chef
/ʃɛf/
The Dutch word for chef is chef.
The term chef is used to refer to a head cook of an establishment like a restaurant. It can also be used informally to mean a boss or a person in charge of a group, similar to the English word 'chief'.
Meaning: head cook of an establishment such as a restaurant (noun)
Which one should you use?
While chef is a common way to refer to a cook, chef-kok is a more formal and specific term for a professional head cook. Additionally, chefkok is specifically used to refer to a head chef or executive chef in a professional kitchen setting.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃɛf/
Did you know?
- The compound word chef-kok blends the French chef with the native Dutch word kok for cook.
- The Dutch word chef is a direct 'loanword' from French, which is why it lacks the typical Dutch spelling patterns one might expect for a native word.
- While chef refers to a professional head cook, a regular cook in a Dutch home or a basic kitchen worker is called a kok.
Examples in context
- Hij klaagde bij de chef.He complained to the chef.This example shows how to express complaining to a chef.Tatoeba #7958303 by Micsmithel, translation #2649922 by Hybrid
- Je bent een uitstekende chef-kok.You're an excellent chef.This sentence uses chef-kok to describe an excellent head cook.Tatoeba #4585516 by Raizin, translation #2954920 by CK
- Deze maaltijd werd door onze chef bereid.This meal was prepared by our chef.This sentence demonstrates how a meal is prepared by a chef.Tatoeba #11018618 by megamanenm, translation #11018617 by megamanenm
- De kok bereidt het etenThe chef is preparing the food
- De chefkok heeft een Michelin-sterThe head chef has a Michelin star
- Meneer Jansen, kunt u mij vertellen welke ingrediënten deze kok gebruikt?Mr. Jansen, can you tell me which ingredients this chef uses?
- Ik hoorde dat een nieuwe kok zich bij het team heeft gevoegdI heard a new chef has joined the team
- Mag ik de chef spreken?May I speak to the chef?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daan and Julia are discussing a local restaurant.
- DaanIs de chef van dit restaurant erg goed?Is the chef of this restaurant very good?
- JuliaJa, de chef bereidt fantastische gerechten.Yes, the chef prepares fantastic dishes.
- DaanIk wil graag met de chef praten.I would like to talk with the chef.
- JuliaDat kan, hij is heel vriendelijk.You can do that, he is very friendly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry chef, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chef, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
