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

The story follows a Chinese chef in a fictional Middle Eastern city who transforms his restaurant into a sanctuary for local orphans and civilians amid regional armed conflict. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026

Guides, travel hosts, crew members, chefs, specialists, and partners form an extraordinary team around the guests, sharing their knowledge, anticipating needs, and quietly ensuring that the journey unfolds effortlessly. — Guy Bigiaoui, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026

Before Tilly’s, Tillman was one of the original chefs at Strang Hall, with his Italian concept Norcini. — Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026

Swindle was the consulting pastry chef, so his chocolate cake came east, as did newer creations such as a pine nut tart, its shell all crackle and butter, with a pitch-perfect side of cardamom ice milk. — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 27 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