News

INTERNATIONAL. Exceptional frontline and behind the scenes travel retail staff have been honoured for their efforts in outstanding customer service, lateral thinking and for going above and beyond, at The Moodie Davitt Report’s third annual FAB Superstars Awards.

Fourteen teams or individuals were singled out as the best in the industry at the FAB + Hospitality Conference and Awards in Bangkok, after being nominated by bosses and colleagues as incredible team players, often when faced with extraordinary personal circumstances.

Judges included Masterchef Australia’s Diana Chan; hospitality expert and owner of Ann Elliott Hospitality Consultancy Ann Elliott; much-respected industry veteran and consultant Nick Inkster; Ground Control CEO Kevin Zajax; Co-founder of food & beverage to retail experts Hunter Palmer – Global Retail Solutions Nick Goddard-Palmer, and veteran US airport commercial revenues expert and Senior Aviation Commercial Planner for ICF Alan Gluck, as well as The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie.
“We aim to recognise the doers, the greeters, the people whose small, thoughtful touches and acts of service quietly make our journeys more pleasurable and memorable,” said Moodie, introducing the Awards. “This is an opportunity for the travel F&B community to reward the efforts of staff during what has continued to be a challenging time and to say ‘Thank you! We see that you went above and beyond.’”

He added that “the awards are about heart and soul” and said winners were chosen based on their priceless work ethic, incredible personalities and natural talent for leadership and guiding others.

Front of House Star Individual for The Americas, Guyanese-born Savitre Sukhram certainly left the audience in awe. A cashier and union rep at John F Kennedy International Airport Terminal 4, she quietly battled breast cancer while raising a child and continuing her work for as long as possible until receiving – successful – treatment.

Sukhram was praised and nominated by dozens of colleagues for her passion, kindness and for being the “sage of the airport”, and received a personal recommendation from the company’s Regional Vice President Geoffrey Lentz.

The full 2023 FAB Superstars roll of honour:

Front of House Team winners

The Americas: The Areas Worldwide Challenge

Asia Pacific: SSP Mactan Cebu Team, Mactan Cebu International Airport

Europe: SSP Burger King Team, Stansted Airport

Africa and the Middle East: Emirates Leisure Retail Costa Coffee Terminal 3 Skytrain, Dubai International Airport

Back of House Team winners

The Americas: HMS Host, Toronto Pearson International Airport

Europe: Autogrill Product Innovation, Concept Development and Training Team

Africa and the Middle East: Emirates Leisure Retail Giraffe, Concourse, Dubai International Airport

Front of House Star individuals

The Americas: Savitre Sukhram, SSP America, John F Kennedy International Airport

Asia Pacific: Kate Chessells, SSP Asia Pacific, Operations Manager Hobart International Airport

Africa and the Middle East: Edabelle Ragay-Veloso, SSP Eastern Europe and Middle East, HSE & Sustainability Manager

Back of House Star individuals

The Americas: Wael elTabach, Regional Director of Dining Operations, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Paradies Largardère

Asia Pacific: Arianna Brezigar, HMSHost International, Project Manager of Operations APAC

Europe: Jim Norris, Food and Beverage Director, SSP UK and Ireland

Africa and the Middle East: Habibur Rahman Skarkar, Senior Cook, SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East. ✈️

THAILAND. The Moodie Davitt Report was proud to introduce The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a charity partner to this year’s FAB Conference in Bangkok.  

The Thai branch of the global organisation is dedicated to protecting human rights and building a better future for refugees and displaced, stateless people who are unable to find work due to a lack of proper birth registration or proof of nationality.

FAB delegates and speakers were able to chat to a team of young representatives from the agency about how they and their businesses can support the cause, financially or otherwise. 

They also took the chance to write postcards of hope to those in crisis, with a special focus on children. These will form part of a movement with other global UNHCR agencies to send messages to refugees around the world by 2024, showing them that others stand with them. Since the start of the year, the UNHCR team has been collecting postcards from events across Thailand, including at the FAB + Hospitality Conference and Awards. These will be sent to nine refugee camps along the Thai border.

Delegates were also charmed by beautifully hand-sewn toys, key rings and brooches, made by refugees in local camps. The crafts programme is designed to offer a creative outlet and a sense of optimistic purpose to the displaced and to reduce stress. 

UNHCR Thailand Event Coordinator and People Development Boonlerd Boonyathai said: “We deeply appreciate your kind support for our UNHCR Sustainable Development Goals at the Airport Food & Beverage and Hospitality Conference & Awards. Your team are very kind people who created a wonderful conference.

“Without help like yours, the UNHCR will not be able to achieve its aim of raising awareness of refugees in crisis. Your goodwill postcards will be sent to refugees around the world by the new year and joining The Moodie Davitt Report was our pleasure.” 

Thailand hosts more than 91,000 refugees from Myanmar in nine temporary shelters run by The Royal Thai Government on the Thai/Myanmar border, approximately 5,000 urban refugees and asylum seekers from over 40 countries, and some 480,000 stateless persons. 

UNHCR’s Thai interventions focus primarily on protection and solutions, with material assistance provided by NGOs and generous donations from individuals.

Since 1950, UNHCR has faced multiple crises on various continents and provided vital assistance to refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom have nobody else to turn to. You can learn more about its work and how to donate HERE. ✈️

Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Strange Nature gin from New Zealand, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.

QATAR. Our truly FAB-ulous image selection today features Qatar Duty Free (QDF) commemorating last week’s remarkable haul of 2023 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards in Bangkok, Thailand in suitably mouth-watering manner.

THAILAND. Dufry and Autogrill are celebrating multiple wins at the recently concluded 2023 Airport Fab+ Hospitality Awards, hosted by The Moodie Davitt Report.

As reported, Dufry and Autogrill won six prestigious awards and three commendations at the event, which they describe as “one of the most significant global events in the airport food & beverage industry”.

Dufry CEO Xavier Rossinyol commented: “As the leading global travel experience player we’re very proud to have taken part in an internationally significant event like the FAB+ Hospitality Awards.

“2023 was a crucial year for us. Our two companies, Dufry and Autogrill, combined to create a powerful player in the market. The awards garnered today confirm the fact that as a united group we can create value for all the stakeholders.”

He added: “On this special occasion, we’re very happy to have joined our business partners in learning and discussion, sharing our vision of revolutionising the traveller’s experience and building on our Destination 2027 strategy. This strategy has been crafted based on a deep understanding of our stakeholders’ needs, customer insights and the evolution of current market trends.”

Dufry and Autogrill won Airport Customer/Hospitality of the Year for the James Beard Foundation @ORD Chef Series in Chicago O’Hare International Airport with HMSHost North America.

They also won Airport Food Hall of the Year for the Food Hall in Rome Fiumicino Airport Terminal 1 and Airport Health-Centred Offer of the Year for the Exki concept in Brussels Airport.

Dufry and Autogrill also won three commendations for the High Tide Bar, which was the regional winner APAC for the Airport Customer/Hospitality of the Year Award and the Path Water initiative, which was highly commended for the Food & Beverage Marketing Campaign of the Year Award.

Finally, Dufry and Autogrill’s ‘Make it Happen’ ESG strategy at Seattle-Tacoma Airport was highly commended for the Sustainability & Environmental Initiative of the Year accolade.

Dufry and Autogrill won three awards in FAB Superstars, which honours the teams and employees on-the-ground that bring the airport food & beverage industry to life.

Dufry and Autogrill won the following FAB Superstars Awards

• Star Team Europe – Back of House: Product Innovation & Concept Development & Training Europe & Italy, Various Airports, Autogrill Europe
• Star Team Americas – Back of House: F&B Team at Toronto Pearson International Airport, HMSHost North America
• Star Individual APAC – Back of House: Arianna Brezigar, Headquarter, HMSHost International

FAB EZINE SET TO RETURN The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the return of the FAB eZine, a standalone digital magazine dedicated to airport and other travel-related food & beverage views, news, trends, tastes, people, products and principles. Initially quarterly, beginning in Q4 2023, The FAB eZine will devote year-round coverage to the burgeoning airport food & beverage sector, including broader hospitality services such as hotels and lounges. The FAB eZine will continue to explore the evolution of the travel-related F&B sector worldwide as we did back in 2019 in this on-location report from Houston, Texas. Click on the image to read. The FAB eZine will complement the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards and our already extensive F&B and hospitality coverage on The Moodie Davitt Report.com and in The FAB Newsletter. Elişa pictured with Jamie Oliver Elişa Roche has been appointed Editor-in-Chief, bringing a rare combination of culinary and journalistic excellence and experience to the role. Elişa trained as a chef as part of ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, a British TV show watched by millions and fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. She went on to work as Chef de Partie at some of London’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, e.g. Fino (now Barrafina), The Ivy and Bambou. Cooking later turned to food writing and presenting, most recently as overseeing editorial partnerships at Food Matters Live. Elişa was also Host and Producer of award-winning B2B podcast ‘Career Conversations’, encouraging young people into the food & drinks industry. *For editorial enquiries, please contact Elişa Roche at Elisa@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising, please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

THAILAND. Qatar Duty Free (QDF) celebrated its victory at the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards in Bangkok, held on 13 September.

