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

• 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

The top spot, though, belongs to Taste by Thomas Bühner, the domain of that Michelin three-star chef who earned the accolade with his Restaurant La Vie in Osnabrück, Germany. —Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025

At Red Rooster, an open kitchen allows diners to see the chefs—often women and people of color—leading the way. —Janee Bolden, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025

The more casual family room is paired with an entertainment bar, while the chef’s kitchen includes a wine room. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2025

Every year, the food seems to be more inventive and as diverse as the chef teams serving it up. —Laura Ness, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 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