# What's on Your Feet?



## chef_bob (Jan 13, 2005)

In an other thread I read a comment from Shroomgirl about a client of hers having a concrete floor in their party barn (I need to get a party barn I think) and it being tough on her knees and lower back. About 10 years ago I went from wearing runners in the kitchen to Birkenstocks and could not believe the difference on my back and knees. I had to bid my Birks fair well  (now the most expensive slippers I have ever owned!) as my current employers mandated steel toes so I have gone to SIKA steel toe clogs with flex sole (wood is also available). There good, but nothing beets my Birks!

Just wondering what every one else has at the end of the checkered pants?


----------



## cheftobe (Dec 12, 2005)

Proffesional Dansko's, and I probably will never wear anything else in the kitchen again!!!!! I can work almost 13 hours without my back hurting!!! The only shoe that actually hugs my high arch. I checked the internet before I went to the store to purchase them and the prices were generally the same. Highly recommend spending the $118.95


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Bastad wooden sole clogs at present, have also worn Dansko, Birkenstock birkis and professionals, and Anywheres. I like the bastad and dansko equally, but for my next pair I am probably going to a Birkenstock Oklahoma, which I wear off work and love, but haven't tried at work yet.


----------



## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

You might want to do a search as we have had a few interesting discussions about footwear in the past. Here for example: http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/showt...light=footwear

Myself, I like Lemaitre shoes from France. They Look a bit like runners, but with a coat of black shoe paint they're fine for management. And they are steel toed. They are light and wide, and I can stay on my feet for 8 hours straight and not feel any soreness in my legs or lower back.


----------



## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

I've been wearing Dansko's for over ten years and i'm very happy with them from all things considered.


----------



## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Robust army officer's type leather shoes. Made locally by Dayton's, who have contracts for many police, corrections, and army officers in N.A.

Feet are long time shot. I wear a full length custom orthotic which demands a very stable shoe. I'm also hard on my shoes. The ones I wear now are expensive (200$ CDN) but are worth it because I can re-heel and re-sole them, they usually last 2 years, with constant 14 hr days.

During my apprenticeship I was co-erced into wearing wooden clogs. Hate them with a passion. Very loud and about as comfortable as skiboots, because they are as flexible as ski boots. Also very slippery, with a strong tendancy to hydroplane on water puddles.


----------



## andrew563 (Oct 12, 2005)

I swear by my birkenstocks, easy and light. I used to have lower back pains and knee problems with my old steel toed work boots. When i switched to birki clogs, it disappeared. I don't even think about my feet or back anymore. I am on my second pair now. After two and a half years of 10 to 16 hour days, my first pair finally fell apart. And what I really love about mine, when they get dirty and stinking, I just pop out the insoles and run them through the dishmachine.


----------



## jim berman (Oct 28, 1999)

I was clog wearer, but at one location we had to wear boots... don't ask... company policy.
Anyhow, I switched to Doc Marten boots. Wear like iron! Mine are 7 years old and don't look a day over, well, 6 years. But, they really do hold up.
Since I have been teaching, I switched to the ChefWear show. Best move I ever made. Tons of support, well constructed, easy to clean and a non-slip sole. For $80 you can't go wrong.


----------



## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

The down side of birkenstocks is that your feet spread or at least mine did....try going from wearring birks all the time to trying to get your fat little feet into high heels for a night on the town or a business meeting.....red plastic birks as much as I hate to admit it don't go with everything.

Crocs....oh man, if you ever put these on your feet you'll never want to take them off....not for serious cooking but oh man they feel great....come in pretty colors too!


----------



## andrew563 (Oct 12, 2005)

Hopefully i won't have to wear high heels to a business meeting.


----------



## laprise (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi, 
what are birkenstocks? are they those gardening colored plastic shoes that Batali wear?

I cook in people's home now, so my shoes last way longer. 

I where SIKA, steel toe, birch sole and love them... I have always wax all my black leather shoes with some Bee Wax product to waterproof hiking boots... That way crap like hot oil, meat juice etcc.. does not seep into the leather!


----------



## emhahn (Jun 13, 2002)

For me it's Birkenstock's, 'Tokyo's' with the non-slip bottom. Not cheap, still about $150 a pair.

I read up above on this thread somewhere that the "concrete floor is killing the feet, knees and lower back." AMEN! I agree entirely! That's what fatigue mats are there for! If you don't have them in your kitchen, get them! You'll be glad you did!

