OUR OYSTER SERVICE IS A PARADIGM SHIFT
that is…AN OLD MODEL, FLIPPED! THROUGH A NEW USE OF VARIABLES (SPACE, TOOLS, TACTiCS, timinG) we CAN CONSISTENTLY DELIVER a quantum leap IN OYSTER SERVICE & APPRECIATION.
Our oyster service is presented in 5D…in a league of it’s own. WE are not competing on the same tired paradigms, we’ve change the game, the sport & The league. The COMBINATION of elements leveraged in a way that is authentic and elevated delivers a PRODUCT, SERVICE & EXPERIENCE that is unrivaled. We simply have created the finest oyster service in the history of the world which is not a one-off or POP UP, rather, an ongoing, regularly recurring service, in the same place, at the same times, consistently.
Welcome to RAW LAB! Meet the Ice Moat, a Bespoke Ice Structure / Sculpture integral to our oyster service. Photo: Kevin Joseph
THE OLD MODEL
The Old Model is this: RAW BAR = Something that a seafood restaurant ALSO does. Can you name one exception? It’s old and tired and hasn’t changed in 200 years. Until now. Sorry, NOT Sorry!
It’s time! The old model is driven by two service styles / paradigms: 1. A la carte. 2. Table service. Very simple. Very old. Very tired. This is just about the only way anyone gets an oyster served to them outside of a special, one-off event. So, minus those circumstances, everywhere you’ve ever been, oyster service goes like this: The guest orders oysters and a platter of oysters comes to the table. In the case of a mixed platter, the waiter may or may not know much about any of the oysters or even which one is which. A system may or may not be in place to help you know which is which. The platter is left on the table. The waiter leaves your table. They cannot spend the next 15 minutes with you, dressing your oysters, speaking of the wine pairings, busting myths and telling the stories of the people, places and processes that create the oysters. WE CAN and DO!
The platter can be done well, through a host of innovations that the best of the best have adopted. Example above,
But typically, a platter of oysters comes to the table with cocktail sauce, lemon, one or two mignonettes and lots, some or no advice on which to use or how much of each to use or what combinations to try / avoid. This model fails to deliver the value that is possible and makes oysters less desirable (especially at $4 or more) to most consumers.
This model is effective for the restaurants that use it. It’s faster. This gets your out the door quicker. Also, oysters whet your appetite and make you thirsty, so you order more drinks. In the old days in NYC when oysters were cheap and ubiquitous, they were offered for free for these reasons. The model hasn’t changed in America. Make people hungry and thirsty so spend more than they would otherwise, but make it quick, so we can turn the table.
OUR MODEL
“We simply removed the raw bar from the seafood restaurant that ALSO has a raw bar, and eliminated the restaurant, staff, expenses and so forth such that we can create an elevated experience that delivers a lot of things no other service can. We #RaiseTheRawBar. You #SeasTheBay! ”
PLEASE BARE WITH US IF YOU THINK WHAT WE ARE SAYING HERE IS VAINGLORIOUS, BRAGGADOCIOS OR ARROGANT.
It may sound like we are saying our oyster service is superior to all others. Maybe it is, in some ways, but this is not an oyster service you can get all day, every day, either. And it comes with some sacrifices and costs but it delivers an ROI that is profound. In the end, however, we have seen its effect on nearly 7000 guests at Raw Lab. Truth is: It is not to be missed because it delivers a host of very valuable things to those who experience it which serves them well for the rest of their days.
We model our oyster service in a way that is similar to a wine seminar. A flight of oysters is served to each guest, one at a time, with everyone enjoying each oyster at the same moment. Its a MASTER CLASS, not “table service” because he discovery opportunity in this model is profound, the experience is guided by an expert and everyone experiences it all together, at the same time.
