What is Hibachi? A Guide to the Popular Japanese Cuisine

Hibachi cooking will always be a feast for the senses. When guests make a reservation at any hibachi restaurant, they'll feel the heat from the grill and hear the savoring sound of food cooking to perfection. After a fun little show from the hibachi chef, guests get their dinner tossed onto a plate, all to create a night worth remembering for years to come.

However, not everyone's aware of the art of hibachi cuisine, especially when it comes to the types of food served and hibachi's unique history alongside other types of Japanese cuisine. To help make sure everyone's on the same page, let's answer some common questions about hibachi grilling, food preparation, and more.

What does hibachi mean?

In its original form, hibachi refers to small vase-like pots filled with charcoal or ash. According to Japanese Food Guide, it is believed hibachi began in the Heian period of Japan between 794 and 1185. At that time, guests used hibachi pots as a heat source for guests and family members during the colder seasons. The Japanese word for hibachi specifically translates to "fire pot".

In its contemporary context, the term hibachi often refers to the large charcoal grill where an enthusiastic chef cooks food in front of a seated audience of hungry guests. However, due to the rise of restaurants like Benihana, guests often conflate hibachi with teppanyaki grilling, a restaurant concept that borrows heavily from the traditional hibachi experience. Read further to explore the key differences between teppanyaki and hibachi grilling.

Difference between hibachi vs. teppanyaki grills

Enter any hibachi restaurant and you'll see the usual staples associated with contemporary teppanyaki restaurants. A skilled chef will be preparing an onion volcano or flipping shrimp tails onto plates. However, even though hibachi and teppanyaki are often mislabeled as a single type of grilled Japanese-style cuisine, they refer to two different forms of Japanese cooking.

As we mentioned earlier, hibachi originally referred to the use of a small charcoal grill to create a distinct smoky flavor while grilling food. Traditional hibachi grills were smaller in size and featured a medium-sized iron plate or fire bowl. After WW2, as Japanese culture and food became popular, several restaurant owners felt inspired hibachi style to create a new type of dining experience where guests sit around a teppanyaki grill while skilled chefs cook food on a large flat iron griddle.

Since teppanyaki grills typically offer a wider seating arrangement, the contemporary teppanyaki cooking style includes more of a theatrical flair to its performance. Many teppanyaki chefs crack eggs (and jokes) while performing stylish food tricks, all to create a memorable dining experience worthy of a social media post.

Meanwhile, a modern hibachi restaurant brings a more intimate dining experience than a teppanyaki restaurant. If anything, it's best to see contemporary hibachi and teppanyaki restaurants as cousins with distinct yet respectful opinions on the craft of Japanese grilling.

Common hibachi cooking techniques

Similar to the way sushi chefs prepare maki and nigiri, hibachi chefs need to cut and serve different food as precisely as possible, all with an added flair of improvisation. While some hibachi techniques can't be performed at home, here are some typical cooking styles hibachi chefs will use to create delicious bites:

Flame cooking is the most iconic part of any hibachi grill restaurant. A well-trained chef knows the value of the grill's heat, and how to turn every ingredient into a delectable meal.
Knife skills are the bread-and-butter of any hibachi experience since it shows how well a chef has honed their craft. Anyone can tap a knife on a hot grill. Only a hibachi chef can use a knife to construct an onion volcano, and then perfectly slice up some shrimp cooked in soy sauce.

Tossing and flipping food brings another extra flair to the hibachi experience since it's another showcase of skills that most guests won't typically see when cooking on their own. A skilled hibachi chef won't hesitate to balance an egg on their spatula in one hand while chopping up some vegetables with the other hand.
Steam cooking offers a nifty shortcut that hibachi chefs use to evenly cook rice, eggs, and veggies. The chef simply places a small metal dome over the food to trap the grill's steam, and voila! In the meantime, the chef is now free to perform other tricks and serve food.

Is hibachi healthy or unhealthy?

Hibachi isn't considered healthy as a meal option. While you can enjoy some exquisite flavors in any hibachi restaurant, most chefs prepare food in the hibachi style with oils and fats. A hibachi steak and fried rice demand certain ingredients with high levels of sodium. In a similar sense, it's considered quite unhealthy for anyone to consume excessive amounts of raw meat, shellfish, and heavy amounts of alcohol.

If a guest wants to eat healthier at a hibachi grill, they should consider food options with less oil and butter. More hibachi restaurants are building their menus to include vegetarian and low-calorie options, such as grilled veggies or normal white rice, alongside the usual staples of Japanese cuisine.

SpotOn and the Hibachi dining experience

For restaurant owners, capturing the essence of hibachi isn't only about grill. It's about crafting a story diners will remember. The right technology can make all the difference in bringing that story to life. SpotOn's restaurant POS system is designed to keep the magic flowing seamlessly. From seating and reservations to accurately placing orders, restaurant staff and chefs can focus on what they do best.