executive chef

noun

plural executive chefs
: the head chef of a professional kitchen or of a group of professional kitchens
the restaurant's executive chef and owner
His résumé was filled with Connecticut restaurants …; at Le Coq Hardi Restaurant in Stamford, he was, variously, … first cook, sous chef, and finally executive chef.—Michael Ruhlman
Bala Kumanan, a French-trained chef, oversees the quality of the food … as the executive chef of the high-end restaurants that span from Vancouver to Ottawa.—John French
compare chef de cuisine

Examples of executive chef in a Sentence

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.
It was created by executive chef and co-owner Craig Hutchinson alongside co-owner Jim Baronowski. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026 Dinner is an event at Pellico 3, the hotel’s gastronomy project, reconceptualised in 2022 and conducted by executive chef Guido Paternollo, who has worked under haute cuisine kings Enrico Bartolini and Alain Ducasse. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026 At Community Table, executive chef Marcell Davidsen brings an understated Nordic sensibility to the area’s locavore tendencies. — Christina Pérez, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 Dr Pepper Chef Robert Cantu, area executive chef for Four Brothers at Omni La Mansión del Rio and Ostra at Mokara Hotel & Spa in San Antonio, is a traditionalist and loves Dr Pepper. — Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for executive chef

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of executive chef was in 1902

Rhymes for executive chef

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Browse Nearby Words

executive branch
executive chef
executive control
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Cite this Entry

“Executive chef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executive%20chef. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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