# Professional Chefs whats your favorite way to stay comfortable during long shifts.



## aszma

I remember when I first started cooking in some bar when I was 18. The owners had no Idea what they were doing and neither did I. The back of house consisted of two people some chines lady i called lan and I. No standards meant my uniform was whatever I happened to be wearing that day. So often times it was a shirt, shorts, and vans and as you can imagen this lead to a lot of slipping, scalding oil/water hitting my hands and legs, and the worst part was swollen feet from standing in vans for 10-12 hours at a time. As I progressed through the the restaurant world ive picked up on a few tricks to keep myself safe and comfortable on the line. I just wanted to share what ive found through trial and error. The number one part of your body that gets abused the most on the job is definitely your feet. Ive found that having good high quality shoes is a must not a big fan of clogs but ive found the higher end mozos and berks work wonders when combined with new insoles from walmart but my favorite thing i discovered was last year when I was in colorado i stumbled across some light, waterproof, woolen hiking socks on sale and they are by far the most comfortable socks of all time they keep my feet comfy while blocking out water anytime my shoes get wet. Just recently a friend of mines switched from dicky jeans to nursing joggers and that will probably be my next experiment. If any of you have any tips or secrets that you use to get through those long shifts id love to hear it.

PS coke doesnt count


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## panda

#1 is shoes like you said, my favorite are naot bjorn (hand made european brand, clog style with cork insert so that it molds into the shape of your foot), also get a good set of compression socks they really do help. nike golf pants because theyre highly breathable and stretchy, 100% cotton thin material short sleeved chef jacket (chef works capri or bragard grand chef) and a vented beanie hat. stretch as often as you can.


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## atb

I got some non slip Filas with comfy soles I like. Theyre super light and good enough support. I have a dickies coat which I could probably have forever bc its real sturdy but its so uncomfortable. got a clement firenze s/s that is fire. go to for weekend shifts. I drink lots of water and coffee. No snow tho. not anymore at least . Pants wise I used to wear chef pants a lot more but I dont like thin bottoms makes me feel like a ***** idk why. I wear carhartt pants a lot. Aside from that I mean it's an uncomfortable job bro. Lotta soreness, cuts, bruises, headaches etc. I do find stressin out ruins my comfort level tho. Just really try hard to focus and not get stressed out. A clear mind is the best thing for you on the line. If you do get stressed take a second, look at what youre doing, figure out an action plan and move forward. Or if youre really ****ed you can laugh at yourself.


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## GorillaGrunt

I’ve been blasting through Mozos at a couple pairs per year so I might try Panda’s ones. Also I put Dr Scholls inserts in whatever shoes I wear. My current kitchen has an open hearth so it gets pretty hot - might drink 6 quarts of water and not have to pee. And I wear shorts; the guy I got that from said every so often you’ll burn your leg and the rest of the time the shorts are worth it. Once dropped a pan that splashed hot oil up my leg and that was the first thing I thought of, I wasn’t even mad about it. Duluth Trading compression socks ftw, I never spent $100 on 6 pairs of work socks before but the RoI in comfort is huge.


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## SilverSwarfer

panda said:


> #1 is shoes like you said, my favorite are naot bjorn (hand made european brand, clog style with cork insert so that it molds into the shape of your foot), also get a good set of compression socks they really do help. nike golf pants because theyre highly breathable and stretchy, 100% cotton thin material short sleeved chef jacket (chef works capri or bragard grand chef) and a vented beanie hat. stretch as often as you can.


+1 on the golf pants! I started wearing golf pants at work just 3 years ago and I most definitely love the move. I can’t stand “Chef Pants,” in any format. At all. Golf pants work great in kitchens for sure.


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## parbaked

SilverSwarfer said:


> +1 on the golf pants!


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## SilverSwarfer

More along the lines of Payne Stewart or John Daly, pal.


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## SilverSwarfer

Seriously. I honestly DO wear Haggar Cool 18 Pro, black and non-pleated. They’re no-iron, super cool and “stretchy,” and they have an elastic waistband. I was always plagued with crotch blowouts when squatting plus the usual chafing issues. These golf pants are a serious and sound recommendation.


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## stringer

My feet are twisted. Born double club foot. 3 major reconstructive surgeries before I was 6. Lots of Forrest Gump style casts and braces. Bone spurs, degenerated cartilage, hammer toes, twisted metatarsals, callouses, Morton's neuroma, stiff knobby arthritic ankles, Achilles/calf issues, and skin grafts from that time a steam jacketed kettle failed and tipped over filling my shoes with boiling pasta water. 


Basically I have the feet of a 65 year old burn victim. So I dress my feet like one.

https://www.sasshoes.com/mens-guardian-non-slip-lace-up-shoe/2110.html

SAS Guardians, custom carbon fiber orthotic insoles, maleolar (ankle cushion) sleeves, 
strategically placed foam cushions here and there and a toe separator.

Things I've learned
Crooked feet on hard floors wear through cheap shoes fast, buy decent stuff and it will last longer and be healthier for your feet
Don't get too many hydrocortisone injections, it will eventually affect your vision.
Opioids don't work great for long term pain management.
Anti-inflammatories don't work great for long term pain management.
A dunk in a bucket of ice water for 15 minutes almost never fails.
Take care of yourself. No one else is there to protect you from overdoing it.
Ice, elevation, stretching, strength training can help.
Build in time to sit down. This one depends totally on the job and on you. If you have bad foot/knee/back pain you have to find ways to do your stuff healthy or you won't last.
I try to take a 30 minute lunch break every day. 
I volunteer to go to meetings/do paperwork where I get a chance to sit down.


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## Chuckles

Thin medical grade compression socks with thin merino wool socks over them. Red Wing 607 boots. Duluth Trading 5 pocket stretch/flex canvas work pants. Cotton Bragard coat.

Best thing I have done is to make a distinction between tasting and eating. I taste everything. I try to ingest as little as possible when tasting. Stick to an anti inflammatory diet when eating. For long term energy and limiting wear and tear the best thing I can do for myself is keep my weight down. Because I am still going to be doing this in my 70s and it isn’t getting any easier.


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## M1k3

Drink lots of water. Screw the energy drinks, a cup of coffee occasionally is ok. Don't get into the stereotypical cook diet of coffee, cigarettes, booze and drugs. Eat lots of veggies and fruits, especially like @Chuckles said, anti-inflammatory veggies and fruits.


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## panda

that's sound advice as i'm only 35 and my body already feels like it's twice that from living a very unhealthy lifestyle.


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## PappaG

Do compression socks really help?


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## M1k3

PappaG said:


> Do compression socks really help?



Yes! Shoe's are more important though.


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## labor of love

I’m operating on an hour and a half of sleep right now. Don’t do that.


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## atb

Pastry EC at my place works 85-100 hrs/week last day he had off was when dorian was posed to come thru guy doesnt stop. shouldnt do that either probably.


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## labor of love

parbaked said:


> View attachment 61991


Those pants are way cooler than all the dorky prints chef wear comes up with. If I had to choose I’d rather those in a heart beat


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## tkern

Corn starch


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## panda

aszma said:


> I remember when I first started cooking in some bar when I was 18. The owners had no Idea what they were doing and neither did I. The back of house consisted of two people some chines lady i called lan and I. No standards meant my uniform was whatever I happened to be wearing that day. So often times it was a shirt, shorts, and vans and as you can imagen this lead to a lot of slipping, scalding oil/water hitting my hands and legs, and the worst part was swollen feet from standing in vans for 10-12 hours at a time. As I progressed through the the restaurant world ive picked up on a few tricks to keep myself safe and comfortable on the line. I just wanted to share what ive found through trial and error. The number one part of your body that gets abused the most on the job is definitely your feet. Ive found that having good high quality shoes is a must not a big fan of clogs but ive found the higher end mozos and berks work wonders when combined with new insoles from walmart but my favorite thing i discovered was last year when I was in colorado i stumbled across some light, waterproof, woolen hiking socks on sale and they are by far the most comfortable socks of all time they keep my feet comfy while blocking out water anytime my shoes get wet. Just recently a friend of mines switched from dicky jeans to nursing joggers and that will probably be my next experiment. If any of you have any tips or secrets that you use to get through those long shifts id love to hear it.
> 
> PS coke doesnt count


PS yes it does


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## lumo

Armachillos!


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## Ochazuke

+1 on the Dr Scholls and compression socks!

The best thing I ever did was train my managers enough to hold the line for 15 damn minutes. Learning to ask for and then actually take breaks literally saved my life when I was doing those 12 hour days. 

The best advice was said above: you gotta take care of yourself because nobody else will.


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## labor of love

SilverSwarfer said:


> Seriously. I honestly DO wear Haggar Cool 18 Pro, black and non-pleated. They’re no-iron, super cool and “stretchy,” and they have an elastic waistband. I was always plagued with crotch blowouts when squatting plus the usual chafing issues. These golf pants are a serious and sound recommendation.


