Rocky Aoki, founder of the ubiquitous Benihana Japanese steak house chain in North America, died last week in New York. He was 69: Benihana Founder Rocky Aoki Passes Away. No cause of death was specified, but he had been battling diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, and hepatitis C.
Aoki was a former wrestler on the Japanese Olympic team, but apparently couldn't compete at the 1960 games in Rome because he was over the weight limit. He found his way to New York City in 1964, where he opened the first Benihana... a restaurant chain which has grown to about 90 restaurants worldwide.
The concept for the restaurant was inspired from specialty restaurants Aoki knew of in Japan where patrons sit around a communal grill as chefs prepare meals with a flourish (thus, the acrobatic knife performances). He chose to serve food Americans were familiar with, such as chicken, steak and shrimp.
The guy led a very crazy, colorful life, which included financial run-ins with the law, competing in a number of cross-country and cross-ocean races, and three marriages (three of his seven children were apparently conceived in a single one-year span by different women). His kids include model/actress Devon Aoki and Dim Mak Records CEO Steve Aoki. More here: Hiraoki 'Rocky' Aoki, 69; former Olympic wrestler founded Benihana restaurant chain.
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