OYSTER-ology

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! What happens when a chef who didn't even like oysters decides to throw an oyster festival 1,000 miles from the coast? Meet Brandon Hayden, Kansas City chef, oyster ambassador, and the unlikely mastermind behind the city's first oyster festival. With little money, plenty of nerve, and an almost obsessive curiosity about oysters, Brandon set out to prov...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! Kevin Cox talks with Seattle food writer and cookbook author Cynthia Nims about her book: Oysters: Recipes That Bring Home a Taste of the Sea, and examines how curiosity drives her work and why oysters spark stories, connections to place, and endless “rabbit holes” into culture, history, and aquaculture. Nims shares how her background in Seattle, time at La Var...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! What happens when two women who barely know how to shuck an oyster decide to open an oyster bar?  In one of Asia's great food cities Farah Ibrahim and Eira Nadirah are doing just that at Shuck & Sip by Sis Oyster Penang .  OYSTER-ology takes you to the streets of George Town, Penang, Malaysia to meet Farah  and Eira, where inside their small oyster bar...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! Host Kevin Cox explores the question of who will form the next generation of aquaculture farmers through a conversation with 26-year-old environmental engineer Matt Sweeney of Long Island. Sweeney describes his maritime influences, engineering career in water resources and coastal work, and burnout with bureaucratic, document-heavy work that lacked tangible imp...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! When people hear the word disease , it's easy to jump to the wrong conclusion. But MSX ( Haplosporidium nelsoni ) and Dermo ( Perkinsus marinus ) aren't diseases that affect people—they're diseases that affect oysters and the communities that depend on them.  In this episode of OYSTER-ology , host Kevin Cox sits down with three scientists from th...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! What happens after an oyster is eaten?   For Jen Sagan , Oyster Restoration Manager with Friends of the Rappahannock , that's where the story really begins. In this episode of OYSTER-ology , Jen takes us into the muddy, sweaty, and surprisingly rewarding world of oyster restoration. We discuss how discarded oyster shells become the foundation for new reefs...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this OYSTER-ology interview, Kevin speaks with Casey Davidson of Toadfish about creating a product-driven outdoor brand specifically to give back to oyster restoration and strengthen marine ecosystems through better water quality. Casey explains how his coastal upbringing and conservation experiences shaped a conviction that restoring habitat—especially oyst...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! Kevin Cox returns with Season 3 of OYSTER-ology! Jason Woodside grew up spending summers on Prince Edward Island, moved back there as a teenager, and somehow ended up at the epicenter of Canadian oyster culture in Toronto — shucking at events, learning from champions, and winning the Canadian title by 2004. That was twenty-plus years ago. Since then he's b...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! The Shellfish Confessional at the 9th annual Oyster South Symposium At the 9th annual Oyster South Symposium in Houston, OYSTER-ology host Kevin Cox debuts the first “ Shellfish Confessional ,” through collaboration with Oyster South and The Nature Conservancy. Inviting oyster farmers, shuckers, and industry voices to admit what went wrong in their work, partic...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this episode of OYSTER-ology , Kevin talks with Dan Worrell of Fallen Pine Oyster Company , farming oysters in the unusual waters of Chincoteague Bay . They explore how wind, salinity, and low-flowing water shape oysters in this shallow coastal lagoon — and how a farmer learns to work with the rhythms of a place that behaves very differently from the Chesape...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! On this episode of OYSTER-ology , I sit down with Steve Patterson of Solar Oysters about the Solar Oysters Production System (SOPs) , a solar-powered floating platform that automates oyster farming by harnessing the power of the sun. Our discussion covers the logic of using solar power, automation, and remote monitoring to modernize oyster aquaculture and boost...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this episode of OYSTER-ology , Kevin sits down with David Aparicio , co-founder of The Oyster Bros , one of the pioneering forces behind modern, off-bottom oyster aquaculture in Texas. Raised on shrimp boats that ranged from Brownsville to the Florida Keys, David never imagined oysters would become his future—until Texas legalized oyster mariculture and a br...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! I n this episode of OYSTER-ology , host Kevin Cox welcomes Beth Walton , Executive Director of Oyster South to dive into the mission and operations of Oyster South, which unites farmers, chefs, scientists, students, and the public in support of the oyster industry. Beth talks about her personal journey from growing up in southeastern Massachusetts to leading th...