Hedley & Bennett Review: Why This Culinary Apparel Brand Lives Up to the Hype

Hey there, fellow food lover! If you‘re as obsessed with cooking and baking as I am, you know that what you wear in the kitchen is just as important as the ingredients and tools you use. And when it comes to culinary apparel, it doesn‘t get much better than Hedley & Bennett.

I‘ve been a huge fan of this LA-based brand for years now, and I‘m excited to share my honest review of their products, from their signature aprons to their chef coats, bags, and more. I‘ll also dive into the brand‘s background, customization options, celebrity fans, and charitable initiatives. By the end of this post, you‘ll see why Hedley & Bennett has become the go-to for everyone from home cooks to Michelin-starred chefs!

What Makes Hedley & Bennett Different

Founded in 2012 by Ellen Bennett, then a line cook at LA hotspots Providence and Bäco Mercat, Hedley & Bennett has completely revolutionized what we wear in the kitchen. As someone who used to settle for cheap, flimsy aprons from restaurant supply stores, discovering Hedley & Bennett was a total game-changer.

Bennett saw a need for culinary apparel that was as functional as it was fashionable, and set out to create aprons, chef coats, and accessories that would make people feel like total pros in the kitchen. And let me tell you, she totally nailed it.

Here are a few key things that set Hedley & Bennett apart from other brands:

• Quality construction: H&B products are built to last, with durable fabrics, reinforced stitching, and thoughtful details like brass hardware and leather straps.
• Comfort and style: From stretchy, breathable chef coats to aprons in stylish colors and prints, these products look and feel amazing to wear, even during long cooking marathons.
• Ethical production: All H&B products are handmade in their LA factory, where they prioritize fair wages, safe working conditions, and a low carbon footprint.

Hedley & Bennett has seen incredible growth since launching with a single apron on Kickstarter. Today, the brand has:

• 48 employees
• 100+ products
• 1000s of 5-star reviews
• Partnerships with 600+ restaurants
• Customers in 65 countries worldwide

Impressive, right? But the numbers don‘t tell the full story. To really understand the magic of Hedley & Bennett, you‘ve gotta try their products for yourself.

Hedley & Bennett Product Overview

Hedley & Bennett offers a wide range of culinary apparel and accessories, but they‘re best known for their aprons. They have options for every style and need, including:

Apron Style	Description	Price
The Essential	Durable, water-repellent cotton canvas with brass hardware and adjustable straps	$95
The Carryall	Has a large kangaroo pocket plus 3 additional pockets and a towel/tong loop	$120
The Denver	Lightweight cotton denim with a large chest pocket and brass rivets	$85
The Smock	Generously sized with a boat neckline and ¾ length sleeves	$105
The Heavy Duty	Extra thick 15 oz. cotton twill with reinforced pockets and straps	$115

In addition to aprons, H&B makes chef coats, work shirts, hats, bandanas, masks, potholders, bags, and kids‘ gear. Here are a few of their standout products:

• The Stretch Denim Chef Coat ($175): This bestselling chef coat is insanely comfortable, with a stretchy cotton blend fabric, reinforced cuffs, and an apron snap.
• The Waxman Work Shirt ($115): With its cool salt & pepper fabric and elbow patches, this work shirt is rugged yet refined. It has a double pen pocket and a snap for your apron.
• The Mise Knife Bag ($225): This sleek knife bag is made from waterproof nylon and American leather, with space for up to 9 knives plus tasting spoons.

I have The Essential apron in olive green and The Stretch Denim Chef Coat, and I‘m totally in love. The apron fabric has softened up beautifully over time without losing its shape, and I get compliments on it every time I wear it. And don‘t even get me started on how amazing the chef coat feels – it‘s stretchy and lightweight but still looks totally polished.

Customization Options

One of the coolest things about Hedley & Bennett is that they offer full customization for businesses and home cooks alike. Just fill out their Custom Inquiry Form and a member of their design team will be in touch to walk you through the process, from choosing your fabrics and colors to adding your logo.

Custom apron pricing starts at $79 per apron with a 25 piece minimum. They can also create custom chef coats, work shirts, hats, and more. Some of their past collaborations have included:

• Customized Pin Stripe aprons for Chef Sean Brock‘s Husk Restaurants
• Personalized aprons for the FOH staff at The French Laundry
• Black Duck Canvas Aprons for the team at Eleven Madison Park
• Co-branded Essential aprons for the Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen

So whether you‘re outfitting your home kitchen or an entire restaurant staff, H&B has got you covered with personalized designs you won‘t find anywhere else.

