Rocky Aoki Biography: Age, Wife, Children, Net Worth, Restaurants, Wrestling, Death, Benihana Empire

Hiroaki Aoki, widely known as Rocky Aoki, was a Japanese-American restaurateur, professional wrestler, and powerboat racer who revolutionized the dining industry with his Benihana restaurant chain.

Founded in 1964, Benihana introduced the teppanyaki style of Japanese cuisine to the United States, blending theatrical cooking with entertainment.

Aoki’s entrepreneurial vision and flamboyant personality made him a cultural icon, while his athletic pursuits, including wrestling under the name Rocky Hama and winning offshore powerboat racing titles, added to his multifaceted legacy.

Profile

• Full Name: Hiroaki Aoki
• Stage Name: Rocky Aoki
• Born: 9, October 1938
• Date of Death: 10, July 2008 (Aged: 69 years old)
• Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
• Nationality: Japanese-American
• Occupation: Restaurateur, Wrestler, Powerboat Racer
• Height: 1.78m
• Parents: Yunosuke Aoki, Katsu Aoki
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Chizuru Kobayashi (m. 1964–1981), Pamela Hilburger (m. 1981–1991), and Keiko Ono (m. 2002–2008)
• Children: Kana Aoki, Kyle Aoki, Echo Aoki, Devon Aoki, Steve Aoki, Kevin Aoki, Jenifer Crumb
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $40 million

Early Life and Education

Hiroaki Aoki was born on October 9, 1938, in Tokyo, Japan, to Yunosuke Aoki, a performer and restaurateur, and Katsu Aoki, a homemaker.

Information about his siblings is not publicly available. He attended Keio University High School and later Keio University, where he excelled in wrestling, earning a spot on Japan’s 1960 Olympic wrestling team, though he did not compete due to citizenship issues after moving to the U.S.

In 1959, he received a wrestling scholarship to Springfield College in Massachusetts but transferred to CW Post College in New York, graduating with a degree in Business Administration in 1963.

His ethnicity was Japanese, and his religious beliefs were not publicly disclosed.

Career

Rocky Aoki began his career in the U.S. by driving an ice cream truck in Harlem, saving $10,000 to open the first Benihana restaurant on West 56th Street in New York City in 1964.

The restaurant’s teppanyaki concept, featuring chefs cooking on a flat iron grill at the table, was a novel blend of cuisine and performance that attracted celebrities like Muhammad Ali and The Beatles.

By 1972, Benihana had expanded to multiple U.S. locations, and Aoki took the company public in 1983, growing it into a global chain with over 100 restaurants by the time of his death. His innovative approach earned him accolades, including induction into the National Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame.

Parallel to his restaurant ventures, Aoki pursued professional wrestling in Japan under the name Rocky Hama in the early 1960s, leveraging his athletic background.

He also became a prominent figure in offshore powerboat racing, founding the Benihana Grand Prix in 1976 and winning the U.S. Offshore Powerboat Championship in 1986.

His adventurous spirit led to other ventures, including producing the Broadway musical Oh! Calcutta! in 1969 and founding Genesis magazine in 1973.

Aoki’s business acumen extended to real estate investments and franchising, though legal battles over Benihana’s control, particularly with his children in the 2000s, marked his later years.

Aoki’s legacy endures through Benihana’s global presence and its influence on interactive dining.

After stepping down as chairman in 1998 due to health issues and legal troubles, including an insider trading conviction in 1999, he remained a consultant until his death.

His entrepreneurial ventures outside Benihana, such as the short-lived Daruma restaurant chain, reflected his relentless drive.

Aoki’s impact on the restaurant industry, blending Japanese culture with American showmanship, continues to inspire restaurateurs worldwide.

Social Media

Hiroaki Aoki does not have a social media account

Personal Life

Hiroaki Aoki married three times: first to Chizuru Kobayashi from 1964 to 1981, with whom he had three children—Kana, Kyle, and Steve, also known as DJ Steve Aoki; then to Pamela Hilburger from 1981 to 1991, with whom he had four children—Echo, Devon, actress and model Devon Aoki, Kevin, and Jenifer; and finally to Keiko Ono from 2002 to 2008, who remained his wife until his death.

Aoki’s personal life was marked by high-profile disputes, including a 1998 lawsuit from his children over Benihana trust funds and a 2006 family feud over the company’s control.

He survived a 1980 powerboat crash and a 1996 car accident.

Aoki battled diabetes and hepatitis C in his later years, passing away on July 10, 2008, in New York City from pneumonia complications.

Net Worth

Hiroaki Aoki had an estimated net worth of $40 million at the time of his death in 2008.

His wealth was primarily derived from founding and expanding the Benihana restaurant chain, which generated significant revenue through franchising and global operations.