How To Choose What Type Of Colour Scheme For Your Uniform

Chef uniforms have traditionally been white with chefs wearing white hats, jackets, aprons and gray checked baggy pants. Many chefs still prefer to wear the traditional colours for several mainly practical reasons;

• White although it stains easily it can also be bleached with little problem to remove stains, coloured cloth cannot be bleached as this would ruin the colour.

• Often it is the chef’s responsibility to launder their own uniform so many chefs prefer the ease of looking after a white uniform, then if they feel the need for a touch of colour a different coloured apron or necktie can make the difference.

• It has long been expected, especially in large kitchens that the wearing of white chef uniforms donates rank with the most senior staff traditionally wearing black pants and tall white hats.

• White means clean, some suggest white shows up any stains or spills and that is the point, it shows that their meal was prepared in the cleanest environment possible.

• White tends not to absorb heat so keeps the wearer cooler.

In many traditional, especially French type kitchens, all Chefs dress in white, prep cooks in gray or black and all extraneous kitchen staff wear blue. The head chef will often have decorative piping trim on the jacket, hat, and apron to show everyone who is in charge.

These early traditions have now been superseded in many kitchens that are open to the public opting for different colours to match the décor and branding of the establishment.

Often the kitchen staff will get together with management and develop a colour scheme that allows for chef uniforms to be in keeping with a restaurant’s atmosphere.

Front House, Back House

In the front of the house or restaurant where most of the staff interact with customers, it is normal for everyone to wear a similar colour uniform that matches the décor and restaurant theme to show a unified front.

At the back of the house (the working kitchen) often there is now a mixture of different styles. Some establishments require the entire staff to have a unified appearance. This makes a good impression if the kitchen is open for public viewing as is becoming more common. It is always much better if you like to show your staff on social media. It gives everyone the feeling they are on the same team which can help to keep everyone feeling comfortable and give them extra confidence to get the job done with team spirit.

An establishment that has established its own branding often uses uniform colours to good effect and there is a whole range of colours now available or they can be made to with the choice of colour required.

Many modern day chefs who have gained public notoriety and are keenly sort after because they have established their own personal branding and following now sport their own individual colour schemes and chef uniform which adds a certain flair as it reflects their personality and unique cuisine.

Aussie Chef Clothing Company is Australia’s trusted and first choice for high quality chef uniforms, chef clothing and front of house aprons.