Interview. An Eastern Approach to Hotel Business
When two years ago in the centre of Tashkent, on the crossing of Kunaev and Usman Nasirov Streets, Hotel "Rossiya" (Russia) was closed from stranger's eyes, rumors spread throughout the city. Since there were logos of the leading Turkish construction companies on the shields, everybody thought that there will be a new supermarket or offices of a bank. At the beginning of 2003, it became obvious that this will be a hotel. And in May of 2003 the new beautiful hotel - Grand Mir - appeared before the eyes of people. It is distinct from the other famous hotels of the city by its brightly illuminated evening front and huge windows on the first floor. The external appearance of the hotel creates a holiday mood in the souls of people. How does life go by inside the hotel? We talked about this with the General Manager of Grand Mir Hotel, Mr. Ihsan Kurt!
- Mr. Ihsan Kurt, your hotel will celebrate the New Year for the second time in here. Tell us in short how will you surprise our guests in the New Year holidays this year?
- We are planning a show-program and festive dinners for this year. Those guests that will visit us during these evenings will be able to have an outstandingly good time. We will create all the conditions for a full-fledged enjoyment and they will not need to go to other places. We will raffle off prizes one of them being a room de lux for two after dinner for the New Year night.
- How many years do you live and work in Tashkent?
- About 8 years.
- Where did you work before? Tell us how you came to the hotel business?
- My principal profession is management. I started working in Tashkent Demir Group and since the hotel belongs to this company I was transferred to this position. I am working in the hotel for one and a half years already.
- This proves your professional qualities. In my view, it is very difficult to manage a hotel.
- This is true. When our company takes on employees, it first of all evaluates the professional qualities, how much he loves his work and what is his potential. The desire to work is the most important factor. Our employees are very young if you noticed.
When the head of Demir Group company came to Uzbekistan he was young himself this is why we feel that we should give the youth a chance. At the meetings I am possibly the oldest among employees.
- Not long ago many people in the city talked a lot about "Harem" club. What is happening in the club now?
- We closed this club for the time being. People entered the club through the main hall of the hotel and this caused discomfort for the hotel guests. We put the clients' interests on the first place. The club was popular indeed among the youth. It gained this popularity only in three months. Now there is a VIP night restaurant in its place. Many people prefer this restaurant because there is a very beautiful view of the city from the 8th floor.However we are planning the construction of the "Harem" club separately. Every evening someone celebrates his or her holiday, birthday or other event at this restaurant.
- Can you evaluate the restaurants and clubs in Tashkent? Which ones do you personally prefer?
- I have lived here for a relatively long time. I know that many places of entertainment, restaurants opened here and I will not name them as this will be advertising for them. However when the guests come and ask us, we tell give them a few addresses. People strive for choosing good spots but it would have been better if there were more of these places. However this takes time. Demand gives rise to supply. I hope that local businessmen will not miss the opportunity to develop their business. 
- What, in your opinion, do our hotels, restaurants and clubs lack? What can you advise them? I think that you have a few advises because you organize many show-programs in the hotel.
- Basically everyone in Tashkent is content with the food. The only thing which has to be improved is service. This is why in our hotel a lot of attention is paid to service. The guests of Tashkent sometimes complain about bad service. We teach this from scratch to our staff.
- Let's return to talking about Tashkent. The hotels which were built last year, including yours, really changed the look of our capital. There are more and more reconstructed streets in the city. What city street do you like the most from the point of view of walks by feet? (On which street do you find it enjoyable to take a walk and why?)
- In my view the city truly changed. There are many beautiful buildings, for example, InterConti, the Business center, the Mustakillik Square, the area around TSUM (Central department Store), however, I prefer streets with old trees.
The roads improved. It is obvious that a lot of attention is paid to the question of construction in the capital. The most beautiful place in Tashkent is the square and fountain in front of the A.Navoi Theatre and, of course, the theater itself.
- What will you advise to visit to the people who arrived to Tashkent for the first time? Possibly some theater, concert hall or museum?
