Andrew Zimmern's Worst Experience As A Michelin Restaurant Stage

Accidents are bound to happen in a kitchen, regardless of how skilled you are. The busier the restaurant, the more likely a knife is to slice into something it shouldn't. Acclaimed chef Andrew Zimmern is no stranger to knife slips when it comes to opening oysters — a shucking nightmare.

Working at The Quiet Clam on Long Island at the age of 14 undoubtedly prepared him for his eventual stage at a Michelin-starred restaurant in France in 1980 — where he would have his most disastrous culinary experience. In 2023, Zimmern sat down with Food & Wine to detail this harrowing event.

A key position in a fine dining establishment, the oyster shucker can make or break the flow of service. After watching his coworkers struggle to keep pace, Zimmern's sous chef moved him to the raw bar station leading to what would be an unforgettable night. His grip slipped on a wet towel, leading to the very sharp and very pointy French-style oyster knife stabbing into Zimmern's hand rather than the oyster shell leaving him with a scar as a souvenir. A quick brandy rinse via the nearby patisserie station and a fresh towel later, Zimmern kept on shucking. While this isn't the triage recommended for at home chefs who want to make say their own oysters Rockefeller, Zimmern's tips for shucking are great to follow.

According to Andrew Zimmern, you can shuck an oyster in less than 10 steps. First, find the hinge, then insert the oyster shucking knife. Give the knife a little twist and slide it along the upper shell to detach it from the muscle of the oyster. After removing the top shell, you can slide the knife along the bottom to free the oysters from the bottom shell. He also recommends using a dry towel and a flat surface to prevent any mishaps — no accidental stabbings, here (per Facebook).

Though oysters are rather run of the mill when it comes to his adventurous diet (they're no Samoan coral worms, the meal he counts as his most memorable), chef Zimmern is a self-proclaimed purist. He enjoys them fresh and without any extra toppings. At the 2024 NYC Wine and Food Festival's Oyster Bash, Zimmern showcased an oyster the size of his head while talking through the steps to enjoying one of that size, right before he slurped it down (via Facebook). You don't have to be a purist like Zimmern to enjoy great oysters. They can be equally delicious fried, smoked, or grilled using one of Ina Garten's tricks.