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Hosting a wine tasting at your bar or restaurant can often seem like an intimidating and daunting task, particularly if you are not an expert in all things wine-related. With thousands of years of history and countless wine companies and brands to investigate, even thinking about tapping into the wine industry can seem like an overwhelmingly complex endeavor. But while putting together a good wine tasting does take a bit of time and planning, it can actually be much more manageable than many people may think.

Most restaurant owners hold their breath any time they see a large family walk through the door. They see their establishment turning into pure bedlam with a mom chasing her screaming children around the dining room, knocking over tables and upsetting other patrons. Granted some children are better-behaved than others, but this does not mean you should shy away from making your restaurant a more kid-friendly environment. Kids are customers too and big families can bring in big money for your establishment.

Let’s get right to it. Here are some tips for a better, safer, and easier food slicer experience. The type of food slicer you have should be based on the frequency at which you use it. Light duty slicers are made for use only a few hours or less a day. If you don’t use it very much at all, a manual slicer would be better economically than an electric slicer. If you use it several hours a day, and you might use it for cheeses, a medium duty slicer would be your best option because it will withstand the use. Whether you choose manual or electric for medium duty is  up to you and your preference. Now, if you are going to be using your slicer constantly throughout the day, you will definitely want a heavy duty slicer that can easily withstand constant use and slicing cheese. Be sure that your blade is stainless steel and don’t forget to get a blade sharpener, otherwise, you won’t be able to cut anything after a while.

There is a considerable amount of buzz these days about “Going Green“, but what exactly does that mean? Well “Going Green” is a very broad activity, but in a nutshell is has to do with anything that is environmentally friendly, from using biodegradable cleaning products, recycling, turning off lights when not in use and the list goes on and on.

With the mobile food industry growing at a rapid rate it’s more important than ever for owners of these meals on wheels to utilize social media. Social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are some of the most valuable, and initially free marketing tools available to business owners, allowing them to reach out to potential customers and encouraging current customers to return for your products or services. But in order to get the most effective results there are certain steps you need to take to increase your number of “friends” and “followers.”

Shop JES Restaurant Equipment's Food Truck Category Here.

School is back in session and the cafeterias are busy again. Schools are focusing on feeding kids healthy foods, but how do you know if they are eating off of healthy lunch trays? A lot of schools stopped using the plastic trays when Styrofoam became popular because of how cheap it is for schools to buy. Now, a lot of schools are reverting back to reusable trays because of how un-environmentally friendly Styrofoam is. Styrofoam takes years to decompose and is a leading cause of ocean pollution. Several school districts moved to use paper trays that can be used in compost, but unless the school has a composting facility, these trays also end up in landfills.

A Blessing in Disguise

Last winter, during an overcast and subfreezing afternoon, a neon sign hanging inside Sports Break Grill & Bar threw a fluke spark, and within a few minutes, half the barroom was overrun with flames.

While refrigeration temperatures are an important part of running a food and beverage business, bar beverage chilling is rarely ever addressed. While this may not be very important to a restaurant with a full dinner menu it is something a small bar-focused establishment might want to consider. All alcoholic beverages are not created equal and therefore should not always be stored at a single temperature setting. Separate refrigeration units should have their temperatures set based on whatever type of beverage is being stored in them.

Time to save money again!!  Do you own a restaurant?  One thing that you have in your store is an exhaust hood or two. In the summer time down south it gets hot and humid and sometimes cooling your building can seem impossible. Maybe all that cool air is being sucked out with the hot air from your cooking equipment through the exhaust hood.  Here is a test to see if this is happening in your restaurant.  With all of your exhaust hoods running, make up air included, go to the front of the building open the entrance doors and take note of what you feel.  Did you feel a rush of air come past you, or did you feel resistance when opening the door?  If you did then you have negative pressure in the building and all of your high cost AIR CONDITIONING is being sucked up through the exhaust hood.  Do you want to fix this situation?  If so there are companies that will balance test the building and bring this situation under control.

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.

Commercial ice makers have snot too…

Water snot? Say what! Ok that sounds great but the cold; not so, hard facts are that if you own a commercial ice machine you will develop cold-water algae. The algae will build up on corners and on top of water distribution tubes, drains, drip lines and even in the water sumps. The algae are clear, slick and disgusting organisms that most people don’t want to think about, but they are there.

JES Restaurant Equipment has updated the website to include more filters. This is a major update to help customers find what they are looking for more easily. In most categories, products are now filtered by brands, styles, sizes, colors, and more. Narrow down your choices to find exactly what you need.

Music is one of the more powerful, artistic elements. It affects moods whether they be good or bad. It can soothe or excite. Music is an element all of its on that can either stand alone as the focal point for others or perhaps work as a background element that is conducive to an overall atmosphere.

