For many people the mention of the word “chef” conjures up an image of a man in a white uniform. This is because historically the world of chefs has been dominated by men. Even today, only 20.9% of chefs in the USA are female, while less than one-fifth of chefs in the UK are women.
This is a situation that is partly due to the fact that the role of a chef has often been considered as a male bastion. There has also been a tendency for many professional kitchens to become boys’ clubs over the years. This has made it difficult for women to get a foothold in the industry. However, the situation seems to be changing. There is a definite move towards making the world of professional kitchens more inclusive. This includes changing the design of chef uniforms so that everyone can find a uniform that will fit them comfortably.
The original chef’s whites
Most people are familiar with the white uniforms that have become synonymous with chefs over the years. The design of these uniforms originated in the 19th century. As with many uniforms of the time they were designed to be white in order to reflect an aura of purity and cleanliness. The history of chef’s whites is a long one and some of these designs are still present today. However, the landscape is changing as more inclusive uniform designs are introduced. You only have to look for chef jackets in stock and you can see that this is the case. So, why is this change in design so necessary?
The importance of fit in a chef’s uniform
The truth is that traditional chef’s whites are not ideal for use by women who are working in the food industry. The long sleeved jackets and cumbersome trousers were originally designed with men in mind. They can be uncomfortable and inconvenient for a woman to wear.
They can also be a safety risk in a busy commercial kitchen. This is because over-long sleeves can drop into food that is being prepared, or even come into contact with naked flames. Trousers can also present a risk because they end up dragging along the floor and becoming a trip hazard.
In order to try to attract more women into the industry, it has become essential to design chef’s clothing that they can wear and feel good in, as well as being safe while they work. Creating clothing that is designed with this in mind is one way of trying to escape the boys’ club mentality within the world of chefs.
In summary
Although women like Rachael Ray in America and Angela Hartnett in the UK are setting the standard for women in the culinary world, there is still a long way to go before there are anywhere near as many female chefs as there are male. One way to encourage women to enter this world is to make them feel included. This is why chef uniforms are being redesigned to be more inclusive of everyone.