chef

noun

ˈshef 

plural chefs

1

: a skilled professional cook

a trained chef

specifically : one who is in charge of a professional kitchen

I wrote to the chef of an acclaimed New American restaurant on the Upper East Side about my food experiences. He invited me to spend a few days in the kitchen on a trial basis.

—Adam Shatz

2

: cook

chef intransitive verb

chefdom

ˈshef-dəm 

noun

Synonyms of chef

• cook
• baker

Examples of chef in a Sentence

The hotel's chef trained at the finest culinary institutes in Europe.

He's the head chef at a five-star restaurant.

a celebrity chef with her own TV show

My friend is an excellent chef.

Recent Examples on the Web

Kimpton seeks out top chefs, but said booking a daytime reservation can be more affordable and less of a commitment than dinner service with many courses. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 30 June 2026

The top-of-the-line chef’s kitchen sports metallic cabinetry paired with dark marble countertops and backsplashes. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 30 June 2026

Food Fight is a tasting event with chefs, bartenders and makers offering bites that are 100% locally sourced. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026

Chef Remi Lauvand helped select each chef and the 21 food spots and six bars that will soon fill the space. — Lesley Marin, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, short for chef de cuisine head of the kitchen

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chef

• chef de cuisine
• chef d'oeuvre
• chef's kiss
• chef's knife
• chef's salad
• executive chef
• sous-chef

Rhymes for chef

• clef
• deaf
• ref

Kids Definition

chef

noun

ˈshef 

1

: a chief cook

2

: cook entry 1