Red Lobster’s CEO has a new favorite dish at the chain

It used to be snow crab, but now it’s the restaurant’s new take on the menu item. 

“I tried the Bairdi crab recently, which is a variation on the snow crab, and that is my new favorite,” Adamolekun said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that was published early Monday. 

Bairdi crab legs are wild-caught and sourced “directly from the icy cold waters of the Bering Sea,” according to Red Lobster, and offer a meatier and sweeter taste than snow crab legs. 

Adamolekun knows the ins and outs of the menu. He frequented the restaurant chain even before being named CEO, he previously told WSJ. He would reportedly speak with employees and customers to understand if it was worth diving into a leadership position at Red Lobster.

In an effort to turn a sinking ship around, America’s beloved seafood chain filed for bankruptcy back in May. The company had lost its sea legs, closing dozens of locations across the U.S. after suffering millions in operating losses. 

But now, the new CEO is breathing new life into Red Lobster, which he’s called “without exaggeration, one of the most important companies in American history.” His $70 million comeback plan, financed by Fortress Investment Group, addresses some of the seafood chain’s shortcomings, including aging restaurant interiors, but Adamolekun is zeroed in on one thing in particular: the menu. 

Adamolekun, who previously served as CEO of Asian-fusion chain P.F. Chang’s, is relying on new menu items—but also truncating the menu—to help Red Lobster come out stronger after bankruptcy. He told TODAY there will be a net 20% reduction in menu items, but the company also introduced new dishes like bacon-wrapped sea scallops, lobster bisque, lobster pappardelle pasta, grilled mahi, and parmesan-crusted chicken. 

Adamolekun also wants to improve the layout and overall appearance of the menu itself to help customers find the best deals. 

“If you were to say, ‘Where’s the value in this menu?,’ you have to hunt for it,” he said in his latest WSJ interview. “So there’s things you can do, both in terms of reducing the number of items, but also just the layout, the aesthetics, the…