For many of us the phrase conjures up combined feelings of disgust and intrigue. Some may even remember, fondly yet reluctantly, the men and women stuffing their faces with insane numbers of hot dogs at the local fair. Food challenges, having recently been popularized by the Travel Channel’s “Man Vs. Food,” have become a way for restaurants to establish a name for themselves, draw in new customers and just have fun. Those seeking to conquer these challenges often receive T-shirts, the meal is free, not to mention eternal glory on the wall of fame and bragging rights in the food challenge world. But to this day there still remain food challenges that test the limits of even the most rigorous eaters. Insanely grotesque portions settled on a plate so large that nobody’s mother could tell you to clean. These food challenges have yet to be defeated.

Refrigerator door gaskets probably don’t come to mind every day unless they are falling off.  The seal between the door and the cabinet are very important, they provide a barrier that keeps the warmer outside air from entering the cooler air inside; same concept as the weather stripping on your doors at home.  If the gasket has gone bad (cracked, dry rotted, etc…) and is not creating a tight seal around the door and cabinet body then the compressor is running more and costing you a lot more in energy dollars.

Another frequently asked question we receive is, “what’s the difference between a radiant & lava rock charbroiler?” (often called a chargrill as well). Well the main difference is the way in which the heat is transferred to the food. On a radiant chargrill the burner is positioned under a cast metal radiant from which the heat is radiated towards the food being grilled. The radiant is usually pitched like a roof allowing the excess drippings to run off and not carbonize; although some of the drippings from the meat will actually “burn” and provide that chargrill aroma we are all so familiar with. Lava rock charbroilers use a bed of lava rock positioned above the burners to catch and radiate the heat towards the meat above.

When a restaurant needs to increase revenue , many owners look to quick, surface solutions like charging more money or extending business hours. By overlooking the reasons why a restaurant isn't making the profits it should, it only digs them into a deeper hole. Read on for six unexpected strategies to help increase restaurant sales and keep them up for good.

There are very few foodservice companies that have built as many top brands as Manitowoc Foodservice. With brands like Frymaster, Lincoln, Merrychef, and Manitowoc Ice, Manitowoc is known for great brands and quality products. In 2011 Manitowoc added Cleveland Range to their list of brands. Since they acquired Cleveland Range little has changed until recently. In 2014 Manitowoc dropped the "Range" from Cleveland Ranges name and now they are simply Cleveland and branded the Cleveland Range Combi ovens and steamers as Convotherm. In 2015 they removed the Cleveland Combi ovens from their product list and birthed the brand Convotherm.

There are plenty of tips and tricks for bartenders all around the internet, but most of them boil down to one thing: efficiency. If you can be fast and not use a lot of energy, then you’re going to be able to get a lot more done during a busy night. There are a few ways to improve your efficiency through your supplies, your memory, and your actions.

Hamburgers and hotdogs aren’t the only things suited for the grill. A touch of smoke and caramelizing flames do wonders for fresh vegetables. Grilling vegetables instead of cooking them in other conventional ways often changes the taste and texture and brings out their natural flavors. It can be a great way to get picky, primarily carnivorous friends and family members to enjoy a variety of different foods. Not to mention grilled vegetables make great side dishes for steaks and pork chop dinners to jazz up your meal instead of the traditional french fries or baked potatoes.

Popcorn is a snack enjoyed all around the world. It can be cooked several different ways, but the one of the most popular ways to get it is from a kettle popper. These aren’t just for the movies; there are smaller poppers that can be used for personal use if you’re a big popcorn fan. There are all shapes and sizes with various outputs depending on the need. This guide is to help you figure out which one best suits you. There are a few things to consider before you make your choice.

Back in the day the convenience of meals on wheels was all you needed to gain business for your mobile food service establishment. But with the food truck craze sweeping the nation and hundreds of roaming restaurants in major cities like New York, Atlanta, Minneapolis and even smaller towns, owners are having to kick things up to raise their mobile businesses above the urban jungle of hotdogs, hamburgers and tacos to keep the customers coming.

Summer is at hand, and around our house that means cook-out time…

What are grills? Grills are used to cook food with dry, radiant heat either from above or below. Technically, grilling is when you cook food using high heat over an open flame. Cooking from above is referred to as broiling in the U.S. – but it’s still called grilling the rest of the world over. The difference between grilling and barbecuing is that barbecuing uses lower heat and a closed lid. Some advantages to outdoor cooking might include the following:

It is common knowledge that if consumers are able to recognize your product, they are more likely to buy it. The problem is in making your brand more appealing than others. By associating your product with positive thoughts and a positive buying experience, you are able to stand out among competitors. Exposure and frequency of your brand creates a positive association between the customer and the product. Consumers are more likely to buy what they can see and pick up with little effort. If your food or beverage is on display where they can easily see and access it, they will be more likely to make the purchase.

We are currently overstocked on these Update Intl. TD-1114L Paper Towel Dispensers and have them priced to move.  This manual paper towel dispenser is a great fit for any bathroom, break-room or food prep area where easy access to paper towels is needed.  Get one (or two) today, they are sure to go fast at this incredible price.  Visit our website today and let J.E.S. be the one stop shop for all your commercial restaurant equipment and restaurant supplies.

Before the very first toaster became a household phenomenon in home kitchens, the idea of “toasting” bread over an open flame was discovered and thus toast was born. It has never been determined who invented the first toaster but it was General Electric in 1909 that introduced the very first toaster to the market. Since then, the conventional toaster has taken on many shapes and sizes and now there are a myriad of toasters available to the everyday consumer.

