Benihana (NASDAQ: BNHN, NASDAQ: BNHNA) is a Miami, Florida-based company that owns or franchises nearly 80 Japanese cuisine restaurants around the world including its flagship Benihana brand as well as the Haru (fusion cuisine), and RA Sushi restaurants. NASDAQ in Times Square, New York City. ... For the computer game by Peter Molyneux, see The Entrepreneur. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Miami redirects here. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... There are many views as to what defines Japanese cuisine, as the everyday food of the Japanese people has diversified immensely over the past century or so. ... For the tax agency in Ireland of the same name, see Revenue Commissioners. ... Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), also known as operating income and operating profit, is a term used to describe a companys earnings. ... Net income is equal to the income that a firm has after subtracting costs and expenses from the total revenue. ... In business and accounting an asset is anything owned, whether in possession or by right to take possession, by a person or a group acting together, e. ... At the start of a business, owners put some funding into the business to finance assets. ... A division of a business entity is a portion of that business that operates under a different name. ... A website (alternatively, web site or Web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or more web servers, usually accessible via the Internet. ... NASDAQ in Times Square, New York City. ... NASDAQ in Times Square, New York City. ... Miami redirects here. ... Franchising (from the French for honesty or freedom[1]) is a method of doing business wherein a franchisor authorizes proven methods of doing business to a franchisee in exchange for a recurring payment, fees and a percentage of sales or profits. ... There are many views as to what defines Japanese cuisine, as the everyday food of the Japanese people has diversified immensely over the past century or so. ... Fusion cuisine combines elements of various culinary traditions whilst not fitting specifically into any. ... This article is about Japanese cuisine. ...

History

A chef preparing a dinner at the table

The company was founded in 1964 on West 56th Street in New York City by 25-year-old Hiroaki Rocky Aoki. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x903, 310 KB) Summary Description: Dinner at Benihana restaurant Source: Image taken by Larry D. Moore (User:Nv8200p) using a Kodak EasyShare Z740 Date: February 12, 2006 Permission: Released under the GFDL and Creative Commons licenses shown below by Larry D... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x903, 310 KB) Summary Description: Dinner at Benihana restaurant Source: Image taken by Larry D. Moore (User:Nv8200p) using a Kodak EasyShare Z740 Date: February 12, 2006 Permission: Released under the GFDL and Creative Commons licenses shown below by Larry D... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Aoki, a wrestler who had qualified for but did not attend the 1960 Summer Olympics started the restaurant with $10,000 earned from driving an ice cream truck in Harlem. The first restaurant Benihana of Tokyo was named for the red Safflower that was the name for the coffee shop owned by his parents in Tokyo. The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, were celebrated in 1960 in Rome, Italy. ... For other uses, see Harlem (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Carthamus tinctorius (Mohler, Roth, Schmidt & Boudreaux, 1967) Safflower is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual, usually with many long sharp spines on the leaves. ... For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ...

Aoki's concept was for the meals to be theatrically prepared by a knife-wielding, joke-telling chef at a teppanyaki table surrounded by a wooden eating surface in front of the guests (Teppan meaning "steel grill" or "griddle" and yaki meaning "grilled", "broiled", and "fried"). It initially did not do well until early 1965 when Clementine Paddleford of the New York Herald-Tribune gave it a rave review. The Beatles and Muhammad Ali were among the celebrities who then descended on the four-seat restaurant.^[6] Misono - the first restaurant to offer teppanyaki a teppanyaki chef cooking at a gas powered hibachi in a Japanese steakhouse Teppanyaki (鉄板焼き) is a type of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food. ... Clementine Paddleford (September 27, 1898-November 13, 1967) was an American food writer active in the 1920s through the 1960s, writing for several publications, including the New York Herald Tribune, The New York Sun, The New York Telegram, Farm and Fireside, and This Week magazine. ... The New York Herald Tribune was a newspaper created in 1922 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald. ... The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 as part of their first tour of the United States, promoting their first hit single there, I Want To Hold Your Hand. ... For other persons named Muhammad Ali, see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation). ...

Within a year Aoki opened a bigger restaurant that featured Samurai armor, heavy wooden ceiling beams and sliding Shoji screens to provide some privacy. For other uses, see Samurai (disambiguation). ... Japanese room with sliding shoji doors and tatami flooring In traditional Japanese architecture, a shoji (障子) is a room divider or door consisting of translucent washi over a wooden frame. ...

In 1968 it opened its first restaurant outside of New York City in Chicago. For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ...

Aoki brought in consultant Hardwicke Companies (its founder Charles H. Stein was the original developer of Six Flags Great Adventure and also operated various New York restaurants including Tavern on the Green) as a partner to run the company in 1976. Aoki was to terminate the relationship in 1980 and was to settle a Securities and Exchange Commission complaint of insider trading of Hardwicke stock. Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, located 67 miles from New York City, 60 miles from Newark and 50 miles from Philadelphia, consisting of a theme park area, a Wild Safari area, and a water park, Hurricane Harbor. ... Tavern on the Green is a restaurant located in Central Park, New York City. ... The Securities and Exchange Commission, commonly referred to as the SEC, is the United States governing body which has primary responsibility for overseeing the regulation of the securities industry. ... Insider trading is the trading of a corporations stock or other securities (e. ...

The famous Benihana "Tiki Mug" has become collectible.

In 1982 Benihana National Corporation went public with Joel Schwartz as president. Some of the restaurants continued to be privately owned by Aoki. The company had some missteps including the opening of the upscale Big Splash restaurant and a frozen foods division Benihana National Classics. Its stock dived and shareholders sued over management including the fact that Aoki still had his privately held restaurants of the same name.^[7] Image File history File linksMetadata Benihanamug01. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Benihanamug01. ... Frozen food is food preserved under the process of freezing. ...

In 1995 all of the Benihana Restaurants were consolidated under Benihana Inc.^[8]

The company has since expanded by purchasing the Haru and RA Sushi restaurants which operate under those name places. It also acquired the Samurai and Kyoto restaurants which it has incorporated into its other brands.

In 2004 the company issued stock to renovate its restaurants and expand. The stock diluted Aoki control of the chain and the family sued. However, the Delaware Court of Chancery has upheld the decision. ^[9]

Benihana's famous figural "tiki mugs" for exotic cocktails, the most common of which depicts "Hotei" a chubby buddha-like figure with arms raised in the air, have become collectible. Tiki mugs are ceramic drinkware originating in mid-century American tiki bars and tropical themed restaurants, believed to have been pioneered by Don the Beachcomber. ... Statue of Hotei in the familiar likeness of the Chinese tradition. ...

The restaurant is featured extensively in an episode of the U.S. version of The Office entitled A Benihana Christmas, in which it's referred to as an "Asian Hooters." The Office is an Emmy Award-winning American television comedy that debuted on NBC as a midseason replacement on March 24, 2005. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Office (US) A Benihana Christmas (Parts 1 & 2) is the ninth & tenth filmed and tenth & eleventh aired episode of the third season of the US version of The Office. ... Asian people[1] is a demonym for people from Asia. ... This article is about the two restaurant chains collectively using the shared Hooters brand. ...

Documentary

• The story of Benihana's emergence into American culture is documented in Terry Sanders' film The Japan Project: Made in Japan (see "External Links" below).

Terry Sanders is a two-time Academy Award winner, having produced and/or directed more than 70 dramatic features, televisions specials, documentaries and portrait films. ...

References

• Collier, David A.; James R. Evans (2006). Operations Management: Goods Services and Value Chains, 2nd ed., South-western College Pub.. ISBN 0-324-17939-1. 
• Sasser Jr., W. Earl and John R. Klug (2004-07-20). "Benihana of Tokyo". revision, orig. pub. 1972. Harvard Business School Case. Retrieved on 2006-06-13.
• Rosengarten, David (2003). It's All American Food, 1st ed., Little, Brown and Company.. ISBN 0-316-05315-5. 

David A. Collier is a professor of Management Science at the Fisher College of Business at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Benihana Restaurant homepage
• The Japan Project: Made in Japan (American Film Foundation)