What Is The Difference In The Sleeve Length On A Chef Jacket?

In many children cartoons and other forms of literature, a man wearing a tall white hat is immediately identified as a chef. It has been a longstanding symbol that we are all aware of, and it helps us understand their role in the story. However, when you are in the restaurant business, you should know more about the professional chef’s uniform.

The chef workwear that you know today has a rich history. Each garment has been enhanced to serve specific purposes in protecting and assisting the wearer as they prepare food. In this article, we will only focus on one garment: the chef’s jacket. 

What is the Purpose of the Chef’s Jacket?

The chef’s jacket is your employee’s first line of defence. If we were still living in the medieval era of knights in war, a chef’s jacket would be their metal armour. Instead of wearing it as protection from swords, the jacket protects them from heat, steam, and splashing liquids while cooking in a busy, cramped kitchen.

Typically, the jacket, sometimes called coat, comes in two types: double-breasted and single-breasted. The former is often used by an executive or head chef who works in an open kitchen and often faces customers during the day. They need it because they can quickly reverse it to the clean side when they present themselves to customers. The latter, however, is lighter—ideal for a less messy conventional chef.

When you think of the thick materials and long-sleeved jackets, you might empathise with your employees wearing a chef uniform in Singapore inside a hot and humid kitchen. Well, the next thing you might think about is cutting the jacket length. It is a mistake you should not make!

There are many chef jackets out there. The main difference in sleeve length is usually related to the protection the chef requires and the unique conditions of the kitchen. To know more about these length differences, here is what you need to know about each of them:

Long sleeve length

Traditionally, chef jackets that have long sleeves are the go-to. The sleeves extend down the full length of the arm and stop at the wrists. It is effective in giving maximum protection for arms to avoid hazards inside a busy kitchen. 

Some chef workwear jackets have cuff tabs designs that help hold rolled-up sleeves in place. A simple clipper gives the wearer the convenience of easily rolling down their clean long sleeves in customer-facing situations. 

Short sleeve or shirt sleeve length

You do not often see a professional chef wearing a short sleeve in a restaurant kitchen because they work in bakeries, cafes, and patisseries. A chef uniform made with short sleeves allows ease of movement—exactly what the chefs in these establishments need.

For kneading bread and designing cake properly, a short sleeve is an ideal length to let wearers gain more control over their elbow movements. In terms of safety, the absence of fire from stoves erases their chances of burning their forearms. Thus, the short sleeve is suitable for kitchens that only rely on the oven to cook food!