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Global Chef promotes uniformity
New Asia Cuisine Scene - Issue 14 Nov/Dec 98
In today's kitchens and food service operations around the world, uniformity for all our staff is paramount. Traditionally, upper managements main concern has been for those members of staff who have direct contact with the guest to be presentable and "in uniform". On arrival at the hotel we have always been greeted by the pristine doorman, at the check in counter, the wonderfully attired front office personnel, as we tour the floors and travel to the guest rooms, the housekeepers are present and that as we smiling face of the restaurant service staff who are dressed in a way reflecting the food style and ambience of a particular outlet.
It is disappointing, irritating and very off putting to see food service personnel in dirty, torn and dissimilar chefs attire. In the past at colleges and in the worlds best hotels, starched hats, clean white jackets and aprons as well as checked trousers and polished black shoes are part and parcelled of training and working in our industry. Today it's 'T' shirts and bandannas or black cooks coats and baseball caps worn in the reverse. Someone should explain to these idiots why the ball cap was designed like it was !
As more food service operations with open kitchen concepts develop and chefs spend more time in their outlets outside the kitchen domain, talking to guests, giving chef's more general contact with the client, management can no longer ignore the way the "back of house" kitchen staff present themselves. It is important to visually present all those responsible for the comfort and service of restaurant clientele in a professional and presentable manner. This will only enhance the operation and give it another advantage over the competitors in the customers eyes.
Back in 1987, a global brand for the new generation of chefs, recognisable to us all, Chef Revival, was established by working chef Tim Grubi, in Australia. Tim established "Chef Revival" which has become the most recognisable brand product for today's cooks, chefs and kitchen staff, so they could be dressed uniformly, instilling pride into the profession and the environment they work in.
At a time when many chefs uniforms did not address the issues of quality, comfort, style or choice for the changing appearance of today's cooks, Tim took it upon himself to change the way we dressed in the kitchens of Australia. A venture into the United States market with his pure Australian brand saw the idea develop further into Chef Revival USA, extending the label to include clever devices like colored cartoon designer trousers, earrings and bandannas, which bought more publicity than esteem to the profession.
With the end to his USA connections, Tim has recently established the export brand "Global Chef", preferring to offer the inexpensive black and white choices which are the traditional base for all chefs attire. He hopes these branded uniforms will give him the edge in many markets around the worlds kitchens for chefs who wish to continue to buy uniforms out of Australia. His companies philosophy - "Uniforms mean Uniformity".
Good food comes from within oneself and if kitchen staff are to consistently produce high quality food items over long hours, a well dressed and presented kitchen brigade will go along way to enhancing staff mental attitude and in return allow restaurateurs, hoteliers and investors to succeed in the food business globally.
The kitchen brigades of today are all about team efforts more than individual brilliance, so when you see any real team performing in front or behind in the operation, the first thing that will have them standing out as a team is their uniforms!
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