Just WOW!
THANK YOU @RockenbackDesign & Henry Roosevelt!
FLIP THE TRADITIONAL PHILANTHROPY MODEL by joining us to HELP PEOPLE LIKE THOSE PICTURED BELOW to RECOVER FROM DISASTERS & BE MORE PREPARED for the future.
Join us in a new “Philanthropic Paradigm” intended to reward you for HELPING SOMEONE AFFECTED BY A NATURAL DISASTER. It is simple:
THOSE IN NEED / THOSE HELPING THOSE IN NEED
Tell us briefly what happened and what it is that you need. If it’s cash to survive and recover, tell us. If its a chainsaw or a generator to use and share and re-gift, tell us. Tell us what you need.
DONORS
Donate $500 DIRECTLY to a person, family, small business or local charity in the affected regions who has been identified to be in need. Or, donate $500 to whomever or whatever you like. Share the reasons why with us and we will share those stories with our community.
Receive ONE seat at RAW LAB for a $500 donation. Receive TWO seats for a $1000 donation. Come and experience RAW LAB on a date that works for both you and RAW LAB between Oct 5 and Jan 1, 2025.
WHY WE ARE DOING THIS?
To put a face and a name on need and help. To BE HUMAN! To create and share HOPE and LOVE and GOOD NEWS!
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene RAW LAB decided this might be a better model than “donating to charity”. RAW LAB is donating 12 seats to an effort to generate at least $6,000 to those in need in 2024. $0 dollars pass through our hands. 100% of your dollars go directly from you to whomever you want to help.
In this model the narrative changes from…
“we gave to an organization that used our dollars somewhere to help someone in an affected area in some way”
…to…
”We gave to “this person, couple, family, small business or small local charity” from “that place” to help them to survive and recover from Helene by “getting their home restored or their business back open.”
…or 1000 other stories.
RAW LAB is donating 100% of the food, wine and effort required to seat and serve those who donate. Our reward is the good deed itself, not a tax deduction or “credit”. It’s just that simple and we think it might be a more direct and efficient way to help friends, neighbors and associates affected by Helene.
THE PEOPLE IN THE PHOTOS ABOVE
These people were all photographed by me, @kevinjoseph, Founder and Owner of RAW LAB, over years of traveling to, visiting with and learning from people who make a living from farming and or harvesting sustainable and responsible seafood. I’ve posted them because these are some of the people we know who are likely severely affected by hurricanes. They are representative of those affected by Helene. Meeting, getting to know and working with some of these Baymen & Baywomen has been my passion, purpose and mission since 2010. They are farmers, fishers & foragers. They are old and young…living and late, white, brown, black…from all over. These are our neighbors, friends and family.
WE SEEK TO HELP & CELEBRATE ANYONE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE HELENE
We encourage our community to help ANYONE that needs it, anywhere. From Asheville, NC to Erwin, TN to Damascus, VA, to Valdosta, GA to Cedar Key, FL. There are no restrictions other than GENUINE NEED. Through our work we have always celebrated people like those in the photos above (and hundreds more like them). These are OUR friends and associates. But you may have different heroes. In this effort we want make it more compelling to do something by rewarding you for your support of ANYONE in need.
We have worked hard to showcase and celebrate the history, culture, cuisine, economy & ecology of those that protect, preserve and restore habitats and fisheries that produce seafood for us to enjoy. We’ve done so in many ways from producing New York Oyster Week (2012-2019), hosting, producing or participating many other events, social media posts, web posts and, of course, celebrating their stories, products and work in our services.
They are the stewards of and we are all the BeneFISHiaries of these habitats and fisheries. Without them we don’t have much of the premium domestic seafood we enjoy. PERIOD! These people are job creators and entrepreneurs. They are Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, Friends and Associates. People like this are the salt of the earth and the brine of the bay. They are Heroes, to us.
Often they are most seriously affected by hurricanes and their homes and operations are typically located in vulnerable areas on the coast. We’ve made films about them. We’ve bought from them. We’ve served their catches and harvests. Some of you have enjoyed the fruits of their labor.
Again, you do not need to donate to anyone or anything specifically. We leave it up to you. All we ask is that you donate to someone who TRULY NEEDS THE HELP!
For Hospitality Professionals attending (or considering attending) The Food & Wine Classic @ Charleston this September
WHAT IS RAW LAB?
It is the world’d first, only, ever Omakase Style Raw Bar Experience. It’s not a tasking table and it’s not a chefs table…ist something new. RAW LAB is “dinner & a show” which has earned and maintained a 4.9 star rating on RESY since Feb 2022. Thousands of guests have been enchanted by our food, atmosphere, music, performance and wine service. Our space and business model allows to deliver a singular oyster, caviar and wine service (each of which is a Master Class in the category). These presentations are accompanied by a filling meal presented for just 12 guests at a time by Master Mermmelier, Kevin Joseph.
