BRAND | KFC’s India Sahyog supports 100 small food businesses in Bangalore

KFC’s India Sahyog supports 100 small food businesses in Bangalore The Program aims to help the restaurant industry in business revival by 2022

KFC India announced the launch of the Bengaluru edition of its India Sahyog program. Hugely impacted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the repeated lockdowns thereon, small restaurants and local food joints are the worst hit, as they struggle to continue operations. With an aim to handhold such businesses and help them overcome the impact of the pandemic, KFC India launched their India Sahyog program, in association with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI). The brand announced the launch of the Bengaluru edition with a pledge to support 100 small restaurants and local eateries in the city. The program overall aims to support 500 restaurants across the country by 2022, starting with Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad.

Speaking of the band playing its part and extending a helping hand, Samir Menon, Managing Director, KFC India, said, “KFC’s India Sahyog program takes forward the brand’s global commitment to lend entrepreneurial support to small food business owners. As a leading QSR brand growing not only in India but also with India, we view it as our responsibility to empower local businesses that form an integral part of the restaurant industry in India. Since the launch of the program, we have worked towards addressing key concerns faced by the industry as food safety & hygiene, profitability, enhancing food delivery operations & customer experience. Our aim is to extend these training and learnings to 500 local food businesses across the country thereby providing an impetus to the growth of the restaurant industry in India.”

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NEWS | Goa bars to be open till 11pm, RT-PCR certificate must for visitors from Kerala

Goa bars to be open till 11 pm, RT-PCR certificate must be for visitors from Kerala The state government, in its revised curfew order, has allowed bars and restaurants to operate till 11pm at 50% capacity. The state has also made in mandatory for those entering the state from Kerala to produce a negative Covid RT-PCR report.

The state government, in its revised curfew order, has allowed bars and restaurants to operate till 11 pm at 50% capacity. The state has also made it mandatory for those entering the state from Kerala to produce a negative Covid RT-PCR report.

Till now, persons were allowed to enter Goa on producing any kind of Covid-negative report, including from a rapid antigen test.

“For those carrying a Covid negative report (only RT-PCR test will be accepted in case of a person coming from Kerala) for a test done a maximum of 72 hours prior to entering in Goa,” the order states.

What remains closed in the revised curfew are casinos, auditoriums, river cruises, spa and massage parlors, cinema halls and multiplexes, educational and coaching institutions for students (except for examinations of students and holding competitive examinations with approval of the government).

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NEWS | Navneet Kalra’s registration certificate to run 2 restaurants cancelled, police tell Delhi HC

The registration certificate to run restaurants ‘Khan Chacha’ and ‘Town Hall’ in Khan Market has been cancelled, Delhi Police told the Delhi High Court.

Delhi Police on Friday informed Delhi High Court that the registration certificate to run restaurants ‘Khan Chacha’ and ‘Town Hall’ in upscale Khan Market of businessman Navneet Kalra has been canceled. Kalra is accused of an oxygen concentrator black marketing case.

The court was hearing Kalra’s petition challenging a show-cause notice and order suspending the registration certificate to run the restaurants following his alleged involvement in the case.

Justice Rekha Palli said it will be open to the businessman to assail the cancellation order in accordance with the law, after the police submitted that a decision has been taken by its licensing wing, after giving Kalra an opportunity to be heard.

The court also clarified that it has not expressed any opinion on the claims made in his plea. Kalra had challenged the May 11 order-cum-show-cause notice issued by the joint commissioner of police (licensing) and the subsequent suspension of the registration certificate to run the two eateries in Khan Market. He submitted that the registration certificate was canceled by the authorities by an order dated July 23 and nothing survived in the petition.

In its report filed in court, police said a show-cause notice had been issued to Kalra to explain why his premises were used to store oxygen concentrators. In response, he claimed that the running of the restaurant was his source of livelihood and since premises was lying unused and compelled by financial liabilities he stored the concentrators in good faith and as an act of service to the needy. However, the explanation was not found satisfactory, police said and the licenses were canceled.

