Entertaining soon? Why you need to visit a restaurant supply store

Do you love to cook at home? Do you enjoy sharing your talents with friends and family by hosting dinner parties and other festive gatherings? Whether you consider yourself a newbie foodie, or you've been an amateur chef for most of your life, visiting a restaurant supply store prior to your party can help you with everything you need.

What is a restaurant supply store? These stores are best known for helping restaurant owners with everything they need - from kitchen supplies to commercial-grade appliances. One example of a popular restaurant supply store is ACityDiscount.com. For the home chef, these stores can offer a plethora of kitchen essentials you can't find anywhere else, often at very reasonable prices.

"We like to entertain and have dinner parties that range from including one other family, or seating 45 for Thanksgiving," says Jean Isip Schneider of Honolulu. Schneider chooses to skip processed foods; all her dishes are homemade. She started using her local restaurant supply store more than 10 years ago for cooking and kitchen supplies.

At a restaurant supply store, you can often find things that are not available in retail stores. Need a large pot for making a big batch of stew? How about some professional-grade knives that will have you chopping with ease? Or maybe you need some items to keep food warm if your next dinner party is buffet-style. If you like to cook and host dinner parties, there are so many things at a restaurant supply store that can make your life easier.

Schneider prefers shopping at a restaurant supply store, adding, "Often, the quality and durability of the items exceed those of retail stores. The prices are reasonable, especially for a home cook who likes to entertain. Once I had to make creme brulee for 25 - I got the best deal for ramekins at the restaurant supply store. Since then, I've used these ramekins for many delicious desserts."

Knowledgeable staff can help you find hard-to-locate items, too. Schneider was able to get just what she needed when she broke the lid of her favorite pot. "A while back, I dropped and broke the glass lid of my favorite pasta pot. The first place I went to was the restaurant supply store. I took my pot with me to find the right-sized lid and the salesperson helped me quickly find the right size. You would not be able to just purchase a lid at a retail store. I can continue to use my favorite pot!"

Whether you need to find large quantities of an item to make your dinner party complete, or you need just the right cooking utensil to create the featured dish, a restaurant supply store has you covered.