Board Member

Jeff King

Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board
URG / King's Seafood Company

 

Background Information

Mr. King has been a prominent figure in the restaurant industry for over 50 years, having developed, and supervised the operation of, more than 11 restaurants with his family's company, King's Restaurants, Inc., from 1960 to 1982.

Following the sale of King's Restaurants, Mr. King established Hospitality Consultants Ltd., which actively consulted with a variety of restaurant companies. In 1984, he and his cousin Sam teamed up to open 555 East Steakhouse in Long Beach, which was the first operation of King’s Seafood Company. Today, in addition to his role as Chairman of the Board of King’s Seafood Company, Mr. King operates a very active hospitality consulting practice, Jeff King Consulting, Inc., as well as California Canadian Business Associates, Inc.

Mr. King is a member of the Board of Advisors of The Collins College of Hospitality Management, of which he is also a Chairman Emeritus. He also serves a member of a number of boards including Board of Directors for the California Restaurant Association, Board of Directors for LA, Inc., Santa Monica Chamber Board, Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau Board. Mr. King is also a member of the Los Angeles Central City Association, a member of the Research Advisory Panel for the Restaurant Business Magazine, and an elected Commissioner of the California Travel & Tourism Commission. He is also a UCLA  Chancellor’s Associate, and a Chair Emeritus of the California Restaurant Association.

Mr. King is the recipient of a number of industry honors, including the City of Hope Lifetime Achievement Award, Nation’s Restaurant News Hot Concept Award, and the Elizabeth Burns Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also been recognized as UCLA Alumni of the Year, and as a Santa Monica College Distinguished Alumni. Mr. King was inducted into the California Restaurant Association’s (CRA) Fine Dining Hall of Fame, as well as the CRA Educational Foundation’s Hall of Fame.

Mr. King is a 1961 UCLA graduate earning a B.A. in History/Political Science.

Company Profile

Founded by cousins Jeff and Sam King, URG / King's Seafood Company (formerly University Restaurant Group) has created successful Southern California restaurants, including their signature group of restaurants: Water Grill, Ocean Avenue Seafood, I Cugini, 555 East, and Lou & Mickey's in San Diego's Gaslamp District, as well as their latest concept, Fish Camp, a fast-casual dining establishment in Sunset Beach. URG / King’s Seafood Company also owns and operates 12 King's Fish House/King Crab Lounge restaurant establishments from Calabasas, CA to the Mexican border, as well as Henderson, NV and Tempe, AZ.

King's Seafood Company restaurant concepts have proven stiff competition in a tough industry because they all work to fill a niche. Having turned its focus to seafood a decade ago, King's Seafood Company continues to establish seafood-inspired restaurants that are committed to providing guests with products of superior quality and freshness.

King's Seafood Company currently employs approximately 1,500 crew members with 18 restaurants, and an exclusive seafood distribution operation—our unique selling proposition (USP): King’s Seafood Distribution in Santa Ana, CA.

 

Jeff King

Jeff King
Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board
URG / King's Seafood Company