Gas Land Petroleum Debuts Chopped & Pressed Café Concept

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — To tackle the common perception of what "gas station food" is, Gas Land Petroleum Inc. debuted its first Chopped & Pressed Café at the company’s newest site. 

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Dec. 8 for the Crystal Run Service Station, Gas Land President and CEO Majed “Mitch” Nesheiwat called the site “another home for Gas Land.”

Located at 2 Ben Gillman Way, Crystal Run Service Station is a 5,000-square-foot facility that distributes Sunoco gasoline and houses a convenience store, a Dunkin' Donuts, and the company’s newest venture, Chopped & Pressed Café.

Inspired by the cafeteria at Westchester Medical Center in Vallhalla, N.Y., Nesheiwat said he knew he wanted to create a similar concept for Gas Land, which is an independent wholesale petroleum distributor based in New York's Hudson Valley area.

Upon evaluating the Crystal Run Service Station site, the company thought it was “too nice for standard deli food,” Mitch’s son and Gas Land Vice President Zeidan Nesheiwat told Convenience Store News, who was given an exclusive first look at the new-to-industry concept.

“We’re catering to the area and what people want. What they want is clean, guilt-free, on-the-go food. Our menu has a nice balance that’s fresh and made-on-site with convenience,” Zeidan explained. “The whole idea is on the go, but knowing that what you’re eating is satisfying.”

Chopped & Pressed’s menu of handcrafted sandwiches, soups and salads was developed by Zeidan and a Michelin-star chef turned consultant. During the grand opening, the Upstate Grilled Cheese — featuring country bread, fresh mozzarella, cheddar and provolone cheeses, herbs and butter — was the first order executed and sold alongside Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.

Other menu items include: sandwiches like Grown Up Ham and Cheese, and the Big Boy BLT; Middletown Bowls such as Falafel and Sriracha Chicken; and build-your-own Chopped salads.

According to Zeidan, Gas Land plans to roll out more Chopped & Pressed locations on a site-by-site analysis. The company’s intended goal with the concept is to cater to the neighborhood and “blend in without being invasive.”

Mitch added that he hopes to take the Chopped & Pressed concept and turn it into a franchise one day.

During the grand-opening event, attendees enjoyed samples of signature items from the Chopped & Pressed menu, which one customer described as “excellent, savory and a very enjoyable experience.” Also part of the festivities were Dunkin' Donuts specials; gift bag giveaways; a New York Giants tickets giveaway; an appearance by Marty Mitchell, morning radio show host of WRWD Country 107.3; and award certificates presented to Gas Land by the New York State Senator’s Office and the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. 

Look below for an exclusive peek at the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Crystal Run Service Station.