Japanese restaurant chain Benihana sets shop in India

Knife-spinning chefs of globally famed Benihana chain of restaurants have now set shop in the city providing a taste of authentic Teppanyaki, Japanese style of cooking.
Teppanyaki originated 50 years ago and involves use of an iron griddle to cook food. Benihana, which means red flower in Japanese, is a restaurant chain famed for chefs who spin knives, juggle food and do other theatrics while they cook.
The first Benihana restaurant was set up New York in 1964 with just four tables by Tokyo-born Japanese-American wrestler Hiroaki "Rocky" Aoki. He promoted the brand through feats such as flying a hot air balloon across the Pacific and racing his own motor boat

"We don't need a separate space for a kitchen because we cook in front of our customers and serve them immediately. Our concept is 'My Kitchen is your Table'," Keiko Ono Aoki, CEO, Benihana told PTI in an interview.
Keiko was in the city to firm up plans for the eatery's scheduled formal inauguration in April this year.
The chain now boasts of 80 restaurants in the US and 23 in Asia, United Kingdom and the Middle-East.
"India is huge market so we decided to open here. New Delhi has a lot of diversified market- both local as well as international eating chains," says Porche Prasertchoang, Director Opertions, Benihana of Tokyo.

"We are more of a a community dinning table. According to 'Rocky' 50 years ago it was very difficult for people to sit together and eat especially in England. He introduced the concept of eating together," says Keiko.