The Study

In the experiment, the authors showed that wearing a lab coat that was identified as a lab coat had a positive effect on their subjects’ attention to detail. However, when the lab coat was identified as a painter’s coat, it did not have any effect on the subjects’ attention to detail.

The important takeaway from this study is that people’s behaviors and attitudes can change depending upon what they’re wearing – but only when the item of clothing is associated with a particular behavior or attitude. Because lab coats are associated with attention to detail, they have a positive impact on that particular behavior, but they wouldn’t encourage a person to behave more courteously, for example.

Application in the Restaurant Industry

So, how can this study be applied to the restaurant industry? After all, you’re probably not going to put your employees in lab coats.

The first thing you need to decide is what behavior or attitude you want to see from your employees. Do you want them to be more service-oriented? Do you want them to be more friendly? Do you want them to have a more cheerful attitude? You can’t choose your uniform until you identify your goal.

Once you’ve identified your goal, you need to think about how you can enforce that goal with a uniform change. For example, a plain apron might be more economical, but one that is embroidered with your restaurant’s name and logo, and possibly each employee’s name, might encourage more pride of ownership. Every time your employees put on their aprons, they’ll remember where they work – and that they are representatives of your restaurant.

You also need to make sure that you’re enforcing the behaviors and attitudes that you want your employees to show. You can’t make them associate something like an apron with good service – but if you reiterate throughout the training process and at beginning of day the idea that wearing that apron makes them a representative of your restaurant and the good service customers expect, they will begin to associate the apron with good service. 

While this study doesn’t guarantee that you’ll find a new way to motivate your employees to behave in a certain way, it is worthwhile to consider how you can use your restaurant’s uniform to positively influence your employees’ actions and attitudes.

Motivating Creatively

So what kind of creative motivators might work for your employees? It depends on both your restaurant and your employees, as well as the type of behavior you want to see from said employees. The important thing is to tailor your motivators to your employees; they won’t be motivated by rewards that don’t appeal to their needs and desires.

So, for example, if your restaurant has launched a customer loyalty program or an email program and you want to motivate employees to get customers to sign up for the program, you might hold a membership contest for those who sign up the most people with prizes like gas cards (or any other prize that would appeal to your employees). Of course, you’ll want to make sure that the contest can work for all employees, not just servers, if you want a real motivation boost, so you might consider offering one prize for servers and another prize for non-servers who might be motivated to get friends and family members to sign up for the program.

There are times, however, when only one group is affected by a motivational factor. For example, maybe you’ve noticed that servers are regularly getting orders wrong or that the food coming out of the kitchen isn’t prepared correctly. In those cases, it’s fine to directly target the group that you want to be motivated, but the trick is to make sure that whatever motivator you’re using won’t make the employees who aren’t eligible for it jealous, as you don’t want productivity to drop in some other area of your restaurant. Maybe those who make the fewest mistakes could be offered a better schedule or an additional break. You might also consider instituting a “Server of the Month” and “Back of House Employee of the Month” program to reward those who go above and beyond the regular call of duty each month.

Showing Appreciation

Of course, you don’t always have to offer a prize or reward to motivate your employees. As Lipman points out, simply saying “thank you” can go a long way toward keeping your employees motivated. If they know that you appreciate the work that they do, and you’re ready and willing to praise and say thank you when someone does something well, you might find that your employees are more willing to work a bit harder and do a bit more, even if they aren’t getting any other reward for the behavior than a thank you.

Sometimes it seems more important to single out an employee who’s done something wrong, but acknowledging when employees do something right might be even more important. That acknowledgement can encourage an employee to keep doing things right, and, when other employees see the positive response another employee gets, they’ll be more likely to emulate that behavior. A simple “thank you” can create a cycle of positive behavior which can have a significant effect on the morale of your employees and the service your customers receive.

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Employees

It’s inevitable that you will, at some point in time, have to have a negative conversation with an employee. Whether it’s a case of a server who makes mistakes when taking orders or a cook who is over seasoning the food or a hostess who is incorrectly estimating wait times, unpleasant conversations have to be had, but it is possible to mitigate people’s natural response to criticism.

