kitchen shoes & uniform

Those of us who stand on our feet all day in a ridiculously hot or freezing cold environment, in a uniform designed for safety, durability and cleanliness, have little to say, visually, that makes us stand apart from the whites clad crowd.

Except perhaps shoes.

When I began cooking professionally, 14 years ago, the shoes of choice were what we referred to as "cop shoes." Strong, black, inconspicuous, rubber soled, shiny shoes. Practical. Butch. Working Class. Straight-forward.

Shoes you could drop things on-- heavy items, dangerous items. Shoes that would protect your feet in any kitchen disaster, or just normal everyday hard working activities.

Pants were straight-legged, polyester, hounds tooth affairs designed for tall, "European" men with no hips and no gym membership.

Jackets: also polyester, white, cut for a person who most similarly represents a cardboard box, and is always at least 2 sizes bigger than the label implies.

The concept of the polyester: will not alight, or catch fire. But polyester? It will melt. {Think Napalm.}

Luckily for all of us women in the kitchen and men with a little more meat on them than a grasshopper, a company came along and designed trousers for people who wanted to breathe on the line, or just give their loins some wiggle room. Chefwear's bold and silly patterns spread like beet salad and warm chocolate cakes, making a home in every kitchen across the country.

And soon the shoe changed.

First came the slip-on Birkenstock. Comfy, that's what every one said. Molds to your foot and all that... Easier than a shoe with laces-- especially to clean after a particularly harrowing night butchering live animals, dousing the floor with bread flour and chocolate or stiffening polenta.

Then came the gardening shoe Ms. Martha made fameuse. Even easier to clean-- with a garden hose in fact! maybe you're feet sweat a little in the plastic confines, but hey, they came in all colors.

Soon on the heels, Clogs arrived. Dansko being the most popular model, but soon every uniform company made one just like it. Clogs have wooden soles. They give us shorties an inch or two to reach over a 500F grill or tower over our charges. The shiny shoe came back. Spiffy, sharp, black leather. Who wants to wear a steel toe shoe when clogs can be slipped on and off?!

But the clog has issues. Like a Vespa and the VW Bus, they tip over easily. The bottom is thinner than the top. Sprained ankles are common with a clog. Maybe not if you're making a simple dinner at home, but yes if you're running to the walk-in during a busy service. Or the floor you're standing on hasn't been re-done since Reagan was the president. Or the bouncy mats that are supposed to help your knees are covered with last nights olive oil spill.

And now there are the Crocs. All the ridiculous colors you could choose from. But suitable for the kitchen? I don't think so. For one thing they have those nifty polka-dot holes. Makes it easy for the 400F liquid dropping from your sheet-pan to get to your innocently waiting skin. Yes, even through your socks. As nice as they are to look at, they make for an impractical choice in the dangerous environs of the professional kitchen.

What do I wear?

(Look at the photo of me in the back of The French Laundry Cookbook to see who I represent. Like a professional surfer, or skater, I think I should get a little sompin' from Adidas here and there. As it is I get the family discount at Harputs...)

Because I've been doing this for way too long I have to give my feet what they want. They're picky. They like the old school Adidas Stan Smiths because they have lots of arch support. I've also recently discovered Keen's, a shoe designed by a sailboat sailor looking for something with traction and support. I wear different ones almost every day-- changing it up keep the feets happy. And the kitchen wears 'em out faster than professional basketball. Well, close at any rate.

I wonder what's next. Maybe one day the perfect kitchen shoe will be designed:

Practical, safe, cute, comfortable, easy to clean, durable, non-slip, breathable, fashionable, comes in a wide variety of colors... do you know this perfect shoe?

Please introduce us, my feet are dying to know it.

Comments

[cookiecrumb]

This is a good post, Shuna. I wish I knew what would be the perfect slippery, fast kitchen shoe for you. I'd say maybe canvas combat boots (fabric is more breatheable than leather), but... you want fashionable?
I think they're cool!

[Lori S.]

Keens! I just got some and I love them. I, too, need lots of arch support, says the podiatrist -- I have the highest arches in the world.

[Mike]

I agree about the Crocs with holes being dangerous for the kitchen. However, there are 22 different styles of Crocs. A couple of them would be fine in the kitchen, probably even better than other brands, because the material they are made out of is completely waterproof.

