As we enter 2023, there’s no shortage of things to talk about in this first issue of FE&S. 

While a variety of topics were discussed during our own Foodservice Equipment & Design Global Thought Leadership Summit, which took place in Chicago last September, one subject that’s affecting the state of commercial kitchens came up time and time again. That pervasive subject is the role of technology in the future of commerical kitchen and restaurant design. 

Technological advancement holds the promise of being a game changer in restaurant and commercial kitchen design as operators face an environment where labor issues and sustainable practices become central to solving the challenges that they face. For a great overview of the discussions held there, visit our newly revamped microsite, FEDThoughtLeadership.com, to get a sense of where operators, designers, consultants and manufacturers are at in their thinking about how incorporating new technology into kitchen design will affect the bottom line in both commercial and noncommercial settings.

The editorial team has taken inspiration from this discussion. FE&S starts the year with a series on the impact of new technology from a front-of-the-house perspective, in this, our January issue, and then tackles the back-of-the-house perspective in February. The conversation begins on page 34 with “Rise of the Machines: How Consumer-Facing Tech is Remaking Restaurants.” We hope that you find it illuminating and useful.

We look forward to seeing many of you at The NAFEM Show, which will take place Feb. 1-3 in Orlando, Fla., where we can continue to explore and discuss this and the many other issues facing the foodservice industry in 2023 and beyond.

All the best,

Maureen