How to Choose Kitchen Shoes if You Are a Chef
Being a chef is not an easy task. Being a fashionable chef is even a harder task. How to stay fashionable at the restaurant’s kitchen and stay comfortable at the same time, when spending all day long on your feet makes you feel tired both mentally and physically? Choosing the best chef shoes for the kitchen will be the right thing to start from. Here’s our definitive guide to choosing kitchen shoes if you are a chef who wants to stay fashionable even at the kitchen!
Why kitchen shoes are important?
When working in the dynamic kitchen environment, chefs encounter many hazards on a daily basis, and it doesn’t take much time for a possible serious accident to happen: hot liquids can cause burns on the feet, slipping and falling accidents may lead to a serious injury, and that’s even not a complete list of what may happen.
A chef needs to take into consideration all the aspects of the job when choosing the footwear. The shoes should provide longevity, comfort, and stay stylish of course.
Practicality, Ergonomics, and Comfort
Kitchen shoes should be produced from highly durable materials, as well as at the same time allow the feet and legs to move in a natural way. Having in mind that chefs can sometimes spend from eight to twelve hours at work, the comfort is definitely important too. If wearing uncomfortable shoes, chefs might get distracted which will lead to mistakes accordingly. And mistakes in the kitchen environment always have bad outcomes.
Design, Functionality, and Breathability
Kitchen shoes should not be bulky or heavy, allowing a chef to move easily around the crowded kitchen. The material of the shoe is extremely important because in a hot kitchen, sweat is a serious thing. If moisture does not have access to evaporation, shoes will quickly become uncomfortable. The upper part of the shoe needs to be able to withstand moisture because there’s always a chance to get some hot oil or boiling water onto your feet.
Grip, Ease of Care, and Style
Kitchen shoes should be anti-slip and have a good grip. The footwear of a chef should allow a possibility to quickly and easily clean it. Guess you don’t want to spend the whole evening on cleaning them up. Slip-ons are often a great option for chefs because the lack of lacing leaves less chances for them to become loose and cause slip and fall accidents.
In addition to the above, here are some of the kitchen shoes selected by NYC top chefs:
Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grip
Dansko XP 2.0
New Balance 412 Slip Resistant Alloy Toe
Skechers Flex Advantage McAllen Slip On
