In this issue of FE&S you will find a couple of key content updates.
The first is a special series we call Functional by Design. Over the next 10 months we will take a close look at the layout and equipment considerations that come with various functional areas in almost any foodservice operation. For example, on page 58 contributing editor Dana Tanyeri queries a handful of foodservice design consultants about best practices related to developing effective and efficient cold and dry storage spaces. Other topics this series will address include coffee kiosks, deli/sandwich stations, cooklines and more.
A second special series addresses the multifaceted world of waste management. When the concept of waste management comes up, foodservice professionals’ first thoughts usually turn to pulpers, disposers or even digesters. While these pieces of equipment serve as valuable weapons when battling food waste, the Environmental Protection Agency’s waste management hierarchy serves as a clear and concise reminder that operators can do a lot more in this all-important area. This includes source reduction and reusing food items, recycling and composting and so forth. Of course, implementing any waste management solution is always easier said than done. So, over the next 10 months FE&S will structure a more in-depth conversation around this all-important topic with the hopes of educating, raising awareness and motivating the entire industry to become more active in reducing food waste. Our coverage kicks off on page 88 with Amelia Levin’s look at the state of waste management in today’s foodservice industry.
Finally, in early December we received word that the foodservice equipment and supplies community lost one its quiet giants when Tom Schrack Sr. of Hockenbergs passed away at the age of 82. The former CEO of Hockenbergs, an Omaha, Neb.-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer acquired by TriMark last year, Tom built a career based on hard work, honesty, charity and faith. While so many people in the foodservice industry like to claim those traits as their own, Tom set the standard for these attributes.
In an increasingly complex and cynical world that often encourages others to compromise their values in the relentless pursuit of success, Tom stayed true to his home-spun principals, passing them on to his family and business partners. Spending just a few moments with Tom always motivated me to strive to be an even better husband, father, friend and, yes, editor.
“Just be honest in your everyday dealings and you will come out ahead in the long run,” Schrack told me during a 2011 interview when he received FE&S magazine’s Hall of Fame Award. “The majority of the people out there appreciate honesty and integrity.” Those words still ring true today and will be the cornerstone of a life lived well.
