CATERING SERVICES

EMPIRE OYSTER is a premier provider of raw bar & seafood catering services. These are our values:

  • FOOD SAFETY FIRST Everything we do is done with this in mind. LEARN MORE

  • FINEST QUALITY PRODUCT & VARIETY We know how to source hundreds of local or rare & exotic oyster varieties. LEARN MORE.

  • A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL, EDU-TAINING, OVER THE TOP OYSTER & RAW BAR EXPERIENCE: Guaranteed to blow your mind and quite possibly ruin you for oyster serves everywhere else, forever. We are the purple cow in the field of brown cows.

  • PRECISION SHUCKING Fast. Clean. Perfect. It’s simply not enough to be fast, every oyster must present perfectly as well. ALWAYS!

  • MAGNIFICENT PRESENTATION Our presentation is Food Theater. We’ve taken this to the limits of innovation. LEARN MORE.

  • TOPPINGS, DRESSINGS & ACCOUTREMENT We #RaiseTheRawBar as we help you to #SeasTheBay with our signature Accoutrement Premier.

  • ATTENTION TO DETAIL Everything we do with oysters, raw bars, and Marine Cuisine is next level. LEARN MORE.

  • VANGUARD CULINARY ETHIC Our oyster service as well as our MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS are next level.

DOWNLOAD OUR MENUS HERE

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT

VISIT OUR CLIENT TESTIMONIALS PAGE


 WE #RaiseTheRawBar YOU #SeasTheBay

Little more need be said after you watch these videos of recent raw bars we’ve executed on land and at sea. Check out the VIDEO SHOWCASE HERE and one great video of an epic raw bar in East Hampton, below.


 CATERING ON LAND & SEA

We can deliver a supreme culinary experience just about anywhere. YOUR HOME, OUR YACHT, YOUR YACHT….Easy. We’ve delivered the finest oyster bars, Marine Cuisine and DelicaSEAS on Rooftops, Botanical Gardens, Docks, State Parks, Beaches, Convention Centers, Bars, Nightclubs, Cobble Stoned Streets, Museums…the list goes on and on. We also offer a very special DINE @ SEA program where we present fine food on yachts for small groups of friends and family. We also offer fine meats, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.


OYSTERS

We focus on VARIETY & QUALITY! We can and do source from near and far to offer up to as many as 20 varieties for an amazing tasting experience. Our broad and deep relationships with growers and distributors world-wide, allows us to procure oysters from as far as New Zealand, Mexico, Alaska, Florida, California and Nova Scotia. We enjoy pairing local product with rare and exotic oysters from as far away as possible. Nothing is better than giving our oyster aficionado guests something they’ve never had before, or even knew about, like an Olympia, Totten Inlet Virginica, an Oystra Verde (Green Gills). Or maybe some of the new, farmed oysters out of FL, NC, AL, MS or SC. But what we love most is to deliver ALL 5 SPECIES, whenever possible (Nov - April).


ACCOUTREMENT PREMIER

Here we have no rivals. Our oyster toppings and treatments are off the charts and the result of endless innovation and boundless passion. We call this collection of toppings and dressings Accoutrement Premier. Learn more HERE


POD DINING PLAN - 2021

Seeking adventurous, epi-curious, BEST-ivores for a private supper club, anywhere.

Establish your Dining POD. Dine weekly together at each other’s homes or yachts, anywhere.

Dine on oysters, MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS in the homes or on the boats of the members of YOUR POD!

HOW WILL THIS WORK? Learn MORE HERE


BEYOND THE OYSTERS

CLAM BAKES, CRAB BOILS & LOBSTER BAKES

Of course we do these. But only for small groups these days. If your trusted POD is hungry for fun and great seafood, give us a ring.


MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS

Tastes as good as it sounds! We are defining the vanguard of the future or fish. Check out some of our sustainable, responsible, healthy and delicious dishes. Scroll through pictures below or see photos with descriptions HERE

SAFETY

Is catering like this safe? YES, it is as safe as any food service, maybe more so. Our staff is small so, there is less exposure to those prepping your food.

Also, COVID is NOT a food-borne illness.

Scientists do not think we can become infected if we ingest the virus on food as our digestive tract can effectively neutralize it.


PRIMARY SERVICE AREAS

We’ve done events all over the place. Where there is a budget, we will serve. We tend to follow the seasons and the consumers who value our product, process and presentation.

SUMMER

THE HAMPTONS WESTCHESTER ROCKLAND DUTCHESS CONNECTICUT RHODE ISLAND MASSACHUSETTS NEW JERSEY

WINTER

PALM BEACH BOCA RATON FORT LAUDERDALE MIAMI NAPLES SARASOTA ST PETE TAMPA ORLANDO DESTIN ALYS BEACH


ELITE OYSTER SERVICE @ PRIVATE HOMES & YACHTS…etc

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Simple. We show up to shuck and serve. We can also feed and EDU-tain you and your guests with…

  • Ultra-Premium Oyster Service for 6 - 12

    • $475 minimum, depending on day & location of service

    • One Variety (East)

