Alexander Hildebrand, Member of Board, Luxury Trade & Marketing Group
“This is our first year at the QCP Corporate Roadshow — it was a great opportunity to be here and showcase our furniture, equipment and our new coffee blend, because you get all the chefs from Doha at one event.
“We started our business with rental equipment and furniture, especially for events and the hospitality industry. We do a lot of rental, but recently we have had more enquiries to buy our lovely equipment. So we started last year to provide sales as well.
“For loose furniture in a hotel or restaurant, it’s usually the GM or an interior designer who makes the buying decision. But for catering and banquets, it is usually the chef.
“We know from our 15 years of experience in Europe that the hospitality industry has special needs in terms of quality and resilience, and we are trying to bring that now to the Qatar market.
“Regarding consumables and collaterals, in Europe you have plastic, recyclable and organic products. That’s what we are now bringing to Doha. People here are starting to ask for organic things. A lot of these chefs have international experience and they bring this knowledge with them. And we can deliver these things within their budget.
“Most of our products are sourced directly from Germany, where we have a very complicated recycling system. So it is a great advantage for us that we have this experience. We tell people that they can have a better quality product or recyclable products, as well as sustainability, for the same price.
“We are competing mostly with products from China. They often have a nice design but the quality is sometimes ‘different’.”
Adrian Pollard, Associate Vice President, FSL (Food Specialities Ltd — Representing Chef Works
“It’s been a busy show — very well put together, with good quality leads. People want to be here, not for free samples, but for real business. We’ve been involved with QCP for a couple of years and we get very good support for Chef Works. They have impressed me with the organisation and the network they are putting together.
“Primarily, these are uniforms for chefs but also for front-of-house staff. There are new urban ranges for which we get a lot of interest. It’s not traditional white anymore. We’re seeing colours coming in and new designs — a little bit more cool and funky.
“Chef Works has come in at the start of this trend. White will always be available for the traditionalist but Chef Works recognises a good range is needed for the ‘hipster’ market. For example, they have these cool Manhattan driving hats — which I love. They are changing people’s perception of the chef, and giving them more of an identity. They can chop and change their look. A lot of chefs are now expected to come out of the kitchen and meet their customers. It’s not just about cooking the food. So, there has to be a personality there. Chefs have always decided on the food. Now they can choose their work wear too.”
| Advertisement |