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Show mlX. Benihana opens turns restauranteur Ex-wrest- ler Hatch questions intent of BLM regulations byDeanAlsup Enterprise Staff Writer Hes a very shy sort of person and one might The Bureau of Land Management Organic Act and the BLM surface mining regulations drew comments from Senator Orrin Hatch and mining representatives during a recent visit the senator paid to Moab and Price. wonder how such a mild mannered man could aggressively build a business that grosses over $30 million a year. Well, a good bet might be that he did it with his charm and sense of humor, but since he broke into the business as an ice cream vendor in Harlem, a better wager is that he acquired his fortune through wit and Nobody else would precise sense of timing. sell ice cream in Harlem, the millionaire said of his New York beginnings, so I had the monopoly. No competitors. Hatch said he questioned the constitutionality of the surface mining regulations, saying, Authority to issue these kinds of regulations was deleted from the final version of the BLM Organic Act. The action is of questionable con And it was soon after Harlem that Rocky Aoki started the Benihana of Tokyo Restaurant that chain. has now taken on proportions of a k The Salt Lake restaurant, opened last week, is slated to become a $1 million a year business. And its a good bet it will. 30-lin- back-to-bac- New state legislation is forcing new buildings to be energy efficient. told, that makes the Benihana Restaurant a success. Aoki is a former Olympic wrestler who first laid eyes on New York City while on his way to the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. The Tokyo, Japan native returned to New York after the Olympics to enroll in the New York Community College School of Hotel and Restaurant Management where he received an A.A.S. Im not in the restaurant business, insists the Im in show business. And degree. done by diminuitive Japanese chefs sporting very large white hats and very long knives who verbally bonsai their way through the nutri- After graduation, with the hibachi table idea borrowed from his father, $20,000 of borrowed cash, and another $10,000 saved from ice cream sales, Aoki entered the flourishing American restaurant industry. Spaghetti is his favorite, oddly enough, and he cant cook a single bite. But its the atmosphere, were Hatch told members of the Western Land Users Association in Moab he would consider introducing legislation aimed at the repeal of the surface mining regulations. In Price, members of the Utah Coal Operators Association told Hatch federal leasing regulations were prohibitive and prevented rather than promoted development. Code will check heat loss Aoki was in town last week to line up a promotional campaign for the opening of the Salt Lake Benihana. While here, he scheduled k interviews with media. He six clutched at his chin, as a shy man often does, and twisted his thin moustache throughout the interview with the Enterprise. His English, slightly broken, only flavored his energetic personality. stitutionality and clearly violates the intent of Congress. ex-wrestl- er. anyone who has eaten at a Benihana restaurant knows what he means. Dining is communal with the entire meal, appetizer through entree, cooked under the very noses of patrons. You cant miss the preparation either because its ments. The Benihana menu is devoid of what Aoki calls slimy, fishy, things, The speciality is chicken and steak. Continued on page 21 According to Craig Peterson, director of Salt Lake City building and housing services department, plans for houses and office buildings submitted to the department after January 1978 will be checked carefully to determine the amount of heat loss expected. He explained members of the Governors Energy Council are in the process of writing regulations to ensure new buildings use only a minimum amount of energy for heating and cooling systems. Meeting for the first time April 21, the group will, among other things, determine the maximum size for furnaces and cooling systems permitted in new structures. The maximum size furnace must, for example, be able to keep a building warm at 8 degrees, he said. He indicated insulation will be the major tool used to enforce the new code. 65-6- A building would have to meet certain performance requirements, Peterson said. Building inspectors would be trained to measure potential heat loss and mandate adequate levels of insulation, he explained. Continued on page 19 ScoBra TravelX Professional staff of people with experience in the travel and transportation industry. Our people are always willing and able to assist you in any and all of your travel needs. Total Recreation for $50 Per Month? 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