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PRIVATE CHEF

KEVIN JOSEPH - PRIVATE CHEF

Thank you for taking the time to learn about me and my desire to continue to practice my craft as a private chef on land and at sea.

My objectives as of October 2020 are to explore opportunities to pursue my passions in hospitality and cuisine such that I might be of value to those in pursuit of creative and innovative dining.

As a yacht chef I bring to bare a culinary specialty that can be harnessed by charter vessels as a significant point of differentiation and marketing tool. I have a federal trademark on the term MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS. This is Seafood 2.0. I have developed and mastered a collection of dishes informed by a focus on the most sustainable, responsible and healthy fish, shellfish, crustaceans, gastropods and marine vegetation. Many photos and dishes can be viewed below.

OFFICIAL PRIVATE / YACHT CHEF CV

REFERENCES, LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION & TESTIMONIALS

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

SAMPLE MENUS

BRIEF HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

Grew Up in a Seafood Restaurant Family with operations in NY & Florida including
- East Hampton (Springs) NY - The Fat Flounder - 1971 - 1978
- East Hampton (Montauk) NY - The Flying Fish - 1960 - 1976
- Bonita Springs, FL - McCully’s Rooftop Restaurnant 1976 - 1998
I have worked in just about every role one can in the restaurant business. First, in our family restaurants and then, during college I stuck to the front of house as waiter and bartender at various high end restaurants in Boulder, Colorado.
2021 - 2026 Creator, Owner & Operator @ RAW LAB in Charleston, SC. This was a $340 a seat (pre-paid), 12 seat, omakase-style raw bar experience that earned and maintained 4.9 stars on RESY for it’s entire run.
2011 - Present, Founder of New York Oyster Week, a celebration of the history, culture, cuisine, economy & ecology of Oysters in NY. Having presented this 8 years in a row we have produced at least 60 public, ticketed events in the process, shucked and served an estimated 500,000 oysters and contributed an estimated 1,000,000 oyster shells to oyster reef restoration projects like Billion Oyster Project. Some of our events saw as many as 25,000 oysters shucked and served to 1,000 + guests. Others were very boutique, small and specialized for a small group of guests. We have worked with beer, wine & spirits brands from around the world and sponsors of all other kinds as well. We will pause in 2020 due to COVID.
2014 - Present, Creator of International Oyster Day, November 18th. An alternative to August 5th, or National Oyster Day, which is a TERRIBLE day to celebrate oysters in the Northern Hemisphere for at least 5 reasons.
2013 - Present, Founder of The OysterHood, a global digital community for oyster loving consumers, members of the oyster trade and brands looking to engage in Oyster Related Marketing.
2013 - Present, Founder of Empire Oyster, a vertically integrated oyster company based in NY. Founded in 2013, Empire Oyster has been catering raw bars and offering the finest MARINE CUISINE to dozens of clients. We had been consultants to seafood distributors, restauranteurs and oyster farmers as well, with great success. We are currently partnering with a group to bring the first ever oyster farm to Springs & Amagansett, hamlets of the Town of East Hampton. We are also on several of our own culinary concepts including RAW BARge (1959, 52’ Tug Boat Conversion to a Raw Bar) and a collection of oyster / culinary destinations around the US & Canada.
2017 - Present, Founder of Oysters Unlimited, a non-profit committed to oyster habitat preservation, conservation and restoration.
2013 - Present, Founder of Mashomack Paddle Board Outfitters, based in Sag Harbor, NY (which is adjacent to Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island). I offer an elite level of service and instruction with a private, bespoke offering for beginners or elite paddlers. As a Fully Certified SUP pro since 2013 I have paddled roughly 10,000 miles of open ocean, river, lake and bay paddling experience in NY, FL, CO, CT, MA, NJ, SC, NC, VA, GA, MS, AL and RI.
Professional Ski Instructor 1984-2006 (Including several seasons in Vail, CO & St Moritz, Switzerland). I began teaching skiing in New York’s Catskill Mountains at age 13. In 1995 I earned his Full Certification for Professional Ski Instructors of America. I have skied about 1500 days in 7 countries and 2 continents. Most of my experience in CO came after IU went to college in Boulder. MY experience in Vail was almost entirely request private bookings with only 2 families over 6 seasons. My ability to speak German, my experience, reputation, connections and my full certification allowed me to do something that, at that time, no other American ever had: Teach skiing at the most elite ski school on earth. This was Suvretta House in St. Moritz, CH. The Leading Hotel of The World had its own private ski school.

