History of the Chef Uniform

A woman wearing a white, double-breasted, chef's coat.

The chef's uniform ensemble is a trademark of their culinary profession. The "Western influenced" world has a strict guideline for what makes a chef's uniform, but this hasn't always been the case.

Earliest Hat Origins

Many theories point to ancient Assyria as the birthplace for the first use of a hat, or piece of headgear, for a chef. In the centuries between c. 1100 and 600 BCE, rulers were often assassinated with the use of poisons, which lead to careful selection of chefs. The king's appreciation for the chef was displayed by allowing the chef to wear an honorable, crown like, head-piece.

Borrowed Styles

In the 7th century, a time when intelligence and freethinking was persecuted, chefs being among the smarter of the crowd fled to monasteries. Amongst the monks and scholars, they robed and studied their culinary profession in a nurturing environment. They traded the black and dark robes for gray and white so as to avoid offending their priest peers.

Modern Transition

The inconsistent styles of chef wardrobes endured an overhaul in the mid 1800s by chef Marie-Antoine Carême. He took the common elements and revised them to better suit the profession and provide a uniform look that all chef's would later attain. The first regular use of white, double-breasted, jackets was in Carême's staff, as well as the induction of sized hats to portray kitchen rank. At this time, the pleats embellishing the hat were also implemented; about 100 for each way to cook an egg,

References

• Toque or Chef's Hat
• History of the Chefs Uniform
• Chef Uniforms