Benihana’s Fried Rice

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Leslie Blythe 7 comments

If you can’t stand the heat, then step away from this 500-degree griddle!

My friend Dave received a Be the Chef program gift certificate at Benihana’s from his family. It always looks so easy to be a teppanyaki chef. Trust me, it’s very difficult and VERY hot! Dave did an amazing job at keeping everything moving on the grill.

The Be the Chef program includes personal training on tabletop hibachi and knife skills, a signature Benihana chef hat and apron, diploma and commemorative photo.

The company was founded in 1964 on West 56th Street in New York City by 25-year-old Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki. I have been to that location many times.

The prep cooks who work behind the scenes are responsible for deveining approximately 250 pounds of shrimp per week. One small, sharp knife, operated efficiently, can dispatch 25 to 30 peeled shrimp every 15 seconds or so.

Benihana’s uses a lot of butter in the preparation of their food, which is not exactly very Japanese, but it’s delicious. It’s actually a zero-trans-fat, “European style whipped butter blend margarine” made with skim milk, garlic and lemon juice.

We had so much fun with his family. I have to say I was very happy to be on the other side of the searing hot grill sipping an ice cold chardonnay!