Japanese Kitchen Terms in English: A Glossary for Your Team

In a Japanese restaurant kitchen abroad, Japanese and English get mixed. The chef from Japan says "nikiri o hiitoite" and the local cook has no idea what is meant. Different people then translate the same word in different ways, and the confusion grows.

This guide lists terms commonly used in Japanese kitchens, with ways to say them in English. Use it as the reference for consistent wording in job postings, training manuals and day to day instructions. Sushi and fish terms are in a separate list: sushi and fish terms in English.

1. How to use these tables

• Decide which words stay Japanese and which become English. Words that are understood in English, such as dashi, miso, mirin and sake, can stay in romaji, with a short explanation the first time they appear.
• Pick one version for your kitchen. The English in the tables is an example. Whatever you choose, use it consistently in the manual and in spoken instructions.
• Use Hepburn romanisation. Match long vowels to your menu (shoyu or shōyu, for example).

2. Kitchen roles and stations

How these roles map to Western kitchen titles, and how to name them in a visa application, is covered in Japanese kitchen roles explained.

3. Cooking methods

4. Knives and cuts

Filleting terms (sanmai oroshi, saku-dori and so on) are in the sushi and fish terms list.

5. Dashi and seasonings

6. Prep, menu courses and service

Kaiseki menu structures vary by restaurant. Cut or add rows to match your own service.

7. Mapping ingredients to allergen categories

Many Japanese ingredients hide allergens that English-speaking guests and staff will not spot. US law identifies nine major food allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame), and food businesses in the UK must manage information on 14 allergens. Common Japanese ingredients map to the categories they may fall under as follows. Always check the ingredient list of the actual product you use.

Managing allergens as part of your hygiene manual reduces mistakes. See how to write a kitchen training manual for local staff.

General information. The English terms are examples, not official translations. Allergen labelling obligations differ by country and region and are revised over time. Check the current rules where your restaurant operates and the ingredient list of each product you use.