We associate certain professions with their uniforms. When we think of soldiers, for example, we tend to picture men and women wearing uniforms. Chefs are no different. We associate them with white and hats. Here are some facts you might not know about the chef workwear:
1. White is the standard
White is a way of showing that the chef is committed to cleanliness. It is a way of assuring the customers that the food they eat was prepared in the safest way possible. It also offers more protection from the heat as light colours do not absorb heat as many dark colours do.
2. Aprons and side towels are important
Though not part of these workwear uniforms, the apron and the side towels are things that chefs always use in the kitchen. Aprons are to protect the chef's jacket from stains and the towels are used to dry their hands.
3. The toque is the symbol
More than the white jacket, the hat is the most distinctive part of a chef’s attire in the kitchen. The white hat, known as the toque Blanche, is what sets a chef apart.
It is said that the hats were adopted from the headgear of the priests of the Orthodox Church. Initially, the hats were grey until they were changed to white by Marie-Antoine Carême, together with the rest of the chef’s outfit.
It was Carême’s idea to make differences in the height of the hats. The experienced chefs got to wear the tallest headgear, while young cooks got ones that were more like caps.
4. Chefs have neckties too
The necktie or neckerchief that is worn by the chef is also an important feature of their outfit. These days, it is just worn mostly for aesthetic purposes and to make a chef’s outfit look better.
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