Everyone remembers the Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show right? That broad ginger mustache and overgrown monobrow. That pink, bulbous nose and even pinker bowtie? That ridiculous floppy white hat that always got in the way and obscured his already compromised vision. Well, while the chefs of the world might not have always identified with that farcical depiction of the job they love, they certainly recognize that white hat. It’s called a toque blanche, by the way, and there’s a fair bit of history behind its existence.
For those that don’t know, the toque blanche (French for white hat) has long been used in kitchens across the world. It was seen as a symbol of status in some cultures, while in others it was merely used to keep hair out of food during preparation. However, while it was the French who the named this chef’s tall hat, the history of the toque blanche is more colorful than its simple white facade might suggest. Here then, we fill you in how the now iconic chefs tall white hat came to be so tall.
The Origins of the Toque Blanche Hat
The word toque, as representative of a narrow or brimless hat, has been used in English since the 16th century. Its etymology can be traced through medieval French to the Arabic word taqa (‘طاقة), meaning opening, and taqia (طاقية) meaning hat, or more specifically, something “round” that has an opening.
One story suggests that these terms were borrowed as part of a long tradition of cooks wearing hats. Some claim that, as the Byzantine Empire invaded Greece, Greek chefs fled to nearby monasteries and adopted the monks’ clothing in order to go undetected. Part of the monk-look was a tall stovepipe hat, and some scholars claim that chef’s stuck with the hats as a sign of solidarity once the Byzantines has been expelled.
Another story, however, tells of ancient Assyrian kings who were in constant fear of being poisoned. If a king found a chef to be loyal, the chef would be presented with a crown-like cloth hat as a sign of that trust. Either way, it would be the French who popularized the toque blanche as we know it today, and its evolution would be a driving force in France’s legendary culinary reputation.
18th Century France and the Toque Blanche
In 18th century France, cooks would wear a colored casque à meche (stocking cap) in the kitchen. The color would denote the rank of the chef, however, as health concerns began to become an issue within kitchens and food preparation areas, French statesman Talleyrand insisted on white toques for sanitary reasons.
Marie-Antoine Carême is generally credited to have invented what we now know as the toque blanch at some point in the 19th century. Popular theories say that she adapted the casque à meche with cardboard to stiffen the sides and raise the top. This new design proved such a hit that it was quickly adopted by chefs across the country, kicking off something akin to an arms race in culinary circles.
Race to the Top – The Ever-Growing Tall White Hat for Chefs
Once the toque blanch had caught on, its various components began to take on extra significance for kitchen workers in France, and eventually, around the world. First, the hats became pleated, and the pleats represented both the fashion sense and skill of the chef’s that wore them. It is thought that early toque blanch hats would include pleats that spoke to the number of recipes the chef had mastered, giving a rather grand significance to the simple white hats. Put simply, the more pleats you had on your hat, the more accomplished you were as a chef.
Next, the hats began to grow upwards, and it some point it seemed that they would never stop. Like the pleats, the height of a chef’s toque blanch began to represent his status, and the larger the hat, the more important the chef. As chef’s around France begin to vie for the best jobs around, the hats grew larger and larger, with some anecdotal evidence pointing to hats that were more than 18 inches tall at the height of the craze.
The Toque Blanch Today
Most toque blanch chef’s hats today generally stand around 9 to 12 inches tall, and while they are still popular in traditional French restaurants, fashions have moved on, and many chefs do not wear any kind of hat at all. For those that do, then there’s a huge range to choose from on the All Seasons Uniforms website. From traditional beanie caps and toques to skull caps and even baseball caps. Whatever kind of hat you prefer, a chef’s status is more about the freedom to wear any type they choose, regardless of history and tradition, and regardless of size.
About the Author
Nick Warrick
Nick Warrick is the Sales Manager at All Seasons Uniforms. With over 15 years of experience in the work uniform business, he has worked with hundreds of clients across 20 different industries. Holding bachelor’s degrees in both Business Administration and Information Technology, Nick revamped the company’s online presence, offering its customers a new uniform shopping experience.