The businessman had contended that the suspension was illegal and contrary to the provisions of the Delhi Eating Houses Registration Regulations as it did not confer power of suspension at the stage of issuance of a show-cause notice.

Kalra, who was arrested by Delhi Police in a case of alleged black marketing of oxygen concentrators during the second wave of Covid-19, said that there was no provision to suspend registration certificates merely on the grounds of registration of an FIR.

“The order of suspension is also bad as the recovery of oxygen concentrators made from the restaurant premises is no ground nor is it given as a ground for suspension of license. The order of suspension adversely affects the business, reputation, and livelihood of all employees working in the restaurant,” the plea said.

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Maldives News | TTM Maldives 2021 to be Held in Late November

TTM Maldives 2021 has been announced to be held from November 28 to 30, 2021. 

The 5th edition of TTM Maldives will be held as a hybrid event this year, enabling both in-person meetings and virtual meetings. The event will showcase over 150 properties and over 200 travel trade professionals from 30 different markets will attend the 5th edition of TTM Maldives. 

The exhibitors will get access to the invitation-only TTM Travel Summit, to be held on November 28. The registered exhibitors of TTM will also get a lot of added benefits including the usage of “Connect” software to pre-arrange meetings online prior to the event. Furthermore, they will also receive an invitation to the official TTM Awards and Closing Gala Event to be held on the final night. 

According to the organizers of TTM Maldives 2021, the event will strictly adhere to all Health Protection Agency’s stringent guidelines. To ensure everyone’s health and safety during these challenging times, Medtech Maldives will be overseeing COVID-19 testing for all attendees who participate in the event this time. 

TTM Maldives is the largest international travel trade show event in the Maldives which has been carried out for the past 4 years. Last year, however, due to the pandemic, TTM Maldives 2020 took place virtually from November 24 to 26 with over 500 industry partners via “TTM Connect”, the online travel trade portal of Maldives. 

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Novotel Hyderabad | Novotel Hyderabad Airport showcases lip-smacking Monsoon recipes

Hyderabad: 30th July 2021: Monsoon is incomplete without a plate full of crunchy finger foods, snacks, and munchies. The season not only brings cheer and joy after hot summer days but also elevates our cravings for our favorite delicacies. With this thought in mind, the Chefs at Novotel Hyderabad Airport showcased the special Monsoon snack Mukka Jonna Chat (Corn Chat), Kodi Korralu Bhaji (Chicken wings Bhaji) to help people satisfy their taste buds. Both the recipes are easy to cook and tastes heavenly especially in this season.

Chef Varun MB, Executive Chef, Novotel Hyderabad Airport said, “Monsoon season is a perfect time to settle one's cravings of fiery food to keep your body warm. With this lovely weather in Hyderabad, it is tough to resist the spellbinding aromas of deep-fried treats and other food cravings. We at Novotel Hyderabad Airport also promote healthy snacking as healthy foods can certainly be relishing if you cook them in interesting ways and consume them. Come and enjoy the season of pitter-patter and sizzling hot food at Novotel Hyderabad Airport.

NEWS | Restaurants may stay open till 8pm

Mumbai: Restaurants may stay open till 8pm, but no airconditioning in large halls

Timings will be extended from 4pm to 8pm and dining-in at bars and restaurants allowed for longer hours at 50 percent capacity. Non-essential shops, as well as restaurants, may be allowed to stay open till 4 pm on Saturday. Sunday restrictions will continue, says State health minister Rajesh Tope.

Health minister Rajesh Tope said shop timings will be extended from 4 pm to 8 pm and dining-in at bars and restaurants allowed for longer hours at 50 percent capacity. Non-essential shops, as well as restaurants, may be allowed to stay open till 4pm on Saturday. Sunday restrictions will continue. The guest limit for social and cultural events will also be increased.

“It has also been agreed to allow malls, theatres to open at 50% capacity. The state will also be insisting that shop owners ensure their staffers are fully vaccinated. The government will also discourage the use of AC (air-conditioning) where large groups of people have been allowed like wedding halls. It is better for establishments to open their windows and allow for better circulation,” said Tope.

