Rod Gardiner, local restaurateur, dead at 65
Advertiser Staff
Businessman Rod Gardiner, who at one time owned Hy's Steak House and Kobe Japanese Steak House restaurants in Hawai'i, died Sept. 27 in Arizona. He was 65.
Gardiner was born in Canada and opened his first Hy's restaurant in Canada in the 1960s. In 1970, Gardiner and his wife, Marilyn, helped restaurant owner Hy Aisenstat open a restaurant in Honolulu.
Rod Gardiner helped raise money for environmental organizations in Hawai'i.
That same year, the Gardiners opened the first Kobe Steak House in Waikiki. In 1988, the Gardiners bought out their partners, who also owned Kobe restaurants in Lahaina, Maui and Palm Springs, Calif.
The deal also included the Hy's restaurants in Waikiki and Century City, Calif. In addition to the Hy's and Kobe restaurants, Gardiner owned Bandito's Cantina in Pearlridge.
Over the years, Gardiner divided his time between Arizona and Hawai'i, where he was active in community events. He helped raise money for several organizations, including The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i, Honolulu Zoological Society, Variety Club School and the Waikiki Aquarium.
In addition to his wife, Gardiner is survived by sons, Scott and Brett; one granddaughter; and mother, Rose.
Services will be held on the Mainland.
