Benihana

Moving into its 43rd year, Benihana introduces a new prototypewith a more contemporary design and ambiance to attract awider customer base, improve operational efficiency and reduce capital expenditures.

In 1964, when Rocky Aoki opened the first Benihana restaurant near the theater district in New York City, he believed the chefs' showmanship -- preparing meals at individual guests' tables -- would be a key attraction. A Japanese farmhouse interior surrounded tables with adjoining steel grills for chefs to cook beef, chicken, shrimp and vegetables teppanyaki-style. (Teppan means "steel grill" and yaki means "broiled.") At the time, this style of Japanese cooking was rare, if not unique, in the United States.

At first, only one or two customers a day came into the restaurant. Aoki family members moonlighted at other restaurants to pay the bills. Six months after the restaurant's opening, a New York restaurant critic lauded the new establishment. Soon after, Aoki is said to have had to turn customers away. In 1983, the initial public stock offering took place followed by further growth and acquisitions. Today, the Benihana chain is the largest operator of teppanyaki-style restaurants in the country with 59 company units, seven Haru Sushi restaurants and 13 Ra Sushi restaurants. In addition, 17 franchised Benihana teppanyaki restaurants operate in the United States and Latin America.

The owners of Benihana credit this concept that makes eating part of the entertainment with "paving the way in America for the popularity of other Japanese cooking styles and food products," including sushi. The concept itself originated after World War II in Japan. Yunosuke Aoki, a samurai descendant and popular Japanese entertainer, and his wife Katsu opened a small coffee shop in Tokyo named Benihana, which means "red flower" in Japanese. Red safflowers were a common sight in the neighborhood streets surrounding the coffee shop.

In 2006, Benihana introduced a new prototype with a more contemporary design. The first converted restaurant opened in Short Hills, N.J., in February and the first with a new look and ambiance built from the ground up opened in Miramar, Fla., in June. "We were after the 'wow' factor that the first Benihana brought to America," says Joel Schwartz, president and CEO of Benihana Inc. "The excitement we're creating will keep us...