If I mention French porcelain, you envision pink flowers on a traditional Country French plate.  Revol Porcelaine is NOT that French porcelain.  Google the phrase “French porcelain” and you’ll find several companies selling examples of said plates.   Revol France has its headquarters in Saint-Uze, where the Revol brothers started their business and created Revol porcelain in 1789, during the French Revolution. Revol USA is located in Alpharetta, GA.  Very few companies on the planet are thriving after 225 years, let alone still owned by the founding family, but Revol is.  They’ve outlasted governments.  What makes a business so enduring?

Stainless steel is one of the most valuable and durable materials of the industry, restaurant equipment included. That being said, its also one of the greenestmanufacturing materials today. Stainless steel is 100% recyclable, and because it can be recycled without any degradation it is highly sought after. A stainless steel item or appliance retains it is value even after decades of use because of its iron content and other elements.

Built to Dominate the Economy Restaurant Range Market

Southbend was in the house last night and the S Series commercial range made a big impression on the sales team here at J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment .

Quality of water has always been an important factor in the success of any foodservice operation. Between cooking, serving beverages to customers, washing dishes, making ice, and a variety of other tasks, restaurants need to use the cleanest, purest water available to ensure the health and safety of their customers. In 1974, the Environmental Protection Agency passed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to reinforce this idea. The SDWA moves to keep the concentration of chemical and mineral contaminants below the accepted “safe for consumption” values in all sources of public drinking water.

Over the past several decades, small-batch, independently produced beer (sometimes called “craft” beer) has become a major market segment in the beverage industry. Although once controlled almost completely by several big-name “mega-breweries,” the North American beer market is now rife with small but influential breweries, each with their own variety of ales, lagers, and stouts. With new beer being released and new breweries opening every day, offering customers a variety of unique and interesting craft beers has become a highly profitable business venture for many bars and restaurants.

It has always been a mystery to me why people will spend thousands of dollars on  commercial refrigeration like a reach-in refrigerator, reach-in freezer, walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer and never perform preventive maintenance. You would never buy a car and not change the oil would you?  Preventive maintenance is not the cure all but just like changing your oil in the car it is important; preventive maintenance helps the equipment you worked so hard for last longer.  At J.E.S we not only sell commercial restaurant equipment we also have a service department that is cable of providing PM & repair on all major brands of restaurant equipment as well as commercial HVAC.  My guys cover the up state of South Carolina & when it’s the middle of July and 95°+ the service department phone is ringing off the hook with calls from restaurants and other commercial facilities with refrigeration problems a lot of which could have been prevented.  The key to helping your profit dollars go further is to limit repairs, not just ignore the cause of damage… NEGLECT!   Here are a few simple items that I would suggest

As a kid I remember that feeling of excitement that would grow in me as the family vacation would draw closer. The night before we left, I would struggle sleeping, I would wake up early that day, and be in the car ready to go hours before we would pull out of the driveway. As an adult, I still get very excited about vacation. The time to relax, visiting new places, and the food. OH the food! That is my favorite part about vacation as an adult, having the opportunity to try new restaurants. I know, not every restaurant experience is great, but I want to take some time to share a little about my 10 favorite restaurants I have visited traveling this country. And for a bonus, two candy shops in my home state of Virginia that are amazing!

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.

Although once a bit of a rarity in the American foodservice market, artisanal pizza has become quite the trend over the past several decades. â€Å“Craftâ€Â pizza shops have become ubiquitous in our modern cities, and as such, many home cooks have taken to their kitchens to try their hands at making their own homemade pizza. To do so, many people have begun purchasing pizza stones: a simple kitchen gadget that allows one to replicate the effect of cooking pizza in a traditional hearth oven.

Foodservice establishments must sanitize their dishes in one of two ways: chemicals or hot water. While using a low-temperature dishwasher is more energy efficient, the cost of chemicals far outweigh the electric bill making high-temperature dishwashers more common in the restaurant industry.  So why do you need a booster heater?

When talking about kitchen knives , “hardness” is a term that often gets thrown around without stopping to explain what it actually means. Although the term sounds straightforward, it’s not quite as simple as it seems, which often leads to confusion on the consumer’s end when hardness values are listed in a knife’s specifications. Although many cooking enthusiasts (especially home chefs) can select a suitable, quality knife without extensive personal knowledge of the engineering behind the blade, understanding what hardness really means and how it applies to your kitchenware will help make future shopping more accessible.

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 Magic Inside A Glass Of Coke
In 2006 Coca-Cola ran a commercial that imagined the inside of a vending machine as a magical, motorized ecosystem where small creatures prep each bottle of Coke before it’s eventually dispensed. Dust bunnies slobber condensate on the bottle; an industrial fan shreds snowmen into ice flakes, which then blow and stick onto the bottle’s glass; a climactic parade with brass band playing, fireworks exploding, and confetti swaying downwards marches the Coke along a miniature Main Street before sliding it ceremoniously down the vending chute.