Kitchen Shoes: A Guide to Choosing the Most Suitable Ones for Your Hospitality Business

More than 1.5 million people worked in the hospitality sector in Spain at the beginning of 2023. These figures were reported in a Randstad report, which highlights that the sector accounts for 7.6% of total national employment. This segment includes those responsible for preparing the recipes diners will enjoy: kitchen staff.

The growing prestige of gastronomy has also increased demand for these professionals around the world. This is confirmed by a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which indicates that over the next five years, it will be one of the occupations with the highest employment worldwide. In this context, attention to every detail of the relationship with professionals will largely determine the success of a foodservice business. Comfort and safety are among the most important aspects. Providing kitchen shoes that protect workers in their duties is key to ensuring their satisfaction.

Occupational risks for cooks and how to prevent them with the right kitchen shoes   

Kitchen professionals are exposed to situations that pose health risks due to the nature of their routines. Handling sharp objects, high temperatures during food preparation, poor posture for prolonged periods, and slippery floors are some of the most common causes of workplace accidents. Kitchen shoes are an essential element in reducing these risks.

Spain's Occupational Risk Prevention Code requires, among other measures, that employers protect their workers by ensuring their health and safety. It is important to understand the most common risks in order to adopt the appropriate measures, as well as to remember that there are a number of mandatory personal protective equipment items in the hospitality sector. 

With this in mind, let's look at the main risks faced by kitchen professionals and how appropriate footwear helps reduce many of them. 

• Cuts and injuries. The use of sharp utensils and handling heavy objects can cause wounds and bruises. Using safety gloves and other personal protective equipment is essential to minimise risks. 
• Burns and splashes. Kitchen professionals work with high temperatures to prepare food, and PPE is essential to prevent or limit any harm. For the feet specifically, it is essential to wear kitchen shoes made from materials that protect against possible splashes or spilled liquids.
• Ergonomic risks. Poor posture, lifting heavy items, and overexertion can cause muscle pain or contractures. 
• Slips and falls. Food handling can result in oil, water, or food residues being spilled onto floors. Kitchen shoes with slip-resistant soles reduce the risk of falls and the injuries associated with them. 

What features should ideal kitchen shoes for hospitality have?

Kitchen professionals face workdays in which they must spend many hours on their feet and, as we have seen, encounter numerous risks associated with their workplace and the materials they use. Having kitchen shoes designed to ensure their comfort and protect them from possible accidents is essential for them to perform their work in the best conditions. Let's look at the features this footwear should offer. 

1. Natural fit to the foot  

Shoe comfort is essential so that kitchen professionals do not experience discomfort during their long workdays. Footwear technology must make it possible for shoes to fit the worker's foot perfectly, allow them to move easily, and also protect their joints. 

2. Slip-resistant sole

Constant work with liquids and food means that food residue, oil, or water on kitchen floors is common. Kitchen shoes with slip-resistant soles prevent numerous accidents and help cooks move around in a safer environment.  The Shoes For Crews catalogue offers a wide range of slip-resistant kitchen shoe models.

3. Breathable shoes

Continuous movement around the kitchen and high temperatures trigger perspiration on different parts of professionals' bodies. Breathable footwear prevents this perspiration from causing discomfort or even fungal growth on the feet. 

4. Lightweight footwear with cushioned insoles

The feet support the body's weight. Having lightweight shoes provides considerable relief for the legs and joints. In addition, cushioned insoles, preferably removable ones, improve professionals' wellbeing. Here is a recommendation featuring five shoe models with cushioned insoles for working on your feet for many hours.  

5. Made from liquid-repellent materials

Working constantly with liquids makes splashes a recurring occurrence. Keeping the top of the foot dry and protected is key to continuing work even if liquid is spilled onto the feet. 

6. Easy to clean

The materials and fabric used to make kitchen shoes are key to maintaining a well-kept appearance despite intensive use. In addition, both for footwear care and appearance, it is important that they are easy to clean. 

7. Protective toe cap

The use of numerous tools and the accumulation of boxes and objects needed for daily work in the kitchen require footwear capable of withstanding an unexpected impact to the foot from an obstacle. Steel toe caps or impact-resistant composite materials reduce the risk of injury from any sudden collision.  

The extensive kitchen shoe catalogue from Shoes For Crews includes a wide variety of models that meet the needs of professionals in the sector. If you would like to find out more about them, consult our catalogue to assess which footwear is best suited to your team's daily routine. And if you would like more information, contact us!