DuPre Williams, Innovative Foodservice Group

DuPre WilliamsIt’s only appropriate that DuPre Williams is employed in the foodservice industry. His late grandfather for whom he is named, DuPre Sitton, was a rep for a company that developed into Griffin Marketing Group, an independent manufacturers’ firm based in Salisbury, N.C. Also, Williams’ father operated the Bantam Chef restaurant, a burger place in Easley, S.C., until it closed in 2007.

Williams’ current role is facility manager and outside sales for the Innovative Foodservice Group (IFG). He works out of the dealer’s Greenville, S.C., office. He has been with IFG for more than five years and prior to that sold for another dealer for two-plus decades.

Williams, who began working at his dad’s restaurant at the age of 13, has expertise in high-end tabletop installations, equipment and more. His client base includes a variety of operators, such as independent restaurants, boutique hotels and schools.

Q: What role does the tabletop play in cultivating a good and distinctive culinary experience?

A: We’re blessed with a lot of privately owned restaurants in Greenville, and no one wants to be the same. I try to bring in manufacturers to build the tabletop with restaurateurs to have a different look with contemporary designs and styles and not to have just white plates everywhere.

Q: How do you approach finding the right mix of products to support the operator’s culinary vision?

A: I work closely with some rep groups, and that keeps us informed and they support us in tabletops. I take the customer to the showroom to see every piece of china and they can touch everything. I can go to a rep’s showroom, like Atlantic Foodservice Marketing’s Carolinas location, with a customer and touch everything that day. I’m able to ‘wow’ the customer and give the customer more than what they thought they would see. They can go in there and make a decision right away.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned over your career?

A: It probably would be to calm down, listen to the customer, listen to their issues, and find the solution. I try to keep the customer calm. I also try to calm down myself and pay attention. You have to keep a cool head and keep the vision on the resolution needed. Because I care not only during the sales process but afterward when challenges arise, I have a very large client base. My customers appreciate the fact that I will spend whatever time it takes to solve a problem. They like to use me again because they know I’m looking out for them.

Q: Where do you turn for inspiration when it comes to researching tabletop items and equipment?

A: I turn to weekly tutorials to keep current. I pay close attention to emails to look at fresh tabletop ideas so I can remember things. I relay that to the customer. We have a big sample room and we let reps place their stuff in there to a certain extent.

DSR 3-2-1

DuPre Williams, Innovative Foodservice Group, 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.