I walked into Dante’s century‐old café for a quick bite. And yet, twenty years later, I still carry that morning with me - a morning that taught me a lifelong craft doesn’t spring from chasing novelty but from honoring the traditions and community that first lit its fires.

Nursing the blow of a hard year - having sought fame and accolades until my cooking felt empty - I crossed Dante’s threshold into a place that doesn’t chase the new, but perfects the old. The bittersweet aroma of espresso hit me as the barista worked the antique machine - a ritual unchanged for decades. Simple wooden benches, worn smooth by shared stories, held couples in soft laughter and lone scribblers hunched over notebooks. An older man at the counter caught my eye and raised his cup in a silent toast, a gesture that said “you belong here.” It wasn’t achievement that mattered, but presence. Being seen. Being welcome. In that ambient haven, I remembered why I cooked: not for myself, but for others; not for reinvention, but for the tradition of bringing people together.

Dante lives on, not only in that room but in my own teachings and philosophies. So, when young chefs lose their way, I don’t point them forward. I point them back. To the spaces that hold you. The traditions that steady you. And the communities that remind you why you started.

Product Details:

• Collar with grey birds eye mesh facing.
• Front zip opening. (left over right for men)
• Inner clear button so garment lies flat.
• Front button side panel to be topstitched.
• Double needle stitch details on front and back panels.
• Side slits.
• Short raglan honeycomb mesh sleeves.
• Raglan sleeves to have shoulder darts and vents.
• Left side wearing thermometer/pen pocket on sleeve.
• Apron clip with CB stud at back neck.
• Back yoke and side back panels in polycotton twill.
• Centre back honeycomb mesh panel.
• Our premium 150gsm polycotton twill.
• 100% Polyester honeycomb mesh.

Inspired by the enduring spirit of a century-old cafe, The Dante honours the power of doing the simple things well - where tradition guides the hand, and care transforms the craft: