Howard Johnson: The Next Generation

In 1959, Johnson turned operations over to his son, Howard Brennon Johnson, remaining as chairman and treasurer, and in 1961 the company was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Jacques Pépin, formerly personal chef to the French president Charles DeGaulle, oversaw the central commissary from the 1960s to 1970. Applying his French training, he learned the work of every station, beginning by flipping burgers in the largest restaurant in the chain on Queens Boulevard, New York City. Pépin recalled that era as “my American apprenticeship, learning about mass production and marketing.” Pépin, along with his fellow French chef Pierre Franey, worked on product development. Under their leadership simple macaroni and cheese bubbled in pre-portioned oval casseroles; vats of creamy clam chowder were tasted and tested; and mass-produced fried clam strips, without the highly perishable bellies, were developed to maintain fresh Cape Cod seafood flavor. Home convenience products were developed for sale in supermarket freezers.