Chef's Jackets: Why Are They

White?
By Danilo Alfaro , About.com Guide
Chef's Jacket Overview:
The traditional white chef's jacket is among
the most recognizable pieces of clothing in
the world. But there's more to that unique
design than you might think.
Chefs are a practical bunch, and the white
chef's jacket is more than just a uniform —
it's also an important tool, and each of its
distinctive features serves a specific purpose.
Keep Your Cool:
Kitchens are hot places, and the heavy cotton
helps insulate you from the searing heat of
stoves and ovens, while remaining
"breathable" enough that your body's heat
can still escape.
Long sleeves help protect arms from burns
while reaching across stove burners or into
ovens. Cotton also absorbs liquids. Cooks
are taught to quickly strip off their jackets if
they spill hot oil on themselves, because the
jacket absorbs the hot liquid instead of
letting it pass through to the skin.
Stay Buttoned-Down:
Even those knotted buttons serve a purpose.
Ordinary buttons can melt or break, sending
fragments into an unsuspecting diner's food.
Knotted buttons also slip off more easily in
the event of a hot oil emergency as
described above.
A Vision In White:
White is the most reflective color, so a white
jacket literally repels heat instead of
absorbing it, keeping you that much cooler
than if you were wearing a darker color —
and in a hot kitchen every degree makes a
difference.
Plus, when it's laundry time, white cotton can
be bleached, so no matter how badly stained
a jacket gets, bright white is just a wash
away.
Reverse The Curse:
That double-breasted style is more than just
a fashion statement. Along with the double
breast are double rows of buttons, so if the
front of the jacket gets stained, a cook can
reverse the flaps and reveal a fresh, clean
outer layer.
Compare Chef's Jackets
What Is A Chef?
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