Chef in Different Languages
Discover 'Chef' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'chef' is a universal symbol of culinary expertise and cultural significance. Originating from the French term for 'boss' or 'chief', a chef is traditionally a trained professional who oversees the preparation of meals in a restaurant or other foodservice establishment. But the role of a chef extends far beyond the kitchen, as they are also ambassadors of their culture's cuisine and gastronomic heritage.
From the haute cuisine of France to the spicy flavors of Mexico, the role of a chef is vital in preserving and promoting traditional dishes and techniques. In fact, UNESCO has recognized the cultural importance of gastronomy by adding it to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting the significance of the chef in maintaining and passing down culinary knowledge.
As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, it's more important than ever to appreciate and understand different cultures through their food. Learning the translation of 'chef' in different languages is a small but meaningful way to connect with people from around the globe and celebrate our shared love of culinary arts.
Chef
Chef in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hoofman | ||
| The term "hoofman" in Afrikaans evolved from the Dutch "hofman" (courtier) via Indonesian "hoofdmaan" (chief) | |||
| Amharic | አለቃ | ||
| The word አለቃ ("chef") in Amharic is derived from the verb "አለ" ("to exist, to be") and can also refer to a leader or head of a group. | |||
| Hausa | shugaba | ||
| The Hausa word 'shugaba' has cognates in various West African languages such as Kanuri, Teda, and Maba, suggesting a shared etymological origin. | |||
| Igbo | onyeisi | ||
| The Igbo word "onyeisi," translated to "chef," derives from "onyii," or "head of the family," reflecting the familial origins of culinary roles. | |||
| Malagasy | lohan'ny | ||
| The word 'lohan'ny' derives from the Malayo-Polynesian root '*ulu-*' ('head'). | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mkulu | ||
| In Nyanja, 'mkulu' can also refer to a clan elder, an ancestor, or a chief advisor. | |||
| Shona | mukuru | ||
| The word "mukuru" can also refer to a person who is wise or an elder in a community. | |||
| Somali | ugaas | ||
| Ugaas, meaning 'chief' in Somali, has its origins in the Cushitic word 'agas', denoting a clan leader with judicial and administrative authority, especially in the Horn of Africa. | |||
| Sesotho | hlooho | ||
| The word 'hlooho' can also refer to a 'clever' or 'skilled' person. | |||
| Swahili | mkuu | ||
| The word "mkuu" in Swahili can also mean "a head of a government department" or "a director of a company." | |||
| Xhosa | inkosi | ||
| The word "inkosi" in Xhosa is ultimately derived from the Zulu word "inkosikazi", meaning "queen". | |||
| Yoruba | olori | ||
| The word "olori" also means "head of the house" or "leader of a group" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | induna | ||
| The Zulu word 'induna' also means 'councilor' or 'headman' and is derived from the Nguni 'induna', meaning 'great one'. | |||
| Bambara | chef (dumunikɛla). | ||
| Ewe | nuɖala | ||
| Kinyarwanda | chef | ||
| Lingala | chef | ||
| Luganda | omufumbi w’emmere | ||
| Sepedi | moapei wa moapei | ||
| Twi (Akan) | aduannoafo | ||
Chef in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | رئيس | ||
| Its root, "ra'asa," also means "to preside over" and "to lead," hinting at the chef's role as the leader of the kitchen. | |||
| Hebrew | רֹאשׁ | ||
| The word 'רֹאשׁ' (rosh) can also refer to a leader or head figure, as in 'רֹאשׁ מֶמְשָׁלָה' (rosh memshala), meaning 'prime minister'. | |||
| Pashto | مشر | ||
| The word "مشر" also means "teacher" or "doctor" in Pashto | |||
| Arabic | رئيس | ||
| Its root, "ra'asa," also means "to preside over" and "to lead," hinting at the chef's role as the leader of the kitchen. | |||
