While the practice of cooking on iron plates has always had ancient roots, Teppanyaki as a distinct dining experience emerged as a primary cooking style at the turn of the century. Teppanyaki, a style of fire cooking cuisine directly on an iron griddle (teppan).

Teppanyaki (tuh·paan·yuh·kee) is derived from the word “teppan” in Japan, which means metal plate. “Yaki” means grilled, fried, and pan-fried. So, the literal translation would be grilling on a metal plate.
It is commonly used interchangeably with the term Hibachi, but the two are different.