    • Two Varieties (East & West) Add $100

    • Additional East Coast Varieties - Add $125 each for 100

    • Additional West Coast Varieties - Add $150 each for 60

  • ADDITIONAL FUN & LEARNING

  • Learn how to buy oysters direct

    • What to buy and when to buy it

    • No Additional Charge

  • Learn how to shuck raw oysters

    • Find the knife and techniques that work best for you

    • Additional Charge, $75

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  • Learn to COOK oysters

    • Steamed, Roasted, Grilled, Smoked, Stews & Soups

    • Additional Charge, $75

  • Learn to make Mignonette & find your favorite

    • French, Japanese, American and Dutch GIN-ionette

    • Additional Charge, $75

  • Wine Pairings

    • Champagne, Rose, Muscadet, Sauvignon Blanc, Txocholi, Sancere and more

    • Additional Costs equal to to Costs of Wine Requested / Procured

  • Spirits Pairings

    • Gin, Whisky, Tequila, Mezcal & Vodka

    • Additional Charge, $75

  • Learn about Sphere-ification and make Spirited Pearls

    • Learn what they are and how to make them

    • Additional Charge, $175

  • MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS

    • Add to your experience with a menu of sustainable, responsible and healthy seafood choices including caviar, tinned fish, uni, scallops, crab, lobster and more.

    • Learn how to source and prepare these dishes.

    • Additional Charges based on number of guests and dishes served. Highly variable.


ELITE OYSTER SERVICE @ PRIVATE CLUBS

Empire Oyster Shuck Buddies @ South Street Seaport, NYC, 2016

Empire Oyster Shuck Buddies @ South Street Seaport, NYC, 2016

RESTAURANTEURS, PRIVATE CLUB OWNERS, MANAGERS & F&B DIRECTORS: We are offering a great way to deliver interesting food & drink to the members of elite, private country, yacht & automotive clubs in NY, NJ, CT, RI & MA.

RESTAURANTS & HOTELS

Having trouble finding employees who are collecting unemployment through July? Outsource to us and #RaiseTheRawBar.

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUBS

For golf clubs, we’d operate at the turn or near the 18th green.

YACHT OR POOL CLUBS

We’d operate near the pool area.

AUTOMOTIVE CLUBS

We’d operate near where members come and go from the club, like the entry / exit area.

In all cases, we can offer this safely and legally during the time of “social distancing” and “limited operations of your F&B services”. We are targeting the month of May for this offering. We have done this kind of thing hundreds of times and have never had any food safety or quality issues. Also, we are fully insured and we will provide a COI naming your club as additional insured.


THE SHUCK TRUCK

While Empire Oyster is NOT a traditional caterer and our SHUCK TRUCK is NOT a traditional food truck, both deliver oysters, beer and joy to consumers wherever we go. This is a great way for PRIVATE CLUBS to deliver some F&B value to your members while your F&B operations are limited or suspended. Its also a great way for a family to enjoy oysters together,

Our lovingly restored 1967 Chevy Sports Mobile 108 Deluxe is ready to roll. She goes 100mph, holds 8 with seat belts and serves cold beer from two taps (just not all at the same time). While she is not a food truck (we don’t serve "FROM" her) we do set up raw bars in front of her, next to her taps. So, we can serve food and pour beers at the same time. For the time being, obviously, we can only do this for small groups of people.  MORE INFO & SPECIFICATIONS HERE


WHY WE NEED OYSTERS?

OYSTERS ARE A MIRACLE FOOD & CONSUMERS MISS OYSTER SERVICE. We need them now, more than ever! Oysters are loaded with nutrition and immunity boosting vitamins and minerals like zinc, iodine, highly soluble amino acids. They are protein filled and have very low levels of fat, cholesterol and sodium. They are also loaded with omegas. This is all so well known, in fact, that there has recently been a host of articles on the subject of the benefits of consuming oysters on overall health as well as mood and mental health. They are even being prescribed as medicine for depression by Doctors, Psychologists and Psychiatrists. Learn more about that HERE

PRIVATE FAMILY GATHERINGS

Pricing for small private gatherings starts at $475 for a group of 6.

BEER & WINE PAIRINGS

Our Shuck Truck has two taps and a jockey box system. This allows us to serve two kinds of beer on tap, ice cold. We could certainly add wine to the mix if that is of interest. We’d keep it simple for the clubs. For private family gatherings, budget will dictate the offering or our clients can manage this part of the offering themselves.

THE EXPERIENCE BEYOND THE FOOD & BEV

Empire Oyster is led by Kevin Joseph, Master Mermmelier. A Mermmelier is to oysters what a Sommelier is to Wine or a Cicerone is to Beer. Our service, therefore, delivers a bona-fide oyster expert to engage & edu-tain your members as they sip and slurp.  As per their interest, guests will gain a better understanding of oysters as both part of the ecosystem and as food. They can get a crash course in aquaculture including the history, culture, cuisine, economy & ecology of oysters. Additionally, they can experiment with various accoutrement (toppings and dressings for oysters) and learn how to source the best product directly from those that produce it. They may discover new oyster preferences and favorite oyster pairings. Finally, those who are interested in doing so, can enjoy an oyster shucking lesson as well. Many can learn quickly which will allow them to enjoy oysters they order direct to their home. 

ABOUT KEVIN JOSEPH, MASTER MERMMELIER & PRIVATE CHEF

Kevin Joseph is the creator of New York Oyster Week, The OysterHood, Empire Oyster & Oysters Unlimited. His creativity with, knowledge of and experience with oysters, seafood and hospitality is singular. Kevin coined the phrase Mermmelier  because there was no term which describes his experience, knowledge and experience with oysters, seafood and hospitality. So, in fact, he had to coin a term that described what he is and what he does. Learn more here: www.EmpireOyster.com/press