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Rocky Aoki, founder of Benihana steak house chain, dies at 69

Saturday 12th July, 05:33 AM JST

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12 Comments

  • rjd_jr at 06:47 AM JST - 12th July

    Rest in peace, Benihana a true American original!

  • OssanULTRA at 07:14 AM JST - 12th July

    Definitely Rocky Aoki played a very big role in introducing "Japanese Food" to the United Statres, even if it wasn't traditional. I remember going to Beni Hana's in the 70s when the performing chefs were still actually Japanese. RIP. Oh and I noticed recently his daughter Devon's been showing up in movies, like Sin City and others.

  • Hawkeye at 11:38 AM JST - 12th July

    Sorry to hear of Rocky's demise. I remember going to Benihana in Manhattan, New York City when I was just 10 or 11 during the mid sixties and was blown away by the Japanese teppanyaki chefs and their antics at the table. I think this started my Japanophilia as well as when Akiko Wakabayashi turned up and turned me on in "you only live twice" with Sean Connery.

  • shugotokumaru at 01:06 PM JST - 12th July

    Didn't he have a wicked jerry curl, too? Either way, he was great.

  • wilbur at 01:35 PM JST - 12th July

    i raced speedboats with Rocky...he was without a doubt, the coolest guy japan has or will ever produce

  • presto345 at 04:46 PM JST - 12th July

    Too young to go. He will be greatly missed.

  • outofmydepth at 07:54 PM JST - 12th July

    yes, he will be missed.

  • Beelzebub at 08:52 PM JST - 12th July

    Only 69... a persuasive argument for vegetarianism, methinks.

  • rtrhead1 at 11:11 PM JST - 12th July

    Yeah, perhaps if he died of heart disease or something along those lines. It was pneumonia. Does being a vegetarian prevent pneumonia?

  • Richard_the_First at 12:11 AM JST - 13th July

    Ate in the Piccadilly, London branch many times. Delicious food. R.I.P.

  • akaguma at 01:56 AM JST - 13th July

    another steak rocky?

  • JohnBecker at 06:32 AM JST - 13th July

    It's sad to know that Mr. Aoki is gone. He did a lot to make Japanese cuisine available to American diners. I just wish they hadn't done so much to make Americans believe that a visit to a Japanese restaurants means cutlery acrobatics. It's a rare thing to find truly authentic Japanese food in the States.

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