WINE TRAVEL

When you attend an EPICureanism™ Dinner and you participate in all 4 Modules, you’ll experience WINE TRAVEL to it’s fullest. The Experiential Model allows for us to present wines in a way that is unique. You’ll experience wines from around the globe by exploring up to 15 varieties from all 6 wine producing regions. You’ll likely discover a wine you love that you were previously unfamiliar with.

OUR WINE EXPERIENCE IS DRIVEN BY OUR MODEL

Our events and event spaces are intimate. Sessions are limited to 30 guests. This limits our ability to do the standard / traditional wine thing. Good news is, we’ve found that it actually liberated us, and our guests. It created all kinds of new opportunities. The benefits far out weight the limitations. It’s less, “we cant do that” and more, “look what we get to do!”

HOW IT WORKS - JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD

Across all 4 Modules 14-20 wines are sampled in small pours (about 1/4 to 1/3 of a glass of each). Most are very intentionally paired with a bite or a dish or a series of bites. We curate for diversity and value while take you AROUND THE WORLD with wine, literally.

We feature lesser know grapes and natural processes from all 6 wine producing continents. Wines from Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia or New Zealand, N. America and S. America are all sampled. We’ll get weird with Pet Nats and grapes many have never heard of or tried. We’ll travel through time and space with wines from The Republic of Georgia (the birthplace of viticulture), The Canary Islands (an Volcanic African Archipelago) and onward to Chile, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany and New York!

We enjoy busing myths and telling stories about wine just as much as we do with seafood. Our intimate settings lead to discussions about all things and often we have guests who have amazing perspectives on wine. So, we ALL learn from their experience and observations. It is truly magical to see how our guests can add value to the experience.

GAIN IN EQUAL PROPORTION TO WHAT YOU GIVE UP


Our model allows our guests to try things many of them have never heard of. Join us and GET WEIRD together…you will find something you are surprised by in the the process. We promise. Like an Orange Pet Nat? How about a Diego Seco from a Volcanic African Archipelago? A fizzy Chilean Rose?

Put your palate on “Discovery Mode” like you might with your ears when streaming music, and we’ll find some new favorites, together. Let’s juxtapose a traditional Spanish Albarino with a bubbly version of the same grape, grown in CA. Drink Txacoli from the Porron like a Basque! We challenge you to experience wines in fun new way. If you fall in love with one of these wines, great. Now you know. We’ve just expanded your wine universe and that’ll bring you joy in the future. Also, if you want to take some bottles home, great. We can do that too. This way you don’t have to go wine hunting to find it at retail.

THE STANDARD / TRADITIONAL WAY DOES NOT FIT OUR MODEL

Wines by the glass or bottle can be arranged though our host venue, but it kind of kills the point of the journey & discovery.. We want to enage you in a wine adventure or expedition, not a walk in a familiar park. As per a bottle or glass of what is familiar…well…

  1. You can get that EVERYWHERE ELSE, every day of the year

  2. The “go to” varieties (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) will be there, elsewhere, everywhere, forever.

  3. A full glass of wine would last for several bites or courses, in some cases. We’d like to mix up the pairings for you more since we have the time, space and attention to share with each other. We are able to compare impressions, explore preferences more deeply and learn much more in the process.

RED WINE DRINKERS

Those who drink red wine exclusively can be hesitant to join us as we are typically presenting a fairly heavy seafood menu. We can certainly appreciate the dedication to fine red wine (and we can accommodate you, if you like). But more often than not, red wine drinkers come away from this saying: “ Wow, I had no idea I could enjoy white, rose and orange wines so much!”.

THREE WAYS TO GET THE PICTURE: 3 FILMS BELOW

EPICUREANISM™ was inspired by RAW LAB. This was a one of a kind experience in Charleston, SC from 2021-2026. The various courses and themes of RAW LAB have become the modules of EPICUREANISM. In essence, EPICUREANISM is RAW LAB as a touring concept. Like a hit Broadway Play might tour, we are taking in on the road for 2026.

