CofC Podcast: Behind the Scenes With Chef James London

^{Above: James London ’07 at his restaurant Chubby Fish (Photo by Reese Moore)}

On this episode of the Speaking of … College of Charleston podcast, guest host Tom Cunneff, editor of College of Charleston Magazine, interviews James London ’07, owner and chef of Chubby Fish and the cocktail bar Seahorse in Charleston.

London, a native of Charleston, discusses his journey from growing up fishing on Edisto Island to pursuing his career in fine dining after attending the College of Charleston. London shares insights into his unique dock-to-table philosophy, the importance of relationships with local fishermen and farmers, and his diverse culinary background.

RELATED: Read all about London in the winter issue of College of Charleston Magazine.

London is humble in the way he describes his cuisine. “ It’s a hodgepodge of so many different techniques and flavors and ingredients,” he says. “Really, it’s just a map of my career in a way in terms of how we’re layering our flavors.”

He also speaks about learning new things daily and teaching the next generation of chefs while reflecting on his restaurant’s success, including multiple James Beard nominations and widespread acclaim. The interview concludes with stories of his formative years, influenced by his family’s educational background and his fishing time, which shaped his passion for seafood cuisine.

“Both my parents were teachers,” he says, “and, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how gratifying it is to share what I know and share the lessons that I’ve learned and hopefully give them that shortcut so they don’t have to necessarily take as long to figure it out as I did.”

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James London ’07, a Charleston native, came up cooking in barbecue and Southern restaurants in South Carolina. During his time at the College, London decided to pursue his passion in food and started working in fine dining restaurants while pursuing a double major in business administration and hospitality and tourism management.

Once he graduated he made the leap to New York City where he enrolled at The French Culinary Institute. After graduation James went on to work with Chef Josh Dechellis before becoming the executive chef at Niko, a fine dining Japanese restaurant in Soho. After his time in New York, James ventured West to San Francisco where he led the kitchen at The Elite Café, a Creole restaurant in Pacific Heights.

He made it back to Charleston in 2018, and he and his wife, Yoanna, opened Chubby Fish, a dock-to-table seafood concept that has been hugely popular. Chubby Fish has garnered a Best New Restaurant nod from Bon Appetit, was ranked the No. 7 restaurant in the U.S. from Food & Wine magazine and named a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant in 2025 – a year after London himself was named a James Beard finalist for Best Chef Southeast.