There’s a simple method that should be followed when it is necessary to criticize an employee’s behavior:

• Start off with the criticism. While many of us prefer  to lead into the criticism with some positives, the reality is that employees will pay more attention to the criticism and any information that follows it than they will to the information presented beforehand.
• Don’t pile on the criticism. Any criticism can be a huge blow to an employee’s morale, so it’s important to only offer one piece of criticism at a time.
• Offer positive feedback after you have presented the criticism. If you want your employee’s morale to stay high, don’t end on a low note. Tell the employee what he or she is doing well, as you want the employee to continue those behaviors. The employee is more likely to remember this praise, so the entire negative experience can have a positive outcome.

Ultimately, the bottom line of your restaurant depends upon your employees providing great customer service, and that’s not possible when their morale is constantly dropping because of improperly handled criticism.

Customers

What are the implications of this article for customers? Obviously, you’re not going to criticize them, but you may have to deal with a negative experience that they’re having in your restaurant.

According to the RightNow 2011 Customer Experience Impact Report,

• 26% of customers will post a comment on their Facebook or Twitter page after a negative experience.
• 89% of customers will do business with one of your competitors after they have a negative experience with you.

However, the negative experience does not have to lead to a loss of business. Customers respond positively to businesses that address their concerns, and 22% of customers will post a positive comment in these instances.

That means that if you want to retain your customers, you must deal with their problems immediately. Follow the method below to deal with any customer complaints or problems:

• Listen to the customer. What is the problem? What do they want you to do to fix that problem? Don’t assume you know the answer.
• Fix the problem. There will be some circumstances where you can’t give the customer exactly what he or she wants, but most of the time, fixes are fairly easy. It also never hurts to go above and beyond the necessary; after all, you want that customer to tell his or her friends how great the experience was at your restaurant, not that you did the bare minimum to resolve a problem.
• Be gracious. Apologize for the problem, and thank the customer for his or her business. Check back with the customer to verify that the problem has been resolved.

While all of this might sound like common sense, you are subject to the same reactions to criticism as everyone else. Having a plan in place for the almost inevitable complaints will minimize the potential loss of customers that can occur in these situations and will allow you to keep your own feelings out of the picture. After all, you want your customers to walk out of your restaurant and tell their friends about the great experience they had, not about how the entire experience was a disaster.

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Education

There are two traditional paths for becoming a chef: formal training and apprenticeships.

Formal training is completed through schools that offer a culinary degree program, which can be either an Associate’s Degree, which typically takes about 2 years going full-time, or a Bachelor’s Degree, which typically takes four years going full-time. The coursework in these programs can include all of the following areas of study:

• Culinary skills, which includes food preparation and cooking techniques
• Sanitation and safety
• Menu and restaurant design
• Specialized cooking, which includes everything from regional cooking to baking and pastry
• Beverages, which includes wine, beer, and spirits
• Event planning
• Management, which includes everything from financial planning to marketing
• Formal internships

Apprenticeships can be both formal and informal. Formal apprenticeships are set-up through some culinary schools and organizations, with the bulk of the learning being done while working under an experienced chef and a lesser amount done in the classroom, resulting in certification upon completion of the apprenticeship.

Informal apprenticeships are arranged between the professional chef and the student, with no classroom learning and no certification. If you intend to work for someone else at the completion of the apprenticeship, be aware that it can be more difficult to get hired without the more established training of a culinary degree or formal apprenticeship.

Career Paths:

Once training is complete, there are a variety of positions that a chef can occupy. In a traditional restaurant kitchen, they include:

• Executive or head chef – the person in charge of the kitchen, who is responsible for everything from the food that leaves the kitchen to menu planning to managerial duties like hiring kitchen staff and purchasing inventory.
• Sous chef – the executive chef’s second in command, who both acts as the executive chef’s assistant and stands in for the executive chef when he or she is not working.
• Line or station chef – a person who works in one particular area of the kitchen, such as the pantry chef, vegetable chef, grill or roast chef, fish chef, or sauté chef.

Most people who have recently completed their culinary training start out working below one of the line chefs and work their way up to become line chefs, then sous chefs, and finally executive chefs.

