John Pappas on entrepreneurship
From Chef’s Warehouse 40th Anniversary Special with Chris and John Pappas · · Ingredient Insiders
“Having started really with like debt and the boogeyman chasing you, I don't think it ever leaves you. So, I wake up every day like it's day one, like, okay, we got to push, we got to make it.”
On , John Pappas, Founder, Vice Chairman & Chief Operating Officer at CHEFS' WAREHOUSE INC, spoke about entrepreneurship during Chef’s Warehouse 40th Anniversary Special with Chris and John Pappas on Ingredient Insiders.
About John Pappas
In a September 2024 interview, Pappas described the restaurant economy as "a lot better" than during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that his company's fourth quarter was strong and that the customers they serve are "the top 10% of the world's earners." He attributed past price increases to supply chain disruption and noted that inflation had "pretty normalized," with freight and fuel costs becoming manageable. However, he stated that restaurant prices are unlikely to go back down, citing higher wages as a major input cost, and said, "I don't think I've ever seen restaurant prices go backwards." In June 2025, Pappas appeared on the company's podcast to mark Chef's Warehouse's 40th anniversary. He recalled early business experiences, including a customer who left a voicemail saying "I need eggs" without identifying themselves)Skip and a chef who once requested "rooster eggs" as a prank on new salespeople. He said that having started the business "with debt and the boogeyman chasing you" means he wakes up every day "like it's day one." He also discussed the company's product range, noting they carry over 600 cheeses and that the business was built on Italian food, though Spanish and French cuisines have grown in popularity.