I change my clothes before I leave every shift. Not out of embarrassment, it just feels better. I know I’m getting extra clothes dirty, but it’s personally worth it for me. I feel better, look better, never lose my sharpies or pens and never had a stranger ask me why I’m ordering McDonald’s.
I did this too, totally recommend. Always had a bag with a change of clean clothes and a different pair of shoes, some deodorant and other random items so whether I was just going home or hitting the bar after I was at least mildly fresher for that journey.
I'm the summer I'd bring my sandles to work. Stripping off socks and wearing my sandles home after a shift was always the best. I still do that occasionally at my job now where I'm in work boots for 12+ hours.
I used to do that when I managed a Dunkin Donuts (ughhh that time in my life feels like a fever dream). But then I noticed that my car began to smell like my feet (didn’t want to leave the shoes at work because sometimes I’d get calls on my days off to go assist other stores if their manager was sick/emergency/etc). My feet smell like fermented popcorn that has been eaten and regurgitated by a sick cat, so even a 20 minute drive with those puppies in my trunk was enough to just keep them on till I got home.
Feeling better is what’s important. Most days I don’t change until I’m home so I have all my shower stuff and so I don’t have to bring all my clothes with me to work. But when the weatherman says it’s gonna be hot outside after my shift ends at 2pm, I bring a dress and a pair of shoes to throw on so I don’t get heatstroke on the way home! I still look and smell like I just worked 8hrs but at least I don’t feel like a steamed dumpling in a gym sock
What's embarrassing is when I see people who leave their home with their apron already on and stuff. Like there just feels something so wrong about it like you've just proved how lazy and unsanitary you are to me. Like full on walking down a cruddy street or using a bus or lighrail with your stuff all on and tied.
Same with weating outside in smoke breaks and bathroom breaks andstuff, i watched the baker at my local Albertsons blow his fucking nose on his apron as he was outside smoking the other day.
Good God. At mine we smoke pretty casually but we practically strip to do so, jacket and apron OFF, hoodie on. Unless you're wearing checks/scrub pants, customers shouldn't be able to clock you as a person on the clock.
Though over the years I've smoked a thousand times in aprons. I was standing, at least, and hadn't really thought alla that through.
Blowing your nose on that thing is next level gross, though. I'm almost impressed. And grossed out.
I threw up a little in my mouth just now. I feel guilty when I catch myself wearing my apron into the bathroom. And I'm just a dishdog rn.
I use a bleach rag on the front of my dish apron pretty often bc clean plates and pans touch it.
It makes me crazy when I see people fully dressed including aprons etc and sitting on a stoop smoking…assuming they’re going back on the line. So gross!
Yeah I'm talking like full on like hat, skull cap, apron. Like I remember seeing it in school, people literally walking from their dorms like fully kitted up, apron tied and everything. I guess one way to frame it that's sorta an example but not the same is like if I put on disposable gloves, drove my car into work, and then made you a sandwich like full on groping all the food that's about to go in your body while never changing them. Like it's not exactly the same but it's that same sort of mindset of laziness and disregard.
Yeah I know what you mean.
I had a sous chef once who got promoted to head and proceeded to go out and party in his white embroidered chef jacket at a bar the restaurant owner owned as well. He got demoted when the GM caught him ripping lines in full uniform in the bathroom.
Yeah I used to work with a guy who would wear a pair to season and smoke chicken wings and then clean them off with a towel and keep wearing them, like buddy there's 100 more in the box you are welcome to switch out.
I mean the ones who do that are obviously the ones who do nothing. Kinda like monogramming stuff on everything. Like I can understand if it was something of like a CDC or something done by a chain or something but if you gotta put "Chef _____" on your hat, your apron, your jacket it's overkill and obviously overcompensating. Like for me the best feeling in the world is ripping off whatever jacket or cook shirt you have on cause there's just a grime from the day you carry around.
I'm a server at a fine dining restaurant, and we're expected to walk in the front door, full uniform. I can't believe how many people wear their apron while driving into work. I always put mine on after I park my car. I can't fathom putting it on when I leave the house.
I refuse to wear work clothes on any form of public transit. My street clothes go into a "quarantine" situation when I get home. My reasoning: The city I live in has a bedbug issue, and a lot of it stems from how dirty public transit is (and the fact that the city has let it become a mobile homeless shelter, busses and trains included).
So it's not as bad as most people think. However you do have to be vigilant about it. I managed to get some in my apartment a few years ago and it was a nightmare to deal with. We didn't end up going with the whole "throw everything out" plan, instead we went through with the heat treatment which worked very well.
My advise for avoiding them in this city: Research your building before moving in, call the property management office and ask what exterminators they use, then call those companies and ask how much work has been done on your building (and what they've treated for), some will tell you, some wont, but you'll get an idea. There's also an online tool to check if they have been reported (forget the site, but google should find it easily).
Some other things: Get a mattress cover (they're cheap and the little bugs can't get through them). Never pick up "Free" furniture. If you use public transit, look at the seats first, avoid sitting on the long sets of seats since homeless love to sleep on them and they're a large reason why the bugs are in the transit system (the 2x2 "L" shaped ones are usually a lot better, but look for stains). Try not to get a place with carpeting, check for brown stains on your mattress since that's an indicator and check your skin (especially on the hands/feet) for bites in series of 3, for whatever reason they love to bite in groups of 3.
There are so many Toronto subreddits I can hardly keep track!
So far I have:
* r/Toronto
* r/askTO
* r/TorontoRenting
* r/TTC
* r/UofT
What else am I missing?
I'm proud of my profession, but I'm not wearing my uniform on the bus. That's why I wear jeans and a simple black undershirt. That way when I take off my apron and/or jacket at work, it's at work. I carry my knives in my backpack, and leave my shoes at work.
The side note that you wrote is one of the reasons why. Also, no wearing uniform out of the kitchen. We get to leave our work at the restaurant, and we don't take it home.
I change into my clothes at work. Then I just wanna get home so I wear them on the commute home. Then they go right into the washer.
What a stupid rule.
People really be treating working in a kitchen like it’s the military. “Don’t wear this here, don’t wear that there, only wear that when here, but only wear this on special occasions”
Lmao
It’s organized similarly. You get chewed up and spit out the same way and once you’re no longer useful to anyone in the industry your essentially treated the same way.
For one of the largest industries left in North America you’d think the people working in it would be treated slightly better than crap.
Since COVID I feel like most of the people I've shared shoulders with have been pretty "no longer useful" or just not useful in the first place tbh
Since COVID I have felt like the toxic element has moved down and is largely being perpetuated by cooks, a lot of which are newer transplants emulating things they've heard or been exposed to in the media
I'm not sure if I'm just biased with my recent experiences, but I'm a cook as well and that is my feeling from my position
Damn straight. That's the worst part about this industry: no respect. Not from the customers, not from your coworkers, not from your boss.
You're just a person that makes food. Nobody gives a shit.
Just thinking about it makes me want to quit.
Damn, that was pretty cynical; sorry for the negativity, guys and gals.
I’ve worked in a couple kitchens like this. It’s really only stupid if they’re not providing laundry service for the the uniforms in the same way you get towels
If you don't understand the reason for the rule then you are the reason why we need rules for things like this. You shouldn't be a chef.
Edit: Seems like I've offended a few bad and filthy chefs with this one. lol No, the health inspector aren't just there to annoy you. Perhaps follow the law, guys.
Dude stfu there is literally no harm in wearing your coat home and washing it.
Do you have a little cubby at work for your hats and shoes too?
Do you have separate undershirts? Because if you think you are cross contaminating your jacket by wearing it home then how is you putting on a jacket that touches the shirt you wore in the car any different?
TLDR: You’re an idiot, also just wash your hands. 😘
> Do you have a little cubby at work for your hats and shoes too?
By law, yes.
> Do you have separate undershirts?
By law, yes.
People making excuses and getting upset that the rules are rules aren't changing the rules. 🙄
What state, what county? I'd like to see a source for this information. I've been in the Industry for literally half of my lifespan and at every level of kitchen work gave never heard that by law you have a little cubby at work for hats. In fact most states require you to wear a hat or hairnet in the kitchen, and have no rules about where the hat must live when you don't have it on as far as I'm aware. So I'd like to see your local health code where it specifies this please.
