Paul’s journey into oysters began on the East Coast, where he was born and raised in Goose Bay, Labrador, developing an early appreciation for seafood. His curiosity turned to bivalves in St. John’s at The Adelaide Oyster House, where he quickly fell in love with oysters and went on to lead the restaurant’s oyster program for several years. Following his passion for these salty, seaborne delicacies, Paul traveled across Canada working with oyster farms and bars from coast to coast, gaining hands-on experience from harvest to service.

He eventually landed in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, right along Baynes Sound—widely known as the oyster capital of BC. Noticing a gap in how local seafood was being showcased in the area, Paul co-founded Gigi’s Oysters, a little seaside oyster bar dedicated to celebrating local seafood and highlighting shellfish growers coast to coast.

As a lifelong learner, Paul’s passion for food extends beyond oysters. He is also deeply involved in cultivating tea and medicinal herbs on the farm where he resides in Royston and is a promoter and advocate for BC low intervention wines which he thoughtfully includes with the dishes they serve at Gigi’s.