Opening a restaurant in New York City is an exciting, yet complex journey.  Between securing permits, finding the right location, hiring staff, and designing a standout concept, there's a lot to juggle before the first plate ever hits the pass.

Recently, The New York Times explored this very process in its interactive feature, "Opening a Restaurant in New York Is No Picnic." The article shines a light on the many challenges restauranteurs face, but it overlooks one crucial part of the story: what happens behind the scenes.

That's where Sam Tell comes in.

For over 60 years, Sam Tell has helped bring New York's most ambitious restaurant visions to life.  While others handle the front-of-house details, we build the back-of-house foundation, designing efficient kitchens, sourcing top-tier equipment, and ensuring every tool and tabletop piece is ready for day one.

Whether you're opening your first concept or your fifth, our team of experts knows what it takes to make a restaurant launch successful from start to finish.

There's no better time to give your refrigeration units a good cleaning than on National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! Whether you're running a fast-paced commercial kitchen, or just trying to stay ahead on regular maintenance, keeping your refrigerators clean and efficient is essential, not just for food safety, but for performance and longevity of the unit.

Here are some tips from Continental Refrigerator, a leader in commercial refrigeration, to help you clean smarter and keep your units running like new.

As the foodservice industry continues to evolve, operators are looking for smarter, more sustainable solutions that help future-proof their kitchens.  With gas bans expanding in new construction and sustainability becoming a top priority, electric equipment has quickly emerged as the standard for modern kitchens.

Serving commercial kitchens since 1996, Spring USA, together with Equipex, offers one of the industry's largest portfolios of countertop cooking and finishing equipment.  With more than 70 possible configurations of panini grills, a variety of ovens and grills, and a wide selection of low powered 120V countertop equipment, they deliver solutions that meet nearly any space, budget, or requirement.

They're leading this transformation with a full lineup of high-performance electric equipment, from induction units and cooktops to convection ovens and finishing ovens, all designed to deliver reliability, energy efficiency, and compliance without compromise.

From the North Shore to the Hamptons, Long Island Restaurant Week is back, bringing together the region's top dining destinations for a week of flavor, creativity, and community. As proud partners to many of Long Island's standout restaurants, Sam Tell is excited to spotlight a few of our customers who are serving up unforgettable meals and deals this week.

Whether you're craving fresh seafood, modern Mediterranean, or farm-to-table, these restaurants are proof that Long Island's culinary scene continues to shine.

When it comes to bringing personality and purpose to the tabletop, Libbey's Heart & Soul collection stands out as a true expression of craftsmanship and character.  As part of the Libbey Select Partner program, Heart & Soul showcases Libbey’s collaboration with top European artisans known for their craftsmanship, quality, and timeless design.

Designed to inspire creativity in every dining experience, each piece is handmade with purpose, combining artisan design with the durability and reliability that today's foodservice professionals depend on.