IN SEARCH OF
Empire Oyster is looking to create meaningful, long term, partnerships with hospitality professionals. We seek partnerships with the following:
RESTAURANTEURS & TOP LEVEL HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS who…
… Understand the value of a premier oyster program in an existing restaurant and seek to “RAISE THE RAW BAR” for their existing operations in partnership with Empire Oyster.
Are interested in the development of a NEW AMERICAN RAW BAR MODEL, the creation of NEW operations in partnership with Empire Oyster.
Appreciate the value of consumers who are attracted to premium oyster service and outstanding raw bar programs and seek to cultivate that market.
Continually evaluate culinary trends, develop new concepts and cultivate talent / expertise to operate those concepts under their existing brands or a new brand
Restauranteurs interested in emulating the business model of partnering with an established grower to emulate the success of the 5 growers listed just below.
SOPHISTICATED, ESTABLISHED, PREMIUM & CONSISTENT OYSTER GROWERS who…
…would like to open their own, branded oyster bar / raw bar / restaurant but are not restauranteurs. Examples of growers who have done this VERY successfully are:
Hog Island (CA)
Island Creek (MA)
Taylor Shellfish (WA)
Rappahannock (VA)
Matunuck (RI)
NOTE: Nobody in oyster producing regions such as FL, SC, NC, MD, NJ, NY, CT, NH, ME or BC has done this, yet. There are at least 15 qualified growers at this moment who could be partnered with in this way.
BREWERY, WINERY & DISTILLERY OWNERS/OPERATORS who would like to offer an elite oyster / raw bar service 3 - 5 nights a week, year round, long term in some form of a Joint Venture. We sometimes refer to this a “Residency”. We are not seeking to engage in Pop-Ups most of the time but there can be exceptions to this though. LEARN MORE ABOUT RESIDENCY OPPORTUNITIES HERE
INDUSTRY REFERRALS
Referring us to qualified partners is a little more complicated than one might think. Often we are referred to Chefs at the Chef De Cuisine or Executive Chef Level because many people think our goal is to sell chefs oysters. But this is not generally the case. Please refer us to restauranteurs, owners & operators who hire and manage consultants. We seek referrals to top level hospitality executives running restaurant groups who are following culinary trends and who seek to identify talent and leadership on new concepts and models.
OUR VALUE
The operations we consult on generate significant, new REVENUE & PROFITS. We also generate significant BRANDING, POSITIONING, PUBLICITY, MARKETING & BUZZ for our partners in our operations. This is evidenced by some of the stories posted on our PRESS PAGE. One example in particular is extraordinary. In Oct 2019, our management of the raw bar program at Stern & Bow Restaurant in Closter, NJ generated MASSIVE, GLOBAL MEDIA when we found a pearl in a Taylor Kumamoto and we posted some photos and copy to AP. It went viral, locally, regionally, nationally & globally.
NEW YORK POST: https://nypost.com/2019/10/23/couple-finds-once-in-a-lifetime-pearl-in-oyster-at-nj-restaurant/
FOX NEWS: https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/oysters-pearl-new-jersey-restaurant
WEATHER.COM: https://weather.com/news/news/2019-10-24-couple-finds-rare-pearl-in-oyster
COUNTLESS MORE STORIES IN GOOGLE RESULTS FOR "COUPLE FINDS PEARL IN OYSTER"
REVENUE & PROFITS - THE HARD / TRUE NUMBERS
Consider the numbers we are doing during COVID @ Stern & Bow Restaurant in Closter, NJ with NO indoor seating (23 tables outside seating 80 guests.)
Oysters Per Week: 1500 - 2000 (125 - 166 dozen)
Average Price Per Oyster: $3.75 (@ $3.50 east coast & $4.20 west coast)
Weekly Oyster Revenue: $5,625 - $7,500
Beverage Revenues Per Dozen Oysters*: $30
Weekly Beverage Revenues*: $3,750 - $4,980
Total Weekly Sales: $9,375 - $12,480
Total Monthly Sales: $37,480 - $49,920
Total Annual Sales: $449,760 - $599,040
* Beverage revenues which can be correlated DIRECTLY tho those oyster sales
UPDATE: Oct 5, 2020. These numbers are standing firm now with cooler temps at night (fewer people sitting outside) but with 25% indoor seating being allowed in NJ.
