Why do chefs wear tall hats?

The tall chef's hat first gained prominence in the 16th century when it was similar to those worn by monks. At this time, chefs, like monks, were persecuted for creativity, and they often had to hide in monasteries along with the monks.

In the 16th century, chefs would wear the tall hats, called toques, to look like monks, but they were differentiated from the monks by wearing gray hats instead of black. In the 19th century, the chef's uniform was redesigned by a French chef, and the hat became a symbol of experience, with different heights symbolizing more experience for each individual chef.