Jerk Junction to Open First Shopping Centre Location at Trafford Centre

Jerk Junction to Open First Shopping Centre Location at Trafford Centre

By Nishang Narayan

Published on August 7, 2024

Trafford Centre is thrilled to announce the opening of Jerk Junction, Manchester's beloved Caribbean street food brand, this September. Renowned for its authentic and flavourful Caribbean cuisine, Jerk Junction will occupy a 917 sq ft space in The Orient, located next to HOP Vietnamese.

Born in Chorlton, the new eatery marks Jerk Junction’s first venture into a shopping centre setting, bringing a vibrant taste of the Caribbean to Trafford Centre’s diverse culinary landscape. The menu will feature signature dishes such as jerk chicken, curried goat, and vegetarian options like Ital stew, all served with rice and peas and prepared with traditional spices and ingredients that have made Jerk Junction so popular.

Jerk Junction’s expansion into Trafford Centre underscores the growing demand for diverse and high-quality dining options within the retail sector. As consumer preferences evolve, shopping centres like Trafford Centre are transforming into vibrant lifestyle destinations, offering more than just retail experiences.

Russell Loveland, Managing Director, Pradera Lateral – Trafford Centre’s Asset Managers, commented: “Jerk Junction’s arrival not only enhances our food offering but also highlights our commitment to supporting local businesses. Their unique and authentic Caribbean flavours will undoubtedly be a major draw for both our existing visitors and new customers.”

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Jerk Junction Founder Jake Shaffi added: “The Trafford Centre is iconic, especially its food court, but there’s a huge gap for authentic Jamaican food, so we are super proud to be a homegrown brand that can really bring that heat and represent the island! Opening at the Trafford Centre is a huge achievement for us, the fact that we will be positioned next to so many global brands, it really sets the tone for the levels we are taking Jerk Junction to. We cannot wait to reach new customers and continue our mission to make authentic Jamaican food more accessible in the UK.”

Trafford Centre continues to enhance its portfolio of dining options, providing visitors with a variety of cuisines that cater to all tastes and preferences. Jerk Junction’s presence is expected to attract a diverse clientele, further solidifying the centre’s reputation as a premier destination for both shopping and dining.


Pramod Kumar Joins Anya Hotel as Housekeeping Manager

Pramod Kumar Joins Anya Hotel as Housekeeping Manager

By Hariharan U

Published on November 13, 2026

Anya Hotel has appointed Pramod Kumar as its new Housekeeping Manager, strengthening the hotel's housekeeping leadership with an experienced hospitality professional. Kumar joined the property on November 11, 2026, bringing 19 years of experience in housekeeping operations across reputed hotel brands.

His professional experience includes associations with Radisson, Marriott, Hilton, ITC Hotels, The Park Hotels and Westin. Most recently, he was associated with Radisson Individuals in Gopalpur, Odisha.

Over the course of his career, Kumar has developed expertise in housekeeping operations management, budgeting, cost control, quality assurance, guest satisfaction, team leadership and departmental coordination. In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing housekeeping operations and maintaining the hotel's standards of cleanliness, service quality and guest comfort.

Kumar also brings strong communication, problem-solving, teamwork and time-management skills to the position. His approach combines operational efficiency with a focus on maintaining quality and working collaboratively with colleagues across departments.

Outside work, he enjoys listening to music, practising yoga and swimming. His personal philosophy is summed up in a simple belief: “Work is worship.”

With his experience across multiple hospitality brands and a background in managing housekeeping functions, Kumar's appointment adds to Anya Hotel's focus on operational consistency and guest satisfaction.


Priyanka Gandhi Appointed Director of Guest Experiences at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

Priyanka Gandhi Appointed Director of Guest Experiences at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on November 13, 2026

JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar has appointed Priyanka Gandhi as Director of Guest Experiences, strengthening its focus on personalised service, guest satisfaction, and associate development.

With over two decades of experience across hospitality, aviation, food service, and education, Priyanka brings a strong understanding of customer experience, service culture, and people development. Throughout her career, she has focused on improving service standards and helping teams create meaningful interactions with guests.

In her new role, Priyanka will oversee key areas such as personalisation, service excellence, service recovery, relationship building, and associate development. She will also lead learning and performance initiatives to maintain consistency across the guest journey while supporting the hotel's wider business objectives.

Before joining JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, Priyanka held leadership positions across customer experience, learning, quality, and training at several organisations, including Foodlink F&B Holdings, Artium Academy, Air India, Go First, The St. Regis Mumbai, Jet Airways, and Kingfisher Airlines.

She is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, with expertise in instructional design, quality assurance, service audits, and process improvement. Her experience across different service sectors adds to her understanding of guest expectations and team performance.

Commenting on her appointment, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Every guest interaction is an opportunity to create a connection that goes beyond the service itself. I believe exceptional experiences begin with empowered people who have the right skills, mindset, and confidence to make a difference. I look forward to working with the team at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar to build on its strong culture of service and create experiences that guests remember long after their stay."

Priyanka's appointment further strengthens JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar's commitment to delivering thoughtful, personalised, and consistent guest experiences.


Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli Appoints Nisha Mundliya and Suresh Raju to Key Leadership Roles

Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli Appoints Nisha Mundliya and Suresh Raju to Key Leadership Roles

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on November 12, 2026

Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli has announced two leadership appointments, welcoming Nisha Mundliya as Director of Finance and Suresh Raju as Human Resources Manager. These appointments are aimed at strengthening the hotel's leadership team and supporting its focus on operational excellence and people development.

In her new role, Nisha Mundliya will oversee the hotel's financial operations, strategic planning, compliance, budgeting, forecasting and business performance initiatives. A Chartered Accountant with over eight years of experience across the hospitality and assurance sectors, she brings expertise in finance management, auditing, compliance, financial planning and operational excellence.

During her career, Nisha has worked with leading organisations such as Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, KPMG and PwC. Before joining Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli, she served as Assistant Director of Finance at Hyatt Regency Jaipur, where she handled complex financial matters, strengthened the finance team's capabilities, improved reporting processes and supported the property's operations. She has also held finance leadership positions at Park Hyatt Hyderabad and Kochi Marriott Hotel.

Suresh Raju joins the hotel as Human Resources Manager and will lead its HR function, focusing on talent development, employee engagement, organisational culture and people practices that support associate wellbeing and business growth.

With over 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Suresh brings expertise in human resources management, talent acquisition, employee relations, learning and development, performance management and HR operations. He has held key positions with hospitality brands including Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Radisson Hotel Group, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

Before this appointment, he served as Associate Director of Human Resources at The Leela Hyderabad, where he worked on talent initiatives, workplace culture and organisational growth.

Commenting on the appointments, Ruban Das, General Manager, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli, said, "We are delighted to welcome Nisha and Suresh to Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli. Nisha's strong financial acumen and strategic approach, combined with Suresh's extensive experience in people leadership and talent development, will be instrumental in driving our continued growth and success. Their expertise, passion, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with Hyatt's purpose of caring for people so they can be their best. We look forward to their valuable contributions as we continue to elevate the guest and associate experience at Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli."

With these appointments, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli looks to further strengthen its finance and human resources functions while continuing to focus on business performance, employee development and guest experience.

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