noun
A somewhat literary or old-fashioned term for a cook or chef, emphasizing the person who wields a kitchen knife (包丁). Not the most common everyday word; 料理人 or シェフ are more typical in modern Japanese.
彼は一流の包丁者として知られている。
He is known as a first-rate chef.
Modern loanword for chef, especially in Western cuisine contexts.
Compound of 包丁 (ほうちょう, 'kitchen knife') and 者 (しゃ, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of naming a professional by their tool.