Instructions on Tying a Chef's Neckerchief

Portrait of a chef

George Doyle & Ciaran Griffin/Stockbyte/Getty Images

Professional chefs often include a neckerchief around their necks as part of their uniform. The neckerchief adds an attractive element to a uniform, but it also serves a useful purpose as it absorbs perspiration that may occur as a chef works in a warm kitchen. Be sure you tie your chef’s neckerchief properly so that it looks right with your uniform and helps to keep you comfortable as you work.

Fold the neckerchief in half to make a triangle. Fold the wide folded edge of the neckerchief over 3 inches toward the point of the triangle. Fold the neckerchief repeatedly along the 3-inch folds until the entire neckerchief is a 3-inch-wide folded scarf.

Find the center of the folded scarf and place it at the center back of your neck. Extend the two ends of the folded neckerchief over your shoulders toward the front of your neck.

Grasp each end of the folded neckerchief and cross the left end over the neckerchief over the right end. Insert the left end of the neckerchief up and through the neckerchief around your neck. Pull the tied ends of the neckerchief comfortably tight around your neck.

Cross the right end of the neckerchief over the left end and insert the right end of the neckerchief up and through the space just under the first half of the knot. Pull the tied ends tightly.

Fix the knot to make it centered at the front of your neck. Pull the neckerchief ends gently to arrange them neatly on both sides of the center knot.