culinary equipment group
Culinary Equipment Group is a privately held commercial foodservice manufacturer's representative serving Northern Illinois and Northwestern Indiana, representing 20+ equipment brands and providing demos, training, and consultative sales support to commercial kitchen operators and equipment dealers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAddison, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What culinary equipment group does
Culinary Equipment Group is a privately held manufacturer's representative (rep group) for commercial foodservice equipment, headquartered in Addison, Illinois, within Chicago's Western Suburbs. The company does not manufacture products; instead, it acts as the regional sales arm for 20+ equipment brands including RATIONAL (combi ovens), Ovention (precision impingement ovens), Marra Forni (brick pizza ovens), Champion/Bi-Line (warewashing), Irinox (blast chillers), Groen (steamers and braising pans), Sammic (food processors and sous vide), John Boos, T&S Brass, InSinkErator, Crown Verity, Victorinox, Structural Concepts, Randell, Avtec, PowerSoak, Channel Manufacturing, PMG, FWE, and Epicurean. Its territory covers MAFSI Region 17 — Northern Illinois (including Champaign and Springfield) and the Indiana counties of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte — and its customers are commercial food service operators (restaurants, schools, healthcare facilities, institutions, pizzerias) and equipment dealers who specify, sell, and install commercial kitchen equipment.
The company's go-to-market is consultative field sales supported by three demo kitchen facilities: the main Addison kitchen/office at 1775 W Cortland Ct, a downtown Chicago satellite test kitchen, and an additional suburban location. A 10-person team led by President James Carr and Partner Howard Cohen works directly with dealers, consultants, and end users, offering equipment selection guidance, hands-on demonstrations, training, and post-sale troubleshooting. Corporate Chef Ramon Ortiz, hired in January 2025, leads in-person cooking demonstrations and operator training. The company invests in content marketing via a blog (equipment guides, factory price updates) and an active Instagram presence to support inbound demand.
Culinary Equipment Group earns revenue through sales commissions on equipment it facilitates from its manufacturer partners to dealers and end users; it does not publish pricing or directly sell to consumers. Recognition on Ovention's 2025 Million Dollar Club underscores sales-volume achievement with at least one key partner. The firm is privately held by its principals, with no disclosed external investors or parent company.
culinary equipment group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- culinary equipment group
- Legal name
- Culinary Equipment Group
- Website
- https://culinaryequipmentgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Culinary Equipment Group is a privately held commercial foodservice manufacturer's representative serving Northern Illinois and Northwestern Indiana, representing 20+ equipment brands and providing demos, training, and consultative sales support to commercial kitchen operators and equipment dealers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
culinary equipment group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Foodservice Equipment
- NAICS
- Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)
- SIC
- General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale (AFAIALAK)
Keywords
Where culinary equipment group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Addison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
culinary equipment group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Manufacturer Representative Commissions: Culinary Equipment Group operates as a manufacturer's representative (rep group) for commercial foodservice equipment manufacturers. They earn commissions on equipment sales they facilitate to commercial kitchens and equipment dealers. Their role includes providing product guidance, demos, training, and technical support to help customers make equipment purchasing decisions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | No direct consumer/product pricing available |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
culinary equipment group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Culinary Equipment Group is a privately held manufacturer's representative group serving commercial food service operations and equipment dealers across Northern Illinois (MAFSI Region 17 including Champaign and Springfield) and Northwestern Indiana (Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties). The firm represents more than 20 commercial kitchen equipment manufacturers — including RATIONAL, Champion, Marra Forni, Irinox, Ovention, Groen, Sammic, and T&S Brass — and facilitates equipment sales through hands-on demonstrations at its Addison, Illinois demo kitchen and satellite test kitchens in downtown Chicago and the suburbs, combined with equipment selection guidance, training, technical support, and post-sale troubleshooting.
Product overview
Culinary Equipment Group is a commercial kitchen equipment sales and representation firm serving Northern Illinois and Northwestern Indiana. The company does not manufacture products; rather, it serves as a representative for a portfolio of 20+ foodservice equipment manufacturers and operates demo kitchens where customers can experience equipment hands-on. Their portfolio includes cooking equipment (RATIONAL iCombi & iVario, Ovention impingement ovens, Marra Forni pizza ovens, Groen steamers/kettles/braising pans, Crown Verity grills), preparation equipment (Sammic food processors, Victorinox cutlery, Epicurean cutting boards, John Boos work surfaces), refrigeration and preservation (Irinox blast chillers, Randell holding refrigeration), warewashing (Champion flight machines and dish systems, PowerSoak pot washers), storage and transport (Channel Manufacturing racks/carts, FWE holding equipment), display (Structural Concepts cases), and plumbing (T&S Brass faucets/fittings, InSinkErator disposers). The company provides equipment demos, training, and consultation to help commercial kitchens select appropriate equipment for their operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RATIONAL iCombi & iVario Intelligent combi ovens and multi-cooking systems for professional kitchens. Featured prominently in Culinary Equipment Group's demo kitchen for cooking demonstrations.
