Legal Sea Foods
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | Cambridge, Massachusetts, (1950) as Legal Cash Market grocery store |
| Founder(s) | George Berkowitz |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Number of locations | 32 restaurants [1] |
| Key people |
Roger Berkowitz Rich Vellante (Executive Chef), and Sandy Block, MW (VP of Beverage). |
| Employees | 4,000 |
| Website | Legalseafoods.com |
Legal Sea Foods is a Boston-based seafood restaurant group, with locations along the Eastern Seaboard. Besides Massachusetts, there are also locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, DC, as well as in Warwick, RI, Boca Raton, FL and Atlanta, GA.
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[edit] History
It was founded in 1904 by Harry Berkowitz, who opened a "cash market" which became his son George's fish market in the Inman Square area of Cambridge, Massachusetts. After obtaining the fish market from his father, George later on decided to expand the market in to a restaurant in 1950. With the help of his two sons, Marc and Roger, they opened up two other restaurants, one in Chestnut Hill and the other in the Park Plaza. The company continued to expand both in Boston and out of state and in 1992, Roger Berkowitz became president and CEO of Legal Sea Foods. There are now 32 restaurant locations as well as an online seafood market.[1]
[edit] Menu
The menus vary slightly by location and season, but they all include a variety of specialty seafood and non-seafood entrees, appetizers, salads and desserts. Over 40 varieties of fresh fish and shellfish are featured throughout the year. Extensive wine lists and full-service bars are also available at all locations to entice a younger, urban clientele in addition to family gatherings.
By buying directly from day boat fishing operations, the company markets itself as having the freshest fish. The company also made industry advances on fish handling and has worked with the federal agencies on developing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).[2]
[edit] In the media
Bon Appétit magazine touts a meal at Legal Sea Foods as among America’s “Top Ten Tried-and-True” dining experiences.[cite this quote] Legal is also included in Patricia Schultz’s popular guidebook, "1,000 Places to See Before You Die."[3] During 2008 it ran a series of humorous radio advertisements, created by its advertising agency DeVito/Verdi, capping with its aforementioned motto as well as a 'really fresh fish' ad campaign on Boston's trolleys that won industry awards.[4]
The Boston, Massachusetts Legal Sea Foods restaurant sponsored a January 2011 dinner that featured several species of fish which were listed by the advocacy organization Seafood Watch as ones to avoid for sustainability reasons.[5] Legal Sea Foods CEO, Roger Berkowitz said in a statement that much of the science around sustainable fisheries was "flawed" and "outdated."[6] While the protest was criticized by several environmental organizations, it was praised by others, including some in the media. Representatives of fishermen in Gloucester supported the choice to use locally sourced fish.[7]
Legal Sea Foods has been voted "Boston's Most Popular Restaurant" by Zagat, 2012/2011 and every year since 2003/2004.
[edit] Locations
In 2011, Legal Sea Foods had 33 locations [8], in addition to retail and mail order divisions, and has garnered critical accolades for its status as a mid-sized seafood chain.[9] Legal Sea Foods also operates Legal Test Kitchen (LTK) and Legal C Bar concepts and in spring of 2011 opened Legal Harborside, a 20,000 sq ft flagship on the Boston waterfront. Since 1992, George’s son Roger Berkowitz has been at the helm of the company. Legal's New England clam chowder has been both a staple of its menu and, according to the restaurant, a mainstay at every presidential inauguration since 1981.[10] The restaurant motto is "If it isn't fresh, it isn't Legal."
[edit] Management
- President/CEO - Roger Berkowitz
- Executive Chef - Richard Vellante
- VP of Beverage Operations - Sandy Block, MW
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Entry: Legal Sea Foods - Hoover's database
- ^ In the Quest for Safer Seafood, One Company Follows Its Nose (New York Times, Nov. 2000)
- ^ Schultz, Patricia (2003). 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List. Workman Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0761104841.
- ^ redOrbit, "Stirring Up Trouble, Without Even Trying ", June 24, 2008, retrieved 18 June 2009
- ^ First, Devra (January 22, 2011). "Fish and chippiness are on the menu". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/ae/food/restaurants/articles/2011/01/22/legal_sea_foods_ceo_hopes_to_stir_up_debate_by_serving_blacklisted_varieties/?page=2. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ Byrne, Kerry J. (January 24, 2011). "Berkowitz vs. Bloggers in Legal Sea Foods' "blacklisted" dinner flap". Boston Herald. http://bostonherald.com/blogs/lifestyle/fork_lift/?p=3591. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ Gaines, Richard (January 5, 2011). "Legal 'blacklist' meal backs fishermen". Gloucester Daily Times. http://www.gloucestertimes.com/fishing/x1961025787/Legal-blacklist-meal-backs-fishermen. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ [http://www.legalseafoods.com/restaurants (official website)
- ^ 2007/2008 Zagat Boston Overview (The Boston Globe, Apr. 2007)
- ^ New England's Best: Clam Chowder (NBC WHDH Boston, Aug. 2003)
