55 - Fresh Out of the Water - Oyster Farming with Joe Ingraham from Admiral Shellfish Live from EATYALL CHEF CAMP with Andy Chapman

EATYALL: Chefs Tell the Story of Farmers

What five-star menu would be complete without seafood? Nothing beats a good lobster tail, baked salmon, or shrimp gumbo. But let’s think a bit smaller. That’s right: today it’s all about the oyster!

In this first episode of a 4-part series centered on seafood, Andy chats with Joe Ingraham of Admiral Shellfish Company based in Fort Morgan, Alabama. Their sitdown, during the EATYALL Chef Camp, brought over a dozen chefs and farmers together to encounter seafood from a ground-floor, all-angles perspective. Listen in for a fascinating look at a comeback that Auburn football would be proud of - the reemergence of the oyster in Alabama’s waters.

Farming the Oyster: The Mighty Mollusk

Over 30 Years Of Aquaculture. Guest Joe Ingraham, born and raised near New Orleans in North Shore, Louisiana, brings three decades of ecological and culinary expertise on marine wildlife and ecologically-friendly seafood. Hear about his history with oysters, from trying them in New Orleans’ French Quarter as a kid to farming them today.

The Fall And Rise of Alabama Oyster Reefs. Joe recounts how Alabama lost 80% of its natural oyster reefs to construction projects in the past century. But thanks to the work of local farmers, commercial oyster farms, and Auburn University, oysters are repopulating the gulf coast, purifying its waters, and rebuilding the long-lost reefs.

The Unified Oyster Farm Community. Oysters are only as delicious as the conditions they grow in. Andy and Joe touch on factors like water salinity’s effect on oyster flavor and natural threats to oyster harvests, while praising the teamwork of Alabaman farmers to improve the marine environment and rebuild a thriving oyster industry.

When it comes to oysters, Joe has many pearls of wisdom (pun intended), and is the perfect guest to kick off this EATYALL Camp series. Tune in to part one now, and stick with EATYALL for the rest of this series on enjoying safe, sustainable seafood from Lower Alabama.

Today’s Guest

Joe Ingraham, Admiral Shellfish Company - https://admiralshellfishcompany.com

Growing up in the rich food and culture of New Orleans, Joe Ingraham is Farm Manager at Admiral Shellfish Company in Fort Morgan, Alabama. A graduate of University of South Alabama, Joe worked with Dauphin Island Sea Lab before joining Admiral Shellfish Company, bringing a depth of knowledge - and love for - the aquaculture of the Gulf Shores.

Show Sponsors:

Alabama Gulf Seafood

https://eatalabamaseafood.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alseafood

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaSeafood

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism

https://www.gulfshores.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/VisitALBeaches

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GulfShoresOrangeBeachTourism

Connect With Our Guest Joe Ingraham

Admiral Shellfish Company

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/admiralshellfishco

Connect With EATYALL:

https://eatyall.com

Instagram - https://instagram.com/letseatyall

Facebook - https://facebook.com/letseatyall

Twitter - https://twitter.com/letseatyall

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall

YouTube - https://youtube.com/letseatyall

Show Credits:

Hosts are Andy & Marianna Chapman

Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman

Production provided by Bryan Murphy

Copywriting by Sean Sousa

The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services.