10 - 12 courses will showcase our signature MARINE CUISINE, DelicaSEAS & Sea Salt Complex. It’s an adventure which enchants the best fed and most well traveled Gourmands & Epicureans. In fact, these are the guests who find the greatest value in it, are most articulate about how much they love it, extremely passionate about what it delivers and most vocal in recommending it. We would not say this if we hadn’t witnessed it at least 300 times.
There are only 3 services a week. Thurs - Sat. One Seating, 6:30pm. Its about a 4 hour EPICurean adventure through the species grown and caught in the marshes, bays and oceans of the world. It delivers at least 30 points of discovery, even for the most sophisticated and well traveled diner.
We focus on the bottom of the seafood chain and turn a raw bar experience from an appetizer into a meal. Our menu features dishes that are raw, cooked / chilled and hot…oysters, caviar, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops & salmon presented alone, in salads, soups, composed bites and large plates. We specialize in the delivery of an Edu-Taining experience that is approachable and unpretentious. Our focus is on preparations that are whole, live, raw and bio-available, thus delivering a delicious, colorful and nutrient dense meal that is not just an appetizer. But most of all, you and the 11 other guests will have FUN! This is much more FUN dining, less FINE DINING. We #RaiseTheRawBar so you can #SeasTheBay!
WHAT IS FOOD & WINE CLASSIC @ CHARLESTON?
Hospitality Professionals know about the legendary Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. This year they are taking it to Charleston for the first time. You should be there!
WHY JOIN US FOR A SERVICE @ RAW LAB during F&WCC?
Because you will experience a culinary adventure that simply does not exist anywhere else on Earth. Also, doing so won’t mean you’ll have to skip F&WCC events as there is no evening programming scheduled. Finally, dining with us would not compete with any of The Classic’s programming.
WHO SHOULD MAKE A RESERVATION @ RAW LAB?
We are currently holding all seats for Friday, September 27th & Saturday, September 28th. Hospitality professionals including restauranteurs, hoteliers, investors in hospitality concepts, wine / spirits professionals and globally significant chefs will enjoy it and appreciate our business model, experience and value proposition the most.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY?
Considering entertaining clients at F&WCC? This is the ideal way to do it. Buy out the room, or a handful of seats. Work with us to showcase your wine, spirits or specialty food items. Or, just come and enjoy it for yourself! You’ll likely learn a lot, including how one Chef & a service assistant can deliver so much value to consumers in a 242 sf space hidden off a courtyard on S. Market Street with ZERO street frontage or walk-up business.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DINNER IN CHARLESTON
Charleston is loaded with great dining options. No town in the world punches above its weight class like Charleston. From north to south, these are the restaurants we love the most: Coda Del Pesce, The Obstinate Daughter, Zero George, Sushi Wa, Shiki, Halls, The Oak Room, Sorelle, Felix, The Ordinary, FIG, Charleston Grill, The Peninsula Grill, Chez Nous, Circa 1886, Honeysuckle Rose, Melfi’s, Wild Olive and Lost Isle. There are many more worth experiencing but these are our favorites.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LIBATIONS IN CHARLESTON
Graft Wine Bar, The Last Saint, Scotty Doesn’t Know, Doar Bros & The Archer.
Contact us HERE via email and we’ll circle back with you.
Cheers!
Kevin Joseph & The Raw Lab Team
PS:
This is a SEA SALT COMPLEX. There are endless combinations. We infuse those sea salts into the dishes @raw.lab.chs and @ltle.fish.chs and rotate Sea salts constantly. Why? To deliver to your body , in a single meal, a vast collection of salts and minerals from both ancient / extinct oceans and modern / living seas.
Our very first jar.
In this jar we can see 7 Sea Salts from 7 Seas. Some are from ancient & extinct oceans AND others recently harvested from living oceans today.
Where else is that incorporated into your meal? Consider the rare & exotic minerals and elements this delivers to you and the probable health benefits of that! How else can ya get minerals from a 500 million year old food? How else can you get minerals from food from all across the globe without it being expensive in both time and effort?
Come in and learn all about it. We’re doing a ton of research now to be as informative as possible and vet the nutritional value of it. Just the latest experiment in flavor & nutrition at the lab, but it may be the coolest thing we’ve created so far!
SO WHAT?
POINT #1: 60-70% of our bodies are water. 100% of that water is salt water. 3-4%% of our body weight is salt.
POINT #2: The salinity of the water in our bodies is 100 ppt (roughly) and this 3x more saline than ocean water which is 33 ppt (parts per thousand).