However, there is no consensus within the government on allowing the general public to use local trains. A decision is likely after a meeting with railway officials. “Checking of passengers will require huge manpower. Concerns were also raised regarding the rise in cases in Kerala and so it was decided to push train travel back for some more weeks,” said Tope. “Several discussions were held before finalising restrictions. We are closely monitoring any surge related to a third wave and preparing for it but economic relief had to be extended to the business community,” said Tope.

As per the Covid update, the weekly positivity of the state was 3.8% and the weekly growth rate as on June 27 was 0.11 percent. However, some districts like Satara are at 8 percent weekly positivity and a growth rate of 0.44 percent, the highest in the state.

“Some of the districts where relaxations will not be given are still a cause of concern for us. If required, restrictions may be further tightened in those districts,” said Tope.

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Mahindra Holidays & Resorts Q1 PAT rises 13% yoy

Sales rose 11.15 percent to INR 196.74 crore in the quarter ended June 2021 as against INR 177.01 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2020.

Net profit of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India rose 13.12 percent to INR 30.26 crore in the quarter ended June 2021 as against INR 26.75 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2020. Sales rose 11.15 percent to INR 196.74 crore in the quarter ended June 2021 as against INR 177.01 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2020.

Additionally, new members added in this quarter stand at 1,062 with a cumulative member base of 2,55,160. Resort operational occupancy was 51 percent in Q1 FY22. The current total inventory consists of 4,198 rooms.

Commenting on the results, Kavinder Singh, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd. said, "Despite the extremely adverse situation caused by the second wave of the pandemic, we have delivered a strong performance during the quarter. Our Profit after Tax has grown by 13.1 percent YoY and 22.8 percent QoQ. Our business model is unique & resilient and we have seen a recovery in member additions as the second wave began to recede from mid-June onwards. Our assurance of 'SafeStay' at resorts has enabled quick recovery in occupancy levels. We are confident of the revival in leisure travel in the coming quarters."

Commenting on European operations, he added, "Covid-19 related local restrictions impacted the operations at our European subsidiary, Holiday Club Resorts' (HCR), with significant closures of our spa hotels. With the easing of restrictions starting June and the summer holiday season beginning mid-June, local travel in Finland has seen a revival and is evident from the improved summer holiday bookings at our resorts. We expect domestic leisure travel to continue to grow leading to improved performance of HCR in the coming quarters."

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NEWS | Unlocked Bengaluru plays safe; opts for staycations at city venues over trips outside

This time around, those looking for breaks are choosing staycations instead.

The second wave of the COVID pandemic might be subsiding and the phased unlocking is on, but people don't seem to be as adventurous in Bengaluru, as yet. The enormity and the repercussions of the second wave have made people a little more cautious. While travel seemed to be big on the bucket list in the last phase of unlocking, this time around, those looking for breaks are choosing staycations instead.

Amitabh Rai, general manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, shares, "We have seen a surge in staycations with families looking to rejuvenate with a getaway that entails enjoying a set of personalized dining and spa experiences including engagement activities for kids in an environment they can trust to maintain the highest standards of hygiene protocols." This seems to be the biggest criterion for families who are venturing out. Sachin Maheshwary, general manager, Grand Mercure Bengaluru at Gopalan Mall, says, ""There has been a paradigm shift in terms of the requirements of the guests post the lockdown. City breaks have been a quick escape for guests who have not been able to travel for a long time, leading to a higher interest in spending time within the hotel than exploring the city. The main criterion while choosing a staycation is proximity and hygiene."

Apart from families, individuals are choosing staycations for celebrating special occasions like birthdays, families or other important days. Solo getaways to these city hotels also seem to be big on the priority list. Actress Meghana Gaonkar is one such. "I am someone who loves to travel, but did not get the chance to, because of the pandemic. With so much negativity and stress around, I needed a break, so I checked myself into a city hotel to experience luxury, eat good food and just get time to reset. It was for one night, but it was worth it," she shares.

