Benihana facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Hiroaki Aoki |
| Headquarters |
Aventura, Florida (North America)
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Benihana Bldg. 9th Floor, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Japan) |
|
Key people
|
Tom Baldwin (President and CEO) |
| Products | Japanese cuisine |
| Revenue |  US$314M (FY 2010) |
|
Operating income
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 −US$7.74M (FY 2010) |
| −US$10.0M (FY 2010) |
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| Total assets | US$234M (FY 2010) |
| Total equity | US$144M (FY 2010) |
| Owner | Angelo Gordon |
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Number of employees
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7400 |
| Divisions | Benihana, Samurai, Haru, RA Sushi |
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Benihana Inc. is a famous American restaurant company. It was started by Hiroaki Aoki in New York City in 1964. Today, its main office is in Aventura, Florida. Benihana owns or licenses 79 Japanese-style restaurants worldwide. These include its main Benihana Teppanyaki brand, plus Haru and RA Sushi restaurants. Benihana was the first to bring the teppanyaki restaurant idea to the United States. This style of cooking started in Japan in the late 1940s.
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How Benihana Started
The first Benihana restaurant opened in 1964. It was on West 56th Street in New York City. The founder was 25-year-old Hiroaki Aoki. He is the father of famous DJ Steve Aoki and model Devon Aoki.
Aoki was a wrestler who almost went to the 1960 Summer Olympics. He started his restaurant with US$10,000 (equivalent to $94,356 in 2022). He earned this money by driving an ice cream truck in Harlem. The first restaurant was called Benihana of Tokyo. It was named after the red safflower flower. This flower was also the name of his parents' coffee shop in Tokyo.
Aoki's idea was to make dinner a show. A chef would cook right at your table. They would use knives and tell jokes. This cooking style is called teppanyaki. Teppan means "steel grill" and yaki means "grilled." At first, the restaurant was not very busy. But in early 1965, a food critic named Clementine Paddleford wrote a great review. After that, many people wanted to visit. Even famous people like The Beatles and Muhammad Ali ate at the small, four-table restaurant.
Within a year, Aoki opened a bigger restaurant. It had samurai armor and heavy wooden beams. It also had sliding shōji screens for privacy.
Growing the Restaurant Chain
In 1968, Benihana opened its first restaurant outside New York City. This new location was in Chicago.
Over the years, Benihana grew a lot. In 1995, the company bought 17 more restaurants. These were from Benihana of Tokyo.
The company also expanded by buying other restaurant brands. These include the Haru and RA Sushi restaurants. Haru is based in New York City. RA Sushi has locations across the country. It started in Scottsdale, Arizona. Benihana also bought Samurai and Kyoto restaurants. These were later added to its other brands.
In 2004, Benihana made a deal to get money to update its restaurants. This helped them grow even more.
Collectibles and Leadership Changes
Benihana is also known for its unique "tiki mugs". These mugs are used for special drinks. Many of them show "Hotei", a happy, buddha-like figure. These mugs have become popular items for collectors.
Hiroaki Aoki, the founder, passed away in 2008. He was 69 years old.
After Aoki, new leaders took over the company. In 2009, Richard C. Stockinger became the chief executive. Then, in 2010, he also became president. Later, Steve Shlemon became president and CEO in 2014. In 2016, Thomas J. Baldwin took over as CEO and president.
In 2012, a company called Angelo Gordon & Company bought Benihana. The deal was worth $296 million. In 2024, Benihana was bought again by One Group Hospitality Inc. This deal was worth $365 million.
Benihana Around the World
Benihana has restaurants in many countries. They are in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other places.
- North America
- South America
- Europe
- Middle East
- South Asia
See also
In Spanish: Benihana para niños
- List of Japanese restaurants
- List of sushi restaurants
