When Brian Clark steps behind the bar with his knife in one hand and glove in the other, he doesn’t just shuck oysters. He cracks open stories, geography and flavor every time he carefully choses a Kumamoto or Blue Point for his customers. He’s a bit professor, a tad performer and he knows his mollusks.

A native to Lake County, Brian started shucking at 12 years old and has been at it for 26 years now with the list of accolades growing.

In 2018, he was crowned National Oyster Shucking Champion. Since then, he’s competed and placed on the international stage from China to the Netherlands. 

At the 2019 Galway International World Event, he placed fifth. In China, he finished fourth against dozens of global contestants. At the 2023 Prince Edward Island international event, he took tenth, followed by a third-place comeback in 2024. He’s won and placed in Florida’s state finals multiple times and continues to be a regular at national and regional events.

“I never even considered going to a place like China,” Brian says. “But I was able to meet people from all over the world and learn different skills from them.”

It’s not the competition that drives him though. His genuine passion and respect for the humble oyster has grown with time and it shows with every flick of the knife.  

He displays his skills at Tiki West Raw Bar and Grill in downtown Tavares and works alongside his brother Chris and his girlfriend Sarah. I recently spent an afternoon with them, eager to dig in and learn more about this humble little bivalve.

“First of all, techniques vary by region,” Brian says. “In Louisiana, shuckers might sit in one spot all day, opening hundreds for restaurant service. In the Northeast, some stab the hinge, others come in from the side, depending on how fragile the shell is. In China, they use petite French-style knives that sometimes come free in oyster boxes. In Ireland, competitors have to adapt to specially designed blades made for native varieties.”

Brian can explain every nuance, every method and every reason why the cut matters. He’ll guide you through a flight of raw oysters like a sommelier, noting salinity, brine level and texture.

“Each oyster has its own personality,” he says.

For purists, Brian offers raw flights that rotate with availability but may include Raspberry Points, Irish Points, Beau Soleil, Foxley River and Canadian Standard. 

If you ask for cocktail sauce, crackers or another covering, don’t be offended if he politely takes a moment to grieve. “If the oyster is good, you only really need a bit of lemon,” he says. 

His purveyor and fellow aficionado, Brian “Hawk” Hawkins, helps ensure every bivalve served is worthy of Brian’s high standards. If it’s not pristine, it doesn’t make the plate.

For first-timers, the grilled oysters are like a gateway drug. In New Orleans, you can get them Rockefeller or Bienville. At Tiki West, the chargrilled version comes finished with bourbon butter, melted cheese and vegan bacon salt, offering smoky comfort without masking the flavor. 

When asked what keeps him going, he doesn’t mention the trophies or titles. He’s got five kids to keep him busy, and a side business cleaning oyster shells and selling them to artists. But he does love those shifts at Tiki West.

“After all these years, I still love competing but being close to home and sharing my passion motivates me.”

Catch Brian’s shucking skills at Tiki West Raw Bar and Grill in Tavares: Tuesdays 11am-9pm, Thursdays 4-9pm & Saturdays 11am-10pm.

Photos by Gina Horan and provided