Was looking around my office today as I sat at the desk of one of my staff and said, “Hmm, wonder what I should use as the Friday Fact this week.” I spun around in her chair and noticed the picture of her son, the chef, on the wall. So, there’s where I got the idea for the fact for today. (Not good to look behind that curtain, Toto- it takes away from the mystique).
A Toque is the subject of the day. A chef’s hat is called a toque. The etiology of the word is French (actually it’s real root word is Spanish but the French made the name popular) and it means a cap with a small brim or no brim at all. The ones that chefs wear are actually called toque blanche. That means white hat with no brim. The question I always had was why white? and why white chef coats? All I can think of is spaghetti sauce all over the front. Which is how mine would be were I a chef. And the way I cook, I would probably have some on that brimless hat as well.
Now the Canadians, who always have to be a bit quirky and different, call a beanie a toque. What do you think of that, eh? 
Jillian Chantal 
The creative process is an interesting thing. You just never know where those ideas may come from do you? Thanks for sharing this information with us. When I heard it from you was the first time I think I’d ever heard a chef’s hat referred to as anything but a chef’s hat. You’re always teaching me something. I may even learn the comma thing =) THANKS
By: Darlene on July 23, 2010
at 6:52 am
HAHAHA- I despair of the commas from you, woman.
By: sfcatty on July 23, 2010
at 7:24 am
Great Friday fact! My sister-in-law is a chef…I should ask her why they wear why coats. I, like you, would make a complete mess of myself. Maybe that’s why they do it…so they can show how hard they’ve worked. Or maybe the true test of a chef is to cook without getting most of the food on them? Hm. Must find out.
By: danicaavet on July 23, 2010
at 10:58 am
When you find out, let me know. I’ll also ask my secretary’s son.
By: sfcatty on July 23, 2010
at 11:02 am
Love to cook . . . . . hate to clean up the resultant mess! (I’m what you might call ‘enthusiastic’ in my approach, so I make an effort to clean as I go Less overwhelming that way!) I buy industrial size packages of full aprons, and it still doesn’t help! Can’t imagine having to wear white, be it jacket or chef’s hat. If my dish contained tomato sauce, I’d look like a walking murder victim! LOL
By: Runere McLain on July 23, 2010
at 1:19 pm
AMEN! me, too- the murder victim part- The chef’s mom says she tried to clean his when he was graduating from culinary school and had to bleach it 4 times. Still a mystery!
By: sfcatty on July 23, 2010
at 1:40 pm