New Delhi: 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 Operations, 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.
In the Edo period of Japan, before refrigerators, fish were caught daily, iced and served raw to retain freshness. Customers would go to the sushi counter and ask the chef "What special fish do you have today?" The Chef would respond, "I have fresh Maguro, would you like to try some?" Keiko points out that "this idea of customer interaction with the chef has been incorporated into the Benihana concept of dining."
The restaurant which has opened here at Nehru-Place's Epicuria Mall can seat over 40 people simultaneously. The owners says customers have started streaming in already even without advertising. To cater to the Indian palate the eatery incorporates a number of vegetarian dishes and also hosts separate tables for vegetarian customers. "The restaurant has begun to make its mark here and we are hoping that after our formal grand opening night which we are planning to do in April will make even more flutter in the food market here. We have plans to also open in other cities and one more branch is Gurgaon," says Keiko. From celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angelina Joile, Michael Jackson to Prince William, Benihana claims to have numerous celebrities. The pricing is on the heavier side since they import a lot of ingredients. "We especially train our chefs to give the customer 'eatertainment'. They have to perform and entertain their customers with stories or tricks to woe them and make eating out a fun concept," said Keiko.
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