Kitchen and Cooking Footwear/Shoes

[fiftydollars]

I was once told at a Birkenstock's store (they carry a plastic clog very similar to the one sported by Batali) and they said he wore a shoe made by an Italian company. Were they wrong?

[pete ganz]

I was once told at a Birkenstock's store (they carry a plastic clog very similar to the one sported by Batali) and they said he wore a shoe made by an Italian company. Were they wrong?

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No. They are Calzuro clogs.

[mizducky]

I was once told at a Birkenstock's store (they carry a plastic clog very similar to the one sported by Batali) and they said he wore a shoe made by an Italian company. Were they wrong?

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No. They are Calzuro clogs.

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As the man himself sez in this eGullet Q&A, he had been a big fan of Calzuro, but recently discovered and is loving the Crocs.

(sez she who has been coveting the Crocs but can't make up her damfool mind which color she wants )

[LindaK]

they aren't fashionable but I like Clark's. The offer some choices of style but most importantly they keep my back from aching from too much time on my awful hard tile kitchen floor.

[Kokh Leffle]

These are the best investment I ever made for my feet. They are butt ugly, but once you have broken them in and they have molded to your foot you’ll be able to stand on your feet for 16-hour a day. Life in the kitchen is stressful enough without having to think about your aching feet.

Elie

[Joel Bussjaeger]

I am partial to the birkenstock clogs and a gel pad. They are big and you can wiggle your toes. try red wings for more support and comfort, they custom fit the shoe to your foot, they rock

[Irishgirl]

I'll take my plastic Birkie's over Crocs anyday. Those Crocs may be just as comfortable....but the holes in the shoes are not good if any of the people around you happen to spill something hot in your general direction. It took a week to get used to my Burkie's....but now they are like slippers. My feet are never tired at work.

[Jim Dixon]

You can get Crocs without the holes. I bought them online here, but the Wild Oats in our neighborhood carries them, too. They seem to run small...I wear 10-11 shoes, but the crocs xxlarge fit me best. I still like my Calzuros, too.

I was able to get a shot of Mario's shoes at last year's Beard awards. He's wearing Calzuros.

Jim

[FabulousFoodBabe]

I read this expecting to see more people wearing Dansko. Not only are they amazingly comfortable for me, but even after a 14-hour day, my legs don't feel tired. Clogs, closed backs, with marathon runner socks that wick away moisture. That's my ticket. Plus, they give me a couple of inches in height that I desperately need. I still have to reach things with my long tongs, though.

I tried Birks but my instep is too high for them and they are too flat. I love the Crocs and may get some for wearing out in the real world -- I'm kind of conservative about what I wear in the kitchen. I long for some Gucci kitchen clogs. When someone said "Prada" earlier, was that serious?

[chromedome]

Footwear is an ongoing PITA for me. Currently I'm wearing a pair of plain ol' steel-toed work shoes from the hardware store, stuffed with the biggest/fattest set of insoles I can find. These have steel toes (which I'm very attached to) and "non-skid" soles (meh).

My problem is that I have *NO* arch whatsoever on my wide, flat, foot; therefore anything with an arch support (ie every clog I've ever seen) is cripplingly painful. Also most shoes are too narrow, which doesn't help. I've never been keen on the feel of clogs on my feet (aside from the arch support issue) and the few times that I've worn a borrowed pair for 5-10 minutes I've generally managed to throw a shoe in mid-step at least once or twice, which is not something I'd care for during service. So, If I had a clog wish list, it would consist of "A clog with no arch supports, very wide across the ball of the foot, with steel toes, lots of cushioning, and a bit of leather across the back to keep them on my clumsy-ass feet while I'm moving."

Anyone got any suggestions?

I have a pair of Wolverines for my off-work hours which I'm ambivalent about. They have some sort of shock-redistribution thing going on in the soles, which is supposed to reduce the impact on your foot and legs, but I find it just makes my feet hurt in different places. Overall a decent shoe, but yay! for fat cushiony insoles.

[Melanger]

I have always been a big birkenstock fan (london and oklahoma types) until recently when I purchased a pair of lace up type oxfords (can't recall the model name). The funny thing is they turn my big toe and pointer toe black. I think the dye is leaching out all over my sweaty paws.

Has any one else had this problem? Or better yet know of a solvent for the dye (nail polish remover does not work, pumice stone does).

[prasantrin]

Anyone got any suggestions?

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I don't know where you're located, but I would suggest finding a good shoemaker. The prices are not as high as one would think--especially if you consider the workmanship and that you're getting a custom-fit. For hard-to-fit feet, custom-made shoes are really worth the money.

