During a recent heatwave, a simple chef's trick proved more effective than fans or air conditioning for cooling down. The method involves using a damp tea towel draped over the neck and shoulders, providing instant and lasting relief.
Discovery of the Cooling Method
Frustrated with sweaty nights and the high cost of takeaways, one individual tried a common suggestion—a cold, damp towel. However, standard towels were either too wet or too dry to be effective. Then, while cooking in a hot kitchen with fans at maximum power, the idea struck: use a tea towel instead.
A clean, thin tea towel (like the £1 Ikea ones with a red stripe) was run under cold water, squeezed just enough to stop dripping, and draped like a cloak over the neck and shoulders. The comfort was immediate, whole-body, and lasted for hours while working in the kitchen.
Chef's Secret Revealed
The trick is well-known among chefs. Keith Chiu, chef and founder of Love Sac, previously explained: 'I think one of the best things you can get yourself is a cooling towel. Most of the time, chefs just sling one over your shoulder anyways. Instead, replace that with a cooling towel. You just rip it through cold water, wring it out, and it keeps your neck nice and cool. Would highly, highly recommend that.'
On Reddit, a cook suggested enhancing the method by dabbing 'cooling points'—wrists, elbow pits, knee pits, back of ankles, and even the soles of the feet—with the cool towel before wrapping it around the neck.
Practical Advice for Beating the Heat
The technique aligns with Martin Lewis's advice: 'Heat the human, not the home.' Instead of cooling the entire house, focus on personal cooling. A damp tea towel is cheap, quick, and effective, offering blissful relief during hot summer days.
