OysterNight: September 18!

It takes all types of Louisiana bivalves to create New Orleans’ OysterNight. 

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On September 18, restaurants across the metro area will be celebrating the “protein that helped build New Orleans” with Chefs Brigade’s OysterNight. More than 80 local eateries, including old and new Chef Brigade restaurant partners, are participating and the oysters served will include traditional wild-caught oysters and the off-bottom variety from the Louisiana coast. Chefs Brigade Executive Director Troy Gilbert sees this as an opportunity to spotlight those who harvest these tasty briny gems and the thousands of restaurant workers that use them to create memorable recipes and dishes.

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“Our chefs and foodservice workers are showcasing the exceptional bounty of Louisiana oysters coming from the coast, the best in the world,” Gilbert says.

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Speaking of gems, Grand Isle Jewels, a brand umbrella featuring the numerous off-bottom oyster farms in Grand Isle, will be well represented with many restaurants teaming up with the farms. Mosquito Supper Club, a new Chefs Brigade partner restaurant and owned by Cassi Dymond and Chef Melissa Martin, will feature Brightside Oysters. 

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Off-bottom refers to how the oysters are grown in floating cages rather than directly on the seabed or ocean floor, and off-bottom farms are prompting a resurgence of oyster production in Grand Isle. The area has a rich history of oyster farming, but due to environmental changes and a poor economy the industry fell on hard times starting in the 1980s. The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) saw how off-bottom farmers were re-establishing oysters in Grand Isle and wanted to help. 

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Along with Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana Sea Grant, the Grand Isle Port Commission and the Town of Grand Isle, JEDCO launched Grand Isle Jewels earlier this year to promote the off-bottom farms. The economic development organization has been partnering with Chefs Brigade on various projects, and Director of Strategic Initiatives and Policy Annalisa Kelly says it’s a great fit.   

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“The Chef Brigade's mission to raise awareness about Louisiana's robust oyster industry while also supporting coastal restoration aligns directly with JEDCO's work to elevate and celebrate the iconic seafood industry in Jefferson,” says Kelly.  “This year, we are especially excited for the Grand Isle Jewels brand to make its OysterNight debut. There will be Grand Isle Jewels offered at restaurants across the region and many oyster lovers will get to try these premium off-bottom oysters for the first time.”

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Earlier in the day, JEDCO will hold a Grand Isle Jewels OysterNight Kickoff at Deanie’s Seafood Restaurant in Bucktown. Although it’s a private event, former Jefferson Parish Sheriff and current radio personality Newell Normand will be broadcasting his radio show live from the celebration, focusing on oysters and the local oyster industry. 

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Kelly is quick to point out that off-bottom oysters expand what’s available to seafood lovers, which includes dredged oysters. OysterNight will hopefully feature bivalves from all 28 areas where they are traditionally harvested along the Louisiana coastline. And each oyster farm and each oyster area offer distinct flavor profiles.

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Just as vineyards using the same type of grape produce different tasting wines because of soil conditions and other climate factors, often referred to as terroir, the same can be said of oysters. Yes, these are all Louisiana oysters, but raised in specific bodies of water that have varying rates of salinity, minerals, plankton, tidal flow, temperature, and other ecological characteristics, influencing the taste. Because it’s in water, it’s referred to as merroir. 

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With at least 80 restaurants offering raw oyster bars, fried oysters, new twists on recipes, original dishes and much more, there’s a lot to choose from. Chefs Brigade ED Gilbert says there’s no need to limit yourself to just one spot. To make it easier on diners, Chefs Brigade is developing a Google map that includes the locations, oyster dishes and where the oysters came from.

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“When you look at it, you’ll see there are many close to each other,” Gilbert says. “So maybe put on some walking shoes or grab a bicycle, look at the map, and pick out a neighborhood and sample the merroir, like a Bayside oyster at Sala with a glass of wine. Then go to the restaurant next door that has oysters from another part of Louisiana, savoring the merrior, and tasting the difference. And you're supporting different restaurants, so make an evening out of it.”

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Plus, diners aren’t only supporting restaurants and the oyster industry, but they’re also supporting coastal restoration. Long time Chefs Brigade partner, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) is elated that so many oysters will be consumed in a single day, because it means more oyster shells to restore our fragile coast. The inaugural OysterNight produced seven tons of shells and Chefs Brigade and CRCL are hoping to break that record. 

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CRCL’s Communications Director James Karst, an oyster lover and professional eater, will probably produce 50 pounds of shell on his own. He sees the event as aligning restaurant goers, chefs, restaurant staff, and fishers on a mission to restore the coast. 

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“CRCL is proud to support Chefs Brigade and OysterNight as they showcase the best seafood on the planet while connecting diners and Louisiana’s world-class restaurants with coastal restoration. It’s also a great opportunity to meet the men and women who make the magic happen in our fisheries. The fact that the shells are going back into the water to slow land loss is lagniappe.”

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Interested in being a participating restaurant for OysterNight? If your restaurant would like to be part of this New Orleans-wide bonanza, please contact us at info@chefsbrigade.org. 

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