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uniforms - jackets, pants, shoes


JeanneCake

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Need to buy some jackets and pants and while I've bought from ChefWear and HappyChef, in the past, I thought you might have a vendor to recommend or warn me away from.

I was disappointed with the stuff from Happy Chef - seams not finished and split after the first wash on the jackets and pants (they credited it but you get what you pay for) so I don't want to buy from them again. I don't wear a jacket every day, usually just a short sleeve shirt or sturdy Tshirt. (I share space with a caterer so we get aprons and towels from a linen supplier, but I do my own uniforms.)

Thanks, Jeanne

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http://www.chefwear.com/

http://www.chefworks.com/

And I second culinary classics, i have material from all of these vendors, and presonally culinary classics is the best. They are not afraid of change or trying something new. They're coats and pant's seem to hold up the best under any kind of damage and the outfront material/designs are fantastic to choose from.

Oh and if you decide to go with culinary classics i suggest ordering a catalogue first, and when you order, order over the phone because they're site is never up to dat eeven though they update more than any other brand. Thats just how much they upgrade they're clothing. All the pants come in way more designs than posted.

Edited by chiantiglace (log)

Dean Anthony Anderson

"If all you have to eat is an egg, you had better know how to cook it properly" ~ Herve This

Pastry Chef: One If By Land Two If By Sea

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I recently purchased 2 coats and a pair of pants from Culinary Classics.........and I'm a little pissed off with them. I ordered female pants and jackets. The jackets were too small (length and width) and you have to call to get permission to return items that don't work out. They are charging me a 20% restocking fee for me to return my coats. Why, they are standard coats? Because they are "female" and those are "special order". So it's like going to the dry cleaners for some reason females should pay more then males.

I will add that in the past I've bought clothes from them and I've been very happy with the uniforms. I just don't like their return policy and that will prevent me from ever ordering from them again.

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I've bought jackets and pants from Chef Revival and Chefwear.

I prefer Chef Revival for jackets... the quality is good and the sizing works for me (I'm 5'2"). I bought two jackets from Chefwear in November and they were HUGE! Following the sizing info on the web site, I ordered a small... you could have put two of me in that jacket. As for pants, I prefer Chefwear's pricing and selection.

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Uniform, schmooniform!

I have a lot of chef coats.....in my closet. And one chef coat that I keep in my truck with my

name and title embroidered on it. I only wear it when I'm schmoozing in public or doing a

consultation or whatever. In the kitchen, it's an old T-shirt, leggings, and a four way apron.

Chef coats seem to be so impractical for PC's! I've always got my arm down in the mixer bowl,

and even if you pull up the sleeve, it still gets all gooked up. Then the coat always billows out

around my waist and gets into cakes I decorate close up. Plus the material is always thick so

that it makes me hot.....I get crabby when I'm too hot.

I have not yet found the perfect chef coat. However I have a great design in my head......

custom made for the fussy female PC, such as myself. Someday I'd like to have enough money

to get a seamstress to make it for me, 'cause I know I'd love it.....and so would a lot of other

female food folks.

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There are a LOT of chef uniform companies out there... basicially you get what you pay for.

Bragard jacket is my favorite, feels the best, all cotton, high thread count.

Chef Revival makes women's pants, but they are very slim in the hips, which doesn't really work for most women. (It's like the difference in men's and women's jeans, the women need it curvier: the waist to go in, but leave room for the hips, but then taper for thinner legs.) So, they don't do what they should: those CR pants are less baggy, but not "hippy" enough for women in my estimation.

Chefwear is pretty good, holds up, good all-round.

Culinary Classics does have the women's jacket, I like them because they run longer than the men's, way past the butt, which I like because I am tall. Many jackets that are small tend to also be short, which never works for me. (Which is exactly why I have problems with pants, the ones long enough are way too big, so my pants all end up being high-water!) But, I too have had problems with CC, like Wendy, and have not ordered from them since.

And, to address Annie's comments, I love :wub: my short-sleeve jackets, they are the best for pastry! We pc's don't need the long sleeves as much for protection like the hot side. As for the heat... well, I only wear cotton, and only in winter do I wear a shirt underneath!

I like to cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.

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Anne,

Those jackets are amazing, I would not want to work in one of those, only wear it when you have to look like a chef!!! I think it is the first time I have seen a chefs jacket make a women look good. Though I am with you a T shirt and comfy pants :rolleyes:

karen

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I LOVED the uniforms we wore at the French Pastry School. The label says "Clement" and I don't know what company they came from, but I think they were probably special ordered from Europe. The jackets were beautifully finished, short sleeve, made from a cotton/poly blend that was soft, smooth and never wrinkled, and the closures were snaps that stayed closed, but were easy to pop open. The pants were ultra soft with a wide elastic waist-band covered with terry cloth, adjustable with velcro, and a zipper fly.

