A chef’s uniform is a universal representation in professional kitchens. Since the 16th century, chefs around the world wore uniforms that represented the professionalism and industry. In the 19th century, Marie-Antoine Careme created what is known as the chef’s uniform. It was then introduced by Georges Auguste Escoffier to western kitchens.

While modern-day uniforms have changed slightly, personalized chef coats have remained the mark of proud, respectable chefs even till today. This tradition has been carried down by those in the industry and there is little sign that this might change anytime soon.

To chefs in country clubs, personalized chef coats serve more than just a safety tool. While many are misconceived that the only responsibility of a chef is to prepare delicious meals in the kitchen, a country club chef wears more hats (or toques!) than we think. A country club chef not only performs in the kitchen, but also in the dining room where guests are served.

Here is why personalized chef coats are important in country clubs.

Image and professionalism

Members at a country club are recurring customers who have paid their membership dues and will continue to frequent the club. Unlike traditional restaurants, these members are here for the long haul, typically spotted on a regular basis to have their meals.

Building and maintaining an image that best represents the club and its values is important. Members expect a level of professionalism, quality, and standard that comes with these memberships. The expectations that country club members have differ greatly from those in professional kitchens of traditional restaurants.

A chef in a country club needs to carry and maintain this image as well.

Country club chefs are a marketing tool that upkeeps the desired reputation of the club itself. When country club members request to meet the chef, there is a lot of socializing that takes place. Often, it is to give feedback to the chef. Many times, members just want to pay well-deserved compliments and meet the very person who is cooking for them each week.

Personalized chef coats showcase professionalism. These coats make chefs easily recognizable when entering the dining room. It creates the first impression of a chef. This professionalism and image highlights how a chef feels about his job and the amount of respect he gives his customers. In addition, well-dressed chefs show that they take pride and exude confidence in their creations.

Value and Prestige

We mentioned that country club members are very different from restaurant customers. Country club members pay high membership dues every year for privileged and private access to many recreational activities such as golf, fitness centers, and other facilities. These members view themselves as part of a community they signed up for. Besides mingling with other high net worth individuals, many country club members bring important guests along with the hopes of impressing them or closing a business deal.

The prestige that comes with a country club membership is the determining value of how much a club can charge. Like high-end restaurants that carry more expensive dishes, customers would expect to have higher grade ingredients and better service quality. Country clubs integrate that intangible value into their members by promising great amenities and excellent service.

Personalized chef coats play a crucial role here each time a chef plays a public relations role when meeting with a country club member. That image and professionalism a chef displays are evident not just in his demeanor and food quality, but also in the way he represents himself and looks.

Safety and cleanliness

One of the most important aspects of a chef’s uniform is to keep a chef safe and clean in the kitchen. Functionality is critical in a chef’s uniform. There are many instances for injuries in a professional kitchen from steaming hot water to splashing oil. The risk of chefs getting hurt on the job is very high.

A chef’s coat is designed to keep a chef safe while cooking up a great meal. Personalized chef coats that are well made typically use a thicker material to guard against hot liquids and spills. Many chef coats are even double-breasted and there is a reason for this. The double-breasted chef coat adds an extra layer of insulation against hot spills or splashing liquid. It is also usually reversible to that chefs can quickly flip their coats if there are stains.

Another important aspect of a quality chef coat is that the buttons are either metal or knotted. This can help prevent loose buttons from falling off the coat and into food. Chef coats should also be made with breathable material, so chefs do not get overheated or uncomfortable in the professional kitchen.

Respect and recognition

It is no easy feat being a chef, especially one in a prestigious country club where members expect the best and want to be treated well. It takes years of training and practice to become a chef. Chefs hold themselves to high standards of creativity and innovation in order to create the best dishes on a menu that satisfies their customers.

Part of a chef’s job includes showing appreciation or gain feedback from country club members in the dining room and also to ensure the kitchen runs smoothly at all times. This high-level position that shuffles between members and kitchen employees requires a good mix of customer service, marketing, and leadership skills.

Personalized chef coats are not only a great impression in the dining room among country club members. The formality and professionalism of a chef’s uniform also sets the tone in the kitchen by commanding a certain level of respect from kitchen prep staff and other employees. It shows who’s boss and who runs the kitchen in the country club.

Setting the tone with personalized chef coats

Running a professional kitchen in a country club can be a demanding yet rewarding task. Country club chefs are more than aware of the challenges that come with the position and many strive hard to meet high expectations while toggling between the many facets of ensuring service quality is not compromised.