Of course, those trained as chefs have many options outside of a traditional restaurant kitchen, including:

• Research chef – a person who tests new products, equipment, and recipes for food manufacturers, restaurant chains, and anyone else who makes food products.
• School chef – someone who teaches in one of the formal programs discussed in the education section.
• Recreational cooking class chef – a person who teaches home cooks in courses that can range from one day sessions to weeks-long courses.

There are many other choices beyond these; cruise ships employ chefs, as do spas, resorts, and cross-country trains. Magazines also hire chefs to test and create recipes and to review products. Ultimately, someone with training as a chef has many different options which are only limited by the creativity, passion, and interest of that person.

While many who consider culinary arts careers immediately think of our first listed option, becoming a chef, each of the other options that we have listed here, like becoming a caterer or food service manager, can be equally rewarding.

Chef

At the most basic level, a chef is someone who cooks professionally, but most of the time when we refer to  a chef, we’re talking about someone who’s been professionally trained and has a considerable amount of skill in the kitchen. Chefs can work in a variety of different cooking environments, including:

• Restaurants
• Hospitals
• Cruise ships

The can also work outside traditional kitchens as demo cooks, food consultants, or recipe testers, just to name a few options.

Caterer

The term caterer refers to someone who is serving food at an event. The food can be plated or set up as a buffet, and it can be prepared on site or off site. Most caterers meet with their clients several times to help them select a final menu, so the time commitment for each catering order can be significant.

Many modern caterers do more than just prepare the food, however, and instead bundle the food with other event elements like bar service, decorating, and lighting. Because of this, running a successful catering business requires good business sense along with cooking skill.

Personal Chef / Private Chef

Personal chefs are hired by a client to prepare customized meals in the client’s home kitchen. The chef typically leaves the meals in the client’s refrigerator or freezer with easy to follow reheating directions. Personal chefs work for multiple clients, and, in some cases, specialize in making meals for special events, such as dinner parties.

Private chefs are similar to personal chefs, but they only have one client. Typically, they’re responsible for most of the meals the client eats at home, and, unlike personal chefs, the meals are prepared when the client is going to eat them.

Pastry Chef

Pastry chefs, as the name implies, are in charge of the desserts, breads, and most other baked goods that come out of a kitchen. They can work in a variety of environments, such as:

• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Bakeries
• Cafes

Oftentimes, pastry chefs prepare their creations prior to meal service if they are employed by a restaurant or hotel, while pastry chefs who work at bakeries might prepare goods for other businesses as well as for the bakery itself.

Food Service Manager / Restaurant Manager

Being a food service or restaurant manager blends culinary knowledge with business knowledge. Those in these positions can be in charge of:

• Managing the kitchen and floor staff
• Purchasing supplies and equipment
• Scheduling and receiving deliveries of food and beverages
• Evaluating food quality
• Monitoring health and safety codes
• Maintaining the restaurant’s budget

Sommelier / Beverage Manager

Sommeliers are wine professionals; they have received extensive training on everything from wine service to pairing wine with food. They often work in fine restaurants, and, along with compiling the wine list for the restaurant, they also help diners to choose wines that meet their preferences.

Beverage managers have a strong knowledge of wines, beers, and spirits and typically compile the wine, beer, and spirit list for the restaurant at which they work. They assist with food pairings and may also have a strong focus on marketing certain beverages to customers.

As can be seen, there are many different options available to those who are interested in a career in the culinary arts. For a more in-depth exploration of becoming a chef, please see the other article in this series:

So You Want to Be a Chef? Education and Career Path Options

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The first thing you’ll need to do is pick the food theme of your activity: 

• Baking treats such as bread, cake, cookies, cupcakes, or pie
• Making goodies such as candy, caramel apples, ice cream, or other frozen treats
• Cooking foods like pasta, pizza, or soup

Once you’ve chosen the theme, you’ll want to order the aprons. You might have the children’s names embroidered on the aprons, or, if they’re for a particular club, troop, or group, the name of that organization could also be embroidered on them.