[FoodZealot]

I have very wide feet, and so far have been really satisfied with Kingston-McKnight clogs - kmshoes.com. They've got some reinforcement in the toe, but I don't believe with steel. The slip-resistance is pretty effective - when the mats come up, other people wearing Birki's seem to slide around more than I do. Also, they weigh about half that of Birki's, and have a normal heel, rather than that "sunken heel." They come with a very thin insole for fitting, as well as one for support, so you can adjust as needed, or use your own insoles, I imagine. Service from the website was prompt and professional.

~Tad

[RyuShihan]

Now I have never worn clogs but I have met people who swear by them.

My problem like many others is the long standing hours start to hurt my knees if I don't replace my shoes often, 4-6 months

Sometimes Dr.Schools helps .

Out of curiosity what shoes do you guys wear that you feel are great shoes for your feet. Do clogs really have longivity and arch support or are some of these newer shoes I am seeing just as good? Links to places to find shoes would be greatly appreciated, as well as personal experience with current and past shoes.

Btw I am also flatfooted so an arch really helps.

[FlourPower]

My feet are as flat as pancakes and I have some fancy schmancy arch supports as well. The best shoes I ever had to work in were some New Balance ones that I got at a store for runners. They were around a hundred bucks and worth every penny. This wasn't a Foot Locker mall store -- it was by and for runners and they carried different lines than the malls.

Depending on how bad your arches are you might want to get some custom supports. They aren't cheap but they help quite a bit.

[TJHarris]

I have worn Dansko clogs for 12 years now. I used to wear some very expensive work shoes. The hundred dollar work shoes wore out in 3 or 4 months. I also had a lot of knee and lower back pain.

Now I usually get 18 months or two years out of a pair of Dansko clogs. The clogs have greatly reduced the pain in my back and knees. Although a few dollars more than the work shoes (generally 10 or 15 dollars). My savings over the life of the clog is better than $200.

Good luck,

Tobin

[Mayhaw Man]

Reasonable prices on Dansko and a couple of other brands

[Daniel]

Just felt like posting an update.. Its is now June 10th and I am sitting here back at my desk.. This time i felt it necissary to report that my shoes are broken.. I have busted through them while playing basketball the other day.. They are still comfortable enough and the prices she remains cheap so i got another pair..

Edited June 10, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[Kim Shook]

Not sure that this is the right place for this, but here goes: I work on my feet all day and my feet are sore . Also, my socks are adding to the problem. I thought that some of the folks here who also stand for a long time could offer some advice! I wear a thick soled New Balance cross trainer shoe and thick athletic crew socks (Nike). The socks seem to get little 'folds' in them or I start to feel like they are, anyway. I also start to get the feeling that there is grit inside my socks, but when I shake them out, there is nothing there ? Can anyone help me with this? Thanks!

[Marlene]

Get yourself a pair of these crocs. They are the most amazing footwear for standing on your feet all day.

[xdrixn]

danskos! 12-14 hours a day and no pain.

[Pam R]

I second the crocs. I've been wearing them for about a year at work now and they are the best things I've worn. The only problem is my feet now hurt when I'm not wearing them. But I figure it's more important that they feel good when I'm at work. And they're inexpensive. I don't know about where you live, but this summer they're available all over the place around here.

I usually wear a thin cotton sock with them.

edited to add that I actually wear two cotton socks. one per foot

[coquus]

I go through socks like they were paper, just my right big toe, I think my right foot may be bigger than the left or something. I wear shoes for crews, they are almost identical in appearance to dansko, except slight cosmetics inside I can't tell the difference looking at them. I'll take them for a third the price however.

[eJulia]

Kim:

Get your blood sugar checked. My first sign of diabetes was foot discomfort - a feeling like I had socks bunched up under my feet.

I'm sure it's nothing, but you need to be sure!

[prasantrin]

Not sure that this is the right place for this, but here goes:  I work on my feet all day and my feet are sore .  Also, my socks are adding to the problem.  I thought that some of the folks here who also stand for a long time could offer some advice!  I wear a thick soled New Balance cross trainer shoe and thick athletic crew socks (Nike).  The socks seem to get little 'folds' in them or I start to feel like they are, anyway.  I also start to get the feeling that there is grit inside my socks, but when I shake them out, there is nothing there      ?  Can anyone help me with this?  Thanks!

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What's the cotton content of your socks? The higher the cotton content, the greater the friction. I learned that years ago from an aerobics instructor who suggested wearing micro-fiber socks, or socks with lower cotton content (I was having similar problems during aerobics classes). Something like these light hiking socks might be good.

If you are wearing cotton socks, make sure you dry them in the dryer, rather than air-dry them. Air-drying makes them even rougher.