chef

noun

plural chefs
Synonyms of chef
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 noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mar o Tierra is the brainchild of Indio native Amaro Gutierrez, who was the executive chef at Tack Room Tavern and Cantina in Indio before going independent two years ago with the food truck and his own catering company Savour Concepts. Usa Today Network, USA Today, 19 June 2026 High on a hill above Port Isaac, however, Outlaw’s Bistro is a haute little jewel with a seaside twist—created by Michelin‑star chef and author Nathan Outlaw (grab his new book On Fish), a familiar face from BBC’s Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 Struggling through her burgeoning career as a chef in San Francisco with a boss who breathes down his employees’ necks (Offerman), Jill still calls her sister’s old phone number from time to time to give her life updates and check in. Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 19 June 2026 Silyan’s also expanding the menu with pastas, smash burgers and collaborations with local chefs. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for chef

Word History

Etymology

French, short for chef de cuisine head of the kitchen

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chef was in 1826

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chef. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

chef

noun
1
: a chief cook
2

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