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

Celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein is making her first foray as a hotel owner. —Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

Much to the chagrin of his parents, too, who didn’t want the chef’s life for him. —Timothy Depeugh, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026

Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio oversees The Bar Room and Temple Court restaurant on the lobby level. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026

And now, with a myriad of buzzy new restaurants helmed by some of France’s top chefs and curious creatives from around the world eager to experiment with the territory’s rich ingredients, Biarritz is becoming an epicure’s paradise in its own right. —Monica Mendal, Vogue, 24 Apr. 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