Foodservice Solutions Built for Las Vegas
Avanti is bringing true design-build integration to the Las Vegas region with an all-star team ready to tackle the Strip’s biggest projects. We’re bringing commercial kitchen equipment, design, installation, and everything in between to Las Vegas for casinos, hospitality, resorts, education, and beyond. With our affiliate design and consulting firm, JEM West, we‘re excited to work closely together to bring reliable foodservice solutions to Vegas.
Avanti Restaurant Solutions Opens Las Vegas Office
Since 2003, Avanti has worked on over 6,000+ kitchens, providing design, equipment procurement, installation, and project management. As a Kitchen Equipment Contractor (KEC) with years of experience, we are bringing our signature “Avanti Experience” to Las Vegas, now with an expert local team.
Our teams are designed to handle both large and small projects, and we’re bringing that same mentality to the Las Vegas Strip. With our team’s vast experience in Vegas, we’re ready to be the commercial kitchen contractor for your project. Avanti’s team in Las Vegas comes with foodservice-related experience and a passion for seeing projects through. With their assistance and guidance, Avanti is sure to bring your designs to life.
Las Vegas Kitchen Construction Veterans
With a combined 50+ years of experience in the Las Vegas foodservice and construction sector, both Jerry Boyter and Mark Cravens lead the charge for Avanti Restaurant Solutions. Jerry Boyter, a Las Vegas native, has worked on some of the Strip’s most iconic projects. He‘s also worked in the HVAC, refrigeration, and electrical systems space. As a former executive chef, Mark Cravens brings hands-on expertise and experience in commercial kitchen installation. His experience in the kitchen helps him identify problems in commercial kitchen equipment, food prep equipment, and helpful kitchen supplies in Las Vegas. For the last 17 years, he’s worked in equipment procurement and training.
A Q&A with Avanti's Las Vegas Team
We sat down with our Las Vegas experts to learn about their experience and how Avanti is tackling the Vegas market.
As a Las Vegas native, how have you seen the city and its hospitality industry evolve over your career?
Jerry Boyter: Originally, what drew people into Vegas was slot machines. The rooms were cheap, the food was cheap, and there weren’t any parking fees. Now it’s grown into more of a world-class dining experience with celebrity chefs, luxury rooms, and all that fun stuff. I worked for a company when I first started for 22 years, and we did many of the hotels when they were brand new. I mean, we built the Luxor from top to bottom. We built Mandalay Bay from top to bottom. We built Bellagio from top to bottom. Basically, we did every restaurant and bar in the place. So, I’ve seen a lot of cool restaurants.”
What drew you into this industry, and what’s kept you here for over 35 years?
Jerry Boyter: “When I was younger, I needed to find a job, a good job, and I found myself going into the service side of the industry to install. My background was refrigeration, but another guy wanted me on the foodservice side of it, so I began doing that. The reason I’ve stayed here is because I like to see things through from start to finish. I’ve seen some amazing projects. I helped build the first Minus5° bar in town. Someone came to my desk and said he wanted to build an ice bar in Las Vegas. I looked at him like he was crazy, an ice bar in Las Vegas? Then once we built it, I couldn’t believe how many people go there.”
What originally drew you to the culinary world, and how did that path lead you into foodservice equipment and construction here in Las Vegas?
Mark Cravens: “I started working in the kitchen when I was 13 at a Chinese restaurant. I worked in the kitchen with my grandma who taught me how to cook. She had me peeling potatoes from 6-8 years old, but I always had my nose in the pot. At the Chinese restaurant, I started working the kitchen at 14 years old. After becoming a lead in the kitchen in the Vegas market, I moved through different restaurants and began doing more corporate training work and openings. I opened 25 restaurants over my time which got me into convention centers and hotels, and eventually I was in food sales selling imported goods. This eventually led me to entering the food equipment side and serving as a rep for a few years.”
What are some of the biggest challenges when working on high-profile properties in Las Vegas?
