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Glite Dictionary
chef's specialty

chef's specialty

3.7
A dish a chef cooks very well and that people often order
  • noun
  • /ʃɛfs ˈspɛʃəlti/
translation icon : especialidad del chef
  • Have you tried the chef's specialty at that new restaurant?

Examples

  • If you're unsure what to order, try the chef's specialty for a true taste of the kitchen's best.

  • The menu highlights the chef's specialty, which changes with the seasons.

  • The restaurant's most popular dish is the chef's specialty, a spicy seafood paella.

  • The chef's specialty is a delicious seafood paella.

  • The restaurant is famous for its delicious chef's specialty, which draws customers from all over the city.

  • When we ordered, the waiter recommended the chef's specialty, and it turned out to be an amazing choice.

  • At the dinner party, the highlight was the chef's specialty, a rich risotto that amazed all the guests.

Synonyms

specialty
vschef's specialty
  • US
205 4.3

An area of work or study that someone knows a lot about

is a specific dish a cook makes especially well rather than a general skill area
special
vschef's specialty
53 1.7

A dish offered on the menu for a short time

is a dish a cook makes especially well and is known for
signature dish
vschef's specialty
6 4.1

A dish a chef or restaurant is best known for

is a dish someone is especially skilled at but not necessarily the most representative
their specialty
vschef's specialty
3 2.9

A dish a restaurant is known for and makes very well

is a dish an individual cook is especially skilled at making
culinary calling card
vschef's specialty
7.4

A dish that shows a chef's personal cooking style

is a dish made especially well rather than chosen to represent personal style

How Distinctive

chef's specialty
3.7

Surface Forms

chef's specialty singular
chef's specialties plural

Morphology

chef's + specialty

The meaning 'a dish a chef is particularly skilled at' is directly derivable from the possessive 'chef's' (belonging to a chef) + 'specialty' (notable feature or skill). This is a straightforward compositional, possessive construction found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

Chef's specialty comes from restaurants where the chef chooses one dish as their very best, the specialty they cook with extra care. That picture of a cook's 'best dish' is why the phrase means a dish the chef is especially known for.