noun
A somewhat formal or traditional term for a professional cook or chef, often implying skill with a knife. Less common in everyday speech than 料理人 or シェフ.
彼は有名な料亭で包丁師として働いている。
He works as a chef at a famous traditional Japanese restaurant.
包丁師の腕前は、その包丁さばきを見ればわかる。
You can tell a chef's skill by watching how they handle a knife.
Loanword from French, widely used for a chef, especially in Western cuisine contexts. More casual and modern than 包丁師.
Compound of 包丁 (ほうちょう, 'kitchen knife') and 師 (し, 'master, specialist'), literally 'knife master'. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it likely arose as a respectful term for a skilled cook.