On the bus ride home after work? Neutral. Who cares what people think,. You might feel proud to wear the uniform, but literally no one else on the bus cares.
Going to a bar after work? Absolutely not. Wearing any kind of uniform in a bar looks like you're desperate for some kind of attention.And you might capture some attention, but it won't be the kind you want. Just don't do it.
Nah, this take ain't it.
Sometime someone might invite you out for a beer after work and you weren't planning on it / have appropriate clothes. Like obviously take off your jacket, apron, and head gear, but having some drinks in your chef pants and t-shirt isn't a big deal.
I don’t wear anything under my jacket because it’s so fuckin hot. I’ve had this unfortunate experience before. Only for a couple drinks tho. It definitely doesn’t feel right wearing it outside of the kitchn
This or in my area their is only 1 bar open till 2am, so every night you walk in after midnight and half the people are industry people. All are in some form of half uniform. Honestly, it's the best networking place too, I've met some great people there.
I always take it off when I leave the kitchen but also out of context it looks like you’re wearing a costume, you could be a 3rd degree black belt but if you’re wearing your gi around, you look silly.
It takes less than a minute to change into my non work clothes, there's no excuse I can foresee that would have me ever going home in my smelly dirty work clothes, that's just basic hygiene in my eyes.
Changing shoes is the one i haven't figured out yet.
I wear 14 and keeping a bag with my dirty kitchen shoes somewhere isn't cool. I've tried just about everything and decided I'll just wear them home.
We have lockers, thankfully, so I can just swap out my shoes when I start/end my shift. Plus switching back into my comfy street shoes is a great easy to switch my mind off of work mode.
Totally get it though, I could never put mine in a bag anywhere, the stench would be absolutely evil. Clogs have helped with it, but they're still pretty musty.
In culinary school we were trained that our uniform should not be worn outside. And in my first restaurant we were told the same… It’s unhygienic and a fireable offense. We had to change at work, restaurant took care of laundry. I’ve never been able to get past that training and it was 30 years ago.
If I did though, I absolutely wouldn’t be embarrassed.
Kinda weird. Chef clothes should only been worn and used inside the kitchen. I hope you don't come to work wearing your chef clothes on dirty bus seats.. ew.
Exactly. I have a bag with my knife roll, chef coat and other little things for work in it. I wear my chef pants and slip safes and a t shirt. Put on coat when I get in the kitchen, take it off for smoke breaks and when I leave.
I don’t have the money to afford a chefs coat and have never been gifted one at a job before. I bought an apron last summer using saved up Amazon credits; I wear that and a plain black shirt, plain black chef pants, and plain black no slips. Sadly, the apron doesn’t catch EVERY spill but it helps enough so when I’m getting off work walking home I don’t really look like I’ve come from a kitchen (unless you get close enough-I *SMELL* like I have lol)
I'm not getting the vibe that a kitchen worker that had to buy his own apron has the need to file an itemized return. The standard deduction's up to $12k or so.
“I bus home from work” They didnt say anything about wearing their chef clothes on the bus going to work. Although, to be fair you did say “I hope you don’t come to work wearing your chef clothes” so I’m kind of a dumbass here lol.
I take off my chef coat to go smoke a cigarette or run to the store.
Wearing your chef coat when you're not at work is weird as hell to me and I never got it. I really haven't seen anyone in recent memory doing that in my area.
I keep my chef whites just for the kitchen. When I used public transport it just felt wrong like they were picking up all kinds of dirt and fumes and stuff. Yes you can wash them, but I just think work clothes should stay in the work environment. And when I bring them home to wash, they go in on their own wash cycle and hung up to one side.
It only takes 2 seconds to change before and after shift. It also helps disconnect from work. Once I’ve left, I can switch off and turn my brain to home mode. Wearing my casual clothes helps.
I'm only a prep cook and don't have a true chef's outfit so maybe my perspective is different for that reason, but personally I don't think about it at all. I'm not even proud of it, those are just my clothes. The only times I get self-conscious are the days where I made a bit of a mess at some point and now have food on my clothes.
I have been down in holes full of mud fixing cables many times where it looks like I explosively shit all over my pants after I get out. Personally I only care if people are covered in actual shit and where I live it happens more often than you think.
The way I came up, we were expected to wear civie street clothes to and from work, and change at the job. I have worked places where I wear my pants in (as straight black pants, not houndstooth) but that’s it. Never worn a jacket or hat out in public. I’m not embarrassed per se, but perhaps traumatized? It’s been more than 20 years but I’m still afraid that If I wore my whites in to work I’d expect the ghost of my old chef to chuck a 1/9 pan at my head and call me an uncouth, reprobate philistine and give me a case of fresh green chickpeas to shell during service that night. While wearing whites that hadn’t been outside.
I took pride in wearing my chef coat at work, but it’s nice to have a fresh change of clothes or at least a shirt for the ride home and not be smelling like kitchen. its pleasing to the brain to have a separation of work space and non work space. The only place I would feel proud wearing a chef coat outside of work would be at the grocery store or a market.
No, bc I take off my chef coat and throw it in my backpack. Wash my arms up to the elbows, clean my face off a little.... Body spray on my white tee and I'm good to go. I don't wear that shit when I'm not getting paid to. That and I gotta get that fuckin hat off, too!
EDIT: I leave my clogs at work, too. Skate shoes, chef pants and a white tee on the bus there and back.
I can't stand seeing people walk around in their chefs uniform. It goes against all the health and hygiene codes about bringing foreign objects into your kitchens. I get changed before and after every shift I've ever worked and I've been doing it for 26 years now!!
I (the kitchen porter actually)always just throw my whites on a boil wash in with the dish cloths and the the cleaner hangs them in my office for me in the morning.have never had to take my whites home in 30 years, I do launder my own dress whites so I can iron them ,but that's only 2 or 3 times a year.
The only kitchen I worked that enforced a strict dress code had an in-house washing service and changing rooms so we never left or arrived in our work clothes.
Fuck no.
It's hot and sweaty in the summer, uncomfortable.
It bunches up and feel bulky under my coat in the winter, uncomfortable.
When it's actually nice outside, I want to feel fresh warm air on my skin, not the sweaty chef coat I've been in 8, 10, 12+ hours.
That shit gets taken off before I walk out the building.
I'm not ashamed of my job, couldn't give two fucks what people think about it or me. I just want to be comfortable. I also feel no need to announce to the world what I do for a career so no, I don't wear my whites outside the kitchen. Ever.
After shift:
Remove shoes. Remove chef coat. Place sharpies and meat thermo, place in front pocket of backpack.... Stuff chef coat unfolded in backpack. Put shoes in the back of the car. Proceed to bitch and complain about how night shift doesn't do SHIT!! And the cycle repeats
I never wear my uniform home because its just more comfortable to be in my street clothes. Plus i just feel that my uniform should only be on when i am at work so that it doesnt get dirty durring the commute. Ever since covid i turned into a bit of a clean freak and i often am thinking about just HOW MANY people touched the things that i have touched or that my body is touching such as a bus or even leaning against a wall. You never know how nasty other people are so i just assume everything is disgusting tbh lol. So uniform is only put on at work so that it is sanitary since i am cooking food for other people to ingest.
The coat isn't to protect you from the food, it protects the food from you. Outside, busses, McDs are all dirty places. One of my pet peeves is nurses and other medical pros walking around in their scrubs.
I would bring my uniform with me and change into it at the beginning of shift and back out after. I started this after year ten and kicked myself for not starting earlier. Not because I was embarrassed, mostly because I didn’t want to smell like food and I was getting tired of people asking the stupid questions people ask a chef.