- The tourists come to Uzbekistan to visit the historical places, this is why they go to Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva. There are not many historical places in Tashkent. The Old city region and Navoi Theatre are interesting.
- Is there anything in Tashkent that you personally will remember forever? Maybe you met your love here, made a family, had children and so on?
- When I first arrived to Tashkent, I was already married and had one daughter. The second daughter was born here. As to Tashkent, I will remember it for its autumn. The autumn in Tashkent is very beautiful, warm and long; and different each year. I have never met such an autumn as in Tashkent anywhere.
- There will be much work at the hotel during the New Year holidays but still how will you celebrate New Year personally?
- I will celebrate the holiday in Tashkent in the family circle.
- Which Uzbek dish will (or will not) be served at your festive table?
- Kozon-kovob1 (laughs).
- What do the dishes on the festive table symbolize in your home country?
- Turkish cuisine is very rich in it variety. There are seven regions which differ from one another and each has their own distinctive features. Truly, the festive table usually burst in abundance. I can speak of the area where I was born, and there our national dish (you can call it specialty of the house) is "yayra-soup". My native region is located between Iran and Armenia and so their culture is also reflected in our traditions and customs. In our cuisine we do not use much meat we simply consume more of the so-called natural resources like plants, which I unfortunately cannot name due to my lack of knowledge in the field of cooking.
- What kind of presents will you give to your relatives and close friends?
- I never plan New Year gifts long in advance. I have not decided yet, but we will see. Usually people either plan presents in advance or the ideas come spontaneously, with me the latter always happens.
- And what will you present to yourself? Which shops and boutiques will you attack in search of gifts?
- When I go to Turkey from here I present my relatives and friends there with symbolic souvenirs such as national tea-sets. And when I wish to buy something for my friends or relatives here, if I cannot find something I order it from Turkey.
- Is there any gift which you remember and keep up till now?
In my childhood when I was 13-14 years old I dreamed to have a bicycle with a motor. I really, really wanted to get it and my elder brother bought it for me as a present. So I rode it for sometime and then hid it away in order to keep it safe and every time I come to Turkey I check whether it is there (laughs). Now, of course my nephews ride this bicycle. And I also remember and keep the first present from my wife.
- Some wishes to the readers of our magazine.
- The main wish to all the people, the whole nation is, of course, not to have war, so people could live peacefully and happily. Turkey experienced this kind of moments and recently in Uzbekistan there were a few such incidents and therefore it is most important that everywhere it is peaceful. I wish happiness, prosperity to the future Uzbekistan. Let each person's own dreams come true.
Kozon-Kavob - Uzbek traditional roast lamb
Scientists calculated that Santa Claus has 31 hours (thanks to time difference in various parts of the Earth) to visit at least 92 millions of families, i.e. he has to drop in to 822 houses every second! For this, he has to move with the speed of 1625 kilometers per second which is 3000 times more than the speed of sound. The weight of sleigh loaded with presents (even if Santa will give each child only a chocolate egg) will amount to 250 tons.
New Year is celebrated very exotically in Australia. Due to lack of snow, fur-trees (New Year trees), reindeers and other attributes of the holiday, Santa Claus appears in a swimming suit on a specially brightly decorated surf on the beaches. Keeping to the traditions of the Old World his clothes always consist of a white beard and red cap.
In Argentina, by an old tradition the employees ofestablishments throw old calendars, unneeded bulletins and forms out of the window on the last day of the passing working year. In the business region of the country - Buenos-Aires - by noon the pavements and roadways are densely covered in a layer of paper. No one knows when this tradition arouse. Of course, there are some incidents. Once the employees of one of the newspapers, who were carried away excessively, threw the entire archive out of the window.
In Bulgaria people buy cornel sticks on New Year's Eve. On 1st of January children come up to folks and relatives and congratulate them with New Year clicking the sticks. At the last stroke of the hours of the passing year the lights go out for 3 minutes in all the houses: these are the minutes of New Year kisses which replace the toasts. Bulgarians are pleased if someone sneezes at the table. They say that this brings luck.
|