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this engaging episode of OYSTER-ology , my guests, Heather Ketcham and Myron Horzesky , discuss their journey at Ketcham Supply , a key player in the oyster farming industry. Heather shares her transition from biotech to taking over the family business, founded by her father Bob Ketcham , while Myron recounts his long history with the company starting as a t...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this episode of OYSTER-ology,   Kevin talks to Aaron Pinnell, the innovative mind behind FlipFarm , his semi-automated oyster farming system which is changing the way oysters are grown. Aaron shares his journey from sheep and dairy farming to aquaculture, detailing how a serendipitous encounter led him to oyster farming. He discusses the creation of Marlboro...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this episode of OYSTER-ology, photo stylist Adrienne Anderson takes us inside the creative chaos behind Rowan Jacobsen’s The Essential Oyster , where she and photographer David Milosh spent a year transforming oysters into expressive portraits — tilting shells by fractions of an inch, battling over artistic style and learning to see each oyster as its own un...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! Julie Qiu is a globally recognized oyster educator, writer, strategist, and industry advocate. She is the creator of the influential website In A Half Shell , a founding partner of Oyster Master Guild , and a longtime champion of elevating oyster appreciation and oyster service around the world. Kevin Cox sits down with Julie to unpack OMG’s mission to elevate...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! From the raw bars of New York to festivals across the country, Rutvik Patel has built a life around the half shell and built The Wandering Shuckers Co. A kid from India – and not an oyster in sight – Rutvik shares how, thrust into the US, he stumbled into shucking, found community through oysters, and turned his passion into a profession. With his “superhuman”...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this episode of OYSTER-ology , I sit down with Erik Schlagenhauf, Vice President of SEAPA North America , about the nuts and bolts of oyster farming innovation. We discuss SEAPA's innovative gear systems that enhance efficiency, sustainability and product quality in oyster farming. We dive into how small design choices - like baskets with true doors - c...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! The confluence of Oysters and Cheese, with Justin Trosclair of Lady Nellie Oyster Farm In this episode of OYSTER-ology, Kevin sits down with Justin Trosclair from Lady Nelly Oyster Farm to explore his fascinating journey from cheese-making to oyster farming. Justin shares his unconventional entry into the world of oysters and how a chance encounter with some ou...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! James Crimp of Alaska Sea Grant - Oyster farming partnerships at their best In this episode of OYSTER-ology, Kevin interviews James Crimp, the Shellfish Mariculture Specialist at Alaska Sea Grant. James provides an in-depth look into his role, focusing on research and education to support the oyster industry in Alaska. He shares insights from his background, gr...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this episode of OYSTER-ology, I get back together with Sam Walsh of SharkBite Oysters. Sam discusses his journey from studying marine biology to becoming an oyster farmer in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He shares how oyster farming's sustainability and lifestyle benefits drew him in after experiences in finfish and shrimp farming. Sam highlights his growt...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! This week on OYSTER-ology I sit down with Meta Mesdag, Founder, Owner and Operator of  Salty Lady Seafood Company in Juneau, Alaska. Meta shares her unanticipated journey of becoming an oyster farmer after moving from Portland. A critical aspect of hef family-oriented farm, which started in 2018,  is including her kids and other young people in its daily operat...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! In this episode, host Kevin Cox sits down with Peter Stein of Peeko Oysters on Long Island's North Fork to hear about his unique journey to becoming a visionary oyster farmer and the daily realities and complexities of oyster farming. He discusses the challenges of working with a "ruthless and relentless" Mother Nature, to the surprising obstacle...

Send a COMMENT to OYSTER-ology here! Understanding Vibrios in Oysters with Expert Andy DePaola In this episode of OYSTER-ology, host Kevin Cox is joined by Dr. Andy DePaola , a renowned marine biologist and aquaculture expert, to discuss the crucial topic of bacteria in shellfish, especially focusing on Vibrio bacteria. The episode delves into the risks, safety measures, and the naturally occurrin...