CAREER-LONG LEARNING
Why education is the beating heart of foodservice consulting
In an industry shaped by rapid technological change, shifting client expectations and evolving consumer behavior, the thirst to keep learning is what defines successful foodservice consultants
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n this roundtable, recorded at the FCSI Te Americas 2026 Conference in Phoenix,
Arizona, US, on April 23, and supported by Middleby, leading voices from across consulting and manufacturing discussed why education must remain central to the Society – and also how the FCSI Educational Foundation (EF) is helping to build a more structured, visible future for the profession.
MJ Why is educating oneself so vital to the function of being a
foodservice consultant? KH Te industry is evolving every minute of every day, and if you don’t stay on top of education and learning everything that’s going on around you, you’re basically behind. You’re never going to catch up unless you’re continuing to be on top of the game. It’s not just foodservice either – adjacency markets and generational behavior all impact
what we do. SC Te pace of change, the new knowledge, information
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and innovation, is happening so much faster than it’s ever happened before. You have to keep learning and you have to
keep engaged. SA We’re in an industry that’s not standing still. Technology is changing, sustainability is changing, the way people think about food and space is changing – really fast. Te only way to keep up is to learn.
MJ Can you talk about the tangible and intangible value that being better educated brings to your clients and
projects? TM I tend to be a bit of a technology geek, so I’m always trying to keep up on new technology within the
equipment and what’s going on in that space, and how that helps the clients meet their goal better. I’m also constantly looking at what the food trends are and how equipment advances help them get there in a
meaningful manner. SA: When you’re better informed, you’re sharper, you have more wisdom, and you get back to your clients with that wisdom as well. What raises the bar for the profession is when members are going home better educated – the projects are better, and foodservice as a discipline is going to be much better.
MJ: Why is being intellectually curious such an essential part
of the DNA of a consultant? SC: You really have to have an open mind. I thought something was one way, and then I see it and go, ‘Oh no, it’s not.’ I’m always looking at how problems are solved – even tiny things can teach you something.
“The pace of change, the new knowledge, information and innovation, is happening so much faster than it’s ever happened before. You have to keep learning and you have to keep engaged”
KH: You need to stay curious. You need to ask why. Never take anything at face value. If we don’t ask why and are not curious, there’s no growth. Te
world just stops moving. SA: Te moment you stop being curious, you stop growing.
MJ: How do you absorb
information best? SA: Some of my best insights have come just sitting down with a colleague. I get a lot of learning done by doing – walking through a well-
PHOTOGRAPHY: FUZE
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