The Consultant

	The following is a list of important articles published in recent editions of the magazine which are provided here as PDF documents with the permission of the authors.
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BONUS ISSUE - 2005

	Married with Business, by Liz Campbell
	"They say the family that plays together stays together. But what about the family that works together? For most couples it can be a challenge to leave the work behind the doors of the office, especially when that work is as absorbing and all-encompassing as foodservice consulting. What happens when you share keys to that office door?" Read More...
	Hire Minded, a Special Report on Labor, by Mitchell Schechter
	"Despite the decades-long expansion of the U.S. dining-away-from-home market, most workers still regard foodservice jobs as difficult, demeaning and generally undesirable. Why has this situation developed, and what steps can be taken to improve staff recruitment, retention and career development?" Read More...
From Outsider to Insider, by Lisa Acomb
"My experience with Deter­ministics began when I started working with the company and the BEDP in their at­tempts to improve operations efficiency for a minority-owned, quick-serve chain of restaurants in the greater Seattle area, Ezell's Famous Chicken. It was through this initial experience that I first tasted the innovative and responsive company culture that I would grow to appreciate in the months to come." Read More...
Ask the Design Experts, by Liz Campbell
"Chalk up a huge success for FCSI at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Hotel 2005 Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Show. In a smartly-styled area featuring chic curves and catchy signs, FCSI volunteer consultants met with "clients" who needed help with their design challenges." Read More...

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1st QUARTER 2006

Code Watch, by Liz Campbell
"The implications for foodservice consultants run the gamut of design and ventilation issues in areas where smoking is permitted in a limited fashion, to how to train staff to deal with insistent smokers bent on ignoring the regulations. We thought it would be interesting to provide a cross-section of countries and their legislations regarding smoking." Read More...
Liability, by Howard Riell
"Virtually anything at all can be your fault. Now - protect yourself. That is the challenge foodservice operators face every day. For even the best in the business, liability has become a sword of Damocles hanging over nearly everything they do. Protecting one's business from potential ruin has all but become a full-time job." Read More...
Putting the Work in Team Work, by Thomas Costello, FCSI
Tom Costello's project, "Putting the Work in Teamwork," won the 2005 FCSI Award for Excellence in Management Advisory Services. The project challenged managers and service staff to partner with each other to truly engage in "Nth Degree service." Read More...

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2nd QUARTER 2006

	Helping Data Move Intelligently Through the Kitchen, by Bruce Whitehall
	"Most hotels and large foodservice venues rely on computers for jobs like reservations, accounts, payroll and forecasting. But when it comes to managing complex processes in commercial kitchens, IT (information technology) has been something of an outsider. A revolution is brewing in the linkage of equipment to computers." Read More...
	Australian Food, Here and Now, by Sally Hammond
	"Let's make it official. Australian food has grown up. At last the country has thrown off its formerly twitchy homage to other cultures, and now most food critics would agree that the cuisine in the wide brown land 'downunder' is as good as any other, and better than some." Read More...
Dinner at a Snail's Pace, by Liz Campbell
"The Slow Food Manifesto declares itself "a movement to protect the right to taste," and it has declared war on bland diets and destructive agricultural practice, espoused in the name of speed and convenience. Indeed, Slow Food is dedicated to preserving and supporting traditional ways of growing, producing and preparing food." Read More...
Small Footprint Food Service, by Mitchell Schechter
"Designed to capture seasonal demand or provide a maximum selection of products and services from compact, repurposed spaces at high- traffic locations, small - footprint foodservices are proliferating in every market sector. We spoke to designers and operators of such concepts to bring you the latest on their applications, equipment packages and developmental challenges." Read More...

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3rd QUARTER 2006

Power in Numbers, by Jenny Tan
"Dine at your restaurant of choice, and be able to order and sample dishes from other outlets? Yes, it is possible. Restaurants in Asia are discovering the power in numbers and combining efforts to please the fickle dining crowd." Read More...
MAS Communication, by Howard Riell
"Foodservice consultants who specialize in management advisory services (MAS) may well be less equipment-focused than their colleagues. But they still - and increasingly - rely on cutting edge technologies to make their and their clients' jobs easier." Read More...
A Healthy Future for European Foodservice?, by Bruce Whitehall
"Forecasting the kinds of restaurants which European consumers will frequent in five years' time is bedevilled by the fashion factor but the current underlying social dynamics in urban centres virtually everywhere in Europe - notably health concerns, more pressured lifestyles, aging populations and smaller households - seem bound to continue their impact on meal-taking." Read More...

