When opening and stocking a restaurant, one of your initial investments will have to be in flatware.  High quality flatware is well-worth the cost upfront, because it’s going to be used constantly and you aren’t going to want to be replacing it frequently.  With that idea in mind, we’ve put together a list of practical tips to extend the life of your commercial flatware.

Since the advent of social media, everyone has been tweeting, facebooking, linking in, etc. The restaurant industry is no exception. Foodies across the nation have been flocking to different social media outlets in order to get a taste of what their favorite restaurants are doing now. It takes a certain amount of creativity to market your restaurant for a higher customer following.

It’s snowing here today, but before we know what hit us, (Ok, it was a snow ball…) summer will be here, and we’ll want to be outside for different reasons.  This brings me to the greatest development since campfires, the outdoor kitchen, which combines two  popular gathering spots, the kitchen and the back yard, in a way that enhances both.

Are you starting a new restaurant, convenience store, cafeteria, bar, or any other business that requires ice? Is your current commercial ice machine becoming a money pit due to excessive service calls and replacement parts? Are you looking to replace that old commercial ice machine with a newer more energy efficient model? Here are some thing to consider when buying a new commercial ice machine: what will I be using the ice for, what type of ice do I need, and how much ice do I need?

With the recent rise in interest of superfoods and fruit-based diet plans, smoothies have become more popular than ever. Once a risky business model at best, dedicated smoothie shops are now opening—and thriving—all over the country. With relatively straightforward lists of ingredients and lots of cross-over between menu offerings, running a smoothie shop requires little overhead and can bring in steady profits, if properly equipped. If you’re thinking about starting up a juice or smoothie shop of your own, here are a few of the necessary items to keep your operation running without a hitch.

Small business restaurants will be looking for a bright future this year. The National Restaurant Association is calling it “…a good time to look at your capital improvement plan.” Now that President Obama has signed the Small Business Jobs & Credit Act of 2010, Section 179 of this law gives a tax break to small businesses. Restaurants and manufacturers can now write off investments in new capital expenditures for up to $500,000. This section gives restaurants an additional incentive to buy restaurant equipment within the next 14 months.

If you are in the restaurant business you know the names Vulcan, Wolf, & Berkel.

For over 130 years, Vulcan has been recognized by chefs and operators throughout the world for top-quality, energy efficient commercial cooking equipment that consistently produces spectacular results.  Today Vulcan is among the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial cooking equipment, with worldwide distribution of the broadest line of gas and electric cooking equipment.  Vulcan’s new slogan boasts “Done to perfection”…. one look at their equipment and you’ll see the perfection they speak of.   Another member of the Vulcan Food Equipment Group is Wolf,  Since 1938 Wolf commercial cooking equipment has provided the food-service industry with simple, trouble-free performance, exceptional durability and outstanding energy efficiency. In even the most demanding kitchen environments, depend on Wolf’s hardworking, easy-to-use products to deliver the superior value your operation needs to succeed.  The third member of the Vulcan Food Equipment Group is Berkel and for over 100 years Berkel has has produced reliable equipment that chefs and operators depend on for consistently great results.  Since 1898 when W.A. Van Berkel, a butcher in Rotterdam of the Netherlands, invented a way to slice more meat to better serve his customers, the Berkel name has been synonymous with slicing.

Some of you may not realize it, but in a typical restaurant the dishwasher consumes over two-thirds of all the water usage. Nearly one-half of the water used in dish washing is consumed by the pre-rinse spray valve.

This year’s NAFEM show in Orlando, Florida has officially begun, with exciting news from Hoshizaki about the newest additions to their ever-expanding lines of high-quality commercial ice machines. This year, Hoshizaki is launching a new square cube ice machine, bringing their already versatile family of ice styles up to 5 different types of crystal clear, commercial grade ice.

Food vendors must prepare food on a daily basis and most of that food is not going to last for an extended period of time; this is why heated food displays are so critical to the restaurant industry-namely fast food establishments and food court vendors. For those of you who are just starting out in the restaurant business, a heated food display is a glass enclosed case that encapsulates and retains heat to keep your already cooked food warm for longer periods of time all while showcasing your food items to customers.

Valentine’s Day is next weekend, and should be a thriving, exciting time for your restaurant, bar, or foodservice operation.  We’ve had some ideas we think can help you make the most of this season.

As of today (February 1st, 2013), Ice-O-Matic is officially implementing their exclusive Rapid Advantage™ program that will give Ice-O-Matic customers an edge over the competition. With the Rapid Advantage™ program, many of Ice-O-Matic’s best-selling ice machines are now available with reduced two-day shipping from select online retailers. The Rapid Advantage™ program ensures that your ice machine is delivered within 48 hours of processing your order for one low flat rate of 50 dollars per delivery address. If, for some reason, the delivery is not fulfilled within the guaranteed 48 hours, the 50 dollar shipping charge will be fully refunded to you at no cost.

Ice-O-Matic has recently started a new marketing initiative to help inform customers about their ice machines and provide the information needed to help shoppers determine what sort of ice machine will best suit their particular needs. Here are a few of the talking points from the Ice Cold Truth on Ice Machines campaign that explain why Ice-O-Matic is currently one of the best choices in ice-making technology:

I don’t think I need to tell you that Valentine’s Day is a busy time for restaurant owners. It’s a hectic day and if you aren’t prepared, your restaurant could end up embarrassing itself — no one wants that. So before the big day rolls around, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

The Prodigy ice machines from Scotsman are the smartest ice machines on the planet, and here’s why:

1 Cost Saving Efficiency:  Prodigy cubers use significantly less energy and water than traditional ice machines, making them among the first cubers to exceed both the 2008 California Energy Commission and 2010 Federal energy efficiency regulations by up to 22%.  That’s up to 28% more than their nearest competitor.

Control Flame Flareups - Only on an EmberGlo Broiler!
Watch behind the scenes footage and interviews of Chicago's own manufacturer, EmberGlo. Meet the visionaries and watch the broiler and "Flaretrol" in action! See char-broiling at its finest with steaks, sausages, and veggies!

Wooden utensils are standard kitchen fare, so caring for them properly is a topic that’s going to naturally arise.   I never expected it to be controversial, but in some ways, it is.  Here are some pointers about caring for them.

Panini Sandwiches are all the rage & it seems like everyone has them on the menu now… shouldn’t you?

J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment is your one stop shop for all your restaurant supplies and we have some great deals on commercial toasters.