Chef is an open-source tool for automating configuration management and infrastructure as code, developed by Opscode, enabling companies to manage changing infrastructures efficiently. It consists of components like workstations, servers, and nodes, where cookbooks are created and utilized to ensure continuous deployment and system robustness. The document also outlines the benefits of using Chef, including its adaptability to cloud environments and the types of Chef architectures available, such as Chef Solo and Hosted Chef.