THE NEW AMERICAN RAW BAR MODEL

by Kevin Joseph, Master Mermmelier

Below is the illustration of our business model for a new kind of RAW BAR. There is a new dining / food experience that is trending. And COVID is accelerating those trends. We call the concept THE AMERICAN RAW BAR.

EMPIRE OYSTER’S AMERICAN RAW BAR MODEL

• Elite Raw Bar - Observes all of the best practices of the Raw Bar Gospel.

• Expansive Marine Cuisine & DelicaSEAS Menu

• Full Beer, Wine & Spirits Program

• Full Smoked Fish Program

• Full Fermenting, Pickling, Curing, Smoking & Preserving Program

• Complete Conservas / Tinned Fish Program

• Excellent Cheese Program

• 60/40 - 70/30 Outdoor / Indoor Seating (Until COVID is over), 50/50 Outdoor / Indoor Seating (Until COVID is over)

• Off premise market / to go program for all of the above

• Omakase in one area (VIP) , table / counter service in another (GA).

THE OLD MODELS vs THE NEW MODEL

OLD - PLACES YOU CAN GET OYSTERS

• A restaurant that ALSO serves oysters. Oysters are an add on.

• Oysters not shucked or displayed in front of house

• Servers and shuckers generally know VERY little about the oysters on offer, if anything at all

• Oysters on offer tend to be cheap Chesapeake or Gulf product

Would you rave about a wine bar with 3 kinds of wine: “Red, white and rose”?

NEW - ELITE OYSTER DESTINATIONS

• A RAW BAR that also serves some cooked and warm items but does not serve steaks, burgers or fries.

• Full Bar featuring elite and craft beer, wine & spirits

• No HOOD, FRYER, GREASE TRAP, CHEF or $15,000 a week kitchen payroll

• Everything is designed and built around the central RAW BAR

• A very limited number of servers.

• Mixology is limited to limit the need for highly trained Mixologists.

• Delivers a lot of “DISCOVERY” to the guest

• Known to be an elite oyster destination because it IS one

• A dining experience that offers a host of theatrical elements as part of preparation and presentation

THE DIFFERENCE: Whereas the raw bar is generally a PART of a restaurant’s offering, we seek to build an entire culinary concept around the raw bar. Our model is more like a sushi restaurant than any other kind of culinary concept. Ideally, it would be most like an Omakase Sushi Restaurant.

*Bio Available: Fermented, Pickled, Preserved….”alive”. a

EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR MODELS /ELITE OYSTER DESTINATIONS

• 167 Raw @ Charleston, SC

• Eventide @ Portland, ME & Boston @ Fenway Park

• Hog Island @ San Francisco & Marshall, CA **

• Island Creek @ Boston, MA & Portland, ME **

• Matunuck Oyster Bar @ Matunuck, RI **

• Taylor Shellfish @ Seattle, WA **

• Saltaire, Port Chester, NY

** Restaurant arm of a vertically integrated oyster business

TRENDS

• More casual & outdoor seating

• More whole, live, raw, cured, smoked, preserved & bio-available foods

• More Foraging by guests, yes, FORAGING

We think our model one of the best smartest ways to not just survive COVID, but come out thriving on the other side of it.

WHY?

OUR TARGET CUSTOMER IS THE BEST CUSTOMER. They are BEST-ivores. That is, they seek out and consume the best food, beverage and culinary experiences. They are value driven and not price sensitive. They order top shelf beer, wine and spirits. These are your most profitable and valuable guests. Elite oyster service attracts, retains and excites the interested, interesting and influential consumer. The seek unusual, unique and rare product, preparation and presentation. They enjoy and appreciate seeing their food prepared. They like the theater of the RAW BAR. This value driven consumer seeks “DISCOVERY”. Discovery is abundant the concept.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE OYSTER BAR

One of the best oyster bar operators is Les Barnes of London Lennie’s & Saltaire. He created “The 10 Commandments of Oysters”. Read it HERE

He is 100% correct about each and every one. If an oyster bar can achieve all 10 of them (not always possible) they will be an elite oyster destination. We have always achieved this. In fact, we’ve added a few more, well, a lot more. If an oyster bar can achieve 90% of these things (and ALWAYS achieve those in bold) they will deserve to be perceived as an elite oyster destination of the finest order.

THE RAW BAR GOSPEL

According to Kevin Joseph, Master Mermmelier

WHY THIS REALLY MATTERS, AT LEAST FOR OYSTERS!

LET’S START WITH THIS SIMPLE, IRREFUTABLE, MATERIAL, MATHEMATICAL, FACTS.

If you are paying $4 for an oyster (3 grams of protein in an average oyster), and there are 453 grams in a pound, then you are paying $604.27 per pound for that protein, Before tax and tip. After tax & tip ($1+/- each) you are paying $756.67 for that protein!

TWO TYPES OF “RAW BARS”

I would contend that there really only a handful of ELITE oyster / raw bars in America. Less than 10. REALLY!

1. Restaurants that ALSO serve oysters ( low value)

This is the case almost ALL of the time. One or two kinds of oysters on offer. Staff knows little about the oysters on hand or which ones are which on the platter you just ordered. These are the places that do $1 oysters. These places appeal to price-driven consumers.

2. Elite Oyster Destinations ( high value)

A very rare creature, indeed. These include True Raw Bars or VERY High End Seafood Restaurants with a sophisticated raw bar program. Places like this offer an experience beyond the product. They deliver “discovery” and their service “edu-tains” the consumer to some degree. They maintain quite a few oysters from various regions and they have a staff that understands the difference between them. For starters. These establishments attract, retain and enchant high-value consumers who seek high-value product, services and experiences, whatever the cost.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

It’s HUGE, as you’ll see below. Sadly, many people do not think they like oysters because they’ve only ever had one kind, managed poorly, served in a substandard way and delivered to the guest with absolutely no product knowledge whatsoever. THIS IS THE NORM! This is a disservice to all in the oyster industry and a missed opportunity.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

It matters because there is a HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS RIGHT, build value in the product, service and experience of ultra-premium oysters and leverage that for very significant food & beverage sales. THERE IS A HUGE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY HERE. Also, oysters are not getting any cheaper to produce, distribute, store, manage and serve. Costs will go up. So will the price to the consumer. As prices rise the consumer has to continue to feel that there is value in the $3-$5 oysters they are buying in restaurants. The chef and restauranteur has to find ways to deliver that value.

Below are 35 ways that Elite Oyster Destinations or True Raw Bars are truly different and vastly superior in value to Restaurants that ALSO serve oysters and also maintain or build value in oyster service.

QUESTION: WHAT MAKES AN ELITE OYSTER DESTINATION OR A TRUE RAW BAR?

ANSWER: FANATICAL DISCIPLINE TO THE BEST PRACTICES FROM BEST PRACTICIONERS!

1. ALL SHUCKING IS VISIBLE & MADE TO BE A “SHOW”

2. SHUCKERS, SERVERS & CHEFS UNDERSTAND AND ARE ABLE TO EXPLAIN MERROIR FOR THE OYSTERS THEY OFFER

3. OFFER VARIETY: SPECIES, REGIONS, GROWING TECHNIQUES & FLAVOR PROFILES

4. ROTATE OYSTER VARIETIES CONSTANTLY AND OFFERS AT LEAST 8 VARIETIES AT ONCE

5. MAINTAIN A HOUSE EAST COAST OYSTER & A HOUSE WEST COAST OYSTER

6. MAKE THE RAW BAR AS VISIBLE AS POSSIBLE TO CONSUMERS WHEN THEY WALK BY OR INTO THE STORE

7. MAKE IT SUCH THAT GUESTS CAN SIT OR STAND AT YOUR OYSTER BAR AND EAT OYSTERS AND BE SEEN DOING SO

8. PRESENT AN OYSTER TRAY TABLE SIDE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE (UPON SEATING, EVEN BEFORE THE DRINK ORDER IS TAKEN)

9. BE A LIFE-LONG STUDENT OF THE HISTORY, CULTURE, CUISINE, ECONOMY & ECOLOGY OF OYSTERS 

10. CHEFS, SERVERS & SHUCKERS HAVE READ ALL OF THE 20 BEST BOOKS ABOUT OYSTERS 

11. MAINTAIN A LIBRARY OF THE 20 BEST BOOKS ABOUT OYSTERS & SEAFOOD AT THE RAW BAR

12. BE A COMPLETE RAW BAR, NOT JUST AN OYSTER BAR.

13. NEVER RINSE OFF A SHUCKED OYSTER WITH WATER

14. NEVER DRAIN THE LIQUOR OUT OF AN OYSTER OR SERVE IT SO THAT THE LIQUOR SPILLS

15. NEVER STORE OYSTERS IN WATER OR ALLOW THEM TO SIT IN WATER

16. STORE AND DISPLAY WEST COAST OYSTERS CUP DOWN AT ALL TIMES

17. PRICE OYSTERS SUCH THAT YOU HAVE AT LEAST A 33% FOOD COST (OR BETTER) SO YOU CAN STAY IN BUSINESS

18. RECOGNIZE ULTRA-PREMIUM OYSTER SERVICE AS THE VECTOR FOR PREMIUM & PROFITABLE BEER, WINE & SPIRITS SALES THAT IT IS. LEVERAGE IT CONSTANTLY.

19. HIRE, TRAIN & TREAT SHUCKERS LIKE THEY ARE THE STAR OF THE SHOW, BECAUSE, THEY ARE.

20. ELIMINATE AS MANY ENTITIES BETWEEN DOCK AND DISH AS POSSIBLE AND BUY DIRECT WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

21. DO NOT PUT ALL OF YOUR OYSTERS IN ONE BASKET. SOURCE FROM SEVERAL, IF NOT MANY SUPPLIERS, ALWAYS.

22. UNDERSTAND AND SOURCE ACCORDING TO THE SEASONS

23. BE SUPER CREATIVE WITH ACCOUTREMENT & MIX THAT UP FROM WEEK TO WEEK

24. NEVER OFFER COCKTAIL SAUCE OR CRACKERS WITH OYSTERS AND UNDERSTAND WHY SO YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO YOUR GUESTS. PROVIDE IT “UPON REQUEST”, HOWEVER.

25. FIND A HOT SAUCE OR TWO YOU LOVE ON OYSTERS AND KEEP IT ON HAND, ALWAYS. PRIVATE LABEL YOUR OWN IF POSSIBLE. PERHAPS MAINTAIN A LARGE COLLECTION OF HOT SAUCES THAT YOU LIKE, DISPLAY THEM AND SELL THEM

26. DONT BUY OYSTERS THAT HAVE BEEN WET STORED IN WATER OTHER THAN THE WATER THEY WERE HARVESTED FROM

27. KNOW THE STORY OF THE BLUE POINT OYSTER (AND WHY IT IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS FOODS OF ALL TIME) BUT NEVER ACTUALLY SERVE THEM

28. KNOW THE STORY OF THE KUMAMOTO, BELON & OLYMPIA OYSTERS AND SERVE THEM AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

29. NEVER, EVER, EVER DECEIVE THE GUEST ABOUT THE ORIGIN / SPECIES OF AN OYSTER VARIETY. EVER!

30. GET CREATIVE WITH BRANDS. RENAME ANY OYSTER WHATEVER YOU LIKE WHENEVER YOU WANT, BUT DO NOT VIOLATE THE LINE ABOVE AND RESPECT ANY GROWER’S WISHES IF THEY INSIST ON THE USE OF THEIR BRAND NAME AT ALL TIMES

31. KUMAMOTOS: DO NOT CALL A SIKAMEA GROWN IN MEXICO A KUMAMOTO, CALL IT A MEXIMOTO OR A BAJAMOTO. IF IT’S GROWN IN CA CALL IT A CALIMOTO. A KUMAMOTO ONLY COMES FROM KUMAMOTO BAY JAPAN AND SINCE THAT ISNT AVAILABLE IN THE US, YOU REALLY CANT CALL YOUR SIKAMEA A KUMAMOTO. BUT THE KUMOS FROM TAYLOR SHELLFISH IN WA ARE ELITE. NOTHING ELSE COMPARES AND SINCE THEY’VE BEEN CULTIVATING THEM THERE FOR 100 YEARS, THIS IS THE ONE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. 

32. KEEP YOUR TAGS AND KEEP THEM HANDY FOR GUESTS TO SEE. USE THEM AS DECOR AND EDUCATE GUESTS WITH THEM.

33. DELIVERY DISCOVERY AT YOUR RAW BAR. DISCOVERY IS THE VALUE CREATED BY FINE DINING AND EATING RAW OYSTERS SHOULD BE TREATED AS A FORM OF FINE DINING, EVEN IF IT’S NOT DONE ON WHITE LINEN. YOU EAT AT HOME. YOU DINE IN A RESTAURANT. IF A RESTAURANT DOES NOT DELIVER DISCOVERY THEN THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN PRICE AND WORTH. THAT GAP IS VALUE. DELIVER VALUE WITH DISCOVER, SERVICE, PRODUCT QUALITY AND PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE. 

34. NOV - MARCH: SERVE ALL 5 SPECIES WHEN POSSIBLE

35. FEB & MARCH: SERVE NC GREEN GILLS WHEN POSSIBLE

SOMETHING WICKED COOL THIS WAY COMES

The OysteRevolution began a while back. Now comes the quantum leap forward for oysters, oyster service and the raw bar experience.

To review, we currently have 2 options for oysters / raw bar:

1. Restaurant that ALSO serves oysters…the 99.9%)

2. Elite Oyster / Raw Bar Destination …the .01%

The next option is soon to become a reality: THE NEW AMERICAN RAW BAR.

This really does not exist yet. We’ve been experimenting with the model for years and we are about to bring it into existence. NARB incorporates ALL of the “Raw Bar Gospel” laid out below and operates as a RAW BAR that also serves MARINE CUISINE vs A restaurant that also serves oysters or even as an elite oyster destination within a full service seafood restaurant.

LEARN MORE HERE

TESTIMONIALS - CONSUMER CATERING

After months of quarantine, I recently planned a romantic yacht dinner aboard Yacht Kingfisher in East Hampton. Kevin had developed the concept of Dine@Sea and my wife and I were interested not just for ourselves but also for our clients. Kevin created the most amazing dinner with highlights of smoked oysters and other samplings, tuna avocado, lobster rolls, and more. He is very personable and made this night the highlight of our Summer. We will definitely recommend him and this package to our clients.”

Seth Kaplan, NYC, Founder, In The Know Experiences

Kevin - just wanted to say thank you. Oysters were delicious and set up looked amazing. Your enthusiasm for what you do is contagious and grateful to you for bringing your good vibes to our party. We will see you again!!

Nick & Cricket - Hudson Valley NY & Miami, FL

Empire Oyster & Chef Kevin has catered multi-course lunches, brunches & dinners (which have included raw bars) for us the yachts we have chartered and homes we have rented in The Hamptons on several occasions. His professionalism, creativity and presentation is world-class. Beyond, that, Kevin is discreet, courteous and clean. We recommend him to anyone.

BS - Sag Harbor, NY

We love having an oyster bar when we entertain. Empire Oyster offers us the best oysters from all over the world. Also, the toppings really add to the experience. So does the performance. It is like culinary theater.

JH - East Hampton, NY

Empire Oyster is far and away the finest oyster experience there is. We’ve also had them cater large brunches and dinners for us on several occasions. Extraordinary product & experience. Extremely professional, clean, courteous and discreet.

EM - Manchester by the Sea, MA

We use Empire Oyster for all of our RAW BARS. They are extraordinary. We discovered them at a friends holiday party in 2018 and we’ve worked with them many times since.

FG - General Dynamics Corporation, Tampa, FL

TESTIMONIALS - RESTAURANT CONSULTING

JULY 2020 - Empire Oyster is one of the main reasons we had the success we had before and after COVID. Kevin created an oyster culture and an oyster frenzy here from the moment we opened our doors in Sept 2019. He delivered global media coverage, drew crowds of people that come over and over and over (usually with new customers). He was integral in the design and build of our raw bar. He found several people to work shifts and trained them. His management and operation of the entire raw bar program is amazing. He innovates constantly. Everyone loves his dishes, style and humor. I am looking to open a new place with Kevin. His concept - American Raw Bar.

- Russ Stern, Stern & Bow Restaurant, Closter, NJ

OCT 2018 - We met Empire Oyster at Bar Convent, Brooklyn, a spirits trade show. They were doing things with gin & oysters we had never seen. Never imagined. Spirited Pearls they called them. We hired them to come put a show like that on at our new restaurant. They had the space set up and humming in days. They had a crowd that kept coming and raving. They started innovating with the Marine Cuisine menu. That We decided to use that space in a different way after the summer of 2018 but we loved what Empire did to help us get established.

- Jack Smith , Proving Ground, Highlands, NJ

SEPT 2017 - Partnering with Empire Oyster to do a 6 week pop-op was a great move for us for summer. Tons of food blogger coverage and even a Food & Wine story. Kevin’s program was amazing. A true professional.

- Ilker Oguz, MEGU @ Dream Hotel @ Chelsea, New York City

MAY 2017 - We hired Empire Oyster to create a raw bar in our coffee shop cum cocktail bar in St. Petersburg, FL. They nailed it. Attractive and affluent crowds buying oysters and drinks. That works! They also got us a ton of press coverage and they won “Best of the Bay” for Best Oyster Bar from a major local publication called ‘Creative Loafing.’ Can’t say enough good things about Kevin & Empire!”

- Jon Daou, Intermezzo, St Petersburg, FL

July 2018 - We worked with Kevin & Empire on several NYC food & Wine events as well as an Oyster Fest in Napa. Total pro. Great process and results.

Ken Tessler, The Blue Note, Napa, CA

TESTIMONIALS - MARKETING CONSULTING

July 2020 - Kevin raises the bar of every event we have done together – always dazzling guests and media alike with his delicious pairings and expert knowledge. As oyster culture grows in popularity, it’s always a pleasure to work with a team that truly loves and understands its origins. Plus the new marine cuisine menu is insanely good!

Carrie Waible O’Brien - Sag Harbor, NY & NYC