Ricky Moore

Ricky Moore

Photo by: Briana Brough

James Beard Award winner Ricky Moore is the founder, proprietor, and chef of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and served in the U.S. Army as a military cook.

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12 Fast Facts about Chef Ricky Moore

  1. Culinary influences

    • Fernand Point, the father of modern French cuisine
    • Alain Chapel, one of the founders of nouvelle cuisine
    • Any and all chefs and cooks who religiously believe in seasonality and cook with craftmanship and reverence for food
  2. Cooking philosophy

    A contemporary maverick interpretation of classical, regional, and global cooking. Foraging familiar flavors that achieve unexpected results. Honestly made, high-quality food that is traditionally cooked and prepared with creative intelligence.

  3. Early years

    A high school home economics course first turned Chef Ricky on to the world of food and cooking. His upbringing in Germany as a “military brat” exposed him to global cuisine. An aspiring illustrator, he turned creative energies to the culinary arts while exploring the world as a cook in the U.S. Army for 10 years.

  4. Education

    Chef Ricky is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.

  5. Favorite ingredients

    Salt, lemon, chiles, olive oil, herbs

  6. Global kitchen history

    Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C.; Paris and Alsace, France; Toronto; Singapore; the Food Network’s Iron Chef Warrior

  7. Cooking music

    Jazz (classic, progressive, Afro-Cuban, Chicago), Global House Music, Old School Hip Hop, Classic R&B, Classic Rock, Country

  8. Cuisines in the chef's repertoire

    African diaspora, Portuguese, Country Italian, Singaporean, Southern U.S., Indian, Spanish, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, Greek, Peruvian, Country French

  9. Non-culinary influences

    Sidney Poitier, James Baldwin, Ernie Barnes, Norman Rockwell, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Grand Master Flash, Vince Lombardi, Barack Obama

  10. If he weren’t a chef he would be . . .

    A bass player or a DJ

  11. Favorite quote

    "Simplicity is complexity resolved."—Constantin Brancusi

  12. Personal motto

    Forgive yourself and just have fun!


Books by the Author