PRIVATE CHEF CV

CURRICULUM VITAE

KEVIN JOSEPH - PRIVATE CHEF

2026 UPDATE

Welcome. I have been a self-employed entrepreneur for a very long time and in 2026 Ive decided to revisit this CV as I open myself up to working as a Private Chef or Yacht Chef again. I’ve been building this CV over the years and it is NOT traditional. Thank you for taking the time to learn about me and my desire to continue to practice my craft as a private chef and/or culinary consultant on land and at sea.

My objectives as of January 2026 are to work full time as / in…

PRIVATE CHEF @ Hamptons, Newport, Colorado, Montana, Maine
YACHT CHEF: Full Time / Part Time / Freelance
RESTAURANT OPERATIONS CONSULTANT: Operate an elite oyster / raw bar program for an existing and established restaurant operator in FL or Caribbean.

PRIVATE CHEF: Cooking and eating like an Athlete is my specialty.

YACHT CHEF: As a yacht chef I bring a culinary specialty that can be harnessed by charter vessels as a significant point of differentiation and marketing tool. I have a federal trademark on the term MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS. This is Seafood 2.0. I have developed and mastered a collection of dishes informed by a focus on the most sustainable, responsible and healthy fish, shellfish, crustaceans, gastropods and marine vegetation. Response to this menu and these dishes has been tested over many years and dozens of clients. Referrals and recommendations can be found HERE.

REFERENCES REFERRALS & TESTIMONIALS HERE

BORN, TA DO IT!

LITERALLY Grew Up in a Restaurant Family

Breckenridge, CO - St Bernard Inn - 1970 - 1971

My mother and father bought this place while working as managers at Eagle’s Nest @ Vail. I was born in Fairplay, CO in Dec 1970 and after a couple weeks my mother (the chef) had to get back to work help my dad (the bartender) run the place through the holidays and season. My. mom kept in a laundry basket with a blanket above a reach in cooler in the kitchen to keep an eye on me.

East Hampton (Springs) NY - The Fat Flounder - 1971 - 1978

My parents sold the St Bernard in in 1970 and moved to East Hampton. My moms folks found a spot in Springs for them to operate and so we moved and I came into being aware of myself as a little kid in the woods and dunes of Maidstone Park, Springs, East Hampton, Long Island, New York.

East Hampton (Montauk) NY - The Flying Fish - 1960 - 1976

I dont have any memory of this operation because my Grandparents sold it in 1976. But I do remember their house on Old Montauk Highway. I remember being happy playing in that yard and in that house.

Bonita Springs, FL - McCully’s Rooftop Restaurant 1976 - 1998

This I do remember. So many things learned here. First job. First kiss.

TODAY AND LOOKING BACK

WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN

2026 Creator & Producer of EPICureanism™ - A 22nd Century Culinary & Hospitality Philosophy. Expressed three ways:
1. FOR Consumers: A roving series of elite dining experiences
2. FOR Hotels, Resorts, Clubs & Restaurants: An opportunity for to HOST our events for consumers and an opportunit y for staff training and consulting services.
3. FOR Independent Operators: A platform or foundation for survival, differentiation and success.
This is what we discovered to be “A THING” in our efforts in Charleston. RAW LAB was how we expressed this thing in that place, space and time. It can be expressed in a million different ways in different spaces, places and times. This is the opportunity we are articulating and offering now, in 2026.
2026 Author, The Hospitality Prophecy
A work in progress. A book about how to enter and thrive in the future of F&B hospitality. Premise: The armageddon of fine dining in fill swing. The Celebrity Chef is no longer useful for profitable F&B Operations and the old methods are no longer effective. So, how will operators be able to keep their doors open and how can they thrive? They’ll need several things and this book provides the blueprint for the FOOD+ model which develops and leverages the Philosopher Chef.
2021 - 2026 Creator, Owner & Operator @ RAW LAB™ in Charleston, SC. This was a $340 a seat (pre-paid), 12 seat, omakase-style raw bar experience that earned and maintained 4.9 stars on RESY for it’s entire run. 1993 - 2005 I worked in just about every role one can in the restaurant business. First, in our family restaurants and then, during college I stuck to the front of house as waiter and bartender at various high end restaurants in Boulder, Colorado.
2010 - 2013 - National Sales & Marketing Director, Blue Island Oyster Company, Sayville, NY. In this role I achieved a 37% increase in our NYC business (the core business). However, I also traveled the US to meet with, educate, train and do sales calls with large seafood distributors such as Inland (GA, FL, SC, ), Louisiana Seafood (TX, LA, OK), Seattle Fish (CO, KS, UT, AZ), Supreme Lobster (IL, IN, OH), Santa Monica Seafood (CA), Foley Fish (MA, NH, RI, NY…etc) and Fortune FIsh (IL). I managed trade show appearances as well. Overall our sales to distributors increased 375% under my leadership. I also developed several oyster brands, new grower / supplier relationships and strengthened existing supplier relationships. I worked closely and effectively with famous chefs, restaurants and hotels including Le Bernardin and The Waldorf Astoria.
2011 - Present, Founder of New York Oyster Week, a celebration of the history, culture, cuisine, economy & ecology of Oysters in NY. Having presented this 8 years in a row we have produced at least 60 public, ticketed events in the process, shucked and served an estimated $500,000 oysters and contributed an estiated 1,000,000 oyster shells to oyster reef restoration projects like Billion Oyster Project. Some of our events saw as many as 25,000 oysters shucked and served to 1,000 + guests. Osthers were very boutique, small and specialized for a small group of guests. We have worked with beer, wine & spirits brand from around the world and sponsors of all other kinds as well. We will pause in 2020 due to COVID.
2014 - Present, Creator of International Oyster Day, November 18th. An alternative to August 5th, or National Oyster Day, which is a TERRIBLE day to celebrate oysters in the Northern Hemisphere for at least 5 reasons.
2013 - Present, Founder of The OysterHood, a global digital community for oyster loving consumers, members of the oyster trade and brands looking to engage in Oyster Related Marketing.
2013 - Present, Founder of Empire Oyster, a vertically integrated oyster company based in NY. Founded in 2013, Empire Oyster has been catering raw bars and offering the finest MARINE CUISINE to dozens of clients. We had been consultants to seafood distributors, restauranteurs and oyster farmers as well, with great success. We are currently partnering with a group to bring the first ever oyster farm to Springs & Amagansett, hamlets of the Town of East Hampton. We are also on several of our own culinary concepts including RAW BARge (1959, 50’ Tug Boat Conversion to a Raw Bar) and a collection of oyster / culinary destinations around the US & Canada.
2017 - Present, Founder of Oysters Unlimited, a non-profit committed to oyster habitat preservation, conservation and restoration.
2013 - Present, Founder of Mashomack Paddle Board Outfitters, based in Sag Harbor, NY (which is adjacent to Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island). I offer an elite level of service and instruction with a private, bespoke offering for beginners or elite paddlers. As a Fully Certified SUP pro since 2013 I have paddled roughly 10,000 miles of open ocean, river, lake and bay paddling experience in NY, FL, CO, CT, MA, NJ, SC, NC, VA, GA, MS, AL, RI and PR.
Professional Ski Instructor 1984-2006 (Including several seasons in Vail, CO & St Moritz, Switzerland). I began teaching skiing in New York’s Catskill Mountains at age 13. In 1995 I earned his Full Certification for Professional Ski Instructors of America. I have skied about 1500 days in 7 countries and 2 continents. Most of my experience in CO came after IU went to college in Boulder. MY experience in Vail was almost entirely request private bookings with only 2 families over 6 seasons. My ability to speak German, my experience, reputation, connections and my full certification allowed me to do something that, at that time, no other American ever had: Teach skiing at the most elite ski school on earth. This was Suvretta House in St. Moritz, CH. The Leading Hotel of The World had its own private ski school.

PERSONAL

HOME BASE / CITIZENSHIP: Palm Beach, Florida / American

PLACE OF BIRTH: Fairplay, Colorado

MARITAL STATUS: Divorced, no children.

