Lake Effect is a team of experienced sales and marketing professionals with a proven history of building strong, long-term relationships with end users, dealers, and manufacturers.

At Lake Effect Sales and Marketing, we focus on developing new end-user relationships that extend beyond the initial sale. Our goal is to create strategic partnerships that help grow both our customers’ businesses and the businesses of our distribution partners. We support these partnerships through product demonstrations in our Western New York test kitchen and showroom, remote training and demonstrations using our mobile trailer, product installations, and hands-on product training.

As an independent factory representative, we develop new opportunities in our market for the manufacturers we represent and the distribution partners we support. Our team stays connected to industry trends through service on Buffalo State College’s Hospitality program advisory board and through close relationships with culinary and hospitality schools across the territories we represent.

Lake Effect’s reputation, experience, quality product portfolio, and commitment to market growth have created a successful approach for our partners. We are confident that these strengths will allow us to continue supporting, nurturing, and growing your business for years to come.

David Anastasi - Partner - Buffalo, NY

David Anastasi brings a practical, market-tested perspective to helping foodservice brands understand where they can grow, how they can compete, and what it takes to turn opportunity into results. With decades spent inside the manufacturer, distributor, dealer, and operator sides of the business, David has developed a clear view of how product strategy, channel alignment, customer needs, and field execution come together in the real world.

As the founder of Lake Effect Sales & Marketing, David works at the intersection of sales leadership and business consulting. His value comes not only from strong industry relationships, but from his ability to evaluate markets, identify gaps, translate customer feedback, and help manufacturers make better decisions about positioning, assortment, pricing, distribution, and growth strategy.

David is known for bringing an objective, experienced voice to complex commercial challenges. Whether advising on category growth, supporting go-to-market planning, strengthening distributor engagement, or helping brands better understand the needs of hospitality, gaming, restaurant, lodging, and institutional customers, he focuses on practical recommendations that are grounded in experience and built for execution.

Dave Bonfield - Equipment Specialist - Rochester, NY

Dave Bonfield is a veteran equipment specialist with more than 25 years of experience serving the Upstate New York market. He has contributed to a wide range of high-profile projects, including K–12 schools, colleges and universities, breweries, stadiums, restaurant chains, healthcare facilities, hotels, and casinos.

Known for his deep product knowledge and practical industry insight, Dave works closely with regional consultants, dealer partners, and end users to support product selection, demonstrations, startups, and training. He understands the strengths of the products he represents, as well as how they compare within the broader competitive landscape.

Chef Shawn Ebling - Corporate Chef- Rochester, NY

Shawn is a culinary professional with a strong background in pastry, product development, training, and equipment education. He earned his Executive Chef/Certified Executive Pastry Chef degree from the Culinary Institute of America and went on to build his career in the Rochester, New York region.

Following graduation, Shawn held Executive Pastry Chef roles with Creme de la Creme, Woodcliff Hotel & Spa, the Riverside Convention Center, and Wegmans Food Markets. At Wegmans, he contributed to research and development for new patisserie products introduced at the store level, led culinary training for new employees, and provided product education focused on ingredient knowledge, product history, and customer engagement techniques.

Today, Shawn provides culinary support for demonstrations in the Rochester kitchen, leads on-site training and equipment demos, and delivers product and equipment training for dealer partners. His combination of hands-on culinary expertise, product knowledge, and training experience helps customers and partners better understand and apply the equipment and solutions available to them.

Visit our Test Kitchen and Showroom

rOCHESTER tEST kITCHEN

Our kitchen showcases the industry-leading manufacturers we represent. Schedule your next visit with Chef Shawn

ROCHESTER sHOWROOM

We showcase leading front-of-the-house manufacturers and smallwares manufacturers. Schedule your next visit with our team.