For Montauk resident Paul Brooke, the world really is his oyster.
Earlier this spring, Brooke officially launched his Montauk Wild Oysters Co. (631-682-9383) with the intent of bringing the fun and knowledge of oysters, including tutorials on how to shuck them, to the masses.
A lover of all things nautical, Brooke was born and raised on Long Island, growing up alongside family members who worked as commercial fishermen in Montauk. With extensive experience in navigating both his native waters as well as those found across the globe, including Hawaii, Mexico, Bali, Costa Rica and Thailand, Brooke’s love and appreciation for the ocean’s diverse ecosystem have both nurtured and enriched the shell-tastic experiences he currently curates for people.
A mix of educational and epicurean, Brooke’s Montauk Wild Oysters Co. instructs and leads guests in learning how the bivalve beauties grow, while also teaching the skillful art of oyster shucking in an interactive, hands-on experience. Currently, Brooke offers experiences to hotel guests at Marram and Hero Beach Club in Montauk as well as The Roundtree in Amagansett. Other clients and partners include AirBnB, Gurney’s Resort, Montaukila and Hampton Ice.
Perfect for those looking to have an exclusive, immersive oyster eating experience, Brooke hand-forages Eastern Oysters (which grow up and down the eastern seaboard, from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Nova Scotia) harvested directly from Lake Montauk. Afterward, the oysters are then hand-shucked, à la minute, right before your eyes (or you do it yourself), and served with traditional accoutrements to enjoy.
Originally, oyster collecting became yet another way for Brooke, an avid waterman, to challenge and push himself in the water, according to his partner, Ashley McGee.
During one of his frequent free dives in the big blue, “the oysters he forages are part of his game in collecting as many as he can on a single breath hold,” she says. “He was also inspired by the fact that the oyster is the most nutrient-dense food on the planet.”
Brooke, who already knew he felt good while he was free diving and being rewarded with fresh seafood, says, “something really clicked, and I wanted to share that with people who were in need of a break from the daily grind and get back to nature.”
Retail and shellfish delivery are also a part of his company, as Brooke recently announced his company’s harvester partnership with Amber Waves in Amagansett.
Interested in shucking oysters yourself? A few tips from the oysterman himself: “Wear gloves and gently wiggle the oyster knife into the apek or back of the oyster where the two shells come together. You do not want to break the shell or have it shatter or splinter into the oyster muscle itself. On the right side of the oyster’s shell, top and bottom, are where the oyster anchors and needs to be shucked free so it can become loose on the shell for consumption.”
Private bookings are available as are shellfish retail and delivery options. Click here to get started and click here to check out pricing.
