Onions are one of the most consumed and used vegetables on the planet. A root vegetable, they are considered a staple in what is considered the Holy Trinity of the culinary world. Carrots, celery and onions make up the base of all soups, stews, stocks and many other dishes. For your restaurant to be successful, you need to include onions in many varieties on your menu.
Growing onions is relatively easy, giving you the freshest sweet onion and red onion vegetables. Pick up some onion seeds and give it a try. If you don't have the room or green thumb, order directly from onion farms, onion producers and onion growers. To find the best onion suppliers, you should:
1. Peruse your recipes to determine the onion varieties you will need for the dishes on your menu and to determine new varieties you’d like to try.
2. Find reputable onion brokers in your area for the freshest onions at the best price.
3. Purchase onions in bulk or wholesale to save money and help clear inventory from onion farmers.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Look through your recipes to determine the onion varieties you need to order from onion growers
There are many varieties of onion -- yellow (sweet), white, Vidalia (purple), scallions, shallots and chives. The variety of onion you choose to use in your dish should depend on the intensity of the onion flavor you want in the dish.
I recommend: The
National Gardening Association offers an extensive listing of onion varieties and their characteristics to help you choose the best onion varieties for the dishes on your menu. Visit
Healthy Recipes for more information on the many varieties and history of the onion.
Find reputable onion brokers
The best place to find the highest quality onions is at a local farmer's market or an onion grower in your area. Another option, especially if you want more control over the quality, size and flavors of the onions, is to grow them yourself. This can be done by planting onion seeds or bulbs in Spring and tenderly caring for them until Summer.
I recommend: Dutch Valley Growers, Inc. specializes in commercial onion growing, bulbs and offers wholesale prices. They have been in business since 1933 and are considered one of the best onion growers in the industry.
Morris Farms grows Vidalia onions, also known as sweet onions, in Georgia. They are family owned and operated since they opened in 1950.
Purchase wholesale onions to save money
To save money on onions, purchase them wholesale. This is especially good if you need large quantities of onions (for award winning onion rings), need an assortment of varieties, or want to split the cost between two restaurants. Many wholesalers will offer you loyalty or advance ordering discounts also.
I recommend: Duda offers farm fresh fruits and vegetables, including four varieties of onion, directly to you. They grow, ship, market and maintain a large assortment of fresh foods for food service and retail outlets. This allows you to do all the shopping for your kitchen at one place.
Vidalia Valley boasts a wide selection of all things Vidalia, including diced, fresh, whole, bulk prices and other forms of prepped Vidalia onions.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- The key to holding the tears when cutting an onion is to use an extremely sharp knife and the least amount of cuts necessary. The more the onion is smashed or chopped, the more of the chemical that makes our eyes tear is released.
The official source of Onions is the Onions page at Business.com
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