A few months ago, I started working at a pizza place several nights a week. One of the chefs I interviewed for our guide to pizza ovens was looking for a part-time pizza chef. I’d always wanted to refine my at-home pizza-making skills, so I took up the offer. It’s a delivery-only setup (we work out of a ghost kitchen in Brooklyn), and in addition to making pizza, we deliver them by e-bike. That means I often press dough, add toppings, and fire pies in our ovens, and then once they’re finished and ready to go, I bundle up and hop onto an e-bike to shuttle them around town.
For this gig, I’m constantly moving between a hot kitchen (we have three ovens going at a time) and the chill that comes after being sweaty and then zooming around the neighborhood on a bike at night. This winter has been particularly cold and wet in New York, with some bike deliveries in subfreezing temperatures, plus a wind chill.
Since I have to switch between these two environments frequently, I’ve had to put together a work uniform of sorts that lets me operate in both comfortably. That includes items such as water-resistant work pants, supportive kitchen clogs, work gloves, and wool socks that never get damp — stuff that’s flexible enough to handle unexpected spills or precipitation.
While these circumstances are unusual, the predicament is not: I run hot, and I overheat even with just a few thin layers on, so I’m always thinking about how to dress for going between overheated buildings and frigid commutes. These are the best options I’ve found, after some trial and error.
These are the pants that I wear on the coldest days because they have a thick water-resistant membrane that not only keeps water out but buffers the wind. I first got these pants four years ago for a ten-day winter climbing trip in California — I needed a pair of pants that kept me warm, stretched, and could hold up to abrasion against rough granite rock faces. Now I love them not only because they shield my legs from drizzles and light rain, but because I can wear them in the kitchen and get them wet when I’m doing dishes or cleaning without the usual clamminess that comes with damp clothing. (In truly wet downpours, though, rain gets through them. We use these rain suits when it’s pouring.)
On warmer days (40 degrees and higher), I wear these pants or the ones below. The simple black chinos can take a beating. I’ve had these pants for three years as a wardrobe staple (they’re my default when I can’t decide on an outfit), but I’ve used them the most in the kitchen. There’s nothing that special about these slightly tapered cotton pants, except that they’re not baggy and don’t get caught on anything in the kitchen, and they feel comfortable on my legs even when the ovens are blazing. And because they’re relatively affordable, I don’t mind getting them dirty and mucky.
On days when it’s cool but dry, I opt for these stretchy pants from Duer. While they have a more workwear-inspired look, I still wear them with a variety of casual outfits (and have even worn them to the New York Magazine office a few times). They have the same slightly relaxed cut as a pair of Dickies 874 work pants, but they are nowhere near as stiff — they’re made with elastane and polyester so they have plenty of stretch. Plus, they have a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment, so I don’t fret if I get them a little wet.
I wore a pair of Adidas sneakers for my very first kitchen shift, and after just two hours, I knew I had made a mistake. I needed shoes with a thick, supportive sole, and with an upper that would repel sink water, sauces, and bits of food. These clogs get the job done — they have the same shock-absorbing sole as Blundstone’s classic Chelsea boots, but in clog form. The style naturally provides some nice airflow from the back that keeps my feet dry. They’re grippy, too — I’ve yet to take any major spills in these clogs. Knock on wood.
I keep my pair of black Blundstone boots next to the delivery gear so I can slip out of the clogs and into the boots when it‘s time to hop on the bike. I feel like a less-cool firefighter putting on their gear when I make the transition. Like a solid winter boot (and they’re the ones I’ve worn the past two winters), they repel water while I’m biking, and they’re easy to slip on while standing (even without the pull tabs).
I use the All-Paca fleece beanie from Appalachian Gear Company, but the company sadly no longer exists and its products are discontinued, so this one from Arms of Andes is a good alternative. If I’m exercising in the winter, I prefer a thin beanie that breathes well, and I never overheat in this one because its wool wicks sweat and moisture away from my head and hair.
On truly cold days, I wear this merino skullcap under my beanie, and it blocks the wind that flows through my helmet. On busy days when we’re getting lots of orders, I keep this on at all times — in the kitchen and on the bike — because it works as a hair covering that doesn’t make me overheat.
Our head chef bought these gloves on Amazon, and they have become a staff favorite because they keep our digits warm while operating the bike but provide enough dexterity that we can wear them while we handle the delivery bag and the bike locks.
As someone who has covered outdoor and fitness gear for years, I didn’t think there could be many new developments in the sock world, but this new model from Smartwool has been a game changer for this hyperspecific pizza-making, bike-riding combo. The crisscross “waffle” construction allows my feet to breathe when it‘s really warm in the kitchen — better than other Smartwool socks — and they feel just as comfortable in Chelsea boots as they do for walking around town in sneakers. Plus, like all of the brand’s socks, they’re made with naturally odor-resistant wool.
I have long evangelized about Patagonia’s Nano Air jackets, and I never would have thought that I’d be using one so frequently for such a niche activity (other than rock climbing and skiing). But active insulation jackets like the Nano Air are ideal for folks who run hot: They insulate like a traditional down jacket would, but they breathe and let air out much more efficiently than other outer layers. I prefer this zip-up version, because I can throw it on without having to take off my beanie, and it allows for a quick transition. On wet and windy days, I’ll wear a rain jacket as my outermost layer.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