HEALTH: Zero existing or historic conditions or limitations. Perfect health. No medications. No allergies.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English, German, Spanish & Italian

EDUCATION: Fort Lee High School, Fort Lee, NJ (1989) University of Colorado @ Boulder (1995, B.A. - History, Magna Cum Laude

CERTIFICATIONS: Full Certification, Professional Ski Instructors of America 1995, Full Certification, Paddle Fit Coaching, 2014, PADI S.C.U.B.A. Certified

OTHER EXPERTISE: Marine Biology, Oceanography, Coral Reef Ecology, European History & Anthropology

HOBBIES & PASSIONS: Surfing, SCUBA, Swimming, Spearfishing, Fishing, Cycling, Mountain Biking, Concerts, Reading, Business, Starting

POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS: Independent

OTHER: No tattoos, non-smoker, impeccable hygiene, professional demeanor, happy to take drug tests and have background checks.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instrgram @KevinJoseph, @Raw.Lab.CHS, @Empire_Oyster, @TheOysterHood, @OysterWeek, @PaddleBoardPeople
Facebook
Linked In

PRESS & MEDIA: www.EmpireOyster.com/press

CONTACT:

Kev's Story

KEVIN JOSEPH

Founder, Owner & Creator - Empire Oyster, RAW LAB & LTLE FISH

DIVE DEEP HERE: BIO + Link Tree + Expanded Story

KEVIN JOSEPH : Master Mermmelier ™

Kevin’s backstory is one that led him to Live On Purpose today. Born and raised in a Seafood Restaurant family which included operations in Breckenride, CO @ (The St. Bernard Inn), East Hampton, NY @ (The Fat Flounder), Montauk, NY @ (The Flying Fish) and Naples, FL @ (McCully’s Rooftop Restaurant). He spent most of his adult life away from the business but has now come back into it, in a way, full throttle.

Kevin is a FISHIONADO™ and a Master Mermmelier, which is to be to oysters and seafood what a Sommelier is to wine. What does that mean? Well, much more than being a Chef. He has traveled extensively in the pursuit of the truth about all manner of fish and shellfish. Kevin has worked as a consultant for restauranteurs and hotels in NYC and beyond. He has trained countless chefs and servers on oyster and raw bar operations. As the Founder of New York Oyster Week he has shucked and overseen the service of millions of oysters to tens of thousands of people on the streets of NYC alone. Beyond that he has produced hundreds of oyster / seafood related events, catered hundreds of events with elite raw bar offerings and provided the most elite products and preparations of the most exquisite product for the most discerning private clients at their homes and on their yachts in The Palm Beaches, Newport, Hamptons, and beyond.

DEEP DIVES: RAW BARS SERVICES WHAT IS A FISHIONADO / MASTER MERMMELIER

PURPOSE: MARINE CUISINE ™

This is Kevin’s core purpose and driving principle in life and work. He has coined, articulated, trademarked and practiced the sourcing, service and story-telling of it for years. It goes well beyond preparing and presenting food. Kevin’s Purpose and Passion is to source, prepare and present food such that it becomes the consumer’s idea to TRULY CARE about protecting, preserving and restoring the habitats and cultures that produce it.

Marine Cuisine® = Seafood v.3.0. It is defined by these metrics: The safest, healthiest, most responsible and sustainable choices in “fish” as derived from best practices in fishing and aquaculture. Within this culinary ethic is a keen understanding, appreciation and reverence for the People, Places and Processes that deliver the finest Product possible. These standards (Safe, Healthy, Responsible & Sustainable). This ethic considers consumers, producers, animals, plants and habitats as an “Eco²System". That is: An ECOlogical + ECOnomic circle of ALL life. We can and should produce food from the sea in ways that are sustainable such that we can do so FOREVER. Often, the highest standard for these metrics also yield the best looking and most delicious product, as well.

DEEP DIVE: MARINE CUISINE ™

The dedication to this culinary principle means Kevin is not your typical “Chef”. He is, in part, of course, but he is just (or more) trained and informed as a Marine Biologist, Anthropologist, Historian, Nutritionist, Entrepreneur, Coach & Guide.

His core competency is to FIND & SHARE THE TRUTH about the 4 P’s: People, Place, Process & Product. Kevin’s gift is to deliver that TRUTH in a discoverable way, such that the consumer adopts the consumption of that which they find the most value in, based on the facts. Kevin’s approach is that of “Guided Discovery”…allowing the GUEST to come to their own conclusions, based on facts, without giving a lecture or preaching. He does it as a “Stand-Up Cullinarian”.

APPLICATION: MASTER CLASSES, FÊTES, SEMINARS, PARITIES, FUNDRAISERS, MARKETING, STAFF TRAINING & SOURCING

Kevin can help you, your resort or your restaurant by showing you how he used the 4 P’s and his Stand Up Cullinarian style to attract and retain the best consumers and then turn them into raving fans who recruit others to your offering. His methods, mantra and method will drive WORD OF MOUTH which is the HOLY GRAIN of ALL MARKETING.

In any presentation Kevin has found dozens of ways to deliver:

Discovery + Laughter + Fun + Meaningful connections between people in the room + A new understanding and appreciation for “Marine Cuisine” and how to use it to differentiate to the elite or singular level.

This isn’t theory, this has been practiced and polished for 15 years. Particularly, in the last 4 through the operations of RAW LAB & LTLE FISH in Charleston, SC. This is the singular operation that has brought Kevin to a position of authority in the space. While it is hard to maintain 4.9 stars on RESY for one operation, Kevin has managed to do it with t

DEEP DIVE: SERVICES RESORT PACKAGE

AN OYSTER EPIPHANY

In 2009, Kevin moved to NYC after 20 years of life in Colorado. He soon noticed an “Oyster Revival” in progress in NYC. At this moment Kevin committed to becoming a leader in the space and founded NY Oyster Week as a way to earn some authority in the area and lead consumers into a deeper appreciation of the history, culture, cuisine, economy and ecology of oysters. It worked. As NY Oyster Week grew, The OysterHood was founded as a community where all things oysters could be explored, myths busted and value created for all parties to oysters (growers, shuckers, chefs, distributors and consumers). Hundreds of events were produced where tens of thousands of guests were EDU-tained with the support of numerous beer, wine & spirits sponsors.

ENTERING THE SEAFOOD DISTRIBUTION ARENA

Along the way, Kevin took on the role of National Sales Director for Blue Island Oyster Company, a leading distributor of oysters in NYC and, with Kevin’s efforts, nationwide. It afforded him a singular opportunity to travel the continent, sourcing and selling oysters. He got an education in aquaculture, seafood-hospitality, seafood forward wines and much, much more. As Kevin found himself training Chefs and Servers NYC’s finest restaurants and hotels, it occurred to him that the raw bar (as they we’re attempting to execute it) was a tired and old concept, an after thought to their main menu, dying for an upgrade and run by those who had very little understanding of the people, places or processes that created the food they were trying to sell at a premium. Going forward, Kevin decided to take a new approach.

EMPIRE OYSTER BEGINS

In 2014 he founded Empire Oyster and set out to continue to lead in the space, deliver a suite of services to restaurants and chefs in need of elevating their raw bar programs> Kevin also created new and exciting catering options for raw bar and seafood designed for elite consumers, directly. The business and the brand grew. As it did, Kevin realized that consumers were also asking good questions about seafood in general and he noted that consumers of seafood is a much bigger market than that of raw bar / oysters. So, the offerings expanded further to include a broader offering of shellfish, fin fish and caviar along with more presentations such as ceviche & crudo.

**A MERMMELIER IS BORN**

Though his practice and relentless pursuit of knowledge he realized that in American Cuisine there was not a specialization in seafood like there had been for centuries on French cuisine. Wine had Sommeliers. Beer had Cicerones. What is oysters and fish have? The “ÉCAILLER” (fish guy) in the French Brigade / Escoffier System was always a real and respected kitchen position / professional title. Fish-Mongers bought and sold fish, wholesale and retail (in shops). But what would you call someone who was operating in the FRONT OF HOUSE, in a seafood restaurants. A Shucker? A Raw Bar Tender? And what if that person was sourcing and presenting A LOT more than oysters? What if the American Raw Bar offering now has a menu that featured caviar, crudo, ceviche and an articulate ambassador for the people and processes that bring the product to market. What if this person had a broad and deep expertise and experience with all of the kinds of species and preparations that would fit this front of house station…and could build value in a raw bar experience for the guest? This new role needed a fitting title so Kevin combined the terms Mer + Merroir + Sommelier and the new category of professional was defined and articulated as a Mermmelier…one who is to oysters and seafood what a Somm is to wine. Kevin stepped into the title and has grown into a master in this craft.

THE GENESIS OF MARINE CUISINE - SEAFOOD VERSION 3.0

As the business, his expertise and his leadership position in the space grew Kevin was forced to pivot once again as COVID came along. It has been occurring to Kevin that there was a NEW opportunity to differentiate SMART SEAFOOD from “all the rest”. After all, SEAFOOD was served at Red Lobster and Le Bernadin. So what was the difference? The answer was this: People. Process. Product. Preparation. Presentation.

This seemed to present an opportunity for him to do so and, at the same time, to define his culinary ethic, philosophy and style. It needed to go well beyond the benevolent bivalve. Understanding this Kevin began to search for ways to do so. He filed a TM for the term MARINE CUISINE in early 2019 and, more began to work out the language to describe it.

In this time frame (2018 & 2019) EMPIRE OYSTER’s consulting and catering business was growing nicely. Then the bottom dropped out of the entire industry in March 2020 as COVID set in. After an initial period of panic and uncertainty at the onset of the pandemic Kevin got some good news. His MARINE CUISINE Trademark was approved. This gave him a tool to market and differentiate himself to an elite Hampton’s clientele as their Private Chef de Marine Cuisine in the summer of 2020. Suddenly, he was serving (and expanding his menu) to millionaires and billionaires on their yachts and in there homes in East Hampton, Montauk, Sag Harbor and Newport, RI. It caught fire and the fire spread to the winter markets for the same clients. Palm Beach, Miami, Sarasota and Tampa were where he had to go to grow. In the process of going North and South seasonally, he made some friends in Charleston and got a lead on a space there. Long story short, he took a chance to go “brick and mortar” as a means by which he could experiment, innovate and further develop his culinary chops. It worked.

In this time frame Kevin re-invented himself yet again as a Private Chef / Yacht Chef offering an articulated philosophy behind SMART SEAFOOD He coined the phrase MARINE CUISINE, SUPPORTED it with the term, DelicaSEAS, and began offering his to discerning consumers in markets like The Hamptons, Miami, Palm Beach, Newport, RI, NYC and beyond. In this time frame Kevin fully articulated the concept of MARINE CUISINE and found a way and a place to practice it. He was also able to secure a federal trademark on this term which is a part of the much larger plan and a key ownership of the space, massive revenues / profits and a great amount of good.

UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TERM / PHILOSOPHY & CULINARY ETHIC THAT IS MARINE CUISINE

Seafood v.1.0 was “anything from anywhere, put on a plate”. This lasted until 1999 basically, when real collapses in fisheries began to change the marketplace and Monterrey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program (wiki) was launched.

Seafood v.2.0 was what was understood and being adopted and promoted in the era post Monterrey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program (official site). This never evolved much but now there finally is an understanding of both sides of the coin: What’s best for your health and whats best for the Earth. It only took 25 years for them to come to what they call Seafood Basics.

Seafood v.2.5 might have excited to, as the horribly branded and not too long lived “TRASH FISH” movement which chefs tried to use to promote lesser known species of fish and by-catch.

Seafood v.3.0 - Marine Cuisine

INVENTING AN ENTIRELY NEW WAY TOO EXPERIENCE AND APPRECIATE FOOD, WINE, PAIRINGS, HOSPITALITY…etc.

RAW LAB was created in August 2021 and opened, officially in February 2022. Success was immediate. People came and raved, the media covered it well, social media posts went viral and it all went tick, tick, BOOM! Through the application and adaptation of the ancient Omakase style of service to Raw Bar Fare, a semi-private / private space and a sharp vision for FUN dining and edu-tainment. In this tiny space which was built around a single, 12 seat, U-shaped bar, EVERYONE has a front row seat and the chef in their lap. The 4 hour experience is “dinner & a show” is delivered with passion, energy, honesty and humility such that the guests loose track of time, become present and participate in the offering and eachother’s excitement, Kevin is the conductor or this orchestra. His approachable personality, keen perception of mood and attitude, polished choreography, irreverent self-deprecation and lightning fast wit are woven together in such as way, and more make the most of any group. This might be one definition of a true Maestro. LEARN MORE HERE

CHARLESTON CONFIDENTIAL

In a tiny, somewhat hidden space off a sleepy street in Downtown Charleston with ZERO visibility or curb appeal, Kevin was able to create an entirely new product, service and experience that clearly engaged and enchanted the most interesting, interested, well-traveled and well-fed Epicureans and Gourmands. For the first 2 years 95% of the customers were locals. Word or mouth was a wild-fire. Now, nearly 3 years in, consumers from all over are coming and saying: “We came to Charleston to experience Raw Lab because we were told it was amazing. We booked seats and then we booked flights and hotel.”.

