Hibachi Goes Mobile at This Food Truck

Hibachi in the United States is synonymous with the chain Benihana, which was founded by Hiroaki Aoki in New York City in 1964. In Japan, hibachi-style cooking is known as teppanyaki, derived from teppan, the metal plate used for cooking, and yaki, which refers to grilled, broiled or pan-fried.

In a typical setting, hibachi-style restaurants offer patrons a front-seat view as chefs hover around a large cooking island, preparing food with flair and grace — think onion volcanoes and juggling eggs. Now, chef Dorian Canty has translated that experience to a food truck with Kavi’s Hibachi, which he launched in May.

Originally from Sumter, South Carolina, Canty moved to Colorado with his family at the age of seven and grew up in the Aurora area. His first experience in kitchens occurred during high school. "My background is pretty extensive," he says. "It's everything from Chuck E. Cheese to fine dining. I've been in a kitchen since I think I was like fifteen years old. I just kind of worked around, you know; a Dairy Queen here, McDonald's there, and eventually got into the Cheesecake Factory and the Del Frisco's Grills, some of the nicer-end stuff." As Canty progressed through kitchens, he realized that he wanted to take food seriously and try to become a chef.

In 2016, he decided to attend Johnson and Wales culinary school in Denver in order to elevate his career. While there, he landed a job at a local Benihana. "I was actually trying to do the classical chef, like real high-end French stuff, but I just got lucky falling into hibachi," Canty notes. "I applied on Indeed just trying to have an extra job after school, and I fell in love with it. I mean, it's such a beautiful art. I immediately became obsessed; it was like a rocket ship, and after that, it just took off."

Soon, Canty decided to leave culinary school in pursuit of his newfound obsession. During his time at Benihana, he received training in the classical cooking style of teppanyaki, which is much slower and more technical than the Americanized version typically seen at hibachi restaurants.

"For me, hibachi means entertainment, fun and fresh food. Those are the three pillars of hibachi for me," Canty notes. But learning this style of cooking — especially the Americanized version — is not as easy as it may seem. "The hardest aspect of it is getting used to holding a fork and spatula and like, trying to be cool and suave, because they are sharp and you can hurt somebody," he explains. "I hit a baby on my first week of the job. Baby was fine; the baby had no idea what happened, but the mother was furious. After that, I practiced every day. But I would say the most frustrating thing is learning how to cook directly in front of people."

After about three years at Benihana, COVID hit and changed everything. "So I just sat down and thought, what can I do that I'm good at?" Canty recalls. "Since I didn't have a job, I decided to start the LLC and the EIN and all that stuff. I did all the paperwork and started cooking for my roommates."
One night, he set up a hibachi experience in his backyard. "I told my roommates, 'Don't buy dinner tonight. Come home, I got you,'" Canty says. The evening was a success, and after sharing some photos from the event, he received a call from a pretty big name that catapulted his idea to the next level: former Denver Nuggets player Chauncey Billups. "He made the call and I went over to his house and did it up for his beautiful family, and we had a great time with the whole experience," Canty remembers.

His primary goal was to open a food truck, but the backyard dinners allowed him to make money for the project. "It's a little bit cheaper to get started, and it still brings a fun experience," he explains. "It's not your traditional style of catering, but its definitely eye-catching."

Within two and a half years, Canty had saved up enough capital to invest in a truck, which he named for his late stepfather, Kevin, whose nickname was Kavi. "I'm close to six months in with the food truck, and so far, so good. Definitely a game-changer and a level up from catering, but it's a lot of fun, and I'm enjoying it," he says.

From single-item entrees that include your choice of veggies, chicken, steak or shrimp to the triple combo of chicken, steak and shrimp, Canty serves a hibachi experience without the hassle of a reservation or lengthy dinner experience. "The one thing I want you to know is that we've got the best hibachi in the state of Colorado, hands down, period," he affirms. "And our Yum Yum sauce is phenomenal. It will blow your mind."

Slightly sweet with just the right amount of zest, the Yum Yum sauce brings out all the flavor in juicy chicken and other proteins. "My go-to order is the triple combo with udon noodles; you get a little bit of everything," Canty suggests.

While he would like to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the future, his more immediate goal is to add a second food truck so he can serve more people in more parts of town.

To find the schedule for Kavi's Hibachi Food Truck, visit kavisfoodtruck.com.