The officer or crew member in charge of the catering and hotel department on a ship. They manage food stores, plan menus, oversee the cooks, and ensure the living quarters are maintained. On passenger vessels, the chief steward commands a massive hospitality staff, while on a cargo ship, they might cook and provision for a small crew single-handedly.
Heard on the job
Tell the chief steward we need extra bottled water for the engine room crew.