OYSTER MASTER GUILD

About OMG

The Oyster Master Guild (OMG) is a global community of oyster professionals, growers, and enthusiasts who give a shuck about advancing the art of oyster service.

Our mission is to revolutionize the oyster bar experience by addressing knowledge and skill gaps, enhancing customer experiences, and recognizing excellence in the food and hospitality sector. We believe in creating exceptional oyster experiences through education, training, and building a passionate community.

Our Three Goals

Bring People Together and Build Oyster Enthusiasm

We believe oysters bring people together. By connecting enthusiasts, experts, and industry professionals, OMG creates a space for learning, sharing, and mentorship. Our programs, courses, and events are designed to inspire more people to fall in love with oysters and confidently share their passion with others.

Set the Standard for Great Oyster Service

Good oyster service doesn’t happen by accident—it comes from knowledge and care. OMG helps define what exceptional oyster service looks like and trains professionals to deliver unforgettable experiences. Through our certification programs and training, we ensure these high standards are met and celebrated across the industry.

Celebrate Oyster Leaders

Great work deserves recognition. OMG shines a spotlight on individuals and businesses setting the bar for oyster excellence. Through awards, certifications, and special recognition, we honor those making a difference and inspiring others to follow their lead.

Our Programs

Oyster Classes & Training

Classes and workshops to build up oyster confidence, level up shucking skills, and grow your oyster service business.

Oyster Master Certification

The Oyster Master Certification accredits oyster professionals in order to elevate the oyster experience for consumers.

Community & Networking

Engage with like-minded oyster enthusiasts; advance your career and business through networking.

Oyster Service Standards

Guides on oyster varieties and quality grades, product and packaging quality standards, and presentation standards.

Oyster Educators Summit

Bringing the oyster community together to share ideas, best practices, and skills around oyster education and ambassadorship.

Oyster Excellence Awards

Recognizing individuals for outstanding leadership, vision, innovation, and advocacy within the oyster service community.

Meet the Founders

Julie Qiu

Julie Qiu is an internationally recognized Oyster Sommelier and educator. She is the creator of In A Half Shell, the website and Instagram dedicated to showcasing the world’s most exceptional oysters, producers, and destinations.

Julie conducts oyster tasting masterclasses and pairing workshops across the U.S. and internationally. She is the co-author of the 33 Oysters on the Half Shell tasting journal, Oyster Species of North America poster, and hosts the Around the World in 80 Oysters webcast.

With over 18 years of branding and marketing experience, Julie has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands in food & beverage, hospitality, and luxury. From 2015 to 2023, she served as the Marketing Director for Australis Aquaculture, where she built The Better Fish® brand and helped position the company as a leader in sustainable seafood.

Julie’s work has been featured by Vogue, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Food & Wine, USA Today, NPR, SAVEUR, The Oyster Farmer on SommTV, and Somebody Feed Phil Season 2 on Netflix.
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Patrick McMurray

Patrick McMurray has been shuckin’ around the oyster world since 1992 as a restaurateur, author, educator, competitive shucking world champion, and a Guinness Book record holder for the most oysters opened in one minute (33!)—of which he bested his record to 39 on the Gordon Ramsay FWord Live show in 2017. 

Patrick designed and built two restaurants in Toronto from scratch: Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill and The Ceili Cottage, and wrote The Oyster Companion - a Field Guide of Oysters. Patrick conducts Oyster 101 lessons for chefs, schools, festivals, and oyster lovers around the globe. Presently, he teaches culinary & hospitality (with an oyster & shellfish specialty) at Centennial College in Toronto.

Patrick attributes his shucking success to his technique and the pistol grip Shucker Paddy Oyster Knife he designed, which is now manufactured and distributed globally by Swissmar.
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