FACTS ABOUT J.E.S. RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT PART ONE
Did you know that J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment is a woman-owned commercial restaurant equipment dealer? In 2007, the Census Bureau reported 7.8 million businesses, which accounted for 28.7 percent of all businesses nationwide, to be owned by women. These businesses generated about 3.9% of all business receipts nationwide. Woman-owned businesses were fairly constant from state to state. In every state, women owned at least a fifth of the businesses and the percentage exceeded 30% in several states.
The exponential growth of women-owned businesses at a time when other private businesses were losing jobs only strengthened their importance in the economy. Businesses that are fully women-owned or for the majority owned by women grew at nearly twice the rate of all U.S. firms. During this same time period, employment among women-owned firms grew .4% and the annual sales grew 4.4%.
Here are a few facts you may not know about women-owned businesses:
- Women business owners are very philanthropic. Seven out of ten women business owners volunteer for charitable events at least once per month. 31% of women contribute $5,000 or more annually to a charity. 15% give $10,000 or more.
- Over half of all women business owners contribute in excess of $25,000 annually to charity—including 19% who give $100,000 or more.
- 61% of women and 55% of men use the Internet for business purposes. Among internet users, 50% of women and 54% of men-owned firms have web sites.
- Women-owned firms show more gender equity. Women business owners employ a roughly gender-balanced workforce (52% women and 48% men).
- 86% of women entrepreneurs say they use the same products and services at home that they do in their business, for familiarity and convenience.
We here at J.E.S. proudly support the continual growth of woman-owned and other minority owned businesses.
TAXATION WITH MITIGATION? | SALES TAX MAY HIT THE WEB SOON
For the past 10 years, e-commerce has been looked at as the “Wild West” of the marketplace. This has never been more the case than with sales tax. So far retailers aren’t required to collect taxes on out-of-state transactions. It has more or less been up to the consumer to calculate their taxes and send them in on their own. This ambiguity is about to reach its turning point.
A bill has been introduced to the Senate known as the “Marketplace Fairness Act”. Four senators, Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) and Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota), all support this new act which, if passed, will require all retailers to collect sales tax on out-of-state transactions instead of relying on the consumer to report their own purchase. This bill excludes any businesses that make less than $500,000 in total out-of-state sales in a year.
If the bill were to pass, there would be two ways the states would be able to collect sales tax: They could become member states of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA) and would then require out-of-state sellers to collect and send sales and use taxes after 90 days.
For other states that do not wish to join the SSUTA, they can collect taxes by adopting certain minimum simplification requirements. It also would provide sellers with additional notices on collection requirements.
So what does all this mean for the consumer?
What used to be a blissful, tax free buy would be increased to adhere to tax laws, which means consumers will be forced to pay more for their products. This will also mean that the consumer won’t have to pay for your state use taxes at the end of the year. This would mean there is no net increase.
Some major e-commerce sites, like Amazon.com, consider this to be a win-win. The states are required to simplify their sales tax rules to adopt the new rules; this will reduce the problems most businesses in-state and out-of-state have with taxation. Others, like eBay, have reportedly expressed displeasure with it arguing that small businesses would not be sufficiently protected.
Most believe this will open up more of an “even playing field” for brick-and-mortar mom and pop stores who have to charge 5-10% extra. Although this bill has yet to be passed, it shows us just where eCommerce is headed in the near future and will perhaps clear up any uncertainty that is going on in the “Wild West”.
SHINE LIKE A NEON, SAVE LIKE AN LED | iCATCHER 3D LED SIGN
LEDR-2113-OP-RB "The iCatcher"
As a restaurant owner, any and every detail should be important to you. This could range from the type of commercial dishwasher you choose to buy for your commercial kitchen to the type of floor mat you choose to lay out in the entrance way of your establishment. Your open sign, the one thing that will draw your customers in or turn them away, is no exception.
Nowadays all restaurants are looking to be more environmentally-friendly and rightfully so. Energy consumption is a growing issue and more eating establishments are turning toward products that will save them the most money in the long run. The advent of LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights have proven to reap huge benefits for consumers by saving energy cost. The average ultra-bright LED light only consumes energy one-tenth of what a watt per light source would. This equals to a potential energy savings of 95% over other lighting methods, with a lifespan 10 times longer than that of a regular light bulb.
With that being said, more business owners (namely restaurant owners) have moved towards LED lights to light up their business with open signs and other signs to draw in customers. The drawback most restaurant owners have with LED signs are the faint, almost insignificant appearance these signs give, which is never a problem with their neon counterparts. So, the question now is how do you gain the energy benefits of an LED light while giving the lustrous glow of a neon sign?