I'll bet if you called or emaile the French Pastry School in Chicago, they would tell you were they get their uniforms.

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I LOVED the uniforms we wore at the French Pastry School. The label says "Clement" and I don't know what company they came from, but I think they were probably special ordered from Europe. The jackets were beautifully finished, short sleeve, made from a cotton/poly blend that was soft, smooth and never wrinkled, and the closures were snaps that stayed closed, but were easy to pop open. The pants were ultra soft with a wide elastic waist-band covered with terry cloth, adjustable with velcro, and a zipper fly.

I'll bet if you called or emaile the French Pastry School in Chicago, they would tell you were they get their uniforms.

Neil,

I am a big fan of the Clement jackets well, and the company is in France. I have a catalog of theirs at home and they carry a fairly wide range of jackets, with many available in short or long sleeves ( although I do not know how much they are - do not know the franc to dollar conversion).

Their website is www.clement-chef.com or I saw in the latest PA&D, that a company in NJ called Technobake systems ( technobake@yahoo.com) supposively carries them in the U.S.

On other uniforms, I am a self proclaimed chef uniform afficianado ( if you show me a chef jacket, I can tell you 9 out of 10 times who makes it.) I in fact just bought 2 pairs of chalkstripe chef pants from KingsMenu for $12.00 a piece, and they are very comfortable. I am waiting on a few embroidered jackets from them as well.

As far as short sleeved jackets and ladies jackets go, I have seen many of the more popular uniform companies start to carry both shorter sleeved versions of their jackets as well as jackets that are supposed to be better fitting for the ladies ( wouldn't know if that is true or not :biggrin:)

Take care,

Jason

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  • 7 months later...

I'm shopping for more chefs pants. So I looked up this thread to find the store that Chefpeon posted that had those great womens jackets hoping they'd have cool pants too. But that link no longer works. Does anyone have the name/online address for them?

If not, I'm looking for a bootcut or bell cut womens pants, anyone have a source? I'm tired of the mens pants with big baggie legs that tapper at the ankle. It really exagerates your hips, I think.

The only source I can find that has a women pant that doesn't tapper in at the ankle is Chefwear. I've got a couple pairs of theirs, but I'm not crazy about them. Theres something strange about the way they all are cut (regardless of material or style). They look and feel fine when your standing but when you bend over, they feel horrible. The waste band doesn't stay at your waste on your back side, it pulls downward.............so you have to pull your pants up everytime you bend. I believe they call that plummers crack....... that's just rediculous..........I'm not going there..........

So I need help. Anyone found a comfortable womens pant?

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And on another uniforms question...I saw that Crooked Brook site recommends a jacket with ties for pregnant women. I'm considering buying one maternity jacket since I will be teaching classes and catering into my 7th month at least, barring major health issues--and I doubt my current jackets would work. (I'm early enough in my pregnancy that I don't really show yet.) But I can't see spending $110+ on a jacket I'll wear only a handful of times. Should I just buy a larger size jacket, or are there specifically maternity-design jackets out there I can check out?

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I'm shopping for more chefs pants. So I looked up this thread to find the store that Chefpeon posted that had those great womens jackets hoping they'd have cool pants too. But that link no longer works. Does anyone have the name/online address for them?

If not, I'm looking for a bootcut or bell cut womens pants, anyone have a source? I'm tired of the mens pants with big baggie legs that tapper at the ankle. It really exagerates your hips, I think.

The only source I can find that has a women pant that doesn't tapper in at the ankle is Chefwear. I've got a couple pairs of theirs, but I'm not crazy about them. Theres something strange about the way they all are cut (regardless of material or style). They look and feel fine when your standing but when you bend over, they feel horrible. The waste band doesn't stay at your waste on your back side, it pulls downward.............so you have to pull your pants up everytime you bend. I believe they call that plummers crack....... that's just rediculous..........I'm not going there..........

So I need help. Anyone found a comfortable womens pant?

Wendy,

This should get you to the page for the jackets.

Agenda-free since 1966.

Foodblog: Power, Convection and Lies

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Wendy.....

I too hate almost any chef pants that are out there. Not that they're bad of course......it's just that my body doesn't wear them well. I always thought the baggies that tapered at the ankle were

most comfortable, but they sure aren't "complimentary", if you know what I mean.

I gave up on uniform pants. My preferred "bottom wear" at work is cotton/lycra leggings.....like

what you'd wear to the gym. Ultra comfy......they move with you.....no binding....no having to

pull them up when you bend down etc. A pair of black leggings under a chef's jacket and apron

looks pretty smart too.

Just a thought...... :smile:

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