Razor Clam 101: From Sand to Table

I raised my two oldest kids at Pacific Beach where the beach was part of our daily lives and both of them learned to dig, cook and eat razor clams as well. This class will teach you how to dig for clams yourself, the biology, lifestyle and ecology of razor clams, and how to clean and cook them. Together we will cook them three ways, breaded, fried and in a chowder.   

About Rob Paylor

My culinary career started with a summer dishwashing gig at a Northern Italian restaurant in Aberdeen called Parma while I was in high school. I fell in love with food and cooking as a profession immediately. I worked my way up to sous chef at Parma by the time I was 20, and decided to pursue a more formal education at Western Culinary Institute in Portland, OR. Graduating in 1998, it was back to Grays Harbor for me, where I eventually landed a job as GM and Chef of Ocean Shores Irish Pub, Galway Bay. After 10 years there, I had the opportunity to purchase a restaurant in the up and coming community of Seabrook, just up the coast in Pacific Beach. I was the Executive Chef and owner of Mill 109 at Seabrook from 2011-2018. Mill 109 was featured in an article in Sunset Magazine, and two of my recipes were published in a Sunset Magazine cookbook called "Eating up the West Coast" by Brigit Binns. We even got a mention in Martha Stewart magazine! In 2016, I opened Hoquiam Brewing Co and operated that until selling in 2024. It continues to operate today! I got married in 2023 and moved to Tumwater and now love cooking and baking for my wife and our blended family of 6 kids. In my spare time, I volunteer helping with building and grounds upkeep at the Bigelow House in Olympia and for the Historical Preservation Commissions in both Tumwater and my hometown of Hoquiam!