Eric
*http://www.restaurantedge.com*


----------



## chef_bob (Jan 13, 2005)

Birkenstocks are a german pressed cork sole sandle. They are aviliable in a open or closed toe. I do not think they would qualify as a true clog, but same idea. Being from Canada west coast I am sure if you check out the web site ( http://www.birkenstock.com ) you will recognise them as the foot wear of choice of many people in your neck of the woods. I do not believe they are what Mario wears, but I could be wrong.


----------



## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

my birks are plastic with inserts....closed toe and back. I've stuck with red, Mario wears orange ones.....they are so ugly they are cute.....no steel toe.

The "party barn" is my favorite client's studio that is literally a concrete floor....albeit a very nice modern barn with a stove, large sink, loads of storage but it is one big open room with a loft with 3 sides that are all glass. No mats.


----------



## bijoink (Sep 14, 2005)

I got Wal-Mart shoes they are pretty bad a**


----------



## markv (May 16, 2003)

Well clearly I'm from another planet because I hated Birkenstocks. Hands down the most uncomfortable shoe I ever put on my feet.

In the kitchen I wear Nike sneakers. The shox to be specific. They're top of the line running shoes and provide good support and comfort.

Mark


----------



## chef_bob (Jan 13, 2005)

OK, I did a little looking and it looks like the brand Mario wears is CALZURO. I oficially admit I have a warped brain , that I needed to confirm that fact. But I can accept that. :bounce: :roll:


----------



## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Ooh, hate to think what the kitchen elements (grease, water, tomato sauce, chicken stock) will do to expensive sneakers. Buying a pair of shoes over $100.00 that you can't re-heel or re-sole is like buying a new car and throwing it away before the first oil change is due...


----------



## chef_bob (Jan 13, 2005)

I got about 5 years out of my last Birks, the average life span of runners in a kitchen has to be less that 6 months!


----------



## briangig (Sep 26, 2005)

wore new balance sneakers. they did fine over an 8 hour shift, but my feet were killing me after a few 15 hour days..

switched over to red wing boots (steel toe), and my feet feel great, and are always comfortable...the first few weeks the bottoms of my feet were sometimes a little sore, but now they feel great.


----------



## skeleton (Dec 30, 2004)

My Eccos are the best shoes I've ever had. I've been wearing them for 4 years now with the original insole and they are great. http://www.eccousa.com/shoes/mens/ou.../1/detail.aspx

I had some noslip from some ripoff company called Shoes For Crews that fell apart in a matter of months. Then I destroyed a few pairs of Doc Martins. It seems like these Eccos are indestructable.


----------



## siserilla (May 14, 2005)

Right now I'm wearing birks, best decision I ever made. The company I work for makes us wear shoes for crews, but they are the most uncomfortable piece of crap shoes i've ever seen. They are okay for foh but for boh so much food gets stuck in the bottom.


----------



## mannlicher (Jan 8, 2006)

Back when I had my restaurant, I wore Birkis. I still have a few pairs around the house, and wear them often. Best darn work shoes I ever found. For those of us that participate in the after closing cleanup, the waterproof aspect was priceless.


----------



## thetincook (Jun 14, 2002)

Yeah, Shoes for Crews have almost no support, but the soles never slip. The down side is that I have to clean the grooves out with a toothpick and a hose because they do trap alot of dirt.


----------



## rblum (Jul 14, 2005)

I have had my danskos for about 6 months now. I dont have anymore knee probs. but the balls of my feet get pretty sore at the end of the day. Wanting to try the birks... heard lots of great things.


----------



## andrew563 (Oct 12, 2005)

I have heard alot of bad stuff about shoes for crews. Stories from the shoes falling apart to just plain not getting delivered.


----------



## logghib (May 4, 2005)

I have a pair of shoes for crews clogs - they're not particularly comfortable but a nice $20 set of gel inserts corrects that.

They've lasted four years, including a decent amount of time standing on top of pizza ovens to change lightbulbs and pull down hoods. Not great, but reliable.


----------



## fairfieldchef (Dec 19, 2005)

I wear black leather New Balance Cross Trainer 606 because it's one of the few shoes that I can get in a wide width (4e). I go through about 3 pairs a year and they only cost about $50 bucks a pair.


