5 Mistakes Restaurants Make When Ordering Chef Uniforms

Ordering chef uniforms for an entire restaurant team is more than simply choosing a chef jacket and placing an order. The right restaurant uniforms should fit your team, work well in the kitchen, represent your brand, and be easy to reorder when your staff changes.

Whether you are opening a new restaurant, updating your current uniforms, or placing a bulk chef uniform order, avoiding a few common mistakes can make the entire process easier.

Here are five mistakes restaurants should avoid when ordering chef uniforms.

1. Choosing Chef Uniforms Based Only on Price

Price is naturally an important part of any restaurant purchasing decision, but choosing chef uniforms based only on the lowest price can create problems later.

A chef jacket is worn through long shifts, frequent washing, and the demands of a professional kitchen. The fit, fabric, construction, and overall comfort all matter when deciding which restaurant uniforms are right for your team.

Instead of looking only at the price per jacket, consider the overall value. A well designed chef jacket that your team enjoys wearing can be a better long term investment than simply choosing the least expensive option.

When comparing chef uniforms, look at the complete package: fit, comfort, appearance, available sizes, customization options, and how well the uniform fits the needs of your kitchen.

2. Ordering Exactly Enough for Your Current Team

One of the easiest mistakes to make is ordering uniforms based only on the number of employees you have today.

Restaurants hire new employees, employees change positions, and uniforms eventually need to be replaced. If you order the exact number of chef jackets your team currently needs, you may find yourself placing another order sooner than expected.

When ordering bulk chef uniforms, think about your future needs as well as your current staff.

It can also be helpful to keep track of the exact styles, sizes, and customization used for your original order. That makes future reorders much easier and helps keep your restaurant uniforms consistent as your team grows.

3. Choosing a Chef Jacket Based Only on Appearance

A professional chef jacket should look good, but appearance is only one part of the decision.

Your kitchen environment, the length of your team's shifts, and the type of work they perform should all be considered when selecting chef apparel.

Pay attention to the fit and construction of the jacket. Your chefs and kitchen staff need to be able to move comfortably throughout their shifts. Different styles can also offer different features, so it is worth looking at the details rather than choosing a jacket based solely on a photograph.

For restaurants working in warm kitchen environments, certain Clement Design USA styles also feature DRY UP technology designed to help manage moisture. This technology is available on select styles rather than across the entire collection.

The goal is to choose chef apparel that works for your kitchen while still giving your team the professional appearance you want.

4. Waiting Until the Last Minute to Order Embroidered Chef Jackets

If you want your restaurant uniforms customized with an embroidered logo, name, or other branding, give yourself extra time.

Custom embroidery adds another step to the ordering process, particularly when you are outfitting an entire culinary team. Waiting until the last minute can make it much harder to have uniforms ready for a restaurant opening, special event, or new season.

Planning your customization at the same time you choose your chef jackets can make the process much smoother.

At Clement Design USA, embroidery is handled in house, making it possible to customize chef jackets and other professional chef apparel for restaurant teams.

If you are ordering embroidered chef jackets in bulk, it is also a good idea to confirm your logo artwork, placement, colors, and the number of pieces needed before placing the order.

5. Not Creating a Consistent Restaurant Uniform Look

Your kitchen team does not necessarily need to wear identical jackets, but there should be some consistency in your restaurant uniforms.

A coordinated culinary team can create a more polished and professional appearance. Depending on your restaurant, that could mean matching chef jackets, coordinating aprons, consistent embroidery, or different styles for different positions while maintaining the same overall look.

For example, a restaurant may choose one chef jacket for executive chefs and another style for the broader culinary team while using consistent embroidery across both.

The important thing is to decide what you want your restaurant's uniform program to look like before ordering individual pieces.

Make Your Chef Uniform Order Easier

Ordering chef uniforms does not have to be complicated. Start by thinking about how your team actually works, what your restaurant wants its uniforms to communicate, and what you may need in the future.

Consider the fit and comfort of the chef jackets, plan ahead for new employees and replacements, allow time for embroidery, and create a consistent look across your culinary team.

At Clement Design USA, we offer French made chef jackets, professional chef apparel, aprons, and in house embroidery for restaurants, hotels, culinary teams, and other foodservice professionals.

Whether you need a few chef jackets or are outfitting an entire restaurant, taking the time to choose the right uniforms can make the ordering process much easier and help your team look polished from the kitchen to the dining room.