Miami, 2008

Why be a chef when you can be the chef? Miami taught me that. Well, that and how it’s called Vice City by no mistake.

From Mohawked has-been rockstars and their strange food requests, celebrities unravelling atop tabletops come midday bottomless mojitos, and an endless barrage of designer lapdogs in their fluffy collared glory- Miami’s hotel Delano was a Summer for the books. It was the kind of work that felt like play- a highly coveted phenomena in the culinary world- and one in which my creations saw me outside of the kitchen as much as I was inside of it.

You see when you’re creating for some of the world’s most discerning palettes, you need to have the skills. When those palettes are then pleased and you’re called out to the table to be shown gratitude through drink and festivity, however, you need to look the part.

Much like the Delano itself, I came to be my own institution. Though gleaming in my crisp white uniform and committed to service, it was what happened inside that saw the conversion of ordinary to extraordinary. A spirit, if you will. Something hedonistic and unspoken that bonded I, the chef who created, and them, the mouths that enjoyed.

It’s no wonder the hotel Delano came to later inspire a Chefs Brigade classic of the same name. In both design and message, The Delano is not just a jacket but a badge of honour. Not just a uniform, but representation of the work and creativity it had a hand in creating. A reminder that a chef has much to do with skills as it does with confidence and that looking the part is a sure way to feel the part too. Dare I say, even own it.

With its performance-enhancing design considerations and on-trend modern look, The Delano puts you in the driver’s seat. The executive coat pays homage to the simplicity of “less is more” while meeting all the metrics that make a chef’s jacket as stylish as it is functional:

• Enjoy out-of-sight reinforcements with a concealed button stand.
• An easily accessible thermometer/pen pocket on the sleeve adds ease to your work environment.
• Double-needle stitching adds polish and finesse to an already-timeless Raglan sleeve.
• Rolled-back French Cuffs add a modern look-and-feel.
• Wrap over collar works with contrast inner and snap stud closure for a discreet, secured finish.
• Piping on the front and thermometer pocket adds a pop of contrast.
• Keep your cool when things are heating up thanks to The Delano’s 150gsm lightweight polycotton twill.