Jerry Boyter: “The main challenge in big jobs must be safety because you have so much going on. In the last 15 years, another big challenge has been the timeline. You do a job for the customer, and then for the next job, they want it done even faster, which results in more safety hazards and creates more problems. We want to get jobs done quickly, but we won’t skip any steps that could cause danger. Avanti doesn’t put people in harm’s way. Lead times also tend to be quicker than anywhere I’ve experienced. In Vegas, as soon as we get the LOI [letter of intent], we’re already two months behind, but despite the demand and challenge, we still get it done.”
What makes designing and building foodservice operations in Las Vegas unique or challenging?
Mark Cravens: “We are faced with unique challenges and clients always want things done faster. The deadlines are already late for a project to be done, so we do our best to stick with deadlines.”
Can you share a standout project on the Strip that you’re particularly proud of?
Jerry Boyter: “Well, my latest one would be the biggest foodservice contract ever in this town, which was the Fontainebleu Hotel. I think it’s one of the prettiest hotels inside, as far as restaurants, casinos, and high ceilings. It’s beautiful. We did 40 venues there, including all the fancy service bars like the executive bar on the 63rd floor. It’s amazing.”
Mark Cravens: “We’ve done so many different projects, but I’d have to say the Fontainebleu was probably the most memorable. I spent almost two months there just doing trainings. It was amazing how intricate it was. We’ve also done other big projects like Resorts World, Caesars Palace, and other high-end places like Hell’s Kitchen.
With decades of experience in the equipment side, what do you think clients value most about working with you?
Mark Cravens: “I think what clients value from working with me and my teams is that we are upfront. We try to be as honest with them as we can and set realistic expectations. They’ve dealt with me before; they know how we work, and how we will follow through every time.”
What do you think sets Avanti apart in the Las Vegas market?
Jerry Boyter: “Avanti is a family-owned business, and I’ve always worked for family-owned businesses. It’s my favorite thing to do because they appreciate you. I think that’s what’s going to set us apart. This team cares about their customers. I’ve helped a lady with a $500 fix-it job that she needed to do. And two years later, she gave me a $6 million job. You must take care of every customer, and that’s what we try to do.”
Mark Cravens: “I think the fact that we have design, installation, and our own equipment purchasing arm allows us to do almost everything for any project. We can eliminate the middleman or the gaps that often occur in construction jobs due to the crossover or miscommunication between the different arms of a project. We have a lot to offer compared to other companies, and we will start to see people move to Avanti. One of my favorite things about working at Avanti is that every day is different. It doesn’t get stale because there’s so many different things happening and new opportunities come every day.”
How do you see our role evolving as the Vegas market continues to grow?
Jerry Boyter: “Getting bigger and higher-profile jobs. We’re working on bigger jobs. I got three or four high-profile convenience stores. They’ve now expanded to Utah. They’ve expanded into California, and now they’re expanding into Arizona. We have a couple of jobs now at the Virgin Hotel and a few jobs at the Venetian Hotel and Palazzo Hotel.“
Mark Cravens: “As Avanti continues to grow and gets familiar with some of these GCs, I see us doing a lot more jobs in and outside hotel work. More chain businesses are coming to Vegas, and there is room for expansion going on in the valley. There are opportunities with some casinos, big chains, and those things which could help Avanti make a name for itself.“
Build in Vegas
With safety and execution at the forefront of our focus, Avanti can handle any and every project the Las Vegas market has to offer. Our team comes with experience and an understanding of how Las Vegas has evolved over the years. With new chains and restaurant design becoming more intricate, businesses want partners who can provide valuable opinions and can stay on track with their deadlines.
Avanti has a proven track record of exceptional projects, and with Jerry and Mark on the team, we can’t wait to see what’s coming. Whether it’s commercial food prep equipment or any commercial kitchen equipment in Las Vegas, Avanti can handle all your facilities & resupply, installation, and equipment procurement needs. Who’s ready to build together to reshape Las Vegas?
