Mr. Berkowitz, who initially based Authorized Sea Meals as a fish enterprise subsequent to his father’s Cambridge grocery market, died in his sleep final Sunday in his house on the NewBridge on the Charles retirement neighborhood in Dedham. He was 97, his well being had been failing. He beforehand had lived for a few years in Lexington.
“As a father, he actually sacrificed himself for the household,” mentioned his oldest son, Roger Berkowitz, who succeeded him in working Authorized Sea Meals till agreeing to promote the eating places on the finish of 2020.
“When he opened this fledgling fish market,” Roger mentioned, “he was at work on a regular basis, nevertheless it was all about household and having the ability to present for the household.”
In Mr. Berkowitz’s fingers, Authorized Sea Meals grew to become a part of Higher Boston’s culinary lore, and he performed a task within the careers of others, too.
The enduring Julia Little one, whose 1961 ebook “Mastering the Artwork of French Cooking” popularized French delicacies in america, was amongst his Inman Sq. fish market’s clients.
“When Julia and Paul Little one moved again to Cambridge from their years overseas, Julia requested her hairdresser for one of the best place to purchase fish,” Mr. Berkowitz wrote. “Her hairdresser really useful us. From that second on Julia purchased all her fish at Authorized Sea Meals.”
They sealed their friendship with a serrated knife. After Little one launched her well-liked TV present “The French Chef,” she devoted an episode to getting ready a swordfish entrée. Mr. Berkowitz introduced a 200-pound swordfish to the studio and stored it closely iced for Little one’s use till she sliced into it with what he later recalled was “a powerful serrated knife that was greater than a foot and a half lengthy.”
“I requested the place she obtained it,” he informed the Globe in 1997. “She mentioned, ‘In case you prefer it, George, I’ll get you one.’ Six months later, she walked into Authorized with a French knife as a present, and I by no means forgot her for that.”
Born in Cambridge on Dec. 30, 1924, George H. Berkowitz was the fifth of six kids. His father, Harry Berkowitz, was a Russian immigrant who ran Authorized Money Market in Inman Sq.. His mom, Frances Cohen Berkowitz, labored on the market, too, together with elevating their kids.
Authorized Money Market, a meat market and grocery that Harry opened in 1904, accepted stamps the federal government issued on the time for households to buy meals — the “authorized money” that led to the market’s title. Harry “was one of many hardest staff I knew, in addition to being one of many fairest and most revered businessmen in Cambridge,” he wrote in his memoir.
Whereas attending Roxbury Memorial Excessive College, “I delivered orders for my father after college,” he wrote.
Then World Battle II started. Aspiring to turn out to be a army officer, Mr. Berkowitz enlisted within the Marine Corps the day earlier than turning 18 and was despatched to Dartmouth School for an officer coaching program.
He studied Chinese language languages and hitchhiked again to Boston sometimes, however remained centered on adhering to Marine self-discipline and finishing this system.
“If we didn’t make it, we didn’t go house, we went into fight,” he wrote. “Consider me, it was an important incentive to check.”
Upon ending, he was posted to China simply after the struggle ended and took part in repatriating Japanese and Korean troops and civilians.
The expertise “was irreplaceable,” he recalled. Serving within the Marine Corps “taught me resilience, self-sufficiency,” and offered the inspiration for a way he would supervise staff.
“In the event that they don’t respect you,” he mentioned of his subordinate troops and, later, his staff, “they received’t need to observe your command”
In 1951, he married Harriet Wiskind, whom he first met when he dated her older sister.
Having initially labored for his father as a meat purchaser upon getting back from World Battle II, Mr. Berkowitz opened the Authorized Sea Meals fish market in 1950, simply earlier than he was recalled to army obligation in the course of the Korean Battle.
He mentioned he known as his fish enterprise Authorized Sea Meals “to piggyback on the good popularity my father’s market loved.” The restaurant adopted 18 years later.
“Harriet was my solace,” he wrote of these early 100-hour workweeks, once they opened a restaurant as a part of the fish enterprise.
“I may by no means have performed it with out Harriet. From the start Authorized Sea Meals was a household enterprise,” he added.
“Harriet ran the money register and labored with me behind the counter,” Mr. Berkowitz wrote. “Harriet’s father, Max, additionally labored the money register sometimes and obtained paid off in fish. For some time Harriet’s mom, Annie, wrapped plastic utensils in napkins.”
The Berkowitzes’ three sons “peeled shrimp, swept flooring, and did different vital duties.”
In 1980, the household opened a restaurant within the Park Plaza Resort that was the enterprise’s flagship.
Mr. Berkowitz rose to nationwide prominence, particularly after NBC’s “At present Present” named Authorized Sea Meals one of the best seafood restaurant within the nation in 1986.
For a number of successive years Authorized Sea Meals was voted Boston’s hottest restaurant by the Zagat information and it even was listed within the ebook “1,000 Locations to See Earlier than You Die.”
On the finish of 2020, with the restaurant enterprise hard-hit nationally by the pandemic, Roger, who was chief govt and president of Authorized Sea Meals, offered the eating places to PPX Hospitality Manufacturers. He retained Authorized’s market on-line operation, which is a part of the Cfood Manufacturers on-line and retail enterprise he based.
In retirement, in the meantime, George and Harriet Berkowitz remained loyal Authorized diners.
“Steadily we eat solely two meals a day,” he wrote 5 years in the past, at age 92, “however lunch or dinner at all times contains fish, normally at one of many Authorized Sea Meals eating places close by.”
The household will maintain a non-public service for Mr. Berkowitz, who leaves his spouse, Harriet; their sons, Roger of Nahant, Marc of Boston, and Richard of Sherborn; eight grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.
Together with having extra time to play golf in retirement, Mr. Berkowitz taught ethics programs at Brandeis and Regis universities.
“An ethical code is important, I believe, for a superb life,” he wrote.
“Many mornings I get up, placed on Louis Armstrong, hearken to him carry out ‘What a Great World,’ and assume to myself how apt the phrases are in my life.”
Bryan Marquard will be reached at bryan.marquard@globe.com.