July 16, 2025
Restaurant staffing challenges are a common issue in the industry. Recent statistics reveal that 69 percent of owners report being understaffed in back-of-house positions, specifically in prep and line cook roles. However, innovative operators are discovering that the solution isn't always about hiring more people. It’s about working smarter with existing resources. Your wholesale supplier can become a strategic partner in addressing back-of-house pressures while maintaining the quality standards your customers expect.
Wholesale Supplier Support: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Whether your establishment is seeking solutions to address diminished prep help, reduce labor costs, or both, purchasing from your bulk supply store can be a game-changer. Quality wholesale suppliers provide access to professionally prepared ingredients that can dramatically reduce your kitchen's workload. Since they work with established farms and processing facilities, wholesale suppliers can deliver top-notch ingredients that are ready for immediate use, streamlining daily operations. This can bring a sense of relief to a short-staffed kitchen, knowing that they have reliable solutions to lean on.
The Benefits Supplier-Prepped Ingredients Bring to the Table
The current labor shortage presents a unique opportunity to reimagine kitchen operations. Utilizing low-prep ingredients can optimize workflows and reduce dependency on extensive prep teams, empowering you to run a more efficient kitchen, even if you are in “the weeds.”
Enhances Team Productivity
Pre-prepped and low-prep ingredients take pressure off the back-of-house team, while still ensuring success. When experienced cooks spend less time on basic prep work, they can dedicate more attention to seasoning, plating, and quality control–aspects that make your brand stand out.
Pre-cut vegetables and fruit, frozen produce, and canned goods also provide operational flexibility. During hectic periods or when dealing with call-outs, having supplier-prepped ingredients ensures your kitchen can maintain service levels without scrambling to complete extensive prep lists.
Maintains Menu Consistency
Part of maintaining a regular client base and receiving positive reviews relies on consistent dish quality. When a customer dines at an establishment a second or third time, they expect the same high-quality ingredients, portion size, and flavor. If a kitchen is down a few hands, there is a risk of inconsistency. However,
- Frozen vegetables are often harvested at peak ripeness and immediately processed, locking in nutrients and flavor that fresh produce may lose during transport and storage.
- Pre-trimmed meats and seafood eliminate waste while ensuring consistent portion sizes.
- Fruits and vegetables that arrive pre-chopped and ready to use reduce both prep time and the risk of inconsistent knife work.
Tip for Integrating Restaurant Staffing Solutions
Successfully integrating supplier-prepped ingredients requires careful menu analysis. Identify your most common ingredients and evaluate which items would benefit most from outsourced preparation. Consider factors like labor intensity, waste reduction potential, and consistency requirements when making these decisions.
- Identify high-labor ingredients that require significant preparation time.
- Calculate prep-to-cook ratios by examining which dishes require the most preparation.
- Look for ingredients that are prone to spoilage or trimming loss to reduce food waste. For instance, pre-cut vegetables can reduce the risk of spoilage due to improper storage, and pre-trimmed meats can eliminate the need for excess trimming, reducing waste and saving time.
The goal isn't to eliminate all in-house prep, but rather to strategically reduce it where supplier alternatives can maintain or improve quality while reducing labor demands. This balanced approach enables restaurants to navigate staffing challenges while upholding the standards that keep customers coming back.
Partner With CHEF’STORE For Ingredients Ready to Use in Your Restaurant
CHEF’STORE is the community’s one-stop bulk food & supply store, offering everything from frozen food to low-prep ingredients, beverages, and restaurant cleaning supplies. Plus, we offer business tools to boost operations.
Visit us online to find a location or to learn more about how we can help your restaurant business thrive.