Head cook takes one in (5)
I believe the answer is:
chief
'in' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'head cook takes one' is the wordplay.
'head cook' becomes 'chef' (I've seen this in another clue).
'takes' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'chef' going around 'i' is 'CHIEF'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for chief that I've seen before include "Key" , "Person in charge, head" , "cardinal" , "Principal" , "Tribe leader" .)