chef

noun

plural chefs
Synonyms of chefnext
1
: a skilled professional cook
a trained chef
specifically : one who is in charge of a professional kitchen
I wrote to the chef of an acclaimed New American restaurant on the Upper East Side about my food experiences. He invited me to spend a few days in the kitchen on a trial basis. Adam Shatz
2
: cook
chef intransitive verb
chefdom noun

Examples of chef in a Sentence

The hotel's chef trained at the finest culinary institutes in Europe. He's the head chef at a five-star restaurant. a celebrity chef with her own TV show My friend is an excellent chef.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Or take a literal shot of reality with a wee dram in the tasting room at Talisker Distillery, followed by a gourmet dinner from the Welsh chef who owns the charming Hame Hotel with his Polish partner and their adorable Aussie dog. Patti Nickell, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026 Stirred to life by Adam Evans, the chef at award-winning Birmingham restaurant Automatic Seafood and Oysters, this sophisticated dip is smoky and herb-heavy. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026 Here, a kitchen island provides the chef with more work space while on the dining area side of the island there will be seating for informal snacks or guests while entertaining. James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026 Roya, the new Persian concept from chef-owner Amir Hajimaleki, opened earlier this month above District Kitchen + Cocktails at 7858 Shoal Creek Blvd. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chef

Word History

Etymology

French, short for chef de cuisine head of the kitchen

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chef was in 1826

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chef. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

chef

noun
1
: a chief cook
2

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