Ricky Moore

The Climb

Training moved through New Bern High School and The Culinary Institute of America before the line of work widened through the United States Army, where Ricky Moore worked as paratrooper and cook, and then into restaurant leadership as executive chef at Agraia in Washington, D.C. Saltbox Seafood Joint followed in 2012, with Moore as founder and owner.

Today

Since 2012, Moore has run Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham as founder, chef, and owner. The restaurant’s center of gravity stays on North Carolina seafood, with local, fresh catch treated as the main subject rather than a garnish to the menu’s intent. The cooking leans on fish, place, and memory, and Moore has named the first marker plainly: “First memory is going to be family fish fries.” That frame fits the restaurant’s discipline. The food does not rely on excess; it asks straightforward ingredients to do their work through sourcing, timing, and control. Moore has also described the kitchen’s register this way: “Cooking is joy, where time stops and flavor begins.” At Saltbox, that idea sits alongside coastal North Carolina tradition and the broader range that comes from military cooking, culinary school, and work shaped by travel.

Signature

Ricky's signature dishes include hush-honeys and Ricky's Rice and Squash Gratin.

In Their Words “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.”

Recognition

Moore’s recognition includes the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southeast (2022), James Beard Foundation semifinalist, Outstanding Chef (2025), James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist, Best Chef: Southeast, and local food champion.