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

There are now three locations—in Chiswick, Richmond, and Soho—throughout the city, and all offer the same dynamic approach to pizza-making that chef Michele Pascarella sought to craft. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026

On Sunday nights, Ito loves dinner at the bar at Palizzi Social Club, a South Philly Italian club founded in 1918 and revived by chef Joey Baldino in 2017. — Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2026

Here’s a recipe from chef Ray Garcia that can capture the magic of a warm, tasty biscuit. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Brian Malarkey is a Food Network celebrity chef, restaurateur, and two-time Top Chef finalist. — Brian Malarkey, Fortune, 19 Sep. 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