cook
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cook / chef
A male person whose profession is to prepare food, especially in a restaurant, cafeteria, or hotel.
Der Koch dieses Restaurants hat schon mehrere Auszeichnungen gewonnen.
The chef at this restaurant has already won several awards.
The noun 'der Koch' (the cook) is derived directly from the verb 'kochen' (to cook). It refers to the person who performs the activity of cooking.
Er kocht gern, aber er ist kein professioneller Koch.
He likes to cook, but he is not a professional cook.
In a professional context, 'Koch' (cook/chef) is often combined with other terms, for example 'als Koch arbeiten' (to work as a cook), to be 'ein gelernter Koch' (a trained cook), or, as a special distinction, 'Sternekoch' (star chef).
Er ist gelernter Koch und hat in vielen Ländern gearbeitet.
He is a trained cook and has worked in many countries.
Whether it means the profession or just the current activity becomes clear from context. In private situations, 'der Koch' (the cook) often simply refers to the person responsible for the meal that day.
Wer ist heute der Koch? Ich habe großen Hunger!
Who is the cook today? I'm really hungry!
female cook / chef
'der Koch' and 'die Köchin' both refer to people who prepare food, especially as a profession. The most important difference is gender and the article: 'der Koch' means a male person, while 'die Köchin' means a woman. 'der Koch' can also mean a man who is cooking at the moment, even if it is not his profession. Learners may confuse the words because the activity is the same. So pay attention to the person: for a man, you say 'Koch'; for a woman, 'Köchin'.
In der Hotelküche hat der Koch gestern ein neues Gericht ausprobiert.
In the hotel kitchen, the chef tried out a new dish yesterday.
Die Köchin bereitet jeden Montag das Mittagessen für die Kantine vor.
The cook prepares lunch for the cafeteria every Monday.