The Oyster Shucking Mishap That Left Andrew Zimmern Scarred

Andrew Zimmern's love story with oysters goes way back. Not only did he grow up eating them, but his first kitchen job was working as a shucker. Since then, the award-winning chef and TV star has come up with many creative ways to cook them — his Thanksgiving oyster chowder being just one example. To this day, oyster season is one his favorite times of the year, but he hasn't always been such a pro when it comes to handling them. 

Zimmern actually has a scar on his hand from a mishap that occurred when he was staging at a restaurant in France. Having grown up on the East Coast, he had plenty of experience with shellfish, so one night he was asked to help out at the shucking station. The knife he was using was a different shape to American oyster knives, and a wet towel led to a very unfortunate accident.

"There was no safety glove. I had a towel in my hand, but it had gotten wet, and it had slipped down. I was hustling, and young, and not operating on a lot of sleep. I put the oyster knife through my hand," he told Food & Wine. Terrified that he'd lose his job if he left the kitchen, the young Zimmern poured brandy over the wound and carried on working. But, he's been scarred since. 

Zimmern didn't go to the emergency room until hours after cutting through his hand, deciding to simply pour some vodka or brandy on the wound, wrap it up, and continue working. But, while the physical scar on his hand still remains, he's learned a lot about himself — and shucking oysters — since. Now, he loves showing his fans how to do so safely.

In a video shared on Youtube, Zimmern demonstrates the easiest way for beginners to tackle oyster shucking by folding a towel around the shell of the oyster to protect his hand, and placing it on a stable surface. He then carefully drives the oyster knife into the hinge of the shell where the two halves meet, and slowly twists until the shell pops. If you want, a quick broil will make oyster shucking just a bit easier. 

From there, you can slowly wiggle it open and use the knife to free the oyster. Once you have the technique down, the world is (literally) your oyster —  just look at all the ways Zimmern serves them. Whether its fresh on the half shell, broiled, roasted with cheese, or deep fried, be sure to learn from his mistakes by protecting your hand when you shuck them — and if you do get cut, don't wait as long as he did to see a professional.