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Burning issue: Chefs in the limelight [HotelierMiddleEast.com](HotelierMiddleEast.com Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The last trend we saw was standalone restaurants — the emerging one is of chefs elevated to near-celebrity status. We ask the region's experts whether this strategy works, and what happens if the stars leave the venue The region's F&B industry is seeing the emergence of the chef from the back-of-house to the forefront of the restaurant, with some donning the mantle of 'celebrity chef'. Previously, they were the unknown factor, it was all about the front-of-house service. The increase in the number of cooking reality shows and chef authors has led to an about-turn and now chefs across the world are in the spotlight. In the GCC, these captains of the kitchen are increasingly being associated with the restaurants they run, frequently appearing in radio ads, print and more, for the consumers to learn more about them and interact with them. But if the chef suddenly leaves… what then? Is there a detriment to this strategy? How do brands and operators work on increasing their business with these chefs and still making sure the restaurant continues long after he or she leaves? Hilton Worldwide regional director of food & beverage Arabian Peninsula Marc Gicquel says the concept of a restaurant and the chef's vision are often entwined and in the right circumstances, the two can be merged to strengthen the restaurant's identity. "As a restaurant evolves its offering, a true sign of success is the recognition of the talent in the kitchen," he adds. Jumeirah Group director of operations F&B Peter Avram points out that the trend is a classic approach, "with the restaurant being brought to market amid a blaze of publicity around the name of a celebrity chef". He adds: "It is a tried and tested technique in Dubai, for example with Gordon Ramsay at Verre and Patrick LeNotre at The Apartment in the past. And it clearly works provided the quality of dining experience and innovation keeps pace with expectations." This trend is certainly a great idea worth pursuing, says Gates Hospitality CEO Naim Maadad, because chefs are the ones who best understand the food identity and concept of a brand. He explains: "It is an idea which, if supported by all the components of the core business, would be extremely fruitful and could very well deliver the desired results." However, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Asia, Middle East & Africa F&B concept design director Stefan Breg wonders whether it's the likes of celebs like Pierre Gagnaire and Gordon Ramsay who will be more in demand. He asks: "Will the UAE continue to look to celebrity chef restaurants? As we anticipate the restaurant scene over the next few years will jump to the beat of Expo 2020, we can confidently expect more prominent chefs to arrive in the country. Perhaps we might see more from the aspiring South America and South-East Asia?" Article continues on next page ... [[page-break]] CELEBRITY STATUS While international celebs are definitely making their mark in the region (see box out on pg 30-31), what about our 'home-grown' stars? Does the trend of tying a chef to the venue make them hotshots as well? Maadad says it does: "I absolutely agree that this [trend] hugely contributes to the celeb culture in the Middle Eastern region. It would create celebrities of chefs and in the long-term it would result in culinary connoisseurs and people passionate about food being attracted to Dubai purely on the basis of brand or concept, which have celebrity chefs manage it. And ultimately it will immensely contribute to the success of the business as a whole." Gicquel agrees and adds that the tag is definitely well-deserved in some cases. He says: "It is fair to say that many chefs — including our very own Darren Velvick — are earning the status at their quality dining establishments. With their name above the door, chefs feel a greater sense of responsibility and a need to prove themselves in what is an increasingly competitive F&B market." However, Breg advises caution and says there is always a cost involved in this strategy. He explains: "This may be a good time for a quick health check on the value of celebrity chefs. It costs more to get a celebrity chef name. Fact. Aside from a one-off fee and royalty, capital and marketing costs also have a tendency to increase when a renowned name is put above the door." But it's not always about celebs. Caterer has met many international chefs, most of whom absolutely abhor the tag. Case in point: both Gary Rhodes and Vineet Bhatia have told us they are merely chefs doing the best they can, and think the tag of 'celeb chef' in the media is kind, but unnecessary. Avram adds: "The simple answer is: if it works, and it evidently does for a number of