chef's kiss

English

Etymology

From the stereotypical association of the gesture with a French or Italian chef.

Pronunciation

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Noun

chef's kiss (plural chef's kisses)

1. A gesture in which the fingers and thumb of one hand are pinched together, kissed, and then blown away, signifying that something is delicious or exquisite.
   • 1975, Frederick Exley, Pages From a Cold Island, New York: Random House, →ISBN, pages 175–6:

     They would sample a spoonful of the sauce, go Ahhh, blow a French chef's kiss, and make their suggestions as to what little touch would lift it to the airy regions of perfection.

   • 2017 September 6, Matthew Schneier, “Rachel Comey Wants to Show You Her Clothes. But First, Dinner Is Served.”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     Some are, like the actress Tavi Gevinson, 21, who reviewed the experience by bringing her fingers to her lips and smacking a “chef’s kiss,” […]

   • 2019, Amanda Push, "Chang Thai Durango is the latest gold-at-the-end-of-your-chopsticks heaven", DGO, 15 August 2019 - 28 August 2020, page 18:

     The cheese Rangoon was worthy of a dramatic chef's kiss.

   • 2020, Latonya Banton, “Aye And Latonya Presents: Top 5”, in Aye, number 3, page 30:

     But the songs on this album makes me give it a chef's kiss.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:chef's kiss.
2. (informal) A thing considered extraordinary of its kind.
   • 2021 April 12, Bunnie Moreau, 10 Times BTS's V Proved His Hands Are Almost As Beautiful As He Is:

     #4 is just *chef’s kiss.* .

Interjection

chef's kiss

1. (Internet slang) Used to express that something is exquisite.
   • 2019 January, Derek Baker, “The Gauntlet staff's best of 2018”, in The Gauntlet, University of Calgary, page 22:

     And when Jacobin tweeted that "Gritty is a worker." Ooohh boy. *chef's kiss*

   • 2020 March, “So, Mallorca needs to be on your bucket list STAT”, in Cosmopolitan, South Africa, page 119:

     Try the bluefin tuna, the crispy nori roll with wagyu steak tartare (so good), and the yuzu mousse (lemon, cream and thyme crumble disguised as a whole lemon) for dessert. *Chef's kiss*

   • 2020 April, Erin Docherty, “Scents of Identity”, in Men's Health, Australia, page 63:

     While this has all the vibrant bergamot and zesty lemon you'd expect from a classic Mediterranean scent, the woody, leathery notes gives it an unexpected, contemporary twist – it's a true celebration of the brand's strong Italian roots *chef's kiss*.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:chef's kiss.