Meet Roy Henry | Private Hibachi Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Roy Henry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Roy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process behind starting HibachiRoyale consisted of many. Mainly thinking “will I be able to do this alone”?
I was intimidated by the industry and my experience with working for other companies similar to mine. I knew cooking and entertainment was my passion. I dreamed of having my own business and doing what I love instead of working under a different company.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Cooking has always been a part of my life and culture. I’m Mexican and Filipino, both my parents cooked very often and I always found myself in the kitchen helping prepare for meals.
In college I was taking culinary courses and it wasn’t until I was offered an opportunity to go to a trade for Hibachi/Teppan style cooking. It focused on teaching all of the different techniques and special skills that it takes to become a Professional Hibachi Chef.

The first Hibachi restaurant I started working for was Benihana in Torrance California. I was there until the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and the Los Angeles County was shut down. After not having work for months a lot of ex-chefs and even ex-management got together to form these Private Hibachi companies. Once the pandemic started to die down and places started opening up again I returned to Benihana but the new the county regulations made it so the restaurant only offered take out. I soon left Benihana and got hired by a private Hibachi business.

The first Hibachi catering company I had worked for was about 4 years. I met a lot of people, learned so much and gained the experience of cooking and entertaining for large crowds. They taught me a lot when it came to a private business as opposed to working in a corporate owned restaurant. I learned to cater and decorate events to make it look professional. I learned to deal with situations only a catering company could experience. How to create invoices and menus, create social media traffic and I can go on. It only took me a matter of time before I decided I could provide all of the services on my own. I wanted to create something for myself. In 2024 we started the Hibachi Royale company.

Now we are proud to serve our guest with our amazing home made sauces and dressings. We want to provide quality Hibachi food along with amazing entertainment the whole table will enjoy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well Los Angeles is full of so many beautiful landmarks and cities. I’d definitely like to take my friend to all of the SouthBay shores. The beach is a huge part of California’s vibes and I grew up in the SouthBay. I would love to also take them to any amusement parks in or near the LA county. Universal Studios Hollywood/Disneyland and Knotts Berry farm makes for a great theme parks that has plenty of different restaurants and food to choose from.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Of course!
First and foremost I’d like to thank all of the guest/customers that make this possible! Thank you for putting your trust into our company and business. It’s been a year of success and we’d like to continue that energy. I’d also like to thank my partner with the business Gustavo. He saw my vision and was eager to help me start the business and get us to where we are today. Last but not least I’d like to thank my friends and family for all of the support we have been receiving. Thank you everyone!

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Image Credits
All images are owned by HibachiRoyale