EPICUREANISM™ IS A CULINARY ADVENTURE, not just a “dinner”. As such, it requires and delivers a lot more from and to the guest. Here’s an analogy: If you drive 60 miles to the beach for a weekend get away there are not that many things to consider, do, plan, bring or prepare for. But when you fly to Colorado to go skiing for a week you’ll need plan, prepare, do and bring a lot more. RAW LAB is much more like a ski trip to CO than a weekend at a nearby beach.

#RaiseTheRawBar

Empire Oyster created this concept in 2017 and have been perfecting it ever since. This is a vanguard Chef’s Table / Test Kitchen experience for up to 30 seated guests at a time, where the focus is on rare, exotic and luxury seafood from the bottom of the seafood chain. Part of our offering is an exploration of the most sustainable, responsible and healthy seafood choices. We call it MARINE CUISINE and describe it as Seafood v. 3.0. Here we #MakeUglyFishesDelicious in a smart, fun and sexy way.

Our model is the magic. Instead of being ANOTHER seafood restaurant that ALSO offers a raw bar, we have removed the raw bar from the restaurant and eliminated the restaurant. We are focused on being the finest raw bar in the history of the world because we are ONLY a Raw Bar! We #RaiseTheRawBar so you can #SeasTheBay. This is not an appetizer or tasting menu, its a meal…a food & wine experience and, for many, an epiphany in both seafood and fine dining.

We feature a host of marine species and dishes informed by an elegant culinary ethic which is designed around eating “Whole, Live, Raw & BioAvailabe”. These days, we guarantee our guests at least 15 “Points of Discovery”. These are things we deliver in our service that even the most sophisticated foodie, gourmand or epicurean is likely to have never seen before. It delights and enchants, while, at times confusing and challenging your senses in an exciting way. The entire time, you are only inches away from the chef who prepares everything in front of the guests. Every dish is enjoyed by all of the guests at the same time. The process and the chef de-mystify seafood and seafood wine pairings in an un-pretentious presentation that empowers our guests to experiment at home or to feel more comfortable ordering seafood and pairing wine to it elsewhere. Its also FUN! This is not a formal or “stuffy” omakase experience.

Raw Lab also delivers an elevated wine experience. Each course is paired with a great seafood wine and any of the wines could be paired with any of the dishes. Guest’s commonly discover new varieties and styles of wines they love. The focus is on obscure or lesser known varieties of dry white, rose and orange wines. A luxury back bar offers a very high end collection of sake & spirits and some nice red wines, by the bottle.

Enjoy private dining in a salon like atmosphere with other interesting & Interested guests who have the opportunity to ask dozens of questions about oysters, seafood and the wine pairings. No other oyster or seafood experience is designed around a 12 seat u-shaped bar where all of the dishes are presented to the world’s only “Ice Moat”, at the same time. Everyone in the room is on the same page and in proximity to everyone else. It creates a unique opportunity for Edu-Tainment and connecting to others which rewards much more than your palate.

Also, the space itself is designed and managed to deliver a strong sense of ESCAPE! If you are visiting, you won’t feel like you are a tourist, you’ll feel like a traveler. If you are local, you’ll feel transported to another time, place and dimension. You wont feel like you are in a restaurant, because, well, YOU ARE NOT! The decor, the music, the light…it all transports our guests and time flies.

Finally, this room is very private. You can’t see anyone walking by and nobody walking by can see you! Our guests enjoy total discretion, always. This very discreet room is also available for private events.

MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS

Learn more about this culinary ethic HERE and check out some pictures at that link or in the gallery below.

THIS IS A FIT FOR THOSE WHO…

  • …seek the unprecedented, unique and original.

  • …have been to all the great CHS restaurants 10 times each and seek something completely different.

  • …value elite food & wine experiences and have 3-4 hours available to do enjoy our service.

  • …are NOT allergic to shellfish, mollusks or crustaceans. Fin fish allergies can be worked around by skipping a course or two.

  • …are comfortable with or seek a community table type of setting and a salon like atmosphere.

  • …appreciate elite food, wine and service without any pretension.