Chef Gomez keeps his retired Oxfords (left) in his locker at work, just in case. Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter Like the other high-quality shoes professional chefs like to wear in the kitchen ...

Though Michelin representatives came by Wednesday to present him with one of the company’s heavy, full-sleeved, pristine white chef’s jackets, he didn’t put it on: In this tiny, 10-foot by ...