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

In reality, the team brought products from Norway to maintain consistency in players’ diets and provide a taste of home, its head chef, Aron Espeland, has said. — Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 26 June 2026

His restaurant has been a proving ground for talented chefs (alums are spread across the industry including one of them now running one of America’s best pizzerias) and a beacon of sustainability in fine dining (hence Michelin bestowing the restaurant with a Green Star as well). — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 26 June 2026

Some are Internet-famous friends, like the chef Romily Newman, who, as Gen Z's version of Martha Stewart, looks great in a '50s-style toile dress. — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 26 June 2026

The film, about a rat who becomes a chef in Paris, was a Pixar blockbuster in 2007 and scored Oscar nominations for original score, sound editing, sound mixing and original screenplay. — Zack Sharf, Variety, 26 June 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