Zach McCutchen
Prophet Coffee | Charleston, SC
NOVEMBER 2024
Growing up the son of a pastor, Zach McCutchen moved all around the South. He was set on becoming an accountant, but during a trip to Cape Town, South Africa, he found a higher calling. A friend of his introduced him to coffee roasting, and McCutchen was instantly fascinated by the technical nature of the process. When he returned to Greenville, South Carolina, he quit his job and started as a barista at Methodical Coffee. Over the next three years, McCutchen immersed himself in all things coffee, working his way up to production roaster and overseeing the roasting of 6,000 pounds of coffee each week.
In 2022, McCutchen decided to go out on his own. He launched his own coffee company, Clary Coffee, and began roasting out of his friends’ cafes while building his business. One day, on Instagram, he stumbled across Prophet Coffee’s Bryson Purcell selling his coconut cold brew to thirsty beachgoers out of a repurposed van. McCutchen loved the idea and reached out to Purcell. The two became fast friends and started working together, bonding over their passion for coffee and surfing. McCutchen, alongside Purcell and his partner Savanna Purcell, decided to team up and merge their businesses together. In early 2024, the trio opened Prophet Coffee’s cafe, where coffee is celebrated as a daily ritual. The cozy neighborhood spot offers a selection of full-bodied, bright, plant-based coffee drinks curated by McCutchen, who sources and roasts beans from small, sustainability-minded producers. With the opening of their roastery next door, McCutchen is ready to expand Prophet Coffee’s wholesale business while spreading the cafe’s message of community, connection, and good vibes.
2024 StarChefs Charleston-Savannah Rising Stars Award Winner
