Even though the Chef uniform has evolved a lot over the years, Chef whites are a proud traditional outfit worn by professional chefs and is one that demands respect and honor for their field. The Chef whites, as they are known all over the world, originated in 19th century France through the ideas of the world’s first ever celebrity chef Marie-Antoine Carême.
Chef Carême created his design for uniforms in white color to signify cleanliness. His idea was that a professional, well experienced chef should be a clean chef who should be able to work without staining his or her uniform.
Of course, we all know that working in a crowded, busy kitchen there are bound to be a few accidents resulting in spillages and splashes, especially on the clothes, and these will definitely cause a stain. This was another reason that Chef Carême designed Chef coats and other parts of the uniform in white. When there is dirt or a stain on a white fabric it is easily noticeable, and therefore the wearer can go and change their outfit quickly before any of their guests can see it. It is also a very easy color to clean, since white fabric can be bleached unlike other colors where the color can run and fade.
One advantage of wearing traditional Chef Coats, which is an important part of the uniform, is that if you notice any dirt or stains on it, you can reverse the front flap to cover the stain, and no one will be the wiser! This is why Chef Coats are designed in double-breasted style with a row of fabric buttons on the front. These days some designs incorporate zips and Velcro rather than buttons, making the flip over faster and smoother.
So, yes although professional Chefs are expected to work in a clean manner without any spills, accidents do happen. The main thing is that you are prepared to resolve it at a moment’s notice, and are able to maintain the elegant stature of an honored Chef.
