From the editor: A happier new year

The overwhelming rush to help in the face of disaster. In the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, dozens—if not hundreds—of noncommercial operations in affected areas threw open their doors as feeding centers. That aid extended long past the immediate aftermath; within days of being struck by Hurricane Harvey, Houston Independent School District announced it would serve three free meals a day to each student in the district, an awe-inspiring feat.

Plant-based everything. With health and budgets in mind, more operators are banking on the power of plants, as highlighted in FoodService Director’s annual Chefs’ Council Menu Trends Survey. With grains like amaranth and quinoa popping up at Northern Colorado University for breakfast, and veggie fajita tacos making a bang at lunch among K-12 students at The Muse School in Calabasas, Calif., operators are amping up the non-meat flavors in a way that turns produce into a menu star rather than a side note.

An internal culture of caring. What makes a staff more likely to care for the well-being of its diners and larger community? Feeling a sense of connection and support among one another. During my reporting trip to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for February’s cover story, I sat back and listened with a smile while four assistant directors joked with one another about Christmas gifts and returning from winter break. At Gundersen Health System, December’s Foodservice Operation of the Month, a cultural overhaul put a stop to bullying, increased employee engagement scores and led to a 90% improvement in tray audit accuracy. In both cases, it was clear that staffers felt empowered and valued by their managers, a sentiment I hope I bring to my own team as well.