A professionally dressed country club chef can emphasize the value and importance a country club places on its members. And of course, nothing beats meeting a chef who is dressed well and can still pull off a fantastic meal.

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He has appeared frequently on The Today Show and The Tonight Show. Many of America’s most trusted brands have put their products in Jon’s hands including: Walt Disney, J.M. Smucker Company, Procter & Gamble, ConAgra and many more. Jon can be seen on ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX affiliates across the nation as he travels on media tours and presentations. Jon is the contributing editor for Parade Magazine (22 million readers, weekly) and Relish magazine (8.8 million monthly readers).

Chef Ashton designed this coat with the idea that it represents his English roots and his love for America. Culinary Classics proudly worked with him to create this coat.

Culinary Classics can customize your coat to suit your needs. Shown is the Traditional Chef Coat with clients custom requests and embroidery done in house at Culinary Classics right in the heart of Chicago, IL.

Sir Bruno Serato arrived in the U.S. from his native Italy speaking no English with only $200 in his pocket. Through hard work and determination, he worked his way up from busboy to owner of the critically acclaimed Anaheim White House restaurant, whose patrons include U.S. Presidents, sports stars and celebrities. 

But it’s his work with children that has earned him an international reputation. Serato launched the nonprofit in 2005 after he and his mother, Caterina, visited a local Boys and Girls Club. There, they saw a 7-year-old boy eating a bag of potato chips and when she learned that the snack was all he had for dinner, she instructed her son to head back to the restaurant and feed the children pasta. Through Caterina’s Club, he has done so each day since and today feeds some 3,500 children daily. More than 2 million meals have been served so far and the need keeps growing. His influence has extended far beyond Southern California to include Chicago, New York, Texas, Mexico, and Italy. He has extended his mission by moving these “motel families” into permanent housing. While many of the families are working and able to pay the monthly rent for their own apartments, they cannot afford the first, last and security deposit required at the onset. He has already helped hundreds of families escape motel living by finding them apartments of their own and their lives have improved considerably. 

His newest endeavor is working with the Anaheim School District to establish the Hospitality Program, which seeks to divert high school students from gangs and other bad influences by teaching them about the food, hospitality and service industries. The students receive hands-on experience and even paid internships in these areas so that they can explore careers in the field following graduation. 

For his humanitarian work, Serato has earned international publicity including profiles in People Magazine, “CBS Evening News” and newspapers and magazines all over the world. Among his many honors is being named a CNN Hero, being knighted by the Italian government, receiving a papal blessing from Pope Francis, getting a humanitarian award on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, being honored by the Good News Foundation and receiving numerous proclamations, Man of the Year awards and other forms of recognition—all of which he accepts to generate public awareness of the needs of our most vulnerable population—our children. For more information, visit www.caterinasclub.org

Sir Chef Bruno Serato is wearing Culinary Classics, Design Your Own Lucca Chef Coat

I am not even going cite that quote, we all have heard it too many times, it has become cliché. Living in an increasingly brand conscious world we have to face the fact that making your mark means that instituting a look for your establishment is as important as the food and beverages you serve. Listening to clients talk about their chef wear has made me realize that their uniforms have to be individualized and fit the brand they represent. People want a uniform that is as individual as they are. Yeah, I know what you are thinking the concept of an “individual uniform” makes as much sense as being told to “act naturally”; it is an oxymoron that we wish would be “found missing”. But with the right planning, a uniform does not have to mean the same traditional chef’s whites every day.

Brand at every level

Long before a customer tastes your food, they are forming an impression of your establishment, they have probably checked you out on the internet, they have commuted to your restaurant, and they have looked at the building; all of this forms an opinion of what to expect, expectations that can be reinforced or destroyed the minute they walk through your door. What a customer sees at that moment forms the foundation of their experience, and the first thing they are looking for are your staff. Your hosting and serving staff, your bartenders and kitchen staff set the tone, they are the frontline of your brand. I recently went into a brewery, the wait staff were dressed in tee shirts (gotta get that merch out where people can see it), and jeans, tastefully matched to the décor. When I looked back towards the semi open kitchen, I saw a kitchen staff in matching corded traditional chef coats with bakers caps which reinforced the look establishing both a relaxed and professional atmosphere. The market is competitive and any edge you can gain may mean the difference between a one-timer or a repeat customer.