Celebrity and Influencer Fans

With their stylish, premium gear, it‘s no surprise that Hedley & Bennett has caught the eye of celebrities and influencers in the food world and beyond. Some of the brand‘s famous fans include:

• Alton Brown: The chef and Food Network star has called H&B aprons "the best in the business."
• Gwyneth Paltrow: She‘s a fan of the smock-style linen apron, which she wore on her Netflix show The Goop Lab.
• Chrissy Teigen: The cookbook author and culinary personality has featured Hedley & Bennett aprons on her Instagram.
• David Chang: H&B created custom aprons for the Momofuku restaurant group.
• Christina Tosi: The pastry chef and owner of Milk Bar has been spotted in H&B aprons and bandanas.
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson: The Modern Family star wore a custom H&B apron and toque at the LA Food Bowl.

Hedley & Bennett has also collaborated on limited-edition products, like a gorgeous rustic linen Gardening Apron with Jenni Kayne and a kids‘ cooking set with Sesame Street.

Giving Back

Something I really admire about Hedley & Bennett is their commitment to ethical manufacturing and giving back to the community. All of their products are sewn by fairly paid workers in their LA factory, which was converted from an old helicopter warehouse.

The brand regularly donates a portion of sales and lends volunteer hours to organizations fighting food insecurity, such as:

• No Kid Hungry
• The Los Angeles Food Bank
• World Central Kitchen

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, H&B pivoted to making fabric face masks and donated over 15,000 masks to frontline workers. They also launched a special edition "Wake Up and Fight" mask, with 100% of proceeds benefiting restaurant workers impacted by shutdowns.

Ordering and Shipping

Hedley & Bennett offers free shipping on US orders over $99 (under $99 is a $5.99 flat rate). They ship worldwide to most countries, with rates calculated at checkout.

In my experience, their shipping is super speedy – my orders have all arrived within 2-3 days, even standard shipping. They also offer 2-day and overnight shipping for an additional cost.

If for some reason you‘re not totally satisfied with your H&B product, you can return it within 30 days for a refund or exchange. Just note that customized, embroidered, or final sale items are not returnable.

I‘ve been really impressed with Hedley & Bennett‘s customer service. When I had a question about sizing, I used their chat feature and got a response within a few minutes from their super friendly team.

How Hedley & Bennett Compares

If you‘re considering investing in some premium culinary apparel, you might be wondering how Hedley & Bennett stacks up to other high-end brands like Tilit, Cayson, or Chef Works. Here‘s a quick comparison:

	Hedley & Bennett	Tilit	Cayson	Chef Works
Price Range	$85-$225	$80-$175	$40-$150	$20-$100
Est.	2012	2012	2015	1963
Signature Products	Aprons, chef coats, knife bags	Chef coats, cargo pants, jumpsuits	Aprons, chef coats, hats	Chef coats, pants, aprons
Custom Embroidery	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Shipping	Free over $99	Free over $150	Free over $75	Varies by seller
Return Policy	30 days	15 days	30 days	30 days

As you can see, Hedley & Bennett has one of the widest product selections and a generous free shipping minimum. Their prices are on the higher end, but I‘ve found the quality and durability to be unmatched. Of course, the right brand for you will depend on your individual needs and budget.

Final Thoughts

So, is Hedley & Bennett worth the hype? In my opinion, 100% yes. I‘ve tried a lot of culinary apparel over the years, and nothing beats the quality, comfort, and style of H&B‘s products.

Yes, they‘re pricier than some other options out there. But when you consider the expert craftsmanship, ethical production standards, and incredible customer service, I think they‘re worth every penny. Not to mention, you‘ll feel like an absolute boss every time you put on your H&B apron or chef coat.

Since I started wearing Hedley & Bennett gear, I‘ve noticed a big difference in my confidence and enjoyment in the kitchen. And I‘m not alone – just read some of the glowing reviews from other chefs and home cooks who swear by this brand.

Whether you‘re a professional chef, passionate home cook, or just looking for a unique gift, I can‘t recommend Hedley & Bennett enough. Trust me, once you try their products, you‘ll never go back to cheap, flimsy kitchen wear again.

Ready to see for yourself what all the fuss is about? Head to the Hedley & Bennett website to shop their full collection and snag 10% off your first order. Happy cooking!