Top Hats
Hats, hats, everywhere are hats. Especially when you’re looking around restaurant kitchens, bars and ag operations. For these folks, covering their noggins is a functional necessity that keeps hair from falling into food or protects a face from the sun’s punishing rays.
“A hat in the kitchen is a first sign of a clean environment,” says Gianluca Maita, executive chef at Nonna in Westlake Village. “That’s why it’s very important that every member of the crew wear one.”
No one ever said a hat also couldn’t be a jaunty accessory, one that reflects the wearer’s sense of style and personality.
When we asked eight locals involved in the food world to tell us about their hats, we learned there’s a lot more than meets the eye.
Gianluca Maita
Executive Chef: Nonna, Westlake Village
Why this hat: The snapback hat I wear every day during service has, of course, a nice story behind it. When I was living in Australia, me and my kitchen crew decided to buy these snapback hats, as we were a very young team and the kitchen was visible from customers. It was funny to see such a professional team working with those funny colorful hats. Ever since, I’m proudly wearing this hat in professional kitchens. It reminds me every day of the great people I’ve been working with and it keeps my trip memories alive.
Pamela Ganci
Sous Chef: Nonna, Westlake Village
Why this hat: I wear this hat because it represents the way I am. It has accompanied me in my journey from Bologna, Italy, and now it’s a connection to my origins, and it is also original because it is different from the traditional chef hats.
Jon Stephenson
Manager/Bartender: The Tavern/Lady Jezebel, Ventura
Why this hat: I feel personally connected to this hat because it was gifted to me by a friend and feels like keeping a piece of my loved ones with me behind the bar.
I feel like working in a craft cocktail bar you are offering an experience that is personal and involves showcasing the character of spirits and a bit of your own character. Any way you can express yourself through accessories is vital to a patron’s experience, and a hat is the perfect little “garnish.”
Anastashia Chavez
Pastry Chef: The 2686 Kitchen and Barrelhouse 101 in Ventura; Ojai Beverage Company in Ojai
Why this hat: It shows the logo of a charity called the BeYOUtiful Foundation. Their purpose is to provide females with cancer the tools and venues they need to get through their battle and treatments, specifically connecting them with local salons and beauticians, etc. It’s a very woman-empowerment-based charity that was founded in 2018. This charity, this hat, because it was co-founded by a friend Matt Coulter, a Ventura native who has been responsible for helping start up other local, cancer-focused nonprofits.
There are so many great charities people don’t know about that provide unique support services to cancer patients and their families. Wearing a hat to help promote and bring awareness to these organizations can only help spread the love. Community, these days, is so important and what better than when it’s local!
Mike Williams
Board Member: Ventura County Cattlemen’s Association; owner of Diamond W Cattle Company*
Why this hat: My wife, Lynda, bought me this hat somewhere around 2004; it was the first custom hat I’ve ever had. It was my good hat, the one I wore for fancy places for a long time. It moved to my everyday hat when I was awarded Ventura County Cattleman of the Year in 2014 [that honor came with a new hat]. This one’s on me pretty much every day that I’m out working. It’s well worn, my favorite work hat. You wear a hat long enough, the more it seems to fit on your head. This one’s got a good wide brim that gives me plenty of shade in the summer and plenty of protection from the wind and the rain in winter.
*Williams ran cattle on Rancho Cañada Largo in Ventura until the property was destroyed in the Thomas Fire. He hopes to come back to the area for cattle ranching.
Charlotte “Charlie” Louise Savin
Livestock Caretaker: Apricot Lane Farms, Moorpark
Why this hat: I feel this is the only hat that I truly ever worked for. What I went through to get this darn hat is an experience I’ll never forget. When I first came to the farm, I was 18 and had just starting WWOOFING (working through the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms network). Three weeks later, I found myself standing at the duck pond, with the whole staff there to congratulate me on successfully completing those first few weeks.
While we were all on the dock, the team shared that I had one final test to take (for official initiation into the farm family). As previous WWOOFERS had done, I had to jump off the dock, swim to one of the floating islands where my new Apricot Lane Farms hat was placed, grab my hat and swim home. Hats are only given out once three weeks of work have been completed, and I had done it. I dove straight in.
I realized immediately upon hitting the water that the pond was full of weeds. As I started to swim, weeds began to catch on my old cargo pants. As I was trying to swim to get my hat, with the entire farm watching, I was barely moving through the water, those weeds were so thick. I finally broke free and swam with my hands covering my buttons to prevent getting caught. I reached the island out of breath, having swallowed a glass or two of pond water, and was ready to take a breather. Of course, it was a floating island, couldn’t support me, and I started to sink. I quickly grabbed the hat, flipped on my back and swam back to the cheering crowd. As I climbed back onto the dock, I was so happy to be finally done with the initiation. I finally had my hat!
