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\ ˈsü-ˌshef 
\
\variants:
or sous chef
plural sous-chefs or sous chefs
Definition of sous-chef
: the top assistant in a professional kitchen
The typical restaurant kitchen is set up so the absence of the head chef is not felt in the dining room. It is the assistant, the sous-chef, who is usually in charge of production, with the head chef the administrator and creative force.— Florence Fabricant The relationship between chef and sous-chef can be a particularly intimate one, for instance, and it's nice to have someone with a similar background and world-view when you're going to spend almost every waking hour together.— Anthony Bourdain
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Time Traveler for sous-chef
The first known use of sous-chef was in 1892
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