Through this model, you’ll likely learn more about oysters (and how to best appreciate them) then you ever thought there was to know. Coaching on the metrics of quality will inform your palate. Identifying the variables between oysters in flavor (Merroir), will help you to understand the differences between them. Discussions of the people, places and processes they come from are the cornerstone of this service. From how to (and why you should) treat every oyster like a sip of a $500 wine, to debunking the R month myth and much more we’ll explore the history, culture, cuisine, economy and ecology of oysters as guests ask questions and they’re answered by a Master Mermmlier, Kevin Joseph
When you focus on Raw Bar you can deliver a MUCH more immersive, informative and interesting raw bar product, service & experience. Eliminating the paradigm of “table service” delivering platters of oysters changes the game. Hell, its a new sport. Removing the barriers between chef/shucker/expert and the guest is a paradigm ship that brings with it a host of remarkable opportunities. Eliminating the restaurant’s (staff, rent, equipment, menu, admin…etc) allow us to laser focus extremely expensive proteins and do a lot more with other very expensive, high-quality, hard to find product in order to deliver the most value possible.
The experience is an experiment in how much more you can get from oysters, how to develop your palate to appreciate the differences in them and which metrics of quality you prefer in your oysters. This will inform your oyster choices and how you enjoy them for the rest of your life. In this experiment we have applied something similar to a “scientific method” where there is a process, order, control and result. Each oyster is the same (control) and each oyster is dressed, a la minute, by the chef. We call our collections of toppings, dressings and treatments Accoutrement Premier. The result is a better understanding of your preferences with oysters / accoutrement.
Beyond this, its fun, there’s a point, you’ll learn a lot and you’ll be changed, especially if you are not the biggest fan of oysters. Now, here, finally, you’ll see the bleeding edge of what can be done with oysters served raw, on the half shell.
OYSTER FLIGHT @ RAW LAB
ONE OYSTER VARIETY TOPPED, DRESSED & TREATED 6 WAYS
We choose to feature a hyper-local oyster in our service. These are Perky Sea Cups from Charleston Oyster Farm, located 7 miles from Raw Lab.
Topped / Dressed: Fresh Grated Horseradish Root & Lemon
Topped / Dressed: Fresh Grated Japanese Wasabi Rhizome & Lime
Topped / Dressed: Japanese Mignonette (Yuzu Champagne Vinegar, Wasabi, Cucumber, Micro Cilantro)
Topped / Dressed: American Mignonette (Apple Cider Vinegar, Peel of a green apple, shallot, green peppercorn)
Topped / Dressed: French Mignonette (Red Wine Vinegar, shallot, black peppercorn)
Treated: Cold Smoked
The first 5 are toppings or dressings. The last one is a treatment and in a league all its own. Learn more about our ACCOUTRMENT PREMIER here.
SUPPORTING THE GREATEST VALUE
Crassostrea Gigas aka Kusshi (WA) Photo: Kevin Joseph
CONSIDER THIS FACT: Ultra-Premium oysters, served raw, on the half shell are a $500 a pound protein anywhere you should consider having a dozen.
So, how would you treat a $500 a pound protein like a waygu steak? Or how would you treat a $500 bottle of wine? How would you best appreciate it and get the most from it? This is what we’ve perfected the art and science of, for oysters. Our service is an Edu-Taining Expedition into the history, culture, cuisine, economy and ecology of oysters that will delight you and serve you well, for the rest of your life. From our experience with this model and service @ Raw Lab in Charleston, we’ve found that the savvy Gourmand and well-Traveled Epicurean loves it.
SACRIFICES MADE
Tiny but MIGHTY Olympia (WA) Ostrea Lurida. Photo: Kevin Joseph
Multiple varieties are not offered: We feature ONE oyster, as the control in the experiment that is “which means of dressing an oyster do you tend to prefer”. This will serve you EVERYWHERE you go, for the rest of your life.
Six Oysters: Realizing that 80% of people wont even try a raw oyster, 50% of “seafood lovers” will only eat a raw oyster on a very rare occasion and that the “Voracious Raw Oyster Lover” is extremely rare, we’ve limited our service to 6 oysters. People DO NOT sit down and eat 12+ oysters each, almost anywhere, ever. Sure, we can all name one of those people, but can you name 3 of them? 10 of them? We’ve been observing, operating in and been influential in the oyster Renaissance since 2010 and we know that for 99% of people, 6 oysters is plenty.
