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.
The chef’s counter, meanwhile, shines the spotlight on quartzite and oak, two materials that come together to create a soft, warm space. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2025 Days were spent in our private heated pool, at the spa, cruising around the property in our golf buggy, shopping, and indulging in the delicious cuisine of chef Fulvio Pierangelini. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025 And even chefs and cookbook authors turn to the grocer for snacks and shortcut staples. Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Dec. 2025 The group will pull from their internal team of corporate chefs and mixologists to develop the menus. Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 Dec. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Chef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chef. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

chef

noun
1
: a chief cook
2

More from Merriam-Webster on chef

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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