Chef in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shefi | ||
| The word "shefi" entered the Albanian language from Italian "sceffi", the meaning "boss, master, chief", itself of Arabic origin "sheif". | |||
| Basque | nagusia | ||
| The word "nagusia" is derived from the Basque word "nagusi", meaning "master" or "lord". | |||
| Catalan | cap | ||
| In Catalan "cap" also means "head" (in the part of the body sense), a fact that may be related to "cap" meaning "chef", since the chef is usually the one "in charge" or "heading" the kitchen team. | |||
| Croatian | glavni | ||
| In Slovene, "glavni" also means "main", as in "glavni trg" (main square). | |||
| Danish | chef | ||
| In Danish, "chef" refers exclusively to the head of a kitchen staff, while the position of a head waiter is known as "overtjener". | |||
| Dutch | chef | ||
| In Dutch, "chef" is a general term for any superior or manager, not just a cook. | |||
| English | chef | ||
| The word "chef" originally meant "head" or "leader" in French, and was first used to refer to a kitchen supervisor in the 18th century. | |||
| French | chef | ||
| The word "chef" in French also has other meanings, such as "head" or "boss". | |||
| Frisian | opperhaad | ||
| 'Opperhaad' is literally translated to 'upper head', possibly implying the high status of a chef in society. | |||
| Galician | xefe | ||
| The Galician word "xefe" has the same origin as the word "chief", both coming from the Latin "caput" (head). | |||
| German | chef | ||
| In German "Chef" can also mean manager, chief, owner or foreman | |||
| Icelandic | höfðingi | ||
| "Höfðingi" can also refer to a chieftain, leader, or captain. | |||
| Irish | príomhfheidhmeannach | ||
| Italian | capo | ||
| The Italian word "capo" originates from the Latin word "caput" meaning "head." | |||
| Luxembourgish | chef | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Chef" can also mean "head" or "leader" in a more general sense. | |||
| Maltese | kap | ||
| The Maltese word "kap" (chef) likely originates from the Arabic "kabāb" (to grill), a technique commonly used by chefs. | |||
| Norwegian | sjef | ||
| The word "sjef" is derived from the French word "chef", which means "head". The word is also used in other Scandinavian languages, such as Swedish and Danish. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | chefe | ||
| The word chefe in Portuguese can also refer to a boss, supervisor or head of an organization. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ceann-cinnidh | ||
| "Ceann-cinnidh" literally means "head of the tribe" and is also the Gaelic word for "captain" | |||
| Spanish | jefe | ||
| In Spanish, 'jefe' derives from Arabic 'šaykh' ('chief', 'elder'), which also gave rise to French 'chef' ('head', 'leader', 'cook'). | |||
| Swedish | chef | ||
| In Swedish, the word "chef" can also refer to a boss or manager. | |||
| Welsh | prif | ||
| The word 'prif' derives from the verb 'prifio', meaning 'to prepare food'. It may also refer to the chief or head of a household. | |||
Chef in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | начальнік | ||
| In the historical past, it referred to leaders of military units, in comparison with its Modern Russian counterparts. | |||
| Bosnian | šefe | ||
| The word "šefe" can also be used as a term of endearment for a male friend or relative. | |||
| Bulgarian | главен | ||
| The word "главен" in Bulgarian also means "main" or "chief" in the sense of a leader or head of a department, organization, or group. | |||
| Czech | hlavní | ||
| The word "hlavní" originally meant "head" and is related to the word "hlava" (head). | |||
| Estonian | pealik | ||
| Pealik is derived from Germanic languages, and has a cognate meaning of "head of a community" in several Germanic languages | |||
| Finnish | päällikkö | ||
| The word "päällikkö" comes from the verb "päällä", meaning "to be on top", suggesting a person's position of leadership or authority. | |||
| Hungarian | fő | ||
