Here are the best non-slip barefoot shoes, tested and recommended by an experienced chef.
One of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is about non-slip barefoot shoes for restaurant workers and healthcare workers. People in the service industry are often on their feet for long hours, so a comfortable shoe becomes that much more important.
I’ve personally tried out a number of the slip-resistant barefoot shoes available, but wanted to tap into the insights of someone who has put them through their paces in a professional kitchen. I recently interviewed Kristof Vermeulen, a chef with 25 years of experience in professional kitchens. Read on to find out what shoe he recommends as the best non-slip barefoot shoe for restaurant workers.
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Best Non-slip barefoot shoes
This is a list barefoot shoes that have been specifically designed to be slip-resistant. There are other options that may work well, depending on the type of flooring you’re working on.
Xero-Shoes Prio All-Day Slip Resistant | $130 | Order on half or full size up as they run small. This is Chef Vermeulen’s top recommendation. Read more in the Q&A below. These come in both men’s and women’s sizing. The men’s version is slightly wider. Shop the Prio on the Xero Shoes US website or the EU website.
Lems Kourt Grip | $145 | These all leather shoes feature Lems’ slip-resistant sole that is also used on the Lems Boulder Boot Grip.
Leguanos Care | $142 | These shoes are specifically designed for healthcare workers, but can work well for food service workers as well as they are water-repellant with non-slip soles. These are available from the online barefoot shoe retailer Mugavik. Use code KELLY5 for 5% off.
Other minimalist shoes with slip-resistance
These options haven’t been specifically touted by the brands to be for the food service or healthcare industry but have good feedback regarding their slip-resistance.
Vivobarefoot Ra IV | $175 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off | Code KELLY25 for April 2024 | This all black leather dress shoe is a barefoot version of an Oxford dress shoe. The sole rubber Gobi outsole has surprisingly good grip.
Birchbury Bramford | $120 | The all-black are designed with a non-slip sole.
Altra Torin Leather | $170 | This Altra shoe has a slip-resistant rubber sole, plus water-resistant leather uppers. They have a wide toe box and a stack height of 28mm, so lots of cushion. They come in black and light grey.
Q&A with Chef Kristof Vermeulen
Tell me about your job as a chef. How long have you had this role? What does your day in the kitchen look like?
I’ve spent my entire career working as a chef. I started when I was 17, and am now 42, so I’ve 25 years of experience working in the restaurant industry and in commercial kitchens. I owned my own restaurant for 16 years, and currently work in a central kitchen that services five different restaurants.
My day starts around 5:30am and finishes around 2pm. I spend most of the day on my feet in the kitchen, so comfortable shoes that are slip-resistant and easy to clean are essential.
What were your top concerns or priorities when looking for barefoot shoes to be worn in a professional kitchen?
I was looking for comfortable shoes that were non-slip, easy to clean and breathable. It’s hard to find a shoe that offers all three! Many kitchens have tile floors, and spills like water and oil are common. It’s essential that I can wipe my shoes clean, and that I don’t slip on any of the liquids on the floor.
What shoes did you wear in the kitchen before switching to barefoot shoes? Why did you switch?
I’ve worn many of the traditional options in professional footwear for kitchen staff. I found all of these shoes much too narrow, very stiff, and not breathable.
While I was looking for healthier options, I switched to the Birkenstock Boston Supergrip. These had some great features for the kitchen environment, namely they were easy to clean, non-slip and breathable. However, I still found them too stiff and narrow.
As I continued to look for more comfortable shoes to wear in the kitchen, I started to wear barefoot shoes in my everyday life outside of work. I tried several of the non-slip barefoot shoe options, and eventually settled on the Xero Prio All Day Slip-Resistant Shoes.
What did you like and dislike about the Xero Shoes Prio All Day Sr?
These Xero Shoes are my number one work shoes. They are the best shoes I’ve ever had while working in the restaurant industry. They are very slip-resistant, easy to clean, wide enough for me (I can wear them with my toe spacers), flexible, zero-drop, and reasonably breathable.
I’ve been wearing these non-slip Xero Prios for about 1.5 years. I’ve started to see some wear on the soles, but I hope they’ll last much longer.
What did you like and dislike about the Lems Kourt Grip?
I like the fit and width of the Lems Kourt Grip. They have decent slip-resistance compared to most barefoot shoes. But, in my experience working in a commercial kitchen as a chef, I find the Xero Shoes Prio Slip-Resistant shoes to have even better grip and slip-resistance.
Which shoe would you recommend for other chefs or restaurant workers?
I personally wear and recommend the Xero Prio All Day Slip-Resistant shoes.
If you’re a restaurant or healthcare worker looking for non-slip barefoot shoes, I hope this interview adds some insight to your search process.
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