Chef Hat

Whenever we think of a stereotypical chef we generally picture the hat upon his head. Aside from looking good, this hat has other purposes too. Not only does the hat prevent hair escaping into our food it also has a key role in the history of food.


It is believed that the chef hat used to be a good indication of the person’s position within the kitchen, which was outlined by counting the number of pleats in the hat itself. The hat was also used to show the individuals culinary knowledge.

This tradition is still apparent today however it’s the height of the hat which is the indication, rather than number of pleats. Over time the traditional white hat has had some changes in style, most notably the number of coloured hats which can be seen today.

You can expect to find colours such as red, blue and even checkered patterns. The disposable kind are also available and it’s believed that the latter style of hat is better as it can easily be replaced when its quality deteriorates.
All hats are based around the same idea and regardless of all the changes through time the most important purpose of the hat is to prevent any possibility of hair getting into the customer’s food.

Although the industry have provided a ‘one size fits all’ hat there is a Velcro strap available to fit the hat to each individual head. You will also find a sweat band fitted for added comfort. It is quite common for a hairnet to be worn under the hat to add that extra amount of food protection.

With cooking and preparation of food being a huge part of our live’s it is important that all safety issues are considered and this is why the chef hat is of great importance