Sunday’s Oysterfest to be a shucking good time

DANIEL NOTKIN, WHATTA SHUCKER: Oysterfest founder
Photo by Dan Haber

Did you know that a single oyster filters 50 gallons of water every day? Or that oysters start as  little red dots, called seeds, in the water? Or that the oyster that you slurp back in a matter of seconds could be four years old?

I had no clue, but these are just some of the many fun facts Daniel Notkin, one of the organizers at this year’s Montreal Oysterfest, its fourth edition, shared with me when we spoke about this Sunday’s oysterific festivities.

“I started this with some really good friends just to be a nice little event with some music, some oysters and some restaurants, and things got bigger, happily, and our goal was always to donate, give back and create something that gave back,” Notkin explains.

Now, with over 20 restaurants contributing food, a Caesar-making competition, an oyster-shucking competition, Shane Murphy performing, plenty of refreshing beverage choices, about 15,000 oysters on their way and a goal to raise $40,000 for their non-profit organization, The Open Pier Foundation, I’d say they’re grown quite well.

What started as a little festival that drew about 200 people to the Pigeon Hole parking lot in Old Montreal has become an essential event for local oyster lovers, shuckers and anyone who likes a good party. If you want to help save our oceans while eating and drinking, this festival is where it’s at.

Well versed in all things oyster-related, Notkin is the resident shucker at L’Orignal in Old Montreal, the owner of oyster importer The Old Port Fishing Company, will be starring in Shuckers, an upcoming oyster documentary and is among the founding members of The Open Pier Foundation.

“The Open Pier Foundation’s goal is the awareness of information on oceans. It’s about creating knowledge, a database of seafood information for chefs and clients who want it,” he says. “The ultimate goal is to create a worldwide open-sourced database where everyone can put in information. It’s basically about understanding how everything goes together and how to look at the bigger picture.”

So if we’re celebrating the life of the oyster and its importance to our waters, is it not counterintuitive to wipe out 15,000 in a matter of hours?

Not at all, Notkin tells me.

“The beauty of it is, because 150 years ago we started taking care of them, every oyster that you eat actually puts money in the pocket of the oyster farmer so he can buy more seed or re-seed. So, actually, every oyster that you eat is not depleting the oyster supply but really helping it.”

With at least 30 sponsors from across the city, not only have people donated their time and effort in helping shape this year’s Oysterfest, they’ve donated plenty of food, a hell of a lot of booze (Sailor Jerry, anyone?) and enough oysters to keep the party going all day long with the help of L’Orignal’s resident DJ Myles.

“I hope to have 2,000 people come by this year,” Notkin says. “We want to get bigger not to be more popular, we want to get bigger to raise more awareness. I hope we continue to grow and build, and I hope that intention comes through — to raise more money and awareness.”

When I ask Notkin about why he loves oysters and shucking so much, he’s quick to reply.

“There’s a beauty in each oyster; there’s a challenge. You don’t remember your first piece of chocolate; you don’t remember your first steak. You remember your first oyster, and there’s something very beautiful and unique about it, even disgusting, even daunting. I don’t know what it is about the intrinsic nature of it, but it’s one person and a knife and this creature that is a rock and a puzzle of how to open it perfectly. You want to know what’s in there, and it’s a battle. Rodin said he doesn’t create a sculpture; he takes the piece of stone and liberates what’s inside, and I think that’s what you do when you open an oyster.” ■

Montreal Oysterfest happens Sunday, Sept. 2 at the Pigeon Hole Parking lot (corner Notre-Dame W. and St-Jean) 2–9 p.m. Tickets are $35 and $65 (including drink/meal tickets). Go here for more information.