Teppanyaki is a Japanese style of cuisine where the chef cooks the food with an iron griddle. Teppanyaki literally means “grilling on an iron plate”, as the word “teppan” means iron plate and the word “yaki” means grilled. This style of cuisine is primarily used to cook ingredients like beef and chicken but is also effective at cooking seafood, dough-based food or vegetables.
Teppanyaki dishes are made of fresh and flavourful ingredients and light seasoning, including:
meats like steak, chicken, and seafood
dough-based foods such as yakisoba (fried noodles) and rice
okonomiyaki and monjayaki (savoury pancakes with various ingredients and flavours)
small, finely chopped vegetables like onions, carrots, mushrooms, and bean sprouts
seasonings such as soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, salt, garlic, and wine.
For Western-style teppanyaki, the ingredients commonly used are beef, scallops, chicken, shrimp, lobster, and veggies, with soybean oil being used to cook them.
For Japanese-style teppanyaki, the ingredients typically used are yakisoba, cabbage, and sliced meat or seafood. These are cooked with vegetable oil, animal fat, or a combination of both. Many teppanyaki restaurants in Japan feature Kobe beef, which is expensive, but of top quality. Other top-quality Japanese beef used is from Akita and Matsusaka. They’re frequently offered along with less expensive beef from New Zealand and the USA. All beef cuts are tenderloin or choice sirloin.
The side dishes include mung bean sprouts, zucchini, fried rice, and crispy garlic chips. Dipping sauces are also provided by some restaurants, but only soy sauce is usually offered in Japan.
How is teppanyaki-style cooking performed?
The guests are usually seated at a large table with a teppan grill in the middle, while the chef stands by the table and performs a show for them. It starts with the tools, in which the knife, fork, and spatula are tossed, flipped, drummed, and clanged together. Next, the chef skillfully chops and dices the food, and then quickly sets the grill aflame, creating a feast that’s both culinary and visually entertaining.
The chef may also introduce new tricks and variations, including:
flipping a shrimp tail into their shirt pocket
catching an egg in their hat
throwing an egg in the air and splitting it with a spatula
flipping flattened pieces of shrimp into the mouths of guests
arranging onion rings into fire-shooting volcanoes.
One of the best things about ordering teppanyaki is that you can choose your own chef and tell them how you want your dish prepared. You can also determine the type and amount of seasoning and oil you want in the dish. And whether you prefer wagyu beef, king prawns, or rock lobster, you’ll be sure to leave filled and satisfied.
Japanese teppanyaki steakhouses are a popular way to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine cooked fresh in front of the diners. The word “teppanyaki” describes the way the food is cooked. Its name combines the words teppan (鉄板), which means “iron plate,” and yaki (焼き), which means “grilled.”
At a teppanyaki restaurant, the guests are seated around a large, flat grill surface and watch as the chef cooks the food and sometimes performs culinary tricks to add to the entertainment value of the dining experience.