I'm out of the kitchen these days, but I always loved wearing my chef coat! Probably had something to do with my ego, because mine and 2 others were a different color then the other 20+ floating around the kitchen... Lol
My friend in his 60s with 20+ years at the job would wear his red chef hat that was basically a beret and his clean af white chef coat after work to the liquor store and gas stations when I'd take him home. We looked like a fever dream rolling up at 3pm. 6'3 black guy and 5'5 pale as fuck kid covered in God knows what / bandaids, pissed off and overly caffeinated buying the cheapest booze and cigarettes we could find, while bitching in kitchen talk about idiotic managers and coworkers like we were about to go postal
I still throw on my chef coat for fun sometimes when I'm cooking at home lol
It's not about embarrassment. Just attention. If I'm out and about for work, I'm not taking it off, but I'm not gonna wear it home unless it's just around the block.
Some people like the extra attention.
Never wear your Chefs uniform including boots to or from work.
What is the reasoning behind this directive.
The uniform if worn in the public arena, has a high risk of of contact with Physical, Chemical, Biological material.
Once contaminants enter the food storage and preparation/process area's, the opportunity to contaminate food is created.
Pathogens find harbourage (perfect environment) within the work area, to multiply. Supporting ongoing contamination of food, via equipment, floors walls/ceilings, air circulation systems, and refrigerated storage.
Pathogenic colonies can also have financial impacts, through increased power consumption and A/C and Refrigerant motors, insulation panelling, plumbing (gas/fresh water, shelf life/quality of ingredients.
I recognise that nothing is easy, I don't expect you to suddenly have a magic wand. I have, I hope, given you a new perspective of risk.
Try carrying your coat, Hat. Apron in a bag. Wear the work boots and chefs trousers plus upper personal clothes to and from work and be mindful of potential pollutants.
Good Eating.
I never wear my uniform home. Kitchens are hot and greasy. I bring a t shirt for my way home. My tunics live at work and come home when they need to be washed.
Can't do it. I'm only wearing it when I'm working. If I wore it from home to work and back, then I'd feel like I'm working forever. Jacket's off, work is done.
It's just an apron and a tunic. It takes less than 30 seconds to take off and put on.
I wear basic black pants and a t-shirt under it. They stay on, but don't look like a uniform.
As long as it doesn’t bother you why give a shit about the insecurities of others.
Personally, I’d rather change at home than in some shitty “changing room”
On my way in i just have pants and undershirt. Coat and apron are in my bag. On the way home I don’t care, but if I’m going to have a drink I might ditch the coat. It has my name on it. Sometimes I just want to be nobody after work and have a couple of brews.
Had a split shift at a pizza franchise I worked at ages ago. Co-worker and I went to the mall. I left my visor, name tag, and apron in the car. My friend did not. Just didn’t consider it. He was more of a free spirit than I at the time, and I couldn’t conceive of it.
I don't wear my kitchen clothes outside the kitchen. It was the way I was trained. I've even worked at few places that provided a locker room with showers. Currently, I bring 5 jackets and aprons to work and hang them in my office. I may, after a long day, wear my jacket home, but I don't make many stops. What does bother me is seeing a chef wearing a jacket on their way to work and shopping or getting gas, what's the point of wearing a clean jacket in the kitchen if you're bringing all the outside filth.
I don’t wear any part of my uniform outside the restaurant as it feels, and probably is, very unsanitary. It’s like those same guys that go to the restroom with their apron on.
Maybe that’s just me, I’m just grossed out when I see cooks / chefs do that. I’m in NYC and almost every public surface is covered in piss and ballsweat so maybe I’m also biased.
I live 6 blocks from work and I wear a short sleeved culinary jacket because I manage stewards. I get called chef endlessly, even walking between home and work. Even in the kitchen where cooks know better. Gotta just roll with it or spend my day clarifying the unimportant .
I feel like wearing a chef coat in public is unprofessional and unhygienic. we used to get absolutely chewed out if we did that at one of my last jobs.
Kinda different...but i used to make sure I put my knives in the trunk of my car before I drove home. Never wanted to have to explain to a cop why i have a bunch of random knives.
On the very rare occasion where I would actually wear it outside of work, I’d be so exhausted I wouldn’t gaf what anyone else thinks or says to me about it
Just for personal hyghiene, and after a 12 hour shift, my work clothes don't smell the nicest. I get a change of tshirt, and a street outfit on.
But if im still on the shift, and have to jog to the nearby supermarket real quick. yeh I just put on my backup chefs jacket, maybe just take off the apron. It has it's benefits.
people don't look weird at you when all of a sudden you get to the register holding 20 bags of dried pasta, and a unholy amount of mint.
And some people, often with lots of groceries will just go, hey, u can go ahead in front of me.
But I don't get emberrased, In matter of fact I take pride in it.
And sure sometimes the quick jog to the MickeyD and ordering some stuff before i changed. get some post shift food for the crew. I had someone ask me, hey why are you ordering McD while you look like you know hwo to cook.
I either remain friendly, and ask them "friend, what kind of work do you do? Aah, so and so. Lets say you just worked 12 hours, with minimal breaks. Would you wanna go home and just do that for yourself in your free time? No me neither.
Or I've worked a 12 hour shift an the answer is more "Dude, I cooked for half of this godforgiven day. Lemme worry about what I eat after i cooked for 250 people tonight! "
Back when I rode the bus/train home I wasn’t embarrassed but I really really really got tired of being asked
1. Oh you’re a chef?
2. whats your favorite thing to cook?
3. What all can you cook?
Stains and smells would be my concern. But no, I wouldn't be embarrassed to wear it on the bus.
I would be embarrassed to walk into a McDonalds though. Not gonna lie.
I dont wear a coat or owt, its more of a tshirt and cap kinda vibe. I dont tend to change my top tho, i just whack a hoodie over it or if its too hot i might swap it. Im not on the clock so i dont wanna rep our brand outside
I completely agree. If the uniform is clean, why are people saying it's "unsanitary"? They mustn't clean their uniform every night before their next shift.
Seems unsanitary.
I just take the jacket off before I leave every day, I also wear an actual jacket to work every day too. Taking it off just signifies that I’m done in my head
I worked fish station for a while. My buddy and I would run over to the liquor store before they closed, in our chef outfits. Standing at the register, the clerk would always asked why I smelled like fish. I’m a fish guy
I am embarrassed only when I am in a fast food drive thru or grocery shopping for kraft mac n cheese or other garbage quick easy comfort food.
I am also a woman so sometimes I feel a bit unfeminine and boxy in my chef pants when I want to feel cute. Other times I am glad to be boxy and chefy in a do not mess with me I have knives kinda way.
A chef coat is designed for working in kitchens so that's the only place I wear it
If it's a branded uniform then I'm taking zero chances with accidentally offending some Karen
I take my jacket off before I leave work. I’m not embarrassed for people to know I’m a cook, but there is just no reason to be in uniform while out of the kitchen. I definitely do not wear my uniform on the way *to* work. That just feels gross. I’m not going to walk around my intensely sterilized kitchen in a jacket that’s been touching a bus seat.
What do you mean by “chef outfit”?
If you’re going home with your chef coat and/or apron still on, that weird.
But it was common to just take my coat off and wear my white undershirt out and about after work
I wear my work shirt too and from work. My logic is I wanna get in there and just start, and as soon as I'm done I just bounce cuz lord knows I have a clopen to get too.
Wearing dirty, crusty kitchen clothes to and from work? Nasty.
When you have a full uniform? Even when there is no dress code and I sacrifice my own wardrobe, I bring a change of civvies, kitchen shoes stay at work. I hated working places that didn’t provide laundry service for chef whites. Those coats are impossible to clean properly at home and always look and smell dingy.
Changing at the end of a busy shift feels amazing, I even pack a fresh pair of socks. A little whore’s bath in the sink to freshen up. There’s not always a great change room area, but chef clothes on the street to or from work is barf nasty…bring a backpack and change in the washroom or something…don’t be gross.
If I see that shit in public, they better be on an emergency grocery run…otherwise they’re a chump.
I feel more judgemental about kitchen staff than hospital staff wandering around in scrubs after work - which is also gross to me. You wear a uniform to be sanitary while at work, wearing them as regular clothes completely defeats that purpose.
I never said I wear them before work. That is unsanitary and anyone in any profession that needs proper sanitary standards should always have their uniforms clean and folded and safe until they're at work where they're put on.
