An is a cook in a

Japanese kitchen The Japanese kitchen ( ja, , translit=Daidokoro, lit=kitchen) is the place where food is prepared in a Japanese house. Until the Meiji era, a kitchen was also called ''kamado'' (; lit. stove) and there are many sayings in the Japanese language t ...

or a chef of a large restaurant. The term can be translated literally as "in front of the board," referring to a

cutting board A cutting board (or chopping board) is a durable board on which to place material for cutting. The kitchen cutting board is commonly used in preparing food; other types exist for cutting raw materials such as leather or plastic. Kitchen cutting bo ...

''Itamae'' as sushi chef

In the western world, an ''itamae'' is often associated with

sushi is a Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice," also ...

(also commonly referred to as "sushi chefs"). In Japan, becoming an ''itamae'' of sushi requires years of training and apprenticeship. After several years of training, an apprentice may be promoted to the position of ''"wakiita,"'' which translates to ''"near the cutting board."'' The ''wakiitas duties include daily preparation of the fresh ingredients, such as preparing blocks of fish, grating ginger, and slicing

scallion Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus '' Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, c ...

s. Eventually, the

apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...

might begin to prepare sushi for clients with

take-away A take-out or takeout (U.S., Canada, and the Philippines); carry-out or to-go (Scotland and some dialects in the U.S. and Canada); takeaway (England, Wales, Australia, Lebanon, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and occasionally in Nort ...

orders. The ''wakiita'' also learns proper ways to interact and treat restaurant's customers by observing senior ''itamae.'' After additional years of training as a ''wakiita,'' the apprentice can be appointed as an ''itamae,'' fully authorized to stand in front of the cutting board. It is a common Japanese legend that a truly great ''itamae-san'' ("san" is an honorific suffix) should be able to create

nigirizushi is a Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice," als ...

in which all of the rice grains face the same direction. ''Itamae'' training is conducted all over the world, including Japan, the USA and the UK. The process can take from 2 to 20 years. The terms “Itamae” and “Shokunin” are used as a title for the chef. “Itamae” refers to a skilled sushi chef, while "Shokunin" means someone skilled at a profession. While it is not necessary to be Japanese in order to be considered an ''itamae'', non Japanese must prove themselves worthy of such a title. ''Itamae'' traditionally wear a uniform of a white hat, white coat and apron, and frequently wear their knife in a sheath off the waist. Dave Lowry, in his book "The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi: Everything You Need to Know About Sushi" he describes the four criteria to judge a good itamae: # How he handles the food. # How he handles his food utensils. # How he treats his clients # How he behaves, moves and works. {{Reflist

External links

Dave Lowry: The connoisseur's guide to sushi: everything you need to know about sushi
Japanese cuisine Kitchen Sushi Chefs