# Chef **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/chef **Vertical:** Infrastructure **Subcategory:** IT Operations **Tier:** Emerging **Website:** chef.io **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS) infrastructure automation platform for DevSecOps; acquired 2020 for $220M at $70M ARR — Chef Infra, InSpec, and Habitat competing with Ansible and HashiCorp for enterprise configuration management. ## Company Overview Chef is a Seattle-based infrastructure automation and configuration management platform — acquired by Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS) in October 2020 for $220 million cash, representing a 3x revenue multiple on $70 million ARR with 95% recurring subscription revenue — providing DevSecOps automation tools including Chef Infra (infrastructure configuration-as-code), Chef InSpec (compliance automation and security policy enforcement), Chef Habitat (application build, deploy, and runtime automation), and Chef Automate (enterprise dashboard for compliance and infrastructure visibility). Founded in 2008 by Adam Jacob and now operating as Chef by Progress within Progress Software's DevOps portfolio alongside Telerik, Kinvey, and OpenEdge. Chef's infrastructure-as-code approach ('infrastructure as code' was a term Chef helped popularize) uses Ruby-based recipes and cookbooks to define the desired state of servers — what packages should be installed, what configurations applied, what services running — and ensures convergence toward that desired state on every execution. Chef InSpec translates compliance requirements (PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2 controls) into executable code that continuously audits infrastructure against policy, enabling automated compliance verification rather than point-in-time manual audits. Chef Habitat addresses application portability by packaging applications with their runtime dependencies, enabling consistent deployment across on-premises servers, cloud VMs, and container environments without configuration drift. In 2025, Chef (NASDAQ: PRGS, operating as Chef by Progress) competes in the infrastructure automation and configuration management market with HashiCorp (IBM acquisition 2024, Terraform and Vault dominant), Ansible (Red Hat/IBM, YAML-based alternative to Chef's Ruby DSL), and Puppet (configuration management, PE-backed) for enterprise DevOps platform adoption. Progress Software's $220M acquisition (completed Q1 FY2021) was immediately accretive to non-GAAP EPS and cash flow, validating the acquisition premium. The configuration management market has evolved toward cloud-native tooling and infrastructure-as-code platforms (Terraform, Pulumi) that handle provisioning alongside configuration — Chef's strength remains in server configuration management for enterprises with large on-premises server fleets. The 2025 strategy focuses on integrating Chef deeply into Progress's enterprise DevOps platform, building Chef InSpec compliance-as-code for cloud security posture, and growing the managed services tier for enterprises modernizing legacy infrastructure. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Chef? Chef is a configuration management and automation platform for infrastructure and applications that enables DevSecOps workflows. Founded in 2008 and based in Seattle, Washington, Chef was acquired by Progress Software in October 2020 for $220M and now operates as Chef by Progress within their DevOps portfolio. ### What products and services does Chef offer? Chef offers a suite of automation tools including Chef Infra for infrastructure automation, Chef InSpec for compliance automation, Chef Habitat for application automation, and Chef Automate as an enterprise dashboard. The company specializes in configuration management and continuous automation for DevSecOps. ### Who are Chef's target customers? Chef serves organizations focused on DevSecOps workflows and infrastructure automation. The platform is designed for enterprises requiring configuration management, compliance automation, and application automation capabilities. ### When was Chef founded? Chef was founded in 2008. The company operated independently for 12 years before being acquired by Progress Software in October 2020. ### Where is Chef located? Chef is based in Seattle, Washington. Following its acquisition, it now operates as Chef by Progress within Progress Software's DevOps portfolio. ### How much funding did Chef raise before its acquisition? Chef raised $105 million in funding prior to its acquisition by Progress Software. The company was acquired in October 2020 for $220 million in cash. ### What were Chef's key metrics at the time of acquisition? At the time of its acquisition by Progress Software, Chef had achieved $70 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) with 95% of that revenue coming from recurring subscriptions. This demonstrates strong customer retention and a sustainable business model. ### What is Chef's approach to infrastructure and application management? Chef focuses on continuous automation for DevSecOps, providing tools that automate infrastructure, ensure compliance, and manage applications. The platform enables configuration management across the entire technology stack from infrastructure to applications. ### How can I get started with Chef? Based on the provided information, specific onboarding details are not available. Chef operates as part of Progress Software's DevOps portfolio, so interested customers would contact Chef by Progress for information about getting started with their automation platform. ### What are the recent developments at Chef? Chef was acquired by Progress Software in October 2020 for $220 million cash. The acquisition was completed in Q1 FY2021 and was accretive to Progress's non-GAAP EPS and cash flow beginning immediately, with Chef now operating as a continuous automation leader within Progress's DevOps portfolio. ## Tags automation, b2b, enterprise, infrastructure, saas, cloud-native --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*