Chef Jacket Buying Guide

What to Consider When Buying a Chef Jacket

Chef Jackets are the first and most important part of your chef uniform. The traditional white chef jacket has been worn by chefs across the world for over 200 years. French chef, Marie-Antoine Careme’s first introduced the white chef jacket in the late 1800s to help instill a sense of professionalism and respect to the industry. Today professionally dressed Chefs still receive high regard from their staff and customers. Aside from creating a professional look, chef jackets also offer vital protection from the heat of the kitchen - open flames, hot ovens, oils and liquids.

Today Chef Jackets come in a wide range of styles, so it pays to take some time to find the right style, quality and fit which will meet the demands of your busy days/nights in the kitchen.

Chef Jacket Features

A chef jacket is designed to assist you in your workplace. Some features are for protection and comfort whereas some are choices you make in terms of what suits your working style, personal preferences and the kitchen.

Double-Breasted Front Double breasted panels offer an extra layer of material which increases your protection from spills and heat, and in traditional jackets they can easily be reversed to hide stains.

Long or Short Sleeves Chef jackets come in long or short sleeves. Long-sleeved chef jackets offer more protection for your arms which can be rolled up or down if required. The French cuff on the traditional and executive chef jackets add a formal touch.

The traditional long sleeve, while still a great seller, has been replaced in popularity by short sleeve versions, which allow more ease of movement and are cooler to wear in the heat of the kitchen.

Chef Button, Press Stud or Zipper Closures Traditionally chef jackets have chef buttons which can be removed or replaced, like Aussie Chef’s Traditional Jacket or ALEX Cool Mesh Jacket. Today you can choose zipper or press stud closures instead of traditional chef buttons, take a look at our tailored ALEX Zipper or ALEX Press Stud, Modern Tunic or StreetChef Denim.

Reinforced Double Stitching and Bar Tacking Quality chef jackets have reinforced double stitching to provide durability and comfort. Bar tacking on pressure points is also essential to increase the longevity of the garment.

Breathable Fabric Quality chef jackets are constructed in heavyweight, yet breathable poly/cotton, poly/viscose, 100% cotton or denim fabrics to balance the need for protection while promoting comfort. Our ALEX Jackets are constructed in a new super cool poly/cotton fabric with fine weave mesh side panels for extra cool comfort.

Colour Traditionally chef jackets are white, as a symbol of cleanliness and professionalism but also as it reflects heat which helps moderate your temperature. Today, white jackets are still popular for the same reasons. These days with the trend of open kitchens it has become increasingly popular for chefs and kitchen staff to wear Black Chef Jackets or choose something different, like our popular medium blue Street Chef Denim Jacket or soft, dark grey New York Jacket.

Pockets Most chef jackets have a pen pocket on one of the jacket sleeves providing quick and handy access to pens or chef thermometers. Our ALEX Zipper Jacket, also has a hidden phone pocket in the front double-breasted panel for the chef who wants to capture Instagram ready images or keep in touch with suppliers on the go.

Fit & Size It is important to find the right style and fit in a chef jacket. You want it to be a good fit but be comfortable with room to move quickly. Pay attention to how it fits not just over the chest but across your shoulders and arms.

Some styles of chef jackets like our Traditional Jacket, Modern Tunic have a more generous fit ranging in size from XS to 4XL. Whereas the ALEX range of jackets have a more tailored fit, XS to 2XL. Some jackets are also specifically tailored for women such as Womens Traditional, StreetChef Olivia and New York. Check out our handy Size Guide here.

Strengthen your Branding

Aussie Chef also offers an end-to-end branding service, whether you want to personalise your chef uniforms and/or aprons with your business logo or names. Choose beautiful quality embroidery or screen printing at very competitive pricing, with quick turnaround and no minimum order quantity - just enquire here.

Complete the Look

Why not complete your look with comfortable chef pants, wear all day clogs, hats and accessories? Take a look through our whole range @ aussiechef.com.au

Ultimately the choice is yours, whether choosing your own individual look or a cohesive one for the whole team. Aussie Chef Clothing Company is sure to have just what you are looking for - check out our full range of Chef Jackets.

Chef Jacket Buying Guide FAQs

Question: Why is it important to wear a chef uniform?

Answer: It is important to wear a chef uniform mainly for protection in the busy and hot environment of a kitchen. Chef jackets, chef pants and aprons protect you from hot surfaces, open flames and spills. A chef jacket is designed to assist you in your workplace while providing you with a professional, respected uniform.

Question: Do you wear anything under a Chef Jacket?

Answer: Yes, as it helps absorb some of the sweat and also adds an additional layer of protection. Most chefs wear a thin short-sleeve or sleeveless t-shirt under their jacket either in 100% cotton or special moisture wicking fabric. Women might prefer a lightweight camisole and sports bra.

Question: What do chef jacket colours mean?

Answer: There really isn’t a specific meaning behind a chef jacket’s colour. Often it comes down to the chef’s personal choice or a need to match the aesthetic of the restaurant, hotel or cafe. Sometimes an owner may choose different colours to designate specific areas of a kitchen.

Traditionally Chef Jackets have always been white, as a symbol of cleanliness and professionalism, but also to help reflect heat. Today, black, denim and grey chef jackets are extremely popular like our ALEX Jacket range in black and white, Street Chef Denim Jacket in medium blue or New York Jacket in dark grey.

Question: What is the best chef jacket?

Answer: The best chef jacket is the one that fits you best and you love wearing. Because at the end of a shift you still want to be as comfortable as you were when it started. Choosing a high quality, easy care chef jacket will provide that level of comfort as well as last wash after wash, keeping you looking stylish and professional day after day. But if going by what our customers are buying, the tailored ALEX Chef Jacket range has definitely become a best seller.