Who’s really cooking in America’s restaurants

Not really a signature dish

Flipping through a food distributor website is eye-opening to say the least. That signature chicken gnocchi soup, crispy pork chops or cheesecake at your favorite restaurant might not be made there at all. In many cases, it comes from the same national food distributors that supply thousands of restaurants across the country with the same product.

Most American restaurants, from family-owned diners to midrange chains, rely on the same few companies to keep their kitchens running. From fresh produce, ready-to-serve soup in bags, frozen meals, sauces, baked goods, quick service items and desserts.

Efficiency is the name of the game

The food distribution system is designed for efficiency and profit. Restaurants can order from huge catalogs full of ready-to-serve soups, pre-cooked meats, frozen appetizers and heat-and-serve sides. Choosing these products reduces kitchen labor because the bulk of the cooking has already been done somewhere else.

And that somewhere else isn’t always a place with strong labor protections or fair wages. Mass production often happens in facilities where ingredients, time and labor are stretched as far as possible to keep prices down. The pressure to cut costs doesn’t stop at the kitchen door; it runs all the way back through the supply chain.

Smaller restaurants turn to food distributors

Independent restaurants often depend on these suppliers just as much as the national chains. Buying bulk ingredients and prepared foods allows smaller establishments to compete on price and menu variety.

Some establishments add a personal touch, such as fresh garnishes, a drizzle of sauce or a house-made side to make the dish feel unique, but by and large, their choices. Others embrace the convenience completely, trading scratch cooking for speed, reliability and the same choices people order over and over again.

However, not every small restaurant can order from the major distributors. Some local spots lack the storage space, delivery minimums or volume needed to buy through the big distributors. Instead, they turn to warehouse stores like Costco, Sam’s Club or Restaurant Depot for supplies.

Consistency is king

For diners, the sameness can be both comforting and surprising. Familiar flavors keep people coming back; there’s security in knowing what your fries, your sandwich or your breakfast plate will taste like. But it can be eye-opening to realize that the special of the day might be the same special served in countless other places, pulled from the same supplier, finished in different kitchens.

Not every restaurant works this way

This system doesn’t mean every restaurant is opening boxes and reheating. Plenty of kitchens still peel, chop, simmer and create food from scratch every day. Chefs protecting traditional recipes, family diners making their own sauces, bakeries proofing dough overnight, food trucks crafting sauces in small batches and, yes, Michelin-starred restaurants pushing for excellence. Those places exist, and they matter.

If eating truly made-in-house food is important to you, seek them out and support them. Restaurants respond to their customers. When diners value real cooking, the industry takes notice.

Ask the right questions

Consumers need to ask questions about where the food actually comes from. Even phrases like house-made or freshly prepared may sound like they’re made onsite, but that can just describe how dishes are finished. Ask servers to clarify if you want to know what is made 100% in-house from start to finish; the answers may surprise you.

A few signs to look for when you’re in a restaurant that makes its own food might be smaller menus. The thought is that they serve fewer options because they are actually making the items in-house.

Conversely, the bigger and more varied the menu, the more likely they are to use premade food that is heat-and-serve ready. The dishes may look and taste similar to what you’ve had elsewhere. The food may come out fast, portions are predictable and the flavors are steady from visit to visit.

You know what isn’t made by big corporations?

Your grandmother’s recipe for pecan pie, your mom’s favorite bread recipe or your father-in-law’s secret family barbecue sauce. Those treasured recipes can never be replicated in a factory.

When and if you get the chance to join the family in the kitchen, take that chance; you won’t be sorry. Carry that real food knowledge with you, that’s real cooking, and it’s worth holding onto.

In the end

Knowing where your food comes from gives you the power to choose what matters to you. Some nights, convenience is exactly what we need. There’s still real value in the places and people who are cooking for real, whether that’s a tiny diner making biscuits before sunrise or a family kitchen passing down a recipe by memory. Those meals carry connection, care and identity in a way no distributor ever could.