| The word 'fő' in Hungarian also means 'head' and can refer to other figures of authority, such as the head of a household or the leader of a group. | |||
| Latvian | priekšnieks | ||
| Priekšnieks is an Indo-European word meaning 'foreman', also related to the English word 'prince', denoting a 'first among peers'. | |||
| Lithuanian | vyriausiasis | ||
| "Vyriausiasis" is a Lithuanian translation for "chef", which also means "senior". | |||
| Macedonian | главен | ||
| The word "главен" literally means "chief", implying the hierarchical structure of traditional restaurants. | |||
| Polish | szef | ||
| In Polish, "szef" can also refer to a supervisor or manager, deriving from the German "Schaffner" meaning "conductor" or "foreman" | |||
| Romanian | şef | ||
| "Şef" also means "chief" or "head" in Romanian, deriving from the Turkish word "şef" with the same meaning. | |||
| Russian | начальник | ||
| In Russian, the word "начальник" not only means "chief," but can also refer to a supervisor, manager, or director. | |||
| Serbian | шеф | ||
| The word "Шеф" ("chef") in Serbian can also refer to a manager or supervisor. | |||
| Slovak | náčelník | ||
| The word "náčelník" is derived from the Slovak word "náčel" meaning "head" or "leader". | |||
| Slovenian | šef | ||
| In Slovenian, "šef" can also mean "boss" or "manager". | |||
| Ukrainian | начальник | ||
| The Ukrainian word "начальник" (chief) comes from the Proto-Slavic root "*na-čьlnьkъ", meaning "one who begins" or "one who leads". | |||
Chef in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্রধান | ||
| The word "প্রধান" "pradhan" also means "lord", "master", "chief", "ruler", or "principal" in Bengali, depending on the context. | |||
| Gujarati | મુખ્ય | ||
| The Gujarati word "મુખ્ય" (mukhya) originates from the Sanskrit word "mukhya" meaning "chief, principal," or "foremost."} | |||
| Hindi | दार सर | ||
| The word 'दार सर' (chef) in Hindi is derived from the Persian word 'darbari', meaning 'one who works in a king's court'. | |||
| Kannada | ಮುಖ್ಯ | ||
| The meaning "chief" in the word "ಮುಖ್ಯ" is a cognate with "much" and is related to "first" or "principal". | |||
| Malayalam | ചീഫ് | ||
| The word 'ചീഫ്' in Malayalam has alternate meanings such as 'ruler' and 'head of a department'. | |||
| Marathi | मुख्य | ||
| "मुख्य" or "मुख्य" can also mean "principal" or "head" in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | प्रमुख | ||
| The word "प्रमुख" can also mean "chief" or "head" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮੁੱਖ | ||
| The word "ਮੁੱਖ" can also mean head, main, principal, or chief. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ප්රධාන | ||
| "ප්රධාන" is also used as a religious term to refer to a main god or a chief deity. | |||
| Tamil | தலைமை | ||
| தலைமை (thalamai) literally refers to the head or leader, and in specific contexts it can refer to the head cook or chef in a kitchen. | |||
| Telugu | చీఫ్ | ||
| The word "చీఫ్" ("chief") in Telugu can also mean "head", "leader", or "boss". | |||
| Urdu | چیف | ||
| Urdu word "چیف" (chef) is derived from the French word "chef" and also means "chief" or "leader" in Urdu. | |||
Chef in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 首席 | ||
| 首席 can also mean "first" or "top-ranked" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 首席 | ||
| 首席 can also mean "first in rank" or "leader" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | チーフ | ||
| The word "chief" comes from the French word "chef" meaning "head" or "leader". | |||
| Korean | 주요한 | ||
| In Korean, the word "주요한" can also mean "key" or "necessary." | |||
| Mongolian | дарга | ||
| The Mongolian word "дарга" (chef) originates from the Mongolian verb "дарх" (to prepare), suggesting the chef's role in preparing food. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အကြီးအကဲ | ||
Chef in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kepala | ||
| The word 'kepala' originally meant 'head' in Old Javanese and later took on the meaning of 'leader' or 'chief'. | |||