The awards at The Moodie Davitt Report-run event were presented at a glittering gala dinner hosted by Airports of Thailand.

As reported, the Doha-based company snapped up a total of 12 awards including the ultimate Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year and five other global awards, plus several regional and Highly Commended accolades.

QDF said that this victory “serves as fitting recognition for the innovation, investment and pioneering standards demonstrated by the Qatar Airways Group subsidiary and the award-winning Hamad International Airport”.

Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer Badr Al Meer said: “Qatar Airways Group maintains the ambition to set a new global standard in everything we do. Our airline, airport lounges, duty free shopping and general airport operations at Hamad International Airport have a strong track record of excellence and continue to receive frequent major honours.

“With this impressive recognition at the 2023 FAB Awards, Qatar Duty Free, in partnership with Hamad International Airport, can justifiably claim to be the world’s best food & beverage operator in an airport.

“Restaurants, food courts and cafes are a key service for our passengers, and we have invested heavily in upgrading existing outlets and with a flurry of new openings in the new airport expansion prior to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“We have over 1,700 passionate and talented catering staff, including more than 340 chefs, who work around the clock to serve over 6 million delicious meals a year. This is true Qatari hospitality for the world to savour and enjoy.”

Qatar Duty Free Senior Vice President Thabet Musleh added: “Team QDF’s work ethic, collaborative spirit, passion and shared vision have turned ambitious goals into tangible realities, setting a new standard for excellence.

“Our success at the 2023 FAB Awards last night is a testament to our unparalleled ambition and quality of execution while keeping our focus on sustainability. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every member of the Qatar Duty Free community – which includes the thousands of customers that pass through our doors every day – for their unwavering support.

“It has been pivotal in achieving these unprecedented milestones, and we are incredibly proud that Qatar Duty Free has received these honours among such high-quality global competition.” ✈

The complete list of awards won by Qatar Duty Free          

Global awards

Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year – Qatar Duty Free

Airport Food & Beverage Opening of the Year – Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno

Airport Lounge of the Year – Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno

Airport Lounge, Food & Beverage Offering of the Year – Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno

Airport Restaurant Design of the Year – Fendi Caffe

Airport Chef of the Year – David Sosson

Regional awards

Airport Landside Food Hall of the Year (Middle East & Africa) – Qatar Duty Free

Airport F&B Offer Best Representing Sense of Place (Middle East & Africa) – Chapati & Karak

Airport Food to Go Offer of the Year (Middle East & Africa) – Oreo Café

Airport Coffee or Tea Shop of the Year (Middle East & Africa) – Ralph’s Coffee

Highly commended

Airport Food & Beverage Opening of the Year (Global) – Fendi Caffe

Airport Coffee or Tea Shop of the Year – Ralph’s Coffee

THAILAND. Welcome to our rolling coverage of the 2023 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference and Awards, held this year at The Millennium Hilton Hotel Bangkok.

FAB makes a welcome return as an in-person event for the first time since 2019. Over the next two days it will feature a stellar line-up of speakers from the airport F&B and hospitality world, culminating with a glittering Gala Dinner on 13 September, hosted by Airports of Thailand. Here, the winners of the 20 FAB + Hospitality Awards will be revealed.

Below, we feature extensive live coverage in words and images.

13 SEPTEMBER

19:00 A memorable celebration of the best of the airport food & beverage industry unfolded at the Gala Dinner.

Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport captured the ultimate Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year accolade.

On a triumphant night for the Doha-based company, Qatar Duty Free won numerous other big global awards, plus several regional and Highly Commended accolades.

The awards were presented at a glittering gala dinner hosted by Airports of Thailand (with wines & Champagne sponsored by Emirates Leisure Retail/MMI).

See the full roll of honour of the 20 major award category winners plus regional winners and highly commended entries via our story here.

19:30 Pictured below are the opening scenes from the FAB Gala Dinner tonight hosted by Airports of Thailand, with wines generously sponsored by Emirates Leisure Retail.

17:00 We are delighted to announce that the 2024 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference and Awards will be staged in California, USA next year. Ontario International Airport will host the event on 25-26 June, with the venue to be confirmed.

The host for next year’s event was revealed at the conclusion of the 2023 conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Airline Affairs and Properties Manager Annie Lin and OIAA Advisor Dan Cappell joined The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie on stage to make the announcement.

Read our full story here.

14:00 In the session ‘Pushing the Boundaries of Airport Food, Beverage and Hospitality’, Ever Rich Duty Free President Kevin Chiang gave an excellent presentation which aimed to answer the question: can airports truly integrate food & beverage, lounges and even gate areas into one holistic experience?

12.15 A very lively conversation on airport customer experience between Premium Group Director of Global Brand and Transformation Mei Mei Song and presenter Dermot Davitt took place on stage.

The bright and engaging Song shared insights into the journey of the Hong Kong-based company founded by her father, the legendary Song Hoi-see a quarter of a century ago.

Plaza Premium Group introduced the world’s first independent airport lounge and today operates the largest network of international airport lounges and related airport hospitality experiences and passenger service solutions.

More follows.

11.15 An excellent session titled ‘The Evolving Role of Airport Lounges in the Customer Experience’ delved into how airport lounges and hospitality services are becoming an essential part of the traveller experience.

Joining moderator Dermot Davitt on stage were CAVU Experiences Director Matt Etchells; Travel Food Services (TFS) Executive Director Varun Kapur; Airport Dimensions Head of Business Development APAC Syaifullah Sarip; and DreamFolks Services Chief Business Officer Sandeep Sonawane.

Etchells shared some insights about how his team is offering an “elevated” customer experience in its lounges.

He said: “Our key product is the Escape Lounge, which we operate both across the UK and the US. We offer a number of elevations such as the rotation of champagnes throughout the year, cut-to-order chef’s steaks and – primarily – an adult-only location.

“We also have our Premium service, which is the closest thing you can get to a private jet experience, but open-to-all. You get a concierge service, private security, the chef meets you in the lounge and a chauffeur-driven car takes you straight up to the airport steps. That product has been closed since COVID but will re-open very early in 2024 when the Standard 3 security comes into force next year.”

Etchells also spoke about the critical importance of paying attention to mundane details. “Over the next six months I want to be spending much more time focusing on the basics and the fundamentals of our product proposition.

“It is always tempting to focus your attention on the innovation, the technology, the ‘sexier’ side of the business. But are we truly spending enough time on what I would describe as one degree shifts and consistency, on colleague training, on menus and – of course – on standards.”

Travel Food Services’ Kapur talked about the business boom for airport hospitality just waiting to be harvested in India.

“People think of India as one of the new kids, from a business point of view, and it is palatable on the ground. You will see that the second you enter and it is testament to what is being done. India is a very young country with great potential and a massive population.

“It will soon be one of the three largest aviation markets in the world and we are going to see a massive boom there and we will need people to cater to this aspirational crowd.”

He spoke about how his company had leveraged its relationship with SSP to gain valuable insights about the new consumers and found key areas of growth.

“We saw convenience, wellbeing and leisure travel, more dwell times and premiumisation as key themes. There is a huge increase now in the allocated budget for travel versus what people did in the past.

“We know that what matters to [airport] customers most is wellbeing, ease and convenience, enhanced experiences and doing good. People really do care about sustainable practices and companies giving back.”

He said they had been receiving “incredible” customer feedback at TFS lounges, wherever authentic local design touches or stories were told.

“At the welcome area of our Bangalore lounge, the carpet is handwoven by local artisans. Bringing that story in and talking about it is crucial. Every space tells a story and that story is inbuilt. You have to do things differently. That’s what customers want.

“In F&B we do à la carte. Lounges got stuck in a rut of offering buffet lunches. That’s great, but it’s not the experience that you want. The lounge should really be the best restaurant in the airport. It should be premium.”

Airport Dimensions’ Sarip also talked about personalisation as a key element in satisfying the customer.

