10 Best Kitchen Shoes For Chefs (Review) In 2020

The Merrell Men’s Jungle Moc Slip-On is the easy top pick of the best kitchen shoes for chefs around. These shoes for standing all day provide full-foot protection while still offering excellent breathability and an easy-to-wear design with simple elastic goring at the sides.

The material is stain resistant just in case you ever need to venture out onto the restaurant floor, and they are also waterproof to keep your feet dry. The air-cushioned midsole means they’re easy to wear throughout the day and ensure your feet feel great at the end of a 12-hour shift, while the rubber soles are grippy to keep you on your feet when your sous chef spills the gravy across the floor. 

For the best chef shoes, if you’re going purely on fantastic affordability, Crocs Unisex Specialist Vent Work Clog is the one for you. While cheaper than others, these shoes boast supreme luxury that overcomes the negative connotation of Crocs to deliver spectacular comfort that may make you a lifelong convert.

The outsole provides excellent traction while the lightweight material reduces some strain that only chefs can boast to feel. There’s top of the foot protection from any errant knives and utensils, while the heel loop keeps the shoe stable and secure, but if you don’t like it, just flip it over to the tongue area. For more amazing shoes your feet will love, check out our guide to the best comfortable flats for work. 

About as much of a mouthful as your famous main courses, the Birkenstock Unisex Professional Boston Super Grip Leather Work Shoes are our premium pick of the finest chef shoes you’ll find this side of the Atlantic.

Of all the shoes we’ve selected, these are perhaps the most customizable and accommodating. They support all arch types and boast an adjustable buckle, while the contoured footbed is easy on the soles and ensures your feet sit comfortably on top. As ever, the traction is secure, and by covering the whole foot, you get the protection you need. For more comfortable and safe footwear for people that spend days on their feet, check out our guide to the best steel toe cap boots.

Roomy and easy on the feet, the Dansko Women’s Professional Mule are an excellent choice for those feeling like they want to spend a little more on their chef shoes.

The leather design is smart and ensures water-resistance, while the soft feel makes them flexible to ease the pressure on your feet during a long shift. The padded instep collar and shock absorbing properties also allow for easy comfort, and they are also stable, making them a shoe you can trust. As slip ons, the on and off process is convenient, and it also makes the fit secure without being too tight. If you need additional comfort, check out our guide to the best plantar fasciitis insoles.

A shoe packed with more comfort buzzwords we thought possible, the Skechers for Work Men’s Flex Advantage Slip On is an excellent mid-range choice for professional chefs. Elastic side gores ensure easy on and off, while the slip-resistant traction makes them one of the safest shoes around.

Inside, there’s plenty of space around the toes while the memory foam insole adapts to your foot for fantastic, comfortable personalization you never knew you needed until you experience it for the first time. The two available colors (black and charcoal) aren’t the most exciting, but we’d say it’s best to let your food do the talking. They also make a great pair of shoes for teachers.

Designed, it seems, purely for the busy culinary artists and nothing more, the SensFoot Non Slip Kitchen Shoes keep you safe and sound in a busy kitchen. They are waterproof; they are anti-skid, and they are easy to clean to keep up appearances.

Should you spill anything on them, they dry quickly, while the breathable insole gives your feet a break from the hectic happenings surrounding you. They are not the most attractive shoes we’ve ever selected, but for keeping your feet cool and safe in the kitchen surrounded by searing meat and bubbling potatoes, they do exactly what you expect them to, and that’s all you can ask. Besides, you can also wear them as comfy house shoes.

While not strictly kitchen shoes, the New Balance Men’s Slip Resistant Lace Up can still do an excellent job in the kitchen. As the name suggests, they are stable with great traction, while the crash pad heel gives you an extra level of support.

The EVA midsole ensures comfort, while the combination of leather and textile construction combines durability and protection with lightweight breathability. It can be difficult to find the right balance for kitchen shoes materials, and New Balance may have managed it without even meaning to. A great shoe to always have in your shoe storage. 

Available in black and antique brown, the Sanita Men’s Karl Textured Oil Clog should appeal to most of you but it’s always about much more than how shoes look. These come with a padded insole collar and anatomically correct instep footbed for an accepting and forgiving fit to ensure quality comfort.

They are also breathable, fitting just right, while the material is easy to clean at the end (or beginning) of your shift. If you’ve never worn clogs before, they take a while getting used to, but once you do, it’s likely you’ll never look back. To keep all your footwear fresh and clean, check out our guide to the best UV shoe sanitizers.

The Merrell Men’s Encore Gust Slip-On provides what we believe to be one of if not the finest and most reliable grips around. The design on the outsole ensures excellent traction in all directions and makes them perfect for potentially slippery kitchen floors.

Along with this, the sole is supportive to ensure comfort, while the air-cushioned heel offers fantastic support to keep your feet feelin’ fine all day, which is why they can also be used as shoes for nurses. The padded collar prevents abrasions against your foot, while the full-grain leather ensures protection, durability and an easy-to-clean design that will keep you looking like the sharpest chef in the land.

Finally, the Merrell Women’s Jungle Moc Pro Grip Slip-Resistant Work Shoe boasts elastic goring for easy slip on and off along with a SureGrip outsole that guarantees safety when rushing from station to station. The slight heel is shock-absorbing, which will make your 12 hours shift feel closer to 6, while the breathable design prevents you tiring.

Available in either brown or white, these non-slip shoes are not the most exciting shoes color-wise, but for fantastic functionality, comfort, and safety in a wild kitchen, we don’t think you’ll worry too much about style. Instead, concentrate on staying on your feet and getting that steak out on time.