US Foods' Chef'store in Oklahoma City welcomes foodies, restaurant workers and the public

Fresh items include specialty cheeses, fruit and vegetables, herbs and dairy — the most popular category so far at the Charlotte store. US Foods also provides complimentary freeze gel packs and sells cooler bags to help customers transport perishables at proper food temperatures.

Weekend hours

Chef'store's weekend hours make it especially attractive to restaurant owners, who are often short on options when they run out of an ingredient or need to restock supplies, said Kurt Fleischfresser, executive chef partner for Western Concepts Restaurant Group and Irma's Burger Shack.

“How great would it be to go down there in a pinch and get something?” he said.

And the store makes restaurant-quality equipment like skillets and chef spoons easily accessible to home cooks interested in sharpening their cooking skills, he added.

Erwin said current US Foods delivery customers will be able to purchase items at the store through their account. The company's distribution centers deliver the same products to individual restaurants as they do to the store.