Ferran Seguer
Tell us about yourselves and what you do
The Oysterman Events is an Edinburgh- based company working across Scotland and the north of England. We bring an original, unique and interactive form of catering to all sizes of events and parties. Freshly sourced oysters from the shores of the West Coast are shucked in front of guests by profesional shuckers, checked for quality and offered with a variety of seasonings such as freshly squeezed lemon juice, tabasco, white pepper, ponzu, raspberry vinegar or a mist of malt whisky (or raw for the purists!).
An oysterman or woman provides a wonderful touch, talking point and fun photo opportunities at any type of occasion.
Where do your oysters come from and what’s the story behind them?
We supply Pacific oysters (Crassostrea Gigas), which are the most widely farmed oysters in Scotland. Unfortunately, native oysters (Ostrea Edulis) are quite scarce nowadays.
We work in partnership with Loch Fyne Oysters. It’s great to have such a reliable supplier to work with as providing high quality oysters, consistently, is key for our business.
The simplicity of the oysters is something that also amazes me. They have been around forever and have always been part of the diet of human beings. They’re simple, tasty and extremely healthy, high in vitamin B, protein and have tonnes of zinc!
Serving oysters at events sounds very exciting and fun – what made you decide to launch the business?
I used to help a friend of mine who ran a similar type of business back home in Barcelona. When I returned to Scotland over 4 years ago I realised that there was an opportunity here. Seafood is great in Scotland and nobody was offering such service, so I decided to give it a try. Believe it or not, it’s working!
What trends are you noticing in terms of food and drink experiences at events?
Well, I think that now it’s not just about offering food and drink but also the way you do it. Customers are not just looking for good quality products and interesting presentation. They want more, they want a show, to be part of it and an experience. This is where I believe that we bring something completely unique. Our oystermen will shuck the oysters and season them in front of the guests, thus involving them in the experience. Guests often ask to choose they own oyster out of the bucket and we are happy to oblige. We offer a great visual show and can answer questions about the oysters at the same time.
We do not just serve oysters, we bring a show, atmosphere and theatre, as well as some knowledge about these simple but beautiful creatures that have been around for over 200 million years.
Scotland has an ambition to become a global food tourism destination – what do you think about this and what role do you feel you can play?
Scotland is obviously known worldwide for its whisky, but there is a lot more here than that.
I think that Scotland has huge potential in food tourism. The raw produce is simply amazing here, from seafood to meat, berries, mushrooms and vegetables – they all have a really authentic flavour. I really believe that raw material in Scotland is amongst the finest you can find in Europe; it’s just a case of treating the product with the love and care that it deserves. That’s what’s been happening over the last few years and is spreading throughout the country to become almost the norm.
We have recently started working with Seafood From Scotland, which is something I am really happy and proud of. Their aim is to promote Scottish seafood across the world and I hope that with our small company and unique service we can contribute to some extent.
We hope to continue our partnership with Loch Fyne Oysters and keep bringing our services to food lovers at more events and interesting venues throughout the country.
