‘The pandemic pressured some decisions’

The legendary Legal Sea Food items restaurant chain is having a new operator, president and CEO Roger Berkowitz confirmed to the Herald on Tuesday.

Legal’s 25-plus dining establishments have been bought to PPX Hospitality Makes, a Hub-dependent hospitality group that owns Smith & Wollensky steakhouses.

The sale also involves the obtain of Legal’s High quality Control Centre positioned in the Seaport. PPX will now possess and work all cafe principles beneath the Legal Sea Food items banner, like airport places.

Berkowitz, 68, mentioned that the coronavirus pandemic — which has crippled the cafe sector — helped press this offer along.

“The pandemic pressured some selections on our element,” he told the Herald.

His relatives opened the legendary restaurant small business a lot more than 50 a long time in the past.

When requested if this sale would have occurred if the pandemic in no way strike, Berkowitz mentioned, “Probably not,” but he extra, “While the pandemic has been horrific, the silver lining is it allows us some chances.”

Berkowitz said he will be focusing on the e-commerce and retail facet of Legal’s brand.

He will keep exclusive ownership rights of the Authorized Sea Food items name in channels outside of cafe functions, these kinds of as e-commerce and retail.

“Yes, we’re marketing the cafe channel, but we are relocating into additional e-commerce and retail,” he claimed.

Berkowitz extra that his family more than the many years has “always adapted over time to new prospects.”

“In lifestyle, you have to pivot,” he mentioned. “Take a seem at the landscape, and seem ahead to the foreseeable future.”

Lawful Sea Food items personnel have been invited to keep on being as portion of the crew. When entirely operational, PPX claimed it hopes to make use of 3,000 persons throughout all a few companies.

PPX has a “long-time period view” for Authorized, and programs to ramp up with expansion following the pandemic, Berkowitz explained.

He extra, “The brand name will live on.”

PPX, established past 12 months and headquartered in Medford, is introducing Lawful to its selection of restaurant brands, like Smith & Wollensky and Strega Italiano.

Chef Matt King, chief culinary officer for PPX, reported in a assertion, “At Legal Sea Food items, we will proceed the Authorized legacy of sourcing the best seafood offered by determining neighborhood companions that resource, harvest, and procedure only the freshest excellent seafood for a genuinely memorable pier-to-plate meal.”