Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Migchelbrink.
Hi Jesse, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Jesse Migchelbrink. I am ‘Big Bro’. ‘Little Bro’, Riley Campbell and I founded Shuck Brothers in the Spring of 2019. We met working in a busy oyster bar in Denver years earlier, where I trained Riley and almost immediately he was a pro. At some point we decided that we should go into business for our selves, and we took a pretty meager investment and had a spectacular first year. It all started out very low level. We knew the product, the service, and how to interact with people — but we had a lot to learn. We had an outpouring of support from our Colorado community, and wrapped up the first Summer celebrating having learned a lot and met a ton of people along the way. What started as a mobile Oyster Bar had begun to start to take shape as a sort of ‘New England Americana’ vibe menu.
We pretty quickly added a Maine Lobster Roll, daily specials, and more by the end of the year and people were excited. We closed out the Summer of 2019 excited to started the following Spring…and then the pandemic shut the entire country down. While we were delayed, we survived 2020 taking other jobs, working and planning, and as the menu evolved and grew, we knew it was something we shouldn’t give up on. By this point, I had moved to Napa, California. Eventually landing in Los Angeles, Shuck Brothers was running again full time, with our expanded menu, and had begun taking on a lot more private catering. While the Oyster Bar was still our calling card, we were doing a lot more and working with some high profile clients and parties. This Spring, we purchased a Food Trailer and opened for business in Colorado again. Another of our Brothers, Garrick, joined the team, and we now have three partners involved. Things are moving full steam, and we have our eyes on what our next expansion efforts may look like.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While the obvious early hindrance of COVID was rough on us and everyone else, we managed to adjust and make the pivots necessary. Anyone that has owned or run a small business understands that it’s a tough balance. It’s not for the faint of heart. If you want something to succeed, it takes a level of dedication and sacrifice. A lot of people do not understand how difficult the food industry is. They don’t understand how difficult and time consuming the job can be. Not only that, but this post-COVID world that we live in is outrageously expensive. The very same Lobster we used to serve from the fishermen in Maine used to come wholesale at 17 dollars a pound. The same product is 45 now. Everything from gas, propane, to dry goods and more has gone up. It makes things tight all the way around, and we have watched a lot of our favorite restaurants and chefs close up shop because it’s just too much to want to handle sometimes.
Not only that, but what we do takes a personal touch. Not only do you have to know your way around a knife, know the product, have a sense of the history of the Oyster itself — you have to be able to be personable. There is a very real almost masochistic element to what we do. It is HARD WORK. Maybe my favorite thing about oysters is that not only is it one of the world’s unique foods — but the beauty in the almost Blue Collar element. You cannot remove the hard work and sweat from oysters. In a world that wants to make food overly precious, there is a very ‘Salt of the Earth’ quality to oysters that can never be separated from the process.
We also had personal setbacks of couse. We lost a dear friend and honorary Shuck Brother in a tragic accident along the way… more than one in fact — but we kept pushing forward. Life is not easy for anyone, and it can be very taxing to balance all of this stuff while still pushing forward trying to create something special for yourself.
Despite all of this, we have been blessed with incredible friends and a community that enjoys our food, and the reason that we have been able to grow and continue to do what we love (feeding the masses and spreading the oyster gospel!) is due entirely to the support of our loving community. In the upcoming future, we have some programs lined up to hopefully give back to the network and community that has pushed us this far, and we are really looking forward working with some of these groups in a bit of a different capacity.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Shuck Brothers is the premiere Oyster Bar and Catering service operating in Los Angeles and Denver. We cater private events, and you can find us at many of the local festivals as well as at your favorite local brewery or wine bar!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
C0nsider The Oyster is of course quintessential reading for anyone that wants a nerdy deep dive into the history of the oyster. Naturally as you can tell from some of our advertising and art ‘A Moveable Feast’ gets an honorable mention — and a tip of the hat goes to the long-standing classic ‘Kitchen Confidential’ by the legendary Anthony Bourdain, may his soul rest in eternal peace.
Pricing:
- Private Catering Minimum 1000.00
- Average 1/2 Dozen 22.00
- Maine Lobster Roll 26.00
- Rent the Trailer for your Event 2400.00
- Weddings and Corporate Events please inquire.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shuckbrothers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shuckbrothers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShuckBrothersFB/
Image Credits
Jesse Migchelbrink, Miguel Martinez-Leynes
