5 Questions With Joseph Schumaker

1. How does your catering experience influence your design work?

There’s nothing better than firsthand experience. In my years growing a catering business before developing the design firm, I worked the front-of-house and back-of-house, and trained in bar service. Those experiences helped me understand there’s a lot more to a successful operation than just the right food ingredients. It gave me the ability to think about design from the perspective of the operator, the owner and the guest simultaneously. From that, I work to design kitchens that are both efficient and productive, while bringing to life the experience the operator is looking for. When you think about the total experience, your participation is higher, profit margins are better and the operation runs smoother.

2. What drives you in the work you do day to day?

I had somewhat of an epiphany on a trip to China in 2015. I found myself doing some soul searching while standing on the Great Wall, and realized what I really liked was the convergence of architecture, the food, the people and how the food gets on the plate. Then I started FoodSpace, and now I get to bring all those parts of the industry together. I’m lucky that I found the thing that brings me joy—and that’s connecting people through food. It’s not glamorous, and some days are incredibly hard, but I love that there’s so much variety in what we do.

3. What inspired you to build a test kitchen at FoodSpace?

It’s pretty rare for consultants to have a test kitchen, but I felt it was worth the investment. It provides a space for us to educate ourselves and get hands-on experience with the equipment. That way, when we recommend equipment to clients, we can feel confident that we’re giving them the best option for their particular experience, considering things such as training, labor, production, menu, space and budget.

4. You created a charity event, Pars and Paella with a Purpose. What have you found to be rewarding in this experience?

The golf tournament is only in its second year, but it’s been such an exciting event. This year, the event will raise money for the FCSI Educational Foundation and Life’s Kitchen, which provides foodservice job training for young adults, as well as serves meals to in-need Idahoans. But it’s also a great way to bring people together through food. We have sponsors and participants from all aspects of the business: dealers, manufacturers and their reps, operators, architects and others. When we break bread and share our experiences, it’s amazing the thoughts and ideas that come out of it.

5. What excites you about the future of the foodservice industry?

I got my start in Silicon Valley, and have always been really inspired by technology. So it’s easy for me to say what I’m excited about is the advances being made in robotics, automation and AI in foodservice. But at the same time, we need to take a deep breath and realize that people will always be the heart of hospitality. AI and automation are not replacing people; the value is in automating dangerous or monotonous tasks in the kitchen and allowing people to create a wonderful plate of food and experience for their guests.