He presented on Airport Dimensions research, and said: “We wanted to see if airports had fallen out of favour with travellers. What did we find?  There is a higher demand for personal space; a safe space away from crowds.

“And 62% wanted to have the option to shop online and deliver food or other items to a home destination, a food delivery app at the airport. There are signs telling us that convenience is big.

“Personalised experiences at the airport are big, as is premium shopping. People are willing to spend a higher amount for spa, wellness, anything that provides some kind of premiumisation. And devices are at the core of this customer experience.”

DreamFolks Services’ Sandeep Sonawane rounded things off with some excellent insights about the different types of consumers using airports, both in India and around the world.

“We know about the discerning customer,” he said. “But there is another set of consumers that we sometimes forget, the ‘aspirants’. These are people who want to be seen with the select few. They want to mingle with people who can afford a first class or business class ticket. The middle class is huge.

“There is a sea change in the consumer pre- and post-COVID. I think we are going through a disruptive phase. People felt lounges might be a better place for them, with better food and better hygiene and because of that they started coming into those spaces and the growth jumped.

“Let’s face it none of us were ready for it but it’s a good problem to have!”

12 SEPTEMBER

19:00 FAB has always had a different vibe to other industry events and tonight was no different as SSP Group hosted a brilliantly immersive party that brought the beach to riverside Bangkok.

A magnificent Welcome Evening culminated in warm words from SSP Group CEO Patrick Coveney about the significance of the event’s return, followed by a stunning fireworks display above the Chao Phraya river. What an astounding statement of belief in SSP’s commitment to our sector and to FAB.

17:15 In this final session of the day, renowned chefs Diana Chan and Pitaya Phanphensophon were put to the test as they cooked live on stage, showing off their prowess as they prepared each other’s native cuisines, in a competition in partnership with COCA & Mango Tree Restaurants Worldwide. The session was led by COCA & Mango Tree Restaurants Worldwide Director Walter Lee. 

16:30 Airport International Group (AIG) Chief Commercial Officer Deema Anani today unveiled a major F&B tender opportunity at Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan at the conference.

Anani originally announced the tender during the FAB Conference & Awards in 2018 in Helsinki. The concession was awarded to BTA Catering and Lagardère Travel Retail in 2019. But the uncertainties brought about by the pandemic forced the airport company to cancel the opportunity.

For this new tender, the airport is seeking a master concessionaire to occupy 1,600sq m space in departures and 600sq m at the arrivals area under an eight-year term.

With a vision already set out, Anani said AIG wants to work with a partner to help them achieve it, in what she describes as “the truest meaning of partnership.”

She said: “The difference in this tender is that we’re offering zones so we’re not identifying what goes where but we’re identifying what we would like to see. We’re leaving it to the successful bidder basically to design the space and design the location and say what goes where based on their vision expertise and experience.”

Anani also spoke about the importance of innovation and Sense of Place. “If you do not understand the place [Jordan], you cannot develop a Sense of Place. The Sense of Place definition is elastic, what it means to the local community is what really matters.”

15:30 Qatar Duty Free Senior Vice President Thabet Musleh captivated the audience in a session dedicated to the great ambition and execution of recent Hamad International Airport (HIA) food & beverage projects.

The F&B offer has been completely transformed, he noted, from the café brands in the airport right up to the first Louis Viutton restaurant and lounge in the world.

Musleh reported a remarkable +100% increase in food & beverage revenues at the airport in the year-to-date measured against 2019. This has been achieved with just a +11% uplift in passengers.

“It’s a phenomenal growth and transformation,” said Musleh, noting that F&B partners SSP and HMSHost have grown their HIA business +100% and +1,000% respectively this year to date vs. 2019.

He recalled that during the early days of COVID-19, “we went back to the drawing board and really questioned ourselves [about the make-up of the F&B offer]. Now, you can see real commercial results driven by bold commercial decisions.”

Part of the strategy, he explained, was to change the perception of HIA as an airport with a luxury offering only.

Musleh, who has brought five social media influencers to Bangkok to share content on the FAB conference to their followers, continued: “From the budget traveller with simple sustenance requirements to the first class passenger looking for an exclusive experience, we’re now catering for every need. No matter how much you spend, where you come from, how long you stand at the airport, we can guarantee you an experience.

“I say this with immense pride and not with arrogance. But I don’t believe that there is an airport in the world that can challenge us on our F&B.”

And the HIA F&B revolution will not stop there, with Musleh revealing that a number of new openings at the airport have just taken place and there are more in the pipeline.

He invited the conference audience to get involved with the HIA F&B offer: “I’d like to issue an open invitation today to brands to come up with any new concept, any new idea. No matter how crazy, we will listen. If it’s right for our passengers and meets our ambitions we’re not afraid to take risks and take the lead.”

14:45 The Great Vietnam Travel & F&B Opportunity. IPP Travel Retail CEO and Imex Pan Pacific VP Business Development Phillip Nguyen (below) and Dufry Regional Managing Director Asia Pacific David Mackay address the emergence of a great travel market, with some great insights and dash of humour. More to follow. 

14:00 A Conversation on Purpose, Not Compliance. That is the theme for a fascinating discussion (moderated by Dermot Davitt) with SSP Chief Executive Officer Patrick Coveney and Minor International Founder & Chairman William Heinecke.

The pair revealed what they learned from Covid, hopes for future expansion together and the power of having deeply loyal staff in a segment called ‘A Conversation on Purpose, Not Compliance’.

“Our relationship goes back some 30 years, and we certainly share common values,” said Heinecke as he spoke about how both companies learn from each other. “Since we operate many brands domestically, we are able to give targeted, expert support, whether it is a fast ramp-up for an airport location or something else. We want to be a global player, we can learn a great deal from SSP and we would certainly like to partner with them in other locations going forward.”

This power of collaboration and shared learning was enthusiastically mirrored by Patrick Coveney, who added, “What has mattered so much for us is finding a way to bring the capabilities that we’ve got into markets that we wouldn’t necessarily understand brilliantly by ourselves.”

Heinecke spoke about how a global company like his is levelling the playing field for all staff and focusing on sustainability in a measurable way.“

Like SSP, we are very focused on diversity and in our company globally there is no differentiation between male or female, he said. “We are very broad in our nationalities with over 62 countries represented. It’s an area where we’ve found very similar thinking to SSP and, being a public company, we are also focused on the environment. SSP is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2040 and we say we are going to be by 2050. Let’s see who gets there first because we are very focused!”

On sustainability in the hotels business, he added: “Half the world is short of water and everyone always brings up our request to ‘not use our towels more than once’. A lot of people think we are ‘green-washing’ and trying to save a bit of money but when you see some countries in Africa where they have no water at all, you realise we are all on the same planet and have to respect it. We have made a huge impact just by trying to reduce the amount of laundry we do.”

And he said he had been humbled by the devotion of his staff during Covid, “I am not afraid of tsunamis, or airports that go bankrupt, but we lost a billion dollars during Covid through hotels that were shut down,” he said, “At one stage we had all 500 hotels shuttered and many of the airports were too. In China, we were only allowed delivery in Shanghai but nobody could move around the city. We managed to get two or three stores open but that meant that staff had to live in the store, had to shower there, dress there. It really makes you feel proud of your teams and amazed by the spirit of the people.”

12.00 For a session titled ‘Food and Hospitality in the Traveller’s Journey’, Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR) & MMI Group Chief Executive Officer Tyrone Reid took to the stage to present on the rise of his companies (which are both subsidiaries of the Emirates Group) and their growth in travel retail.

ELR owns and operates a wide-ranging portfolio of retail, restaurants, cafés and bars in airports across the US, Middle East, Asia, Australasia and East Africa.

A key focus of the presentation, and subsequent conversation with presenter Dermot Davitt, was ELR’s work as master concessionaire for the new terminal at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar.

Reid highlighted the strong Sense of Place that runs through both the retail and F&B concepts at the airport and underlined its importance for future projects.

Asked by Davitt about EMI’s growth aspirations for the airport space, Reid noted upcoming projects at Changi Airport and Australasia. But he cautioned that priorities for future business will depend on bidding prices being at sensible levels.

“We don’t have to go after everything,” he said. “We are very focused on what we want to bid for, but we are not bidding at any price. There’s been a shift where these bids are really pushing the price up for everyone.

“So we’re just taking a long term view that we will grow in a natural, organic way, bidding for the right opportunities. We are looking for the deals where can get long term agreements, getting payback for investments over a longer period of time.”

Discussing the Minimum Annual Guarantee (MAG) concession model, he said: “The minimum guarantees in this day and age have become a real challenge and a real burden for everyone. Where you actually pay as you grow, you have an incentive to grow which makes it a much more level playing field [in competition with the industry’s bigger players].

