A combination griddle and teppanyaki cooking unit for a household cooking appliance or stand-alone cooking appliance is provided in which the combination griddle and teppanyaki cooking unit includes a cooking surface, a first heating unit for heating a first portion of the cooking surface, and a second heating unit for heating a second portion of the cooking surface, wherein the first heating unit and the second heating unit are selectively operable to uniformly heat an entire area of the cooking surface in a griddle mode of operation and to concentrate a greater amount of heat in a first area of the cooking surface than in a second area of the cooking surface in a teppanyaki mode of operation.