When you receive your aprons, you can also further pre-personalize them. For example, if the activity is cupcake themed, you might iron-on a cupcake patch to the apron, or if it’s pizza themed, you might applique some pizza themed shapes to the front of the apron. You might also personalize the aprons with a theme appropriate phrase, such as:

• Time to make eat the cupcakes/cookies/pizza/etc.
• Official Cookie/Cupcake/Pizza/etc. Maker
• Official Cookie/Cupcake/Pizza/etc. Taster

However, you want to make sure that you don’t do too much to the aprons, as you want to leave plenty of room for the children to personalize them.

You will need some simple materials for the kids to personalize their aprons:

• Fabric paint, which is available in shiny, puffy, and glittery varieties 
• Fabric markers, which are also available in a variety of styles
• Get or make stamps that go along with the theme of the activity – this is particularly useful if you’ve left the aprons free of patches and appliques, as it’s an easy way for the kids to add shapes and designs to the aprons.

It’s a good idea to have a variety of colors and styles to give the kids’ creativity free reign, and you should have extras of the most popular colors so that the kids don’t have to wait for someone else to finish before they can make their masterpiece.  You might also consider having fabric glue, scissors, and ribbons or pieces of fabric – as no sewing is necessary, kids can further customize their aprons (this is a good alternative to patches and appliques).

On the day of the activity, you should do the following before the kids arrive:

• Place plastic on the tables to protect them from the paint and markers. Garbage bags, drop cloths, and cheap tablecloths work well for this task. It’s also a good idea to use masking tape or painter’s tape to affix the plastic to the underside of the table so that it doesn’t move.
• Place a good selection of your paint, markers, and stamps in the center of each table, and spread out the aprons on the tables to make sure that each child has enough room to work.
• You should also make sure that the food that you’ll be making is prepped and ready to go – so have veggies and fruit chopped, and have any ingredients like chocolate or nuts out of their packaging and set in bowls.

Once the kids arrive, they can make whatever food items you’ve decided upon for the party.  Make sure that anything that needs to be cooked, baked, or frozen is in the oven, on the stove, or in the freezer before they begin working on their aprons.  Ideally, they should be able to work on the aprons while the food is cooking, baking, or freezing. 

When the children have completed their aprons, the food should be done and everyone can then partake of the feast.  You should pick up some inexpensive hangers for the aprons, as they likely will not be dry when it’s time for the kids to go home, and the hangers will make transporting them easier.

Remember, it doesn’t really matter what theme you choose, what food you make, or how much or how little you personalize the aprons in advance.  It’s really all about letting the kids show their creativity and, most importantly, having fun.

Sponsored by Aprons&Smocks.com, a seller of kid's aprons

• Loose fitting and have sleeves which may be short or long in length, whereas aprons are sleeveless.  
• Buttons, snaps or zippers down the front to keep the garment closed, whereas aprons tie in the back.  
• A V-neck opening at the top with a collar which provides a professional look.  
• Available in a variety of colors and styles with white being the most popular color for medical professionals.
• Pockets on a smock are deeper than an apron and protect all of your upper body.  
• Also known as “lab coats, counter coats or server coats”.
• Two main styles of smocks:  jackets or coats.  
• Many are made from a comfortable, lightweight 65/35 4.5 ounce poly-cotton poplin material which is lighter than the typical 7.5 ounce fabric found in aprons.  
• Typically have 3 pockets – two on the bottom and one in the upper left side of the garment, whereas aprons usually have 2 pockets on the bottom.
• May also have a built-in-belt in the back and usually have a straight bottom hem.  Aprons usually don’t have the built-in-belt and may have a straight or rounded hem.

Smock Jacket or Shirt
A smock jacket (sometimes called a smock shirt) is shorter than the smock coat by at least six inches.  You can find three different tailored styles:  Men, women and unisex.  Smock jackets are designed in a figure-flattering style for women.  In contrast, men’s smock jackets have straight sides with a shorter length than the female jacket by several inches.   Unisex style jackets fall in between the men’s and women’s.  Smock jackets are available in many colors and sizes.

Smock Coat or Dress
The smock coat is a longer version of the smock jacket (6-12 inches) and is also known as a lab coat.

What occupations use smocks?
Smocks are frequently worn by medical professionals such as doctors and pharmacists, but are also worn by teachers, beauticians, artists, counter and shop workers and even Welsh shepherds and soldiers overseas.

