executive chef

noun

plural executive chefs

: the head chef of a professional kitchen or of a group of professional kitchens

the restaurant's executive chef and owner

His résumé was filled with Connecticut restaurants …; at Le Coq Hardi Restaurant in Stamford, he was, variously, … first cook, sous chef, and finally executive chef.

—Michael Ruhlman

Bala Kumanan, a French-trained chef, oversees the quality of the food … as the executive chef of the high-end restaurants that span from Vancouver to Ottawa.

—John French

compare chef de cuisine

Examples of executive chef in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

James Beard Award-winning executive chef Zachary Engel co-owns the businesses in Chicago with operations director Andrés Clavero and beverage director Scott Stroemer. —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026

Florent Marneau, executive chef/owner of Marche Moderne in Newport Coast, shared his recipe for mushroom risotto with me many years ago. —Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026

One former intern went on to become a corporate executive chef at the Four Seasons. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026

Reserve a seat at the Chef’s Counter at Marcus Restaurant + Terrace, where executive chef Jason Morris will craft a distinctive multi-course dinner. —Carolyn Heller, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for executive chef

• clef
• deaf
• ref