Check out the Endevaor or All Terrain styles at crocs.com. The Endeavor is just like the crocs in your picture except they are solid without any holes.

..mike

[Dr. Biggles]

Hooyah !!! Thank you for the shoe link. I've spent thousands on shoes over the last 10 years and more in the last 5. Arch support and Cool Factor rarely come together. I'm going to order me up some Stan Smith's right now. NEED.

I got my '68 bus up on 2 wheels in the Berkeley hills once, years ago. I found it easier to get my '65 bug up on 2 wheels. Do 70 mph on a freeway and turn, goes right up! I don't do that anymore.

xo

[Kung Foodie]

happy fish feet are important!!! thanks for keeping us in the loop even during your busy time. xoxo

[haddock]

I sport Blundstone's myself. Slip on, waterproof, grease-resistant soles, oiled leather, nice colors, easy to clean and pretty light for a boot.

I slip Spenco inserts into all shoes I wear for the added support.

[Raspil]

crocs are gardening shoes, not chef shoes. i get my clogs from All Hearts dot com (or something like that). excellent arch support and massaging nubbies for the soles of my feet. but they wear out after six months... no biggie, they're only $10 a pair. i bought a pair of Danskos on sale ($70 -- holy crap!) but the back was too low on my heel so i had to send them back. i bought 7 pair of the AH clogs. you never know when they'll be gone.

link -- they're for people who stand on their feet all day and the sole is non-skid. good enough for me. plus they weigh 4 oz. it feels like you're not even wearing shoes. they RULE. my feet haven't hurt in two years.

my chef wore the big Birks (i couldn't justify spending that much money on shoes that wear out so fast) and we'd be outside in the alley taking a break and one of our games with the kitchen crew was Shoe Olympics -- standing about 30-40 feet away from the phone pole in our alley and kicking the shoe at it. if it hit the pole, there would be much rejoicing. if it didn't, you'd try again until you hit it. good times... mm!

[chezbuner]

I personally love skate shoes, they have non-slip soles and good arch support. The clogs are comfortable but they lack the durability of a skate shoe. They come in all black a lot and they have some that are very cool.
Adio Footwear has some nice shoes that last for months in the harshest restys out there.

chezbuner! thanks for the head's up. my dogs are always willing to try on a new pair of comfort... if I see 'em I'll buy 'em. ~ Shuna

[dana]

I used to wear sneakers in the kitchen cause they allowed me to move around much faster than clogs. But eventually knee and back aches moved me back into clogs.

I tried keens first though, because they laced and didn't tip over, and again, I like to be able to move around the kitchen quickly. But in a short week, my feet went out from underneath me no less than 5 times. Like a cartoon, any remotely wet patch I hit, and my feet were up over my head, which was smacking the ground.

They were marketed specifically as non slip, but I found otherwise.

So I have been back in the Dansko's for three years now.

And denim. For some reason, cooks in Seattle love to cook in jeans.

It's just how we do.

dana. isn't it funny? we look about the same size and do a similar job and yet what makes us comfortable is basically kitchen-opposite! but this is why it's fantastic that since we've been cooking, a lot of restaurants allow choices. i would have had a hard time getting an all polyester outfit, which was the only choice until recently! ~ shuna

[Nichole]

I'm a server/bartender/kitchen crew/ do whatever is needed during open hours/ slave in the industry. Been in and out of restaraunts for years and I love Dansko's. I have the patent leather ones so at night when I go home it's windex time!!! But I have a pair of Birki's that have lasted me 6 years. Birkenstock has a great warranty on their shoes. I've had mine re-soled at least 3 times, for no cost. Sure I bought them for 89 big ones, but they were completely worth it. Also, since my style is somewhat on the odd side, I had all of the staff paint on them with acrylic... I don't think I can retire them when the time comes!

[Lisa Sample]

Have you looked at Shoes for Crews?

They have a unique sole pattern to stop slips on wet or greasy surfaces and even have some casual sneaker styles as well as the patent-leather dress shoes and euro-style clogs.

You can use their inserts or your own (I have prescription ones) and while not the cheapest out there, I have successfully navigated an olive oil spill without a wobble which makes them priceless in my mind.

[dom]

has anyone tried shoe for crews they are comfy and dont slip but how are ment to clean the soles without speding ages scraping away with a knife or screwdriver

[CC]

haven't tried these, but i like skate shoes as well- DC shoes and Vans are my favorite.