When you're choosing a chef jacket, look at four things: how the front closes, the fabric and its weight, whether it has mesh venting, and the sleeve length. Fit and sizing come next, especially if your kitchen team is a mix of men and women. Then match the pants and caps. Here's how the chef wear on our site compares, going by each listing.
Chef jackets side by side
| Jacket | Fabric, as listed | Front | Mesh vents |
|---|---|---|---|
| JB's 5CJ, 5CJ2, 5CJ1, 5CJ21 | 245gsm poly/cotton drill | 10 interchangeable buttons | None listed |
| JB's Vented 5CVS | 190gsm poly/cotton drill | 10 interchangeable buttons | Back yoke and underarm |
| Biz Al Dente CH230ML | 220gsm poly/cotton twill | Plastic stud buttons | None listed |
| Biz Zest CH232 | 180gsm poly/cotton twill | Snap front | Back and underarm |
| Biz Gusto CH430 | 180gsm cotton twill | Press studs | None listed |
| Biz Alfresco CH330 | 160gsm recycled poly/cotton twill | Concealed zip | Underarm |
| Biz Salsa CH329MS | 154gsm cotton twill | Button-through shirt | None listed |
All the poly/cotton fabrics here are 65% polyester and 35% cotton. Apart from the zip-front Alfresco and the Salsa shirt, every jacket in the table is listed as double-breasted.
Studs, zip or buttons
If you've been searching for a zip-up chef jacket, the Alfresco CH330 is the one here. Its listing describes a "Concealed zip front closure" that "delivers a clean minimalist look". It comes in men's and women's cuts, in long and short sleeve.
The JB's jackets use 10 interchangeable buttons, and spare sets are listed separately as the JB's Chef's Button 5BT, in packs of 10 in white or black. If you'd like black buttons on a white jacket, the 5CJ and 5CJ2 also come in White/Black, which our photos show with black buttons and black piping. If you want to swap the buttons on another jacket, ask us whether the 5BT set suits it. The Biz Gusto lists "High quality injection mould press studs", and the Zest a snap front.
It mostly comes down to the look you want. A concealed zip gives a plain front, while the button, stud and snap jackets here give the traditional double-breasted look. If your team has strong views, let a couple of people try one on before you order for everyone.
Fabric weight and venting
The heaviest jackets here are the JB's 245gsm drill styles. At the light end are the 154gsm Salsa and the 160gsm Alfresco. If your kitchen runs hot, the vented options to compare are the JB's 5CVS (190gsm, "Vented back yoke with under-layer mesh fabric" and mesh underarms), the Zest (back mesh panels and underarm mesh inserts) and the Alfresco (underarm mesh).
If your team prefers natural fibre, the Gusto and Salsa are listed as 100% cotton twill. The others are polyester and cotton blends.
Sleeves, pockets and fit
- Sleeves. JB's lists the long and short sleeve as separate styles (5CJ and 5CJ2 unisex, 5CJ1 and 5CJ21 women's). The Al Dente has "turn back cuffs", and the Gusto has cuffed sleeves with a tab and snap to hold them rolled up. The long sleeve Alfresco lists a roll-up sleeve with an inside tab and button.
- Pockets. Every jacket in the table has a sleeve pocket for a pen or thermometer. The Salsa also has a chest pocket.
- Apron tab. The Zest, Alfresco and Al Dente have a tab on the mandarin collar to hold an apron strap in place, and the Gusto has one at the back of the neck.
- Fit and sizes. The JB's jackets are listed as a classic fit, in 2XS to 4XL for the unisex styles and sizes 6 to 24 for the women's. The Biz men's jackets come in XS to 4XL and the women's in XS to 2XL. Most Biz styles are listed as "Modern Fit", while the men's Gusto is "Classic Fit" and the women's Gusto "Semi-Fitted".
Chef pants: waist, leg and fabric
Every chef pant on our site has an elastic waist with a drawcord or drawstring. What differs is the leg and the fabric.
- Pull-on. The JB's Elasticated Chef's Pant 5CCP is 65/35 poly/cotton and comes in white, black or check, with side pockets and a back pocket. The Biz Dash CH234 is a loose-fit pull-on style in 180gsm poly/cotton twill, listed with a "straight hem for easy alterations".
- Cargo. The JB's 5ECP adds three cargo pockets with hook and loop closures, in black.
- Jogger. The Biz Cajun CH433 is a tapered stretch pant with an elasticated hem, a tea towel tab and knee patches.
- With a fly. The Biz Saffron CH432 Flex Pant combines the elastic waist with a "functional fly button and zip". The men's version comes in waist sizes 77 to 107.
The Cajun and Saffron are 215gsm stretch twill, a blend of cotton, polyester and elastane. If you want the same pant for the whole team, the Dash, Cajun and Saffron each come in men's and women's versions, and JB's lists a women's check pant, the 5CCP1.
Caps and aprons
For chef caps, the JB's 5FC and the Biz CH238 both come in black, check or white, with elastic at the back. The JB's Vented Cap 5CVC adds a mesh top panel. The Biz Twist CH331 is a headband-style chef bandana with self-ties.
Our aprons range covers bib and waist aprons in poly/cotton, canvas and denim, plus a heavy-duty vinyl apron.
Adding your logo
Most kitchens start with a logo on the jacket, and often the apron too. On a double-breasted jacket the rows of buttons or studs take up much of the front, so tell us the style you've chosen and we'll suggest where a chest logo will sit clear of them. A sleeve logo is another option, but these jackets have a pen or thermometer pocket on the sleeve, so we'll check the position against it. The positions and artwork steps in our step-by-step ordering guide apply to chef wear too.
Browse our chef jackets, chef pants and chef caps. Kitting out a kitchen? List the pieces and quantities you need on our custom workwear enquiry form and attach your logo.
