If you’re planning on dressing as a chef this Halloween, good luck finding a toque. You know, the tall, funny white hat that’s been a part of the official chef’s uniform dating back to the 16th Century.
At least, it used to be part of the uniform. While searching for a couple of toques to decorate pumpkins for Trick-or-Treat Street, we discovered most chefs are opting not to wear toques anymore.
Ty Issa at Larkspur checked with his staff and called back to say sorry, everyone is wearing ball caps these days instead. He recommended calling the Wichita Country Club since those chefs tend to still wear toques. Not so, reported club event coordinator Darian Tjaden. A quick check with her chefs revealed that they, too, are wearing ball caps. But she called over to the Airport Hilton for us, and a chef there found a couple of paper toques.
After struggling to get the toques to stay on the pumpkins’ heads (not to mention our own when we tried in fun), I must say I think the ball caps seem to make a lot more sense.
One question, though. Toques used to denote who outranked whom in the kitchen depending on their height. What ranks now? A Phillies cap over a Rays?
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Now wait a minute! The Rays haven’t lost. Yet.