Aishling Moore shares her life in food, from her earliest memories to her favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
Aishling Moore is one of Ireland’s most exciting young chefs. Her fish restaurant, Goldie, in Cork’s city centre, has pioneered gill-to-fin cooking in Ireland. By adopting a whole-catch approach, the restaurant allows what’s landed to dictate what’s served.
Goldie opened in late 2019. That same year, Aishling was named Chef of the Year by John and Sally McKenna. Goldie achieved Michelin Bib Gourmand status in 2021 and in 2022, was awarded Best Casual Dining in Ireland 2022 by both Food & Wine Magazine and the Restaurant Association of Ireland. In 2023, Aishling was named the Food & Wine Magazine Young Chef of the Year and also became deputy head of the Euro-Toques Ireland Food Council, an organisation that endeavours to preserve Irish culinary heritage by supporting traditional cooking methods and promoting producers of local and seasonal artisan products.
Her cookbook, Whole Catch: Cooking Seafood from Gill to Fin, underpins everything Aishling does at Goldie, where she serves the fish that had previously been thrown back and converts the wary to fully fledged seafood lovers.
This past weekend, Aishling took over Roe & Co Distillery as part of Chef’s Stories, an immersive culinary and whiskey experience. Here, she shares her life in food.
My earliest memories of food are… My mum baking at home.
My relationship with food is… Obsessive.
The first meal I learned to cook was… A roast chicken dinner.
My interest in a career in food was sparked by… Watching Jamie Oliver on television. He made cooking cool and approachable.
My go-to breakfast is… A banana and a flat white if I’m working. If I’m off, I love to head to a bakery for a pastry.
If I’m impressing friends and family at a dinner party, I’m serving… A lobster Marie Rose or a curry with all the naan, chutneys and sides.
My culinary inspiration is… There are so many, but being from Cork you never need to look any further than Myrtle Allen, who sparked a food revolution in Ireland.
My last meal on earth would be… Oysters to start, bacon and cabbage, rice pudding and a generous plate of Irish cheeses.
My go-to comfort food is… Sourdough toast and Barry’s loose-leaf master blend tea.
My go-to quick meal for when I’m tired and hungry is… Scrambled eggs on toast.
The food or flavour I cannot stand is… I’m not a fan of pomegranate seeds.
Sweet or savoury? Savoury.
Fine dining or pub grub? Pub grub, please.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland? Library St – love Kevin Burke’s food!
Best coffee in Ireland? Soma Coffee, Cork.
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene? I’m so proud to be part of the food scene in Ireland. It’s such a dynamic and diverse industry; we do hospitality very well in this country.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking? I love how mindful and therapeutic it can be. I also really enjoy working in a team.
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment — mean to you? I think those are all the reasons I have been attracted to work within the hospitality industry. Food is all about relationships, be it with the producer of the food, the cook or the diner. My menu for Chef’s Stories at Roe & Co Distillery was deeply inspired by my journey in cooking and all the amazing people I’ve met along the way.
Food for thought — What are some areas for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene? Food security in this country is rather worrying, considering we import much of the food we eat. Access to allow young people to produce the food needs to be supported and incentivised. Chefs have a massive influence over how and what we eat and we need to do all we can by supporting and buying Irish everywhere we can and having that all over our menus.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently. I was in Detroit cooking recently and we ate at a beautiful old firehouse turned restaurant called Ladder 4 Wine bar, fabulous food and wine.
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member. I love Paradiso in Cork, amazing vegetable cookery, wines and service, always.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience? It’s never just one thing, which is the beauty of being involved in or enjoying a dining experience. The company, food, drinks, service, music, lighting, the table, the seat, cutlery in your hand, the sense of place from the menu, and how the menu was written.
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