Chef James Doss

James Doss is both chef and commercial fisherman. He and has wife, Sarah, own acclaimed Rx Chicken & Oysters in Wilmington, N.C., where they stock the kitchen with the seafood the harvest.

With a passion for fresh, local ingredients, Doss creates a seasonal menu that celebrates the bounty of the region's waterways and farms. The couple has been raising their signature Lucy Bea oysters (named after their saltwater-loving dogs) as well as clams since 2022. They also harvest mussels and spearfish for invasive lionfish.

"Our menu for 10 years has featured almost one hundred perecent North Carolina seafood with an occasional and very rare exception of a Virginia or South Carolina fish or clam when we absolutely could not find anything local in any of our available markets because of weather, for example, post hurricane," Doss said.

At Rx, straightforward dishes showcase the chef’s culinary artistry and respect for tradition. Doss, a Goldsboro, N.C., native, began his career with this grandmother, who ran her own catering business and managed country clubs for more than 30 years. He went on to work for top chef Sean Brock at famous Husk restaurant in Charleston, S.C., before returning to North Carolina to open Rx.

"I recently created a dish featuring whole, pan-seared lionfish with succotash and Anson Mills blue corn grits," Doss said.

The menu features a tantalizing blend of seafood, poultry and seasonal vegetables, all prepared with meticulous attention to detail. From his signature shrimp and grits to his mouthwatering fried chicken, Doss puts his passion for local into every dish and always keeps in mind the people who grow and harvest the food he sources.

"I think there are some challenges for North Carolina to overcome to be competitive with imported seafood regarding affordability. Fishermen have to be able to make a living, but the general public needs to understand why they should pay higher prices for higher quality North Carolina seafood," Doss said.

"I feel there is a lack of transparency between the consumers and the middlemen, meaning markets and restaurants. For example, I think people come to the beach and sit down at a restaurant on the water and think the seafood they’re eating is fresh from North Carolina when, in reality, a lot of it is being shipped from halfway across the world in a frozen block or canned. I know this from experience because I grew up working in some of these restaurants and saw what was being served firsthand," Doss said. 

"This is unacceptable to me to deceive customers and choose profit over quality and supporting your own community, and it’s a big part of the reason I opened my own restaurant, so I could support NC seafood and make better choices."

Visit Rx's website and following the chef's adventures on Facebook and Instagram.