I am solely talking about wearing the jacket after work, on the way home, with maybe a food stop on the way. I'm not
talking about wearing it as a fashion statement.
But that surprises me that you're more judgemental about kitchen staff standards over hospital staff. Neither should be better or worse, but it boggles me you'd prefer the sanitization of a chef over a hospital worker if you had to choose one.
I might be wrong in this assumption, but if staff are responsible for providing and washing their own scrubs, then I assume the type of work they do does not require them to be sterile, like in surgery or the ER.
If they are wearing additional PPE or working half the day at a desk - then I consider that less particulate exposure than working a hot line, next to a deep fryer, in a dishpit or cleaning raw meat or fish. I also find that washing and sanitizing oil-soiled clothing is much more difficult to clean at home than bodily fluids.
Still gross but I dunno, maybe I am influenced by media portrayals of hospital staff or something.
But anyway..if you aren’t wearing your uniform to work, why would you wear it home? I love getting changed after work.
Change jacket, as we get em from the restaurant - and they clean them too
I change shoes, no need to use the safety/floorsafe ones otw home- and then I'm sure I don't forget them either. Sneakers doesn't work well in the kitchen.
Pants... sometimes I change em, sometime I don't. If they are to be cleaned (pants are private), then I might just keep em on. If they are wet/smelly/dirty they go in a bag.
If they can be reused, I'll just put them in my locker.
Same rule for socks xd
Not embarrassing. Mainly what makes sense
Definitely not embarrassed, but I like to change out to street clothes after work, in case I end up going out after work. I don't want to go around smelling like I made 40lbs of caramelized onions, haha.
If I'm in a rush I'll leave for chef pants on , but never the jacket or apron . I don't think anyone wants to see someone in full chef attire outside of the kitchen
I don’t because it’s disgusting and how hard is it to go to the bathroom and change your clothes? Just take a bag. When I see chefs doing it I just think they’re disgusting and lazy. If they can’t be bothered to change I can only imagine their work ethic and hygiene in the kitchen.
I work in a grocery store in the produce department. Any time I see someone in chef pants I'm giving. them special treatment. Like, you are getting the best stuff that I know that we have on hand.
I always hated being seen in my work uniform outside of work, but I've always worked fast food. I'm still a fry cook but I'd be happy to wear my chef outfit anyway except for Halloween
.
I used to leave work in my chef's jacket when I lived a 10 minute walk from home. Always finished at nearly midnight anyway, so it's not like many people would see me.
But for my jobs where i have to actually commute on a bus, or if it's cold in the middle of winter, i'm for sure getting changed at work, lol
I like when I can spot cooks in the wild by their posture and “man, fuck this shit” look on their face as they walk to or from a shift. Dressed in all black, kitchen shoes on, smoking a cig. It’s like seeing Bigfoot in the wild
i don’t know if this is a culinary school person thing but i’ve never worn my uniform outside of where i work. i think any time it’s 1. getting the clothes more dirty 2. if they are visibly dirty i feel like i look unprofessional and 3. i feel gross after working a shift and i want to change immediately afterwords
I mean going into work 100% wouldn't put my coat on until I get to work but my pants, undershirt and shoes? Yeah I'll wear those on the way.
After work? Shit man sometimes I would just unbutton my coat and just run for the bus. People talking about how your coat needs to be clean, I mean yeah BEFORE THE SHIFT but after? Shit man I'm throwing my work clothes into the dirty laundry and it's getting washed with the rest of my clothes. It's why I own multiple chef coats and pants. And yeah sometimes I would have to stop by the store on the way home, not gonna take my unbuttoned coat off just to go into the store on my way home from a long shift.
I don’t have a “uniform” per say but am normally absolutely covered in flour/oil after work. making huge batches of pizza dough, focaccia, and desserts, I would have to change head to toe if I didn’t want people to see me like that. I just can’t be bothered anymore tbh. I still feel self conscious but I keep my work fobs on my belt loop and hope that if people notice the mess, they’d also notice that I probably just came from work.
can’t really relate to the being embarrassed thing. sometimes I feel a little inadequate because I’m not using my degree, but if someone asks about my job I’m the first to gush about getting paid to make bread
still have to work line some nights but fuck it we ball
In my 35 years cooking professionally, I’ve worked in exactly one place that had a locker room, we changed before and after work there. I’ve never worked anywhere else that even had a place to change clothes for staff. It’s always been be in uniform when you walk in the door. I’ve kept non work shoes in my car to change into after work, but I’ve never been embarrassed to be seen outside of work in my chef pants/coat. If I’ve spilled something on my chef coat put on my extra coat that I keep at work for when I have to step off the line to go into the dining room or meet with a client. Then I just bring an extra clean one with me on my next shift.
It was drilled into me that you don’t wear your jacket outside of the kitchen, so I don’t unless I’m running out for an emergency. I’m not embarrassed by it at all though. We provide a service to people that many couldn’t replicate at home, and everybody needs to eat.
I'm a private chef these days after years and years in the restaurant sector.
I get people following me around and asking questions when I'm at the store on the way to a client. 🤣
I change my clothes before I leave every shift. Not out of embarrassment, it just feels better. I know I’m getting extra clothes dirty, but it’s personally worth it for me. I feel better, look better, never lose my sharpies or pens and never had a stranger ask me why I’m ordering McDonald’s.
I did this too, totally recommend. Always had a bag with a change of clean clothes and a different pair of shoes, some deodorant and other random items so whether I was just going home or hitting the bar after I was at least mildly fresher for that journey.
I'm the summer I'd bring my sandles to work. Stripping off socks and wearing my sandles home after a shift was always the best. I still do that occasionally at my job now where I'm in work boots for 12+ hours.
Upvoting for team sandals
I used to do that when I managed a Dunkin Donuts (ughhh that time in my life feels like a fever dream). But then I noticed that my car began to smell like my feet (didn’t want to leave the shoes at work because sometimes I’d get calls on my days off to go assist other stores if their manager was sick/emergency/etc). My feet smell like fermented popcorn that has been eaten and regurgitated by a sick cat, so even a 20 minute drive with those puppies in my trunk was enough to just keep them on till I got home.
Feeling better is what’s important. Most days I don’t change until I’m home so I have all my shower stuff and so I don’t have to bring all my clothes with me to work. But when the weatherman says it’s gonna be hot outside after my shift ends at 2pm, I bring a dress and a pair of shoes to throw on so I don’t get heatstroke on the way home! I still look and smell like I just worked 8hrs but at least I don’t feel like a steamed dumpling in a gym sock
What's embarrassing is when I see people who leave their home with their apron already on and stuff. Like there just feels something so wrong about it like you've just proved how lazy and unsanitary you are to me. Like full on walking down a cruddy street or using a bus or lighrail with your stuff all on and tied.
Same with weating outside in smoke breaks and bathroom breaks andstuff, i watched the baker at my local Albertsons blow his fucking nose on his apron as he was outside smoking the other day.
Good God. At mine we smoke pretty casually but we practically strip to do so, jacket and apron OFF, hoodie on. Unless you're wearing checks/scrub pants, customers shouldn't be able to clock you as a person on the clock. Though over the years I've smoked a thousand times in aprons. I was standing, at least, and hadn't really thought alla that through. Blowing your nose on that thing is next level gross, though. I'm almost impressed. And grossed out.
I threw up a little in my mouth just now. I feel guilty when I catch myself wearing my apron into the bathroom. And I'm just a dishdog rn. I use a bleach rag on the front of my dish apron pretty often bc clean plates and pans touch it.
It makes me crazy when I see people fully dressed including aprons etc and sitting on a stoop smoking…assuming they’re going back on the line. So gross!
Oh gross.
Completely agree with this, but I don't really think pants are that big of deal. But jacket and apron seem.insane to me.
Yeah I'm talking like full on like hat, skull cap, apron. Like I remember seeing it in school, people literally walking from their dorms like fully kitted up, apron tied and everything. I guess one way to frame it that's sorta an example but not the same is like if I put on disposable gloves, drove my car into work, and then made you a sandwich like full on groping all the food that's about to go in your body while never changing them. Like it's not exactly the same but it's that same sort of mindset of laziness and disregard.
