James from Parts Town interviews Alex of CHEESECAKES by Alex   If we were to walk into your place for the first time, what’s the first cheesecake we should try? Oh, goodness. I would probably say New York, because it’s kind of the standard; kind of the hallmark of all cheesecakes. Is the New York cheesecake the most popular item you sell? It’s one of the most popular. The turtle cheesecake is real popular, the key lime, pumpkin, apple … they’re all popular, but New York is kind of the standard.   And how many varieties do you sell? It’s…

Kaboom! 2013 is now over and done with. All that hard work has turned into something truly beautiful, I must say. In 6 ½ hours, over 250 volunteers pulled together and took an empty lot and built an amazing playground for the children of St. Nicholas of Tolentine in South Chicago.   A few hundred cubic feet of mulch, over 200 bags of concrete, and 250 willing participants pulled together to make a playground that will last for the next 30-40 years. St. Nicholas of Tolentine is a school that is over 100 years old, and we were able to…

Once again, it’s fresh vegetable season!  Harvest time means an influx of delicious farm-fresh veggies.  Making the best use of all the supply can be a daunting task!   Rather than allow your bounty to go to waste, stock up on some fresh tips that will help you prepare and store your produce, and some creative ways to put it to use!   Click here to read more. by Kat Helgeson

Parts Town interviews Lee Donuts owner Jim Stoecker   What’s the most popular item on your menu?   Donuts.   Is there one item people order more than others?   Probably the long johns.   To what do you attribute your success?   We still make donuts in the overnight (hours). We’re old school—we’ll start anywhere from 9 p.m.-midnight. The donuts are much more fresh (than other donut shops).   You were in the Chicago Tribune earlier this year, talking about how road construction sabotaged business where you are (Libertyville, IL).   I bought the shop three months ago, February…

The Parts Town warehouse team has come up with an interesting perspective on “supply chain.” Usually, people think of supply chain as a component of a larger business; just something that companies deal with, but that customers don’t see. We actually think customers are part of the chain. The supply chain extends from the birth of a part to its final installation as a productive element in a restaurant kitchen. Every link of that chain matters, as every link is a handoff between people or businesses that can impact quality.   In general terms, the links in our supply chain…

Good news for our pizza restaurant partners and friends: you’re helping customers to lead healthier lives!   Have you seen the recent study linking pizza consumption to reduced cancer risk? It’s good news on so many different levels, starting with the health benefits of lycopene. Don’t be surprised if you see us rolling into our local pizzerias once a week from now on, asking for “extra sauce” on our pies.   Since medical researchers are on a roll, we’d like to encourage them to put additional studies into the field about the healing powers of ice cream, burritos, and gourmet…

Dan Ulledahl of Barbeque Kansas City speaks to Parts Town:   What is the most popular item on your menu?    I would say it’s a 3 way tie between our chicken, pulled pork, and burnt ends!   What is it about your restaurant that keeps customers coming back?   Our great prices and GREAT food.   What one thing does every restaurant owner need to know to be successful?   Take pride in what you do make great food every day. Smile and be happy while working.   What is the toughest challenge your restaurant has faced?   Getting…

It’s always exciting for us when new people join our team. Last week, we were thrilled to welcome two new faces. Brandon will become a member of our I-Team, which deals primarily with independent restaurants, and Carren joins the the Proactive Team, in charge of new customer outreach. We’re eager to kick off a new month with these great new team members. Welcome, Brandon and Carren!

With waste management an ever-increasing concern in the food service industry, New York City restaurants have taken a progressive step.  More than 100 establishments have pledged to reduce waste via composting and recycling.  Read more here. by Kat Helgeson

Ever have trouble finding the model number of your machine? We hear that a lot, which led us to creating our first “Vine” video on Twitter. Here’s a quick “how-to” on where to find the model numbers on a Scotsman ice machine and bin: Speaking of Twitter, please follow us there!