Teppanyaki Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Homemade Teppanyaki

Teppanyaki is a cooking technique and popular style of Japanese cuisine. The word “teppanyaki” is a combination of teppan, which refers to a flat-top iron griddle or iron plate, and yaki, meaning grilled or cooked. You can cook a range of ingredients on a teppan, including sliced meat, seafood, and vegetables, savory pancakes like okonomiyaki and monjayaki, and pan-fried noodles like yakisoba.

Teppanyaki restaurants date back to 1945, when a Japanese restaurant chain in Kobe popularized the preparation of Western-style dishes on a teppan-style grill. All the kitchen action took place in front of guests, many of whom were Americans stationed in the country in the final years of World War II. Over time, the steakhouse’s reputation for showmanship became a signature part of the cooking style.

Contemporary Western-style teppanyaki focuses on performance—think onion ring volcanoes billowing steam and flying shrimp tails. Japanese-style teppanyaki chefs are a bit staider, focusing on high-end foods like Wagyu and Kobe beef and fine seafood, without the typical sauces and side dishes like fried rice.

Though both cornerstones of communal dining experiences, teppanyaki and hibachi are distinct.

• Hibachi uses charcoal. Hibachi refers to a cooking technique using portable barbecue grills, but its name is a bit of a misnomer. In Japan, hibachi refers to an indoor heating implement meant for boiling water. In North America, hibachi refers to the small charcoal or cast-iron grills known as shichirin in Japan.
• A teppanyaki grill utilizes propane. A teppanyaki grill, also known as a hot plate, has a flat surface and is typically heated by propane.

Few things are cozier than gathering around a table for a teppanyaki-style meal, where everyone gets to be involved. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. 1. Use a teppan. To make teppanyaki at home, you’ll need a flat-top griddle or an electric hot plate that you can set in the center of a table. You can find many high-quality, affordable models online.
2. 2. Try creative ingredients. Get creative with your teppanyaki spread: Take inspirations from seasonal produce, and experiment with all kinds of proteins, from meat to seafood to tofu.
3. 3. Ventilate the cooking space. Indoor grilling can get a little smoky, so depending on your space, it might help to crack a few windows and turn on the stove range to maintain adequate ventilation.