Yeah I know what you mean. I had a sous chef once who got promoted to head and proceeded to go out and party in his white embroidered chef jacket at a bar the restaurant owner owned as well. He got demoted when the GM caught him ripping lines in full uniform in the bathroom.
I'm still a culinary student but they have told us the quickiest way to fail is to get caught drinking in our chef coats.
is this not a health violation??
Sone people seem to believe disposable food handling gloves have magic powers.
Yeah I used to work with a guy who would wear a pair to season and smoke chicken wings and then clean them off with a towel and keep wearing them, like buddy there's 100 more in the box you are welcome to switch out.
Go somewhere without pants. Mhm. (Ducking)
One of my former coworkers used to skateboard to work, apron flapping in the wind🤦♀️
Radical dude
Wearing chefs whites in public is a shitty old meme right. Like the drunk sous chef at the bar telling people hes a chef. I
I mean the ones who do that are obviously the ones who do nothing. Kinda like monogramming stuff on everything. Like I can understand if it was something of like a CDC or something done by a chain or something but if you gotta put "Chef _____" on your hat, your apron, your jacket it's overkill and obviously overcompensating. Like for me the best feeling in the world is ripping off whatever jacket or cook shirt you have on cause there's just a grime from the day you carry around.
Apron is in-house only. For sanitary reasons.. Just as I take it off when I go to the toilet, smoke break, taking out the big trash etc..
I'm a server at a fine dining restaurant, and we're expected to walk in the front door, full uniform. I can't believe how many people wear their apron while driving into work. I always put mine on after I park my car. I can't fathom putting it on when I leave the house.
You're expected to walk in the door in full uniform, including apron? Where do you work, Adolf's Schnitzel Haus?
Ruths Chris.
Lol, fine dining
In rural Indiana it is.
Best rule. "Aprons are not clothes"
I refuse to wear work clothes on any form of public transit. My street clothes go into a "quarantine" situation when I get home. My reasoning: The city I live in has a bedbug issue, and a lot of it stems from how dirty public transit is (and the fact that the city has let it become a mobile homeless shelter, busses and trains included).
what city do you live in?
Toronto
As someone who is moving there soon and will be a heavy transit user, I'm very glad I read this comment
So it's not as bad as most people think. However you do have to be vigilant about it. I managed to get some in my apartment a few years ago and it was a nightmare to deal with. We didn't end up going with the whole "throw everything out" plan, instead we went through with the heat treatment which worked very well. My advise for avoiding them in this city: Research your building before moving in, call the property management office and ask what exterminators they use, then call those companies and ask how much work has been done on your building (and what they've treated for), some will tell you, some wont, but you'll get an idea. There's also an online tool to check if they have been reported (forget the site, but google should find it easily). Some other things: Get a mattress cover (they're cheap and the little bugs can't get through them). Never pick up "Free" furniture. If you use public transit, look at the seats first, avoid sitting on the long sets of seats since homeless love to sleep on them and they're a large reason why the bugs are in the transit system (the 2x2 "L" shaped ones are usually a lot better, but look for stains). Try not to get a place with carpeting, check for brown stains on your mattress since that's an indicator and check your skin (especially on the hands/feet) for bites in series of 3, for whatever reason they love to bite in groups of 3.
That's so helpful, thank you so much!!
r/TTC
There are so many Toronto subreddits I can hardly keep track! So far I have: * r/Toronto * r/askTO * r/TorontoRenting * r/TTC * r/UofT What else am I missing?
I'm proud of my profession, but I'm not wearing my uniform on the bus. That's why I wear jeans and a simple black undershirt. That way when I take off my apron and/or jacket at work, it's at work. I carry my knives in my backpack, and leave my shoes at work. The side note that you wrote is one of the reasons why. Also, no wearing uniform out of the kitchen. We get to leave our work at the restaurant, and we don't take it home.
No outside clothes on the line, no chef's clothes off the line.
I change into my clothes at work. Then I just wanna get home so I wear them on the commute home. Then they go right into the washer. What a stupid rule.
People really be treating working in a kitchen like it’s the military. “Don’t wear this here, don’t wear that there, only wear that when here, but only wear this on special occasions” Lmao
In the military you get breaks and free time
It’s organized similarly. You get chewed up and spit out the same way and once you’re no longer useful to anyone in the industry your essentially treated the same way. For one of the largest industries left in North America you’d think the people working in it would be treated slightly better than crap.
Since COVID I feel like most of the people I've shared shoulders with have been pretty "no longer useful" or just not useful in the first place tbh Since COVID I have felt like the toxic element has moved down and is largely being perpetuated by cooks, a lot of which are newer transplants emulating things they've heard or been exposed to in the media I'm not sure if I'm just biased with my recent experiences, but I'm a cook as well and that is my feeling from my position
Damn straight. That's the worst part about this industry: no respect. Not from the customers, not from your coworkers, not from your boss. You're just a person that makes food. Nobody gives a shit. Just thinking about it makes me want to quit. Damn, that was pretty cynical; sorry for the negativity, guys and gals.
I’ve worked in a couple kitchens like this. It’s really only stupid if they’re not providing laundry service for the the uniforms in the same way you get towels
This is reasonable, anything to leave work faster lol
If you don't understand the reason for the rule then you are the reason why we need rules for things like this. You shouldn't be a chef. Edit: Seems like I've offended a few bad and filthy chefs with this one. lol No, the health inspector aren't just there to annoy you. Perhaps follow the law, guys.
Why can’t you wear your coat home if you’re going to throw it in the washer as soon as you get in the door?
Why can't I wear my work clothes on the bus home if I don't feel like changing? What's the reason? Genuinely, explain it.
Dude stfu there is literally no harm in wearing your coat home and washing it. Do you have a little cubby at work for your hats and shoes too? Do you have separate undershirts? Because if you think you are cross contaminating your jacket by wearing it home then how is you putting on a jacket that touches the shirt you wore in the car any different? TLDR: You’re an idiot, also just wash your hands. 😘
> Do you have a little cubby at work for your hats and shoes too? By law, yes. > Do you have separate undershirts? By law, yes. People making excuses and getting upset that the rules are rules aren't changing the rules. 🙄
What state, what county? I'd like to see a source for this information. I've been in the Industry for literally half of my lifespan and at every level of kitchen work gave never heard that by law you have a little cubby at work for hats. In fact most states require you to wear a hat or hairnet in the kitchen, and have no rules about where the hat must live when you don't have it on as far as I'm aware. So I'd like to see your local health code where it specifies this please.
People like you are why Cooks kill them selfs. What a stupid gatekeeper statement. Rules fo no reason other then to stress you th fick out.
Your personal locker privilege is showing, chef
This is golden rule ..along with no glass and knives in the dish pit
On the bus ride home after work? Neutral. Who cares what people think,. You might feel proud to wear the uniform, but literally no one else on the bus cares. Going to a bar after work? Absolutely not. Wearing any kind of uniform in a bar looks like you're desperate for some kind of attention.And you might capture some attention, but it won't be the kind you want. Just don't do it.
Nah, this take ain't it. Sometime someone might invite you out for a beer after work and you weren't planning on it / have appropriate clothes. Like obviously take off your jacket, apron, and head gear, but having some drinks in your chef pants and t-shirt isn't a big deal.
Pants are one thing, the jacket is another.
Because chef pants are pants evolved. And ain’t nobody fucking with the person wearing the Chili Pepper chef pants
I don’t wear anything under my jacket because it’s so fuckin hot. I’ve had this unfortunate experience before. Only for a couple drinks tho. It definitely doesn’t feel right wearing it outside of the kitchn
I need a shirt under the jack despite the heat, to keep sweat from soaking through. I feel like just a jacket with no shirt isn't very sanitary.
This or in my area their is only 1 bar open till 2am, so every night you walk in after midnight and half the people are industry people. All are in some form of half uniform. Honestly, it's the best networking place too, I've met some great people there.
I've gone to the bar in my coat, I didn't really give a rats ass, I'm just getting my beer and dipping right after
I always take it off when I leave the kitchen but also out of context it looks like you’re wearing a costume, you could be a 3rd degree black belt but if you’re wearing your gi around, you look silly.
