Red Lobster has certainly been in the news lately. But not one of the stories recalls the remarkable person who built it into an institution deserving of so much ink. And, no, it’s not Bill Darden, although he gave the brand its start.
The individual who turned Darden’s concept into the cultural icon it is today was an Air Force veteran who left his family’s farm in rural Georgia to make his mark on the world. If you scour the bric-a-brac some older stores sport to provide a dockside feel, you may even spot a reference to him on some of the props (executives lent their names to the bogus lobster traps and seafood crates as sort of an inside joke.) Look for an ersatz antique emblazoned with “Lee’s” or “Joe’s,” as in Joe Lee, a true godfather of what we now know as casual dining.
Don’t recognize that name? Then you’re in for a treat. By popular demand, Restaurant Rewind is undertaking a series of profiles on the giants who laid the foundation for the restaurant industry we know today. Much of the information will be drawn from firsthand experiences with those pioneers.
The first installment focuses on Joe Lee.
We’ll focus on a variety of movers and shakers from the industry’s past in future installments. But for now, do yourself a favor and click “Play.”
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