The Japanese chef who specializes in making sushi is called an itamae. In everyday Japanese usage, itamae can mean a cook or chef, but outside Japan the term is especially associated with a sushi chef working behind the counter.
The word is often translated as “in front of the board,” referring to the cutting board where the chef prepares ingredients. Becoming an itamae traditionally involves years of apprenticeship. A junior worker may begin as a wakiita, or “near the cutting board,” preparing ingredients and learning kitchen routines before being entrusted with more advanced sushi work.
An itamae’s role involves much more than slicing fish. The chef prepares sushi rice, selects and cuts seafood, handles knives, shapes nigiri, manages timing, and interacts with guests. The title is sometimes confused with shokunin, a broader term for a highly skilled craftsperson, or sensei, an honorific meaning teacher or master. Ronin refers to a masterless samurai, not a culinary profession.