- Champion Industries / Bi-Line Dish machines, dish washing systems, conveyor systems, tray and trayless conveyors for commercial kitchens. Champion has over 130 years of expertise delivering durable, energy-efficient commercial dishwashing solutions.
- Avtec / EcoArch EcoArch energy-efficient ventilation, utility distribution, and conveyor systems under Unified Brands.
- Channel Manufacturing Carts, racks, shelves, and dollies for foodservice operations.
- Crown Verity Gas grills, outdoor cooking equipment, patio heaters, and portable sinks for commercial kitchens.
- Epicurean Commercial cutting boards, serving boards, and prep tools made from eco-friendly materials.
- FWE (Food Warming Equipment) Holding, transporting, rethermalizing, and serving equipment for commercial kitchens.
- Groen Steamers, kettles, and braising pans for foodservice operations under Unified Brands. Featured in Mercy Chefs disaster relief operations preparing up to 26,000 meals per day.
- InSinkErator Commercial food waste disposers, Grind2Energy systems, and hot water dispensers for foodservice operations.
- Irinox Blast chillers, shock freezers, and holding cabinets for food preservation in professional foodservice.
- John Boos Stainless steel fabrication, butcher blocks, and work tops for commercial and residential foodservice.
- Marra Forni Brick pizza ovens for commercial and artisanal pizza operations. Featured in Culinary Equipment Group's demo kitchen.
- Ovention Precision impingement ovens for high-volume cooking operations. Culinary Equipment Group was named to Ovention's 2025 Million Dollar Club in recognition of sales volume and partnership excellence.
- PowerSoak Continuous motion pot washing sinks and produce washing machines under Unified Brands.
- PMG Premier Metal & Glass Food shields in custom and ready-to-ship configurations for foodservice operations.
- Randell Prep tables, chef counters, equipment stands, serving lines, and FX Precise Holding Refrigeration under Unified Brands. Featured products include the Randell Cheeser precision portioning station for pizza operations.
- Sammic Food processors, hand blenders, mixers, vacuum packing equipment, and SmartVide sous vide systems for professional foodservice. Featured equipment includes ULTRA cutter-emulsifiers for food texturization.
- Structural Concepts Grab & go, deli, and bakery display cases for commercial food retail operations.
- T&S Brass Commercial faucets, hose reels, and gas hoses for foodservice plumbing with more than 75 years of industry experience. Featured products include UltraRinse swing nozzle attachments.
- Victorinox Professional cutlery and prep tools for commercial kitchens.
Quantifiable outcome
- Named to Ovention's 2025 Million Dollar Club - recognizing significant sales volume and successful customer outcomes
Companies that use culinary equipment group
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
culinary equipment group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
culinary equipment group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Champion Industries / Bi-LinecoreRepresents Champion Industries and Bi-Line dish machines, dish washing systems, conveyor systems, tray and trayless conveyors. Champion has over 130 years of expertise delivering durable, energy-efficient commercial dishwashing solutions.
- Avtec / EcoArchcoreRepresents Avtec EcoArch energy-efficient ventilation, utility distribution, and conveyor systems under Unified Brands.
- Channel ManufacturingcoreRepresents Channel Manufacturing for carts, racks, shelves, and dollies for foodservice operations.
- Crown VeritycoreRepresents Crown Verity gas grills, outdoor cooking equipment, patio heaters, and portable sinks.
- EpicureancoreRepresents Epicurean commercial cutting boards, serving boards, and prep tools made from eco-friendly materials.
- FWE (Food Warming Equipment)coreRepresents FWE holding, transporting, rethermalizing, and serving equipment for commercial kitchens.
- GroencoreRepresents Groen steamers, kettles, and braising pans under Unified Brands. Featured in Mercy Chefs disaster relief operations serving millions of meals.
- InSinkEratorcoreRepresents InSinkErator commercial food waste disposers, Grind2Energy systems, and hot water dispensers.
- IrinoxcoreRepresents Irinox blast chillers, shock freezers, and holding cabinets for professional foodservice operations.
- John BooscoreRepresents John Boos stainless steel fabrication, butcher blocks, and work tops for commercial and residential foodservice.
