Sayonara, Mr.Benihana

Hiroaki "Rocky" Aoki, founder of the Benihana Japanese steak house chain has died at the age of 69. The cause of his death has not been reported as of the time if this writing. Mr.Aoki was a former Olympic wrestler who arrived in the US via an athletic scholarship. When an injury forced the loss of that scholarship, he stayed on in New York and opened an ice cream shop. His green tea ice cream, complete with miniature traditional Japanese umbrella garnished on it, became a wild hit.

In 1964 he opened his first steak house, Benihana of Tokyo, which soon became another huge hit for the entrepreneur. The restaurant's acrobatic performances by a knife-wielding chefs proved quite popular. The chain has since grown and spread to Canada, Europe and Asia as well as other cities in the United States. Aoki has been credited for making Japanese cuisine popular in America.

He is also the father of supermodel and actress Devon Aoki, and Dim Mak Records CEO Steve Aoki.