Our History

It all started because of family

Our story is not just about our love of food. It’s also about a family that is deeply passionate about serving wholesome food that nourishes the body and mind while nurturing the spirit.

Elmer Whitcomb

Elmer Whitcomb, Founder

Where It All Began...

Our story began in 1979 when Elmer and Gina Whitcomb purchased a pair of restaurants in Garden City, New York. Their vision was to start a business that would bring their nine children together, one that embodied the importance of family, food, and service to others. But what began as one man’s family dream has evolved into something greater than he could ever have imagined: an enterprise that brings communities together over shared meals and helps people in a very personal way.

Gina Whitcomb-Daly

Over The Years...

From our humble restaurant beginnings to today’s leading single-source solution, our family has grown over the years. As a family-operated, minority-owned business, we are committed to embracing diversity as a core part of our culture. No longer just the original nine siblings, the Whitsons family has expanded to include innovative and entrepreneurial-minded team members who have become stewards of the original vision.

Where We Are Today...

Headquartered on Long Island, New York, Whitsons Culinary Group is among the region’s largest and most innovative food service companies, with a tradition of excellence that spans over 45 years. In partnership with GenNx360, our continued success lies in the way our teams serve our customers by developing personal connections and making a difference in our communities—communities that include educational dining, community meals, residential and healthcare clients, specialty markets, and emergency dining programs nationwide. And this is just the beginning of Whitsons’ story.