Dale on the Trail
MONTHLY BLOG - JAN, 2009
Legal Seafood : A Lesson in Excellence
One of highpoints of this year's annual Cheers Beverage Conference was the keynote speech, given by Roger Berkowitz, President and CEO of Legal Seafood. He shared the story of how he started working in his family's fish market in Boston, at the age of 10 and learned every aspect of the business. His grandfather had begun the business in 1904 as a neighborhood grocery store, and son Harry eventually joined the business. In 1950 they added a fish market next door, and by 1968, set out a few tables and began serving very fresh fish, once again reinventing itself as a restaurant.
Berkowitz described this evolution: each new era brought new challenges, they were forced to make changes, their survival depended upon it, and having the savvy to identify how to change. For instance in the 1940's when large supermarkets began to emerge, they determined they should add a fish stand, years passed and as the older generation who were fish eaters began to fall away, they realized that fish was no longer popular anymore “we became the only real Jewish family that lived for Lent!” exclaimed Berkowitz. But then Asians began moving into the Boston area, and seafood became more in demand - and very expensive. They began focusing on quality, they changed their ads, moving from traditional to more creative, offbeat and edgy ads - even controversial to the point of generating publicity. They would have to change yet again and focus on a younger and highly discerning generation that was demanding gourmet cocktails, in smaller glassware. (See Gary Regan's review of drinks:
Guilty Pleasures: Legal Sea Foods' 'Raising the Bar')
While at Harvard, Berkowitz had a professor who left a lasting impression on him: He told a story of an experience that changed him forever. It began with the professor calling upon him one day:
“Berkowitz”, he bellowed, “What business are you in?”
“My family and I run a restaurant …” he replied .
“So you think you're in the restaurant business,” said his professor; “I want you to complete an atmospheric study of your restaurants; past, present, and future,”
Six weeks later he turned in a 42 page term paper. Without looking at it, the professor held it up: “Berkowitz!” he bellowed; “What business are you in?”
This time he responded with one word only: “FISH” he replied.
“Good; you learned something!”
The message is: Find your strength, focus in on one thing you do well, and do it better than anyone else. Excellent advice for us all, especially as we face the challenge of surviving in a global economy that has been severely shaken.
CHEERS,
