Culinary Uniform

As embarrassing as this picture is, I thought I'd share what will now be my daily attire. This uniform is very important in the culinary world and not only shows your place in the hierarchy but also is very useful.

Starting from the bottom up, we must wear black, non-slip soles, with polish-able leather uppers. The non-slip is obviously so you do not slip on wet or oily spills on the floor and the polish-able leather uppers are for easy cleaning and to protect your feet from falling knives or other equipment.

Next, the checkered (uni-sex) pants are one of three kinds you can wear. Checkered black and white, striped black and white or plain black. These colors and pattens are chosen because they are much better at hiding any spills or dirt that gets on them.

This 4-way apron is an essential item and as per its name can be worn four different ways, once again so that you can hide the spills or dirt and so that it stays clean for wiping hands etc.

The chefs jacket is the most easily identifiable symbol of a culinary professional and is double breasted, so once again if you spill you can just switch the sides (by changing buttons) and you will look clean and presentable once more.

The neckerchief (which I deem the worst part of this outfit, besides the hat) is for two purposes. 1. to catch any perspiration from the head and neck and 2. the color denotes your place in the hierarchy. Green is for us students, while white is for the Chef instructors.

Lastly, the hat. This is the culinary hat, the bakers use the floppy ones. Hats used to be used to denote hierarchy as well, the taller the hat, the higher up on the ranks. However, that practice is not used at my school and thus we all wear the tall hats. They are obviously to keep hair out of food.

Notes: if you have a beard you must wear a beard guard, there is no jewelry allowed on hands or wrists (except a plain wedding-band), and you cannot wear any nail-polish or fake nails.

Oh and yes, this is an XS!!