POINT #3: Human Blood has 0.87 g/L of salt. Sea water generally has about 35 g/L. Our blood is roughly 3x more saline than ocean water.
WE ARE SALT WATER CREATURES! You can power that fact with factory, industrial, dead “table salt” or you can power that with mineral rich, natural sea salt from near and far and from both ancient and modern sources. Which do you think is going to do more for you?
SEA SALT #1
KALAHARI DESERT, AFRICA
Oryx Desert Salt
The ancient Dwyka rock formations, through which the underground streams flow, are geo-scientifically tested to be 250-300 million years old. The 50km2 salt pan is situated in the Kalahari Desert of 900,000km2, inside the Kalahari Basin which spans an area of 2.5 million km². 50km’s south of Botswana and +-250km north of Upington. A remote, pristine and beautiful area. The name KALAHARI is derived from the Tswana word Kgalagadi, meaning ‘the great thirst’.
SEA SALT #5
HAWAII
BLACK LAVA SALT
SEA SALT #6
UTAH
SUNDANCE SEA SALT
We think salt should be simple. It shouldn't contain artificial additivies or unhealthy pollutants. And it shouldn't be stripped of beneficial trace minerals. It should be sea salt the way nature made it - nothing added, nothing taken away.
Millions of years before humans began polluting our planet, an ancient ocean covered what is now the Western United States. As the earth shifted and ocean waters retreated beneath the surface, the Real Salt deposit was formed into a massive, undergorund mountain of crystalized salt protected from erosion by a layer of volcanic ash.
In prehistoric times, there was an inland sea covering what is now Redmond Utah, known as Sundance Sea. That sea is gone, but it left beind a large, pristine, undergorund salt deposit - which is where we mine Real Salt. That's why even though our salt lives deep i the earth, it's actually sea salt.
Real Salt has a much smoother flavor profile - a subtle, salty sweetness that naturally enhances that flavor of every bite. Real Salt doesn't make your food taste like salt, it enhances the flavors you already love.
SEA SALT #7
HAWAII
RED “CLAY” or ALAEA SALT
SO, WHAT’S THE DEAL?
Both RAW LAB & LTLE FISH operate in the same space, at the same location (Port of Call @ 99 S. Market Street, CHS, SC) at the same u-shaped bar, with the same 12 seats. Both operate in the same exact room. However, RAW LAB operates Thurs - Sat and LTLE FISH operates (Mon - Wed). LTLE FISH offers a different overall experience and service style than RAW LAB as well.
SIMILARITIES
Location: Exactly The Same. 99. S Market Street @ Port of Call (Between Meeting & Church)
Room: LTLE FISH is the same room as RAW LAB but it will be sat, set and served differently.
DIFFERENCES
Service Style: RAW LAB is an OMAKASE style of service. LTLE FISH is an A LA CARTE style of service. At LTLE FISH you order from a menu. At RAW LAB, you entrust the chef and just enjoy the ride. The cadence and timing is entirely different. Groups come in at different times to LTLE FISH and receive what they order when its made. For RAW LAB, everyone enters at once and everyone enjoys each dish and wine at the same time.
Service Schedule: RAW LAB: Thurs - Sat from 6:37pm to about 10:30pm. LTLE FISH: Mon, Tues & Wed at 6pm & 8:15pm, so, two seatings.
Seats & Seatings: RAW LAB offers 12 seats and there is only one seating per night. LTLE FISH is currently offering just 8 seats but has two seatings at 6pm & 8:15pm
Time Frame: RAW LAB is Culinary Theater or Dinner & A Show. The time frame is 6:30 - 10:30ish. LTLE FISH can be enjoyed 1/2 of a glass of wine and one dish at a time. You could come in for one dish and a quick glass of Rose…come and go in 30 minutes, if that suits ya.
Price: RAW LAB is prix fixe @ $250 ++ per seat. LTLE FISH is a la carte, meaning, order what you like and pay the bill when you are ready for it.
Cancellation Policy: LTLE FISH has a small cancellation / no show fee. RAW LAB has a more a-typical cancellation / no - show policy which is rarely applied as people almost never no-show and even late cancellations are becoming easier and easier to fill, even in the last moment.
Participation: RAW LAB is highly participatory for the guests. LTLE FISH isnt as much though guests do tend to interact a lot because they are all sat around the same 12 seat bar. Guests at RAW LAB will have a hard time having their own private conversations or catching up without interruption. Its exactly the opposite at LTLE FISH.
Chef / Assistant: Kevin & Heather operate RAW LAB. Simon Zeb & Aengus operate LTLE FISH.
