Why Are Chefs' Hats White? The reason chefs' hats and the rest of chefs' uniforms are traditionally white is to indicate cleanliness in the kitchen. White is the easiest color for determining whether an object is dirty or clean, rather than dark colors which can mask stains.
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 significance of the Chef Hat
The size of the chef hat signified the hierarchy of chefs in a kitchen, the taller the hat, the more important the chef was. And the pleats were not just an interesting detail, rather the number of pleats noted how many recipes a chef had mastered - 100 pleats, 100 recipes.
It was during the 1800's that the King of Chefs decided that all chefs needed a specific uniform and selected white to represent cleanliness. He had his staff wear hats of various heights, with his being the tallest to show his authority.
The traditional chef's uniform (or chef's whites) includes a toque blanche (fr)("white hat"), white double-breasted jacket, pants in a black-and-white houndstooth pattern, and apron. It is a common occupational uniform in the Western world.
A chef's hat is officially called a toque, from the Arabic word for hat. In 1800s France, the tall, pleated hat became known as the Toque Blanche, literally white hat.
Traditionally, the height of a chef's hat denotes their experience and rank in the kitchen. Thus, the executive chef wears the tallest hat in the kitchen, and then the hats get shorter as you go down the hierarchy.
Invented in Vienna. We owe the invention of the contemporary white toque to the French 'king of chefs and chef of kings', Marie-Antoine Carême (1784-1833). This master chef, who officiated for Talleyrand, as well as for Tsar Alexander I, first wore it in 18213.
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.
Yellow neckerchiefs represent the junior positions, which are the 4th and 3rd cooks. Next, there are red neckerchiefs, which are 2nd cooks, followed by green neckerchiefs, which are our 1st cooks. The next highest position is the chefs de parties, who wear blue; these are the first of the supervisory positions.
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.
Isaac Fitzgerald, co-author of "Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (with Recipes)," said chefs tend to like bodily displays of permanent art because they're badges of honor that show dedication "to the highs and lows, the silly and the serious sides of a life in food.
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.
Here's a breakdown of the Chef Hat system: 12-13 points: a good restaurant. 14-15 points: one hat, worth a stop (similar to one Michelin star) 16-17 points: two hats, worth a detour (similar to two Michelin stars) 18-19 points: three hats, worth a trip (similar to three Michelin stars)
Chef Neckerchiefs, while not worn by all chefs, help control perspiration and keep a chef cooler. The addition of a neckerchief completes the picture of the traditional Chef Uniform.
In the early days, the number of pleats in the chef's hat represented the number of recipes a chef knew for a given food item, like egg or chicken. Having a hat with 100 pleats meant he knew 100 recipes to prepare with an egg. The same applied to the height of the hat. The taller the toque, the more a chef knew.
To properly identify and differentiate the different groups of staff, some restaurant owners can designate a specific colour scheme. For example, the head chef (and other main cooks) can be dressed in white uniforms, the prep cooks in black, while other kitchen staff can wear blue.
Chef's Hat - White - Find products in this colour | Dulux.
Traditionally Chef Jackets have always been white, in part as a symbol of cleanliness and professionalism, but to also help reflect heat in the kitchen.
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.
Executive Chef (Chef de Cuisine)
Also known as a head chef or a master chef, an executive chef is the overall kitchen boss. This position is the pinnacle of any chef career. An executive chef doesn't spend all their time cooking but manages every operation in the kitchen.
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.
Whilst the AGFG Chef Hat system is based on the Michelin Star system, it is perhaps a little less intense and runs on a scoring scale from 0-20 points, 12-13 points is “'commended'” 14-15 points '”worth a stop on the way”' 16-17 points '”worth a detour”' 18-19 points '”worth a special journey.”' It is interesting to ...
Clogs, especially those made for professions such as cooking are designed specifically to support the foot for extended periods of time. In this process, they prevent the wearer from developing blisters and other foot injuries possible in such a hectic job.