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BONUS ISSUE 2006

	Organic Chemistry, by Howard Riell
	"No matter the reason - the benefits of wholesome, more healthful food and sustainable resources for the optimists, or Mad Cow Disease and pesticide residue for the pessimists - more people are choosing organic foods than ever before. Fueling the growth are rising consumer concern about the integrity of the food supply, governmental standards that clearly define the meaning of the term 'organic' and the greater availability of organic foods through mainstream channels." Read More...
	Shifting the Paradigm, by Liz Campbell
"He started by describing the difference between strategic thinking and scenario thinking. In the relatively stable business climate of the 20th century, companies could plan now and think ahead. But in today's unstable geopolitical and business environment, this is no longer possible. Regulatory requirements are unclear; business opportunities are much more uncertain." Read More...
Designing for Energy Sustainability in a Warming Climate, by Alastair Fuad-Luke and François Tesnière
"At the FCSI 2006 Worldwide Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, Alastair Fuad-Luke and François Tesnière presented a revolutionary look at how climate change affects the foodservice industry. Finding a design that could successfully feed Maré, a small South Pacific island, faced sustainability challenges head-on." Read More...

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4th QUARTER 2006

Eco-gastronomic venture sets new goal-posts for sustainability, By Bruce Whitehall
"You don't have to read many headlines, from global warming to dwindling fuel stocks, to deduce links between profligate consumption of natural resources and looming environmental crises. But should eco-issues be a burning topic for the foodservice industry?" Read More...
Finding New Answers to Europe's Labour Pressures, by Bruce Whitehall
"European hospitality businesses aren't short of problems in most areas of overhead cost - from rocketing energy bills to health and safety bureaucracy. But few issues make as many management demands as the hiring and training of staff." Read More...
Opening the Gate for Tomorrow's Workforce, by Mitchell Schechter
"With the Baby Boomer generation now approaching retirement, immigration altering America's demographics and our national education system struggling to produce students with competent communication and business skills, foodservice operators and consultants are already caught in a labor squeeze." Read More...
Collaboration Makes them Stronger, by Howard Riell
"Peanut butter and jelly. Abbott and Costello. Yin and yang. MAS (management advisory services) and design. Working together, it can be argued, actually makes the final result better and stronger. Some consultants have already discovered that." Read More...

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1st QUARTER 2007

	Making Marketing Pay Off, by Mitchell Schechter
	"Marketing materials may come in many guises, from posters, table tents and signage, to debit card program inducements and custom promotional web sites. But foodservice marketing teams in the U.S. are increasingly focusing on a single objective: To communicate the best possible cost-benefit relationship to customers." Read More...
	Fast Casual Concepts Confront Shrinking Meal Breaks, by Bruce Whitehall
	"Fresh food fast is becoming an increasingly important mantra for European foodservice chains, not just at the grab-and-go outlets which have proliferated in city centres but also at a new generation of volume-geared fast-casual restaurants." Read More...
Build of Fare, by Dominic Zoffranieri
"The main reason for a restaurant is the menu. But at what stage of the development of a new concept, or even a renovation, should the menu come into the planning process?" Read More...
Educating Consultants, by Howard Riell
"Manufacturers taking part in FCSI's Education Provider Program are serving as models of professionalism, and putting the industry first, by foregoing sales pitches and concentrating instead on helping to raise the level of knowledge and service among foodservice consultants worldwide." Read More...
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2nd QUARTER 2007
	Recruitment, Training and Retention by Lisa White
	Without formal university training programs andstructured paths to foodservice consulting,finding and retaining potential new consultants remains a challenge for firms looking to bring new, young blood into the industry. Read More...
	Educational Initiatives in Europe: Taking the Time to Target Talent by Bruce Whitehall
	With more and more competition for bright graduates with potential talent in foodservice design and management, how much effort should FCSI be giving to awareness-building at universities and colleges? The answer in Europe depends both on the size and focus of your practice and on which country you are in. Read More...
Evolving Restaurant by Howard Riell
Chik-fil-A Inc. in Atlanta, the 1,200-unit chickenfocused fast-food chain, wanted a dining facility that would serve its evolving needs for the next 25 years. James Camacho, FCSI, CDT, CSI, of Camacho Associates Inc. provided one and his design won the FCSI Design Award. Read More...
Potency in Partnership: The Role of Management Advisory Services (MAS) by Karen Malody 2007 Best Article by a Consultant member
The shortest distance between idea and design is the MAS consultant. There is nothing more fulfilling for a designer than a fully realized design. But kitchens designed without fully formed concepts and menus already in place are a lot like haute couture - gorgeous modeled, but likely unsuited for individual use. Read More...
Are Foodservice Operators Prepared for Terrorism by Terrorism? by Gary "Lee" Frantz, Ph.D., FMP, Joan. M. Hegerfeld, M.S., Heidi. A. Weinkauf, M.S., & Alyssa M. Bechen, B.S
The extent and level of foodservice operator's preparedness for a terrorism event is an increasing area of concern (Association, 2004). The ability of foodservice establishments to ensure the security of the nation's food supply has resulted in a push to strengthen food defense measures. Threats to food supplies may occur at any level of operation or production. It is the responsibility of both government as well as industry to develop educational materials and programs to ensure that the public food supply is being protected from farm to table (Norton, 2003). Read More...
United States: Catching up with Current Dining Trends by Mitchell Schechter
As the United States continues to incorporate ever more diverse ethnic backgrounds, dining tastes and traditions, and nutritional needs and expectations into its culinary melting pot, noncommercial foodservice operators and consultants are learning to alter programs to ensure authenticity and customer satisfaction. This Market Perspectives column focuses on current and evolving dining trends in higher education and veterans’ healthcare, as well as social changes driving menu development across noncommercial markets. Read More...
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3rd QUARTER 2007
	Innovations in Hospital Foodservice by Lisa White
	Hospital foodservice is not what it used to be. Today’s acute and extended care facilities are bowing to the increased competition for healthcare dollars. As a result, many hospitals are transforming their foodservice programs to better compete, not just with surrounding healthcare facilities, but also with local restaurants. Read More...
Foodservice Trends in China by Paul W. Pi
Foodservice is a complex business, as diverse as geological regions and races. China has been part of the world marketplace for less than 20 years, even though Hong Kong has been a British Colony for more than 150 years. Globalization created a common market allowing us to share common products. Among these, the burger and fried chicken, icons of North American food culture, have taken root in various cities throughout China, followed by Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean food culture. Read More...
Diversity By Design - Creating Community and Longevity in Your Company by Al Da Costa
Workforce Management reports that some of the largest and most successful restaurant operators in the United States measure success in employee retention by a minimal one or two percent reduction on a typical annual turnover of between 90 and 103%. With some notable exceptions, annual turnover in the restaurant industry still remains at more than 100% and the turnover trend in the past five years has continued to move upwards despite massive allocations of funding specifically earmarked for employee retention. Read More...
Asia Pacific: The Name Game by Jenny Tan
Restaurants, bars and clubsin Asia are fast latchingon to internationallyknownbrand names togive them a step up in the competitive scene. Read More...
United States: Optimizing Suppliers' Services by Mitchell Schechter
As foodservice operations grow more complex and cost controls more stringent, the quality and consistency of suppliers’ services i s being judged more critically. Market Perspectives spoke to a pair of leading operators and two veteran design consultants to report current service expectations and their recommendations for improving post-sale support. Read More...
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BONUS ISSUE 2007
	New World Ordering by Steve Coomes
	An ivory Lexus pulled up to a self-order drive-thru kiosk at a Subway restaurant — and rolled three feet beyond the driver’s reach of the order screen. Consultant Francie Mendelsohn, president of Summit Research Associates, was observing how customers used the new kiosk and wondered if the lady behind the wheel simply was nearsighted or about to become the butt of a “woman driver” joke. But when a young boy inside the car rolled down the rear-side window, the scene made perfect sense. “He was placing his family’s order,” she said. “You could tell it was a big thrill for him. The guy who owns the franchise said kids love to do that.” Read More...
New World Craving for Old World Flavors by Steve Coomes
Chris Bianco grew up thinking he knew good pizza, and as a son of The Bronx, N.Y., few could argue with him. But on his first visit to Italy nearly 30 years ago, he experienced an epiphany when he tasted pizza made by methods some 125 years old. “That’s when I understood how ingredients and where they come from are essential to what you make,” he says. “I knew it was about food and about a sense of place, too.” Read More...
All the Food in China by Sally Hammond
Chinese food has long held a certain mystique for Westerners. And while there are some things we still cannot quite handle – how are you, for instance with chicken’s feet, frogs, or fresh snake’s blood? – hundreds of other dishes have us well and truly hooked. Read More...
Consultant Feng Shui by John Cornyn, FCSI & Joyce Fasano, FCSI
Finding and selecting the best consultant for most professional service-oriented assignments is a challenging process that can be fraught with expensive, time-consuming pitfalls. The purpose of this client-oriented article is to suggest that adequate timing and a defined methodology for researching the consultant marketplace can be a mutually rewarding experience. There is an art and sense of balance and harmony to the process suggesting a variation on the Chinese practice of Feng Shui. Read More...
Family Business by Liz Campbell
The family that plays together, stays together. But what about the family that works together? Read More...
The World of Consulting by Scott Legge
I have long held the opinion that the foodservice consulting profession shares more in common with those of other consulting specialties than we typically stop to consider. I would draw a foodservice industry-based analogy to the stance that many clients of our members frequently take: we’re unique. Read More...
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4th QUARTER 2007
	Beijing's Olympic Food Safety Effort by Jeff H. Pi
	The 2008 Olympics will focus the world’s attention on Beijing to an almost microscopic level of detail. Will the country’s foodservice industry be prepared and able to handle the influx? According to the International Olympic Committee, the Beijing 2008 Olympics is expected to bring a record media presence of more than 21,600 accredited journalists – 16,000 broadcasters and 5,600 press and photographers representing more than 200 countries and regions. In addition, another 10,000 non-accredited journalists and over half a million visitors are expected to descend upon the imperial city. Read More...
“R” You Insulated Against the Next Phase (Out)? by Paul Nastari
In 1987, you could buy gas for about a dollar a gallon and the average home price in the United States was $127,200. It was also the year the Montreal Protocol was implemented. The Montreal Protocol was enacted to limit use of ozone depleting substances1. Twenty years later, gas prices have continued to climb, along with the cost of real estate. However, the use of harmful, ozone depleting substances - CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons) and HCFC’s (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) - has actually been declining. One of the many uses of these chemicals is the production of polyurethane foam insulation used in walk-in coolers and freezers2. Read More...
“Eco-design” proposals reflect European sustainability concerns by Bruce Whitehall
With commercial kitchen equipment identified as the proportionately biggest user of energy within the retail sector, European law-makers are beginning to consider the environmental impact of how foodservice appliances are designed, installed, operated and disposed of. These and related issues, including the definitions of commercial and domestic equipment, were discussed at the 2007 assembly in Brussels of EFCEM, the European Foodservice Equipment Makers Association. Read More...
The Evolution of Capacity Management in the Restaurant Industry by Brian Sill, FFCSI
If we go back and look at the history of Capacity Management, we would have to begin with the cottage industry age of the craftsman back in the early 1800’s. The first acknowledgement of the need to understand the term “capacity” was created from two themes. First, owing to a scarcity of labor and the resultant higher wages of the nineteenth century, labor-saving machinery was increasingly introduced to offset the high cost of manual labor and ushered in the era of the Industrial Revolution. And second, as workers were assembled together with these machines to work in what were now known as factories, suddenly the need to “manage” the capacities of workers and machines became critical. This ushered in the age of Frederick Taylor and the discipline of Scientific Management in the late 1800s. Read More...
United States: Where Are You On The Web? by Mitchell Schechter
After roughly a decade of e-mail, web surfing and evolving online networks, leading FCSI consultants and foodservice operators are reporting great changes in the way they work, in business partners expectations for responsiveness and communications, and even in the way they think. Read More...
Canada: In the raw - Examining an unusual health food trend that’s terrific, if you can stick to the rules by Iris Benaroia
Tell someone you’re opening a vegan restaurant and the mood suddenly changes: dull egg-less dishes, blah blended vegetable soups, cardboard carob cake. Cheque, please! But tell them your restaurant is going raw and see what reaction you get. Befuddlement most likely, questions definitely. Read More...
Asia-Pacific: Ideas From A Hot Climate: Beyond Umbrellas by Sally Hammond
It’s the situation every restaurateur covets – outdoor space for tables and chairs, and perhaps, a beautiful view. What could possibly be the problem with that? Plenty, actually. Just ask chefs and restaurant owners in one of the world’s best countries for outdoor dining and coincidentally one of the most difficult - Australia. Read More...

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WHO READS THE CONSULTANT?

The Consultant is distributed to almost 4,500 readers in 46 countries worldwide. They include:

FCSI Consultant Members
Collectively responsible for specifying 1 billion dollars worth of Foodservice equipment and supplies annually, FCSI Consultants help shape the industry across a wide variety of market segments.

FCSI Allied Members
FCSI Allied Members represent the cream of the crop of manufacturers and marketers of equipment and systems that support the consulting community.

ASHFSA Members
American Society for Healthcare Food Service Administrators. ASHFSA members represent over 1,500 healthcare institutions across the United States. 80% are Food Service Administrators or Directors, with 60% controlling departmental budgets of one to five million dollars annually.

SFM Members
The Society for Foodservice Management. SFM members are executives at non-commercial foodservice facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The membership is comprised of 40% Foodservice directors and 60% Foodservice contractors, representing a wide array of Fortune 500 companies and all major contractors.

MAECO Members
The Multi-unit Architects, Engineers & Construction Officers. MAECO is an executive study group of the National Restaurant Association. All members hold full time positions with NRA member restaurants in the architecture, engineering or construction field

FCSI Client Subscriptions
FCSI Consultant members can give these complimentary subscriptions to individual clients, including operators, educators and architects, to help keep them up to date on the latest developments in the foodservice industry.

Other
Other readers include Publishers, members of the press and individual paid subscriptions.

WHERE ARE THEY?
Australia, Austria , Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico , Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.