In-house creations
I am a firm believer that hospitality businesses should consider offering proprietary, seasonal, local, artisanal botanicals with their bottled fine waters to cater to customers who prefer a flavored water. This has several benefits, from supporting menu engineering and maximizing ROI to enhancing the guest experience. This can be done serving premium bottled mineral water with mixers such as house-made organic shrubs, fresh fruit, simple syrups, select herbs and spices. Creating the custom flavors in-house ensures a perfect balance, unique taste and visceral experience, tailored to the specific water, meal, occasion and setting.
Sparkling success
The global sparkling water market reached more than USD 34 billion in 2023 and is forecast to grow exponentially. This is due, in part, to a noticeable shift in consumer preferences toward healthier beverage choices, in line with the increased focus on health and wellness. Sparkling water is finding favor as a standalone alternative to sugary sodas and artificially flavored drinks, but its versatility means it is also the perfect luxury ingredient for mixologists making cocktails and mocktails. The ongoing introduction of new products to the bottled water market will undoubtedly support further industry growth.
Match and contrast
Pairing water with a meal is really about personal taste rather than right or wrong, although there are some simple techniques of matching and contrasting that are useful to adopt, taking into account the taste
and textures. The pH, effervescence and mineral profile of the water can be matched with specific food characteristics, such as umami or sweetness. Generally speaking, low total dissolved solids (TDS) waters pair well with fish, salad and fruity desserts while medium TDS waters tend to pair well with most meals, fowl and soft cheese. High TDS waters, meanwhile, pair well with game meats, steak and rich dark chocolate.
ANISTACIA BARRAK-BARBER
Water sommeliére
Water Apothecary
watersommeliere.com
@ watersommeliere
In-house creations
I am a firm believer that hospitality businesses should consider offering proprietary, seasonal, local, artisanal botanicals with their bottled fine waters to cater to customers who prefer a flavored water. This has several benefits, from supporting menu engineering and maximizing ROI to enhancing the guest experience. This can be done serving premium bottled mineral water with mixers such as house-made organic shrubs, fresh fruit, simple syrups, select herbs and spices. Creating the custom flavors in-house ensures a perfect balance, unique taste and visceral experience, tailored to the specific water, meal, occasion and setting.
Sparkling success
The global sparkling water market reached more than USD 34 billion in 2023 and is forecast to grow exponentially. This is due, in part, to a noticeable shift in consumer preferences toward healthier beverage choices, in line with the increased focus on health and wellness. Sparkling water is finding favor as a standalone alternative to sugary sodas and artificially flavored drinks, but its versatility means it is also the perfect luxury ingredient for mixologists making cocktails and mocktails. The ongoing introduction of new products to the bottled water market will undoubtedly support further industry growth.
Match and contrast
Pairing water with a meal is really about personal taste rather than right or wrong, although there are some simple techniques of matching and contrasting that are useful to adopt, taking into account the taste
and textures. The pH, effervescence and mineral profile of the water can be matched with specific food characteristics, such as umami or sweetness. Generally speaking, low total dissolved solids (TDS) waters pair well with fish, salad and fruity desserts while medium TDS waters tend to pair well with most meals, fowl and soft cheese. High TDS waters, meanwhile, pair well with game meats, steak and rich dark chocolate.
MOHAMAD CHAABAN
Operations manager of CLAP Beirut, IRIS Beirut and ARIA Beirut and Beverage,
director of Addmind Hospitality
addmind.com
@mo_chaaban
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
