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

For dinner, the creative tasting menu at Mexican restaurant Autor offers the chefs an opportunity to showcase their heritage, while Kengai’s Asian menu is inspired by the Japanese Izakaya tradition of sharing dishes. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025

Receiving a Michelin star can elevate a restaurant’s reputation globally and is often seen as a career-defining achievement for chefs. —Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025

Guests can enjoy half-off beer and wine, 20% off spirits and a bar menu featuring the festive bites from chef Bryan Emperor. —Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025

Get to Know Erika Council Erika Council, a chef, author, and the owner of Atlanta’s wildly popular Bomb Biscuit Company, stopped by the Southern Living offices to do this interview in person. —Sid Evans, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025

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