86 it, or keep it on the menu?
The chef clog presents a dilemma – while highly practical and by most accounts comfortable – it has about as much style as a cheap toque, you know the ones that “chefs” sport on those stock image websites…
After stacking paper all day and night, what does a chef care more about – style or practicality? You don’t see many Eames chairs out back next to the milk crates, and while chefs do have a thing for sexy knives, even the most ardent lover of Damascus steel reserves it for special occasions. Chefs seem to be on an endless quest for the right shoe however, because after a twelve plus hour day your feet yell louder than your significant other (that could be because they are asleep when you get home and when you leave for work). Chefs seek the holy trinity of comfort, durability, and safety. If style can be found in a shoe like that, then it’s like finding a truffle while hiking.
We asked some of our chefs what their take was on style vs. practicality:
“Through the years I have had chefs rave about Dansko and I have also listened to line cooks who wear Chucks, Vans, or Crocs – they don’t care as long as their feet are covered. In my line of work you are looked at in a different way, your clients can see all of you. It’s all about your swagg. I tell people this a lot, most laugh about it. However, private cheffing is about selling yourself, that’s the reality of it. Call it what you will, but there is a reason clients call me to go cook at 2am and I get handed an envelope at 6am…then get flown to Miami for 6 hours. Whatever you wear, just keep it swaggy.”
David Fults, Private Chef
“I work on a ranch these days… My restaurant is a brick structure that burns firewood, we produce a lot of our own food, slaughter our own animals, have laying hens, make our own beer, wine, olive oil, etc. So a guy needs quality footwear to make it through all of this. All you colored fancy plastic shoe wearing people…. there is no way your “alligators” or whatever they are called can support your knees and back. Those funny looking food channel clown shoes are in no way something you would want on your feet for a 20 hour REAL workday. Maybe they work for a 30 minute cooking show with lots of assistants. Style is in the wearer… It doesn’t matter about the shoe… Like my friend Johnny Iuzzini, he can make any shoe look good, on or off the Ducati.”
Drew Deckman, Michelin-starred Chef
“Style vs practicality? It’s a toss up! I go with a generic nursing clog called Anywear clogs. They are cheap, comfortable, and I wear them all the time unless it’s hot. Then I switch to Saucony sneakers because of the uber amount of sweat I get from clogs. It’s gross! Currently, I go for practicality over style, but would love a pair of Voltaggio’s new chef shoe. Mei Lin (from Top Chef) rocks those stylish shoes, but I’m guessing they are rad expensive.”
Katie Weinner, Bravo TV’s Top Chef Season 12
“No clogs for me, I use Prada.”
Joachim Splichal, Michelin-starred Chef
“I was a clog chef for many years. About 2 years ago I had the opportunity to try MOZO’s – I was attracted to the design. What I didn’t realize was that they come with two insoles – they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. As a chef I am on my feet a minimum of 8 full hours a day, so shoes are extremely important. About 1 year ago I tried a pair of MOZO’s socks – well you match the shoes with the socks and you have not only happy feet, but a happy chef.”
Tom Macrina, American Culinary Federation President
Luckily for chefs that turn up their noses at clogs like a vegan shying away from foie gras, today there are options. When looking for chef shoes worthy of our “Tools of the Trade” section, we had chefs point us toward MOZO. Chef shoes designed for style and practicality.
No shoe is going to ever satisfy everyone, and someone is bound to comment that they dropped a pot of hot oil on their shoes and they got burned, but we think MOZO is on to something with styles like The Natural and The Maverick – solid chef shoes that can be worn out of the kitchen as well. The Forza, their take on the clog has all the technical bells and whistles chefs are looking for, while stepping up the traditional “clog” look. For female chefs looking to make a statement when visiting clients on the floor, The Divine sets them apart. Unfortunately, these bedazzled clogs are one of a kind.
