Whether you’re new to the New York City restaurant scene or you're a seasoned executive chef with Michelin stars, having the right restaurant equipment list is crucial to your eatery’s success.
There are so many different categories of restaurant equipment—and quite honestly, it can be easy to get lost in the sauce. Of course, there’s large-scale equipment like oven ranges and refrigeration units that you need for food prep and storage, but there’s so much more beyond those heavy duty pieces of equipment.
And though you might think Sam Tell only deals in heavy duty items and kitchen design, we also have every single back-of-house smallware you could possibly need to make your kitchen run smoothly. While our list of smallwares is essentially endless, we’ve gathered the 35 most important pieces of equipment that you might not know we have in stock!
Presented in no particular order (because all smallwares are important), here’s the back-of-house smallwares your New York City restaurant kitchen needs!
1. Chef Knife
Stainless, high-carbon steel is the versatile kitchen buddy for every New York City restaurant.
2. Kitchen Shears
Cut through poultry—and anything else—with these stainless steel, serrated, detachable blades.
3. Utility Tongs
Spring-action utility tongs are heavy duty stainless steel, perfect for a fast-paced prep kitchen.
4. Ladles
From sauces to soups, there are many differently sized ladles to simplify serving.
5. Steam Table Pan
Increase the versatility of your commercial steam table set up with a stainless steel steam table pan.
6. Mandoline
Careful with your fingers! A mandoline makes quick work of potatoes, zucchini, and more.
7. Pocket Thermometer
Quickly check the temperature of any meat dish to ensure it’s safe for customer consumption.
8. Refrigerator/Freezer Thermometer
Keep your refrigeration units honest, thereby protecting your food supplies from spoilage.
9. Microplane Zester
One of the unsung heroes of the New York City restaurant scene, zesters are great at grating lemon, garlic, ginger, and more.
10. Spatulas
With silicone rubber blades, a collection of spatulas protect your cookware and can be used in multiple applications.
11. Solid Serving Spoon
Keep multiple solid, stainless steel serving spoons on hand in the back of house.
12. Perforated Serving Spoon
Perforated for when you want all of the solid and none of the liquid.
13. Whisk
Multiple sizes of whisks are necessary for preparing large concoctions or smaller, delicate preparations.
14. Skimmer
Use your food skimmer to remove whole herbs and spices from broths and stocks, or pull dumplings and pasta from the pot.
15. Bread/Sandwich Knife
Slice sandwiches in your kitchen quickly, and without destroying the bread.
16. Measuring Spoons
When the recipe calls for precise measurements, utilize a set of stainless steel measuring spoons.
17. Small Measuring Cups
Multiple sizes enable you to prepare an array of portions in the back of house of your restaurant.
18. Large Measuring Cups
Available in 1 gallon, 1 quart and 1 pint models, clear polycarbonate cups are dishwasher safe.
19. Food Storage Containers/Lids
Keep food fresh and safe in these containers that can fit into a multitude of back-of-house storage units. 
20. Immersion Blender
Make quick work of smoothies, eggs, soups, dressings, and more with an electric immersion blender. 
21. Commercial Food Blender
For those bigger blending jobs, a commercial-sized blender is an essential component of a NYC restaurant.
22. Chinois Strainer
Use to strain custards, purees, soups, and sauces, while producing an exceedingly smooth texture.
23. Dough/Cookie Cutter
Perfect for pastry chefs of the New York restaurant scene, this set of cutters come in multiple sizes.
24. Food Pan/Cover
Whether stainless steel or polycarbonate clear, food pans come in a seemingly endless array of sizes, all ideal for prep kitchen steam tables.
25. Metal Mixing Bowls
The more you have of these on hand the better, as it allows you to create dishes in the kitchen without waiting for a wash.
26. Sheet Pan
One of the most important back-of-house smallwares, sheet pans are essential—in fact, you should have at least a dozen sheet pans in your NYC restaurant kitchen.
27. Wire Pan Rack
Allows air to circulate completely around whatever is on it, meaning it can help pans or baked goods cool faster. When used in the oven, wire racks allow the hot air to circulate, leading to more even cooking.
28. Sizzle Platter
Quickly toast nuts, melt cheese on a sandwich, and broil protein. The oval-shaped platters have a raised lip to prevent spillage, and are lightweight and stackable.
29. Cutting Board
A thick cutting board made of an anti‐microbial rubber compound will take a beating in the restaurant kitchen without splintering.
30. Cutting Board Rack
Draining racks for cutting boards allow for quick drying, ensuring you always have a clean work surface.
31. Electronic Timer
Keep track of every dish, preparation, and dinner service with a jumbo readout timer that has a magnetic and stand positioning option. 
32. Squeeze Bottle
Makes dispensing condiments and sauces easy and convenient, while also helping to ensure portion control.
33. Microwave Oven
Often the unsung hero of the prep kitchen, the microwave is as versatile of a tool as it gets.
34. Check Spindle
Keep track of all those checks that tend to pile up in NYC restaurants.
35. China Cap
Offers standard straining in the back-of-house setting. Strains pulp, seeds, herbs, and food from juices and soups.
Stock Your NYC Restaurant Kitchen Today!
Don’t get caught without these essential kitchen supplies in your NYC kitchen! Contact your Sam Tell sales representative today.
