James Island native Chris John grew up on the Charleston waterways.
After graduating from Bishop England High School, he enrolled at the University of California at Santa Cruz to study marine biology and ocean studies. Post college, life took him to Indonesia and Hawaii, where he ran importing businesses bringing local products back to the states.
The Lowcountry waters called him back in 2007 and, after running a granite importing business, John shifted into commercial fishing. He started Oyster Point Seafood and he has provided fish to some of the top restaurants in Charleston for the past 15 years. A history of commercial fishing and oystering exposed him to the many facets of the seafood ecosystem. This, in turn, allowed him to create the elevated food program at CudoCo. Seafood House on James Island.
Oyster Point remains the umbrella brand over the seafood house, the recently opened Deck House and a forthcoming retail space, which will live in a third building on the compound on Folly Road. John said everything he and his team do under Oyster Point is geared towards the highest quality seafood and a vision of sustainability.
At the compound
CudoCo. Seafood House opened in January 2021 with Chef Shaun Brian Sells leading the kitchen.
“With our food program, we want to be a celebration of the ocean,” John said.
“We want to offer — through delectable and very selective bites — this elevated experience where people are getting their mind blown with every little moment.”
CudoCo. fills space that formerly housed Huff’s Seafood. During Covid, the property became available, and John and Sells jumped at the opportunity to nab it. Since opening, the seafood house has quickly established itself as one of the best places to dine in Charleston.
On any given day, you’ll find the freshest seafood on the menu and on ice for retail sale. Ceviche is simply prepared with lime juice, avocado mousse and scallions. A po’ boy comes with crispy oysters, shrimp or scallops, and the “sandy” sandwich has fried flounder, American cheese, tartar sauce and pickles — make sure you add a generous splash of hot sauce. In the market, you’ll find options like oysters, shrimp, scallops and fish.
Deck House opened May 2026 and offers chef-inspired creations that are an extension of CudoCo. John said Deck House is a place where the team can “flex” a bit more, and the kitchen is led by Culinary Director Philip Costas.
“The idea behind Deck House was to expand on our celebrations of the ocean that we’re doing with our food program at the seafood house,” John said. “It’s working. The feedback has been off the chain across the board. We’re so grateful for the welcome that everyone has given us and for everybody showing up.”
Sustainability as a pillar
Sustainability has always been a big part of CudoCo., John said.
“We decided early on to create CudoCo. as a water lifestyle brand,” he shared. “There are a lot of different components to it. CudoCo.’s main vision is sustainability and how all that affects our world’s oceans. One of the things that we wanted to do as a brand was offer solutions to some of these bigger problems that we see affecting our waterways.”
This means everything from recycling oyster shells to creating smoked fish at the restaurants, which uses any leftover fish from the market. It also means small — but impactful — changes like wrapping fish in parchment instead of plastic and using compostable products. The goal is zero waste.
“We have our smoked program which is another thing we’re very passionate about and one of the big sectors we’re pushing into,” John said. “We take everything off the market and smoke it every day, and we create grab-and-go items. That’s where all our smoked fish, smoked mussels, smoked scallops and smoked oysters come from.”
And these are great convenience foods. Smoked mussels are made with pesto so all you have to do is throw in some fresh pasta at home and you have a complete meal.
Another place where sustainability is practiced is with the brands that Cudaco. supports and sells. Toadfish, for instance, is a Charleston-based coastal lifestyle brand that produces eco-friendly outdoor products. While retail currently is sold out of the seafood house, it will soon be found in the third building on the compound, slated to open later this year. This space will also house a wine shop and host special events.
While on the surface it might look like Oyster Point Seafood and CudoCo. are just restaurants and a fish market, they are so much more.
“It’s an elevated experience where you get to come, sit by the water and enjoy the CudoCo. compound,” John said about what he and his team have created on Folly Road. “We ultimately want to elevate people into connecting with the brand and the mission and the story. And what better place to do it than James Island? A place surrounded by water. The Lowcountry that we all love.
“It’s been such a privilege to be able to bring something like this back to the island that I grew up on. I’m on this journey to create something bigger than myself and have everybody be a part of it.”
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