International Patterns has the answer to this question. They have introduced the new “iCatcher” 3-D LED Open sign. This illuminated sign displays the prominent glow of a neon sign with the
Shown lit up
energy conservation of the LED bulbs that power it. The sign's covering is made of a thick plastic tubing that proves more durable than most fragile neon signs. If a customer slams your door coming into your restaurant, then most neon signs have a tendency to shatter. The iCatcher's durable plastic makes it nearly impossible to break and can withstand the hardest of impact. This 3-D LED sign has a blinking capability, which aren't featured on any neon signs.
We all know LED lights are green-friendly. The iCatcher is guaranteed to use less than $4 dollars a year in electricity. It has an extremely low-voltage and power consumption. Best of all, there are no mercury or UV emissions for this sign. Many other notable companies like Budweiser, Disney, and Google have turned to 3-D LED signs for their company logo.
J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment is a proud distributor of International Patterns and the iCatcher. This sign is easy to ship with its compact size and light weight design.
WHAT IS SOUS VIDE COOKING AND HOW DOES IT WORK? | SOUS VIDE
Vacuum Sealing in Sous Vide Cooking
I was perusing through our website one day when I noticed one of our customer's commenting on a Cambro food storage container he recently purchased for sous vide cooking. I started thinking how great of a blog topic this would be for those who have never heard of such a process.
What is Sous Vide Cooking?
Sous Vide is French for “under vacuum”. This process is a method of low temperature cooking where by food is cooked at a very controlled temperature which is consequently the same temperature the food will be served. This differs from any other cooking method where high heat is used to cook your food products. For example, you would normally cook a steak on a hot grill or oven at 400-500 degrees and pull it off at the right moment when the middle has reached 131°F. This results in a bull's eye effect of burnt meat on the outside turning to medium rare in the middle; however, a sous vide cooked steak would be cooked at 131°F over a course of several hours. This will result in the entire piece of meat to be cooked medium rare.
Sous Vide cooking started in the 1970s in France and is the process of cooking vacuum sealed (hence the name) food in a low temperature water bath. The advantage of sous vide cooking is that it gives your food great texture and produces thoroughly cooked foods.
How does Sous Vide Cooking work?
You must first put your food contents inside a vacuum seal bag, like the Fleetwood Slicing Vacuum Pouches; these bags are specially made for sous vide cooking techniques and most come in 1000 per case. It's ideal to use a vacuum sealer at this stage. Vacuum sealers, like the EUROVM16, take the food inside of the bag
VM16 Eurodib USA Orbed Vacuum Machine
and remove the air from the bag. This is accomplished by a fan inside the sealer much like the fan found in a vacuum cleaner, which pulls the air from the bag and prevents any excess air from entering it. The plastic of the sealing bag will typically conform to the shape of whatever is being sealed inside of it. After this is accomplished, the air then needs to be sealed from the vacuum sealer to prevent more air from getting in. This is accomplished by the use of a heated sealing surface. The heated surface presses the bag closed and applies heat to the bag to slightly melt the plastic, which creates an airtight seal that can't be simply pulled apart.
Now that you have sealed your foods, it's time to heat the water bath. This process can only be achieved through a device that will allow a stable temperature of water, so the greater the volume and more even the heat, the better. Ideally, rice cookers, like the Admiral Craft RC-E50, or a slow cooker, like the Kitchen Aid KSC700SS, are used in this process.
Fleetwood Slicing Vacuum Pouches 6" x 10"
A good example of Sous Vide Cooking are 72-Hour Short Ribs. Cooking meat at a low temp turns the meat's connective tissue into tender, mouth-coating deliciousness. The reason being the firm collagen proteins of the meat start to denature and turn into a softer gelatin. Cooking at high temperatures would cause the muscle fibers of the meat to toughen. The browning of all steaks are caused by high heat, so you'll be lifting a pale, soft piece of meat out of your water bath when it's done. Therefore, the browning part is done after the Sous Vide technique is finished. You would cook your meat at 55°C for 72 Hours. At the end of the cooking process, get a cast-iron skillet as hot as you can. Then remove the meat from the water bath and open the bag. Oil the skillet and immediately add the meat, turning it with tongs just until it is nicely browned on each side.
We at J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment have a great selection of sous vide cooking products available for our customers. If you have further questions regarding sous vide cooking, please contact us toll free (866) 200-6056.