Cobbler Aprons or Artist’s Smock
Cobbler aprons are sleeveless and slip over your head.  In common usage, they’re often called smocks although technically they are aprons. It covers more area on the top half of the body than a bib apron and also covers your back.  The bottom of this apron ends around or below the thighs and multiple pockets are fairly standard.  The cobbler apron ties on the side and the material around the shoulders range from 2-4 inches wide to provide a comfortable fit.  These types of aprons can be found in both crew (round) neck and V-neck styles and with straight or rounded bottoms.  They are available in both adult and children’s sizes.

As you can see, smocks are made for a variety of jobs and professions to meet your needs.  You can select from many styles, colors and lengths.  If you are looking for information on aprons, read our previous article, “The Many Uses of Aprons”.

ApronsandSmocks.com can help you decide which smock is the best one for your situation.  Many styles can be embroidered or screen printed with your business name, employee’s name or monogram.  Custom designs are offered for larger orders.

At least once in your life you have probably bought or used an apron of some type even though you may never have been in the culinary field.  Aprons are very popular and are used in a variety of professions, work places, and home.  So that you can buy the correct apron for your specific use, we have provided you with information on the types of aprons, style choices, and uses.

Aprons
Aprons come in many lengths, shapes and colors so they can be very stylish as well as functional!  The primary purpose of an apron is to protect the clothes underneath the apron.  Most aprons are sleeveless, include straps to tie around the waist and may include pockets with a pencil inset.  Many aprons are made with 7.5 ounce ultra-durable 65/35 poly-cotton twill fabric and are protected with a soil release finish which helps to remove stains and increase durability.  Aprons are available in a large variety of solid colors and prints, can be worn by men, women, and children and are usually machine washable.

Apron Styles

Bib aprons are unique in that they cover both the top and bottom of the body.  The top of the bib covers part of the front, upper body, whereas the lower part of the bib apron usually covers the entire front and sides of the body.  These aprons may be knee or floor length and slip over the head (or may tie around the neck). Most bib aprons come in a large variety of solid colors with white and black being the most popular.  You can’t state that bib aprons are boring when they are also available in pinstripes or pink with the breast cancer awareness logo!

Cobbler aprons are also sleeveless, but look like an artist’s smock.  The cobbler apron slips over your head, but covers more area on the top half of the body than a bib apron and also covers your back.  The bottom of this apron ends around or below the thighs and multiple pockets are fairly standard.  The cobbler apron ties on the side and the material around the shoulders ranges from 2-4 inches wide to provide a comfortable fit.  These types of aprons can be found in both crew (round) neck and V-neck styles and with straight or rounded bottoms.  Cobbler aprons are sometimes called smocks but with no sleeves, slip-over the head style and ties, they are uniquely different.

Waist aprons only protect the bottom half of the body and usually ends before the knees.  They usually have multiple pockets, can be found in multiple colors and tie around the waist.  They come in short, medium and longer lengths and may have a straight or scalloped bottom.  Some styles are even reversible!

Bistro aprons are a longer version of waist aprons, and those that come in a length shorter than the longer bistro apron are called a ½ bistro.  They tie at the waist and usually end at the middle of the calf.  Bistro aprons frequently have pockets, come in many colors and usually have a straight bottom.

Occupations using aprons include food service (ex. cafeterias, food preparation kitchens, deli’s, restaurants), churches, schools, daycare, grocers, bakers, servers, host/hostess, retail, warehouse  or counter workers, crafters, bartenders, volunteers, butchers, pharmacists, carpenters, housekeepers, art teachers and students, casino dealers, crafters and nursing home employees.

As you can see, aprons are made for a variety of jobs and professions to meet your needs. You can select from a variety of styles, colors, bib width’s, number of pockets, how deep the pockets are, patterns, fabrics, lengths, neck style, body coverage and more!

ApronsandSmocks.com can help you decide which apron is the best one for your business.  Many styles can be embroidered or screen printed with your business name, employee’s name or monogram.  Custom designs are offered for larger orders.

