sous-chef

[soo-shef; French soo-shef]

noun, plural sous-chefs

[soo-shefs; French soo-shef] /ˈsuˌʃɛfs; French suˈʃɛf/.

the second in command in a kitchen; the person ranking next after the head chef.

Origin of sous-chef

< French, equivalent to sous under (< Latin subtus (adv.) underneath, below) + chef chef

early 19c., from French sous, from Old French soz (10c.), from Latin subtus "under, below" (see sub-) + chef.