Disposable paper chef's hats are more common than those of reusable cloth

The fabric colour white was chosen because famous chefs used to think that white gave a sense of cleanliness in the kitchen. Incidentally, wearing a headgear in the kitchen is a staff hygiene regulation.

Nowadays, a chef is more likely to wear a cap, hairnet or baseball cap. Furthermore, disposable paper chef's hats are also more commonly used than reusable cloth ones. Alternatively, the short version of the chef's hat is worn.

In the case of pleated chef's hats, the number of pleats used to represent how many recipes a chef had mastered. Today, the pleats - even if there are only three or four - still symbolise a chef's experience.

In the 1800s, the higher a chef's bonnet, the more important or knowledgeable he was considered. Today, most chefs wear bonnets that are only 23 to 30 centimetres tall. Height still matters because bonnets are reserved for the kitchen elite and not for preparatory cooks or kitchen assistants.