Best Chef Shoes
When you’re slicing and dicing, baking and frying, the last thing you need to worry about is foot pain, slips, or trips.
In a kitchen environment, liquid spills, onion scales, and food fragments on the floor are all part of the territory. So when you’re hurrying from one station to the next, stability and traction is a must. And with long shifts on your feet, you need lasting support and cushion to keep you going.
KURU offers some of the most comfortable chef shoes, including non-slip chef shoes, work boots, and lifestyle shoes, so you can get through your shift in safety and in comfort.
When looking for high-quality kitchen chef shoes or shoes for crews in the kitchen, you want footwear that helps you focus on your work, not on slip hazards or foot pain.
The best chef shoes feature a non-slip rubber outsole for stability, a wide toe box for a relaxed fit and better circulation, an easy-to-clean, water-resistant leather upper, and cushioned arch support for long hours on your feet.
While it might be tempting to go with memory foam insoles, we recommend an insole that offers support and bounce back over time to keep your feet from sinking into the shoe.
Our KINETIC anti-slip shoe for women and men offers a slip-resistant outsole that meets ASTM F2913 and SATRA TM-144 standards. The KINETIC comes with our pain-relieving technology built in, so you can stand all day in comfort—making it a smart choice for a chef work shoe.
Workplace Foot Injuries
Find Out What Types of Safety or Ergonomic Hazards Chefs Face That Can Lead to Foot Injuries.
Find out what types of safety or ergonomic hazards chefs face that can lead to foot injuries.
Injuries from slips and falls: The kitchen environment is extra prone to slippery floors and trip hazards, which can lead to twisted ankles, sprains, and other injuries. Wear shoes with a slip-resistant sole to help each step remain as stable as possible.
Hallux rigidus: One of the most common foot pain conditions chefs or restaurant workers face is Hallux rigidus, which is a stiffening of the big toe joint caused by long hours on your feet. Shoes that feature a wide toe box, like KURU shoes, can help prevent this condition.
Plantar fasciitis: Inflammation of the plantar fascia can occur with too much overuse or underuse. To help reduce your risk, wear supportive footwear and roll out your arches after a long day.
Morton’s neuroma: A thickening of the tissue around
the nerves between the third and fourth toes can develop with repeated trauma on the metatarsal or wearing too-tight footwear.
Hip, knee, or low back pain: When your feet hurt, it
can cause cascading painful effects up the chain of joints and muscles in your body. Adequate supportive footwear and strengthening exercises can help reduce pain throughout your body.
Athlete’s foot: When you’re moving for hours on your feet, excess sweat can lead to an overaccumulation of bacteria. To help reduce the risk of this condition, wear shoes with a breathable upper and moisture-wicking socks for as much ventilation as possible.
Culinary Industry Facts and Stats
- Chefs and culinary workers can be on their feet 10 hours a day, 6 days per week. That’s about 120,000 hours throughout one career!
- One of the most common workplace injuries chefs face is hallux rigidus, or a painful stiffening of the big toe joint.
- “Chef’s foot” is a blanket term used to describe the variety of foot conditions that can develop from long hours on your feet, including hallux rigidus, plantar fasciitis, and Morton’s neuroma.
- The chef occupation outlook is growing faster than average— at a rate of 25%—for 2020–2030.
Foot Injury Prevention
Learn How to Best Protect Your Feet in the Culinary Industry.
Wear supportive, slip-resistant chef shoes: Get
through your day in safety, stability, and comfort with high-quality footwear. Chef shoes should feature a non-slip outsole, a wide toe box, and a shock-absorbing insole with plenty of cushion and arch support.
Choose moisture-wicking socks: To help your feet
breathe and stay dry, pair your high-quality footwear with high-quality socks. Choose socks that form to your feet and wick moisture to help reduce bacteria and blisters.
Roll out your arches consistently: To help prevent
plantar fasciitis, roll out the soles of your feet with a tennis ball or lacrosse ball to help loosen and stretch the fascia and surrounding muscles.
Get off your feet when possible: Taking even short breaks during the day can help relieve pressure on your feet and joints to help you last longer.
Ice your feet when needed: If your feet are red, swollen, or in pain after a long shift, soak them in ice water or ice them for 10 minutes. This can help reduce swelling and inflammation.
Stretch and exercise your feet: Performing toe,
foot, and ankle stretches and exercises can help keep the muscles strong and healthy to reduce the risk of injury.
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Does the KINETIC qualify as a slip resistant shoe?
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How do I know which shoe to buy? Which is best for me?
The best shoe for you will depend on your unique foot type. The best chef shoes—for women and men alike—offer adequate arch support and cushion along with slip-resistant soles.
Whether you’re looking for anti-slip kitchen shoes, work boots, or athletic shoes, KURUs line of comfortable chef shoes for men and women so you can stay safe and comfortable all day long.
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Are your shoes considered orthopedic shoes?
While our shoes are not currently considered orthopedic by a medical standard, we have received thousands of positive reviews from customers who say their KURUs helped reduce or eliminate their pain in their work environment and everyday lives.
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Appropriate Work Shoes -
On-Your-Feet-All-Day Jobs
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How To Make Your KURU Shoes Work for You
At KURU, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to shoe design. We believe that shoes should be shaped to fit the natural contours of your feet, which is why we create every pair in three distinct support layers, not just an insole.
Our revolutionary ergonomic design starts with a curved footbed and adds unparalleled triple-layer support that includes shock-absorbing KURUCLOUD, heel-cupping KURUSOLE, and arch-supporting ULTIMATE INSOLES. The result? Shoes that are so comfortable you’ll stop thinking about your feet.
KURUSOLE
Our patented KURUSOLE plate features a unique design that cups and protects the heel and allows for dynamic flexion with each step. …Show More
Our patented KURUSOLE plate features a unique design that cups and protects the heel and allows for dynamic flexion with each step. This premium support helps us use our body’s natural cushioning system: the heel’s fat pad.
…Show lessKURUCLOUD
Our KURUCLOUD base layer acts as a cushioned footbed to offer superior padding and shock absorption. This layer of lightweight EVA foam …Show More
Our KURUCLOUD base layer acts as a cushioned footbed to offer superior padding and shock absorption. This layer of lightweight EVA foam helps absorb impact to protect your joints, ligaments, and bones, especially when on your feet for long hours.
…Show lessULTIMATE INSOLE
The top layer of our tech trio, ULTIMATE INSOLES feature advanced, dual-density foam. Longer lasting than traditional inserts, these 5mm insoles provide …Show More
The top layer of our tech trio, ULTIMATE INSOLES feature advanced, dual-density foam. Longer lasting than traditional inserts, these 5mm insoles provide bounce back and lasting comfort even with lots of daily mileage.
…Show less
KURUSOLE
Our patented KURUSOLE plate features a unique design that cups and protects the heel and allows for dynamic flexion with each step. This premium support helps us use our body’s natural cushioning system: the heel’s fat pad.
Fine, We’ll Tell You Our Secret
What makes KURU different? Every KURU shoe comes with built-in patented KURUSOLE tech—a foot health game changer.
While other shoes are flat on the inside, KURUSOLE is shaped like your foot to hug and prevent fatigue and pain.
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