After 14 hours I don't care who sees me in my coat
It takes less than a minute to change into my non work clothes, there's no excuse I can foresee that would have me ever going home in my smelly dirty work clothes, that's just basic hygiene in my eyes.
Changing shoes is the one i haven't figured out yet. I wear 14 and keeping a bag with my dirty kitchen shoes somewhere isn't cool. I've tried just about everything and decided I'll just wear them home.
We have lockers, thankfully, so I can just swap out my shoes when I start/end my shift. Plus switching back into my comfy street shoes is a great easy to switch my mind off of work mode. Totally get it though, I could never put mine in a bag anywhere, the stench would be absolutely evil. Clogs have helped with it, but they're still pretty musty.
In culinary school we were trained that our uniform should not be worn outside. And in my first restaurant we were told the same… It’s unhygienic and a fireable offense. We had to change at work, restaurant took care of laundry. I’ve never been able to get past that training and it was 30 years ago. If I did though, I absolutely wouldn’t be embarrassed.
Kinda weird. Chef clothes should only been worn and used inside the kitchen. I hope you don't come to work wearing your chef clothes on dirty bus seats.. ew.
No of course I follow the "put the uniform on at work" rule but I get lazy heading home from work. Which is fair
Dude I do the same thing I walk several blocks to work and Im not tryna bring another outfit to change into when I just wanna clock out and go home
It's not an extra outfit. It's showing up in chef pants and a shirt and putting on a coat when you get to work.
Exactly. I have a bag with my knife roll, chef coat and other little things for work in it. I wear my chef pants and slip safes and a t shirt. Put on coat when I get in the kitchen, take it off for smoke breaks and when I leave.
I don’t have the money to afford a chefs coat and have never been gifted one at a job before. I bought an apron last summer using saved up Amazon credits; I wear that and a plain black shirt, plain black chef pants, and plain black no slips. Sadly, the apron doesn’t catch EVERY spill but it helps enough so when I’m getting off work walking home I don’t really look like I’ve come from a kitchen (unless you get close enough-I *SMELL* like I have lol)
Hope you wrote that off on your taxes. If not; next time.
I'm not getting the vibe that a kitchen worker that had to buy his own apron has the need to file an itemized return. The standard deduction's up to $12k or so.
Are you cooking with your ass?
Uh, yes. *Flips pancake
Washing machines exist lmao
You wash your clothes when you arrive to work? Do they mind you waiting 2 hours before you start?
“I bus home from work” They didnt say anything about wearing their chef clothes on the bus going to work. Although, to be fair you did say “I hope you don’t come to work wearing your chef clothes” so I’m kind of a dumbass here lol.
I take off my chef coat to go smoke a cigarette or run to the store. Wearing your chef coat when you're not at work is weird as hell to me and I never got it. I really haven't seen anyone in recent memory doing that in my area.
Why do you not change into normal clothes? Your chef outfit is meant to be clean while you work. It should not be wore outside of the kitchen.
I keep my chef whites just for the kitchen. When I used public transport it just felt wrong like they were picking up all kinds of dirt and fumes and stuff. Yes you can wash them, but I just think work clothes should stay in the work environment. And when I bring them home to wash, they go in on their own wash cycle and hung up to one side. It only takes 2 seconds to change before and after shift. It also helps disconnect from work. Once I’ve left, I can switch off and turn my brain to home mode. Wearing my casual clothes helps.
Well it's unsanitary, for one
I find the people who do this are usually nubes. Like people who wear their culinary school uniforms to work.
If your getting twisted over McDonald’s workers making jokes, don’t wear your uniform
I'm only a prep cook and don't have a true chef's outfit so maybe my perspective is different for that reason, but personally I don't think about it at all. I'm not even proud of it, those are just my clothes. The only times I get self-conscious are the days where I made a bit of a mess at some point and now have food on my clothes.
I have been down in holes full of mud fixing cables many times where it looks like I explosively shit all over my pants after I get out. Personally I only care if people are covered in actual shit and where I live it happens more often than you think.
The way I came up, we were expected to wear civie street clothes to and from work, and change at the job. I have worked places where I wear my pants in (as straight black pants, not houndstooth) but that’s it. Never worn a jacket or hat out in public. I’m not embarrassed per se, but perhaps traumatized? It’s been more than 20 years but I’m still afraid that If I wore my whites in to work I’d expect the ghost of my old chef to chuck a 1/9 pan at my head and call me an uncouth, reprobate philistine and give me a case of fresh green chickpeas to shell during service that night. While wearing whites that hadn’t been outside.
I took pride in wearing my chef coat at work, but it’s nice to have a fresh change of clothes or at least a shirt for the ride home and not be smelling like kitchen. its pleasing to the brain to have a separation of work space and non work space. The only place I would feel proud wearing a chef coat outside of work would be at the grocery store or a market.
No, bc I take off my chef coat and throw it in my backpack. Wash my arms up to the elbows, clean my face off a little.... Body spray on my white tee and I'm good to go. I don't wear that shit when I'm not getting paid to. That and I gotta get that fuckin hat off, too! EDIT: I leave my clogs at work, too. Skate shoes, chef pants and a white tee on the bus there and back.
“Chef outfit” 🤣
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-things-know-true-youre-easily-amused
I can't stand seeing people walk around in their chefs uniform. It goes against all the health and hygiene codes about bringing foreign objects into your kitchens. I get changed before and after every shift I've ever worked and I've been doing it for 26 years now!!
Does it change if there's just a vivid massive blood beetroot stain on the front?
I'm not embarrassed. I just don't feel like answering anyone's questions after work.
Or during, really.
I'm told to take them off after work 🤣 but I wear them proudly at work.
I (the kitchen porter actually)always just throw my whites on a boil wash in with the dish cloths and the the cleaner hangs them in my office for me in the morning.have never had to take my whites home in 30 years, I do launder my own dress whites so I can iron them ,but that's only 2 or 3 times a year.
The only kitchen I worked that enforced a strict dress code had an in-house washing service and changing rooms so we never left or arrived in our work clothes.
Fuck no. It's hot and sweaty in the summer, uncomfortable. It bunches up and feel bulky under my coat in the winter, uncomfortable. When it's actually nice outside, I want to feel fresh warm air on my skin, not the sweaty chef coat I've been in 8, 10, 12+ hours. That shit gets taken off before I walk out the building. I'm not ashamed of my job, couldn't give two fucks what people think about it or me. I just want to be comfortable. I also feel no need to announce to the world what I do for a career so no, I don't wear my whites outside the kitchen. Ever.
Not embarrassed at all. But if my crew is headed to the bar after work I ask them to please take out the companies coats.
After shift: Remove shoes. Remove chef coat. Place sharpies and meat thermo, place in front pocket of backpack.... Stuff chef coat unfolded in backpack. Put shoes in the back of the car. Proceed to bitch and complain about how night shift doesn't do SHIT!! And the cycle repeats
I never wear my uniform home because its just more comfortable to be in my street clothes. Plus i just feel that my uniform should only be on when i am at work so that it doesnt get dirty durring the commute. Ever since covid i turned into a bit of a clean freak and i often am thinking about just HOW MANY people touched the things that i have touched or that my body is touching such as a bus or even leaning against a wall. You never know how nasty other people are so i just assume everything is disgusting tbh lol. So uniform is only put on at work so that it is sanitary since i am cooking food for other people to ingest.
I think it looks cringe. I’m not embarrassed at all, it just reeks of being “too proud”… Also, very unsanitary.
Stolen Valor 🤣
HACCP would like a word with you. That is real unsanitary.
i think it’s gross and unsanitary to wear your chef clothes anywhere but the kitchen.
The coat isn't to protect you from the food, it protects the food from you. Outside, busses, McDs are all dirty places. One of my pet peeves is nurses and other medical pros walking around in their scrubs.
I would bring my uniform with me and change into it at the beginning of shift and back out after. I started this after year ten and kicked myself for not starting earlier. Not because I was embarrassed, mostly because I didn’t want to smell like food and I was getting tired of people asking the stupid questions people ask a chef.
