I’ve learned that itadakimasu means thank you for the meal, I humbly accept or something along the line. My question is, do you say “itadakimasu” to the person serving food (mom, host, waitress) as a thankful gesture, or do you just say it to the table and to everybody as is the case with bon apettit?
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Hmm, I guess sort of to the table…
Often times you will see people kind of looking down toward their plate (sometimes making a “prayer hands” kind of gesture) sort of like you would say “amen” if you were saying grace before eating?
Both. It could be the person paying for the meal. You can also say it to nobody or the food itself.
You can also say it to a person if they give you an edible gift even if you aren’t going to eat it immediately.
It is the respectful form of “I receive,” (もらう) and you say it before eating, not after. It’s also how you would make a request to someone “above” your station. (ていただけませんか？)