative takes on the decorations, entertainment and menu.

Ultimately, they want a true experience that comes at a reasonable price – and outlets that can provide that will clean up.