Did You Know – Chef’s Hat
Image from http://www.Pixabay.com
With so many cooking competition shows on TV right now, it got me thinking about the Chefs hat because you don’t see the Chefs wearing the traditional hat any more.
Another name for the Chefs hat is Toque, which is Arabic for hat. The hats can say a lot about the Chefs style and personality in addition to their level of expertise.
Did you know that the pleats and height in a Chefs hat is significant? The taller a Chefs hat is, the more important the Chef is.
In addition to the height of the Chefs hat, the pleats were not just something to make the hat look detailed, they represented the number of recipes a Chef has mastered, 50 pleats meant 50 recipes.
Today the Chefs hat is pretty standard, between 9” – 12” tall with a generic number of pleats.
Now Chefs prefer a more modern hat like the Pill Box Hat.
Baseball Caps
Disposable Hats
Hair Nets
Most hats come in either white or black, however, some come in a range of colors for those Chefs that want to add color.
Originally the Chefs hat was always white as it signified cleanliness, was worn to complete the look of a Chef, to prevent hair from falling into the food and to absorb sweat from the forehead.
The original Chef hats are reserved for the very experienced Chefs and are used mostly in fine dining restaurants now.
http://www.InDianes Kitchen.com
Chef hat pictures are from Amazon.
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Categories: Did You Know
So interesting, Diane! Your blog is full of fun surprises. Thanks!
I thought so too Erminerose! I never knew the hats meant something about the chefs. Thank you for enjoying my blog and telling me, that means a lot.
This post was very interesting, I had no idea about the folds in the chef’s hat and what it indicated.
Thank you, the folds and the tall hats were so fascinating to me.
Even though I went to school for cooking the teachers never taught us about that.
Awe, happy you learned something new as I did too!
More fun facts, thanks Diane
You’re welcome Sheree!
Thank you!
Thanks Ned!
So, I guess, if we were still in the days of the “long hats”, your chef’s hat would probably hit the roof 😁. However, I can understand that the hats are a lot shorter these days, just think how you have to balance it between preparing all those wonderful dishes!
You make my head so big with your nice comments that my head wouldn’t fit in a chefs hat! 🤣 I take my granddaughter to a Japanese restaurant once a year as our special thing to do. They cook in front of us, wear tall hats and toss food into the top of the hat, it’s hilarious.
It must be quite something to see! Remember to take pictures next time and share with us!!
https://indianeskitchen.com/2019/11/17/samurai/
Oh, I love it!! This looks like so much fun and I can understand why your granddaughter enjoyed it so much!
Just last night I put a new post on our blog about a very unique food experience – I’m sure you’ll love it! When you get a chance, take a peek … http://wetanddustyroads.com/2023/04/03/december-holiday-5-muisbosskerm-lamberts-bay/
Thank you, not as good as your seafood dinner though!
I always wondered if the tall white chefs hat meant anything more than just part of the uniform. So interesting.
I thought so too Christy! Thanks for reading.
wow, this makes so much sense and I had no idea
I always thought the chefs that wore the tall hats looked so goofy! I had no idea and the pleats really surprised me. I guess I was the goofy one not knowing! 🤣
same )
Very interesting to learn more about the chef’s hat and the significance of the height and pleats, Diane. And how cool that the word toque is hat in Arabic.
Thank you Ab!🥰
Very informative! Thanks Diane!
Thank you Dorothy and you’re welcome🥰
Oh my goodness – I never knew this! Thanks for more interesting culinary related info 🙂
You’re very welcome Tierney!🥰
Another thing I’ve never even though about… Great tidbit, Diane!
I’ve been watching all these shows like Next Level Chef etc. and I was curious about it so I did some research. I thought the height of the hat and the pleats was so fascinating! Thank you Kellye🥰
what a fun post and I remember when my step daughter was little – we got her an apron and little chef hat – it is fun to learn about the 50 pleats
Awe what a fun memory Yvette! Thank you🥰
🙂
Fascinating, Diane💜
Thank you Jonetta🥰
That’s really interesting, I did not know that about Chef’s hats. I learn something new every day !
Me too! Thank you 🥰
Thanks for sharing this intriguing culinary tale about Chef’s hats – new to me!
You’re welcome Mary!
I have often wondered about that myself. Thanks for sharing! And now I know!
You’re welcome Karla!
What fun to read about, Diane! 👏👏 I did not know all those great facts! Thank you. 😀
You’re very welcome Mitzy, I didn’t either until I researched it.
Thanks for the follow! This article brought back memories – I only ever got to wear a tall hat on my graduation day from culinary school. And being the youngest one in the kitchen I worked shortly after, I had to fetch Chefs apron and hat every day when he arrived.
Thank you for sharing!
Oh wow what a great memory! I had no idea the tall Chef’s hat was worn at graduation too. Thank you!
Very interesting!
I agree Janet! Thank you 💕
Very interesting, Diane. My daughter did one year of hospitality at college before she switched courses and we had to buy a chef’s hat as part of her materials. I wonder what happened to that hat. I wonder if she knew the significance of it. Great share.
I wonder if they even do it anymore, however, they are said to still be worn by chefs in fine dining. Was it a cloth hat she had?
Yes, she had a cloth hat and a pair of black and white checked pants with a chef’s jacket. It was quite the outfit.
How cool!
That was interesting Diane – imagine the pleats once equally how many recipes that Chef had!
That was new to me too Linda. I’m glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
I did Diane – I have been enjoying all of those newsy posts about cooking.