For Island Creek's Christine Gibson, the world (or at least the Seaport) is her oyster
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We'll still have the wonderful oysters, clams, and we're making sure there's some good lobster rolls. Obviously, we'll have caviar hot dogs. I wouldn't say it's a restaurant, per se. It's like a fun outdoor space where you'll be able to have oysters on your lunch break, but you'll also be able to have some fun drinks with everyone post-work on a Friday and be able to have your fill of food. It's going to be a party, which is what we're hoping for: a new, fun, Island Creek party.
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How did you get into this career?
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It started from an early age. My dad was a very big food guy. He had all the 'Joy of Cooking' books and whatnot. From there, I've always just loved culinary. At around 16, I worked at a Cold Stone Creamery, which is not a restaurant, but I loved decorating cakes there. I ended up managing a small spot at a local mall.
I went to a community college for a little bit, and I took cooking classes and management classes, but I ended up going to the Culinary Institute of America. I got my bachelor's in hospitality management there and had fully convinced myself I was going to be a chef. But throughout college, I served, because that was an easy way to make money, and I just couldn't stop. I loved the idea of being in control of the guest experience, and hopefully, maybe in some way, making their day.
I couldn't see myself not doing that, so I kept doing it. I managed a restaurant down in D.C. for a little bit, and then I moved to Boston, where I started serving and then ended up moving into management again. The siren call of management is hard to ignore in restaurants.
Why D.C. — and, then why Boston?
You know, I had never been to D.C. prior to moving there. I was just looking for a place that was different from where I was. I don't want to say I'm a political person, but I loved the idea of how affected it was by politics. I just thought that was a really interesting aspect of the space. I also just loved that it's an international city. Unlike a lot of cities, it's more in your face, the amount of culture and differences within the community that everyone celebrates and loves. It was awesome. And I still say, to this day, if I had to pick up and leave, I would just move back to D.C. I loved the community there, and I loved the restaurants there.
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Classically, a boy brought me to Boston, and it ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made. I don't think I came in thinking that I was going to be a lover of oysters. Nowadays, if you ask me about any oysters, I probably will talk your ear off about them. I have no regrets.
Participants in a farm tour get a lesson on how to shuck oysters and then eat the ones that are shucked for them.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
What's good about the Boston food scene, and where could we improve?
I think that Boston is great because it's also a very diverse community. If I had to think of anything that could change, I think that we need to just do that more. There are a lot of wonderful, minority-owned restaurants, and fun, culturally specific restaurants that I think we need to start boosting up more.
I think Boston, even before I got here, had the reputation of being a classic steakhouse space. And we have some wonderful steakhouses. I think that the community has done a really great job of trying to boost all of their non-steakhouse restaurants, and I think that we just need to continue to keep doing that. There have been some really wonderful strides in African cuisine, right? If you think of
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Tell me about living in Fitchburg, which is probably a different culinary ecosystem. Where do you eat there?
I will say that what brought me out here is probably not the most exciting story. My partner owns a house out here, and it made a lot more sense for me to move in with him, versus him move in with me into my two-bedroom apartment in Somerville. And the water pressure is phenomenal.
My favorite place is called Tacos Tequilas. I don't care what anyone says; they have the best tequila selection. They're all incredibly nice, and honestly, that place is also not as busy as it should be, because the food is great, too.
We spend a lot of time when I'm not working cooking at home. My partner has a 13-year-old, so we focus a lot on trying to make sure we're cooking at home. But, on the occasional date night, we end up at Tacos Tequilas, just because I cannot emphasize how much I love a mezcal margarita on my day off.
What's your favorite spot in Boston?
Oh, gosh, that is so hard. It depends on the day. I mean, classically, I love going to Bar Mezzana. You can't go wrong with the crudos there, and the pasta dishes. Colin [Lynch] is a phenomenal chef. I still have yet to make it over to Temple Records. And then there's a spot in Quincy that I keep getting told about: Lê Madeline. That's probably at the top of my list.
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Let's talk about oysters for novices. I was out with a friend a couple of weeks ago who had never had an oyster before, and watching her try to eat an oyster was perplexing and funny. Why do you think some people are intimidated by oysters?
People get really nervous about the texture if they've never had an oyster. And I get that. Even when I first started eating oysters, I was like, 'OK; it's a little different.'
Adding a little bit of cocktail sauce does help, although you definitely won't taste the wonderful, salty, briny aspects of an oyster. When you add cocktail sauce, it does help with the texture. So if you're just getting into it, try it with a little bit of cocktail sauce.
Once you're used to it, start trying with just a lemon. And you don't have to chew. I think it's important to chew, but some people just swallow it down without chewing, and that's OK, too. But once you get used to it, the amount of flavor and wonderfulness that you get from chewing it, the vegetal notes, the creamy notes — just work your way through it.
Any oyster faux pas?
Oh, my goodness. I try really hard not to judge. I try to keep this a judgment-free zone. But what ends up happening sometimes is there are those people who put their thumb on top of the oyster while it's in the shell and then dump the liquid out and put a bunch of cocktail sauce on it. Oh my God: It's such a faux pas for me. I'm like: 'You just dumped out the best part of that oyster — all the liquid!'
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I don't want the haters coming for me. But don't dump the liquid out, guys. Just eat the oyster in all its wonderfulness.
What do you do when you're not working with oysters?
I'm a Big Sister. My Little Sister is 16 and going to high school. And she is actually really into hospitality, which is great. She's big into crafting and really loves ballet. We went for the first time to see 'Swan Lake,' and it was life-changing for her. She loved it so much.
I signed up in the pandemic. When it comes down to it, I'm actually being impacted. She's such a joyful, wonderful human. She really makes me take a step back and just appreciate the life that we have. It's the best decision I ever made. She's awesome. I'm so very lucky for her to be a part of my life.
You have a long commute. How do you spend your time in the car?
You know, it depends on the time of year. I actually go to BU; I'm trying to get my master's degree in gastronomy. I try to listen to podcasts or audiobooks that are related to the class I'm taking at that time.
When I'm not taking a class, I do listen to a couple podcasts. Amy Poehler just came out with the 'Good Hang' podcast. I love her. I listen to the [America's Test Kitchen] 'Proof' podcast, because I am a food nerd. And I do listen to some books. I'm into the romantasy book vibe. Please don't judge me too hard on that.
Interview was edited and condensed.
Kara Baskin can be reached at
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