chef in workwear


Many professional occupations today need a uniform that can be easily distinguished from others. Similar to salespeople who are dressed in blouses and tight skirts, you would have no difficulty in telling who is the employee from a customer in a departmental store. A restaurant is like this too. 

As a restaurateur, you may have experienced situations when customers want to give credit to the person who cooked their delicious meal. Being a representative of your brand, you would want your chefs to be clad in stylish chef workwear. It is about elevating their profile and presenting themselves as a professional, and uniforms can do that for you.

Besides appearance, people rarely focus on the kinds of uniform chefs in the kitchen as functional apparels. Some may even see the look being a little over the top, but almost every aspect is essential and has its use. 

Let us give you a closer look at the function and importance of chef uniforms in your workplace.

1. It protects them

Accidents can happen anytime and to anyone. Inside a kitchen with heated crockeries throughout the day, your chef and kitchen staff need protection. A white long sleeve jacket serves as a protective shield against sudden splashes of hot oil or accidentally elbowing a hot dish.

Pairing it with style could be an afterthought, but it is still a good option. For instance, the double-breasted jacket can cover any dirty stains when overturned. Traditionally, fabric extractable buttons are preferred because they last longer after being washed many times. It can also endure contact with hot objects without melting. There are many different colour options, some have black hems, others have white details!

2. Contribute to good food hygiene

Uniforms not only protect your employee, but it also protects the food that they prepare. 

For example, the iconic hat that completes the chef uniform is more than a representation of their overall experience in the kitchen. It also helps in containing loose hairs and sweat that you would not want in your customers’ food. Some employers may even require a neckerchief, scarf-like wear that catches or stops sweat before they drop!

The first and best line of defence is a quality apron. Easier, cheaper and faster to launder and iron than chef whites or hospitality uniforms. Aprons perform a vital service in a food service establishment. A functional apron will not only protect clothing from stains and odours but will bind clothing close to the body to prevent loose fabric from snagging or falling into food.

3. Cook comfortably

Overwhelmed by hot appliances and flames in a ventilated room, your kitchen staff still need to keep themselves comfortable. The increase in temperature during hotter periods would not help in keeping cooler air circulation. Chefs need to move fast, bend over and lift objects. They need trousers that allow them to move around without any restrictions to their movement. While the chef jacket is intact, the chef trousers are looser and informal to help the wearer stay cool during the job and give them freedom of movement. Thankfully, as an employer, you can help by providing them with high-quality workwear uniforms!

4. Community belonging

All your kitchen staff have attended a culinary school which fostered them into a culture of togetherness. Without the requirement of uniforms in the kitchen, it would result in chaos. Your staff might even teach you a thing or two about the importance of this culture in your restaurant’s kitchen! They would tell you that chef uniforms signal to others that the person is part of that crew and plays a crucial role. 

History is a big influence on this culture as well. There was a time when chefs did not wear uniforms and they were considered by society as a drunk group of working men. Two French chefs, Marie-Antoine Careme and Auguste Excoffier decided to boost the status of this profession by developing the chef uniform. (Read about the fascinating history of chef uniform here). > Please link Wiz' previous blog about the history of chef uniform here for link juice.

5. Keep their regular clothes stain-free

Coming as the last function, these chef uniforms are also crucial to the wearers as they help keep their regular clothes clean even after a day in a room full of different ingredients and indistinguishable odours. Chef aprons are used to protect clothes from food marks and stains in the kitchen. Some come with a bib (french style), but the most popular today are low-rise aprons with a bib and a pocket that does the same job of protecting inner clothing.

 

Go for practicality and looks

When deciding which chef uniform in Singapore to purchase for your kitchen staff, not only do you need to think about the practicality of what they are wearing, but also how it looks. If you have an open kitchen where your customers can see the kitchen staff at work, your brand aesthetic must be represented appropriately. 

If you are looking for a uniform supplier in Singapore, explore our website to find the best chef uniforms for your staff.



Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels