Meet the chef + sommelier
We are a Chef and Sommelier led business supporting a dynamic culinary experience backed by a complete, well-honed set of hospitality skills.
Founder, Chef & Chief Oyster Officer
Michael Dixon
Suppose Mike's culinary career is a movie. The opening scene would be Mike as a young apprentice at the acclaimed Eigensinn Farm, feeding pigs the week before he roasted them for their guests. You'd be entertained by scenes of him jockeying for the morning octopus haul with the local women of Lanzarote. Then thrilled by scenes of him flying in and out of water-access-only oyster farms in Desolation Sound, B.C., competing with grizzly bears in Kodiak, Alaska for the best jumping Sockeye salmon. Then after a day spent butchering wild English game in the kitchen of the world-renowned St. John Restaurant in London, he gets attacked by a German Shepherd who cannot resist the lingering aroma on his hands. He'd then create a five-course tasting menu at 47,000 feet in the sky! Finally, you'd be moved by the scene at the end of the film where he reels in a 700lb grouper off the coast of Cuba with the iconic Canadian businessman with whom he had a tenured professional relationship. After an action-packed 25-year culinary career, Mike has decided to simplify and focus on the beauty and modest perfection of the oyster and its aquatic neighbours.
partner, sommelier
Graidhne lelieveld-amiro
(Grawn-ya, rhymes with Lasagna!)
Partner & Sommelier from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia named after the Irish pirate queen Granuaile. Graidhne has an authentic love for all things raw and from the ocean! Graidhne's literal thirst for knowledge focuses on education and accreditation from various respected wine schools. After a decade of serving in fine dining restaurants such as Canoe and Auberge du Pommier, she found her passion for helping clients reorganize their cellars and sourced cool, exciting wines for their homes and cottages. In a previous life, Graidhne was an actor on the stage and screen. She now uses the dramatic skills she acquired in theatre school to teach hospitality courses at Humber College and in-house wine seminars to her clients.
Meet the rest of our team
oyster godfather
john
John Petcoff was instrumental in helping put this business together, as very few people know more about the Oyster industry in Canada. John took Mike on a whirlwind tour last spring, introducing him to oyster farmers in PEI and NB, where they dined with the King of Caviar. The Oyster Godfather has seen it all – from Toronto’s early 80s when you couldn’t even give away an oyster in this town, to Rodney’s Oyster House and Oyster Boy, to working with the PEI government and oyster growers and processors in NB and PEI – John’s oyster journey is one spanning almost 40 years! John has made a living selling oysters to restaurants, hotels and catering companies, in addition to selling paintings and photography by Canadian Artists throughout Canada and the US. John loves to teach people about oysters, and you won’t find a more knowledgeable shucker on this continent!
oyster shucker / server
julia
Whether it’s on her motorcycle, on a rollercoaster or running around High Park with Jorgé, the Chihuahua/Terrier Julia likes to go FAST! A bartender, oyster shucker, manager of bars and events, but above all, a traveller, adventurer, and all-amazing person. Whether creating unique cocktails, shucking oysters, or managing your event, Julia makes everything better!
server / florist
janna
Janna is an interior decorator who stumbled onto floral design when she tripped at an interview and got a job making floral arrangements! She quickly discovered that she enjoys working with flowers and is currently working on setting up a floral design business. While Janna prepares her online store, Raw by Nature Oyster Co. clients are fortunate to have early access to her arrangements! Janna loves that her career in the service industry and her passion for floral arranging are intertwined. Whether she's decorating your home, creating beautiful arrangements for your event, or serving you a glass of wine, you can be sure it'll have that unique Janna flair – full of sweet kindness, creativity, and fun. You can find her wandering around the city with Aurora, the husky when she's not designing and serving.
oyster shucker / cook
Diego
In Diego's spare time, he loves to surf waves and climb rocks – so it's no surprise that his love for the ocean makes him a natural oyster shucker! This Peruvian graphic designer is full of positivity and a great cook, too – we are so grateful to have the force of nature that is Diego on our team!
oyster shucker / knife sharpener
tyler
We have a long standing friendship with Tyler which began during his time as a top shucker at Oyster Boy Restaurant in Toronto. Though Tyler is busy running two locations of his takeout restaurant, Paradise Poké, in Ottawa, you never know when he will show up to help us sharpen our oyster knives or make a special guest star appearance to shuck at one of our events!
server / floral designer
Janna
Janna is an interior decorator who stumbled onto floral design when she tripped at an interview and got a job making floral arrangements! She quickly discovered that she enjoys working with flowers and is currently working on setting up a floral design business. While Janna prepares her online store, Raw by Nature Oyster Co. clients are fortunate to have early access to her arrangements! Janna loves that her career in the service industry and her passion for floral arranging are intertwined. Whether she's decorating your home, creating beautiful arrangements for your event, or serving you a glass of wine, you can be sure it'll have that unique Janna flair – full of sweet kindness, creativity, and fun. You can find her wandering around the city with Aurora, the husky when she's not designing and serving.
oyster shucker / cook
diego
In Diego's spare time, he loves to surf waves and climb rocks – so it's no surprise that his love for the ocean makes him a natural oyster shucker! This Peruvian graphic designer is full of positivity and a great cook, too – we are so grateful to have the force of nature that is Diego on our team!
Testimonials
Professional,Thoughtful,
Creative
I have collaborated with Mike on several large-scale and logistically challenging events. On ALL occasions, it was a complete pleasure from start to finish. The words “no“ OR “can’t” are not in Mike’s vocabulary. He just figures it out! Mike’s menus are inspired, innovative and imaginative. He prides himself on finding the right menu to fit each clients’ personality and needs. He understands the intricacies of all types of events, from a corporate holiday party in the city to a beautiful wedding under the stars. He can build a network of the best purveyors in the industry that share his vision to create a well-thought-out event, and he has the ability to translate the clients’ vision. Driven by a love of food and connecting with people, I know that every project Mike engages in will be a tremendous success!!
Laurie Goldhar
Event Architect and Planner
Toronto, ON
“Mike’s core strength is his ability to be an incredible chef while understanding the client's needs. Nothing is ever a problem as he is a solutions-oriented manager and appears to thrive on challenges with very little if any, hand-holding required. He has catered everything for us from large events of 350 guests to intimate dinners for eight and handles each with the same care, attention to detail and, best of all, delicious food. Mike is a consummate professional.”
Seth and Theresa Mersky,
Lake Rosseau Summer Residents
We began working with Michael many years ago while he was the chef for one of our clients. The professionalism he showed throughout that period was incomparable. His organization, creativity, menu planning and event management were unparalleled. Michael has remained a friend and business colleague who has continued to execute events at the highest level.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with Michael on his exciting new culinary journey.
The Stephens Family
Stephens’ Butcher Shop
Port Carling, ON
I hired Michael Dixon to be part of the opening kitchen team at JK Wine Bar in November of 2003. We were extremely busy from the moment we opened the doors. I counted on Mike to dig deep and present his best work. He accepted the challenge and became a key player in the meteoric rise and success of the restaurant. I recognized that Mike understood the big picture of hospitality, the importance of the guest experience and that consistently high-quality execution of our work is of paramount importance. Michael Dixon very quickly rose through the ranks of my organization and ultimately became chef de cuisine at the next restaurant opening, JK at the Gardiner Museum. I am delighted to hear of Mike’s new venture as he brings some exquisite Maritime brine to the fresh waters of Muskoka. His customers are in for a real treat!
Chef Jamie Kennedy,
Canadian Chef,
Hillier, ON
Contact Details
Please tell us a little bit about your event. We'll get back to you very soon.
Call us at 437-326-8481