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chef's kiss

/ʃɛfs kɪs/
IPA guide

Other forms: chef's kisses

When you want to express your approval of something excellent, you can make a chef's kiss gesture by kissing your fingertips and spreading your fingers wide. A perfect batch of brownies baked by your brother? Chef's kiss!

The image of an Italian chef giving a chef's kiss has become a stereotype that shows up on pizza boxes and in commercials, but the gesture did originate in Italian culture. Al bacio, "as good as a kiss" in Italian, indicates sincere appreciation for a delicious dish. Chef's kiss is still used this way, to express delight at something done well, whether it's food, a beautiful piece of writing, or a nearly perfect episode of a TV show.

Definitions of chef's kiss
  1. noun
    a gesture of appreciation for someone or something excellent made by touching one’s lips to the fingertips and then motioning toward the subject of admiration
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