No company is too big or too small

Many businesses think that branding at this level is outside of their means or vision, but no business is too small to establish a look for their team. Food trucks, have become cross media branding marvels. Utilizing signature looks for the vehicle, a heavy social media presence, and cross promotions with favored locations to push signature menu offerings. Why stop there after all that, why leave your clientele interacting with someone in a stained apron when there are plenty of uniform options to finalize your brand. Contemporary chef coats, aprons that emphasize utility, pants that offer comfort, all are options that can fast track brand building.

What’s your look?

Establishing your image through your uniforms should not be hard, think about what you want to portray to your customers. What is your general vibe? There is nothing like a garrison cap to set a quick 50’s theme. Think about the styles that will compliment your restaurant, and your food. Are you traditional or on trend? Formal or fun? You want someone to know what to expect the moment they meet their server. Those interactions with your team needs to be consistent and visually appealing; set a reference that portrays professionalism and puts a customer at ease. Customers at ease spend money.

Create a look your staff wants to wear

Just as important as what your customer expects, what does your staff want? For a lot of people, a uniform brings back awkward memories of teenage after-school jobs, and lines like “want fries with that?” But having a uniform doesn’t necessarily mean wearing the same thing day after day. Consistent color choices and complimentary styles allow chefs to build up a working wardrobe that is brand friendly, comfortable and ready for work. Getting your servers into uniforms that focus on function and durability will allow them to do their jobs better, and keep your costs down. Sure, many places can draw a T shirt from inventory when one gets too worn to wear, but there go your merchandising profits. Allowing your team to help establish the look of your brand allows them to present that brand with sense of ownership.

Developing a branded look is just one more way to set yourself ahead of your competition. Whether you are a restaurant, a bar, or a food truck, your food is the centerpiece of your customer’s experience, the look of your team enhances that experience.

Culinary Classics offers you the widest variety in styles, fabrics and colors to develop your look. Their Design Consultants can assist you in reinforcing your brand through your uniforms. 877-378-4855

It is important to have several clean coats handy and rotate their wearing. This will help ease last minute laundering and keep a supply of clean coats ready for work. Rotating the coats will also prevent excessive wear and tear to the coat fabric.

Stains

The key to keeping a chef's coat white is to treat the stains as soon as possible. Prompt washing will help to remove those stains more easily, as well as body oil and soil and the cooking odors that can permeate fabric.

Pre-soaking is a critical step in stain removal. It is okay if the soiled area has naturally dried, but pre-soaking will not be effective if the garment has gone through the washing and drying process.

• 1.Fill a sink or bucket with WARM water (NOT hot and NOT cold)
• 2.Apply Dawn Liquid Dish soap over soiled areas and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.
• 3.Let the garment soak in the warm water for an extended period of time, preferably overnight.

Specific Stains:

Red Wine

Pour white wine over soiled area. Proceed with normal pre-soaking, washing and drying instructions.

Tomato Sauce

Pour white vinegar over soiled areas. Work it around, rinse with warm water. Proceed with normal pre-soaking, washing and drying instructions.

Blood

Pour warm water over soiled areas. Proceed with normal pre-soaking, washing and drying instructions.

Washing

Always wash like colors together. It goes without saying that your chef whites do not belong in the same load with your girlfriends red terrycloth robe (or boyfriends, not judging!) You will be going to work with a lovely pink chef coat.

To Wash Your Chef Coat:

• 1.Do not overcrowd the washing machine
• 2.Use the longest cycle available
• 3.Choose WARM/WARM setting only (NOT hot and NOT cold)
• 4.For the first time washing colors, add one cup of white vinegar to the load in addition to a high quality detergent. This improves the fabrics color retention.
• 5.DO NOT put the garment in the dryer until it has been inspected and all stains have been cleaned. Now is the time to repeat soaking and washing if there are any residues of stains.

Drying

NEVER dry garments using high heat (Even if you’re late for work!) and NEVER dry garments to completion.

We recommend the following directions:

• 1.Do not overload dryer
• 2.Use the permanent press setting or the lowest temperature possible – never use high heat.
• 3.Remove items from the dryer BEFORE they are completely dry
• 4.Hang up items to avoid wrinkles.

Dinginess

To bring your older dingy coat back to life, soak it overnight in an oxygen based whitener. (Tide Oxi, OxiClean, etc) never use bleach. Over the life of your coat, chlorine based bleach will actually start yellowing your beautiful white and can fade any embroidery you have on the coat.

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