Large Teppanyaki Table | What is the difference between teppanyaki and yaki?

Japanese food is one of the most popular dishes in the world. A very popular Japanese dish is teppanyaki, a cooking style of grilling on an teppanyaki hiabchi table. In fact, this is reflected in the names, "teppan" means iron griddle, and "yaki" means grilling or boiling.

However, many people often confuse teppanyaki with another form of Japanese cuisine: teriyaki. They may sound similar, but are actually very different from each other. What might these differences be?

If you want to know more about the differences between Teppanyaki and Teriyaki, read on for the differences below.

What is Teppanyaki?

First, let's discuss what Teppanyaki is. Teppanyaki is a Japanese cooking in which food is grilled on a teppan hot plate called a teppanyaki. When it comes to ingredients, meat can include steak, chicken, and seafood. You'll also find okonomiyaki and monjayaki (savory pancakes), dough foods like Yakioba (noodles), chopped vegetables like carrots, onions, and bean sprouts, and condiments like soy sauce, vinegar, and wine.

Japanese-style teppanyaki uses grilled meat, cabbage, and sliced ​​meat or seafood cooked in vegetable oil, animal fat, or both. Most Japanese restaurants use Kobe beef, which is known to be expensive but of high quality.

The main feature of Teppanyaki is that it is classified as a cooking show. Guests are usually seated around a large teppanyaki table with a teppan grill in the middle. The chefs stand by and perform by tumbling, flipping, drumming and beating tools.

Afterwards, the chef performs various tricks on the food, including flipping shrimp tails into shirt pockets, tossing eggs in the air, slicing them open with a spatula, and placing onion rings in a fire-breathing volcano.

Therefore, teppanyaki is not only a culinary art, but also an intimate performing art. As such, Teppanyaki chefs are specially trained to not only serve quality food, but to take the Teppanyaki dining experience to a whole new level.

WHAT IS TERIYAKI?

Teriyaki is also another popular Japanese dish. The word "yaki" is a combination of two words: "yaki" means glossy and "yaki" means grilling or boiling. Teriyaki is technically a cooking style, but more commonly associated with sauces.

The teriyaki sauce is described as having an amber sheen that adds a salty-sweet flavor to grilled meats and vegetables. It's a sweet and flavorful sticky sauce with a savory umami flavor. Its basic ingredients are soy sauce and mirin, a low-alcohol and sweeter sake known as traditional Japanese rice wine. Occasionally, you can also find flavors like garlic, ginger, citrus, and sesame in sun-dried soy sauce.

Teriyaki sauce is often used as a marinade for fish (especially grilled chicken), but it can also be used in the oven or broiler, in a skillet, slow cooker, or even in a wok.

Teppanyaki VS. Yakitori

The main similarity between teppanyaki and teriyaki is the name. Both contain the word "yaki", which roughly translates to grilling or boiling. This is quite true as both cuisines usually deal with grilled (or cooked) food.

However, they also have many differences. Teppanyaki is a performative culinary art that refers to the style of cooking food on a flat teppan grill, while teriyaki usually refers to the sauce itself. Interestingly, although yaki chicken is usually cooked on a flame grill, yaki can also be used for teppanyaki cooking.

Teppanyaki and teriyaki also have different origins. Teppanyaki originated in Japan but was strongly influenced by the West, while teriyaki originated in Hawaii but was strongly influenced by Japanese immigration. It's fun, right?

Final Thoughts

Many people may confuse teppanyaki with yaki, but they are very different. They are similar in that they contain the word "yaki" which means to grill or boil. However, teppanyaki is a cooking method that uses a large metal plate or teppanyaki pan to grill food. Meanwhile, teriyaki refers to a sauce used to grill or broiled.