Hospitality Uniform and Appearance Requirements

The Hospitality industry is a “people“ business. Success demands excellence in products and service that can only result when members function as a team. Our laboratories are designed to provide skill training in all areas of the industry and stress teamwork in every aspect of production and service. Your performance in all laboratory settings reflects on you personally but also on your team and the College. We ask that you set your goals high and share in our pride. The following requirements for the kitchen uniform will ensure all students are taking a strong first step toward personal success. This policy reflects current industry standards for personal appearance and professional uniform.

A student is defined as any person who is enrolled in a hospitality program or hospitality lab class(es) regardless of part-time employment with Le Jeune Chef. Any violation of the uniform policy or health food code will not be tolerated.

Required kitchen/lab uniform for food preparation: All majors and all students preparing food in instructional kitchens will be required to follow this policy. Off-campus or special events may require alternate uniform or modifications.

Number in parenthesis notes recommended number of each item.

• Student Chef Coat—white, long sleeve, plain, no decoration. Embroidered on the front: Penn College logo and students first and last name. (2) Embroidery specifications can be found at The College Store.
• Student black & white check pants-straight leg, hemmed to top of shoe, cotton or blend material (2).
• Royal blue neckerchief (1).
• White, bib style kitchen apron, Issued by the department at the beginning of each lab.
• Kitchen side towel-plain white, white with yellow stripe or similar design. Issued by the department at the beginning of each lab.
• Student chef hat. 9-inch paper, toque style (2).
• Black shoes, kitchen /professional, non-slip. Fully enclosed—slip on or lace up (2 sets).
• Undershirt, light neutral colored or plain white, with no logos or lettering, to be worn under chef coat. (Undershirt cannot be visible through chef coat.)
• Socks-should be worn with shoes, recommend white, black, or neutral color. For personal safety, we recommend over the ankle socks.
• Appropriate hair restraints and or beard guards. 
• Head coverings must be solid white, black, or grey.

• Chef coats must be kept clean, pressed and in good repair. Buttoned to top.
• Chef coat must be fully buttoned.
• Blue neckerchief must be tied.
• Chef pants must be hemmed to top of shoe, no banded cuffs or rolled cuffs.
• Chef pants must be worn at the natural waist and belted if needed.
• Chef hat must be clean and no obvious yellowing, pilling, or soiled.
• “Full Uniform“ or “in whites” means—all pieces of the required uniform are worn.

Not Permitted

• No piercings (with jewelry or spacers) on any part of the face, nose, or ears. No exceptions made for mid-semester piercings.
• No false eyelashes.
• No artificial fingernails.
• No nail polish on the hands.
• No wristwatches or objects on the wrist that can be a source of contaminant.
• No rings other than one plain band (such as a plain metal wedding band) per food code. Jewelry or decorative apparel—not permitted in lab classes, except for a plain metal band.
• Nails must be kept neat and trimmed, easily cleanable.
• Hospitality industry and food code standards of personal hygiene and Penn College policy on the use of perfumes/fragrance will be enforced.
• Earbuds or headphones or headsets, wired or wireless are not allowed in food production areas.

• Hair on the head must be styled so it can be contained by a hairnet or wrap that keeps the hair contained under the chef hat. A chef hat will be worn at all times while in a food production and lab activities.
• The hair must be kept off the lower edge of the chef coat collar. Cloth or other material wraps must be solid white, black, or grey and worn during food preparation. If hair coverings are part of religious practice and alternate color is needed, please notify the instructor. Patterns/decoration on the cloth and bandanas are not permitted.
• Hairnets should be in good condition, no holes, and can match hair color.
• The student chef hat must be worn at all times during food preparation, even if the hair on the head is covered per this document.
• Do not wear hair accessories that can become a physical contaminant. Hair accessories should be limited to items that keep your hands out of hair and out of food.
• Hair restraint purchases are the responsibility of the student.

Mustaches

• Must look neatly trimmed, tapered, and tidy at all times.
• They cannot present a “chopped off or bushy appearance."
• No portion of the mustache may cover the upper line of the lip.
• It also cannot extend past a sideways vertical line drawn from the upward corners of the mouth.
• If mustaches fall outside these guidelines a beard net must be worn. (See beards section for more information.)

Sideburns

• Permitted with maximum length to the bottom of the natural ear lobe.
• Width cannot extend beyond 1.5 inches from the ear lobe to cheek.

Beards

• Wearing a beard guard is required if hair commonly considered a mustache is connected to hair on the lower part of the face/below the lower lip. Beard guard is also required when hair commonly considered a mustache is connected to hair that is commonly referred to as a sideburn.
• Beard guard must be worn if any hair growth on the lower part of the face/below the lower lip is not clean shaven. Clean shaven is defined as no visible facial hair or hair that “catches“ a card when scraped against the hair.
• The facial hair must not extend above a parallel line at the lowest portion of the nose & be completely contained inside the beard guard. Hair on the neck must be contained within the beard guard.
• Any hair on the lower part of the face or chin or below the lower lip will need to follow beard guard standards.
• Beard guard purchases are the responsibility of the student.

Variations of the uniform policy or use of personal cosmetic enhancements that may be a violation of the uniform policy will be evaluated by the school dean. The dean has final authority on enforcement of the uniform policy. As Federal and State Sanitary codes, as well as College code and policy changes come into effect, they will be added and enforced.

Full uniform compliance is required during any food production activity. Students must also be in full uniform while doing food demonstrations or tours, or representing the School of Business, Arts & Sciences unless otherwise directed by a full-time faculty member.

Uniforms should only be worn when operating in an official capacity in Le Jeune Chef Restaurant, classes (as directed), academic labs, and any other official capacity (as directed).

• Uniform order form available in The College Store.
• The uniform order form is available in The College Store. This applies to FHD147 Foundations of Service Applications for the Hospitality Industry and FHD228 Beverage Management & Service courses.

Uniform Requirement

• Black colored long sleeve shirt
• Black dress pants
• Black dress shoes
• Black socks
• Black bistro apron

Variations of the uniform policy or use of personal cosmetic enhancements that may be a violation of the uniform policy will be evaluated by the school dean. A need for special accommodations will be decided on a case-by-case basis. The dean has final authority on enforcement of the uniform policy.

First violation: Deduction of 10 points on the lab grade.
Second violation: Deduction of 20 points on the lab grade.
Third violation: Zero issued as the lab grade with dismissal from the lab.