----------



## chef from va (Nov 13, 2003)

being a former football player (260lb linebacker) with the typical knee problems (torn ACL, miniscus, patella femeral tendenitus, lots of scar cartaladge and a few bone spurs) it has been a challange for me to find the right pair of shoes for the kitchen. i have found that the SUPER BURKI is the most comfortable pair of shoes i have ever worn. did the shoes for crews thing, did the tred safe walmart type thing and i came to the conclusion that i must be the hardest person on earth to keep shoes on! (SFC litterally fell apart on my feet in the middle of a shift 3 weeks after i got them!). the SUPER BURKI's are like walking on clouds about 14 hrs into the new pair. they mold to your feet perfectly and help me keep my balance on even the slickest floors. 

PS before i got them after i long shift i had to take serious painkillers to keep my knees from killing me. now i dont need the pain killers at all!!!
THANKS BURKINSTOCK LOL i am like a commercial for them


----------



## jolly roger (Jan 27, 2006)

When I started in the restaurant industry I quickly learned that dependable footwear would make me less grouchy while working. I wore tank opperator boots for six years and they were great when they were new, but too expensive and the chemicals we used to clean our floors and the grease tore them up pretty bad. I've been wearing Danskos now for five years. I like them with the heel because they seem to stay on better. I clean them with amonia and then apply black shoe polish to them. I've grown so fond of them that I wear them when I'm just running errunds or out to see a movie. My girlfriend is a nurse and also has numorous pais of Danskos and together, we are Dansko freaks.


----------



## bijoink (Sep 14, 2005)

Wal-Mart shoes are the way to go. I tell you my treadsafe shoes kicking hard still and its been like 5 years


----------



## doughboy54 (Oct 17, 2009)

Redback Chef Clogs/Shoes made in Australia Not Cheap but by far the most comfortable, eace::smiles::look:


----------



## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

Dansko pro clogs... I love them and like another poster I've taken to wearing them even when I'm off so I'm thinking I'm going to get me a pair of dansko shoes for every day!


----------



## dishdave (Oct 18, 2009)

Depends on the shift. 

For very busy services I prefer to wear Nike skate shoes with tons on padding and support + the Dr Scholls insoles. Makes the hustle easier on the feet, not so great for my back.

The rest of the week I'm wearing Birkis. A little pricey but they last a really long time...the insoles can be replaced before the shoe if need be (and it molds to the contours of your foot after you break it in real good). At the end of a shift I can spin 'em through the dishwasher and they are clean/sanitary and ready for the next shift. Had been wearing mostly sneakers for the past year or so in my last job and since switching back to the birkis i have a wicked pain in my right foot running from my big toe to my ankle...I can literally feel the ligament/tendon/whatever squeaking and stretching. Don't know what's up with that but I don't notice until I get home so...whatever.


Everyone at my new workplace swears by bistro crocs...they look like pretty nice shoes. At $40 I'm tempted to get a pair of those sweet red ones.


----------



## jps666 (Oct 26, 2009)

as embarressing as it is, i wear sketcher clogs right now.

i needed shoes, had no money, and they were 25$. they've also lasted over 1000 hours and have kept my back pain at ease :thumb:


----------



## chefuzee (Oct 27, 2009)

I personally wear a brand called "KLOGS" 25 years, and I finally found shoes that are comfortable and non-skid.


----------



## nichole (Sep 16, 2009)

I got two shoes. My fave one is The professional chef clog then dansko sonja.. Works well with me..


----------



## treehugger057 (Mar 6, 2009)

Kicking it with Wal-mart shoes myself. Thinking about an upgrade soon though!


----------



## dishdave (Oct 18, 2009)

i was in the birkenstock shop a few days ago and tried on a pair of bistro crocs...ugh, those things are terrible. feels like pins and needles under your feet. i just dont get it.

tried on danskos too. they seemed even heavier than my birkis. and I dunno how i feel about leather in the kitchen.

im stickin with my birkis. they're in the dishwasher right now, actually. can't beat that. 

btw, does anyone know of a reputable site where one could order replacement footbeds for birkis clogs...they were $30 in store. a brand new pair of them is only $90...ugh.

Comfy though...5 years later and mine are still kicking.


----------



## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

Danskos are definitely on the heavy side and that did take me some getting used to as did learning to walk in clogs and not constantly fall out of them! I think I've converted one of our new hires to danskos.. she has payless cheapies right now and they are really hurting her so when she was on a break and I was in the back I let her try on one of my clogs and all she said was... I'm going shopping tonight, these are great... We're on our feet all the time so the better the footwear we have the better for us I think!


----------