“We are seeing challenges with rents increasing and MAGs increasing – this has a knock on effect on price [to the consumer]. There is global squeeze on traveller spend and there’s a link between rent and price.

“I’ve had conversations on many occasions with airport operators saying if you want high street prices we need high street rents it’s as simple as that. I think a commitment to the right level of rent [set by the airport operators] can allow us to price to the consumer in the right way.”

11:00 The voices of leading women in the industry on their experiences, and the importance of diversity & inclusion in building a new world for travel and dining formed the theme for an enthralling session called FAB Women.

Moderated by Elişa Roche, FAB Editor-in-Chief at The Moodie Davitt Report, it featured a quality quartet of women leaders, including Diana Chan, Chef & MasterChef Australia Winner 2017; Freda Cheung, President and CEO Asia Pacific, Dufry; Mélanie Guilldou, Executive Vice President Foodservice Global, Lagardère Travel Retail; and Natalie Phanphensophon, Chief Operations Officer, COCA & Mango Tree Restaurants Worldwide.

Guilldou underlined the importance of having diversity in an organisation. She said: “As an organisation, we reflect the customers that we serve so having that diversity in the workforce is absolutely crucial.”

Cheung shared that Dufry’s global diversity inclusion committee regularly convenes to address key issues such as career advancement among women in the workplace.

She said: “The topic that we address is what are the unintended barriers that keep women away from accessing advanced opportunities. I personally believe that advancement opportunities are equal for everyone – man or woman doesn’t matter but there are certain elements that are underlying assumptions that maybe were made of expectation and that has really kept women away.”

Chan, who has been successful in her craft despite the male-dominated nature of the culinary industry. She said: “I knew very early on that if I didn’t put my foot down I was never going to be heard or I was just going to be walked over. So I did and that gave me the confidence.”

Running a generations-long family business previously led by her father, Phanphensophon knew that she had big shoes to fill: “Hospitality is quite a delicate job so it needs a lot of patience whether you’re male or male. But we need females – nothing gets done without them.”

10:30

10:00  MasterChef Australia winner 2017 Diana Chan joined Martin Moodie on stage to give her thoughts on Food and the Travel Journey. Speaking about the moment she found out she had won Australia’s most-watched TV show, she said, “I was like, Oh my god, sh*t I won! I couldn’t believe it. It took me a while to process the news. For three months I had accustomed myself to not being disappointed just in case.

Diana’s journey in taste started young.

“Mum and dad were fantastic cooks and would talk about their day over dinner, she said, “I thought that was a beautiful way to bring people together.”

Diana, who travels regularly all over the world, was typically frank about her perception of airport food. “Most of it is abysmal,” she said only half-jokingly, “It varies from one to another. When you walk through an airport you know what you want and if it is not there, you might not bother. Sometimes I don’t even eat at the airport or the lounge.”

So what can the industry do to improve? “I would look for things that are comforting and I don’t necessarily mean carb-heavy. Something fresh, local and comforting all in one would be my ideal airport meal.” And her best airport meal may surprise some. Without hesitation, she said, “McDonald’s! You always get the same burger, the same pickles, it’s always consistent.”

If she had the chance to open an airport restaurant, what fare would she offer? Simple, she said. Dumplings and noodles all the way.

09.15 A keynote session kicked off the conference, as Dufry Group CEO Xavier Rossinyol gave insights into the Dufry-Autogrill mega-merger, the challenges of meeting evolving traveller needs and the converging role of retail and F&B.

He said: “It’s very easy to lose sight of the most important thing which is that whatever we do, it has to be centred on the needs of the travelling consumer. Those needs must drive the business.”

Following his presentation, Rossinyol had a candid question and answer session with The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman Martin Moodie and fielded questions from the audience. Themes covered included the Dufry-Autogrill merger, the post-pandemic concession model, digital and staffing challenges, and the key role of Sense of Place in the consumer F&B offer.

The session ended with Moodie asking Rossinyol if he sees a bright future for the modern travel retail industry. He replied: “Absolutely. I see brands working in some industries who know their capacity for future growth is extremely limited. Because they know they are in a dying business. A few years from now such businesses are going to be taken over by Amazon or someone else.

“Our industry? It depends only on the people in this room. It’s for us to decide if we want a great future. One thing I can tell you, there will be more people travelling for sure.”

More follows.

09:00 The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie and President Dermot Davitt kicked off the 2023 Airport Food & Beverage Conference & Awards proceedings this morning, welcoming guests to the event.

Moodie noted that this is the first time the event has been staged in the Asia Pacific region and gave thanks to Airports of Thailand and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau for supporting the conference.

Setting the scene, he said: “Since we began [the first event was at Manchester Airport in 2011], this event has changed a lot – as has the world.  Digitalisation and even sustainability were barely themes on the radar – now they are top of everyone’s agenda – with COVID an accelerator, if a most unwelcome one.

“Back in 2011, chef-driven restaurants were in their infancy and while the concepts of food provenance and Sense of Place were well-established, they have picked up extraordinary momentum since.

“Our sector has gone through a qualitative revolution in those 12 years – at every level. In that time, travel dining has also become a more central part of the conversation about how travelling consumers are served and how our industry functions.

“Consolidation plays from some of the biggest companies have underlined F&B’s significance as very much complementary to retail, with the convergence of those channels an important dynamic.”

Concluding, he said: “Here in Bangkok we aim to champion the excellent and to showcase the success stories of F&B – a channel that has become centre stage in the airport world in the years since we created this event. Have a FAB-ulous two days ahead.”

11 SEPTEMBER

Discover more about the FAB + Hospitality Conference and Awards 2023 at our dedicated website here.

FAB EZINE SET TO RETURN The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the return of the FAB eZine, a standalone digital magazine dedicated to airport and other travel-related food & beverage views, news, trends, tastes, people, product and principles. Initially quarterly, beginning in Q4 2023, The FAB eZine will devote year-round coverage to the burgeoning airport food & beverage sector, including broader hospitality services such as hotels and lounges. The FAB eZine will continue to explore the evolution of the travel-related F&B sector worldwide as we did back in 2019 in this on location report from Houston, Texas. Click on the image to read. The FAB eZine will complement the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards and our already extensive F&B and hospitality coverage on The Moodie Davitt Report.com and in The FAB Newsletter. Elişa pictured with Jamie Oliver Elişa Roche has been appointed Editor-in-Chief, bringing a rare combination of culinary and journalistic excellence and experience to the role. Elişa trained as a chef as part of ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, a British TV show watched by millions and fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. She went on to work as Chef de Partie at some of London’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, e.g. Fino (now Barrafina), The Ivy and Bambou. Cooking later turned to food writing and presenting, most recently as overseeing editorial partnerships at Food Matters Live. Elişa was also Host and Producer of award-winning B2B podcast ‘Career Conversations’, encouraging young people into the food & drinks industry. *For editorial enquiries please contact Elişa Roche at Elisa@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

THAILAND. Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport captured the ultimate Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year accolade  at the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards in Bangkok last night.

On a triumphant night for the Doha-based company, Qatar Duty Free won numerous other big global awards, plus several regional and Highly Commended accolades.

The awards were the culmination of The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference & Awards 2023, an event that made a welcome return in physical format this week for the first time since pre-pandemic 2019.

The awards were presented at a glittering gala dinner hosted by Airports of Thailand (with wines & Champagne sponsored by ELR/MMI).

Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year: Qatar Duty Free

Airport Bar/Pub of the Year: The Oakland Draft House, SSP America

Regional winners:

Europe: Juniper & Co by SSP, Gatwick Airport
Asia Pacific: The Koh Hop Bar and Restaurant by SSP Asia Pacific, Suvarnabhumi Airport
Middle East: The Sports Shack from Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI, Dubai International Airport

Airport Coffee/Tea Shop of the Year: Bieder & Maier, Vienna Airport

Regional winners:

Asia Pacific: Coffee Quarter from Delaware North, Perth Airport, Australia
The Americas: Deville Coffee, Calgary Airport Authority
Middle East & Africa: Ralph’s Coffee, Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Highly Commendeds:

VYA, Areas, Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport
Ralph’s Coffee from Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport

Airport Health-Centred Offer of the Year: EXKI (Dufry), Brussels Airport

Regional winners:

Asia Pacific: LivEAT, SSP Asia Pacific, Hobart International Airport

The Americas: Nourish the Dirty Apron SSP America, Vancouver International Airport

Highly Commended: Deli&CIA, Areas

Airport Food & Beverage Marketing Campaign of the Year: Brisbane’s Best Bites, Brisbane Airport

Highly commended:

PathWater, HMS Host North America

Airport Chef of the Year: David Sosson, Qatar Duty Free

Airport Hotel Chef of the Year: Marcel Tauschek – Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten, Hilton Munich Airport

Airport Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace Initiative of the Year: Eurest

Airport Food Hall of the Year: Food Hall (Airside) – Autogrill Italy, Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport

Airport Landside Food Hall of the Year: Finavia, Helsinki Airport

Regional winners:

Asia Pacific: Food Court – Airport Authority Hong Kong

The Americas: Global Bazaar – OTG, Newark Liberty International Airport

Middle East & Africa: Food Market – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Airport Food to Go Offer of the Year: Deli&Cia, Areas

Regional winners:

The Americas: The Farmers Market – SSP America, Indianapolis International Airport

Middle East & Africa: Oreo Cafe – Qatar Duty Free/Mondelez WTR, Hamad International Airport

Sustainability and Environment Initiative of the Year: Planet, Ethics, People, Social, Lagardère Travel Retail

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year: Empowering Voices: Embracing Diversity through Inclusion – Travel Food Services

Highly Commended:

Areas for Change – Areas, Multiple Airports

‘Make it happen’ ESG Strategy’– HMSHost North America, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Women in Leadership Initiative of the Year: Tastes on the Fly

Airport Restaurant Design of the Year Co-winner: Fendi Caffe, Qatar Duty Free 

Airport Restaurant Design of the Year Co-winner:  STK, Areas, Los Cabos International Airport 

Regional winners:

Asia Pacific: NamNam, SSP Asia Pacific, Singapore Changi Airport

Europe: San Carlo, The Restaurant Group, Manchester Airport

Airport Hotel of the Year: Calgary Airport Marriott

Regional winners:

Europe: Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten Hilton, Munich Airport

Asia Pacific: Sama-Sama Hotel, Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Airport Lounge of the Year: Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno, Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport

Regional winners:

Europe: 1903, CAVU, Manchester Airport

Asia Pacific: 080 Lounge by TFS, Kempegowda Bengaluru International Airport

Highly Commended:

080 Lounge by TFS, Kempegowda Bengaluru Airport.

Airport Lounge Food & Beverage Offering of the Year Co-winner: 080 Lounge by Travel Food Services, Kempegowda Bengaluru International Airport 

Airport Lounge Food & Beverage Offering of the Year Co-winner: Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno, Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport

Airport Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year: Bad Egg Breakfast Bar, SSP America, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Regional winners:

Middle East & Africa: Cravings Restaurant & Bar, Bole International Airport, Ethiopia

Asia Pacific: Jamie Oliver, SSP Asia Pacific at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Europe: The Fallow, SSP, Dublin Airport.

Airport Customer/Hospitality Initiative of the Year: James Beard Foundation at Chicago O’Hare, HMSHost North America/Dufry

Regional winners:

Asia Pacific: High Tide Bar, HMSHost International, Bali I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.

Europe: Kepler Club, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

Highly Commended: 

iCoupon Global

Airport Food & Beverage Transformation: ZOMA, Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI and Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport

Airport F&B Offer Best Representing Sense of Place: Taiwan Flavors – Ever Rich Duty Free, Taoyuan International Airport

Regional winners:

Middle East & Africa: Chapatti & Karak, Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Europe: Tadinda Anadolu, BTA Catering, Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport

Americas: Farmers’ Market, SSP America, Indianapolis International Airport

Highly commended:

Xi’ an Food Boulevard, Xi’an Xianyang International Airport

Tadinda Anadolu, BTA Catering, Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport

Farmers’ Market, SSP America, Indianapolis International Airport

Airport Food & Beverage Opening of the Year C-winner: Intervals – Plaza Premium Group, Hong Kong International Airport

Airport Food & Beverage Opening of the Year Co-winner:  Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Regional winners:

The Americas: Codo Agave Social House, Calgary International Airport

Europe: Vagabond Wines, London Gatwick Airport

Highly Commended: Fendi Caffe – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Outstanding Career Contribution Award: SSP America Deputy CEO Pat Murray

About The FAB Awards

The FAB Awards are about recognising excellence in the travel food & beverage sector, from grab-and-go snack to coffee bars to food halls to – for the first time in 2023 – airport lounges. They recognise companies not just for commercial success but for championing values – values of diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability and Sense of Place.

They are also about people, front line, back of house, both individuals and teams.

The judges received over 250 entries entries this year and were heartened by the excellence, the diversity and the passion underpinning them.

Those judges included: Ann Elliott, owner of Ann Elliott Hospitality Consultancy; Nick Inkster, a highly respected consultant who spent 25 years in senior roles with SSP: Kevin Zajax, CEO at Ground Control and former CEO & Managing Director at Emirates Leisure Retail; Nick Goddard-Palmer, co-founder of food & beverage to retail experts Hunter Palmer – Global Retail Solutions; and Alan Gluck, a veteran US airport commercial revenues expert and Senior Aviation Commercial Planner for ICF.

They were joined by Sevda Fevzi, Canada-based President & CEO of Sevly Inc, a global consulting firm and Diana Chan, MasterChef Australia 2017 winner plus The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie. ✈

FAB EZINE SET TO RETURN The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the return of the FAB eZine, a standalone digital magazine dedicated to airport and other travel-related food & beverage views, news, trends, tastes, people, product and principles. Initially quarterly, beginning in Q4 2023, The FAB eZine will devote year-round coverage to the burgeoning airport food & beverage sector, including broader hospitality services such as hotels and lounges. The FAB eZine will continue to explore the evolution of the travel-related F&B sector worldwide as we did back in 2019 in this on location report from Houston, Texas. Click on the image to read. The FAB eZine will complement the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards and our already extensive F&B and hospitality coverage on The Moodie Davitt Report.com and in The FAB Newsletter. Elişa pictured with Jamie Oliver Elişa Roche has been appointed Editor-in-Chief, bringing a rare combination of culinary and journalistic excellence and experience to the role. Elişa trained as a chef as part of ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, a British TV show watched by millions and fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. She went on to work as Chef de Partie at some of London’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, e.g. Fino (now Barrafina), The Ivy and Bambou. Cooking later turned to food writing and presenting, most recently as overseeing editorial partnerships at Food Matters Live. Elişa was also Host and Producer of award-winning B2B podcast ‘Career Conversations’, encouraging young people into the food & drinks industry. *For editorial enquiries please contact Elişa Roche at Elisa@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

USA/INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce that the 2024 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference and Awards will be staged in California, USA next year. Ontario International Airport will host the event on 25-26 June, with the venue to be confirmed.

The host for next year’s event was revealed at the conclusion of the 2023 conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Airline Affairs and Properties Manager Annie Lin and OIAA Advisor Dan Cappell joined The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie on stage to make the announcement.

Fast-growing Ontario International Airport is located two miles east of downtown Ontario, in San Bernardino County, California and about 38 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

The June timing for next year marks a return to the conference’s traditional mid-year scheduling it enjoyed from 2011 until the last FAB in Dallas in 2019 before the pandemic forced a four-year suspension of the face to face format.

Ontario International Airport Authority CEO Atif Elkadi said: “Ontario International Airport is honoured to host FAB 2024. We look forward to attendees from around the world having the opportunity to enjoy the ‘SoCal, So Easy’ [see video below] experience that has made ONT the airport of choice for millions of Southern Californians. We also can’t wait to share all that our dynamic region has to offer.”

Martin Moodie said: “FAB has truly come back with a bang this year in Thailand and we are delighted to follow our appearance in this great country with a return to the United States at Ontario International Airport next year.

“We are proud to showcase airport and wider travel world’s most exciting sectors, travel food & beverage and hospitality, on US turf, which is a hotbed of airport F&B development.” ✈

FAB EZINE SET TO RETURN The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the return of the FAB eZine, a standalone digital magazine dedicated to airport and other travel-related food & beverage views, news, trends, tastes, people, product and principles. Initially quarterly, beginning in Q4 2023, The FAB eZine will devote year-round coverage to the burgeoning airport food & beverage sector, including broader hospitality services such as hotels and lounges. The FAB eZine will continue to explore the evolution of the travel-related F&B sector worldwide as we did back in 2019 in this on location report from Houston, Texas. Click on the image to read. The FAB eZine will complement the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards and our already extensive F&B and hospitality coverage on The Moodie Davitt Report.com and in The FAB Newsletter. Elişa pictured with Jamie Oliver Elişa Roche has been appointed Editor-in-Chief, bringing a rare combination of culinary and journalistic excellence and experience to the role. Elişa trained as a chef as part of ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, a British TV show watched by millions and fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. She went on to work as Chef de Partie at some of London’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, e.g. Fino (now Barrafina), The Ivy and Bambou. Cooking later turned to food writing and presenting, most recently as overseeing editorial partnerships at Food Matters Live. Elişa was also Host and Producer of award-winning B2B podcast ‘Career Conversations’, encouraging young people into the food & drinks industry. *For editorial enquiries please contact Elişa Roche at Elisa@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

INTERNATIONAL/THAILAND. The judging is done, the scores are in. Now it’s a matter of awaiting the results of The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards to be revealed at a glittering Gala Dinner to be hosted by Airports of Thailand on 13 September.

