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Business Insider
19-06-2025
- General
- Business Insider
Don't know how to order oysters? A seafood chef shares tips to help you avoid rookie mistakes
For the uninitiated, oysters can be intimidating. There are different sizes, varieties, and toppings. Should you go with Blue Point or Kumamoto? Should you add mignonette or cocktail sauce? To answer all your burning questions and help you look like an expert at a seafood restaurant, we asked Aidan Owens to share his tips. The Australian chef is the culinary director for Herb & Wood in San Diego and Herb & Sea in Encinitas, California, where he exclusively cooks with seafood from independent local fishermen. Owens even has an oyster shell recycling program to help a local lagoon conservation foundation. Now, without further ado, here's Oysters 101. East Coast vs. West Coast It's common to see oysters identified as "East Coast" or "West Coast" on restaurant menus. This identifies whether the oysters come from the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean, which infuses them with different flavors. "East Coast oysters — like Blue Points or Wellfleets — are briny, salty, and lean," Owens told Business Insider. "West Coast oysters — like Kumamotos or Shigokus — are smaller, creamier, and sometimes a little sweet." If you like your oysters mild, opt for those from colder waters. Owens explained that they grow more slowly and have a softer flavor. "Brinier oysters usually come from warmer, saltier waters," he added. "They taste like the ocean." Large vs. small Don't just choose bigger oysters for the extra meat. They have a different taste from oysters of the smaller variety. "Bigger oysters are brinier, meatier, and built for the grill," Owens said. "Smaller oysters are delicate and silky, perfect with just a squeeze of lemon." If it's your first time with oysters, Owens suggests starting small. "I usually recommend Kusshis or Kumamotos," he said. "They're delicate, sweet, and super approachable for first-timers." Don't forget the toppings When it comes to raw oysters, Owens prefers to keep the toppings minimal. "A splash of lemon, a classic mignonette, or maybe a fermented hot sauce," he said. However, don't be afraid to pack a punch if you're grilling the oysters. "Go bold with garlic butter, smoky bacon, or even a little kimchi butter," Owens added. Stay safe with a smell test The rule that you should only eat oysters during the months that end with "R" is an outdated myth that "comes from a time before refrigeration," Owens said. "Back then, warmer months made oysters riskier to eat," he added. "Thanks to modern refrigeration and farming practices, oysters are safe and delicious year-round." All you need is a quick smell test to ensure your oyster is fresh. "A good oyster smells like clean ocean air," Owens said. "If it smells like a bait bucket left in the sun, walk away."
Business Insider
11-06-2025
- General
- Business Insider
3 red flags to look out for at a seafood restaurant, according to a top seafood chef
Growing up on a small farm just outside Byron Bay, Australia, taught Aidan Owens the importance of knowing where your food comes from. Alongside his mother, Owens raised chickens and ducks and grew vegetables that they sold at farmers markets. Owens has brought his expertise to Herb & Wood in San Diego, where he works as the culinary director. He's also the executive chef at Herb & Sea in Encinitas, California. His menus exclusively feature ingredients sourced by local farms and independent fishermen. The 27-year-old chef clearly knows how to find great seafood. So we asked Owens to share his tips for spotting red flags at a seafood restaurant. The menu isn't seasonal "There are little tells that let you know you're in the right place for seafood," Owens told Business Insider. "You feel it before you taste it. The menu reads like a tide chart — changing, seasonal, maybe a little unfamiliar." Look for restaurants that don't just have salmon and Chilean sea bass. Owens said it's a good sign when you find a place serving ridgeback shrimp, spot prawns, or mackerel. But if the seafood isn't in season, be wary. "If a place is serving bluefin tuna year-round, that's a big red flag," Owens said. "Bluefin is prized, but it's also threatened. If it's not in season and still showing up on the menu, chances are they're not sourcing it responsibly." Your servers aren't informed Owens recommends always asking where the fish came from when you're at a seafood restaurant. "Not to quiz anyone, but because the good spots want to tell you," he said. "They'll talk about the fisherman and the fish. The server's excitement is a sign that the restaurant cares." Owens hosts weekly farm tours and takes his team to the local farmers market every Sunday to teach them about sourcing and ingredients. The raw bar reveals all If you really want to know how good a seafood restaurant is, Owens believes you should start at the raw bar. "A good crudo tells you everything you need to know — about the fish, the chef, the place," he said. "No tricks, no butter sauce to hide behind it." And Owens recommends using the "raw test" before you dig in. "Order it, look at it, smell it," he said. "If it smells like the ocean, and not the back of the fridge, you're in good hands."