There are some people in the city who seem to have found this as a quick periodic leisure activity to ensure they get a break. Communications professional Ashwini Jaisim says that she has had a few staycations through the course of the pandemic, be it solo, with family, or with friends. "It is a simple way to recharge. I chose one-night breaks and they have been good ways to beat the stress, especially since we have not been able to travel as we did earlier. Choosing a place that you trust with safety is the biggest priority right now," she adds.

Amitabh, too, shares how there have been returning guests who enjoy the staycation experience and that hotels also are giving a range of staycation packages to lure them. To this Sachin adds, "We have also seen a lot of demand for curated experiences. In terms of dining, in-room and private dining experiences are highly sought after, be it breakfast in bed or a candlelight dinner on your private terrace."

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NEWS | Hospitality Industry Pleads For Right To Earn Livelihood

HRAWI Pleads To Govt. For Lifting Restrictions Save Livelihood, Save Live

Mumbai, July 28: The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has expressed anguish against the unfair and unjustified imposition of restrictions on hotels and restaurants in the State. The Association has cited the unfortunate death of a Virar-based hotelier who committed suicide a few days ago, due to loss of livelihood. The hotelier was being hounded by debtors and with no means or source of income to pay off the same, was coerced into taking his own life. This is just one incident in a string of incidences where owners of Hospitality establishments succumbed to mental stress caused by financial losses. HRAWI has voiced out that hotel and restaurants owners are being pushed to the edge by restricting their right to livelihoods. The Association has pleaded that they either be allowed to run their businesses as usual or if not, at least be offered reliefs and waivers by the Government to unburden them from statutory financial obligations.

“It is extremely upsetting to know that a hotelier decided to end his life because of financial issues. And unfortunately, this is not an isolated incidence. Over the last year and a half, other similar incidences have occurred and the underlying reason has been the same. Financial loss caused by the lockdown and the continued restrictions has taken away the right of earning a livelihood. The industry is going through a very tough phase with no respite in sight. Hotels and restaurants owners are grappling with several issues including loss of business, payment of salaries, maintenance of the property, and the additional burden of rent, license fees, taxes, statutory fees, utility bills. This is leading to indescribable mental stress and is forcing entrepreneurs to take drastic steps. No person should be put in a position where they feel that ending their life is the solution to their woes. It is high time the Government wakes and takes this issue seriously,” says Mr. Sherry Bhatia, President, HRAWI.

HRAWI has requested for revision in timings and protocols to operate restaurants without restrictions in cities and districts with very low COVID19 cases. It has requested that restaurants falling under level 2 or 1 be allowed to operate as per the timings permitted under respective licenses. The HRAWI has asked that restaurants are allowed to operate through the week between 7 am and 12:30 am including Saturdays and Sundays.

“We have made several attempts to explain the plight of the industry to the Government and its authorities. Over the last fifteen months, we have knocked on all the doors and made several representations offering all possible recommendations to the Government. Unfortunately, not much has come through. The series of incidences involving hoteliers and restaurateurs ending their lives over business should act as a warning bell for the Government. The industry should be offered financial relief in terms of license fees and other statutory obligations for the losses suffered since the beginning of the pandemic. Also, restaurants should now be allowed to remain open daily from 7 am to 12:30 am including weekends. There is no reason why we aren’t being allowed to, at present. The Government needs to instil confidence amongst business owners and offer hope by allowing them to earn their livelihoods and to those who depend on them for their livelihoods,” concludes Mr. Pradeep Shetty, Sr. Vice President, HRAWI.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 71 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include various restaurants and smaller Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. The bulk of its members like any growth economy are made up of restaurants and budget hotels. With a membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel and Restaurant Industry. The association is part of the national body of the Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr. J.R.D. Tata.

EVENTS | Hyatt Loves Local hosts Cook Off at Hyatt Regency Amritsar

The chefs were challenged with the concept of using local Amritsari ingredients in their master dishes, with the winning dish set to be displayed as the August Month’s Special at Punjab Province restaurant

Following the philosophy of Hyatt Loves Local , a program at Hyatt hotels around the world - introduced to uplift and encourage collaboration with small businesses, a cook-off competition for Hyatt Regency Amritsar’s chefs was organized on July, 26th 2021 at the Regency Ballroom.  6 chefs participated and competed against each other.