A COOL DEAL ON ICE-O-MATIC ICE SERIES | SEVEN YEAR REBATE ON WATER FILTER
Summer is in full swing and that means that most of you are wanting to enjoy the cold, refreshing taste of crystal clear ice immersed in your favorite beverage in a cool, perspiring glass. Ice-O-Matic, a leading manufacturer in ice machines, has a full range of cube ice machines known as the ICE Series. These machines are built with two options: modular or self-contained.
The self-contained units are mostly under counter ice makers and are ideal for application in smaller spaces like bars, coffee shops, wait stations, and even residential car ports. The self-contained, cube-style commercial ice machines are available in half or full cubes.
The modular cube style ice machines have a high reliability and low-maintenance. They are available in both half-cube or full-cube styles.
Ice-O-Matic ICEU150HA Undercounter Ice Machine
These Ice-O-Matic ice makers are made from stainless steel on the inside and a combination of stainless steel and industrial-grade molding on the outside. The cube evaporator for these machines has a combination of copper core for superior conductivity with electroless nickel plating to resist the damaging effects of water and ice over an extended period of time.
Another feature of these great machines are the antimicrobial protection to prevent bacteria and slime fungi. This is used to protect the longevity of the machine and the Ice-O-Matic optional water filtration system provides protection against unpleasant tastes, odors, and scale formation.
The best part of buying one of Ice-O-Matic's Ice Series Cube Ice Makers is the seven year warranty they provide. If you purchase an Ice-O-Matic water filter with a new ICE series Cube commercial ice maker and replace the water filter cartridge every six months, then the evaporator warranty is extended to seven years parts and labor.
We here at J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment are a proud distributor of Ice-O-Matic commercial ice machines and all of our Ice-O-Matic cube style ice machines have an evaporator with a seven year parts and labor warranty.
Sephra Chocolate Fountains
Make your event special with the Sephra Chocolate Fountain. Sephra Chocolate Fountains are recognized worldwide as being the highest quality chocolate fountain available. Their fountains run quietly and deliver a beautiful cascade of chocolate. They offer four models of chocolate
fountains for commercial use, 3 models of home fountains for entertaining your family and friends. Sephra chocolate for there chocolate fountains was specifically created to flow perfectly without the addition of oil to the chocolate. Since their inception in 2003, Sephra has set the standard for innovation and quality in the chocolate fountain industry. They are family owned and operated and as they researched the history of chocolate, they decided to name their chocolate fountains after names associated with the Aztec nation. The Aztecs as history records, were the first people who highly valued the cocoa bean and deemed the chocolate drink they created to be the “Drink Of The Gods”. Sephra offers four different sizes of commercial chocolate fountains ranging from 44 inches in height to 23 inches. The names are respectively: The Sephra, The Montezuma, The Aztec and The Cortez. Sephra currently holds four patents which cover multiple design innovations that enhance the functionality of the chocolate fountain and improve the sanitary features. No other chocolate fountains compare to their unique features which make set-up and cleaning very simple. In addition to their commercial line of chocolate fountains, Sephra has created a line of consumer chocolate fountains. Their Sephra home fountains are
unequaled in quality and are designed to provide hours of enjoyment over the years. Because of the strength of The Sephra motor and their patented design features, the flow of chocolate in their fountains is perfect, creating a full curtain of chocolate cascading over the tiers. Regardless of the event The Sephra Chocolate Fountain will become the center of attention. Here at JES we are a proud representative of Sephra products.
Apex Fountains
Make your wedding, corporate event or parties even more special with an Apex Fountain! Apex Fountain has been in business for 60 years and counting. They are the recognized leader in manufacturing of high quality banquet displays and serving products. Apex Fountains carries an extensive line of catering and banquet equipment including, beverage fountains, punch bowls and tiered serving trays. The appearance of Apex Fountains sets the standard of excellence in the industry with their design, engineering, and manufacturing including the origination of new products finishes and processes. All Apex products are available in a variety of metals and finishes including anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and elegant nickle-plate. Innovation and expertise are hallmarks of Apex Fountains. Apex is the supplier of choice for the finest hotels, restaurants, and banquet halls in the world. Apex
Fountains are crafted in the United States Of America. Their customers are assured of the most exquisite products for the most elegant affairs. All Apex products sold and manufactured by Apex are tested and certified for performance, reliability and profit. JES Restaurant Equipment is a proud representative of Apex Fountains!