- Marra FornicoreRepresents Marra Forni brick pizza ovens for commercial foodservice operations. Featured in Culinary's demo kitchen.
- OventioncoreRepresents Ovention precision impingement ovens. Named to Ovention's 2025 Million Dollar Club award recognizing sales excellence.
- PowerSoakcoreRepresents PowerSoak continuous motion pot washing sinks and produce washing machines under Unified Brands.
- PMG Premier Metal & GlasscoreRepresents PMG food shields in custom and ready-to-ship configurations.
- RandellcoreRepresents Randell prep tables, chef counters, equipment stands, serving lines, and FX Precise Holding Refrigeration under Unified Brands. Featured products include the Randell Cheeser for pizza operations.
- RATIONALcoreRepresents RATIONAL intelligent iCombi and iVario cooking systems. Featured prominently in Culinary's demo kitchen for cooking demonstrations.
- SammiccoreRepresents Sammic food processors, hand blenders, mixers, vacuum packing equipment, and SmartVide sous vide systems for professional foodservice.
- Structural ConceptscoreRepresents Structural Concepts grab & go, deli, and bakery display cases.
- T&S BrasscoreRepresents T&S Brass commercial faucets, hose reels, and gas hoses with over 75 years of industry experience. Featured products include UltraRinse swing nozzle attachments.
- VictorinoxcoreRepresents Victorinox cutlery and prep tools for commercial and professional use.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
culinary equipment group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Wasserstrom Company: Long-established foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving national chain accounts, with manufacturer representation across many of the same categories Culinary covers. Larger, more chain-account focused.
- Edward Don & Company: Large national foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving operators and dealers across the U.S. Overlaps with Culinary's manufacturer-rep function but operates a much broader catalog-and-distribution model rather than a regionally focused rep group.
- TriMark Corporation: One of the largest foodservice equipment manufacturer rep groups and distributors in North America, representing many of the same manufacturers as Culinary (e.g., RATIONAL) across a much broader multi-region footprint. Closest comparable in business model, with dramatically larger scale.
Regional players
- Restaurant Equipment World: Commercial foodservice equipment dealer in the Southeast U.S., focused on new and used restaurant equipment sales to operators. Comparable dealer-side customer base but operates in a different geographic region.
Direct peers
- Ace Mart Restaurant Supply: Multi-location commercial kitchen equipment dealer serving restaurants and institutions, with a similar mix of cooking, refrigeration, and warewashing categories represented by Culinary's manufacturers.
- Singer Equipment Company: Foodservice equipment representative and distributor operating across the Mid-Atlantic and beyond, with a comparable mix of manufacturer representation, dealer support, and operator consulting. Same core rep-group business model with a wider geographic reach.
- Boelter Companies: Midwest-based foodservice equipment and supplies distributor/rep group with manufacturer representation, dealer relationships, and operator-side consultation—directly comparable rep-firm operating model in overlapping territory.
- Central Restaurant Products: Midwest-based commercial kitchen equipment supplier serving restaurants, schools, and institutions with a comparable customer mix; functions as both a dealer and rep-adjacent distributor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
culinary equipment group social profiles
Digital presenceculinary equipment group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
culinary equipment group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
culinary equipment group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
culinary equipment group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about culinary equipment group
What does culinary equipment group do?
Culinary Equipment Group is a privately held manufacturer's representative group serving commercial food service operations and equipment dealers across Northern Illinois (MAFSI Region 17 including Champaign and Springfield) and Northwestern Indiana (Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties). The firm represents more than 20 commercial kitchen equipment manufacturers — including RATIONAL, Champion, Marra Forni, Irinox, Ovention, Groen, Sammic, and T&S Brass — and facilitates equipment sales through hands-on demonstrations at its Addison, Illinois demo kitchen and satellite test kitchens in downtown Chicago and the suburbs, combined with equipment selection guidance, training, technical support, and post-sale troubleshooting.
Is culinary equipment group a public or private company?
culinary equipment group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was culinary equipment group founded?
culinary equipment group was founded in -1.
Where is culinary equipment group based?
culinary equipment group is headquartered in Addison, United States, in the North America region.
How does culinary equipment group make money?
One revenue line is on record: manufacturer Representative Commissions.
Who are culinary equipment group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Wasserstrom Company, Edward Don & Company and TriMark Corporation. Restaurant Equipment World is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, Singer Equipment Company, Boelter Companies and Central Restaurant Products.
Does culinary equipment group have an API?
No public API is recorded for culinary equipment group.
What industry is culinary equipment group in?
culinary equipment group's product category is Commercial Foodservice Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIALAB, Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAIALAK, Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 333241 and its SIC code is 3569.