Comes news this week that Seattle's venerable Metropolitan Grill, along with its waterfront sibling Elliott's Oyster House, are getting a new ownership structure.
The parent company, Consolidated Restaurants, Inc., was founded in 1951 by Dave Cohn, as Barb's. There were a dozen Barb's restaurants before Cohn opened the Polynesia on Pier 51 in 1962; at that point, Barb Enterprises was the largest owner-operated restaurant company in the Northwest. In the 1970s, Barb's gave way to to landmark restaurants under the Consolidated banner: the Metropolitan Grill and Elliott's, and David son, Ron Cohn, took the reins. As the 20th century drew to a close, they hired Jim Rowe, the top finance officer from Holland America Lines, who became the company president ten years later.
Now two big changes. First, Rowe becomes CEO and owner. Second, the name is changing to E3. Why E3? It's the name of the steak seasoning at Met Grill, so designated in honor of a gent named Earl Owens.
Who he? Goes back to the original El Gaucho and the original 13 Coins, where the Earl Owens was the man who ran the kitchen. A firm but beloved old-school taskmaster, Owens almost single-handedly trained a whole generation of Seattle restaurateurs. Both his grandsons, the Anderson brothers, are in the biz, and both work for Consolidated Restaurants, Joshua as GM for Metropolitan Grill, Jeremy as VP Opereations for the whole company.
No changes in management or menus are planned.
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