I am a female chef looking for a dress that is appropriate for the kitchen. I spend 50% of my day in the kitchen and the other half in the FOH. I wondering if anyone has any recommendations or has found a functional professional dress that is suitable (worn with tights) for the kitchen.
Wearing a dress in the kitchen.
mustardpot
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I am a female chef looking for a dress that is appropriate for the kitchen. I spend 50% of my day in the kitchen and the other half in the FOH. I wondering if anyone has any recommendations or has found a functional professional dress that is suitable (worn with tights) for the kitchen.
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Dresses are not at all suitable for a busy kitchen environment. If you want to wear a dress then change when in the FoH.
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Culinary Craft
Master Culinarian
Interesting dilemma. For safety sake I imagine it would have to be long, to protect your lower legs from spills and whatnot. Easy to clean as well although if you wore an apron and were very careful you might not get too much on it.Â
   Depending on the top half, you could wear a chef coat over it while in the kitchen. With that in mind, a tighter top and long skirt might work. The skirt would need to be fairly close fitting all the length to avoid getting soiled or getting caught or brushing up against anything.  I would suggest all of it would need to be somewhat fire resistant as well as fairly breathable material.
   You might send an email to one of the uniform companies to see what they could design. Or design your own and have a local tailor make it.
That's all I can think of right now. I'll come back after I have more coffee.
. Â
   Depending on the top half, you could wear a chef coat over it while in the kitchen. With that in mind, a tighter top and long skirt might work. The skirt would need to be fairly close fitting all the length to avoid getting soiled or getting caught or brushing up against anything.  I would suggest all of it would need to be somewhat fire resistant as well as fairly breathable material.
   You might send an email to one of the uniform companies to see what they could design. Or design your own and have a local tailor make it.
That's all I can think of right now. I'll come back after I have more coffee.
. Â
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Welcome to Cheftalk.
Dont know how formal youre talking about, or if your 50% is spent first in the BOH, then in the
FOH, or if you're going "back-n-forth" all day.
In the formal banquet room I sous'ed in, the boss/chef/owner had similar responsibilities... she
would go out and hob nob with the clients, then pop back in the kitchen for an hour and cook.
She wore a formal dress mostly, and many of them were.....ex.....SPENSIVE. When in the
kitchen she'd wear a chefcoat over the dress bodice. I never knew her to ruin any dresses, and
she was cooking everything from Marinara sauce to baking cheesecakes.
I would therefore recommend a dark colored cotton dress, about any length, maybe with some
strain resistant treatment, chefcoat over the top, and maybe an apron below that.
Easy-peasy to shuck the chef garb and visit the FOH as a full fledged woman.
As to specially made "chef-dresses" ... beats me, Ive never heard of em.
.
Dont know how formal youre talking about, or if your 50% is spent first in the BOH, then in the
FOH, or if you're going "back-n-forth" all day.
In the formal banquet room I sous'ed in, the boss/chef/owner had similar responsibilities... she
would go out and hob nob with the clients, then pop back in the kitchen for an hour and cook.
She wore a formal dress mostly, and many of them were.....ex.....SPENSIVE. When in the
kitchen she'd wear a chefcoat over the dress bodice. I never knew her to ruin any dresses, and
she was cooking everything from Marinara sauce to baking cheesecakes.
I would therefore recommend a dark colored cotton dress, about any length, maybe with some
strain resistant treatment, chefcoat over the top, and maybe an apron below that.
Easy-peasy to shuck the chef garb and visit the FOH as a full fledged woman.
As to specially made "chef-dresses" ... beats me, Ive never heard of em.
.
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Look for a LBD that hugs your body (no not recommending a Kardashian look lol) but has some leg and knee room and hits just below knee...
I recall it can get pretty hot "back there" so a breathable material is key.
The sleeve should hug the arms (sleeveless is even better) and be no longer than the elbow (FIRE!).
Chef jacket and bistro apron for splash protection.
I am not sold on the idea and would personally take the advice of @Apprentichef but also curious to see if it plays out.
mimi
I recall it can get pretty hot "back there" so a breathable material is key.
The sleeve should hug the arms (sleeveless is even better) and be no longer than the elbow (FIRE!).
Chef jacket and bistro apron for splash protection.
I am not sold on the idea and would personally take the advice of @Apprentichef but also curious to see if it plays out.
mimi
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