Chefs wear distinct hats known as the toque blanche or, in more popular words, a chef’s hat, while working in kitchens. One of the main reasons to wear a chef’s hat is to stop any stray hair on the chef’s head from falling into the dish being prepared at that moment. Many chefs wear a head net that covers the entire head and then put on the chef’s hat on that. This locks the hair in place and provides no chance of that hair falling into one of the dishes about to be served to a customer.
Chef’s hats go back a long way, as long as the early 16th century. Although popular fables exist as to how the hat exactly came into picture, it is certainly to hold the hair back while cooking. The only thing to be considered is that even the smallest restaurant needs its cooks and chefs to put on the hats while cooking to avoid any unpleasant scenes due to a strand of hair in the food served to the customer.
Chef hats come in various shapes and sizes, depending on the chef’s number of years of experience, and so it is possible to have a hat as high as 12” for the head chef. Chef hats are made of either stiff cloth like cotton or a cotton mix or can be of the disposable kind like the paper and fiber mix hats. Also the cooks and the apprentices need to wear the hats while in the kitchen. As a matter of fact, it is one of the rules that all the cooks and chefs in the kitchen need to wear the hats to avoid losing points when the food inspector feels like making a surprise visit to the restaurant.
Chef hats come in one-size fits all head sizes that can fit any head size. These usually have the elastic or the Velcro fit and so can fit in almost anyone. Some restaurants that are a part of large chain of hotels or restaurants have their own logo on the hats so as to make them personalized. This lends a definite classy touch while making it obvious as to which hotel the chefs belong.
Chef hats come in different styles depending on the country where they are being made. A slight difference in the shape would give them a unique look. Popular chef hat models are the vertical pleats hats that are commonly used in most small restaurants in all over the world. Even the number of pleats on the hat symbolized the chef’s experience traditionally. A head chef was supposed to wear a chef hat having a hundred pleats, although it is not always true these days.
Chef hats are available in white, black, or a mix of white and black checkers. However, the most popular are the white chef hats that are most commonly used by chefs anywhere in the world.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Chef Hat History
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Chef hats have a history that can be traced as far as the beginning of the centuries. Although the real origin is not really known, it does go back a long way. It is a popular belief that the chefs in the courts of Iran...
-
Paper Chef Hats
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
In early times, chef hats were made of starched cloth and held together with whalebones to provide a unique style of hats. The whalebones disappeared shortly but the style remained with a few alterations and a lot of starch. Also, the cloth hats had to...
-
Personalized Chef Hats
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Chef hats are a unique family of hats, highly distinguishable anywhere in the world. They identify the chefs, and the traditional variety of hats can even provide an insight as to the chef’s experience in the field. Even though all the chefs and cooks and...
-
Black Chef Hats
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The most popularly used chef’s hats are white in color. However, the latest market shows some trendy designer hats that come in different shades such as black, gray, checkered, red, blue and others. The black and the checkered ones are catching up on sales in...
-
Disposable Chef Hats
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Initially, chef hats were made of stiff starched cloth that was pleated as per tradition. These tended to become limp and worn as time passes due to the frequent washes they are subjected to. Also, it was a long and tiring process to ensure that...
-
Chef Uniforms
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
A chef’s uniform consists of different pieces of clothing to complete the attire. Although most of the chefs do not wear all the pieces, most of the restaurants and big chain hotels insist on the chefs being properly attired in the entire uniform. A chef’s...
-
Chef Supplies
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Being a chef includes much more than just proper attire and good culinary skills. Particularly, a head chef must be able to wield a kitchen knife with expertise, and face all the various problems that might arise in a kitchen. A chef must include mitts...
-
Chef Shirts
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
When selecting chef uniforms it is important to find designs that are comfortable and easy to maintain. Most food and beverage establishments prefer to buy chef shirts from a particular source. This helps maintain uniformity and guarantees prompt delivery and availability as and when required....
-
Embroidered Fitted Hats
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Embroidered fitted hats are well shaped to fit exactly on the head of the end user. These caps are getting popular and fashionable day by day. When fitted hats carry the company logo or event, then they becomes a type of billboard and the employees...
-
Culinary Arts Salaries
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
In the early days of man as a cave dweller, fire was discovered and ever since, cooked food has been popular. Over a period of time, culinary skills developed into a body of knowledge such that today, it is both a science and an intricate...