Rocky aoki

Published: August 20, Branson, MuskTrump, Hefner. All playboy entrepreneurs with egos the size of Texas, an instinct to go big, and, of course, rocky aoki, an obsession with cold, hard cash.

Rocky Aoki had an amazing life. For one, he dreamt up Benihana, the iconic teppanyaki restaurant where Americans go to celebrate birthdays and chefs flip shrimp tails into their shirt pockets. But the globe-trotting restaurateur also raced boats, cars and hot air balloons. He produced Broadway plays and founded a porn magazine. He fathered seven children with three women; and when he died in , married to a fourth his third wife , he left behind the sort of combustible family dynamics that gave rise to the epic, ongoing battle over his fractured restaurant empire. Much more.

Rocky aoki

He ran a soft-porn magazine, called Muhammad Ali a pal, cycled through romantic interests the way some restaurants run through specials, and relaxed by racing boats and piloting a hot-air balloon. After one of his brushes with death, he awoke in a hospital room with his then-current wife on one side of the bed and his girlfriend at the time on the other. The women had not met previously. The patient lived to tell jokes about how he talked his way out of the situation. Most amazingly, those traits only begin to tell the story of Rocky Aoki, the musician-turned-wrestler-turned-nightclub-impresario who made his money by founding the Benihana teppanyaki chain. If restaurant characters had their own hall of fame, a whole wing could be devoted to the Japanese immigrant who eventually died from lingering after-effects of his thrill-seeking. Subscribe wherever you usually get your podcasts. Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here. Sign up to receive texts from Restaurant Business on news and insights that matter to your brand. The latest from Restaurant Business, sent straight to your inbox. The breakfast-and-lunch chain is proceeding slowly and selectively in building its stack. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn.

Japanese food was rare in the US at the time, so Rocky Aoki kept his menu simple.

Sign In Sign In. New Customer? Create account. Rocky Aoki was born on 9 October in Tokyo, Japan. Add photos, demo reels Add to list. Known for:. Strawberry Road.

Published: August 20, Branson, Musk , Trump, Hefner. All playboy entrepreneurs with egos the size of Texas, an instinct to go big, and, of course, an obsession with cold, hard cash. They merely borrowed from one of the original tycoon bad boys; a man one part Chuck Norris legend, and two parts jheri curl. It also launched a bitter legal battle against 6 of his 7 children, that left them without a dime from the Benihana fortune. Legend has it that Yunosuke was walking through the wreckage when he spotted a tiny red flower amidst the soot and destruction — he decided to name his new cafe after the plant: Benihana. But his showman father balked at the idea, believing spectacle is what puts American butts in the seats.

Rocky aoki

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Ten years after his death, and over half a century after he introduced the U. As he wandered around the bombed-out streets of Tokyo, Yunosuke Aoki stumbled across a lone red safflower blooming from beneath the rubble. America had firebombed the city to a near-crisp in a campaign carried out over the course of a single night.

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Thanks for signing up! How Vino Volo's airport wine bars create a unique oasis for travelers. Aoki and some friends started a rock and roll band called Rowdy Sounds, though Aoki eventually abandoned music for athletics. Pamela Hilburger Aoki. So, at just 25, Rocky asked his veteran chefs to throw in the bells and whistles — prepare meals over an iron griddle, crack jokes and eggs with customers, and set onion volcanoes ablaze. Follow us on social media. Before he launched Genesis , the porn magazine, he opened the exclusive Club Genesis, a six-story complex—housing a game room, a fine French restaurant and a disco—for the rich and famous. How much have you seen? It also launched a bitter legal battle against 6 of his 7 children, that left them without a dime from the Benihana fortune. An avid speedboat racer, he created the Benihana Grand Prix, which he himself won in , sailing a foot catamaran. Legend has it that Yunosuke was walking through the wreckage when he spotted a tiny red flower amidst the soot and destruction — he decided to name his new cafe after the plant: Benihana.

He was the founder of the Japanese cuisine restaurant chain Benihana , and Genesis magazine. He was also the father of musician Steve Aoki and model and actress Devon Aoki.

He had a pure, simple vision: he served three Middle American entrees—chicken, shrimp and steak. Aoki, c. The Washington Post. Self - Restauranteer. Read Edit View history. Japanese-American wrestler and restaurateur — Retrieved May 16, FAQ 11 Powered by Alexa. All of them; a real Branson before Branson. Aoki partially funded and crewed the Double Eagle V , the first balloon to successfully cross the Pacific Ocean. But his fast-and-loose lifestyle was catching up with him.