The entry into Charleston was BRUTAL. A Yankee touting MARINE CUISINE and an Omakase-Style Raw Bar was NOT what the local hospitality community wanted to see or hear. In the process of opening Kevin had to endure grand larceny, assault, a knife attack and a 15 month onslaught of liable, defamation and slander at the hands of 2 disgruntled employees in Charleston. He nearly left town but for the support of the local consumers who LOVED what he started with RAW LAB. He stuck too it. It took off. Kevin’s is a story of an Original of the Species who NEVER gave up.

Kevin’s magic bullet and added value is his knowledge, passion and commitment to the finest seafood and the people that produce it. He has a gift for creating and delivering colorful, delicious, healthy dishes and pairings that people love. His way of articulating the rational behind, value of and reason for dishes, pairings and more is delivered in the most humble, fun and authentic way…a way that inspires his guests. His next challenge is to find and train others who are capable of delivering the same product, service and experience in markets around the world. As a professional ski instructor for 35 years (at the highest levels including years of teaching private lessons in Vail, CO and St. Moritz, Switzerland) Kevin knows his core competency is that of a coach, guide, teacher and host. Some success has come from this recruitment, training and mentorship of several chefs and assistants in Charleston as evidenced by the success of the spin-off concept of LTLE FISH. This is a kind of proving ground or Academie Mermmelier, used to both delight consumers and steward young, professional, motivated, creative Chefs into a place where they can one day own the title of Master Mermmelier and execute RAW LAB service.

RAW LAB has now matured into a culinary and experiential phenomenon and a destination. It’s earned a place in the zeitgeist nationally and at the top of the heap in the Charleston dining scene as evidenced by its attainment and maintenance of a 4.9 star rating on RESY. And now, LTLE FISH has come to live as an a la carte version of RAW LAB. It too has earned and maintained a 4.9 star rating on RESY. So, now 2 of the 13 restaurants in Charleston to hold such a high rating are concepts Kevin has created and operates.

The model is proven in a relatively small market (400,000 people in Charleston County) and is now ready to move into a Tier 1 food and media market, like Laguna Beach and Orange County (with 3.1 mm residents, very close to LA and San Diego). Beyond that we see the opportunity to open in dozens of A+ food and media markets, world-wide. This is the plan and the goal. This is Kevin’s dream and destiny. This will be his legacy.

WHAT’S NEXT?

CULINARY OPERATIONS - Brick & Mortar
CULINARY OPERATIONS - Scale Catering
Content Creation
E-Commerce
Speaking
Consulting

We hope to expand the Empire world-wide, kind of in the model of Nobu. More musings on this soon.

RAW LAB™ @ KevStory 2

KEVIN JOSEPH

Founder, Owner & Creator - Empire Oyster, RAW LAB & LTLE FISH

DIVE DEEP HERE: BIO + Link Tree + Expanded Story

Competentcies
Core Identities
Timeline
Finding My Way
Current Identity, Passion & Professional Purpose

COMPETENCIES

NOVICE: Rock Climber

COMPETENT / ASPIRING: Freediver / Spearfisherman, Filmmaker, Photographer

INTERMEDIATE: Surfer

EXPERT: Whitewater Paddler, Scuba Diver

PROFESSIONAL: Skier, Stand Up Paddler, Chef, Marketer, Restauranteur

CORE IDENTITIES

Coach + Trainer + Traveler + Athlete + Naturalist + Historian + Anthropologist + Chef + Storyteller + Photographer + Bon Vivant + Racconteur

TIMELINE

BORN - Dec 1970 @ Fairplay, CO

1971 - Breckenridge, CO

1972-79 - East Hampton & Montauk NY (Springs Elementary School)

1979-84 - Fort Lauderdale, FL & Naples, FL (Naples Park Elementary School)

1984-1989 - Fort Lee NJ & Rock Hill, NY (Catskills) (Fort Lee High School)

1989-2001 - Boulder, CO (University of Colorado @ Boulder 1995 - Magna Cum Laude)

2001 - St Moritz, Switzerland (Professional Ski Intructor)

2002-2003 Boulder, CO

2003-2004 - Golden, CO

2004-2009 - Denver, CO

2009-2017 - Fort Lee, NY, NYC, Rock Hill, NY & Hoboken, NJ

2017-2019 - Hastings On Hudson, NY + St Petersburg, FL, (Winter)

2020-2021 COVID NOMAD (Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia)

2020-2021 Sag Harbor, NY (Summer)

2021-2025 Charleston, SC

Where is Kevin From?

