In an industry that has seen its share of trends, Scott Verson, owner of the chef apparel company known as Uncommon Threads, says it is traditional, not trend, that is selling right now. To learn more about chef apparel and his company, read on:

Q. Out of curiosity, why is the company called Uncommon Threads?
A. Uncommon Threads is a division of V-Tex, Inc. We chose the name because of what we bring to the market: uncommonly great product at an uncommonly great price because of our structure.

Q. Can you elaborate on what you mean by structure?
A. Unlike many of our competitors, we are a U.S. company with its own factory, which is in Guatemala. This is important because it has become increasingly difficult to control quality as a result of global sourcing. Most people in this industry are not large enough to put others on the ground in factories spread across the globe, a fact which can impact the final product. This is one of the reasons I own my own factory. We want to control our pipeline and our quality. We don't use subcontractors, so we're able to control costs.

Q. Has the chefswear business been affected by the downturn in the overall economy?
A. The industry is stagnant right now, but there's still tremendous opportunity. This type of apparel is needed not only by restaurants, but is used in country clubs, cruise lines, schools, and even the armed services.

Q. How has the industry changed, if at all, from when you first started Uncommon Threads?
A. I still think the chefswear industry is somewhat like it used to be. While we've seen the number of styles and colors greatly expand in recent years, the tried-and-true white chef coat with conservative styling at an economical price still drives this market. There's simply nothing like the basics in this industry.

Q. But we have seen a wide variety of looks in recent years. Is the industry now taking a more traditional approach to its uniform needs?
A. I would say that the industry is taking the look to the next level, and for my customers that means classic, conservative apparel at various price points. With the open kitchen concept, the chef now takes center stage, and so does his image – his appearance is important, for it influences customers' perceptions of the restaurant. Hence, you see a move away from prints and trendy designs, and a return to solids like white, along with rich, bold colors such as black, red and burgundy.

Q. What are some of your hot sellers right now?
A. Everybody wants black, baggy pants these days, either in solid black or a herringbone pattern. For the front of the house, aprons are big mainly because they are less expensive than polo shirts. And at upscale restaurants, the master chef coat in 100 percent Egyptian cotton is always in high demand.

Q. There's no doubt that the chef's coat is the signature item for the industry. But not every customer can afford Egyptian cotton. Can you achieve a high end look at a more budget-friendly price point?
A. The master chef coat is really just a description of a coat made of finer fabric with all the bells and whistles. These coats have hand rolled buttons, sewn underarm vents, inside buttons at the collar and in some cases, piping. One of the things we bring to the industry is variety and price points. Thus, you can get this same coat made out of various materials or buttons. You can opt for piping or no piping. The variations allow the distributor to target their customer and fit various price parameters.

Q. What is your customer base?
A. We sell exclusively to distributors, and our website is designed for their use. For example, they can drive customers to the site to look at items, or they can log in and order an item themselves, at their pricing, which the end user can't do. We want the end user to think of the distributor, and not us, as the manufacturer.

Q. What other services do you offer the customer?
A. Our services include private label, catalogs, images on discs, and custom colors and styles if the quantity meets minimums. It's our way of adding value to the finished product.

Q. What specific products is Uncommon Threads known for? What are big sellers for you?
A. We are best known for the quality and price of the garment we put into the market. It is top-of-the-line sewing regardless of the style, including finished collars and well as finished cuffs. Also, we are known for our softer hand and innovative yarn dye pants. In addition we were the first to come out with an entire line sized from XS to 6XL in every style we make.

Q. Any final thoughts?
A. All customers, no matter their size, are treated the same. I know when I started, I was a small user of fabric and am thankful to the people that worked with me as my business developed. You just never know who your customer is working with and how we might be able to help them grow. My goal is for everyone we do business with to be successful, no matter how much they order from us.

To learn more, visit www.vtexinc.com or call 847-325-4140

 

Chef Industry Quick Facts:

• Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers held 3.1 million jobs in 2006.

• Two-thirds of all chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers were employed in restaurants and other food services and drinking places. About 15 percent worked in institutions such as schools, universities, nursing homes and hospitals.

• Overall industry employment is expected to increase by 11 percent over the 2006-16 decade.

• This occupation will have among the largest numbers of new jobs arise, about 351,000 over the period.

• The number of higher-skilled chefs and cooks working in full-service restaurants—those that offer table service and more varied menus—is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations.

• Much of this increase will come from job growth in more casual dining settings, rather than in upscale, full-service restaurants.

• Institution and cafeteria chefs and cooks will show growth about as fast as the average. Much of the growth will be in contract food service establishments that provide catering services or food management and staff for employee dining rooms, sports complexes, convention centers, and educational or health care facilities.

• The number of personal chef companies operating in the country will likely increase from 6,000 to 20,000 over the next five years, reflecting the growing popularity and convenience of eating restaurant-quality meals at home.

• Job openings for chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers are expected to be plentiful but competition should be keen for jobs in the top kitchens of higher end restaurants.

• Although job growth will create many new positions, the overwhelming majority of job openings will stem from the need to replace workers who leave.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; U.S. Personal Chef Association