Pre-Soaking Instructions

Pre-soaking is a critical step in stain removal. It is okay if the soiled spot has naturally dried, but pre-soaking will not be effective if the garment has gone through the washing and drying process.

Please adhere to the following instructions for pre-soaking:

1. Fill a bucket or sink with WARM water.
2. Apply DAWN LIQUID SOAP over all soiled areas.
3. Let the garment soak in warm water for an extended period of time, preferably overnight.

Washing Instructions

FIRST-TIME washing instructions for LIKE COLORS:

• Do not overload washing machine.
• Use the longest washing cycle available.
• Choose WARM/WARM setting only.
• For first time washing colors, add ONE CUP of white vinegar to the load in addition to high quality detergent. This improves the fabric's color retention.
• DO NOT put garment into dryer until it has been inspected to ensure stains and soils have been cleaned. If you need to repeat soaking and washing, do so.

REPEATED washing instructions for LIKE COLORS:

[CONTENT FORTHCOMING]

FIRST-TIME and REPEATED washing instructions for WHITES:

• Do not overload washing machine.
• Use the longest washing cycle available.
• Choose WARM/WARM setting only.
• Use an appropriate amount of high quality detergent.
• DO NOT put garment into dryer until it has been inspected to ensure stains and soils have been cleaned. If you need to repeat soaking and washing, do so.

Drying Instructions

NEVER dry garments using HIGH heat, and NEVER dry garments to completion.

We recommend these directions for proper drying:

• Do not overload dryer.
• Use the Permanent Press setting or the lowest temperature possible -never use high heat!
• Remove items from dryer BEFORE they are completely dry.
• Hang up items immediately to avoid wrinkles.

Red Wine

1. Pour white wine over soiled area.
2. Proceed with normal pre-soaking, washing and drying instructions.

Tomato Sauce

1. Pour white vinegar over soiled area.
2. Work it around, rinse with warm water.
3. Proceed with normal pre-soaking, washing and drying instructions.

Blood

1. Pour warm water over soiled area.
2. Proceed with normal pre-soaking, washing and drying instructions.

Let’s discuss what each part of your chef uniform is designed to do. You may be surprised to learn that it’s not just a fashion statement—each article of clothing serves a specific function.

Chef Uniform Functions

Chef Jackets

Chef Jackets are an important part of the Chef Uniform. Because your chef jacket is traditionally double breasted, you’re protected against hot spills, splatters, burns, and other kitchen mishaps. The design of your chef jacket also allows for you to unbutton a flap and switch to a cleaner front if you need to conceal stains or spills. Your chef uniform sleeves are long to protect your arms from burns, splatters, and scalding steam.

Chef Hats

The most recognizable part of your chef uniform is the chef hat—the classic French cooking hat or “toque blanche” is literally translated as “white hat”. Although they do come in a variety of shapes in sizes, most are tall and pleated. They serve to keep hair out of your food and sweat off your face.

Chef Neckerchiefs

The chef neckerchief absorbs sweat from your neck. Although not required by most kitchens, it still adds a finished “professional” look to any chef uniform.

Chef Pants

Chef Pants are often baggy with elastic waistbands and odd patterns, and are absolutely essential in protecting chefs. Despite hot kitchen temperatures, long chef pants are meant to protect your legs from spills, splashes, and burns. The baggy shape of chef pants keeps hot foods and liquids from making contact with your skin. Never cuff the bottom of your pants—cuffs trap scalding foods and liquids. The waistband is necessary for rapid removal.

Chef Aprons

The Chef Apron is a chef uniform essential. It serves as an extra barrier against hot splashes, hot foods, and other kitchen dangers. Do not use your apron to wipe up spills, messes, or your hands—towels are available for this purpose. You can however use your chef apron to conveniently grab hot pots out of the oven. The cleaner the chef apron and chef uniform, the more professional your appearance.

Chef Shoes

Sturdy, comfortable, anti-slip chef shoes are a chef uniform essential. If you wear sandals, open shoes, tennis shoes or shoes of any other sort, you increase your chances of getting burned or injured by falling knives. Certain brands of shoe are specially made for chefs who are on their feet for long periods of time.

