From dishwashing at a local diner, to culinary school, and even 5-star restaurants the right shoes can make or break a career in the kitchen. Sure knives and chef coats are important staples as well, but the wrong shoes can throw off your entire day and even take you out of the game completely. Many famous chefs have admitted to the addiction of finding the perfect shoe to withstand those 15, 16, and 17 hour days on their feet.
The basics are simple, any good kitchen shoe needs to be durable, supportive, and slip-resistant. While chefs and kitchen staff alike certainly do plenty of walking on any given day, the real issue is the amount of time spent standing on hard floors. Most kitchen floors are made from concrete with some rubber mats laid on top. Staying put in one general area for an extended period of time puts the most strain on you feet. While foot, leg, and hip pain are common in kitchen staff complaints, the leading cause of injury in kitchens are falls caused by slippery floors. For some, those are the only factors in shoe buying, but for others style can be a deciding factor as well. There are 5 general types of shoes for kitchen staff: clogs, sneakers, boots, slide on shoes, and the oxford.
Clogs are increasing in popularity amongst more casual chefs and restaurants, but are still not permitted in some culinary schools. The casual nature and ease of sliding them off and on in case of a spill captures the draw to clogs. Sneakers fall into the same category of casual Chef’s Footwear that is easy to replace but doesn’t pack a punch in the style department. For diners, food trucks, and fast-food restaurants these options make sense because the kitchen staff rarely interacts with customers and therefore has no need to impress with personal style.
For the culinary style-seeker, an oxford shoe mimics the more formal look of men’s dress shoes while still providing all the basic needs of a kitchen shoe. This style is great for chefs who regularly greet customers or serve a chef’s table in their restaurant. Chef’s boots accomplish the same things as the oxford while also lending a bit more ankle support. Boots offer a little more flare in the style department and are right on trend for modern menswear.
Slip-on shoes come in a wide variety of styles and work well for the simple chef as well as the fashion-forward. The main common feature here is that there are no laces, ties, or velcro to close on the shoe. The ease of jumping into your shoes for those early morning deliveries and sliding them off at the end of a stressful day make slide-on styles a more popular choice for many.
Depending on the shoe brand and the amount of wear, chefs can expect one pair of shoes to last anywhere from 3-18 months in the kitchen. As with any apparel item, chef shoes are available in big box stores for those more concerned with budget as well as from big-name fashion labels with style and quality at the forefront. Whichever shoe you choose, be sure it fits your culinary style.