I’ve been looking around for some golf pants for work. These sound good and not too pricey. Any other brand recommendations for pants guys?


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## panda

Nike golf!! Buy used on eBay. Those guys wear it once and sell for half price lol


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## labor of love

panda said:


> Nike golf!! Buy used on eBay. Those guys wear it once and sell for half price lol


I just bought a pair of mozos off eBay for $40 haha.


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## Dendrobatez

Lightweight pants help out so much, the chef works ones I like are like $30 but worth every penny when you're in them 12hrs a day. 
The other thing that helps out is under armour style t shirts - the tight stretchy ones - don't pay the under armour price though you can get other brands for $10-15. 
Shoes though are something I am still trying to dial in 10+ years later, custom inserts may be the way.


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## labor of love

Shoes for crews have all sorts of new balance shoes with non slip treads now. Some their newest additions are light weight running shoes with added non slip treads. I was thinking hard about picking some up until I found slightly worn $90 mozos Finns for $40.
Still need to take chuckles advice about the compression socks, the more I think about it the more sense it makes.


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## labor of love

Also, do you guys have a style of insert that you prefer or a brand?


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## Sharpchef

I wear https://www.haixusa.com/haix-black-eagle-safety-52-low (HAIX) shoes in my job.

Greets Sebastian.


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## Dc2123

Soft pants (lucky to find a lot of great loose baggy nice material pants for dirt cheap at thrift stores)


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## ButlerHoosierChef

Thank you guys for all the tips. I am starting to wade into working in a kitchen along with doing catering. All this really helps.


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## Byphy

Glad to come across this thread. Currently taking a break from the line, the burnout is real. Always waking up, never hungry, get to work, prep, no appetite. Eat a pastry when the cafe closes before sit down. Back to prep. Lineup. Service. Before I know it, all I ate was a pastry. With that said, shoes are so important. A PT told me that working on the line is the equivalent of running a marathon. Imagine doing that with crap shoes. 

Also, do not stand with locked knees. Will wreak havoc on your legs.


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## Travis petosa

Couple things I have picked up along the way. 

GYM! go to it. Stay healthy. My co workers make fun of me because of my diet outside of work, very clean. Meat and veggies. Almost no carbs. I don’t shy away from dairy but I try to limit it. I go to the gym at least 5 days a week. We can all find 45 minutes to go and workout. Even when working 16hr days I make it a point to go. 

Doing this keeps your energy at consistent levels. I don’t pretend to be a saint when it comes to coffee. I usually average 4-5 cups a day, but working 14hrs on a good day does take its toll. 

the most important thing I have found(and it’s very recent finding but also very challenging) is separation. We all know the 7 days a week 16hr a day grind. Even working in starred restaurants this type of thinking is so ass backwards. The law of diminishing returns is real. Find a balance, take a weekend(or at least attempt to) the quality of your work will improve and your mental capabilities will skyrocket. 

last but not least. Be comfortable. I have flat feet so vans are the best it can get for me but if I didn’t have flat feet I would definitely get something else. Comfort when working long ass hours makes a ginormous difference.


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## aszma

Travis petosa said:


> Couple things I have picked up along the way.
> 
> GYM! go to it. Stay healthy. My co workers make fun of me because of my diet outside of work, very clean. Meat and veggies. Almost no carbs. I don’t shy away from dairy but I try to limit it. I go to the gym at least 5 days a week. We can all find 45 minutes to go and workout. Even when working 16hr days I make it a point to go.
> 
> Doing this keeps your energy at consistent levels. I don’t pretend to be a saint when it comes to coffee. I usually average 4-5 cups a day, but working 14hrs on a good day does take its toll.
> 
> the most important thing I have found(and it’s very recent finding but also very challenging) is separation. We all know the 7 days a week 16hr a day grind. Even working in starred restaurants this type of thinking is so ass backwards. The law of diminishing returns is real. Find a balance, take a weekend(or at least attempt to) the quality of your work will improve and your mental capabilities will skyrocket.
> 
> last but not least. Be comfortable. I have flat feet so vans are the best it can get for me but if I didn’t have flat feet I would definitely get something else. Comfort when working long ass hours makes a ginormous difference.


are you a clone of me or ***. I tell my friends this all the time, they are always suprised that i turn down coffee and coke at work and i tell them its because i make a point to meal prep and workout outside of work so im just naturally more energetic compare to their more unhealthy cook diet. Oddly enough I also tell my friends that too if you work 7 days a week there will be deminishing return and only ever work at most 6 days a week, I dont ever feel like im dragging behind my coworkers who work 7 days a week either. **** bro even down to the wearing vans i got flat feet as well at work part it was really weird reading your comment


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## Dendrobatez

Travis petosa said:


> the most important thing I have found(and it’s very recent finding but also very challenging) is separation. .



