Doesn't it get in the way or fall into people's food?
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2007-08-24 06:36:09 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
I am a former chef from Canada, and Julia K has it sort of, and the taller the hat may mean that in the US but in France it is a status symbol, I used to work in Japan and saw guys that were 5' 5" tall wearing 16" one to be at eye level with me, I am 6"5" and wore a 10" one so I was always bumping it on the range hoods and going into the frigs.
In the summer we would fill plastic bags with ice and put them under our hats to keep cool, but in time the ice would melt and the water would run down our faces. I have woren the paper ones that range from 8" to 12", starched cloth ones and a nylon mesh type, they do keep you hair out of the food, and in most states, citys, counties and country's it is a health department regulation to have some kind of hair covering net or hat .
And to the one who said chef's do not were underwear, if that was true when your pants caught fire what would you do to hide your shame, I am not that daring as I weigh over 250+ lbs.
2007-08-24 08:29:35 · answer #1 · answered by The Unknown Chef 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm a student at Johnson & Wales University, the culinary school Emrile went to, and here is why we wear really tall chef's hats: the taller your hat the higher up on the food chain (no pun intended) you are. The guy (or girl) with the tallest hat is the executive chef, the person in charge. That tradition is kinda starting to fall to the wayside but still, that's where the tall hats come from. It's also kinda nice to have a taller hat because the heat escapes from your head and you aren't left to suffocate with one of those little skull caps on.
2007-08-24 14:58:06 · answer #2 · answered by witchy_chef_julie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Here's the story I've heard, which sounds so absurd you know it's got to be the truth. Lay scholars who took refuge in seventh-century Byzantine monasteries during persecutions adopted headgear based on that of their clerical hosts. You've seen pictures of Greek Orthodox priests with those crowned black hats with the high band, right? Well, that's what the lay scholars wore, only their version was white, so as not to confuse the faithful.
Exactly how the scholar's cap came to be the chef's cap is a little murky, but we know many of the scholars were Greeks, the Greeks were among the first gastronomes, the scholar's cap was a mark of distinction, cooks wanted a mark of distinction ... OK, it's not going to get me an award from the historian's association but it's enough to fill out the bottom of a column. The top of the cap got progressively poufier over the years as master chefs sought ways to indicate that they outranked the pot washers.
But didn't you say something about a logical reason for being? The purpose of the cap, as opposed to its origin, is the same as for the caps worn by all food workers: it keeps your hair out of the soup.
2007-08-24 13:43:11 · answer #3 · answered by party_pam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fashion statement? Chefs supposedly don't wear underwear either.
2007-08-24 14:02:04 · answer #4 · answered by Speak 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the traditional chef hat, and they look very cool.
2007-08-24 13:44:00 · answer #5 · answered by jon_mac_usa_007 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
to hide the food in their tall hat^_^
2007-08-24 17:03:58 · answer #6 · answered by killua 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its like a hair net, who wants food with hairs in them?
2007-08-24 13:48:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes it keeps hair out of the product..and YES I DO wear underwear..that's nasty to even think of!! lol
2007-08-24 14:30:50 · answer #8 · answered by allen2859 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
'cause they're French!
2007-08-24 13:55:25 · answer #9 · answered by ~ Floridian`` 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They keep their utensils in there.
^^
2007-08-24 16:14:15 · answer #10 · answered by LiL 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