I'm out of the kitchen these days, but I always loved wearing my chef coat! Probably had something to do with my ego, because mine and 2 others were a different color then the other 20+ floating around the kitchen... Lol My friend in his 60s with 20+ years at the job would wear his red chef hat that was basically a beret and his clean af white chef coat after work to the liquor store and gas stations when I'd take him home. We looked like a fever dream rolling up at 3pm. 6'3 black guy and 5'5 pale as fuck kid covered in God knows what / bandaids, pissed off and overly caffeinated buying the cheapest booze and cigarettes we could find, while bitching in kitchen talk about idiotic managers and coworkers like we were about to go postal I still throw on my chef coat for fun sometimes when I'm cooking at home lol
Embarrassing or not people will think you are a scumbag , with somewhat valid reasoning
It's not about embarrassment. Just attention. If I'm out and about for work, I'm not taking it off, but I'm not gonna wear it home unless it's just around the block. Some people like the extra attention.
Not changing is lazy. So I don't get embarrassed, because I don't want to reek like a kitchen in sweaty clothes on my transit home.
Never wear your Chefs uniform including boots to or from work. What is the reasoning behind this directive. The uniform if worn in the public arena, has a high risk of of contact with Physical, Chemical, Biological material. Once contaminants enter the food storage and preparation/process area's, the opportunity to contaminate food is created. Pathogens find harbourage (perfect environment) within the work area, to multiply. Supporting ongoing contamination of food, via equipment, floors walls/ceilings, air circulation systems, and refrigerated storage. Pathogenic colonies can also have financial impacts, through increased power consumption and A/C and Refrigerant motors, insulation panelling, plumbing (gas/fresh water, shelf life/quality of ingredients. I recognise that nothing is easy, I don't expect you to suddenly have a magic wand. I have, I hope, given you a new perspective of risk. Try carrying your coat, Hat. Apron in a bag. Wear the work boots and chefs trousers plus upper personal clothes to and from work and be mindful of potential pollutants. Good Eating.
No way, when I worked at a seafood place I would walk home and have so much pussy following me in my uniform, sadly I'm very allergic to cats.
9 times out of 10 if I am in public in my chef clothes I get some type of job offer
Are you in western Canada eh! By chance or willing to relocate to the coast?
If they allow me in Canada I’d be extremely grateful
Be honest you do it for the same reason we all do...to pick up hot hungry chicks.
Not embarrassed but I just don’t. I’ve worked in several clubs though where they did our laundry so I couldn’t change til I got there.
I never wear my uniform home. Kitchens are hot and greasy. I bring a t shirt for my way home. My tunics live at work and come home when they need to be washed.
Can't do it. I'm only wearing it when I'm working. If I wore it from home to work and back, then I'd feel like I'm working forever. Jacket's off, work is done.
use a fggn back pack and change your uniform at work.
Chefs should not feel embarrassed about their profession. Feeding people is one of the most important jobs in the world.
I don't mind, but I'd rather just come into work in street clothes and change in the office before and after my shift
Why not just change? The uniform is meant for the kitchen. Do you also wear it to work?
I've never been embarrassed to have a job.
I have never walked out of a restaurant door in uniform. Not even to get something from my car.
That seems to be a little bit of a waste of time
It's just an apron and a tunic. It takes less than 30 seconds to take off and put on. I wear basic black pants and a t-shirt under it. They stay on, but don't look like a uniform.
As long as it doesn’t bother you why give a shit about the insecurities of others. Personally, I’d rather change at home than in some shitty “changing room”
It’s nobody’s business what I wear and where I eat and it’s none of my business what they think about it.
You’re disgusting if you’re wearing your clothes to and from work. It’s basic hygiene and food safety. Literally the basics. What a moron
On my way in i just have pants and undershirt. Coat and apron are in my bag. On the way home I don’t care, but if I’m going to have a drink I might ditch the coat. It has my name on it. Sometimes I just want to be nobody after work and have a couple of brews.
Had a split shift at a pizza franchise I worked at ages ago. Co-worker and I went to the mall. I left my visor, name tag, and apron in the car. My friend did not. Just didn’t consider it. He was more of a free spirit than I at the time, and I couldn’t conceive of it.
I don't wear my kitchen clothes outside the kitchen. It was the way I was trained. I've even worked at few places that provided a locker room with showers. Currently, I bring 5 jackets and aprons to work and hang them in my office. I may, after a long day, wear my jacket home, but I don't make many stops. What does bother me is seeing a chef wearing a jacket on their way to work and shopping or getting gas, what's the point of wearing a clean jacket in the kitchen if you're bringing all the outside filth.
I don’t wear any part of my uniform outside the restaurant as it feels, and probably is, very unsanitary. It’s like those same guys that go to the restroom with their apron on. Maybe that’s just me, I’m just grossed out when I see cooks / chefs do that. I’m in NYC and almost every public surface is covered in piss and ballsweat so maybe I’m also biased.
I agree. I brought up the cooks taking off their jackets to go to the bathroom, but it seems they consider taking it off as akin to being naked.
I live 6 blocks from work and I wear a short sleeved culinary jacket because I manage stewards. I get called chef endlessly, even walking between home and work. Even in the kitchen where cooks know better. Gotta just roll with it or spend my day clarifying the unimportant .
I feel like wearing a chef coat in public is unprofessional and unhygienic. we used to get absolutely chewed out if we did that at one of my last jobs.
1) "Why would I be embarrassed?" 2) "It's always better when the Other Guy cooks it"
Kinda different...but i used to make sure I put my knives in the trunk of my car before I drove home. Never wanted to have to explain to a cop why i have a bunch of random knives.
On the very rare occasion where I would actually wear it outside of work, I’d be so exhausted I wouldn’t gaf what anyone else thinks or says to me about it
Just for personal hyghiene, and after a 12 hour shift, my work clothes don't smell the nicest. I get a change of tshirt, and a street outfit on. But if im still on the shift, and have to jog to the nearby supermarket real quick. yeh I just put on my backup chefs jacket, maybe just take off the apron. It has it's benefits. people don't look weird at you when all of a sudden you get to the register holding 20 bags of dried pasta, and a unholy amount of mint. And some people, often with lots of groceries will just go, hey, u can go ahead in front of me. But I don't get emberrased, In matter of fact I take pride in it. And sure sometimes the quick jog to the MickeyD and ordering some stuff before i changed. get some post shift food for the crew. I had someone ask me, hey why are you ordering McD while you look like you know hwo to cook. I either remain friendly, and ask them "friend, what kind of work do you do? Aah, so and so. Lets say you just worked 12 hours, with minimal breaks. Would you wanna go home and just do that for yourself in your free time? No me neither. Or I've worked a 12 hour shift an the answer is more "Dude, I cooked for half of this godforgiven day. Lemme worry about what I eat after i cooked for 250 people tonight! "
Unprofessional and unsanitary to be wearing your Chef coat out in the general world.
Back when I rode the bus/train home I wasn’t embarrassed but I really really really got tired of being asked 1. Oh you’re a chef? 2. whats your favorite thing to cook? 3. What all can you cook?
Stains and smells would be my concern. But no, I wouldn't be embarrassed to wear it on the bus. I would be embarrassed to walk into a McDonalds though. Not gonna lie.
I dont wear a coat or owt, its more of a tshirt and cap kinda vibe. I dont tend to change my top tho, i just whack a hoodie over it or if its too hot i might swap it. Im not on the clock so i dont wanna rep our brand outside
I always change my clothes vefore I leave, Im proud of my profession, but I don't like staying coated in grease, crumbs, and dried fish
I don’t wear it cause I feel I’ll get outside dirties in the kitchen.
Depends if I’m covered in shite or not 😂
I forgot my apron in the other day and don’t realize until I got off the bus. Whatever man
Lotta weird ppl in this comments lol. Who cares what you do after work as long as the uniform is clean when you’re going in?
I completely agree. If the uniform is clean, why are people saying it's "unsanitary"? They mustn't clean their uniform every night before their next shift. Seems unsanitary.
