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

Farhad, a 35-year-old chef, also said life was becoming "increasingly difficult", noting economic hardship had set in even before the war.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

New York chef Jason Hall, who serves a whole rotisserie chicken at Cathédrale Restaurant for $78, says the high price leaves less room for error.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

The Scots' first game against Haiti doesn't kick off until 2am on 14 June and Kieran, a professional chef, has ensured all 150 guests making it through the night will be amply fed and watered.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

He is an accomplished home chef, who began publishing culinary books years prior.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026

Big Joe had on his chef hat and an apron.

From "145th Street: Short Stories" by Walter Dean Myers