It helps if you understand the origins of the words. Chair has been in the English language for a long time. Chef is a more recent borrowing from French, and hence is still pronounced the French way.

Answer from mikeagg on Stack Exchange
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Quora
quora.com › Why-is-chef-pronounced-shef
Why is chef pronounced shef? - Quora
Answer (1 of 5): chief and chef are from French and both can mean head, leader, or the one in charge. *chief is from old French (13c) and at that time /tʃ/ was assigned to ch. *chef is a more recent loan (1800).
People also ask

How is the word 'Chef' pronounced in Australian English?
In Australian English, the word “chefis typically pronounced as /ʃef/, with the initial “ch” sound being replaced by the “sh” sound. This is consistent with the pronunciation in British English, as opposed to the American English pronunciation, which retains the hard “ch” sound. The Australian pronunciation of “chef” follows the general trend in Australian English where “ch” is often pronounced as “sh”, such as in words like “machine” or “champagne”.
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pronounce.tv
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How to Navigate Pronunciation Challenges with Chef
How do you pronounce chef in American English?
In American English, the word “chefis pronounced as [SHEF]. To pronounce it correctly, you need to emphasize the “sh” sound at the beginning, followed by the short “e” sound, and then the “f” sound. It is important to enunciate each sound clearly to pronouncechef” accurately. Practice saying it out loud and exaggerate the sounds until you can consistently produce them.
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pronounce.tv
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How to Navigate Pronunciation Challenges with Chef
What is meaning of the chef?
The term “chef” refers to a skilled professional cook who has undergone training and education in culinary arts. A chef is typically in charge of a professional kitchen, overseeing all aspects of food preparation, menu planning, and kitchen management. Chefs are responsible for creating and executing recipes, ensuring food quality and presentation, managing kitchen staff, and maintaining kitchen hygiene and safety standards. In addition to their culinary skills, chefs often possess creativity, leadership abilities, and a deep understanding of various cooking techniques and cuisines. The role o
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pronounce.tv
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How to Navigate Pronunciation Challenges with Chef
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/showerthoughts › the word "chef" is pronounced as "shef"
r/Showerthoughts on Reddit: The word "Chef" is pronounced as "Shef"
March 11, 2015 - Its pronounced "chef", as in cheyenne or charlatan or chic or chauffeur or charlotte · Sconners007 · • 11y ago · All those words sound more fun when you pronounce the "Ch" More replies · Chef · r/rabbitswithjobs • · r/rabbitswithjobs · A place for "working" rabbits ·
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Pronounce
pronounce.tv › home
How to Navigate Pronunciation Challenges with Chef
April 8, 2024 - The word originates from the French language, where it means “chief” or “head of the kitchen.” Pronouncing it as “shef” is the most widely accepted and accurate way to say the word in English.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › pronunciation › english › chef
How to pronounce CHEF in English
How to pronounce CHEF. How to say CHEF. Listen to the audio pronunciation in the Cambridge English Dictionary. Learn more.
Find elsewhere
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YouGlish
youglish.com › pronounce › chef › english
Chef | 12898 pronunciations of Chef in English
Sound it Out: Break down the word ... sounds "shef". Say these sounds out loud, exaggerating them at first. Practice until you can consistently produce them clearly. Self-Record & Review: Record yourself saying 'chef' in sentences. Listen back to identify areas for improvement. YouTube Pronunciation Guides: Search YouTube for how to pronounce 'chef' in ...
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Ask Oracle
ask-oracle.com › home › baby names
Shef - Name Meaning and Pronunciation
September 3, 2024 - Shef is a Unisex Name pronounced as Shef and means chief, leader (derived from chef). The name Shef originates from English, related to the culinary term 'chef'.
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Sounds American
soundsamerican.net › article › chief_vs_chef_whats_the_difference_in_pronunciation
"Chief" vs. "chef": What's the difference in pronunciation?
The words "chief" and "chef" are easy to confuse because they're spelled almost the same. And yet, they only have one sound in common: the /f/ consonant.
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Narkive
languages.culture.narkive.com › 84gRnyPm › in-the-italian-language-is-the-word-chef-pronounced-like-in-english-shef-or-with-an-italian-ch-kef
In the Italian language, is the word 'chef' pronounced like in English (shef) or with an Italian 'ch' (kef)?
We pronounce it like in English and French: shef. And, yes: there's a slight difference between "cuoco" and "chef": in theory, they should have the same meaning, because "cuoco" is the Italian word and "chef" the French one.
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WordReference
wordreference.com › english dictionary › chef
chef - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
chef - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.
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Mammoth Memory
mammothmemory.net › languages › french › french › vocabulary › french-word-list › i › leader.html
French Word – le chef – Mammoth Memory
What is the French for leader. leader in french is le chef. remember leader is pronounced shef in french. See mnemonic pictures. Learning French Vocabulary.
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Threads
threads.com › @honesty_eloquent › post › DEiBh-vIES6
CHEF Pronunciation: SHEF ✅
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Twitter
twitter.com › D_chefcurry › status › 1737789321589961068
"The word "Chef" is pronounced "SHef" as in ...
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Blogger
novaenglishcampus.blogspot.com › 2012 › 02 › words-containing-ch-but-pronounced-sh.html
STYLISH ENGLISH FOR YOU: Words containing 'ch' but pronounced 'sh'...
The ‘ch’ in cherry is pronounced as it is written but when you say chemistry the ‘ch’ takes a ‘k’ sound. Is that all? No. Another common word chef is neither pronounced as /chef/ or /kef/ but /shef/!