Japanese: BBQ Any Way You Like It

Yakitoriand Teriyaki: With these grilling methods, the chef grills over charcoal on a bamboo skewer be-hind the counter as customers watch in awe and delight. Yakitori and Teriyaki can be considered to be “fast-food Japanese grilled cuisine, as customer interaction is more passive. The main meat for Yakitori is always chicken, and meat marinated or basted in teriyaki sauce is the main ingredient for Teriyaki. All the items are seasoned with salt or sauce. Customers usually select two skewers of the same or different items. Traditional seasonings can be shichimi (seven-spice mixture) or mustard dip. Popular Yakitori skewers include all kinds of chicken and chicken parts, pepper, onion, Shiitake, leek and Ginkgo nuts. Serving Tips: Make up your own skewers, pick from a menu of a variety of choices, traditional or otherwise. Invent “kid-friendly” meals, even put fun and different local ingredients on the skewers – almost everything goes with chicken! Mini Yakitori and Teriyaki skewers can be great starters or appetizers for any occasion. And they make a wonderful cooking station at a buffet. Search for an interesting variety of sauces and condiments including the traditional. Some additives that may look strange to you may be very well received by your more adventurous customer. And, the local press may be very impressed. The Teppanyaki Experience: There is an-other method of providing the Asian grill experience for your customer, and that is Teppanyaki. Teppanyaki is stir-fried meat and vegetables cooked and eaten off a large, table-top grill. The grill is either at the customer’s table or at a large station within the restaurant where customers can sit directly in front of the grill. Stir-fried bean sprouts are almost always served along with a side dish of shopped onions. Sashimi, while not itself a Teppanyaki-style dish, is often on the menu. Light seasoning and fresh ingredients are the keys to Teppanyaki’s success. This is especially important because Teppanyaki-style cooking enhances rather than covers up the original flavor of its ingredients. Seasonings are usually limited to soy sauce, wine, vine-gar, and salt and pepper. Garlic is used generously when preparing bean sprouts, meat and chicken. There are clear advantages to offering Teppanyaki to customers. Teppanyaki meals are delicious, healthy and aesthetically pleasing. Diners can tell the chef exactly how they want each dish prepared. Health-conscious customers can determine the variety and amount of seasoning and oil they want in each dish. With the chef working right in front of you, it is easy to make sure he follows instructions. In some restaurants diners can even select their own chef. The quality of Teppanyaki ingredients also make it a healthy choice compared to other barbecue-type cuisines. Serving Tips: Most Teppanyaki restaurants are upscale establishments. Many restaurants offer separate dining rooms for groups of customers, including a dessert-and beverage bar and piano music. Some dining areas even have sofas and coffee tables, and offer lunch-eon specials for the business crowd. The chef must have unique abilities beyond cooking skills. They must be patient, work well with people and are true crowd pleasers. So, make sure your Teppanyaki chef has a full closet of uniforms, culinary skills that are impeccable, and a winning way with the customer.