A tiny pearl found in a Taylor Kumamoto. Crassostrea Sikamea. Oct, 2021, Stern & Bow Restaurant, Closter, NJ. Photo: Kevin Joseph
POINTS OF DISCOVERY
Consistently, for 3 years we’ve seen it be the case that 99.9% of they time our guests are blown away, flabbergasted and astonished at what can be done with oysters. It creates an epiphany or two for basically everyone. 5 - 6 genuine “points of discovery” are delivered in just our oyster service. These are things that make you say “Wow!” or “I’ve never seen that!”
UNICORN. Totten Inlet Virginica. Crossostrea Virginica. Indigenous to East Coast & Gulf. Grown by Taylor Shellfish in WA. Photo: Kevin Joseph
WORTH IT?
Our guests typically realize that this MASTER CLASS is worth every penny of the $250 a seat price because their understanding and appreciation for raw oysters and forever changed in a way that they can take with them for the rest of their life, to every other oyster experience, anywhere. They understand now the best way to get all the flavor and nutrition from them…for starters. We’re this experience to be offered as a one-off or side-bar at a major Food & Wine Festival it would likely have a $250 cost. As part of the RAW LAB experience (about 10% of it, in fact) the value proposition is astonishing!
Le Belon. European Flat aka Ostrea Edulis. Very Rare in the US. Photo: Kevin Joseph
PROCESS
The flight is always served in the same way, in the same order. We came to realize that this was the best way to do it over about 8 years of experimentation, presenting raw bars and getting feedback, directly, all over the continent. What a long strange trip it’s been. What a place to have arrived.
WITH US YOU WILL DISCOVER & EXPLORE…
The history, culture, cuisine, economy & ecology of oysters through the questions our guests inevitably ask and the answers given by a Master Mermmelier, Kevin Joseph.
The metrics of quality for oysters (nose, brine, bite, minerality, after-taste, meat to shell ratio…etc.)
How to properly eat an oyster to most thoroughly experience its entire flavor profile.
How to experience 20, 50 or even 100% more pleasure, joy and satisfaction from an oyster.
Experience your first “Sweet Flash”, understand what that means and how to have a chance of finding it.
Oyster anatomy and life cycle, how and why oysters are farmed, the deal with the R months
A few things about your preferences for toppings, dressings or treatments.
Our model was designed NOT for eating or dining. Ours is an omakase-style, semi-private, salon-type product, service and experience that allows us to create and elevate an immersive and participatory culinary experience that is safe, healthy, sustainable, responsible, smart, delicious, nutritious, colorful and fun. That’s something well beyond eating or dining.
Consider how this will inform your palate, how you order oysters elsewhere and elevate your enjoyment and appreciation for oysters for the rest of your life. What is the ROI on that for you if the cost for this was $250. We think it is fair to say that just this part of our service (the oyster course, or Master Class in Oysters) is of equal value to a day of skiing in Aspen ($1,000 per person) or a round of Golf at The Ocean Course in Kiawah ($650 per person). Yes, you can talk about a round at Kiawah for the rest of your life, and that is very cool. Bucket list stuff. But you can’t share your knowledge of how it was so great there with others in the same way you can share your knowledge of oysters with others, for the rest of your life.
BOTTOM LINE
The old model is AM radio. Our model is Digital Hi-Fi Surround Sound. In the old model you eat oysters. In our model, you dine on oysters and come to understand and appreciate them much much more. Given the right methodologies to enjoy them to their greatest potential you’ll appreciate and enjoy them much more for the rest of your days. Often this leads to a much greater appreciation of oysters. If you don’t agree that we did to the oyster service what The Sphere did to concerts, we’ll buy you a shot!
FOR BESPOKE OYSTER SERVICE AT YOUR HOME, CLUB, BOAT..etc CONTACT US
