Oyster Goddess / Oyster Nerd

About Julie

Julie Qiu is an international oyster expert, educator, and brand strategist. She is the founder of In A Half Shell and co-founder of the Oyster Master Guild (OMG)—the world’s only multi-tier education program built to advance oyster education, service, and quality standards. Based in New York City and Madrid, Julie shares her passion for oysters and the oyster industry through original content, virtual and in-person classes, and curated products that enable considered consumption.

A self-made Oyster Sommelier, Julie has spent over 16 years savoring oysters from 24 countries across six continents and visiting more than 70 oyster farms worldwide. Her expertise has been featured by Vogue, Food & Wine, Fast Company, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, NPR, Huffington Post, Tech Insider, Somm TV, and Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix.

With 20 years of branding and marketing experience, Julie has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands in food & beverage, hospitality, and luxury. She spent eight years in the sustainable seafood space as the Marketing Director for Australis Aquaculture, where she built The Better Fish® brand and helped establish barramundi as a recognized, sustainable seafood choice in North America. Today, she focuses full-time on Oyster Master Guild and her independent brand consulting & media business. Julie is also working on her first book, The Oyster Palate (Rock Point, Spring 2027).

Julie serves as a Professional Advisor to the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, a Seafood Nutrition Partnership Ambassador, a friend of the Shellfish Growers Climate Coalition, and Billion Oyster Project—continuing her mission to support and grow the oyster industry.

Work with Me

My Story

Born in Shanghai, China, I was introduced to a wide variety of shellfish at a young age—I learned how to eat periwinkles as a toddler. Though I grew up in the Midwest, I’ve always felt drawn to the coast. While I enjoy most seafood, there’s something special about oysters. They embody a sense of place. Many are painstakingly hand-crafted. And an exceptional few are, dare I reveal, alive when you eat them. They are humble yet provocative, sustainable yet indulgent. They nourish both body and curiosity. What is not to love?

In my early 20s, while working at a global advertising agency, I started a food blog to document my culinary obsessions. It wasn’t long before oysters took center stage. I found myself wondering, Could I really focus exclusively on oysters? A creative colleague suggested the name In A Half Shell, and the domain was available! That fateful decision in 2009 sparked a journey that has taken me around the world—into hatcheries, across tidal flats, and behind the scenes at top oyster bars. Most importantly, I met some incredible heroes and made great friends along the way. What began as a personal quest to become an oyster connoisseur evolved into something bigger.

Today, my mission is to help fellow oyster lovers and industry professionals elevate the half-shell experience—wherever they go.

My Oyster Bucket List

Visit Rock oyster farms in New South Wales of Australia
Visit an oyster farm in Tasmania
Attend the Bluff Oyster Festival in New Zealand
Harvest and enjoy Limfjord oysters in Denmark
Hang out at the Knysna Oyster Festival in South Africa
Visit French oyster country — Normandy, Thau Lagoon, Brittany,Marennes-Oléron
Explore a Croatian oyster farm
Visit a Moroccan oyster farm
Indulge at the Tarbouriech Oyster Spa
Visit oyster farms and friends of the United Kingdom
Hang out with my favorite Canadian oyster friends in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver
Visit the oyster farmers of North Carolina
And South Carolina
Visit oyster farms in South Korea
Return to Japan and sample oysters from across the country
Finally make my way to the Western Bay of the Chesapeake
Four words: Hama Hama Oyster Rama
Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick oyster land visits
Teach an oyster master class abroad
Take an oyster master class abroad
Oyster sauna and diving for oysters with Glidden Point Oyster Farm
Do a podcast about oysters
Try a baby oyster omelette in Hong Kong and Taiwan
Visit an oyster farm in Portugal… and eat as many conservas as possible
Visiting the Dibba Bay oyster farm just outside of Dubai
Attend the Oesterfestival in Yerseke, The Netherlands
Judge oyster competitions on six continents
Work on an oyster farm
Experience the Taylor Shellfish Night Tide Oyster Soirée
Visit Scotland’s oyster farms
Wear an oyster shell dress
Judge a culinary competition with oysters as the key ingredient
Publish a book about oysters
Scuba dive in the Gulf of Baia and visit Lake Lucrine, Italy—home to the world’s first documented oyster farm by Sergius Orata