Tune in for a _ Snacky Tunes _ tradition, as esteemed guest Michael Whiteman is in studio discussing the much debated trends predicted for 2016.

Michael Whiteman, president of the renowned Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Company, is considered this country’s leading food and restaurant consultant.

With his partners of 37 years, he has forged a “world view” of an ever-changing industry. He is respected for a keen sense of architecture, design, social dynamics and consumer taste trends.

His company’s best known projects include master planning and operation of the magical Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Centers and all the restaurants in the New York World Trade Center. He also initiated the renewed Windows on the World project as served as design management and operations consultant there until 11 September 2001.

A much sought-after speaker, he has lectured at Cornell University; at meetings of the International Council of Shopping Centers in three countries; at the Institute of International Research in Singapore; and New York Technical College, as well as for private companies. He recently has appeared at food and beverage conventions for Starwood Hotels Bangkok, Taj Hotels, Mumbai, Club Corporation of America, Austin, Culinary Institute of American, Napa Valley.

He is a Permanent Member of the Corporation of the Culinary Institute of America, sits on the Board of Directors of the Project for Public Spaces, is Advisor to the Board of American Institute of Wine & Food, and is on the Board of Directors of the Greyston Foundation.

His firm has worked around the globe, researching and planning food and beverage services for the Raffles Hotel Group, creating the first fast food courts in Europe and Japan; developing signature restaurants for Hotel Arts Barcelona, the Regent of Sydney and the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel; enhancing visitor experiences at the Metropolitan Museum and National Gallery of Art.

Mr. Whiteman was founding editor of Nation’s Restaurant News, making a young industry’s first newspaper the most powerful trade publication, and giving shape to an industry that was just entering its years of booming growth.

His successes have been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, Business Week, Newsweek, Restaurant-Hospitality, Restaurant Business, Food Arts, and numerous overseas publications.

He acts as mentor and advisor to students in the culinary world. He graduated from Syracuse University and did graduate studies in economics at the New School for Social Research.