Menu: LTLE FISH offers a menu that is mostly RAW LAB’s Greatest Hits or MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS by Master Mermmelier Kevin Joseph. However, LTLE FISH will feature specials and be used to experiment with wines we haven’t added to the line up at RAW LAB yet. LTLE FISH is, therefore, kind of a TEST KITCHEN for RAW LAB.
Wine: Many of the same wines are used in both LTLE FISH and RAW LAB but we are experimenting with new wines more at LTLE FISH.
Vibe: LTLE FISH features the same tunes as RAW LAB but there isn’t any specific playlists for courses. Our master playlist is on shuffle with LTLE FISH whereas with RAW LAB certain dishes, pairing and elements of style are linked to specific songs.
Culinary Theater: RAW LAB is A LOT more choreographed than LTLE FISH but there is still a lot to see and experience at LTLE FISH as all of the dishes are made no farther from any guest than 6’. LTLE FISH is more like watching a movie at home and RAW LAB is like going to the theater.
Education: You’ll learn quite a bit about MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS at both, if you ask questions.
We created LTLE FISH for three reasons:
1. Develop new chefs.
2. Create a “Test Kitchen” for RAW LAB.
3. Our many repeat customers and raving fans for RAW LAB wanted a different way to enjoy the room and MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS of RAW LAB.
What a great video! THANK YOU SO MUCH to the team at WCSC especially Reagan & Emilie who came and enjoyed service at RAW LAB. Such a fun crew!
Ask and ye shall receive! Introducing LTLE FISH, an a la carte style service in the same space as RAW LAB, but operating on Sunday, Monday, Tues & Wed, when RAW LAB does not operate.
A LA CARTE SERVICE STYLE: Belly Up, order what you like, enjoy, pay and depart when you are ready. This is NOT the Omakase Style of Service RAW LAB offers (Thurs - Sat) but rather the traditional restaurant ordering style, “off the menu” or a la carte. It’s just like sitting at the bar and ordering from the menu, like you would anywhere else, really.
MENU: RAW LAB’s Greatest Hits, wines by the bottle, glass and 1/2 glass. REVIEW MENU HERE
RESERVATIONS: Recommended, but not required. Seats are rather limited as we launch this so reservations are a good idea. BOOK ON RESY
FEATURING SIMON ADAMS: Simon will be your chef and host. He’ll be assisted by Zeb Davis. You’ll love these guys and they’ll take good care of you.
Simon Adams
SAME VIBE AS RAW LAB: But a different service style and menu. Same location, room, floor-plan, music, atmosphere.
The Room
12 seats around a U-shaped bar under a living plant canopy. Kinda like being underwater. Cozy and chic, without being pretentious.
CONSERVAS or Tinned Fish has finally been adopted by the American Market. We’ve been watching this for years and now the ancient European tradition does seem to finally have captivated some influential and sophisticated American consumers. These early adopters, trend-setters or influencers are beginning to be heard. Recently, an American Company called FISH WIFE was successful in making a deal on SHARK TANK. It’s getting mainstream now.
There is, perhaps, as much to experience, learn, enjoy and know with conservas as there is with wine, caviar or oysters. We intend to be a leader in this space in at least a few ways:
Serve a broad and deep collection of conservas at our RAW BARS.
Offer Conservas for sale to Americans via retail and e-commerce.
Educate and entertain (edu-tain) with Conservas.
MUCH MORE TO COME TO THIS PAGE SOON…
TINNED FISH on Wikipedia
We will trade seats at RAW LAB in exchange for the products, services & experiences listed below. And, we will PROMOTE your brand to our guests in a host of elegant ways.
BOOK KEEPING SERVICES
BUSINESS LEGAL SERVICES - TRADEMARKS
BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES
CONTENT CREATION
REFERRALS TO PROFESSIONALS / ENTREPRENEURS WHO COULD OWN & OPERATE “RAW LAB”
…ALSO…
INSHORE FISHING TRIPS
OFFSHORE FISHING / DIVING TRIPS
MASSAGE / BODY WORK
VACATION RENTALS & HOTELS
WORLD-CLASS DINING IN CHS & BEYOND
PLANTS & PLANT CARE
WOOD, METAL & GLASS WORK
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES (MECHANICS)
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
PUBLIC RELATIONS
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
EDITORIAL COVERAGE
CUSTOM CERAMICS & GLASS WORK
GRAPHIC DESIGN
LIMOUSINE SERVICES
There is SO MUCH to know about salt, and so many kinds of it. Especially Sea salts. This salt, ASIN TIBOUK is fairly singular. Such an incredible process. Only a handful of families make this product now. Incredibly rare.
BUY IT HERE: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1261401864/asin-tibuok-rare-dinosaur-egg-coconut
And several other places. Google “Dinosaur Egg Salt”
More info on 2024 events and such HERE
