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

Black Briar, Chicago Black Briar marks Jimmy Papadopoulos’s return to dining, and the idea for the coal-roasting restaurant has been brewing in the chef’s mind for over 20 years. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2026

The chef witness, according to the police report, saw the Tesla drive away. — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

The menu’s through line is the way Bonner filters a whole world of Afro-Caribbean traditions through his perspective as a journeyman chef. — John Kessler, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

This week’s food events around metro Atlanta include an opportunity to celebrate Dolly Parton, a baking workshop with a pastry chef and the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 8 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