We love to see it!
Aishling Moore (29), head chef and owner of Goldie Restaurant on Oliver Plunkett Street has just won Best Young Chef 2023 at the prestigious Food & Wine Awards.
Announcing the award, the Judges noted “Moore’s wonderful talent for working with seafood.” They also added: “Even at this young age she is a leader in the industry and is known for her exceptional ability and delicious food”.
Cork born and bred, Moore is delighted with her win, and in particularly pleased to be bringing the title home to her team and to the city. She is a graduate of MUT and a former head chef of another beloved Cork institution, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery. She opened goldie when she was 24, just 6 months before the Pandemic.
“I am so proud and thrilled to have won Best Young Chef in Ireland 2023” says Moore. “I could not have done it without my wonderful colleagues at goldie, who have supported my endeavours every step of the way.
“Together we will use this as a springboard to achieve bigger and better at goldie next year. I also want to thank the Food & Wine Awards and everyone who voted for me, and in particular those who had the confidence in me from day one and helped me follow my dream.”
Cork swept the board at the Awards again this year, with The Customs House, chef and owner Ahmet Dede, Terre, Cork Urban Soil Project, St Francis Provisions and chef, Rory O’Connell, all taking top gongs.
Located on Oliver Plunkett St in Cork’s city centre, Goldie, a small restaurant with a big heart, is famous for its sustainable approach to cooking. Moore uses as much of each fish as possible to create a daily changing menu of delicious and inventive seafood dishes.
The restaurant also adopts a ‘whole catch’ approach by allowing what’s landed, predominately in Ballycotton, to dictate its menu. The restaurant has won ‘Best Casual Dining Restaurant Ireland 2022’ and ‘Best Casual Dining in Munster 2021’ at the Food & Wine Awards and has retained its Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2021.
Some of Moore’s signature dishes at this delightful restaurant include ‘Shime Saba Mackerel, Smoked tomato gazpacho and singing frog wasabi’, ‘Rossmore Oysters with Lemon verbena granita and Dill oil’, ‘Pan fried Megrim Sole served with carmelised cardoon chutney and Café de Paris butter and to finish ‘Singing Frog Lemongrass Meringue Pie’.
The restaurant also encourages the next generation to enjoy the fruits of the sea by offering a free kids menu the first Wednesday of every month.
Moore has chosen Ballycotton RNLI as the restaurant’s charity partner, and is looking forward to hosting more seafood events throughout 2024 to support the invaluable service to the fishing community in Ballycotton.