To simply answer this question, a chef is an individual who is trained to understand flavors, cooking techniques, create recipes from scratch with fresh ingredients, and have a high level of responsibility within a kitchen. A cook is an individual who follows established recipes to prepare food.
While the definition of each role covers the basics, there is a deeper story behind the differences. There is a wide array of differences between a chef and a cook, and we’re taking the time to explain those differences in this article.