AISHLING MOORE OF GOLDIE WINS 'IRELAND'S BEST CHEF 2024' AT RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND (RAI) AWARDS

press release

AISHLING MOORE OF GOLDIE WINS 'IRELAND'S BEST CHEF 2024' 

AT RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND (RAI) AWARDS

The ultimate accolade for a chef in Ireland has been awarded to Aishling Moore of Goldie Restaurant in Cork, who was named ‘Best Chef Ireland 2024’ at the Restaurant Association of Ireland’s Annual Awards which were announced last night, Monday 20 May 2024, to a

packed house of industry colleagues. 

For this Cork-born and bred 29-year-old, it is the pinnacle of a roller coaster year, which saw her release her first book ‘Whole Catch’, hailed as a “masterpiece”, as well as win a Failte Ireland Employer Excellence Award, all in the past month alone.

“I am so honoured and proud to get this national recognition from the RAI” says a thrilled Moore.  “It is a testament to the whole Goldie team who make it all happen every week. I am also delighted to see so many well-deserved awards across Cork. Congratulations to fellow restauranteurs at Custom House and in particular to our sister restaurant Elbow Lane” (who took Best Restaurant 2024 and Best Casual Dining Munster respectively).

Harrison and Ronan Sharpe, Head Chef and Restaurant Manager
 of Elbow Lane Restaurant and Brewery.
Elbow Lane enjoyed a Munster double at the awards.

Moore is undoubtedly one of the country’s most exciting young chefs and is rapidly becoming the foremost proponent of sustainable fish cuisine in both Ireland and the UK. Her restaurant, Goldie, in Cork’s city centre, pioneered gill-to-fin cooking in this country, while producing some of the best, most intriguing and dynamic modern Irish food.

Sustainability is at the heart of Moore’s operation both in and out of the kitchen, where a ‘whole catch’ approach to the local fishing boats ensures a good deal for the fishermen, less fish waste and a daily changing menu showcasing the diversity of Irish seafood for visitors.  

Her book called ‘Whole Catch” is an extension of this philosophy and is a must-have for those who want to cook more fish at home.  It is full of delicious accessible recipes and invaluable hints and tips on how to select, prepare and cook a wide variety of Irish fish and shellfish.

Goldie achieved Bib Gourmand status in 2021 and has been recommended as one of the very best restaurants in Ireland in the Sunday Times Best Restaurants and the Business Post 101 Best Restaurants lists 2024. 

Moore’s first cookery book, Whole Catch, is published by Blasta Books and is available in bookshops nationwide as well as https://blastabooks.com/products/blasta-books-10-whole-catch and goldie.ie.

Goldie and Elbow Lane Brewery & Smokehouse are part of the multi-award-winning Market Lane Group of owner-operated restaurants in Cork, which also includes Market Lane, ORSO and Blackrock Castle Café restaurants.

Elbow Lane is celebrating a decade in business this year and continues to evolve its offering with tutored beer tastings and has added a fermentary to the already successful nano-brewery and restaurant.