THIS.
The whole last year was full of 7 day weeks, 12-16hr days. Recently I realised this was so backwards and I needed to find a way to get the restaurant to run without me living there. It removes so much stress when you start getting the place to a point that it's not going to burn down when you're not there.


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## TomInDonostia

my old head chef (who was about 55years old) used to have 3 pairs of slip on kitchen shoes, on standby. Throughout the day he would rotate his pairs of shoes. said it's what stopped his knees from crumbling, he was still doing 12-14hr days.


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## daveb

55 is not "old". Ah, to be a kid again......


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## aszma

TomInDonostia said:


> my old head chef (who was about 55years old) used to have 3 pairs of slip on kitchen shoes, on standby. Throughout the day he would rotate his pairs of shoes. said it's what stopped his knees from crumbling, he was still doing 12-14hr days.


my first chef ha two pairs of shoes and socks, he would change them out right before service


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## TomInDonostia

daveb said:


> 55 is not "old". Ah, to be a kid again......



Lol. Old as in ‘previous. And thanks for calling me a kid, i’m 37


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## JOSHUA PETERSON

I’ve gone berkies, Mozo’s , crocs, etc. recently picked up a pair of Skechers plain black slip on non slip shoes. Like $40-ish. Probably the best ones I’ve worn. Very much yes to the compression socks! So glad to see others are using that move. Invest in the best black chinos you can afford. You’re going to be wearing black chinos for the vast majority of your week. Make em quality and learn not to spill. Quality apron, quality work shirt. Jog in the morning. It sucks but makes all the difference. Avoid the juice as much as possible. Stretch! Hydrate! And if all else fails I keep A box of smelling salts on my station. Brace yourself, but they work.


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## waruixd

Patagonia climbing pants and a shoe change in between the shift. Maybe a tooth brushing too


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## labor of love

Thanks for the compression socks recommendations. I’ve been wearing them for the past 2 weeks and they do make a huge difference. Especially on long shifts.


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## Illyria

Wool socks, Danskos and 2+ liters of water.

Always keep a couple of pepto pills in the knife roll.


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## BryceMorsley

There's a product here in Australia called 3B cream; works wonders for chefs arse. The moment you feel the rawness coming, a little bit on the area, and that's it. Helps relieve at the end of the day as well. The other thing is thick socks; 100% merino tradie socks; dry quickly, last forever, nd surprisngly cheap.


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## San_

sketchers Non slip restaurant are my favorites !!


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## aszma

Patagonia mens boxers briefs are currently on sale 50% off and by god ive never had a more comfortable pair of briefs to work in zero swamp ass, wedgies, it wasn't rolling up on me mid rush highly recommend for the kitchen haha


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## labor of love

aszma said:


> Patagonia mens boxers briefs are currently on sale 50% off and by god ive never had a more comfortable pair of briefs to work in zero swamp ass, wedgies, it wasn't rolling up on me mid rush highly recommend for the kitchen haha


You’re speaking my language. I will buy some for sure.


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## M1k3

@SHOWERDOOKIE this thread has some good tips.


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## SHOWERDOOKIE

Thanks dude, I’ll delete my thread


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## lechef

Compression socks for sure! Had a knee problem, a colleague recommended me to try a pair, and literally 8 min later the pain was gone.

Obviously, eat/sleep/train/water, it improves everything. I do have bad experiences having a really hard workout the days I work because I seem to loose focus at work, so keeping it light.
Always wore Dickie trousers, they never break.
For shoes I stay with barefoot shoes(Vivo barefoot), only type of shoe I use. After the 6months of getting use to them I have way less problems with my feets(was wearing Birkenstock before), my feet are also much stronger now.
Unless you know what you are eating I would always supplement in the morning, fish oil/vitamin/mineral/greens and a protein shake, so you know at least you got the basics covered, tend to just snack the rest of the day, eating Mice en place.  Don´t like to have a huge staff meal before service, just a little bite.
Trying not to drink coffee after noon, over time it´s a bad strategy.
If you have a chance to do it, when you have a break, taking a shower right before service after being done with prep, and taking 5min fresh air makes me feel like a new person walking in to service. I used to live 1min from my job last years so was possible. If not just a solid wash in the sink with cold water works. And brushing the mouth.


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