Benihana Restaurant

Benihana – the flavour of Japan
In 1964, there emerged on the fiercely competitive New York restaurant scene a totally new concept in fine dining. It was called Benihana of Tokyo, and its founder, a young Japanese Olympic wrestler named Rocky Aoki, has since nurtured his theme into America’s Most Popular Family Restaurant, and an international food chain.

Benihana Restaurant

The name "Benihana" comes from the poetic Japanese words for red flower, with the origin of the story actually dating back to 1935 when the late Yunosuke Aoki (Rocky’s Father) opened a small coffee shop and called it "Benihana" after a wild red flower that grew near the front door.

Benihana’s food preparation methods immediately set it apart from other restaurants, as it had no conventional kitchen. Instead, chefs prepared all entrees on the same table, called a "hibachi", around which up to eight guests could be seated. Gas jets, which heat stainless steel cooking surfaces surrounded by board wooden borders, soon became a Benihana trademark.