Ricky Moore: Saltbox Seafood Joint (Durham, NC)

Chef Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, NC, always planned to be an artist. Growing up in Eastern North Carolina, Moore’s family was always cooking, and soon Moore found himself cooking, too—as part of the 82nd Airborne. After the military, Moore used the GI Bill and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1994 and subsequently cooked in some of the most important kitchens of the past 20 years, including Daniel and Tru. When it came time to open his own place, he trained his artist’s eye back on North Carolina and the simplicity of fresh caught, well prepared seafood. Moore has just been nominated James Beard Foundation for “Best Chef”: Southeast, Discover awarded the restaurant $25,000 as part of its #EatItForward campaign for black-owned restaurateurs, and he’s competed on Iron Chef America. Still, most days, you can see him at Saltbox, working to keep the tables clear, the kitchen humming, and the guests happy. His work is a study in technique and storytelling, set in an atmosphere that is part diner, part church fish fry, and all community gathering spot.