The chefs were challenged with the concept of using local Amritsari ingredients in their master dishes, with the winning dish set to be displayed as the August Month’s Special at Punjab Province restaurant highlighting the Chef’s work as well as the perfect use of the local ingredients.

The prime objective of the competition was to promote and increase the use of the local ingredients and create a unique dish with their sense of creativity and innovation. The event was judged by Chef Jyoti Arora – Master chef India Finalist, Colonel Mandeep and by Kamaljit Singh – General Manager of Hyatt Regency Amritsar.

Keeping in mind the current situation, all the chefs, judges, and the audience were following the social norms of using Masks, Gloves, Hand sanitizer and maintaining Social Distancing at the event.

The results were based on Taste, Originality of the recipe, Use of local ingredients as well as by Presentation. Chef Vishwajeet emerged as the winner for the event and the other chef contestants displayed a stellar show through the cook off!

Brand | Domino's Campaign for Vaccination

NEWS | Burgerama Expands its Exquisite Menu

Since its inception, the brand has added to its menu whilst creating new ways for customers to customize their orders.

Burgerama is the first brand to recreate the quintessential, crave-worthy cheeseburger experience in India It is the creation of 3 friends- Kabir Bose, Vivek Prakash and Viraaj Badhwar and was born out of a combined love for good authentic food, music and travel.

In early 2018 the trio surrendered their accelerating corporate careers and decided to use their 20 year old friendship as a foundation to create a burger experience focusing on quality, simplicity, customizability and pure deliciousness. Their reason for doing this was simple; they were tired of waiting for their next trip abroad to get their hands on one of those delicious, juicy, crave-worthy cheeseburgers- so they set out to create their own!

They spent the initial months honing their skills by watching hundreds of youtube videos, reading numerous cookbooks and studying food websites. Their single minded focus was to recreate the perfect burger experience they had grown up craving. By combining the skills they had gained over the years in operations, business expansion, people management and financial planning along with their passion for great food, they launched the first Burgerama outlet in October 2018.

Over the past 3 years the brand has been constantly growing, pandemic and lockdowns notwithstanding. The brand has cemented itself into the hearts of it’s consumers and boasts an incredibly loyal customer base. Burgerama has created a niche for itself in the market and has become synonymous with authenticity. The brand has recently opened it’s fifth outlet in Noida and is gearing up for the next phase of expansion across the region and beyond.

From the patties being freshly grilled, to the way the burgers are carefully assembled; the main focus is to deliver true international flavours that hit the spot every single time. The fast-casual, made-for-delivery burger concept serves easy-to-eat, highly customizable comfort food in eco-friendly, biodegradable packaging.

Through its journey, the brand has steadily added new menu offerings for their customers to choose from, as well as streamlined its online ordering process giving customers the freedom to pair their favourite burgers with half portions of any side!

Since its inception, the brand has added to its menu whilst creating new ways for customers to customize their orders. Burgerama has recently brought back a signature burger on popular demand, their BBQ honey glazed pulled pork burger called: OINK OINK. In addition they recently launched Hot Wings that have been heralded as the best in the city by a growing number of fans.

NEWS | As cases drop, Goa hotels reopen, occupancy to pick up in Aug

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) said occupancy will rise only after the government makes it clear that tourists are welcome to the sunshine

Although Goa’s Covid-19 positivity rate has fallen below five per cent, the state’s hospitality industry is yet to get respite. Occupancy in the few hotels that have reopened so far — after the government permitted entry to fully vaccinated business travellers without a Covid-negative report — ranges between seven and 12 per cent only.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) said occupancy will rise only after the government makes it clear that tourists are welcome to the sunshine state. “Unless a positive message goes around, we will not see a steady flow of tourists. We may see some footfalls in August as there are a few public holidays, but there won’t be a heavy rush,” TTAG president Nilesh Shah, said.

He said the industry is hoping that all travellers be allowed entry on the basis of their vaccination certificates and suggested that those who are not vaccinated be asked to travel with a Covid-negative report or get tested on arrival.

