New Beginnings

It’s January, the time for resolutions. I won’t bore you with mine—mostly because I haven’t made any. But I do want to share with you what’s new with FoodService Director.

On Feb. 1, we launch a new website. The new site will make it easier than ever to stay informed with the latest industry news and trends, steal ideas, develop menus and learn about who’s shaping the industry.

Features of the site will include such online-only content as Recipe Snapshot, where operators can view all the recipes that correspond with the current—and back—issues of the magazine, and the editors’ blogs: Without a (Hair) Net where I share my take on the trends and challenges facing foodservice operators, with the occasional look at the quirkier side of the industry, and Stories from the Road, where Editorial Director Paul King shares his insights and observations from visits with operators.

The website also has a new time-saving feature—the dashboard. The dashboard has four elements: What’s New (recently added content), Industry News and Opinion (news and the editors’ blogs), Managing Your Business (articles that help you do your job better) and Ideas and Innovation (Design Portfolio and Steal This Idea). The dashboard is intended to serve as a menu board of what FSDs need to know. It’s found on the homepage, but it is also featured in the right-hand column of every other page on the site, allowing readers easy access to the stories they will most often want to reference. To see the first edition of On Your Plate, visit our Facebook page.

We’ve also added a new column to the magazine, On Your Plate. A big part of the dining experience is visual—if your Facebook feed is anything like mine, half of it is made up of photos of food. We want to see, and share, the items you’re serving in your operations and the dishes you’re eating when you dine out. So show off your culinary expertise and snap a photo when you create something fun in your operation. Or show us your favorite dish from your hometown haunt. You can find On Your Plate on the last page of the magazine.

One last addition is Megan Warmouth, as associate editor. Megan is no stranger to FSD. In her capacity as custom content editor, Megan has been writing stories for us for the past couple of months. Now, she’s working full time on the FSD staff. Megan will be covering colleges and B&I. So join me in welcoming Megan. You can reach her at [email protected].