John Zucker

For more than two decades, Executive Chef and Owner John Zucker has been bringing his vision to life in the low country of South Carolina. His award-winning catering company has been voted Best Caterer 20 years in Charleston City Paper during it’s 23 year existence. Zucker also opened Cru Café in 2002 and was a gem of the downtown restaurant scene until closing in September of 2024. John also opened Purlieu in 2018 to nationwide accolades but was closed due to the pandemic restrictions in 2021. Cru Catering has ventured into the venue arena by purchasing Old Wide Awake venue in Hollywood SC in 2024. This 15 acre property has an amazing vintage house for all types of functions and two additional houses on the property that are in the process of being renovated to accommodate bridal parties. Zucker was also named Charleston’s Best Chef by the Charleston City Paper in 2019.

As the number one graduate in his class from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Chef Zucker trained under and worked with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck at Spago in Las Vegas. From there, he became sous chef for the opening of Canoe, which was a semi-finalist in the ”Best New Restaurant of the Year” category by the James Beard Foundation. Additionally, Chef Zucker is a sought-after restaurant consultant in the Southeast.

Chef Zucker is active in the nonprofit community and has served as Vice President of Charleston Chefs Feed the Need organization. Over nearly two decades he has contributed both time and donations to the March of Dimes, Lowcountry Food Bank, Ryan White Program, and Lowcountry Local First, among other organizations.