Since 1990, I have been making the hard decision of selecting quality footwear to work in filthy, slippery and hectic kitchens. My expectation for any shoe purchase is for the product to last a minimum of two years for the investment of $100.00...that averages to $50.00 a year.

Tennis shoes are cheap and comfortable, but they are slippery, won't last long on grease stained floors and hot, humid environments destroy their cheap support structure made for linear movement. Red Wings are stylish, but expensive, and don't hold up to sloshing around in wet food bits. Rocky Boots (like the cops wear) work well, but can feel sluggish and begin to mildew shortly after holed up in a men's locker room for weekends at a time (where else would you wear these?). Keen has a sturdy black slip-on that are good, but can be slippery on wet floors- a "no-no" when rushing around in typically busy kitchens. Shoes-For-Crews are non-slip but cheap and you get what you pay for. Walmart, KMart, Payless Shoes, are basically the same thing = cheap shoes, low quality, limited life and poor performance.

Culinary students on tight budgets think Black Crocs are acceptable since they look cool, are lightweight and comfy, but for a measly $20.00 they are the first set of shoes to breakdown. One whiff from the combined mold, must and mildew from a few weeks standing in a heady mixture of stale fryer shortening will make any of the aforementioned shoes smell like a decades-old greasy floor mat within six-weeks.

The two footwear companies well worth the investment of hard-earned $$ for professional cooking shoes are Dansko and Birkenstock. There I said it. Sure, they might make you look like last year's Euro-trash or a butch Dutch housewife, but cumulatively the companies have been making shoes for hundred's of years. Depending on the style, construction and location these will cost between $80.00-$150.00. Comparatively, I have worn Black Birki Pros and Dansko Clogs for the past decade and have decided (rather, my feet have decided) that I cannot go back to anything else. These products will last a minimum of 3 years, comfortably, even if casually maintained. Quite a smart investment for your aging back and delicate feet.

These G500 clogs look and feel the part of what I expect for $160.00. Classic comfortable and sturdy Birkenstock. I have shopped Birki London's for about the same price and these look and feel twice the strength with thicker construction, rugged leather detail and HD non-slip tread. The styling of these ALPROS will be especially appreciated when you need to go to meetings, talk to guests in the dining room or run out for errands, as opposed to bulkier clogs, Dr. Martens, Department "Sores" or ankle-length storm-trooper boots worn by militant chefs....and need to stand behind a kitchen range for several hours.

When you've got more important things to think about than throbbing toes, you'll be thankful for the investment.