Barbecues are an inseparable tradition of Australian culture. We all know that nothing goes together better with Australia’s beautiful summer weather than the great Aussie barbecue. 

However, just as barbecue is an important representative of Australian cuisine, teppanyaki is also an important representative of Japanese cuisine.

Teppanyaki and barbecue may have some overlapping similarities, but they also have their own differences. If you would like to learn more about whether or not teppanyaki cooking is the same as a barbecue, then please keep on reading as we compare the two. 

What Is A Barbecue?

It is important to distinguish first the difference between barbecue and teppanyaki. As such, let’s discuss exactly what happens with a barbecue. 

A typical Australian barbecue makes use of a barbecue grill that is open-air and has a gas system. They are often found in various parks across Australia and, interestingly enough, more than two-thirds of Australian homes own a barbecue grill!

Typically ingredients that you may find in an Australian barbecue include sausages, steaks, pork, seafood, and other sidings such as white bread, tomato sauce and various salads. 

The three main cuts of meat you will find at Australian barbecues include lamb cuts such as lamb chops or lamb shanks; beef cuts such as steaks or rib roasts; and pork cuts such as pork belly or pork chops. Clearly, meat is a big component of Australian barbecues.

What Is Teppanyaki?

Teppanyaki is a Japanese style of cooking that makes use of a flat iron grill. In fact, it is in the name itself, where “teppan” means iron plate and “yaki” means griddled or grilled. The name itself describes how the food is cooked.

With teppanyaki cooking, guests are seated around a large table where they can watch the chef cook their food right in front of them. It is quite a performative style of cooking. This is because the chefs are trained to perform various tricks such as flipping shrimp tails into their pockets or creating a flaming onion volcano.

Teppanyaki dishes are composed of fresh and flavourful ingredients that are often lightly seasoned. Ingredients may include meat such as steak, chicken, or seafood; dough-based foods such as yakisoba and rice; and small, finely chopped vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, and bean sprouts.

Other seasonings such as vinegar, pepper, soy sauce, garlic, and wine are also often found in teppanyaki cooking. 

Western-style teppanyaki commonly makes use of beef, chicken, scallops, lobster, shrimp, and vegetables cooked in soybean oil. Meanwhile, Japanese-style teppanyaki often uses yakisoba, sliced meat or seafood, and cabbage cooked in vegetable oil, animal fat, or both. 

Teppanyaki vs. Barbecue

Teppanyaki and barbecue have a few similarities but perhaps more differences. They are similar in that they are both styles of cooking that involve grilling different types of food.

However, an important distinction between the two is the equipment that they are cooked on. While barbecue makes use of an open-air grill, teppanyaki makes use of a flat iron grill (as enshrined in the name itself). 

The grills are also usually powered by different sources. Teppanyaki grills are usually powered by propane while barbecue grills are usually powered by gas. Propane is considered advantageous since it can burn hotter than natural gas. 

Moreover, teppanyaki often uses a variety of ingredients that are not just meat. Barbecues usually cook various cuts of meat while teppanyaki can also cook dough-based food or other finely chopped vegetables. Teppanyaki also often cooks sliced meat, whereas barbecues often cook meat as a whole.

Teppanyaki is also considered a performative art since teppanyaki chefs are trained to be skilled in various culinary tricks. You can also often find teppanyaki in restaurant settings. Barbecue, meanwhile, is not necessarily performative and can be found in both casual and restaurant settings. 

Summary

Barbecues are a big part of Australian cuisine. We love to sit back, relax, and have a good sausage sizzle. 

With a barbecue, its speciality dishes include a variety of different meat. Occasional sidings such as bread and salads can also be seen, but it is primarily focused on cooking different cuts of meat on an open-air grill.

Meanwhile, teppanyaki cooks not only meat but also dough-based food such as yakisoba and other sidings such as vegetables. Teppanyaki makes use of a flat iron grill and is also considered a performative culinary art. 

So, while they have some similarity in the fact that they both grill food and occasionally use the same meat, they are actually quite different from each other. 

If you are in Melbourne and want to enjoy an authentic Japanese Restaurant in Doncaster, you simply can’t go past Kobe Teppanyaki.

For reservations please call us today on 03 9841 9889 or visit here for bookings and enquiries.