In the Kitchen with….
The Crab Shack
TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | OCT 2020 17
By Alaina Loughridge
Justin Fowler
Now this article should be entitled “In the Restaurant with ... Justin
Fowler” and after I explain everything about this man and where he
works, you will agree! The Crab Shack is a sprawling complex of over
three acres, three kitchens, over 150 employees on premises at any
given summer moment, 11 cats, 78 alligators (the biggest of which is
five feet long), more than 20 rescue birds, and that is not even counting
the number of people that are lined up for lunch and dinner!!! It’s not a
restaurant … it’s a theme park and everything has to work like a welloiled
machine. Justin signed up for the job and here he is.
Born and raised in Savannah, Justin went to Johnson High and
went on to Armstrong as a Political Science Major. Changing teams,
he went to Savannah Tech and graduated with a degree in Hospitality
Management. Thank God, because running The Crab Shack you need
your education, your street smarts and a whole lot of patience!! Joining
The Shack team in February, 2000, Justin started out as a line cook
and literally has done it all: Expo, bus boy, dishwasher, server, plumber,
electrician, and more. When you work in the food industry the working
motto is “if it can break, it will break and it will do so at the most
inopportune moments.” You will have no-calls and no-shows and guess
who gets to fill in??? That’s right! Justin! With a hard work ethic, Justin
went from the bottom of the line to Kitchen Supervisor then General
Manager and is now the Director of Operations. Again, it’s like running
Jurassic Park!
I asked Justin after 20 years of being at the same place, which is
rare, what his most epic memory is. Well, it was a dark and stormy
night, the smallest kitchen was the only one running, he was managing
and the place filled up in a second. People everywhere. Employees
everywhere. Kitchen shucking and jiving as fast as they could and then
…. the lights went out! That is a whole lot of apologies and table to
table greeting and assuring right there! All in a day’s work. That doesn’t
even count the time that guy dropped his cell phone in the alligator pit
and tried to go in and retrieve it!! Jeesh!
Justin’s constant goal is always trying to get better and be more
efficient. That’s a big request and he’s got a busy personal life too.
Married to Kate (whom he met at The Crab Shack and she had to quit
because you can’t date a co-worker LOL), they have two great boys,
Chase at 10 years old and Evan at eight. Life is busy, but Justin is not
going to grow up and be an old man any time soon! His passion is
anything outdoors and his spirit animal is the Eagle…they do what they
want and they are super protective and fierce! Cool!
Justin doesn’t really ‘cook’ anymore, but he’s got some brilliant
ideas about Low Country Boil!! He doesn’t use the Zatarain’s Crab Boil
like the rest of us. Captain Jack has his own Captain Crab’s Secret
Spice, which is solely sold at The Crab Shack’s gift shop, and that is
the sprinkled secret ingredient. Throw in some white onions and cut in
some lemons in the bottom of the pot. Add in some black pepper and
this spin on Low Country Boil will change your way of thinking.
There is never a dull moment at The Crab Shack and Justin is super
grateful to his staff and his bosses, Jack and Belinda Flanigan. They all
take care of each other and they are going to take care of you as well!
The Crab Shack is located at 40 Estill Hammock Road and is open
Sunday through Thursday from 12pm to 8pm and Fridays and Saturdays
from 12pm to 9pm. The atmosphere is Back River awesome; the food
is fabulous and the staff is more than welcoming! Call if you have any
questions at 912-786-9857.