In the previous tourist season, Goa witnessed a steady flow of domestic travellers from October and an exponential rise in December-January. The numbers started falling in March when the deadly second wave of the pandemic began raging across the country.

Shah said that while more starred hotels will begin functioning by mid-August, the smaller hotels will not until there is a clear signal of normalcy returning.

“Even when the season had picked up in November-December last year, not all hotels were operational. Only around 1,400 had resumed business,” he said.

Smaller hotels mushroomed during the decade as the charter tourist inflow swelled. With a break on the arrival of international tourists, these hotels have no takers.

The industry is hoping that the government of India will allow international tourists probably by September-October.

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News | NRAI in Maha seeks relaxation in operating hours for industry to survive

With present guidelines shutting restaurants at 4 pm and not allowing them to open on weekends, restaurateurs say they have been reduced to mere lunch canteens making it impossible to survive.

National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has requested Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to consider relaxing restaurant operation hours in the wake of a constant decrease in Covid-19 numbers in the state.

Restaurateur and NRAI president, Anurag Katriar took to social media to request a positive roadmap for reopening of the beleaguered food and beverage sector of the state and termed present restrictions in Mumbai and across the state of Maharashtra as among the strictest across the country.

"It is absolutely imperative for our survival that these restrictions are relaxed. 50 percent capacity utilization is fine but restricted hours don't make much sense," Katriar had posted.

Present guidelines state shutting of restaurants at 4 pm and do not allow them to open on weekends.

Restaurateurs say they have been reduced to mere lunch canteens making it impossible for them to survive.

A restaurateur said the majority of sales used to happen during dinner hours. He said reopening for mere 4 hours a day does not make business sense for most and as a result majority of outlets are closed.

Reacting to Katriar's post, Vibhu Sharma, an F&B professional said longer operational hours would mean more people can dine through the day and be at safe distance all the time.

Some restaurateurs lamented there seem to be no restrictions on crowded local markets while restaurants that ensured social distance and hygiene protocols were being deprived of business.

With the state government expected to announce new guidelines this week, Katriar hoped restaurant timings will be relaxed while the majority of restaurateurs requested they should be allowed to stay open till at least 11 pm.

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NEWS | India gets its 39th UNESCO World Heritage Site

India gets its 39th UNESCO World Heritage Site The 13th century Rudreshwara Temple in Warangal, Telangana is the latest addition to the list.

UNESCO continues to add old and historic monuments to its heritage list. The addition does not just mean better maintenance of the edifice but also more tourist flow to the destination. Travelers from the world over make a beeline to visit the heritage sites, thereby putting even some very remote locations on the tourist map. A quaint temple from the grand Kakatiya era is the latest to enter this prestigious listing.

The Rudreswara Temple also known as The Ramappa Temple, after its architect, is located in Mulugu district, Warangal, Telangana. This engineering marvel was built in the 13th century and is the 39th ancient monument in India to get the UNESCO World Heritage inscription.

The temple’s presiding deity is RamalingeswaraSwamy and was commissioned by Recherla, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva. The temple complexes of Kakatiyas have a distinct style, technology, and decoration exhibiting the influence of the Kakatiyan sculptor. The Ramappa Temple is a manifestation of this and often stands as a testimonial to the Kakatiyan creative genius. The temple stands on a 6 feet high star-shaped platform with walls, pillars, and ceilings adorned with intricate carvings that attest to the unique skill of the Kakatiyan sculptors.

Expressing happiness over the achievement, Prime Minister Modi said, "Excellent! Congratulations to everyone, especially the people of Telangana. The iconic Ramappa Temple showcases the outstanding craftsmanship of the great Kakatiya dynasty. I would urge you all to visit this majestic Temple complex and get a first-hand experience of its grandness."

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NEWS | Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort and Fortis Hospital Kangra helps flood victims of the region

Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort and Fortis Hospital Kangra helps flood victims of the region Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort, under their CSR initiative Shanti Seva, distributed dry rations and other grocery items to support the meals for these children.

Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort, managed by Shanti Hospitality Management Services, and Fortis Kangra together launched an initiative to help flood victims in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India by providing dry ration, groceries, and medical facilities. Parts of the Dharamshala region, have been hardest hit by catastrophic flooding due to heavy rains, and reports reveal that many have lost their homes in this disaster.

The 1st activity was done at Tong-Len Charitable School in Kangra, where around 120 children have been placed who have been directly affected by the flash floods.

Fortis Hospital Kangra set up a medical camp with a general check-up for all children by the pediatricians and distributed the medicines.

Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort, under their CSR initiative Shanti Seva, distributed dry rations and other grocery items to support the meals for these children.

“We feel heartened that during these unprecedented times, we can stand in solidarity and provide some aid to the people in need”, said a spokesperson from Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort.

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NEWS | Sanjeev Kapoor backed Tinychef acquires Zelish

This acquisition is projected to help Tinychef achieve MoM growth of 70 percent

Bahubali Shete, Asha Shete, and Sanjeev Kapoor’s voice-first culinary AI platform Tinychef are all set to acquire Zelish (the team and its assets) for an undisclosed amount. A Techstars accelerator and Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances backed company, Zelish was founded two years ago by Rakesh Edavalath, Saakshi Jain, and Arpit Joseph.

By acquiring Zelish, Tinychef will also gain access to the app’s 125,000 users and 35 percent of whom are monthly active users. Zelish currently has a user retention rate of 40 percent and grocery shopping pilots have seen nearly 50,000 users/month add ingredients to shopping lists across the app/partner channels. Going forward this acquisition is projected to help Tinychef achieve MoM growth of 70 percent.

Speaking on the acquisition Zelish, co-founder, Saakshi Jain said. “We’re really excited about this acquisition as it will help us take the Zelish experience into the world of voice-assisted cooking. With Tinychef in the picture, users can look forward to a completely hands-free experience. We are looking forward to the Zelish app spreading across the Indian sub-continent and growing its presence globally in the North American market as well.”

Rakesh Edavalath, co-founder of Zelish added, "We are thrilled to expand the vision of our tech-first platform Zelish to become a voice-guided assistant thanks to Tinychef. Most people who manage the kitchen complain that there is a constant back and forth between operating their phones and managing the said tasks.People will soon be able to relish the Zelish experience on voice assistants like Alexa instead of going back and forth on recipe videos. ”

To put things into perspective nearly 4 million recipes were requested and over 1.7 million meals have been cooked using the Tinychef skill on Alexa in India alone and over half a million recipes were made using Zelish last year. Meanwhile, Tinychef already has over a million users and over 100,000 active monthly users in India and within a month of its launch, it has garnered over 25,000 users in North America with the bulk of the user base belonging to the US and Canadian markets.

Zelish offers Tinychef a powerful app with an engaged user base. Similarly, this alliance also gives Zelish a chance to integrate with Tinychef’s voice-assisted, Alexa-enabled, hands-free cooking. Tinychef now aids everything from automatic meal planning to 1-click grocery shopping, voice-guided cooking and the use of connected Appliances.

People will now be able to discover recipes, plan their meals, shop for products and indulge in voice-guided cooking all from one platform. Voice search queries in India are growing at 270 percent and over 82 percent of smartphone users are already using voice search on a regular basis. Excited about this acquisition Tinychef Co-Founder, Bahubali Shete said, “As a pioneer in voice-first solutions on smart speakers for consumers in the kitchen, adding smartphones was the natural next step for us so that we become truly a ‘device agnostic’ smart kitchen assistant. ‘I am super excited to bring Zelish into Tinychef’, would be an understatement given the potential of the combined solution, team and partnerships that we bring together. I am really bullish that we will make Tinychef as the default kitchen assistant for every kitchen around the world.”

"I have always tried to impact kitchens in India and across the world with simple and healthier recipes and tips that households appreciate. I am looking forward to seeing kitchens across the world get even simpler with these two wonderful brands combining into something even more powerful,” Sanjeev Kapoor, Co-Founder Tinychef added.

