What is Yama used by sushi chefs?
This time, I will explain in detail the industry term yama used by sushi chefs.
Yama has two meanings
The word yama used in sushi restaurants has two meanings.
The first one is about bamboo. “Yama”, which means bamboo, is a decoration used to enhance the beauty of sushi, and the name comes from the fact that bamboo is harvested from the mountains.
And the second one refers to the fact that the sushi toppings have run out. On the other hand, there is a theory that “many sushi ingredients are harvested from the sea, and you can’t even go to the mountains to find them,” which is why the word “yama” came to refer to items that are out of stock.
Other industry terms used by sushi chefs
In sushi restaurants, there is also an industry term called kawa (river), which comes from the natural word yama (mountain). Kawa is an industry term used for “recommended products.” Various other terms are also used, such as murasaki, which means soy sauce, agari, which means tea, and kappa, which means cucumber.
It is said that the reason sushi chefs use industry terminology is to communicate in a way that only staff can understand, so as not to convey negative information to customers. However, there are some words like “kawa” that do not have a negative meaning.
So why do sushi chefs use such industry terminology? The reason is that by using short words, information can be conveyed in short conversations, and staff can collaborate more smoothly. In order to provide the best service to customers, sushi restaurants employ various methods.