NOTE: Consider not just these numbers but the numbers they lead to. This $500k is affecting and driving another $1.5k in sales of F&B that come AFTER they oysters by customers who came THERE to dine because it IS an elite oyster destination. Also, consider the kind of money being spent, meaning, the caliber of the consumer, who they are and what that means. This is “smart money”. These consumers are value-driven, not price-sensitive. They are interested, interesting, influential and affluent, foodies, gourmands and epicureans who appreciate high quality, expensive, raw foods. THEY ARE CURIOUS. And, most importantly, they appreciate great service, a great process and DISCOVERY.
A TRUE RAW BAR
We have a very distinct and deliberate definition of what a true raw bar is. It is NOT simply the delivery of oysters or other raw/chilled seafood that makes a raw bar great. There is much more to it and we have this fully articulated. We’ve practiced and perfected the 35+ points of our RAW BAR GOSPEL for years and we are the leading global authority in it. Actually, we are reasonably sure that we are the only entity consulting on this specialization with such focus. We endeavor to continue to RAISE THE RAW BAR with THE NEW AMERICAN RAW BAR MODEL in partnership with seasoned hospitality professionals who also see the opportunity.
KEVIN JOSEPH’S RAW BAR GOSPEL EMPIRE OYSTER’S NEW AMERICAN RAW BAR MODEL
PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS & REQUIREMENTS
After having engaged in several consulting agreements and partnerships we have come to realize that we bring to bare a host of benefits and requirements
EXCLUSIVITY
Empire Oyster ALWAYS agrees to NOT engage in any operations that would compete with our partners or clients. Example, we will not work with you in Market A and then / also work with your competitor in Market A. We generally do not engage with two clients within 30 miles of one another.
RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL
Our existing clients and partners will always have right of first refusal to work with us on upcoming brick & mortar projects.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Certain terms and processes that Empire Oyster has developed, practiced, perfected and used in commerce will be identified in advance of any engagement. Our intention IS to apply this IP to any operations we consult with as part of consulting / licensing agreement. Beyond that, we way/may not be willing to share this IP outside of an agreement. Licensing / consulting agreements may be possible where EO has confidence in their partners ability to execute / deliver on these terms and processes to the standards EO deems acceptable. The IP, processes, products, services and brands that Empire Oyster has developed, practiced, perfected and used in commerce include (but are not limited to) the following:
OMAKASE OYSTER SERVICE
MARINE CUISINE
DelicaSEAS
MERMMELIER
ACCOUTREMENT PREMIER
SPIRITED PEARLS
NOTE:
OMAKASE , of course, is NOT a term (by itself) that we ID as proprietary. Omakase as it is applied to OYSTER SERVICE is something we consider proprietary because EO innovated it and perfected it and we have used it in commerce continuously since early 2017. We know we will be copied by those who come to understand it’s value and with whom we do NOT have a working relationship. However, we do insist that anyone with which we have a working relationship acknowledge our ownership of this term (and others) in the form of a written agreement. Regarding the terms OYSTER OMAKASE or OMAKSE STYLE OYSTER SERVICE or OMAKASE OYSTER SERVICE (and their use in commerce) there is an order and a process we apply to this and that is proprietary. Consider Bikram Yoga. Yoga has been practiced for centuries. Bikram Yoga is a type of yoga (a series of poses and movement executed in a certain order) that IS proprietary and protected. This is one example. There are many others and many legal precedents that support this kind of a thing. You can watch a short film about our OMAKASE OYSTER SERVICE on our FILMS PAGE. Click on the first film, Kevin Dreams of Oysters.
CUISINE is not a term (by itself) that we ID as proprietary. However, MARINE CUISINE is both a menu and a process that we DO consider proprietary. In this case we do hold a federal TM on the term. Its less about the menu items than the use of the term as a differentiator and positioning tool used in commerce.
ACCOUTREMENT is NOT a term (by itself) that we ID as proprietary. People have been making toppings for oysters for ages. However, we do consider the term ACCOUTREMENT PREMIER to be proprietary. SPIRITED PEARLS are one of the dressings, treatments and toppings we feature in ACCOURTREMENT PREMIER. We create the through a proprietary form of Molecular Gastronomy often called Spherification or Agar Agar. In this process a flavorless, clear membrane is created around a liquid. In pour case we use spirits and often introduce an agent as well. So, Tequila & Cilantro, Gin & Mint, Vodka & Horseradish or Mezcal & Serrano are among our favorites. Learn more HERE.
LICENSING
Certain terms and processes that Empire Oyster has developed, practiced and perfected (listed above as Intellectual Property) will be open to negotiation for licensing such that a partner could have permission to execute / deliver on these terms and processes to the standards EO deems acceptable.