The dinner forms the culmination of The FAB + Hospitality Conference & Awards 2023, an event making a welcome return in physical format for the first time since pre-pandemic 2019. For details on how to register for FAB and an exciting programme line-up, click here.

As reported, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) is the Gala Dinner Partner.

Today we publish the final short-lists from the 20 award categories, starting with the Airport Food & Beverage Opening of the Year, historically one of the most sought-after awards. It is followed by Airport Casual Food Offer of the Year, always the most popular category, a status confirmed this year by an all-time record number of entries.

The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said: “We received almost 30 nominations in the Airport Food & Beverage Opening of the Year category so it was an invidious job to whittle down such a diverse array of candidates to a shortlist. But again we are confident that our final selection represents a high-class and diverse roll-call of concepts across multiple geographies.

“These top-calibre openings confirm that the spirit of imagination and the commitment to investment have outlasted the pandemic and augur well for the future of our industry in serving the travelling consumer.

“And our unusually long short-list, as it were, bears testament to the importance of the casual food category in a time-pressed airport environment. As a result, we can promise some very interesting results at the FAB Awards dinner.”

The nine judges (see below) have worked assiduously since nominations closed, carefully evaluating almost 250 top-class entries from around the world. ✈

FAB + HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2023 FINALISTS

AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE OPENING OF THE YEAR

Codo Agave Social House – Calgary International Airport

The Farmers Market – SSP America, Indianapolis International Airport

Fendi Caffe – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Intervals – Plaza Premium Group, Hong Kong International Airport

Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

NamNam – SSP Asia Pacific, Changi International Airport

Oreo Café – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Ralph’s Coffee – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Taiwan Flavors – Ever Rich Duty Free, Taoyuan International Airport

Vagabond – Vagabond Wines, Gatwick Airport

ZOMA – Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI, Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport

AIRPORT CASUAL FOOD OFFER OF THE YEAR

Bad Egg Breakfast Bar – SSP America, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Beercode Kitchen & Bar – Paradies Lagardère, San Antonio International Airport

Bistrot Benoit – Areas, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Comptoir Libanais – Dufry-Autogrill, London Stansted Airport

Cravings Restaurant and Bar – Sunshine Retail, Addis Ababa Bole Airport

Factory Kitchen & Bar – SSP, Larnaca International Airport

The Continents – Sama-Sama Hotel, Kuala Lumpur International Airport

The Fallow – SSP, Dublin Airport

Gordon Ramsay Burger – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Habit Burger Grill – Dufry-Autogrill, Chongqing Airport

Hunt & Fish Grill – SSP America, LaGuardia Airport

Jamie Oliver – SSP Asia Pacific, Kuala Lumpur International Airport

James Martin Kitchen – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport

Jim Stump’s Taproom – SSP America, San José Mineta International Airport

Jones Social – HMSHost International, Hamad International Airport

The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck – Emirates Leisure Retail and MMI, Dubai International Airport

Le Pain Quotidien – Dufry-Autogrill, Brussels Airport

LouLou Market and Bar – SSP America, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Mercantile Dining & Provision – Tastes On the Fly, Denver International Airport

Poppy’s Bagels & Chuko Ramen – OTG, LaGuardia Airport

Sonoma – TRG Concessions, Gatwick Airport

Sophia Loren Restaurant – Autogrill, Rome Fiumicino Airport

STK – Areas, Los Cabos International Airport

Summer House Santa Monica – Delaware North, Superior Hospitality & Sweet Mango Hospitality, Orlando International Airport

Sunday Supper – OTG, LaGuardia Airport

TGI Fridays – Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Vin Room – Calgary International Airport

Wolfgang Puck Kitchen + Bar – HMSHost International, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport

The following shortlists were revealed earlier

AIRPORT RESTAURANT DESIGN OF THE YEAR

Alemagna Caffè Pasticceria – Autogrill, Milan Linate Airport

Bad Egg Breakfast Bar – SSP America, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Codo Agave Social House – Calgary International Airport

Fendi Caffe – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

NamNam – SSP Asia Pacific, Changi International Airport

Perch – HMSHost International, London Stansted Airport

San Carlo – TRG Concessions, Manchester Airport

STK – Areas, Los Cabos International Airport

Sunday Supper – OTG, LaGuardia Airport

Terracotta Italian Kitchen – HMSHost International, London Stansted Airport.

Wolfgang Puck – SSP, Vienna International Airport

Zugvogel – Lagardère Travel Retail, Vienna International Airport

AIRPORT COFFEE OR TEA OFFER OF THE YEAR

Bieder & Maier – Lagardère Travel Retail, Vienna International Airport

Cakes&Bakes – BTA Food & Services

Coffee Berry – Athens International Airport

Coffee Quarter – Delaware North, Perth Airport

Costa Coffee – HMSHost, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Costa Coffee, Dubai International Airport, Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI

Deville – Deville Coffee, Calgary International Airport

Kaffet Helsinki – SSP, Helsinki Airport

Ralph’s Coffee – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

VyTA – Areas, Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport and Milan Linate Airport

WASCOFFEE Lab – Dufry-Autogrill, Palermo Airport

AIRPORT F&B OFFER BEST REPRESENTING SENSE OF PLACE

Bar de la Plage – Lagardère Travel Retail, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport

Bridgewater Exchange – The Restaurant Group, Manchester Airport

Chapati & Karak – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Dhaba@T3 – Travel Food Service, Indira Gandhi International Airport

IMM Rice & Noodle – SSP Asia Pacific, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Kaffet Helsinki – SSP, Helsinki Airport

Mercantile Dining & Provision – Tastes On the Fly, Denver International Airport

Taiwan Flavors – Ever Rich Duty Free, Taoyuan International Airport

The Farmers Market – SSP America, Indianapolis International Airport

Salmon n’ Bannock On The Fly at YVR – Vancouver Airport Authority, Vancouver Airport

South Downs – Vagabond Wines, Gatwick Airport

Tadında Anadolu – BTA Food & Services, Istanbul Airport, Ankara Airport and İzmir Airport

Whiskey Bread – SSP, Dublin Airport

Xi’an Xianyang International Airport T2 Food Boulevard – Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Commercial Branch Company

ZOMA – Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI, Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport

AIRPORT BAR OR PUB OF THE YEAR

The Belgian Red House – Autogrill, Brussels Airport

Bottega Prosecco Bar & Craft Beer – HMSHost International, Dubai International Airport

Bridgewater Exchange – The Restaurant Group, Manchester Airport

Tickerdaze – BTA Food & Services, Istanbul Airport

Budweiser – Lagardère Travel Retail, Dubai International Airport

Juniper & Co – SSP, Gatwick Airport

Koh Hop Bar – SSP, Suvarnabhumi Airport

Oakland Draft House – SSP America, Oakland International Airport

Sibarium – Areas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Sports Shack – Emirates Leisure Retail, Dubai International Airport

Stomping Ground Brewery – Delaware North, Melbourne Airport

Sycamore Brewing – HMSHost, Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Ta.Sh.Ba Bistro Bar – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Larnaca International Airport

AIRPORT FOOD TO GO OFFER OF THE YEAR

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – SSP, LaGuardia International Airport

Bubby’s – OTG, LaGuardia International Airport

Deli&Cia – Areas, Multiple Airports

The Dirty Apron – SSP, Vancouver International Airport

The Farmers Market – Indianapolis International Airport

Food For Flight (Food to Go) – SSP, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Larnaca International Airport

Kirei – Areas, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Koulurades – Dufry-Autogrill, Athens International Airport

Le Croque Monsieur – Lagardère Travel Retail, Sofia International Airport

1 Minute Smacznego! – Lagardère Travel Retail, Multiple Polish Airports

Oreo Café – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Purebread – Purebread, Vancouver International Airport

