Chefs Whites

Each piece of a chef’s uniform has a purpose. Hygiene dictates the wearing of nets or hats for food preparation so as well as the traditional toque blanche which denotes status within the kitchen, chefs’ headwear can include baseball caps, trilbies, boaters, skull caps and beanies. These can be matched to the chefs’ jackets to give a more ‘uniform’ appearance. Coupled with the chef’s neckerchief they also help to keep the wearer cool. Chefs' whites are historically made of thick white cotton, with long sleeves. Their double-breasted design offers four layers of fabric protection to a chef’s chest from boiling liquid splashes and the jacket can easily be unbuttoned/re-buttoned in case of a splash to maintain a clean appearance. The double-breasted design has stayed and but alongside the traditional styles and fabrics, modern chefs’ jackets are now available cut for women, in various colours, with different sleeve lengths and made from breathable fabrics. For added protection against heat and food spills chefs’ aprons provide an extra layer. They come in different colours and, because of technological advancements in fabric development, can be water-resistant and/or flame retardant.