| Javanese | pangarsa | ||
| In Indonesian, "pangarsa" refers to a type of high-ranking military advisor or official. | |||
| Khmer | ប្រធាន | ||
| The Khmer word "ប្រធាន" can also refer to a leader, chairman, or president. | |||
| Lao | ຫົວຫນ້າ | ||
| Malay | ketua | ||
| "Ketua" is a Malay word deriving from Sanskrit that can also imply a leader. | |||
| Thai | หัวหน้า | ||
| หัวหน้า is also a slang word for a person who is in charge of something, such as a project or an organization. | |||
| Vietnamese | trưởng phòng | ||
| In Vietnamese, "trưởng phòng" can also refer to the head of a government department or a section within a company. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | chef | ||
Chef in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | rəis | ||
| The word | |||
| Kazakh | бастық | ||
| The word may be derived from the Proto-Turkic verb *bastı, meaning "to press down," or from the Mongolian root "bas"} | |||
| Kyrgyz | башкы | ||
| The word "башкы" can also mean "leader" or "head". | |||
| Tajik | саркор | ||
| The word "саркор" is derived from the Persian word "sarkār", meaning "chief, commander, governor". | |||
| Turkmen | aşpez | ||
| Uzbek | boshliq | ||
| The Uzbek word "boshliq" also refers to the head or chief of an organization. | |||
| Uyghur | ئاشپەز | ||
Chef in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | aliʻi | ||
| The Hawaiian word "Ali'i" originally meant 'chief' and later came to mean 'king'. | |||
| Maori | rangatira | ||
| In Maori, the word 'rangatira' can also refer to a chief or leader. | |||
| Samoan | aliʻi | ||
| Originally it represented an upper or chiefly class to which belonged not only kings and high chiefs but also their extended families. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | hepe | ||
| The Tagalog (Filipino) word "hepe" ultimately derives from the Spanish word "jefe," which means "boss" or "leader." | |||
Chef in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | chef ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
| Guarani | chef | ||
Chef in International Languages
| Esperanto | estro | ||
| The word "estro" also means "manager" and is derived from the French word "maître" (master). | |||
| Latin | summum | ||
| The word “summum” can also mean "the highest point" and "the chief good". | |||
Chef in Others Languages
| Greek | αρχηγός | ||
| The Greek word "αρχηγ?ς" (archigos) literally means "first-leader" and can also refer to a captain, leader, or founder. | |||
| Hmong | thawj | ||
| The word "thawj" in Hmong can also refer to a teacher or a leader. | |||
| Kurdish | serok | ||
| The word "serok" can also refer to a "table" or a "flat surface" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | şef | ||
| The Turkish word "şef" (chef) comes from the French word "chef" (chief) and can also refer to a leader or manager. | |||
| Xhosa | inkosi | ||
| The word "inkosi" in Xhosa is ultimately derived from the Zulu word "inkosikazi", meaning "queen". | |||
| Yiddish | הויפּט | ||
| The word “הויפּט” is derived from the German word “Haupt,” meaning “head.” | |||
| Zulu | induna | ||
| The Zulu word 'induna' also means 'councilor' or 'headman' and is derived from the Nguni 'induna', meaning 'great one'. | |||
| Assamese | চেফ | ||
| Aymara | chef ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | शेफ के ह | ||
| Dhivehi | ޝެފް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | शेफ ने दी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | chef | ||
| Guarani | chef | ||
| Ilocano | chef ti kusinero | ||
| Krio | chɛf | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چێشتلێنەر | ||
| Maithili | शेफ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯦꯐ | ||
| Mizo | chef a ni | ||
| Oromo | chef jedhamuun beekama | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ରୋଷେୟା | ||
| Quechua | yanukuq | ||
| Sanskrit | पाकशास्त्रज्ञः | ||
| Tatar | пешекче | ||
| Tigrinya | ሼፍ | ||
| Tsonga | mupheki wa swakudya | ||