Meet Patrick McMurray, The Guest Star of All-You-Can-Eat Oyster Night
Fans of excess and oceans take note, the night you can eat all the oysters you could ever imagine is returning to Beijing: OysterFest. From what I've heard, the evening seems to be legendary. Hatsune held the original event two years ago, and sea-starved Beijingers surprised them by throwing back nearly twice as many oysters each than they projected.
The concept laid latent for a year, but hey now, it's 2013, guys. Obscene amounts of seafood? Why not. Hatsune will be indulging us once again, and guest-starring for the evening will be Patrick McMurray, world champion shuckster. We talked to him two years ago and had such a great time, we thought we'd do it again. Read on to see how far world title-holder for "Most Oysters Shucked in a Minute" has come.
For more details about OysterFest, check here. OysterFest is at 7pm on Wed Oct 30 at Hatsune's Guanghua Lu location. Tickets are RMB 350 for all-you-can-eat oysters, sushi and drinks and should be reserved in advanced by emailing here.
What's the highest compliment you've ever received for your shucking skills?
I have had some surgeons sit on the oyster bar and watch me work, then said that I would have made a fine surgeon! Great hands, fast, clean, sure.
Also, a young lady of 75 years – and never had an oyster, as her mum always tried to make her eat them – was watching me open oysters. She asked about the smallest oyster I was opening, and then, she tried a wee Olympia oyster – and loved it. She insisted in calling her mum (age 98) to tell her.
What is the tastiest oyster you have ever eaten?
Kelly's Galway Natives - Ireland
Olympia - Washington State
Gillardeau, France
What's your preferred way to eat oysters?
Nothing on (the oysters, I'll keep my clothes on ... ha!)
Have you improved at shucking in the intervening two years since we last spoke with you?
I do have a new technique. I have figured out an improvement in taking the standard five-step shucking technique to a four-step ... still improving this one though ...
Who's the most interesting chef that you've taught how to shuck oysters?
Anthony Bourdain, but I have open invites to others out there that want to learn. I am creating an oyster course, "The Art of Oystering 101-501" at a local culinary school, George Brown College.
What's the most exotic location that you've traveled to because of your shucking career?
Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Sweden, USA and Canada. Most exotic and favorite for me is Old Town Shanghai, and the street markets of Beijing and Shanghai.
Is oyster shucking a learned skill or hereditary? Have you taught your two children how to shuck oysters or is it in their DNA? Do either of them have talent?
Nope, sorry, the kids don't like the shucking, or oysters for that matter haha! Not much I can do with that. Oyster shucking and all knife skills have to be taught, but the desire to do this job has to have a wee bit of DNA involved. All the good shuckers seem to have the same level of crazy ...
Did you make it into the Guinness Book of World Records 2011 Edition?
Actually, the 38-per-minute record is in this year's book! 2014, p.63
Are you still the title-holder for Most Oysters Shucked in One Minute?
Strangely, yes, I am.
Lastly, can you please caption the following two images?
What the shuck? What's an oyster gotta do to get a good night's sleep? Sounds like a party's goin' on!
Hey-o Daddy-o, that flute playin' Walrus can "Shuck'n'Jive"
Photos courtesy of Lifeinalightbulb.wordpress.com, Patrick McMurray, Alice-in-wonderland.net, Flickr user little_oyster
Email: catnelson@thebeijinger.com
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