TGI Fridays – Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

AIRPORT SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Airport Authority Hong Kong – Food TranSmarter Treatment Process

Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten – ‘Rethink’ campaign

Areas For Change – Areas

Autogrill Group – Green Store Guidelines

Dallas Fort Worth Airport – Waste composting initiative

HMS Host – ‘Make it Happen’ ESG Strategy, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

HMSHost The Netherlands partnership with Schiphol Airport

Lagardère Travel Retail – PEPS Program

SSP Bahrain Sustainability Team – Bahrain International Airport

SSP Group – Reimagining Food for People and the Planet

AIRPORT FOOD HALL OF THE YEAR

The Food Hall at Helsinki Airport Arrivals Hall – Finavia Corporation

Food Hall at Fiumicino Airport Terminal 1 – Dufry-Autogrill

Rome Mezzanine Food Hall – Lagardère Travel Retail

Food Market (Free flow concept) – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East

Food Court –  Airport Authority Hong Kong

Food Market at HIA – Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport

OTG Global Bazaar – New York and New Jersey airports

Zone F Food Hall Suvarnabhumi Airport – SSP Asia Pacific

Sangster International Airport Food Hall – MBJ Airports

La Place by Areas – Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Food Village DXB – HMSHost International

Boston Public Market – HMSHost, Boston Logan International Airport

AIRPORT HEALTH & WELLBEING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Free food for Heathrow employees – Eurest

Wellness Wednesday – Travel Food Services

OTG Crewmember Wellness Program – OTG

SSP Group Global Safety Governance and Framework – SSP

AIRPORT CHEF OF THE YEAR 

Sudhir Arora – Travel Food Services

Charlotte Boothby – HMSHost UK

Keyon Coleman – Kitchen Step, Newark Liberty Airport International Airport, Master ConcessionAir

Vladimir Drietomsky – SSP Deutschland

Rahul Khosla – Lagardère Travel Retail, UAE

Roy Limpag – Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI

Robert Maluso – SSP America

Aarón Mizrahi – Areas Mexico

Ahmad Farhan Noorzali – Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport

David Sosson – Qatar Duty Free

Marcel Tauschek – Hilton Munich Airport

AIRPORT CUSTOMER/HOSPITALITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Amore – Dufry-Autogrill, Athens and Düsseldorf airports

Breaking Bread – Travel Food Services, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Kempegowda International Airport

High Tide Bar – Dufry-Autogrill, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali

iCoupon Global – Multiple airports

James Beard Foundation at Chicago O’Hare International Airport – Dufry-Autogrill

Kepler Club – Kepler Club, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

AIRPORT DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Empowering Voices: Embracing Diversity Through Inclusion – Travel Food Services

Homeboy – Areas

OTG Pride Initiative – OTG

SSP DE&I Framework – SSP

SSP Hellas HR Team – SSP Catering Cyprus

Women in Leadership – Tastes on the Fly

AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

Brisbane’s Best Bites – Brisbane Airport Corporation

Path Water – Dufry-Autogrill, Multiple US airports

The Gallery at Zurich Airport – Dufry-Autogrill

AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE OFFER OF THE YEAR

Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

AIRPORT HEALTH-CENTRED OFFER OF THE YEAR

Exki – Autogrill Europe, Brussels Airport

Deli&Cia – Areas, Multiple airports

Liv Eat – SSP Asia Pacific, Hobart International Airport

Haferkater – Lagardère Travel Retail, Berlin Airport

Nourish the Dirty Apron – SSP America, Vancouver International Airport

Sambazon Açaí Bowls – Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Gully Kitchen – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport

Leon – HMSHost International, London Stansted Airport

AIRPORT HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Calgary Airport Marriott In-terminal Hotel – Calgary Airport Authority

Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport

080 Transit Hotel – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport

Hilton Munich Airport – Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten

AIRPORT LOUNGE OF THE YEAR

Louis Vuitton Lounge – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Muscat Primeclass Lounge – TAV Operation Services, Muscat International Airport

1903 Lounge – Manchester Airport Terminal 2, CAVU

The Club CLT – Airport Dimensions, Charlotte Douglas International Airport

080 Lounge by TFS – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 1

Bodrum Primeclass Lounge Domestic Terminal, TAV Operation Services

AIRPORT LOUNGE FOOD & BEVERAGE OFFER OF THE YEAR

Louis Vuitton Lounge – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Muscat Primeclass Lounge – TAV Operation Services, Muscat International Airport

080 Lounge by TFS – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 1

FAB EZINE SET TO RETURN The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the return of the FAB eZine, a standalone digital magazine dedicated to airport and other travel-related food & beverage views, news, trends, tastes, people, product and principles. Initially quarterly, beginning in Q4 2023, The FAB eZine will devote year-round coverage to the burgeoning airport food & beverage sector, including broader hospitality services such as hotels and lounges. The FAB eZine will continue to explore the evolution of the travel-related F&B sector worldwide as we did back in 2019 in this on-location report from Houston, Texas. Click on the image to read. The FAB eZine will complement the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards and our already extensive F&B and hospitality coverage on The Moodie Davitt Report.com and in The FAB Newsletter. Elişa pictured with Jamie Oliver Elişa Roche has been appointed Editor-in-Chief, bringing a rare combination of culinary and journalistic excellence and experience to the role. Elişa trained as a chef as part of ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, a British TV show watched by millions and fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. She went on to work as Chef de Partie at some of London’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, e.g. Fino (now Barrafina), The Ivy and Bambou. Cooking later turned to food writing and presenting, most recently as overseeing editorial partnerships at Food Matters Live. Elişa was also Host and Producer of award-winning B2B podcast ‘Career Conversations’, encouraging young people into the food & drinks industry. *For editorial enquiries please contact Elişa Roche at Elisa@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

Registration details

Click here to register for FAB 2023 or learn more.

For questions regarding the event or awards, contact The Moodie Davitt Report Asia Bureau Chief and Head of Marketing & Events Jeannie Wong at jeannie@moodiedavittreport.com.

Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining. Please email Kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com to subscribe.

INTERNATIONAL/THAILAND. The judging is done, the scores are in. Now it’s a matter of awaiting the results of The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards to be revealed at a glittering Gala Dinner to be hosted by Airports of Thailand on 13 September.

The dinner forms the culmination of The FAB + Hospitality Conference & Awards 2023, an event making a welcome return in physical format for the first time since pre-pandemic 2019. For details on how to register for FAB and an exciting programme line-up, click here.

As reported, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) is the Gala Dinner Partner.

This week we continue to reveal (on a phased basis) the respective short-lists across the 20 award categories. We continue today with a diverse line-up of finalists in the Airport Restaurant Design category (scroll down). More shortlists to follow soon. 

The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said: “Once again the sheer number of entries coupled with their general excellence and diversity made shortlisting difficult, in fact painful. But that is the role of the judging panel and we are confident that our final roll-call is one of excellence with a nice balance of the refined, the quirky and the cultural.”

The nine judges (see below) have worked assiduously since nominations closed, carefully evaluating almost 250 top-class entries from around the world. ✈

FAB + HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2023 FINALISTS

AIRPORT RESTAURANT DESIGN OF THE YEAR

Alemagna Caffè Pasticceria – Autogrill, Milan Linate Airport

Bad Egg Breakfast Bar – SSP America, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Fendi Caffe – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

NamNam – SSP Asia Pacific, Changi International Airport

Perch – HMSHost International, London Stansted Airport

San Carlo – TRG Concessions, Manchester Airport

STK – Areas, Los Cabos International Airport

Sunday Supper – OTG, LaGuardia Airport

Terracotta Italian Kitchen – HMSHost International, London Stansted Airport

Wolfgang Puck – SSP, Vienna International Airport

Zugvogel – Lagardère Travel Retail, Vienna International Airport

The following shortlists were revealed earlier

AIRPORT COFFEE OR TEA OFFER OF THE YEAR

Bieder & Maier – Lagardère Travel Retail, Vienna International Airport

Cakes&Bakes – BTA Food & Services

Coffee Berry – Athens International Airport

Coffee Quarter – Delaware North, Perth Airport

Costa Coffee – HMSHost, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Costa Coffee – Dubai International Airport, Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI

Deville – Deville Coffee, Calgary International Airport

Kaffet Helsinki – SSP, Helsinki Airport

Ralph’s Coffee – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

VyTA – Areas, Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport and Milan Linate Airport

WASCOFFEE Lab – Dufry-Autogrill, Palermo Airport

AIRPORT F&B OFFER BEST REPRESENTING SENSE OF PLACE

Bar de la Plage – Lagardère Travel Retail, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport

Bridgewater Exchange – The Restaurant Group, Manchester Airport

Chapati & Karak – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Dhaba@T3 – Travel Food Service, Indira Gandhi International Airport

IMM Rice & Noodle – SSP Asia Pacific, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Kaffet Helsinki – SSP, Helsinki Airport

Mercantile Dining & Provision – Tastes On the Fly, Denver International Airport

Taiwan Flavors – Ever Rich Duty Free, Taoyuan International Airport

The Farmers Market – SSP America, Indianapolis International Airport

Salmon n’ Bannock On The Fly at YVR – Vancouver Airport Authority, Vancouver Airport

South Downs – Vagabond Wines, Gatwick Airport

Tadında Anadolu – BTA Food & Services,  Istanbul Airport, Ankara Airport and İzmir Airport

Whiskey Bread – SSP, Dublin Airport

Xi’an Xianyang International Airport T2 Food Boulevard – Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Commercial Branch Company

ZOMA – Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI, Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport

AIRPORT BAR OR PUB OF THE YEAR

The Belgian Red House – Autogrill, Brussels Airport

Bottega Prosecco Bar & Craft Beer – HMSHost International, Dubai International Airport

Bridgewater Exchange – The Restaurant Group, Manchester Airport

Tickerdaze – BTA Food & Services, Istanbul Airport

Budweiser – Lagardère Travel Retail, Dubai International Airport

Juniper & Co – SSP, Gatwick Airport

Koh Hop Bar – SSP, Suvarnabhumi Airport

Oakland Draft House – SSP America, Oakland International Airport

Sibarium – Areas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Sports Shack – Emirates Leisure Retail, Dubai International Airport

Stomping Ground Brewery – Delaware North, Melbourne Airport

Sycamore Brewing – HMSHost, Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Ta.Sh.Ba Bistro Bar – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Larnaca International Airport

AIRPORT FOOD TO GO OFFER OF THE YEAR

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – SSP, LaGuardia International Airport

Bubby’s – OTG, LaGuardia International Airport

Deli&Cia – Areas, Multiple Airports

The Dirty Apron – SSP, Vancouver International Airport

The Farmers Market – Indianapolis International Airport

Food For Flight (Food to Go) – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Larnaca International Airport

Kirei – Areas, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Koulurades – Dufry-Autogrill, Athens International Airport

Le Croque Monsieur – Lagardère Travel Retail, Sofia International Airport

1 Minute Smacznego! – Lagardère Travel Retail, Multiple Polish Airports

Oreo Café – Qatar Duty Free Hamad International Airport

Purebread – Purebread, Vancouver International Airport

TGI Fridays – Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

AIRPORT SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Airport Authority Hong Kong – Food TranSmarter Treatment Process

Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten – ‘Rethink’ campaign

Areas For Change – Areas

Autogrill Group – Green Store Guidelines

Dallas Fort Worth Airport – Waste composting initiative

HMS Host – ‘Make it Happen’ ESG Strategy, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

HMSHost The Netherlands partnership with Schiphol Airport

Lagardère Travel Retail – PEPS Program

SSP Bahrain Sustainability Team – Bahrain International Airport

SSP Group – Reimagining Food for People and the Planet

AIRPORT FOOD HALL OF THE YEAR

The Food Hall at Helsinki Airport Arrivals Hall – Finavia Corporation

Food Hall at Fiumicino Airport Terminal 1 – Dufry-Autogrill

Rome Mezzanine Food Hall – Lagardère Travel Retail

Food Market (Free flow concept) – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East

Food Court –  Airport Authority Hong Kong

Food Market at HIA – Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport

OTG Global Bazaar – New York and New Jersey airports

Zone F Food Hall Suvarnabhumi Airport – SSP Asia Pacific

Sangster International Airport Food Hall – MBJ Airports

La Place by Areas – Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Food Village DXB – HMSHost International

Boston Public Market – HMSHost, Boston Logan International Airport

AIRPORT HEALTH & WELLBEING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Free food for Heathrow employees – Eurest

Wellness Wednesday – Travel Food Services

OTG Crewmember Wellness Program – OTG

SSP Group Global Safety Governance and Framework – SSP

AIRPORT CHEF OF THE YEAR 

Sudhir Arora – Travel Food Services

Charlotte Boothby – HMSHost UK

Keyon Coleman – Kitchen Step, Newark Liberty Airport International Airport, Master ConcessionAir

Vladimir Drietomsky – SSP Deutschland

Rahul Khosla – Lagardère Travel Retail, UAE

Roy Limpag – Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI

Robert Maluso – SSP America

Aarón Mizrahi – Areas Mexico

Ahmad Farhan Noorzali – Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport

David Sosson – Qatar Duty Free

Marcel Tauschek – Hilton Munich Airport

AIRPORT CUSTOMER/HOSPITALITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Amore – Dufry-Autogrill, Athens and Düsseldorf airports

Breaking Bread – Travel Food Services, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Kempegowda International Airport

High Tide Bar – Dufry-Autogrill, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali

iCoupon Global – Multiple airports

James Beard Foundation at Chicago O’Hare International Airport – Dufry-Autogrill

Kepler Club – Kepler Club, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

AIRPORT DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Empowering Voices: Embracing Diversity through Inclusion – Travel Food Services

Homeboy – Areas

OTG Pride Initiative – OTG

SSP DE&I Framework – SSP

SSP Hellas HR Team – SSP Catering Cyprus

Women in Leadership – Tastes on the Fly

AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

Brisbane’s Best Bites – Brisbane Airport Corporation

Path Water – Dufry-Autogrill, Multiple US airports

The Gallery at Zurich Airport – Dufry-Autogrill

AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE OFFER OF THE YEAR

Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

AIRPORT HEALTH-CENTRED OFFER OF THE YEAR

Exki – Autogrill Europe, Brussels Airport

Deli&Cia – Areas, Multiple airports

Liv Eat – SSP Asia Pacific, Hobart International Airport

Haferkater – Lagardère Travel Retail, Berlin Airport

Nourish the Dirty Apron – SSP America, Vancouver International Airport

Sambazon Açaí Bowls – Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Gully Kitchen – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport

Leon – HMSHost International, London Stansted Airport

AIRPORT HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Calgary Airport Marriott In-terminal Hotel – Calgary Airport Authority

Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport

080 Transit Hotel – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport

Hilton Munich Airport – Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten

AIRPORT LOUNGE OF THE YEAR

Louis Vuitton Lounge – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Muscat Primeclass Lounge – TAV Operation Services, Muscat International Airport

1903 Lounge – Manchester Airport Terminal 2, CAVU

The Club CLT – Airport Dimensions, Charlotte Douglas International Airport

080 Lounge by TFS – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 1

Bodrum Primeclass Lounge Domestic Terminal, TAV Operation Services

AIRPORT LOUNGE FOOD & BEVERAGE OFFER OF THE YEAR

Louis Vuitton Lounge – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Muscat Primeclass Lounge – TAV Operation Services, Muscat International Airport

080 Lounge by TFS – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 1

FAB EZINE SET TO RETURN The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the return of the FAB eZine, a standalone digital magazine dedicated to airport and other travel-related food & beverage views, news, trends, tastes, people, product and principles. Initially quarterly, beginning in Q4 2023, The FAB eZine will devote year-round coverage to the burgeoning airport food & beverage sector, including broader hospitality services such as hotels and lounges. The FAB eZine will continue to explore the evolution of the travel-related F&B sector worldwide as we did back in 2019 in this on-location report from Houston, Texas. Click on the image to read. The FAB eZine will complement the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards and our already extensive F&B and hospitality coverage on The Moodie Davitt Report.com and in The FAB Newsletter. Elişa pictured with Jamie Oliver Elişa Roche has been appointed Editor-in-Chief, bringing a rare combination of culinary and journalistic excellence and experience to the role. Elişa trained as a chef as part of ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, a British TV show watched by millions and fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. She went on to work as Chef de Partie at some of London’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, e.g. Fino (now Barrafina), The Ivy and Bambou. Cooking later turned to food writing and presenting, most recently as overseeing editorial partnerships at Food Matters Live. Elişa was also Host and Producer of award-winning B2B podcast ‘Career Conversations’, encouraging young people into the food & drinks industry. *For editorial enquiries please contact Elişa Roche at Elisa@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

Registration details

Click here to register for FAB 2023 or learn more.

For questions regarding the event or awards, contact The Moodie Davitt Report Asia Bureau Chief and Head of Marketing & Events Jeannie Wong at jeannie@moodiedavittreport.com.

Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining. Please email Kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com to subscribe.