Remember chefs, keep your chef uniform clean, remove your jewelry when cooking, don’t wear perfume, and only wear your chef uniform in the kitchen to prevent germs and bacteria from contaminating your professional chef uniform.

Both men and women in the culinary industry want to present themselves in a professional manner, as there is a certain level of respect given to those who wear a clean chef uniform. Specially tailored women’s chef coats are absolutely necessary for female chefs who understand the importance of looking their best in the workplace environment and wish to openly display their professionalism. So women, what should you look for when purchasing a women’s chef coat?

A good quality women’s chef coat that’s tailored to your body shape and figure will set you apart from others in the kitchen—and enhance your professional image. When you display self-confidence in combination with a professional appearance and outstanding job performance, you earn respect. Choose a chef coat that’s tailored for a comfortable and streamlined fit. Look for darts or pleats in the back that bring in the waist—reducing the amount of fabric and eliminating a “bulky” look. The shoulders of your garment should be narrower, preventing your sleeves from drooping.

The women’s chef coat is designed to compliment a woman’s proportions and professional image. When a woman wears a chef coat cut and sized for a man, her ensemble may look sloppy, loose, or unflattering due to the poor fit of the garments. Female chefs—there are women’s chef coats available in many styles, sizes, and colors to suit even the most discerning of tastes.

Chef Coat Fabrics

What types of fabrics should you consider when selecting your women’s chef coat?

A 100% Cotton Women’s Chef Coat: The 100% cotton chef coat is an excellent choice for hot conditions, as it offers excellent breathability and has a very soft feel. The downsides to this coat are shrinkage in the wash and only mediocre spill protection—this garment tends to soak up hot liquids instead of allowing them to “roll off” your sleeves or front.

A Polyester/Cotton Blend Women’s Chef Coat: Unlike the 100% cotton women’s chef coat, the polyester blend does not “breathe” as well in hot kitchen environments, but offers more spill protection because liquids are not as easily absorbed in the material. The poly blend is more durable and can hold up to many washings, but be sure to take precautions so that your garment does not become discolored and take on a grayish hue. Helpful washing instructions are available on our website.

Before purchasing a women’s chef coat, determine which types of fabrics are available and buy the best option for you based on your own kitchen environment. There are so many styles and sizes available, including maternity chef coats as well.

Today, women chefs have embraced their equal value in the restaurant or kitchen area and are deserving of appropriate and properly tailored women’s chef coats. Take advantage of the variety out there and choose the best women’s chef coat option for you.

As fashion evolves in the Chef Clothing industry, both chefs and chef staff are becoming increasingly aware of their own image and unique look they create for themselves in the workplace. Young chefs are deviating from classic looks and patterns (namely the classic white chef clothes, hats, and pants) and opting for bold, brighter colors and garments. Whether this is due to the influence of television programs that feature stylish chefs or whether men are paying closer attention to their appearance these days, chefs want to choose chef clothes, hats, and pants that create a unique image. Chefs are considered artists, and as culinary artists, they express themselves not only through their culinary achievements but through their personal appearance.

Younger chefs are introducing new colors to kitchens, though not all bright colors, though. Natural tones such as beige, sand, and brown are popular, as well a variety of prints, everything from classic patterns to trendy novelty prints that feature food items, words, and other images.

Designers and chef clothing manufacturers are reinterpreting the classic chef uniform and giving it a new contemporary twist—although chef clothes are practical and necessary for the workplace, these garments don’t have to be completely devoid of style and personality. Take advantage of the new styles available that allow you to express your own personality and appreciate the new utility and practicality of these garments as well. Modern chef garments are not only stylized, but they’ve durable, stain resistant, heat resistant, and keep you cool and comfortable in hot kitchens.

Besides chef clothes, hats, and pants, other items are gaining popularity with the younger generation of chefs, namely hats, caps, bandanas, and other accessories. A pattered hat, cap, or bandana is a less formal alternative to the classic hat, and a great way maintain cleanliness in the kitchen.

With the variety of styles, colors, and patterns available, it’s easy to find something you’ll like. As a culinary professional, you’ll need to look your best in the kitchen at all times. Choose garments you can depend on to provide you with the fashionable and professional appearance you need those decisions will reflect positively on your self-image and career.