i. Biography
Moira gives Chris McGowan his working ground: Northern Irish produce, local herds, poultry, greens and fruits, and the slow pull of salt, pickle and fermentation. At Wine & Brine (Moira, United Kingdom), where he works as Executive Chef, those materials are turned toward contemporary dining without losing the old processes that give the restaurant its name.
The Place A Northern Ireland native, McGowan returned home after a long stint in the UK, bringing with him a kitchen background shaped by serious rooms and exacting cooks. He was Sous Chef at La Tante Claire, then worked for Richard Corrigan at the Michelin-starred Lindsay House. In 2015, his first solo venture took shape in Moira; he opened the restaurant with his wife, Davina. The move placed his cooking close to the producers he values, where personal connections with local growers and farmers help shape seasonal menus. Recognition came quickly. The restaurant was named Waitrose Good Food Guide Local Restaurant of the Year in 2016, then received a MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand in 2024 and again in 2025.
The Method Salt is not just seasoning in McGowan’s kitchen; it is a method. Pickled, brined and fermented foods made with Northern Irish produce are central to the work, drawing on age-old techniques and bringing them into a contemporary dining setting. The cooking stays close to the material itself. Tender meat cuts and fresh produce are treated with enough care to become sumptuous but simple fare, rather than dishes built on excess. That approach depends on timing as much as technique. Brining asks for patience; fermenting asks for restraint; pickling asks for the right balance of sharpness, sweetness and preservation.
The Range The restaurant’s range begins with what can be sourced nearby: herds, poultry, greens and fruits. Those ingredients move through a kitchen where preserving methods and fresh cooking sit together, giving the menu both immediacy and depth. One small dish has become a point of attention: crispy olives. Northern Ireland Good Food singled them out as a reason to visit, a concise example of how the kitchen can turn a familiar ingredient into something textural, salty and memorable. McGowan’s career links formal restaurant discipline with a homecoming to Northern Ireland. In Moira, the result is cooking built from producers, produce and process: local food shaped by brine, fermentation and the practical intelligence of a chef who has made those methods his own.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Chris
What is Chris McGowan known for making?
Chris McGowan is known for pickled, brined and fermented foods using Northern Irish produce, including crispy olives at Wine & Brine.
Where does Chris McGowan work?
Chris McGowan works as Executive Chef at Wine & Brine in Moira, United Kingdom.
What style or method defines Chris McGowan's work?
His work is defined by age-old processes such as brining and fermenting, applied to tender meat cuts, fresh produce and seasonal ingredients from local producers.