restaurants, then go for it. But this is not just a question of a celeb culture. There are many benefits to having the chef patron as the leading force. It gives the restaurant a clear character, a point of engagement and a voice in the market. And this resonates with guests. You can have a personality-led restaurant without being branded a celeb-driven outlet." POST-CHEF But what happens if a chef popularly associated with a particular restaurant leaves? How does it affect branding and other aspects of the F&B venue? The personality is definitely going to change. Hilton had to undergo this dilemma recently, when Nick Alvis and Scott Price left table 9 and Darren Velvick arrived at the helm. Gicquel reveals: "While many diners might associate a restaurant with the talent in the kitchen, if we look at our dining concept, table 9, our customers are excited about the idea of the award-winning restaurant as a platform for new and aspiring culinary talent in Dubai." However, such scenarios don't necessarily have smooth handovers. Maadad notes that in the interim, a challenge is always present. "The concept loses essence as the chef is the heart of the brand. But the overall success is not to solely rely on the chef." He explains that a solid business model has many other components of which the chef is only one aspect. "Service, concept definition, brand positioning, sales and marketing, interior architecture, quality of ingredients, IT solutions including restaurant reservations system, media management — all these contribute to the success of a brand and its overall experience." Agreeing with Maadad on this being a temporary challenge, Avram adds: "Yes there may be a short-term hit on the recognition among new clients, but the reputation of the outlet will be based on the long-term consistency of the dining experience, so when the celebrity chef leaves, a loyal base sees the restaurant through to its next chapter. That is the mark of a successful chef patron." He also says a lot depends on the culture of the restaurant itself, and its evolution. He says: "The legacy of a great chef will always be a high-functioning and creative team that is not only capable of running a high-quality kitchen but also able to build their own individual reputations in the market." Article continues on next page ... [[page-break]] BUSINESS VALUES But can chefs truly drive business to restaurants? Do consumers come for the food, or for the name attached to the venue? Gicquel says: "Chef-driven restaurants are growing in popularity and diners are increasingly excited by the thought that a big name chef is preparing their dishes and having the opportunity to match a face to the name." Avram says there are two sides to this coin. "One side is bringing the chef out into the restaurant to engage with diners — this gives the dining experience a personal twist that many diners appreciate. The other side is having the chef as chief figurehead and spokesperson for the restaurant, appearing on TV and in the media, running multiple social media accounts, writing books, giving advice. There is no doubt that this contributes to the success of a restaurant, but it is important to ensure that enough time is dedicated to running an excellent kitchen and investing time in innovation and creativity. Ultimately it comes down to the personality of the chef and the strength of his or her team." Gicquel agrees. "Consumers appreciate when chefs are visible as this contributes to a level of recognition both ways and tends to drive more business by bringing the 'behind the scenes' to the 'theatre'." Maadad notes: "It is the right of the modern day food lover and connoisseur to get to know the finer details of the dishes, and there is no better person to give the intricate information of the culinary creation than the chef. The interaction of the chef with the clientele does contribute immensely to grow the brand awareness and cement it uniquely." However, there is a caveat to this. Do the chefs know what to do in the limelight? Maadad cautions: "In a typical culinary school, chefs are trained only to the cuisine creation aspect, food hygiene and under normal circumstances; they get very limited exposure and experience in other aspects of the business like financials, sales and marketing, PR, human resources management, service etiquette, guest relation, etcetera. Generally chefs are known to be introverts in their cocoon of the kitchen. "Certainly any serious brand, before bringing the chef into the limelight, must ensure that the chef gets adequate exposure and insightful inputs with other aspects of the business so that the right image of the brand is projected through the exercise." Breg adds to the business element: "Do celebrity chefs work? Evidence suggests yes, either through enhanced ROI or by the less tangible element of 'prestige' — which you can't always put a value