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What Is The Purpose Of The Chef's Uniform?
Anyone who has spent a long night wrapped around the toilet bowl with food poisoning will know exactly what the implications of having poor hygiene in the kitchen are. Part of ensuring that the kitchens of restaurants and cafes are completely hygienic is the chef's uniforms that all workers are required to wear during their shift. Believe it or not, this clothing is not simply chosen because it looks nice; there are actually hygiene reasons for why this particular uniform is chosen.
Cravat: In some kitchens, a cravat is worn to signify the particular status or rank of the chef (hands, for example, would not wear one, as they are in the lowest position). In other kitchens, the cravat is colour coded to signify what area of the kitchen you work in (seafood, for example, is coded with blue and poultry with yellow).
Footwear: Whilst the footwear worn as a part of a chef's uniform does not offer much in the way of hygiene to the kitchen, it does provide the wearer's feet with protection against falling pots and pans. The shoes should be comfortable and feature good grip (for slippery floors) and reinforced toes.
Hat: Whilst the hat is not a legal requirement for chefs and kitchen hands in Australia, it is expected that anyone with long hair will wear one. The reason for this is that the fabric of these hats is designed to prevent hair from falling out of the cook's head and into the food that they are preparing.
Jacket: Commonly known as 'chef whites', this piece of clothing is a vital part of a chef's uniform. As well as helping with the hygiene of the kitchen, the jacket also forms a protective barrier for the wearer (helping to prevent them from becoming burned). The fabric will show up dirt easily, ensuring that they are regularly changed.
Pants: Another vital part of the chef's uniform is the loose pants that they wear. Like the jacket, these pants provide both a hygiene and a protective function (usually against fire). The fact that the fabric is loose fitting ensures that the chef's body is able to breathe as they cook, lessening the chances of them sweating.
As you can see, the chef's uniforms featured across the best restaurants, cafes and eateries in the city actually serve a far larger purpose than simply looking nice for the patrons. Many of the pieces are actually required by law to ensure that hygienic practices are always in place, whilst the others have been designed with the protection of the chef in mind.
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