Mac Buben

Photo Credit: Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen

NC Catch Chef Ambassdor Mac Buben is a classically trained chef and the owner of Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen in Nags Head, North Carolina, located at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. He grew up immersed in the restaurant world, working alongside his father, Jeff Buben — a veteran chef with decades of experience and a James Beard Award to his name.

Mac graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and honed his craft in some of New York’s finest kitchens, including Le Bernardin, Restaurant Daniel, and Jean-Georges, as well as The Inn at Little Washington in the Virginia countryside. This fine-dining background instilled in him a deep respect for technique, high standards, and an elevated palate.

In 2019, Mac returned to North Carolina (his first kitchen job was at Magnolia Grill in Durham). Newly married, he and his wife, Lauren, moved to the Outer Banks with a vision: to combine his culinary pedigree with his passion for life on the water. Along with his father, he founded Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen — a relaxed, chef-driven seafood shack overlooking the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.

A core part of Mac’s mission is to support local commercial fishermen and promote North Carolina wild-caught seafood. At Sea Chef, he personally selects whole fish from nearby fish houses — mostly in Wanchese, NC — fillets them himself, and ensures that oysters, crabmeat, shellfish, and crabs come from North Carolina waters. The restaurant never uses imported seafood or farmed fish. Sea Chef also strives to purchase fish directly from boats using its NCDMF Fish Dealer License, allowing Mac to support local watermen and their communities.

Mac’s story is rooted in family, tradition, and sustainability: cooking alongside his dad, bringing fine-dining rigor to a casual dockside setting, and elevating local seafood while honoring the people who catch it."

Visit  Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen, and on IG seachefdocksidekitchen