The chef’s coat is a double-breasted white jacket made of thick cotton, with black and white checked trousers and a chef’s hat. It’s designed to resist heat, hide stains, and be breathable. The tradition dates back to the mid-19th century, and some chefs now wear ornate or food-inspired prints.
The chef’s coat is a double-breasted white jacket typically made of two layers of thick cotton. It’s quite common in finer restaurants to see all the kitchen staff wearing a similar uniform: the chef’s coat, black and white checked trousers, and a chef’s hat.
The chef’s coat’s double layer helps resist the heat. Buttons can be made from plastic or cotton. The pattern behind the cotton buttons is quite simple. They tend to hold up to frequent coat washing better than plastic buttons.
Since cooking is a messy business, the double-breasted style of the chef’s coat serves an important purpose. Makes the garment reversible so stains won’t show through. The choice of cotton fabric is also explained quite easily. This fabric makes the chef’s coat more breathable and therefore more comfortable. Also, the white color can be bleached to get rid of tough stains and keep the chef’s coat perfectly white.
The tradition of the chef’s coat dates back to the mid-19th century. Marie-Antoine Careme, a famous French cook, is credited with developing the current chef’s uniform. Tall hats had already been introduced, but Careme wanted to create a specific uniform to honor the chef. White was chosen for the chef’s coat as it is a symbol of cleanliness, something desirable in all kitchens.
Subsequently, the French chef, George Auguste Escoffier, will also encourage his kitchen staff to wear clothes outside of work so as to preserve the chef’s dignity. Escoffier would bring the traditional chef’s coat to London managing restaurants first at the Savoy Hotel and later at the Carlton Hotel.
In more eclectic restaurants, chefs can exercise their personal style by wearing an ornate chef coat. Some chef coats now have food-inspired prints, like decorative chili peppers. In more traditional restaurants however, especially traditional French restaurants, the white chef’s coat still reigns supreme and is considered part of a dignified uniform, as well as a practical piece of clothing for the chef.
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