Ricky Moore
Hey Good People
I am a chef, entrepreneur, author, speaker, devoted husband to Norma, and proud father of Hunter and Greyson.
My philosophy as a chef is that ordinary, simple food can be extraordinary when executed at the highest level. Cooking is joy, where time stops and flavor begins. I enjoy mentoring aspiring chefs and finding fellowship and camaraderie in the restaurant community. Giving back is at the heart of being a chef – whether I’m fundraising for a local farmer, hosting cooking demos, or even dancing to raise money for our local non-profit theater.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me. If you see me at the gas station, grocery store, or at the airport, say hi!
Ricky Moore is a James Beard Foundation award-winning chef, entrepreneur, speaker and author with decades of restaurant and hospitality experience.
Moore was born and raised on the inner banks of North Carolina in the coastal town of New Bern, where catching and eating fresh fish and shellfish is a way of life. He served as a cook in the US Army for seven years before graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1994 and working in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens.
Moore opened Saltbox Seafood Joint® in Durham, NC in 2012. Accolades in Garden & Gun, Travel + Leisure, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Forbes followed. In 2019, Moore debuted the Saltbox Seafood Joint® Cookbook – with 60 recipes celebrating his coastal culinary heritage.
In 2020, as one of the region’s most admired chefs, Moore received his first James Beard nomination. In 2022, he was awarded the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Southeast.
Ricky Moore’s Greatest Hits
2023 Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative Recipient
2022 James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southeast
2022 Tarheel of the Year by the News & Observer
2020 Discover EatItForward $25,000 Winner
2020 Semi-Finalist James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southeast
2019 Best Chef in the Triangle by IndyWeek
2019 Local Food Champion by the North Carolina Local Food Council
In 2019, Moore filmed the documentary miniseries The Hook for PBS North Carolina in which he traces the journey of the bonefish from ocean to plate.
In 2007, Moore’s reputation earned him a spot competing against Chef Michael Symon on “Iron Chef America.”
Affiliations
Cuisines in Chef’s Repertoire
African diaspora, Portuguese, Country Italian, Singaporean, Southern U.S., Indian, Spanish, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, Greek, Peruvian, Country French