If you work in hospitality, you know how uncomfortable chef wear can be. Cheap fabrics and boxy designs are commonplace, and traditional chef wear looks ridiculous once you step onto the street.

Enter Tilit. Founded by a real working chef, Tilit makes hyper functional workwear designed specifically for hospitality. Their designs are built to handle the demands of a busy kitchen with modern fits loved by chefs like Tom Collichio, Missy Robbins, Michael Symon, and Esther Choi.

Should you add Tilit to your workwear rotation? We got our hands on their top products, and with feedback from a few chefs, put them to the test.

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“These clothes were designed for chefs, but they’re cool enough for everyone.” - Esquire Magazine

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What We Reviewed

• The Chef Coat - a modern take on a kitchen classic with thoughtful details like an arm pocket, a super soft chambray inner collar and performance fabric side panels

• The Chef Shirt and French Kitchen Workshirt - casual take on the Chef Coat with just as much functionality (think hidden sharpie slots, a longer back and armpit vents for comfort) that are perfect for restaurant and home chefs alike

• The Work Henley Tee - an incredibly soft henley made from premium weight 100% cotton, complete with an apron neck tab and sleeve pocket

• The Flex Chef Pants - a classic slim fit chef pant made with a high performance, super breathable mix of cotton and polyester

• The Chef Backpack - an innovative chef knife backpack that’s slash-resistant, stain-resistant, water-resistant, and air-permeable… in other words, perfect for restaurant life

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The Chef Coat ★★★★★

The Chef Coat is a tailored take on the classic chef jacket and a quintessential example of Tilit’s design ethos. Their workwear is made to look great while being hyper functional, demonstrated by the coat’s thoughtful details.

The most visible is a side arm pocket that’s perfect for carrying pens to log food temps or tongs for garnishing. Less visible details include the Chef Coat’s inner collar and side panels. The inner collar is made from super soft chambray and the side vents are woven from performance fabrics (similar to an athletic shirt). The goal of both is the same: to provide maximum comfort, flexibility and airflow while in the kitchen.

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On a hot summer evening in Manhattan, I wore The Chef Coat while preparing a 3 course meal for a client. I stayed comfortable and cool the whole time, and I’m pretty sure I turned out the best mushroom risotto I’ve ever made.

With all these thoughtful, modern additions, Tilit’s Chef Coat performs incredibly well, and looks like a classic. Wearing it will have you looking and feeling your best, with confidence that your gear will stand up to anything the kitchen throws at it, and then some. It’s clear that Tilit’s customers are loving the Chef Coat, too.

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Chef’s Take: So dope! The fact that this one isn't constantly sold out is a crime. Anyone who works in a kitchen of any level should have this one in their arsenal. - Kevin B, Verified Tilit Customer

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‍The Chef Coat Fabric Details: Body fabric made from 59% cotton, 37% polyester, 4% spandex. Side panel fabric made from 100% polyester stretch.

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The Tops ★★★★★

Looking for something less formal than the Chef’s Coat? Tilit has you covered. Their Chef Shirt and French Kitchen Workshirt share many of the functional details of the Chef Coat - space for pens & tongs, an inner chambray collar, tabs for their best-selling apron - with more casual looks.

My personal favorite is the French Kitchen Workshirt. It’s a highly versatile piece that transitions seamlessly from the kitchen into a night out. The workshirt’s details like armpit vents and apron straps are huge assets in the kitchen. It’s also a damn good looking collared shirt that works with a ton of different outfits once you clock out.

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Chef’s Take: Awesome Fit & Style! Hands down the best looking Chef Shirt. I threw all my other coats away and am a strong supporter of Tilit! Great product and even better people! - Garret M, Verified Tilit Customer

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French Kitchen Workshirt Fabric Details: 100% cotton

The last top we tried from Tilit was their Work Henley Tee, and honestly, I’ve had a hard time taking it off. It’s made from premium weight 100% cotton and includes offset snap buttons and a sleeve pocket. It’s great for front of house teams or chefs that prefer a more casual look. But it’s also perfect for throwing on after a long shift or when commuting to work (trust me, you’ll be wearing it more often than you think - it’s that comfortable).

Work Henley Tee Fabric Details: 100% premium weight cotton

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The Pants ★★★★

Tilit’s Flex Chef Pants remind me of their Henley Work Tee. They’re both super comfortable, stylish garments that make it easy to forget you’re wearing work clothes. But take a closer look at the Flex Chef Pants, and you’ll realize why they’re perfect for the kitchen.

Details like crotch vents and their stretchy mix of cotton and polyester make them ideal for long hours. Extra pockets on the right thigh of the pants and a key loop on the back are also nice touches.

My favorite thing about Tilit’s Flex Chef Pants? They’ve actually become my favorite pair of black chinos. That’s saying a lot for pants that can take the heat of a high-performing kitchen. My only gripe is that they fit a tiny bit slimmer than my other everyday pants.

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Chef’s Take: Truly Outstanding. On pair #2 now and these are genuinely the best pants I’ve ever had. They're very breathable and I love the extra pockets. To top it all off, this is the first pair of pants I've ever felt fully safe enough to squat in without having to worry about the crotch seam ripping! - Tray, Verified Tilit Customer

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Flex Chef Pants Fabric Details: 59% cotton, 37% Polyester, 4% Spandex

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Bonus(!): The Chef Backpack ★★★★★

Perhaps the most innovative Tilit design is their Chef Backpack. It’s actually undergone a few iterations (each time with feedback from working chefs) and I can confidently report that they’ve nailed it.

Tilit’s Chef Backpack is full of small and thoughtful details, just like their clothing. The cutlery compartments are made from SuperFabric – a performance fabric used on tough gear like motorcycle jackets and diver’s vests – making them durable, slash-resistant, stain-resistant and water-resistant. There’s a rubberized shoe compartment, a water bottle pocket and a central space big enough for laptops, clothes and anything else you might need in the kitchen.

My favorite part of the Chef Backpack is the new roll top section, which is perfect for keeping ingredients fresh en route from the market to the kitchen. It’s yet another detail that separates Tilit designs from the competition.

Chef’s Take: This is the best culinary backpack for the busy Chef. The laptop pocket is plush and genius, so I no longer need to have a protective cover on my laptop - I can quickly pull it out whenever I need to adjust pricing or someone’s schedule. Our restaurant is downtown and I’ve always had to walk a distance to my truck, so this has definitely made my life easier! - Emiliano M, Verified Tilit Customer

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Final Thoughts

Tilit’s workwear is made with modern chefs in mind. Their thoughtful details show an awareness of hospitality workers’ needs inside the kitchen and their styles transition easily into life outside the restaurant.

If you’re ready to improve your output in the kitchen and look great while you’re doing it, you need to check out Tilit.