chef

American  

[shef] / ʃɛf /

noun

1. the chief cook, especially in a restaurant or hotel, usually responsible for planning menus, ordering foodstuffs, overseeing food preparation, and supervising the kitchen staff.

2. any cook.

---

chef British  

/ ʃɛf /

noun

1. a cook, esp the principal cook in a restaurant

---

Etymology

Origin of chef

From French, dating back to 1835–45; see origin at chief

Explanation

Someone whose job is cooking food and planning menus at a restaurant is a chef. Many chefs graduate from cooking school, while others learn cooking techniques by observing and working with experienced chefs.. The word chef often specifies someone who cooks fancy or expensive food — in contrast, you might call a man who fries burgers at a fast food place or a woman who makes grilled cheese sandwiches at a diner simply cooks. The chef is generally at the top of the food chain in a restaurant kitchen, the boss of the other workers. Chef is French, short for chef de cuisine, or "head of the kitchen."

Example Sentences

“Without having a little bit of knowledge about how the chorizo is made, you can’t be the head chef of the kitchen,” Hernandez said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

Looking a bit unsure of herself, the Princess of Wales kneaded the dough, applied a filling and cut out the pasta shapes as Ivan Lampredi, a chef, assisted her.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Among the foragers roaming the woods every spring, you’ll likely find a chef or two.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Celebrity chef Marcus Wareing, a restaurateur and judge on MasterChef: The Professionals, was also made an MBE for services to the culinary arts and broadcasting.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

My dream is to become a pastry chef and make desserts all day long.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks