noun HSK 4
Traditional 大廚
chef · head chef · master cook
Meaning
大厨 literally means 'big cook' and refers to a professional chef or head cook, especially one with considerable skill and experience. It's a respectful term commonly used in restaurants and the culinary industry to describe the main person in charge of the kitchen.
Usage
This is a common, somewhat informal but respectful way to address or refer to professional chefs in China. In restaurants, customers and staff alike use it to show respect for the chef's expertise. It's more colloquial than formal titles like 厨师长 (chú shī zhǎng).
Examples
- 01这家餐厅的大厨做的菜真好吃。.The chef at this restaurant makes really delicious food.
- 02我爸爸以前是五星级酒店的大厨。.My father used to be a chef at a five-star hotel.
Characters
Measure words
- 位一位大厨
- 个一个大厨
Common collocations
- 请大厨to hire a chef
- 大厨的拿手菜the chef's specialty dish
- 五星级大厨five-star chef
Origin
The word combines 大 (big/great) with 厨 (kitchen/cook), literally 'great cook.' The character 厨 originally depicted a kitchen structure and has been used to mean both 'kitchen' and 'cook' for centuries.