R&V Works- (FF2-S) Cajun Fryer
Chicken, fish or fries this fryer does It all. Brought to you by R&V Works this Super 6 gallon capacity fryer is all you need to fry it up. This fryer comes with 2- baskets so you can load them whatever you may want to fry. This fryer is very versatile and requires very little maintenance, and the quality is phenomenal. The success of these fryers comes from the design of the Burner/Flue. The Burner is positioned 6" above the bottom of the oil reservoir and is at a 45 degree angle. This prevents the food batter from collecting on the burner and allows it to fall to the bottom of
the reservoir. Since heat rises, the bottom never gets hotter than 120 degrees, which isn't hot enough to burn or scorch the batter. This keeps the oil clean, cooking after cooking. Fire burns inside the tubes to heat the oil, since heat rises, the cooking chamber is able to reach temperatures sufficient enough to fry any type of food without heating the oil in the VEE. The meal and sediments from food and batter collects in the VEE below the burner tubes--the coolest area on of the fryer (Will never get hotter than 120 F). If you are looking for a fryer look no further than JES we are a proud carrier of R&V Works products!
Visit Us On The Web at http://www.jesrestaurantequipment.com/index.php Or Give Us A Call Toll-Free at 866-200-6056
Bake Max Planetary Mixer 20 Qt.
It doesn’t matter if you are mixing cookie dough or pizza dough this Bake Max Planetary Mixer is for you! Lets talk a little about some features of this 20 qt capacity mixer. It is counter-top and gear driven, and 3 speed, it has a safety guard with a stainless steel bowl. Also comes with dough hook, whip and flat beater and has a #12 HUB. This mixer is made of metal and die-cast aluminum. The transmission is made of hardened allow steel gears for the toughest of mixing jobs. The simple hand lift tool change and bowl removal make sit easier to remove the bowl from the mixer and empty your dough. The safety guard is standard and provides automatic shutoff when guard is opened at any speed. This mixer provides durability, long life and a excellent mixing performance. We also Offer many Attachments that will fit
the Bake Max Planetary Mixer here at JES Restaurant Equipment!
CHEF PHIL ON THE HOLLAND GRILL | OUTDOOR GRILLS
A wise man once told me,"it's what you learn when you think you know it all that counts". I never professed to knowing it all, but when it came to grilling food over an open flame I knew I could hold my own. It was only after a recent visit from Chad our representative for the Holland Grill Company, that led me to believe otherwise. He opened my eyes to a brand new concept in char-broiling, while opening my taste buds to some of the most succulent meats I've ever had on an outdoor grill.
The smorgasbord of grilled meats he served included pork chops, chicken thighs and breasts. They were as moist as if they had been slow-cooked and brought right out of the oven. With the lid down, an entire chicken simmered on the Holland grate undisturbed. I was taken aback by the fact that Chad not once felt the need to at least turn the meat; however, in just over an hour the entire bird came out cooked to perfection. The skin was crisp and flavorful while the meat itself held in a moist flavor— just the way I like it.
Aside from all Holland Grill products being made in America, these beauties have several other great features that are sure to win you over. The Patriot BH421-CG-1 has a heavy stainless steel charcoal tray trap door that makes adding more charcoal a breeze. There are four adjustable air vents that allow for temperature control. With this indirect convection style of
"The Patriot" Holland Grill BH421CG1
grilling, one is not limited to meats alone. You can also cook pizzas, apple pies and even chocolate chip cookies on these state of the art grills. One of the best thing about all Holland grills are there no flair up guarantee. The Wrangler BH421AG7 is a gas model grill that has a solid aluminum bottom shell that also helps prevent rusting. Aside from these grills being great for grilling and smoking, they can also be used as a steamer for seafood, ribs, pork loins, and other meats. In order to utilize this aspect of the grill, you should close the drain valve of your grill. Then open the lid and fill the drip pan with about a half gallon of water. You should then properly light the grill, close the lid and let it preheat to 15 or 20 minutes until you see steam coming from the smoke stack. After this, stick your food on the grid and close the lid.
Once you purchase your new Holland Grill, this summer you'll want to turn your patio into an outdoor kitchen. I could go on forever about the
"The Wrangler" Holland Grill BH421AG7
features and great accessories these grills have to offer, but consequently, I'm sure I would be leaving something out. Instead, I suggest you watch my Holland Grill video for further information. J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment is a proud distributor of the Holland Grill Company and they have an informative sales staff willing to provide you with all the necessary information you need before making your purchase on a Holland Grill. Give them a call toll free at (866)-200-6056. If you happen to be local to South Carolina, I would suggest you stop by their showroom and find their full line of grills and accessories from the Holland Grill Company.
One more thing, when I was looking to buy a recliner the salesperson told me not to buy a La-Z-Boy, because if I didn't buy the La-Z-Boy, then I would always know there was something better on the market. I believe the same concept holds true for char-broilers.
Thanks for reading!
Chef Phil