> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://infisical.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Chef connection

> Learn how to configure a Chef Connection for Infisical.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Chef App Connection is a paid feature.
>
> If you're using Infisical Cloud, then it is available under the **Enterprise Tier**. If you're self-hosting Infisical,
> then you should contact [sales@infisical.com](mailto:sales@infisical.com) to purchase an enterprise license to use it.

Infisical supports the use of User Private Key to connect with Chef Server.

Please access your **starter kit** to get all the required information to create a Chef Connection.

> [accordion] If you don't have a starter kit
>
> > [!WARNING]
> >
> > If you download a new starter kit, your previous private key/user key will
> > no longer be valid. Please make sure to update all the places that use the
> > previous private key.
>
> **1. Navigate to your Chef Server Dashboard, and click on the 'Organizations' tab**
>
> ![Chef Server User Keys](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/chef-dashboard.png)
>
> **2. Click on the organization you want to connect to, and then click on the 'Starter Kit' button**
>
> ![Starter Kit](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/starter-kit.png)
>
> **3. Click on the 'Download Starter Kit' button to download the starter kit**
>
> ![Download Starter
> Kit](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/download-starter-kit.png)
>
> **4. Download the starter kit zip file and extract the contents**
>
> ![Extract Starter
> Kit](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/extract-starter-kit.png)

**1. Open your starter kit's folder**

Open your starter kit's folder(or `chef-repo`) and navigate to the `.chef`
folder.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Please make sure you have hidden files visible in your file explorer.

![.chef folder](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/chef-folder.png)

**2. Copy the private key**

In the `.chef` folder, you'll find a `[your-username].pem` file. ![Private
Key File](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/private-key-file.png)

**Private Key:** Copy the content of the private key file.

**3. Open the config.rb file**

Open the `config.rb` file and copy the content of the file.

![Config.rb File Content](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/chef-connection-details.png)

**User Name(1):** The user name of the chef user.

**Server URL(2):** The server url of the chef server.

**Organization Name(3):** The organization name of the chef server.

## Create a Chef connection in Infisical via UI

> [tab] Infisical UI
>
> **1. Navigate to App Connections**
>
> In your Infisical dashboard, navigate to the **Integrations** tab in the desired project, then select **App Connections**.
>
> ![App Connections Tab](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/general/add-connection.png)
>
> **2. Select Chef Connection**
>
> Select **+ Add Connection** and choose **Chef** Connection from the list of integrations.
>
> ![Select Chef Connection](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/app-connection-option.png)
>
> **3. Fill out the Chef Connection form**
>
> Complete the form by providing:
>
> * A descriptive name for the connection
> * An optional description
> * **Chef Server URL** (optional): The URL of the Chef server to connect with (defaults to `https://api.chef.io`)
> * **Organization Short Name**: The short name of your Chef organization
> * **User Name**: The name of your Chef user
> * **Private Key**: Your Chef user's private key (`.pem` file)
> * **Data Bag Secret** (optional): The contents of your `encrypted_data_bag_secret` file, needed if a [Chef sync encrypts secrets](https://infisical.com/docs/integrations/secret-syncs/chef.md#encrypt-secrets-in-chef) or reads a data bag item that's already encrypted
>
> Optionally select a **Gateway** to route the connection through an Infisical Gateway for private network access.
>
> > [!NOTE]
> >
> > If you later update the connection's credentials, enter the data bag secret again. Otherwise, the connection no longer has a data bag secret, and every Chef sync that encrypts secrets fails.
>
> ![Chef Connection Modal](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/app-connection-form.png)
>
> **4. Connection created**
>
> After submitting the form, your **Chef Connection** will be successfully created and ready to use with your Infisical project.
>
> ![Chef Connection Created](https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/infisical/images/app-connections/chef/app-connection-generated.png)

> [tab] API
>
> To create a Chef Connection via API, send a request to the [Create Chef Connection](https://infisical.com/docs/api-reference/endpoints/app-connections/chef/create.md) endpoint.
>
> ### Sample request
>
> ```bash Request theme={"dark"}
> curl    --request POST \
>         --url https://app.infisical.com/api/v1/app-connections/chef \
>         --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
>         --data '{
>             "name": "my-chef-connection",
>             "method": "user-key",
>             "projectId": "7ffbb072-2575-495a-b5b0-127f88caef78",
>             "credentials": {
>                 "orgName": "my-org",
>                 "userName": "my-user",
>                 "privateKey": "your-private-key"
>             }
>         }'
> ```
>
> ### Sample response
>
> ```bash Response theme={"dark"}
> {
>   "appConnection": {
>       "id": "a1b2c3d4-5678-90ab-cdef-1234567890ab",
>       "name": "my-chef-connection",
>       "description": null,
>       "projectId": "7ffbb072-2575-495a-b5b0-127f88caef78",
>       "version": 1,
>       "orgId": "abcdef12-3456-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
>       "createdAt": "2025-10-13T10:15:00.000Z",
>       "updatedAt": "2025-10-13T10:15:00.000Z",
>       "isPlatformManagedCredentials": false,
>       "credentialsHash": "d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e",
>       "app": "chef",
>       "method": "user-key",
>       "credentials": {
>         "orgName": "my-org",
>         "userName": "my-user",
>       }
>   }
> }
> ```


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