Hometown: Some Elementary School East Hampton, NY & Naples, Florida

15 Years +/- NY / NY

15 Years +/- FL

20 Years +/-CO

5 Years +/- Charleston

FINDING MY WAY

Kevin’s backstory is one that led him to Live On Purpose today. But it wasn’t obvious to him until his 40’s and it continues to inform his decisions, pursuits and passions today. His life in a Restaurant Family began long ago, in New York City.

Kevin’s Maternal grandfather was the son of an Irish German immigrants living in Queens, NY. His parents owned Baruth’s Tavern in Astoria in the post depression era. His grandfather Joe McCully worked there as a kid. He never got past the 5th grade. At some point he met Emma Maria Ferrucci, who came over to NY from Naples, Italy at age 4 and was able to graduate from high school. They married and opened their own place in Huntington, Long Island in the 40’s. At Davey Jone’s Locker Emma ran the books and Joe tended bar. The mostly served 5 cent beers to soldiers waiting to deploy for battlefields in Europe. Having saved some money they the moved “out east” to Montauk. In the 50’s this was like a frontier wilderness. They rented a building from State Senator Perry Duryea. They opened The Flying Fish on East Lake just across the street from the tiny airport there. They operated it very successfully until 1976.

In 1968, Kevin’s parents Fred & Joanne relocated to Vail, CO. In the winter of 69-70 they were both managing Eagles Nest, a mid mountain lodge and restaurant. Sometime that Spring Kevin’s father somehow acquired a small restaurant in Breckenridge and the family moved to Breckenridge in the Summer of 1970, to operate The St. Bernard Inn. Kevin’s mother pregnant with him at the time. December came and Kevin was born in a nearby town of Fairplay, at 9,990 feet above sea level. His mother would keep him near her (in a laudry basket with a blanket atop a over a reach in cooler) in the kitchen of the restaurant as she cooked. Fred tended bar.

In the Summer of 1971 his mom’s parents Terry & Joe McCully phoned from Montauk and said “Move back to NY. We found a building in East Hampton that we are going to buy and remodel into another restaurant. You can live there, run it and own the business.” They went and opened The Fat Flounder in 1971. Regulars included famous artists Willaim DeKoening and Jackson Pollack, summer locals living and pairing in Springs (a Hamlet of the Town of East Hampton). Kevin once traded crayon sketches on cocktail napkins with DeKoening. Kevin drew him a shark and DeKoening drew a portrait of Kevin and Signed it “To Calvin from Bill”

By 1975 The McCully’s had committed to moving to Florida to open a new place there. They had been exploring Naples and Bonita Beach. Joe fell ill and passed in 1976 but Terry, having found the building that suited her plans, pressed on with the venture and recruited her on Joe to help her open and run McCully’s Rooftop Restaurant on Bonita Beach. It was a massive success and would do as many as 400 dinners and 900 $20 Sunday brunches in Season.

Kevin’s parents divorced in 1978. His mom sold the restaurant in E Hampton and moved him and his older brother Rick to Bonita Springs in 1981 after a short 2nd marriage and a brief relocation to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Kevin’s first real job was lunch dishwasher and prep assistant at The Rooftop in the Summer of 1983. He was not quite 13 years old.

His Grandmother Terry and he had a great bond and to this day Kevin summons her for advise and wisdom as he prays and meditates. He understands her now to have been his angel as it was her who offered Kevin’s mom a job at the Rooftop and it was this job that saved her and the kids. His mother was twice divorced, broke and a raging alcoholic. The job was “watering the plants” and really a way to help her and help her grandkids. Joanne did sober up but Kevin’s brother left to live with his father in 1982. In 1984 Joanne developed a tumor on her optic nerve, had brain surgery and lost vision in her right eye. Kevin’s father and 2nd Wife Ellie took Kevin & Joanne in so she could receive treatment at Columbia University in NYC. After the surgery it was decided that Kevin would stay in NJ with his dad & step mother and finish up school there. Kevin was devastated and, now, after decades of thinking about it, feels that part of the pain was the separation from his Grandmother.

Terry was a tyrant to most but to Kevin she was a saint. They remained very close until she passed away 1995. She would come to Colorado (where Kevin was living from 1990 until 2009) .