Andrew Wallace, Crest Foodservice Equipment

Some people spend their entire lives trying to find a career that makes them happy. For Andrew Wallace, though, identifying the right career path happened quickly. He started cooking in restaurants as a teenager and never looked back. Wallace spent 12 years on the operator side of the business, cooking and working as a restaurant owner and operator. In 2023 Wallace joined Crest, a Virginia Beach, Va.-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer, where he currently works in outside sales.

Q: You started cooking at around 15 years old. What attracted you to the restaurant industry?

A: I always enjoyed watching the Food Network when I was younger — Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse and all those celebrity chefs. Then, around high school graduation, I read the book “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain and that cemented the idea that I wanted to dive headfirst into that world.

Q: What lessons did you learn from your past experiences that help shape your approach as a dealer sales rep?

A: You learn to be patient with people. Organization is a huge thing, too, especially in this field. One of the biggest things my former business partner used to preach is that there’s no such thing as a problem. There are only opportunities. That means when an operator calls and they have a piece of equipment that went down, we might be able to help them that same day if the need is urgent enough because Crest has a showroom and a warehouse full of inventory. Doing that helps me build trust and develop lifelong customers.

Q: What intrigues you most about design?

A: I was always interested in design. In high school I took architectural drawing, mechanical engineering and mechanical drawing. Crest has a design side, so being able to go on-site with that team, listen to the customer’s dream and help it come to fruition is really cool for me. 

Q: How do you keep your product knowledge current? 

A: I try to go to as many trade shows as possible. Training through SEFA, our buying group, helps a lot. Keeping up with our reps and getting new material from them also helps. I am a hands-on learner, so being able to go to a test kitchen really helps me sell the customer. 

Q: What steps do you take to find the right solution for your customers?

A: It starts with listening to the customers’ needs and going over the menu with them. That helps you find what they need. We are fortunate that a lot of the rep firms in the area have test kitchens. It really helps to take the customers there to see which products best fit their application.

Q: What advice would you give someone just starting out?

A: On the operator side, be patient. A lack of consistency is one of the biggest reasons restaurants often struggle. You also have to develop your brand and keep your employees on the same page so you can achieve your goals. On the supply side, building relationships with customers and the supply chain is crucial. It’s also important to realize that we would not be able to do what we do without the support of ownership, the warehouse team and everyone else who works at the dealership.

DSR 3-2-1

Andrew Wallace, Crest Foodservice Equipment sits down with Jason Wange, Foodservice Powerplant Network, to talk about being named an FE&S DSR of the Month.

Find more episodes of DSR 3-2-1 here

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Presents DSR 3-2-1 is sponsored by Salvajor.