The story of Benihana had its roots in Japan when Yunosuke Aoki, a samurai descendant and a popular Japanese entertainer together with his wife Katsu, opened a small coffee shop in Tokyo. A red safflower found in the neighbourhood streets gave the Aoki’s the inspiration for the restaurant’s name;‘Benihana – or ‘red flower’ in Japanese.
The family’s four sons grew up with the coffee shop, which later became a full-service restaurant. Each of them understood the restaurant business from the ground up – the importance of absolute cleanliness in the kitchen, using the freshest ingredients and the very best cooking tools money could buy.
The eldest son, Hiroaki also grasped the important lesson of offering guests something out of the ordinary and he could not help but inherit his father’s appreciation for the ‘theatrical.’ There was something magical about his combination and the thought stayed with him as he completed college in Japan.
Hiroaki later earned a place on the Japanese Olympic wrestling team which brought him to America. By the time Hiroaki arrived in the US in 1960, he had already begun to form the idea that this country might be ready for a marriage of a different kind of food – presented with an entertaining flair.
Adopting a name which would be easier for Westerners to pronounce, Hiroaki ‘Rocky’ Aoki as he now called himself, set off to have his dream become reality. He worked seven days a week selling ice cream in New York City and studied restaurant management at night. Through saving and borrowing, Rocky scraped together enough money to finance his first four-table restaurant on New York’s West 56thStreet.
As they worked within the authentic Japanese farmhouse interior, the Benihana dining concept gradually came into focus. Food would be prepared right at the table with dazzling effects by highly trained chefs.
FAQs
A key to Benihana's success was its ability to create a standard product that customers would be happy with, in spite of the fact that if customers go to a competitor they get a customized product (they get to sit at a table with only their own party, they get to select from a larger menu, they may request that the ...
How does Benihana's strategy differ from that of a typical sit down restaurant How are the production processes different? ›
- Teppanyaki-style dining experience: Benihana follows a unique teppanyaki-style dining experience where chefs prepare meals in front of customers at communal tables. This interactive cooking process is not typically seen in a regular restaurant.
What happened to the original owner of Benihana? ›
Sadly, Rocky Aoki died in 2008 at the age of 69. But, his legacy lives on with more than 70 Benihana restaurants in the United States, Caribbean, and Central and South America, and more than 100 million meals served.
What does Benihana mean in Japanese? ›
A red safflower found in the neighbourhood streets gave the Aoki's the inspiration for the restaurant's name; 'Benihana – or 'red flower' in Japanese. The family's four sons grew up with the coffee shop, which later became a full-service restaurant.
What did Benihana go to jail for? ›
Rocky Aoki, founder of the Benihana Japanese restaurant chain, was sentenced to three years of probation and fined $500,000 for illegally profiting from a 1993 tip that Spectrum Information Technologies Inc. was about to hire former Apple Computer Inc. chief John Sculley.
What's so special about Benihana? ›
Our teppanyaki chefs present our guests with the meat before it hits the grill so they can see the condition. Full of Flavor. Every cut of meat we use is lean, tender and full of flavor, making it ideal for grilling. Hand-Cut on Premises.
Does Benihana make you sit with strangers? ›
The food menu offers limited choices (and no special requests!), and you order food while settled in the bar. Only when the time is right will you be seated—alongside people you've never met before—in pre-selected groups of 12. The first course is cooked right in front of your eyes.
How does Benihana get its competitive advantage? ›
This service concept brought forth the competitive advantage to Benihana restaurant. By having chefs outside cooking; it allows the restaurant to save labor costs and offer more attentive services. The menu limitation also lowers the costs. The space was fully utilized to maximize the profits.
Do you tip Benihana chef separately? ›
Yes, it's a kind gesture to tip the chef separately for their performance and skill, in addition to the standard restaurant tip. Is it rude not to eat everything prepared at a hibachi restaurant? While it's polite to try everything served, it's understandable if you can't finish everything.
Who did Rocky Aoki leave his money to? ›
He disinherited the 4 and executed a new will, which left his assets to Keiko and gave her control over the disbursem*nt of 75% of his estate to the remaining 2 Aoki kids after his death: the cake-throwing DJ Steve Aoki, and his youngest daughter, the former face of Versace, Devon Aoki.
In 1999, Aoki pleaded guilty to insider trading charges and was fined $500,000 and given three years' probation. Aoki was placed in deportation proceedings as a result of his guilty plea/conviction, but was granted relief by an immigration judge and his permanent resident ("green card") status maintained.
How much did Steve Aoki inherit? ›
Los Angeles model Devon Aoki, 36, and Las Vegas-based DJ Steve Aoki, 42, are set to share $50 million when each turns 45.
What is it called when they cook in front of you at Benihana? ›
In the United States, teppanyaki (more commonly known simply as hibachi) was made famous by the Benihana restaurant chain, which opened its first restaurant in New York in 1964. Though Benihana cooks their food teppanyaki-style, they also serve dishes such as hibachi steak and chicken.
What is the Benihana style called? ›
ALL ABOUT TEPPANYAKI
What does teppanyaki mean? It means, quite literally, broiled on a steel grill, which is the definition of Japanese teppanyaki-style cooking in its most simple form.
What does hibachi stand for? ›
The word hibachi means “fire bowl” and refers to the cylindrical shape of the container, which has an open top and is designed to burn wood or charcoal. Hibachi containers are made out of wood or ceramic and are lined with metal.
What is Benihana business strategy? ›
It summarizes Benihana's business strategy, which focuses on reducing costs through process standardization, simplified menus, and multi-tasking chefs. This allows Benihana to achieve lower food, labor and operating costs than traditional restaurants.
What is the secret of hibachi? ›
The main ingredient that is key to making hibachi at home is the garlic butter. You will notice it is heavily used at hibachi restaurants and gets added to every dish. You only need soften butter, garlic and a few seasoning to make this compound butter.
How does Benihana tips work? ›
All servers must tip out %15 of their sales to bussers, chefs, and bartenders, even if we receive no tips. For instance, if I get a 0% tip on a $200 check, I still have to tip-out $30. Other than the tip-out system, Benihana is a friendly place to work, and there is definitely opportunity for growth.