to. One thing is for sure: when you sign up with a celebrity chef, you get to shout louder in a market where there's a constant stream of openings and new fads." PERSONALITY WINS Interactivity and leaving a legacy, while being personable, are the buzzwords the experts agree upon. It's important for the chefs not only to be masters of the kitchen, but skilled at dealing with customers and knowing more about operations as well. Avram says: "On the positive side, diners generally appreciate the opportunity to engage with the creator of their meal — it's like readers meeting the author or film buffs meeting the director. On the flipside, there is a risk on the business side, where creativity and flair need to be balanced with prudent financial management to ensure the long-term sustainability of the business. Some would argue that this is as much an art as the culinary skills the chef brings to the kitchen." Maadad says: "Chefs very passionate about their food concept are certainly the best source of interaction when it comes to explaining and expressing the food component the best." He points out again that chefs need more training to better understand the big picture of running a business, and adds: "The success of the brand relies on how best this challenge is managed by providing the right inputs so that the brand realises its full potential." Breg says the bottom line is that customers, investors, and operators are drawn to celebrity chefs. "There is so much to look for with the big personality, confidence and passion of a celebrity chef which can sometimes turn out to be a beautiful unpredictability." Maadad stresses: "Any successful brand is built on four key pillars, namely — HR, finance, operations and concept definition. Chefs complement and contribute hugely. For any concept to be a sustainable and successful business model, it is not enough for one of the components to be addressed, but the other three aspects need to fall in place too." It's fair then, to say that the movement of chefs emerging from the kitchen is a great one, but a self-proclaimed celeb status won't last long. A big name is not enough to get customers, rather it's the overall integration of different departments that can see the restaurant through to financial success, no matter who runs it. Article continues on next page [[page-break]] Some celeb chefs in the region: 1. Pierre Gagnaire With Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire already a success, he recently opened Choix Patisserie & Restaurant par Pierre Gagnaire at InterContinental Dubai Festival City. 2. Yannick Alléno Stay by Yannick Alléno, 101, and Zest are three of his restaurants at the One&Only The Palm Dubai. He has no other venues in the Middle East at this point and isn't actively looking. 3. Heinz Beck Social by Heinz Beck has opened in the new Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, and the Michelin-starred chef is also said to be opening soon at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman. 4. Gary Rhodes Based in Dubai, UAE, this chef has Rhodes Twenty10 (at Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa Dubai), Rhodes 44 (The St. Regis Abu Dhabi), and Rhodes W1 (Grosvenor House Dubai). 5. Jamie Oliver Jamie's Italian originally opened in Dubai Festival City and is currently closed for renovation, but there's a new venue at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel for those interested in this celeb chef's cuisine. 6. Jason Atherton The much anticipated return of Atherton to the Middle East will be at the new InterContinental Dubai Marina, which is said to be modelled on the style of Pollen Street Social, his flagship venue in the UK. 7. Vineet Bhatia This chef has restaurants in Doha (Saffron Lounge), Dubai (Indego and Ashiana by Vineet), Saudi Arabia (Maharaja by Vineet; he's currently opening another venue in Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain this year. 8. Atul Kochhar Based in the UK, he has brought Rang Mahal by Atul Kochhar to the region at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, with its chef de cuisine Amrish Sood one of the Caterer Middle East Awards winners in 2014. 9. Sanjeev Kapoor Another Indian chef with restaurants in the region, Sanjeev Kapoor has three brands in the UAE — Options, Signature and Khazaza — and also has The Yellow Chili in Bahrain, and Khazana in Qatar. 10. Gordon Ramsay Opal by Gordon Ramsay, and Gordon Ramsay Doha, are both open in Qatar, at The St. Regis Doha, and many are awaiting his return to the UAE after he pulled out of Verre in Dubai. Watch this space! 11. Wolfgang Puck After Cut at The Address Downtown Dubai, Puck's casual dining will be at Dubai International next year. It is also believed he is opening outlets at Mondrian Doha in 2015, and Four Seasons Bahrain this year. (c) 2014 ITP Business Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |