Fabio Tantaro, FCSI Professional member and most recently appointed CEO at Specifi, announced the launch of his own private initiative called The Digital Kitchen Collective (TDKC): a think tank focused exclusively on digital technology and innovation within the Foodservice Equipment and Supplies (FE&S) industry. While a number of organizations touch on digital topics as part of broader mandates, TDKC is positioning itself as the first group to make technology and innovation its full, primary focus.
“Digital is part of our world every day, but this industry has never been digital-tech-first,” Fabio Tantaro, founder at The Digital Kitchen Collective, said in its announcement. “Several groups are trying to solve the same problems with different solutions and approaches. We’re stepping up to lead on the digital side of FE&S and in the next weeks I’m personally calling out all the best and brilliant minds in the industry, while I’m building a digital hub where all of that knowledge can finally converge.”
The Collective was formed to close that gap – bringing structure, consistency, and a shared home to conversations that have otherwise been scattered across the industry.
A different kind of institution
“TDKC is structured as an independent, private think-tank rather than an association-driven initiative,” adds Tantaro. “That distinction matters: association-led efforts typically move at the pace of consensus among dues-paying members with competing commercial interests, while an independent body can move faster, tackle harder questions, and publish findings without being shaped by committee. It’s also positioned to take on the kind of pre-competitive work – interoperability standards, energy-efficiency benchmarks, data-sharing practices – that benefits the industry broadly without favoring any single vendor.”
Introducing The Digital Kitchen Collective Hub
At the center of the launch is the Digital Kitchen Collective Hub, an interactive web platform built to serve as the connective infrastructure for the think tank’s community. The Hub brings together four core services:
- Collaboration Hub – A “Yellow Pages”-style directory paired with team collaboration and messaging tools, designed to streamline communication, cut down on email, and help organize onsite and online events.
- Educational Hub – Centralized access to e-books, whitepapers, samples, viewers, and other educational resources relevant to the industry.
- News Hub – A single destination for staying current on technology and innovation news, as well as outcomes from industry associations and working groups.
- Equipment Data Hub – Up-to-date equipment data, including digital objects, spec sheets, and video tutorials, built to support specification and learning processes.
Membership of the Digital Kitchen Collective is free for exclusive members, who will gain access to the platform to share work, ideas, action items, and proposals as the community grows.
More details on membership, programming, and the Hub’s full rollout are expected in the coming weeks.
About The Digital Kitchen Collective
The Digital Kitchen Collective is a private, independent think tank dedicated to advancing digital technology and innovation within the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. Through its Hub platform, TDKC connects members with collaboration tools, education, industry news, and equipment data to accelerate digital transformation across the sector.
For more information visit https://tdkc.io/
