Sam Tell Companies has had the privilege of working with some truly incredible clients throughout our 60-year history. One relationship we're particularly proud of is with Carlo's Bakery. With more than a dozen locations across 10 states, Carlo's is more than just a bakery, it's a confectionery institution!

The design of your restaurant kitchen is one of the most important aspects of your establishment—and perhaps the most permanent. Dinnerware can be replaced as styles evolve and menus can be updated to match shifting tastes, but your kitchen is more difficult and expensive to adjust later on. As such, it's important to give careful attention to this crucial component before it’s set in stone (or stainless steel).

Spring is the season of new beginnings for many things, including restaurant dinnerware. Renowned tabletop products manufacturer and distributor Churchill China, one of our most popular vendors, recently launched its stunning spring collection—transporting the beauty and textures of the natural realm onto restaurant tables, everywhere.

When the time comes to start planning the layout of your commercial kitchen, the goal is always to create a space that not only encourages efficient operations in the Back of House (BoH), but also maximizes areas in the Front of House (FoH). Achieving this requires a delicate balance: a kitchen big enough for your staff to work safely and comfortably to serve your guests, but not so large that it wastes space otherwise put to better use for other purposes.

Sam Tell is a family business, with four generations of Tells having worked within the company since its founding in 1956. Our family values extend far beyond our name, however.

Our loyal customers are part of the clan, too. Superstar Chef Josh Capon has been a cherished member of the Sam Tell family for nearly 20 years, and we've proudly watched him establish a remarkable name for himself throughout the restaurant business.

Designing an effective setup for your commercial kitchen is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your foodservice operation remains at the height of its functionality for years to come. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so it will be up to you and your design team to create a configuration that will maximize your effectiveness and delight your customers.

Building a commercial kitchen and watching its evolution into the very heart of your foodservice operation can be extremely exciting. It also demands close attention to details. Such a project not only involves choosing a design that best suits your vision and needs, but as with all businesses, ensuring compliance to a variety of regulatory agency requirements governing a wide range of issues. Add foodservices into the equation, and the necessity of adherence only increases.

The following is a helpful breakdown of several first steps in understanding commercial kitchen design and construction requirements:

As delightful as the very best meal can be, it's unlikely the majority of your restaurant's guests devote much time to fully considering all the moving parts that went into making it so. As any foodservice professional knows, a great dish is the product of the successful coordination of several key steps, each requiring the right tools. The food prep stage needs the right knives, mixing bowls and measuring cups. The service stage demands the correct dinnerware, flatware and glassware. The cooking stage is no exception. Your cookware can either help or hurt the entire process, thus obtaining the proper information to make an informed decision is absolutely critical.

It’s no secret that one of the most important factors a guest considers when forming an opinion about a restaurant is its food. This doesn't mean you should focus so much on the choice of menu items that you overlook other impressionable aspects, however. Another is the dinnerware.

Creating the perfect bar is a lot like creating the perfect cocktail. If the bartender misses an ingredient, it doesn't matter how good the others are—the taste just won't be right. The same goes for the bar's design. Even a well-trained staff using high-end liquor in the right location won't necessarily lead to success if your bar is poorly designed.