© Julie Qiu
Qiu has travelled the world in pursuit of oysters, but her journey started in Pittsburgh, far from the shorelines she now champions.
Raised with a dual passion for creativity and strategy, Qiu studied business administration and communication design at Carnegie Mellon University before launching a successful career in advertising. But, despite working with high-profile clients like Jaguar Cars and Anheuser-Busch, she soon found herself craving more authenticity.
“It was very interesting work, but I just really didn’t have much heart for the brands themselves,” she admits.
That yearning for meaningful work, coupled with a growing fascination for oysters, led to the creation of her influential blog In A Half Shell in 2009. “It was one of the first oyster blogs on the internet,” she says. “There were some books about it, but not a lot of social media around oysters. I just really liked eating them and didn’t know much about them.”
Her curiosity quickly evolved into something much larger. As Qiu explored raw bars across New York City and befriended oyster distributors and growers, she began to see critical gaps in the way oysters were understood and presented – especially in hospitality. “I was frustrated as a consumer who ultimately knew too much,” she says. “People couldn’t tell me what oysters they were serving. At worst, they were saying the wrong things.”
A new profession for an ancient food
This discontent inspired her next big leap. In 2013, Qiu left the agency world to start her own brand consulting firm. One of her most formative projects was a rebrand for Fishers Island Oyster Farm. “That was probably my most in-depth look into the ins and outs of running an oyster farm,” she recalls. “I would go to the island several times a year and observe everything they did by season.”
Then came a pivotal opportunity in 2015: Qiu was recruited by Vietnam-based barramundi producer Australis Aquaculture to serve as its global marketing director. It marked her full immersion into the broader seafood supply chain.
All these experiences led her to co-found the Oyster Master Guild (OMG) – an ambitious project to train up – and provide professional certification for – oyster providers in the hospitality sector
Included in its curriculum is training in “merroir” – an aquatic equivalent of the concept of “terroir” in wine: ie the characteristic taste and flavour imparted to an oyster by the water in which it is produced.
“There’s no global standard for oyster service right now. There’s not even a true definition for what merroir is,” she says. “OMG exists to be a global training and certification platform for oyster service excellence.”
© Hugo Boutrais
The rise of the oyster sommeliers
Through OMG, Qiu and co-founder Patrick McMurray – a Canadian world champion oyster shucker – have created a tiered educational programme modelled on the wine industry’s sommelier structure. Level One includes an introduction to oyster farming, how to taste and describe oysters, how to open them and how to select the best; Level Two includes modules on to help differentiate between different oysters species and growing regions; while Level Three, currently in development, will emphasise hospitality and sourcing at a professional level.
According to Qiu, the response so far has been enthusiastic. “Since launch, we’ve had over 300 enrollments across all our courses, and 111 people have become Level One certified,” she says. “They represent 25 US states, five Canadian provinces, five Australian territories, and 11 countries overall.”
Participants include independent shuckers, oyster bar managers, oyster farmers, seafood distributors, chefs and sommeliers. “The early adopters were people who already followed us on social media,” says Qiu. “Now we’re seeing small teams and hospitality groups signing their staff up.”
To meet growing demand, OMG recently created a 30-minute “Oyster Ready” course aimed at front-of-house staff. “A lot of restaurants might have one oyster enthusiast, but what they really need is something that gets everyone on the same page quickly,” she explains.
© Julie Qiu
Bridging growers and guests
A key motivation behind OMG is restoring the connection between oyster growers and oyster consumers. Qiu saw firsthand how producers' efforts were often lost once their product hit the market. “Growers toil for years to create an oyster. They sell it into the supply chain, and it gets stripped of its value and story,” she says. “Even when they try to do training with restaurants, it’s not sustained because of turnover.”
She envisions a better model: a network of knowledgeable, certified oyster professionals who can act as stewards for the industry. “It’s about retaining and showcasing talent – like sommeliers do for wine,” she says. “We want to elevate the whole craft, not just individual brands.”
To that end, Qiu and her team are developing region-specific courses, inspired by the Wine Scholar Guild framework. “It would be amazing to have sanctioned courses on Brittany or Marennes-Oléron,” she says. “And we’re talking to producers in France, Canada, Australia and Japan.”
A global view with local roots
Julie Qiu’s knowledge is not just academic – it’s both personal and global. A market research project once sent her to 17 cities across five continents. “In every one of those markets, I tried to find oysters,” she says. “I couldn’t find them in Kuwait or Nigeria, but everywhere else, yes.”
She’s visited farms in Ireland, Tasmania, Japan, and even the UAE. “There’s a farm called Dibba Bay, started by a Dubia-raised Scotsman. Go figure that they grow oysters in the desert,” she laughs.
As for her favourite oysters?
“It’s hard to say, but I have a deep emotional connection to Maine oysters,” she says. “We vacationed there, got married there, and toasted our wedding with Johns River oysters and champagne. So those crisp, briny Damariscotta oysters really mean something to me,” she reflects.
© Julie Qiu
Facing the future: challenges and ambition
Despite her enthusiasm, Qiu acknowledges the oyster world isn’t without its challenges. Climate change looms large. “It has huge implications: disease, water quality, anything that stresses the oyster out,” she says.
Cold chain and traceability are also ongoing concerns. “Oysters require a lot of trust. If something goes wrong, it’s hard to win people back,” she adds.
Still, Qiu believes adaptation and education can protect the industry. “Oyster growers are some of the most adaptable professionals I’ve met,” she says. “And I think if we can build consumer trust and understanding, it will buffer the industry from future shocks.”
Her ultimate vision? “I want OMG to set the gold standard for oyster service,” she says. “And to prove that oyster expertise doesn’t have to live only in luxury spaces. It should be accessible, professional and celebrated.”
From blog, to brand, to blueprint
Julie Qiu’s story is one of curiosity turned into craftsmanship – of a passion project turned into a global movement.
“I never thought my oyster blog would turn into this,” she says. “But looking back, everything – from my design degree to advertising to Australis – all of it led here.”
If she succeeds, future generations of oyster lovers, shuckers and stewards may one day trace their careers back to a moment of inspiration sparked by the Oyster Master Guild.
“I just want people to feel proud of what they do. To know that oysters are not just food – they’re a culture, a science, a story worth telling,” she concludes.
© Julie Qiu
