March 6th, 2010 by Sean C.R. Hess

Chefs are in constant on-the-job danger. They use knives of all sorts, and can potentially cut themselves handling sharpened utensils as well. Then there are the ovens and burners, boiling liquids, steamy pots, and all sorts of other potential ways to get burned. Irritated purchasers are another worry for professional chefs - your clients have to be content so they’re going to keep coming back. On top of all that, cooks also have to stress about standing on hard floors all day. Standing all day can be tough on the feet, ankles, knees, hips and back, so they need to be careful in their choice of clogs for women.

Standing all day without supportive, comfortable shoes could cause permanent harm to your body. It might take years, but eventually, chances are high that you will suffer with plantar fasciitis, varicose veins, joint discomfort or back pain. Almost all of the conditions due to standing on hard surfaces in wrong shoes are treatable, but why experience the discomfort to begin with if it can be avoided? Even if you are just beginning your career, choose your shoes for work conscientiously. You want shoes for chefs that supply a firm foundation, masses of support, enough cushion for comfort and a higher made of a protective material. Most states and organizations have safety rules, anyway, but when you look for shoes to wear to work, safety should be a high concern.

Kitchens almost always have tile or concrete floors for easy clean-up. Those surfaces are indeed straightforward to wash, but they also are intensely slick when wet. Since dishes must be washed, pots of liquid moved, drinks prepared, ice dropped and the entire thing necessarily spilled, aside from the floor being mopped or washed regularly, kitchen floors will be wet at least part of the time. In the kitchen, a fall might be particularly damaging. Imagine falling while chopping, then landing on a tough tile floor. Non-slip shoes are necessary for people who work in kitchens.

There are many makes of chef shoes easily obtainable in stores and on the internet. One popular brand that makes and sells a well known cook shoe is Dansko. Dansko chef shoes feature a non-slip bottom to keep you on your feet rather than sliding to an injury on the floor. They also have leather uppers so the top of your foot is protected against objects or hot liquids falling on them. The back of the shoe is rigid and supportive to give your foot stability and protection, and the lining is cushioned to provide comfort.

there are several other types of chefs shoes, but when you are shopping you should search for the basics: comfort, support, protection, and a non-slip sole. Work can be troublesome enough without adding physical discomfort to the equation. Keeping yourself healthy and pain free is one of the keys to a long and successful career in the kitchen.

If you are a chef, make your job a little safer and less painful by giving the most comfortable mens shoes a try. Your neck and back will immediately thank you for trying Danskos!