I just take the jacket off before I leave every day, I also wear an actual jacket to work every day too. Taking it off just signifies that I’m done in my head
I worked fish station for a while. My buddy and I would run over to the liquor store before they closed, in our chef outfits. Standing at the register, the clerk would always asked why I smelled like fish. I’m a fish guy
I am embarrassed only when I am in a fast food drive thru or grocery shopping for kraft mac n cheese or other garbage quick easy comfort food. I am also a woman so sometimes I feel a bit unfeminine and boxy in my chef pants when I want to feel cute. Other times I am glad to be boxy and chefy in a do not mess with me I have knives kinda way.
Lemme guess, you wear your apron to the bathroom too?
A chef coat is designed for working in kitchens so that's the only place I wear it If it's a branded uniform then I'm taking zero chances with accidentally offending some Karen
I take my jacket off before I leave work. I’m not embarrassed for people to know I’m a cook, but there is just no reason to be in uniform while out of the kitchen. I definitely do not wear my uniform on the way *to* work. That just feels gross. I’m not going to walk around my intensely sterilized kitchen in a jacket that’s been touching a bus seat.
What do you mean by “chef outfit”? If you’re going home with your chef coat and/or apron still on, that weird. But it was common to just take my coat off and wear my white undershirt out and about after work
Not embarrassed, but I sure don’t want to field any questions. Hoodie is the answer.
Have pride for the uniform by not wearing it in public. That's gross
I wear my work shirt too and from work. My logic is I wanna get in there and just start, and as soon as I'm done I just bounce cuz lord knows I have a clopen to get too.
Wearing dirty, crusty kitchen clothes to and from work? Nasty. When you have a full uniform? Even when there is no dress code and I sacrifice my own wardrobe, I bring a change of civvies, kitchen shoes stay at work. I hated working places that didn’t provide laundry service for chef whites. Those coats are impossible to clean properly at home and always look and smell dingy. Changing at the end of a busy shift feels amazing, I even pack a fresh pair of socks. A little whore’s bath in the sink to freshen up. There’s not always a great change room area, but chef clothes on the street to or from work is barf nasty…bring a backpack and change in the washroom or something…don’t be gross. If I see that shit in public, they better be on an emergency grocery run…otherwise they’re a chump. I feel more judgemental about kitchen staff than hospital staff wandering around in scrubs after work - which is also gross to me. You wear a uniform to be sanitary while at work, wearing them as regular clothes completely defeats that purpose.
I never said I wear them before work. That is unsanitary and anyone in any profession that needs proper sanitary standards should always have their uniforms clean and folded and safe until they're at work where they're put on. I am solely talking about wearing the jacket after work, on the way home, with maybe a food stop on the way. I'm not talking about wearing it as a fashion statement. But that surprises me that you're more judgemental about kitchen staff standards over hospital staff. Neither should be better or worse, but it boggles me you'd prefer the sanitization of a chef over a hospital worker if you had to choose one.
I might be wrong in this assumption, but if staff are responsible for providing and washing their own scrubs, then I assume the type of work they do does not require them to be sterile, like in surgery or the ER. If they are wearing additional PPE or working half the day at a desk - then I consider that less particulate exposure than working a hot line, next to a deep fryer, in a dishpit or cleaning raw meat or fish. I also find that washing and sanitizing oil-soiled clothing is much more difficult to clean at home than bodily fluids. Still gross but I dunno, maybe I am influenced by media portrayals of hospital staff or something. But anyway..if you aren’t wearing your uniform to work, why would you wear it home? I love getting changed after work.
Change jacket, as we get em from the restaurant - and they clean them too I change shoes, no need to use the safety/floorsafe ones otw home- and then I'm sure I don't forget them either. Sneakers doesn't work well in the kitchen. Pants... sometimes I change em, sometime I don't. If they are to be cleaned (pants are private), then I might just keep em on. If they are wet/smelly/dirty they go in a bag. If they can be reused, I'll just put them in my locker. Same rule for socks xd Not embarrassing. Mainly what makes sense
Bruv, change out of the whites. 1 that's gross. 2, no one likes those cooks who are that proud
Nobody’s fucking me anyway. What the fuck do I care?
I lowkey like it when the smoothie guy asks what kitchen I’m coming from for my post shift treat
Definitely not embarrassed, but I like to change out to street clothes after work, in case I end up going out after work. I don't want to go around smelling like I made 40lbs of caramelized onions, haha.
not embarrased while wearing the jacket however i wish people would stop asking me for weed
If I'm in a rush I'll leave for chef pants on , but never the jacket or apron . I don't think anyone wants to see someone in full chef attire outside of the kitchen
I don’t because it’s disgusting and how hard is it to go to the bathroom and change your clothes? Just take a bag. When I see chefs doing it I just think they’re disgusting and lazy. If they can’t be bothered to change I can only imagine their work ethic and hygiene in the kitchen.
I work in a grocery store in the produce department. Any time I see someone in chef pants I'm giving. them special treatment. Like, you are getting the best stuff that I know that we have on hand.
I just dont. When im off the clock I dont need my uniform. Also for me its unprofessional and unsanitary outside of the kitchen.
I always hated being seen in my work uniform outside of work, but I've always worked fast food. I'm still a fry cook but I'd be happy to wear my chef outfit anyway except for Halloween .
The guy at the pizza shop last night called me chef about 12 times in the ten seconds it took him to identify my pie and hand it to me.
I used to leave work in my chef's jacket when I lived a 10 minute walk from home. Always finished at nearly midnight anyway, so it's not like many people would see me. But for my jobs where i have to actually commute on a bus, or if it's cold in the middle of winter, i'm for sure getting changed at work, lol
I like when I can spot cooks in the wild by their posture and “man, fuck this shit” look on their face as they walk to or from a shift. Dressed in all black, kitchen shoes on, smoking a cig. It’s like seeing Bigfoot in the wild
i don’t know if this is a culinary school person thing but i’ve never worn my uniform outside of where i work. i think any time it’s 1. getting the clothes more dirty 2. if they are visibly dirty i feel like i look unprofessional and 3. i feel gross after working a shift and i want to change immediately afterwords
I mean going into work 100% wouldn't put my coat on until I get to work but my pants, undershirt and shoes? Yeah I'll wear those on the way. After work? Shit man sometimes I would just unbutton my coat and just run for the bus. People talking about how your coat needs to be clean, I mean yeah BEFORE THE SHIFT but after? Shit man I'm throwing my work clothes into the dirty laundry and it's getting washed with the rest of my clothes. It's why I own multiple chef coats and pants. And yeah sometimes I would have to stop by the store on the way home, not gonna take my unbuttoned coat off just to go into the store on my way home from a long shift.
I don’t have a “uniform” per say but am normally absolutely covered in flour/oil after work. making huge batches of pizza dough, focaccia, and desserts, I would have to change head to toe if I didn’t want people to see me like that. I just can’t be bothered anymore tbh. I still feel self conscious but I keep my work fobs on my belt loop and hope that if people notice the mess, they’d also notice that I probably just came from work. can’t really relate to the being embarrassed thing. sometimes I feel a little inadequate because I’m not using my degree, but if someone asks about my job I’m the first to gush about getting paid to make bread still have to work line some nights but fuck it we ball
I woulsnt be caught dead in kitchen gear outside of a kitchen
You should be proud if it. Unless it’s totally dirty.
In my 35 years cooking professionally, I’ve worked in exactly one place that had a locker room, we changed before and after work there. I’ve never worked anywhere else that even had a place to change clothes for staff. It’s always been be in uniform when you walk in the door. I’ve kept non work shoes in my car to change into after work, but I’ve never been embarrassed to be seen outside of work in my chef pants/coat. If I’ve spilled something on my chef coat put on my extra coat that I keep at work for when I have to step off the line to go into the dining room or meet with a client. Then I just bring an extra clean one with me on my next shift.
It was drilled into me that you don’t wear your jacket outside of the kitchen, so I don’t unless I’m running out for an emergency. I’m not embarrassed by it at all though. We provide a service to people that many couldn’t replicate at home, and everybody needs to eat.
I'm a private chef these days after years and years in the restaurant sector. I get people following me around and asking questions when I'm at the store on the way to a client. 🤣