The Restaurants Canada Show just wrapped up in Toronto where thousands of culinary industry folk from across the country met to check out what's new in terms of kitchen equipment, tools and, of course, chef style. White jackets and tall chef hats will always be kicking around in hotel kitchens or more old-school establishments, but chefs these days seem to prefer something that stands out a bit more. And that, my friends, is where Medium Rare Chef Apparel comes in.

"The Rare Collection is a fashion forward approach to classic chef apparel, designed to deliver equal parts style and performance. The Rare Collection features a range of unique performance fabrics with the emphasis on a more contemporary fit," explains Steven Curson, Medium Rare's community manager.

The company shares, "It’s not like we’re the first guys to notice that women are built differently; we’re just the first ones to step up and design kitchen gear that really does something about it.  A centerpiece of the all-new Rare Collection is a true women’s line featuring gender-specific designs, not just cut down men’s patterns. We’re hoping the ladies will say a loud 'hell yeah' to the features we’ve incorporated specifically for them."

"Our new Ivy Jacket is a prime example. The jacket was tirelessly fitted, tested and vetted by female chefs to be a triple threat of comfort, function and style. Fitted tailoring gives a sleek and well-dressed line from bust to hip, with 18 per cent stretch for maximum mobility. The jacket is made from our high-performance RAREFLEX fabric with stain release, plus superior moisture-wicking, breathability and anti-bacterial properties."

As nice as it is to here about the new apparel, it's especially nice to get a woman's spin on the dynamic line. Claire Cameron, a Calgary-based chef and marketing representative for Medium Rare shares her excitement for the chefwear and talks about being involved in the creative process to bring it all to life.

Why was it important for you at Medium Rare to have a line of chef apparel designed specifically for women?

We really needed to have a line that worked for women because women are a huge, and continually growing, part of the culinary industry. It's time that they had their own clothing and style, not a type of clothing that is "girly" or overly feminine, just practical clothing that works.

What was the process like, consulting with female chefs to create the Rare line?

It took a long time. We talked to a lot of women in the industry, found out what they wanted, what they thought was lacking with the typical chefwear that was available on the market. After talking to many, many chefs, we finally ended up with a line of clothing that works for everyone. Small, big, whatever size you are, you should be comfortable in what you're working in and that will help you feel more confident in the kitchen and work to the best of your ability.

What do you think women in professional kitchens would appreciate most about the new chefwear?

I really hope women will like and appreciate the clothes that are much more tailered for a fit for a woman. No longer will they have to wear over-sized menswear, rolling up sleeves that are too big, or a boxy fit. This is a line that we really stand behind and think is completely comfortable and functional.