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

At night there is also the popular Candles restaurant, with indoor and outdoor dining and a creative steakhouse menu (again with some James Beard chef selections). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026

Francesca Hong, a 37-year-old democratic socialist, state lawmaker and chef, has been leading in the polls throughout much of the Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin. — Clay Masters, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026

The answer was in a push-pull between Banderas’ chef and Leo Woodall’s bad-boy cook Sal. — Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Francesca Hong, a chef and state lawmaker, is the frontrunner in a crowded field for governor that could give the Democratic Socialists of America their biggest win in the 2026 primaries. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 11 Aug. 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