Get an Idea of What Items are Essential for Every Professional Chef

Having the right equipment in your kitchen can make a world of difference for your business. Whether you own a cafe, a restaurant or a pizza place, there are some essential things you have to provide so that your employees can work comfortably.

If you have a kitchen, you most certainly have a chef, and that person is the key to successful kitchen operations, which is why you should make sure he/she is content.

Chef Apron

A clean, good-quality apron is a chef clothing essential. Aprons serve many purposes around the kitchen, even when one’s not cooking. They protect clothes from stains and serves as an extra layer against hot splashes, hot food and other kitchen accidents. There is no other part of the chef clothing set that is more important than the apron.

Choose a neat, white apron with gunmetal grey accents for an ultimate professional look. Make sure it features a durable canvas, such as a blend of mid-weight polyester and cotton. Aprons with spacious front pockets are a practical way of carrying essential items such as a towel, thermometers and even a small paring knife.

Aprons usually have adjustable cross-back straps in order to make each model a perfect fit for everyone. Colour-wise, a white apron can look very professional when it comes to hospitality. It’s also ideal for embroidery if you want to emphasize your brand name and the chef’s name. White aprons are the first choice for hotels, restaurants and pizzerias.

If you own a cafe, you can opt for a high-quality denim apron. Crafted with contrast tan stitching, these aprons are both stylish and functional. Opt for a 100% cotton apron that’s easy to wash and comfortable to wear.

If you want your bartenders and waiters to wear at least one uniform piece of clothing, a black apron is an ideal solution. Apart from being stylish, functional and sophisticated, with such aprons your staff’s clothes will be protected from stains.

Tips: Stains should be treated as quickly as possible with an appropriate solution, without rubbing as to avoid damage.

Chef Shoes

A chef should wear sturdy, anti-slip shoes that have steel or reinforced toes to protect against falling or spilling of hot liquids. Another imperative is comfort. Since being a chef means standing on one’s feet all day, shoes must be comfortable to avoid chronic pain.

Chef Hat

The hat is undoubtedly the most recognisable part of a chef’s uniform and it serves multiple purposes. First and foremost, it won’t let hair fall into the meals being prepared. Should that occur, you are sure to face some angry customers. Also, long hair can get caught in equipment or catch fire, or just make the chef sweaty and uncomfortable.

While the toque Blanche is the most traditional form of headwear in fine dining restaurants, there are several variations chefs wear nowadays. Some prefer a simple skull cap or bandana, while others use disposable food service hats or hairnets. Whatever the size and the style, it’s essential to own one.

Kitchen Towel

Having a few heavy-duty and absorbent towels is a must for being able to wipe spills quickly or remove a hot pan from the oven in a rush. In a busy kitchen, there will be spills and a lot of mess. Also, time is of the essence in the kitchen, and chefs usually don’t have the time to wait for certain ingredients to dry or use items like a salad spinner. A clean towel can be useful for quickly drying vegetables and herbs.

Note: Chef kitchen towels will go through hundreds of washings. Towels with a higher thread count are thicker and can withstand repeated washing without losing too much of their structure and thickness.

Chef Knife

Every professional kitchen should have a quality set of knives. However, the most important investment is the chef’s knife. Since it’s going to get used the most, it’s essential to get one with a full tang (the metal runs the length of the handle) and one that can provide excellent balance.

Kitchen Scale

Improvising is fun, but for consistently good meals, accurate measuring is essential. That being said, a kitchen scale with accuracy down to ½ gram can be extremely useful for weighting even the tiniest amounts.