What Has Your Vendor Done for You Lately?

I’ve been negotiating since before I could drive. Grew up behind the counter of my family’s corner store and deli—third generation. My dad never took a price at face value. He’d argue, compare, haggle. He’d call out vendors if they billed us early or shorted an order. And he taught me the number one rule of purchasing: don’t get played.

That lesson followed me everywhere.

In college, I was working at the Techknowledgy Center, wiring up massive computer networks in schools—mostly on reservations. I got promoted to purchasing and handled six-figure equipment buys. Satellite internet. Wired classrooms. I had to coordinate with multiple departments, hunt down deals, and make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. I was pulling vendor quotes, writing RFQs, and even helped build a simple internal ordering system—The Simple Solution. Yeah, it was basic. But it worked.

And I realized something: chefs don’t get this kind of training. But they need it more than anyone.

From Servers to Service

When I was with Genuine Hospitality Group in Miami, I became the guy. For over a year and a half, I went to the produce market every single morning. I’d squeeze every tomato, shop around, talk to different reps, look for the next interesting thing to bring back to the restaurant.

It wasn’t just about freshness. It was strategy. I’d play vendors off each other, build leverage, and buy smart. That’s where I started building my system—one that worked just as well in a fine dining spot as it did in a retreat center feeding 250.

Then Came 5,000 Meals a Week

As Executive Chef at FIT AF Nutrition, I was ordering for real volume: 5,000 meals a week. That meant managing multiple suppliers—specialty meats, packaging, online retailers, fulfillment logistics. It took weeks to plan each cycle. I worked with the team to build our own par system based on everything I knew—from restaurant kitchens to the RFQ days back at Techknowledgy.

And we made it work. But it was a grind. Spreadsheets. Late nights. Constant price checks.

That’s when I knew: most chefs are doing this without any tools. Just muscle memory and guesswork. And it’s costing them—big time.

What Chefs Can Start Doing Right Now

You don’t need software to get started. You just need a system. Here’s what I did—and still do—before Xhef.io existed:

1. Start a Spreadsheet
   Keep it simple. Item name, pack size, vendor, price, date. Log everything. Compare week to week. Know when something spikes and why.

2. Send Out RFQs
   Take your order sheet. Send it to all your vendors. Ask for quotes. Tell them you’re comparing. They’ll hate it. Doesn’t matter. It works.

3. Price Check Weekly
   Look at Restaurant Depot online. Compare it to Sysco, US Foods, local guys. Don’t wait for them to tell you. Know your numbers before they show up.

4. Split Orders
   If one guy’s got better dairy prices and another’s killing it on produce, split it. Keep them competitive. Keep them honest.

5. Hold Vendors Accountable
   Track shorted items, late deliveries, pricing errors. You’re not just a chef—you’re a buyer. Act like one.

Why I Built Xhef.io

Because chefs need something better.

I took everything I’ve learned from running kitchens, building order systems, managing millions in purchases, and I turned it into a tool that works the way we work.

Xhef.io isn’t just an inventory app—it’s your assistant.
✅ It tracks prices across vendors
✅ Helps automate RFQs
✅ Manages your par levels
✅ Flags cost creep
✅ Suggests smarter orders
✅ Keeps you in control

It’s built by a chef—for chefs. For people like me. People like you. People who are tired of bleeding money because no one taught us how to run purchasing like a boss.

Want Help Now?

You don’t have to wait for the full platform.

I help chefs one-on-one build out their own purchasing systems—manually or digital. I’ll work with you to:

🔹 Build a clean, working order sheet
🔹 Set up a pricing tracker that actually gets used
🔹 Train your team to quote and negotiate
🔹 Get you ready to plug into Xhef.io when the time is right

Because let’s be real—your food cost isn’t gonna fix itself. Your vendors aren’t going to suddenly offer you better deals just because they like you. You need a system. You need leverage.

You need to ask: what has your vendor done for you lately?
And if the answer is “not much,” then maybe it’s time to work with someone who’s been there.

I’m building this for us. Let’s fix it together.