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Event | Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre celebrates Bonalu with a special brunch

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre celebrates Bonalu with a special brunch

Hyderabad: July 2021:  Bonalu Festival is a popular festival that venerates Mahakali, the Hindu goddess of time and death, but more eminently about feast and food plays are presented as an honour to the goddess. To admire and adore this sprightly Bonalu Festival Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is celebrating with a Special Brunch on Sunday's 25th July & 1st August 2021. It is a regional festival majorly celebrated in Hyderabad and Secunderabad NHCC will be celebrating with traditional marigold décor and lively colourful uniforms for the staff and handed down from age to age special performance of potharaju. During Bonalu Festival, we want to highlight the scintillating flavours of Hyderabad and Telangana cuisine dishes served in clay pots. The buffet will be styled with marigold garlands. Apart from traditional cuisine, we have added Asian, Indian, Western, Ice Cream Teppanyaki live stations and a unique Egg Station with a wide variety of selections along with chat counters.

According to Mr. Manish Dayya, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, “As we all have stepped into a ‘New Normal’ of living. We are delighted to celebrate Bonalu with Telanganites and would cherish to celebrate many more in the coming future. We are taking utmost care and will be strictly adhering to all the government-provided norms and regulations. Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is an ALL SAFE labelled property, which represents the highest standards of cleanliness and safety for both our guests and staff developed with and vetted by Bureau Veritas, a world leader in hygiene and cleanliness inspection. At NHCC we are committed to the wellbeing of our communities and will continue to support such initiatives in the future.” 

About Novotel-

Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts offers destination hotels designed as comforting and energizing places where guests can ‘press pause’ and take time to enjoy the moments that really matter. The brand’s wide array of hotels, suites and resorts offer a multitude of services for business and leisure guests alike, including spacious, modular rooms with natural and intuitive design; 24/7 catering with nutritious choices; dedicated meeting spaces; attentive and proactive staff; family zones for the youngest guests; multi-purpose lobbies; and accessible fitness centres. Novotel, which has over 530 locations in more than 60 countries is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,100 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries.

Appointment | Deepak Booneady Named Vice President, Commercial at Sun Siyam Resorts

Deepak Booneady, who first joined Sun Siyam Resorts as the Group Director of Business Development, has been named Vice President, Commercial. In a press release issued by Sun Siyam Resorts, Deepak is credited with contributing to significant business growth for the company through his fresh ideas and novel thinking.

“We are successful because of great team members. I have an incredibly passionate and innovative team that is leading the brand, locally and internationally. They are empowered and inspired to be a leader in their field,” said Deepak.

Deepak has over twenty years of experience in the luxury travel industry. His last post before joining the group was with Mauritius-based hospitality group LUX* Resorts and Hotels as Regional Director of Sales and Marketing overseeing product promotion and sales growth.

Sun Siyam’s laid-back luxury resorts, within the idyllic natural surroundings of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, present extraordinary experiences and sanctuaries for the free-spirited while transporting guests into a realm of paradise.

Sun Siyam Resorts’ fifth property, Siyam World, in Noonu Atoll, Maldives, will be Deepak’s first pre-opening with Sun Siyam Resorts and the team has bold plans for introducing a revolutionary product with never seen before experiences with a twist of Maldivian culture – from the country’s biggest floating water park, to a peerless WOW! The 24-hour premium all-inclusive concept that offers a tantalizing selection of health, fitness, and wellness activities, excursions, water sports, kids and teens activities, and way more excitement around every corner. Siyam World, Maldives will officially open on 28th October 2021.

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Award | Anantara Chiang Mai’s Service 1921 Restaurant won Wine Spectator Magazine’s 2021 Award of Excellence

Raise a Glass to Anantara Chiang Mai’s
Service 1921 Restaurant for Winning Wine Spectator Magazine’s 2021 Award of Excellence

The 2021 Wine Spectator Awards has recognized Anantara Chiang Mai Resort’s Service 1921 Restaurant and Bar’s diversity and sophistication of their cellar collection by winning the 2021 Award of Excellence.

These prestigious awards acknowledge the best destinations from around the world for wine aficionados and self-confessed oenophiles seeking an elevated wine experience.