Operations and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2013
Operations and Basis of Presentation	Note 1—Operations and Basis of Presentation *Description of Business and Basis of Presentation* The financial statements include the consolidated accounts of The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (the “Company”) and its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s quarterly periods end on the thirteenth Friday of each quarter. Every six to seven years the Company will add a fourteenth week to its fourth quarter to more closely align its year end to the calendar year. The Company operates in one segment, food product distribution. The Company’s customer base consists primarily of menu-driven independent restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, patisseries, culinary schools and specialty food stores. *Consolidation* The Company’s direct and indirect wholly-owned operating companies include the following: Dairyland USA Corporation (“Dairyland”), a New York corporation engaged in business as a distributor of dairy, meat, and specialty foods; Bel Canto Foods, LLC, a New York limited liability company engaged in the business of importing primarily Mediterranean style food products; Dairyland HP LLC (“DHP”), a Delaware limited liability company engaged in the business of renting real estate; The Chefs’ Warehouse Mid-Atlantic, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in Maryland and the District of Columbia; The Chefs’ Warehouse West Coast, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington; Michael’s Finer Meats, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in the distribution of meat, seafood and other center-of-the-plate products, primarily in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania; The Chefs’ Warehouse Midwest, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana; The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc., a Delaware corporation engaged in the distribution of gourmet chocolate, dessert and pastry products; The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division Canada ULC, a British Columbia unlimited liability company engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; QZ Acquisition (USA), Inc., a Delaware corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods, North America (USA), Inc., a Delaware corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc., a Florida corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc., a Washington corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods (Ambassador), Inc., a California corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; The Chefs’ Warehouse of Florida, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in southern Florida; and CW LV Real Estate, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in owning real estate in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to these operating companies, the Company also owns 100% of Chefs’ Warehouse Parent, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company which owns 100% of The Chefs’ Warehouse Mid-Atlantic, LLC, The Chefs’ Warehouse West Coast, LLC, The Chefs’ Warehouse of Florida, LLC, The Chefs’ Warehouse Midwest, LLC, Michael’s Finer Meats Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, QZ Acquisition (USA), Inc, and The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc. Dairyland owns 100% of Bel Canto Foods, LLC and Dairyland HP LLC. Michael’s Finer Meats Holdings, LLC owns 100% of Michael’s Finer Meats, LLC. QZ Acquisition (USA), Inc. owns 100% of Qzina Specialty Foods North America (USA), Inc. Qzina Specialty Foods North America (USA), Inc. owns 100% of Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc. (FL), Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc. (WA) and Qzina Specialty Foods (Ambassador), Inc. The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc. owns 100% of The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division Canada ULC. The Chef’s Warehouse West Coast, LLC owns 100% of CW LV Real Estate, LLC. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. *Unaudited Interim Financial Statements* The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the related interim information contained within the notes to such condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim information and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2012 filed as part of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2013. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements appearing in this Form 10-Q have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2013, and in the opinion of management include all normal recurring adjustments that are necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s interim period results. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. Due to seasonal fluctuations and other factors, the results of operations for the 13 and 39 weeks ended September 27, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from management’s estimates.

Note 1—Operations and Basis of Presentation

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

The financial statements include the consolidated accounts of The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (the “Company”) and its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s quarterly periods end on the thirteenth Friday of each quarter. Every six to seven years the Company will add a fourteenth week to its fourth quarter to more closely align its year end to the calendar year. The Company operates in one segment, food product distribution. The Company’s customer base consists primarily of menu-driven independent restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, patisseries, culinary schools and specialty food stores.

Consolidation

The Company’s direct and indirect wholly-owned operating companies include the following: Dairyland USA Corporation (“Dairyland”), a New York corporation engaged in business as a distributor of dairy, meat, and specialty foods; Bel Canto Foods, LLC, a New York limited liability company engaged in the business of importing primarily Mediterranean style food products; Dairyland HP LLC (“DHP”), a Delaware limited liability company engaged in the business of renting real estate; The Chefs’ Warehouse Mid-Atlantic, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in Maryland and the District of Columbia; The Chefs’ Warehouse West Coast, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington; Michael’s Finer Meats, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in the distribution of meat, seafood and other center-of-the-plate products, primarily in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania; The Chefs’ Warehouse Midwest, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana; The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc., a Delaware corporation engaged in the distribution of gourmet chocolate, dessert and pastry products; The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division Canada ULC, a British Columbia unlimited liability company engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; QZ Acquisition (USA), Inc., a Delaware corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods, North America (USA), Inc., a Delaware corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc., a Florida corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc., a Washington corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; Qzina Specialty Foods (Ambassador), Inc., a California corporation engaged in a business similar to The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.; The Chefs’ Warehouse of Florida, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in a business similar to Dairyland, primarily in southern Florida; and CW LV Real Estate, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company engaged in owning real estate in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to these operating companies, the Company also owns 100% of Chefs’ Warehouse Parent, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company which owns 100% of The Chefs’ Warehouse Mid-Atlantic, LLC, The Chefs’ Warehouse West Coast, LLC, The Chefs’ Warehouse of Florida, LLC, The Chefs’ Warehouse Midwest, LLC, Michael’s Finer Meats Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, QZ Acquisition (USA), Inc, and The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc. Dairyland owns 100% of Bel Canto Foods, LLC and Dairyland HP LLC. Michael’s Finer Meats Holdings, LLC owns 100% of Michael’s Finer Meats, LLC. QZ Acquisition (USA), Inc. owns 100% of Qzina Specialty Foods North America (USA), Inc. Qzina Specialty Foods North America (USA), Inc. owns 100% of Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc. (FL), Qzina Specialty Foods, Inc. (WA) and Qzina Specialty Foods (Ambassador), Inc. The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc. owns 100% of The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division Canada ULC. The Chef’s Warehouse West Coast, LLC owns 100% of CW LV Real Estate, LLC. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Unaudited Interim Financial Statements

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the related interim information contained within the notes to such condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim information and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not include all the

information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2012 filed as part of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2013.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements appearing in this Form 10-Q have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2013, and in the opinion of management include all normal recurring adjustments that are necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s interim period results. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. Due to seasonal fluctuations and other factors, the results of operations for the 13 and 39 weeks ended September 27, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from management’s estimates.