These pants, often baggy and loose, aren't meant to be fashionable. Instead, these baggy checked pants are worn loose to give chefs greater ease of movement. Chefs are constantly bending, turning, lifting and moving, and having to perform this job in tight pants would be difficult.
Despite hot kitchen temperatures, long chef pants are meant to protect your legs from spills, splashes, and burns. The baggy shape of chef pants keeps hot foods and liquids from making contact with your skin.
Why do chefs wear checkered pants? Traditional chef pants are designed with a small black and white check pattern. And it's this pattern that helps disguise any stains and dirt on your checkered pants.
A chef's trousers have a small checkered pattern, which is effective in disguising the inevitable stains which develop while working. In the United States, the pattern is usually a black and white houndstooth, while many chefs in Europe prefer a blue and white pattern.
They are designed to be comfortable and breathable, while also providing protection against burns and cuts. The practicality of chef pants also extends to their design. The loose-fitting, tapered leg design allows for a full range of motion, which is essential in a kitchen where chefs are constantly on the move.
ORIGINS OF THE WHITE CHEFS JACKET
Marie-Antoine chose white as the colour of his chef's uniform to signify cleanliness. This was important in 19th century Paris as it gave customers a positive perception of chefs, giving the restaurant and its chefs a more professional and respectable reputation.
Chefs will wear an apron around their waists to protect their legs from hot spills, especially while carrying a plate or hot pot from the stove. These aprons usually end just below the knee, so the chef can quickly move around the kitchen without getting tangled in the fabric.
Some restaurants might designate a colour scheme to match their branding or to create a hierarchy in the kitchen, for example, having the head chef and main cooks wear white chef jackets and prep cooks wear black chef jackets.
Pattern for Camouflage
Checked pants make it harder for observers to notice the dirt and grime that can come from cleaning dirty equipment, splattering oil or dropping something. Some chefs prefer to wear black, striped or colorfully patterned pants. Whatever the visual effect, the purpose is to hide the dirt.
In most cases, the answer will be 'yes' – while your waiters and waitresses may be able to get away with more freedom as to what they can wear, your chefs need to dress appropriately as a matter of safety. Allow chefs to wear anything they want and you could encourage injuries and contamination of food.
The origin of pleats in a chef's hat is similar to the height. In the early days of the toque blanche, it was said that the number of pleats would often represent how many techniques or recipes a chef had achieved. For example, a chef would have 100 pleats in his hat to represent 100 ways he could prepare eggs.
These days, a modern chef hat is tall to allow for the circulation of air above the head and also provides an outlet for heat. This type of hat is called a "toque blanche" (French for "white hat"). They are worn because the health department requires restaurant employees to wear a hat or hair restraint of some sort.
The jacket's buttons are made of knotted cloth that hold up better through frequent washing and cleaning. There are two rows of buttons, so the chef can cook with the jacket buttoned on the second row, then, if meeting clients or customers, re-button to the first row to hide stains from cooking.
Score one: A good chef's towel will be there to help you in a pinch when dealing with hot surfaces. From grabbing a hot skillet handle to pulling perfectly baked cookies out of the oven, a folded kitchen towel will get the job done and protect your hands from scalds and burns.
white signifies hygiene and cleanliness, helps repel heat from the kitchen and is seen as classic or traditional. black can hide stains and enables establishments to have their chefs working in open kitchens exposed to diners' eyes.
Chef bandanas and neckerchiefs absorb sweat to help staff stay cool in warm kitchens. Tie as a neckerchief to prevent sweat from dripping from the neck, or as a bandana to cover hair or protect the forehead from dripping sweat.
The chef coat's double-layer of cotton is meant to insulate chefs against the heat from ovens, grills, and stovetops as well as guard them against hot splatters and hot liquids.
The pleats in the hat are not just there to make them look stylish, although that is an element. In the 1800s in France, in the early days of the toque balance, each pleat was said to represent a recipe mastered by the chef, so the more pleats, the more skilled the chef.
In design, chef pants are very similar to the scrubs worn by nurses and doctors working in hospitals. Most designs call for the inclusion of two front pockets, with some manufacturers also including a single back pocket.
White is intended to signify cleanliness and is generally worn by highly visible head chefs. Increasingly, other colours such as black are becoming popular as well.
Much of the chef's uniform is practical, such as why chefs wear striped or checkered pants, while some components are simply symbolic. The entire ensemble is to provide a professional appearance, with a chef's cpat or jacket, chef pants. apron, hat, neckerchief, non-slip shoes, and a towel.
The Jacket
And a white jacket deflects heat and can be easily bleached to remove stains. (Stain-sticks are an absolute essential for every culinary student.)
Question: Do you wear anything under a Chef Jacket? Answer: Yes, as it helps absorb some of the sweat and also adds an additional layer of protection. Most chefs wear a thin short-sleeve or sleeveless t-shirt under their jacket either in 100% cotton or special moisture wicking fabric.
Waist Apron/Half Apron
The shorter length is more comfortable for hustling around from table to table, and pockets are on both sides to hold pens, straws, utensils, and bills.
Collars Up: Many chef coats have high necklines which can be worn as is or folded down in the style of a professional button-up dress shirt. Tucking Optional: While you aren't likely to be comfortable with a chef coat tucked into your pants, you could tuck it under a long apron to give that polished look.