A fantastic line-up of industry leaders will take part in Foodservice Excellence Summit’s Day 2.

Caterer Middle East and Hotelier Middle East are joint hosts of Day 2 of Gulfhost’s Foodservice Excellence Summit this year.

Taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre on November 9, the Summit will bring together thought-leaders and culinary pioneers to address issues around supply chains, talent, diversity, sustainability, technology and wider economic shocks.

With panel discussions and fireside chats, the Foodservice Excellence Summit will be the congregation point for the industry’s finest, and an invaluable afternoon for any savvy operator in F&B. The day is also being supported by UAERG.

Day 2 of the Summit will kick off on Wednesday, November 9 at 10am with a registration and networking opportunity for 45 minutes. At 10.45am, Hospitality Group group editor Paul Clifford will open proceedings, followed by a keynote speech from a special guest (to be revealed soon). The first panel will start at 11.30am.

Read on for all the information on each panel.

11.30am: How to manage inflation and minimise its effects on business

Where the rising inflation will lead the F&B sector and steps that can be taken to address it. Talking points include:
• How is a labour shortage affecting inflation?
• What can restaurants do to combat rising costs and how will that effect customers?
• What can governments to do help restaurants?

Panellists:
• Amit Nayak, CHA – Vice President, Hospitality Asset Management Association MEA (HAMA MEA)
• Tapan Vaidya, CEO, PJP Investments
• Nick Patmore, hotel manager, Marriott International (TBC)
• Moderator: Paul Clifford, Group Editor, ITP Media Group

12.05pm: Why farm-to-fork is crucial to the future of UAE dining

How the local F&B sector is using local suppliers and making more out of the produce available. Touching on:
• Working towards zero waste
• Supply chain lessons learned post-Covid
• The changing face of local produce

Panellists:
• Atul Chopra, CEO, Fresh On Table
• Omar Shihab, BOCA

12.30pm: How to keep up with consumer and kitchen trends

How to balance guest preferences with the latest innovations. The conversation will include:
• Why menu engineering is so important
• The new steps of service – QR codes, contactless ordering and online payments
• Adapting to changing guest preferences

Panelists:
• George Kunnappally, Managing Director, Nando’s
• Brenda Hobin, Marketing Director, Shiok Meats
• Matt Roberts, Director of Customer Experience MEA & India, UNOX
• Moderator: Naim Maaded, founder and chief executive, Gates Hospitality

1.10pm: How smaller independents are crucial to Dubai’s F&B sector

Speaker:
Deeksha Gandotra, Founder, The Hospitality Hub

1.20pm: Should my restaurant enter the metaverse?

How restaurants can enter the metaverse and why they should be present in the virtual space. Topics include:
• The business opportunities in the Metaverse
• Getting your brand Metaverse-ready
• How to design your Metaverse restaurant

Panelists:
• Sunjeh Raja, Director & CEO, ICCA
• Simon Ritchie, communications director, Pickl
• Pallavi Dean, Founder & Creative Director, Roar
• Andy Cuthbert, Chairman, Emirates Culinary Guild
• Ganesh Raju, Founder & CEO, Akshaya.io.
• Moderator: Satvik Jaitly, Senior Consultant & Sector Expert – Foods, Hospitality & Food Service Innovation, KPMG

2pm: Why investing in technology is crucial to success

Discussing the new technologies that are transforming F&B. Talking points will cover:
• Integrating core IT systems and digitising inventory management
• Digital delivery – third-party aggregators, apps and e-commerce
• Identifiying the right data andputting it to use

Panelists:
• Abdul Kadeer Saadi, Founder & Managing Director, Eighty6
• Daniel Viranyi, Global IT Director Kitopi
• Naji Haddad, General Manager – MENA, Deliverect
• Saurabh Aurora, Head – Global Channels and Ecosystems, Foodics
• Moderator: Simon Ritchie, UAERG advisory board, Pickl Director of Comms

2.45pm: Age of Digital Gourmet: Born out of adversity and geared for transformation

• How consumers gained access to culinary secrets
• Why the gourmet food industry needs to evolve its positioning
• The role digital transformation will play in this shift

Speaker:
Satvik Jaitly, Senior Consultant & Sector Expert – Foods, Hospitality & Food Service Innovation, KPMG

3pm: How having diverse voices in the workplace benefits business

How can Dubai restaurants use their diverse workforce to enhance creativity and profits? The discussion will touch on:
• Giving a more diverse range of cultures a voice in the kitchen
• Finding more ways to put women in leadership roles
• How diversity can increase creativity, quality and profits

Panelists:
• Chef Joanne Limoanco-Gendrano, Executive Chef, Middle East, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Unilever Food Solutions
• Panchali Mahendra, managing director, Atelier House Hospitality
• Laura Eggleton, General Manager, Hotel Indigo Downtown Dubai
• Moderator: Paul Clifford, Group Editor, ITP Media Group

3,35pm: Creating an attractive industry for the next generation of chefs

How the next generation of chefs can be encouraged and nurtured in Dubai. The chat will look at:
• Changing attitudes towards work-life balance and mental health of chefs
• Salary expectations
• Creating a culture of learning and providing mentorship

Panelists:
• Sunjeh Raja, Director & CEO, ICCA
• Russell Impiazzi, Executive Chef, Sofitel the Obelisk

4pm: Why kitchen skills are no longer enough for the modern chef

The panel will discuss:
• Embracing social media for personal and professional brand awareness
• Why communication is key
• Mastering technology

Panelists:
• James Knight Pacheco, podcaster, founder of Dubai Chefs Collective and host of The JKP Podcast.
• Natalya Latypova, Managing Director, Glee Hospitality
• Moderator: Paul Clifford, Group Editor, ITP Media Group

4:35pm: Closing remarks by Paul Clifford

GulfHost 2022 details

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has announced that the MENA region’s largest hospitality and food service event, GulfHost, will take place from November 8 to 10, 2022. This year, GulfHost visitors will be able to experience food in the metaverse, see a star-studded lineup of chefs and explore over 2,000 brands at DWTC.

Bringing global industry leaders together under one roof, GulfHost will bring a re-shaped programme aimed at profiling future-ready solutions. It will address the issues facing the sector globally, including labour sourcing challenges, inflation, and supply chain constraints, as well as hygiene-focused solutions and the incorporation of automation to enhance productivity and reduce operating costs.

Across the three days, over 2,000 brands will showcase over 8,000 products and solutions. An estimated 25,000 influential HORECA and food service professionals from across the Middle East, Africa and Asia are expected to attend. Regional and global players confirmed to attend include Ali Group, RAK Porcelain, Middleby, Simonelli, and Rational, as well as first-time pavilions from across the globe including Bulgaria, Ireland, Latvia, New Zealand and Pakistan.

Register here.

Source: Hotelier Middle East