This time the cover story was obvious.

Deciding who should be on the cover is usually a challenge, given all the phenomenal chefs and operators leading full-service restaurants. But Chef Mashama Bailey, with her meteoric success at The Grey, was a given. Really, how many times will a restaurant merit the cover on its one-year anniversary?

As for readers who covet that cover spot, there’s a bit of exciting news—FSR is adding two more issues this year so the magazine will publish monthly. And, in every issue, you’ll see recurring themes that reflect the challenges and opportunities of our times.

Topping the list is the need for talent development and labor resources. Check out the call for operators to proactively embrace diversity, as described in the feature about African-American chefs who lead fine-dining restaurants (page 42), and again, in the story about female sommeliers soaring through the glass ceiling (page 77).

The industry also needs to find ways to motivate young people and encourage culinary careers. On the back page, we’re excited to debut a new column produced in partnership with the ment’or BKB Foundation—the non-profit organization created by chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Jérôme Bocuse, and that inspires culinary excellence in young, aspiring chefs. This month’s column features Chef Philip Tessier, who discusses what it takes to help a young chef develop the mental fortitude to succeed, as he did in working with his 22-year-old commis, Skylar Stover, to achieve an unprecedented result for Team USA at the 2015 Bocuse d’Or competition.

Not to fret: The popular column from The Culinary Institute of America (formerly on the back page) remains a fixture in FSR, and has moved to the front of the book in our Chefs & Ingredients section. This month the column addresses how healthier lifestyle choices can lead to improved performance in the kitchen, which speaks to another theme you’ll read about throughout the year: What restaurants and operators are doing to improve health and nutrition. Some might say it starts with menu labeling, but as the Menu Integrity story on page 50 explains, the prevailing semantics being adopted to describe ingredients and dishes can range from confusing to downright misleading.

Whether we’re talking about restaurant policy, operations, food, beverage, hospitality, or the dining experience, fundamentally the themes and stories become about people—those working in the industry, changing the industry, and in some instances, those fueling the industry with their patronage. I’m always eager to hear your feedback on stories or discuss ideas for topics you’d like us to explore, so please share your thoughts and suggestions.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year.