The regular chef uniforms consist of the trousers, jacket, hat, apron and necktie. They could be traced back to the mid-1800s when chef Marie Antoine Careme redesigned these uniforms and opted for white as the more fitting color because it symbolized cleanliness. Additionally, he decided to use various sizes for the chef's hats to distinguish their ranks. The chef among kings then, named Escoffier, also valued cleanliness as being a symbol of professionalism.
When it comes to the jacket, the double-breasted style is distinctive for chefs. This design is not only for aesthetics but serves a real purpose at the same time. The double breasted style is actually reversible to enable the chef to hide any stains he may have caught while in the process of preparing and cooking the food, and the thick cotton fabric shields him against the high temperature of both the stovetop and oven, while at the same time protecting him against splattering hot liquids. The knotted designs of the cloth buttons are preferred by many chefs since they can endure frequent washing as well as contact with burning pans.
The original chef's trousers had checked black and white design that resembles a hound's tooth. Check out the chef clogs birkenstock. The design served to make the stains not so obvious. Nowadays, a lot of executive chefs are garbed in black, cotton pants or a combination of cotton and polyester materials.
The most popular symbol for a chef is his 'toque blanche' or hat; the origin of which dates back to the 1600s. The varying ranks among cooks inside the kitchen are distinguished through the sizes of the hats that each chef is wearing. Someone wearing a comparatively tall hat is an executive or sous chef while another one with a shorter hat could be a line cook. The hundred folds of a chef's hat are thought to denote the different ways he can cook eggs. Nowadays, some chefs can be trendy when it comes to wearing other non-traditional hats such as berets and skull caps.
The apron is a handy piece of uniform even in the kitchen at home. But for chefs, the typical aprons they are using are made out of cotton, if not, cotton and another material combined. Other than the traditional front bib that comes with its front pockets, the half type or those that starts to drop at the waist is becoming popular among many chefs. Look at the White Bib Apron. Contemporary chef uniform designs include the 4 way apron, square waist, tapered and half bistro. A lot of chefs prefer those having slits on their sides because these give them access to the pockets of their pants.
The use of neckties and neckerchiefs are primarily for accent. The colors are normally either black or white. However, these neckties originally serve to absorb the sweat from the face and neck because chefs had to prepare and cook food in kitchens that were very hot during the old days.