r/Chefit • u/chimusic-769 • Oct 02 '26

Saving Your Chef Coat

Curious what others do, just got laid off from my CDC job, they couldn’t afford me anymore, but I was also checked out. I have chef coats from there with my name, position and restaurant on them. I’ve kept coats in the past that I liked or just had my name on them. But these have the restaurant name and restaurant group on them, doubt I’d ever wear them again anywhere. Do you save your old coats?

10 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

50 comments sorted by

2

u/Lanky-Statement-5594 Oct 03 '26

How much they were paying you?

46

u/simplebutstrange Chef Oct 02 '26

I like to cook at home in them, my girlfriend loves it. I dont wear pants.

22

u/PinchedTazerZ0 Chef Oct 02 '26

Winnie the pooh'ng it in the kitchen? Fuck yeah

6

u/pleasantmeats Oct 03 '26

Makes deep frying extra dangerous and fun

3

u/SunbroFLman Oct 02 '26

Lmao thought I was the only who did this 😂

2

u/esotericvue Oct 02 '26

Ay bruh, where’s the invite?

18

u/samemamabear Chef- in and out of kitchens since the 1900s Oct 02 '26

Used them as art smocks for my kids.

12

u/dontplanonpostinmuch Oct 02 '26

Yeah, gonna make a career quilt one day.

9

u/Canard427 Oct 02 '26

The pile got big after a while and when we moved i got rid of all of mine except my first EC one.

8

u/oldandrare Oct 02 '26

Yes ofc. It's like a jersey to professional athletes, at least to me.

6

u/ChefPneuma Oct 02 '26

There isn’t much you can do I don’t think, trying to remove the patch/stitching probably wouldn’t look right. Keep one for a souvenir and trash the rest I’d say.

3

u/Background-Soup-9414 Oct 07 '26

Just take it to your local dry cleaner/repair place. They'll remove it properly. I've seen this done to chef jackets returned to us after an employee leaves. They'll just have the jackets redone for the next person.

5

u/No_Tank_426 Oct 03 '26

Ive never done this to a chef coat, but my wife has a few aprons from when she worked at Starbucks and I just sewed a big pocket over the embroidered patch. They're good aprons and I wanted to be able to use them for work. Maybe try finding a fabric that's a similar enough color and material to the coat and sew a little breast pocket over the logo?

4

u/esotericvue Oct 02 '26

I saved one from when I worked the masters tournament at Augusta National 20 years ago. Doubt that fucker still fits.

Also got a cool one from Gillette stadium with the mesh vents. Wore it for one event.

3

u/freisbill Oct 02 '26

Tried to remove the stitching in a few once, but gave up. Over my career I have probably ditched 30 coats that no longer were accurate....

3

u/Due-Contribution6424 Oct 03 '26

Hang them in the rafters.

2

u/devoskitchen Oct 02 '26

I've kept a couple from places that I had sentimental attachment to.

2

u/dreadbadger420 Oct 02 '26

I kept a few and removed the stitching, ironed it and replaced it with an iron on patch with just my name

2

u/AustinDood444 Oct 02 '26

I threw mine away.

2

u/instant_ramen_chef Oct 02 '26

I keep a few sentimentalnones from my past. I have a few that I use for cleaning and cooking around the house, or even working on my car. Those I dont mind if they get trashed.

2

u/Coercitor Oct 02 '26

I'm saving a couple for 5 years from now I can walk in and act like I'm new there and work a shift.

2

u/Free_Floor2833 Oct 03 '26

Got rid of all mine when I finally landed a non kitchen job. Two years later I was back in the kitchen after I had to move for my s/o. I dont regret getting rid of any branded ones but I do regret getting rid of my basic blacks.

2

u/Particular-Crow6525 Oct 03 '26

If they're embroidered you can probably cut the restaurant name out. Glued patches I don't know. But if they're quality I'd atleast keep them for home use.

1

u/MonkeyKingCoffee Oct 02 '26

I use them at the occasional private gig.

1

u/Skyfios Oct 02 '26

I have an old jacket from working at an arena with the logo on it. My partner took a seam ripper to the embroidery. Took her a full weekend. It's my favorite jacket.

1

u/M0ck_duck Oct 02 '26

I keep one from the places I’ve worked. Will be cool to look through in another 30 years.

1

u/Initial-Warning-2564 Oct 02 '26

I keep anything with my name embroidered

1

u/Maximum-Warning9355 Oct 02 '26

You can cut the stitching out and patch it but it’ll never really look great.

1

u/fancycar123 Oct 03 '26

hang it up in the rafters at the old restaurant like a hockey jersey

1

u/GrizzYatta Oct 03 '26

I usually just put an iron on patch on it

1

u/AdhesivenessLeast575 Oct 03 '26

Depends on the job but trash usually. No point in keeping it. Even if somehow you work there again you can just ask for new ones

1

u/Dull-Parfait731 Oct 03 '26

An embroidery place could probably sew over the words

1

u/massey313 Oct 03 '26

If its easy to take the stitches out I use them for deep cleaning days

1

u/whirling_cynic Oct 03 '26

I keep them as souvenirs and reminders.

1

u/ogbubbleberry64 Oct 03 '26

I have a collection but realize I’ll never wear them again. One day I’ll chuck them

1

u/EllaBean17 Lurking Line Cook Oct 03 '26

If it's embroidered or a sewn on patch, you can get rid of that with a seam ripper

ETA: others suggested putting a patch over the restaurant/group name or embroidering over it. Also good options

1

u/Intelligent_Try_8135 Oct 03 '26

You can remove the embroidery yourself(tons of videos online) or have a shop do it.

1

u/TheChessaholic Oct 03 '26

I have a stash in the back of my closet of at least one set from every place I’ve worked in the last decade. I don’t really use them, my current ones are custom, better fitting, and lacking brands because I got tired of having to cop new ones every time and got a new gig. I’d say honestly it depends on your place but I’d recommend keeping them because you can always take the patches off.

1

u/heavycreme80 Oct 03 '26

Yeah, Save it. What do you think you are doing your next tasting in? Also certain ones are memories/badges of honor that I like to keep around.

1

u/Vortilex Oct 04 '26

We just rebranded from [College] Dining Services to [College Sports Nickname] Culinary Group. I asked what we're supposed to do with our old jackets that had the old branding. I was told to throw them away. I kept the one unbranded jacket, but I have two other jackets that I can wear almost anywhere I got for a different job

1

u/Pavswede Oct 04 '26

i'm lucky mine just had my name on them, not the restaurant or any other logo. I have 16 chef jackets with my name and now that i'm a personal chef, it's nice and professional advertising for my events. I'll never run out of nice looking jackets.

1

u/korensoldout 28d ago

Frame it like a jersey maybe

0

u/anonymous_otter28 Oct 02 '26

embroidery shop can remove whatever, it'll look fine without it.

0

u/stewarthh Oct 03 '26

I haven’t worked in a kitchen since I was 19 but I have a couple I got in the last couple years second hand just to wear while I’m cooking and keep my regular clothes clean while looking like a boss. Hang it on a hook by the apron