Get your fill of culinary perfection from the mind of a master
Master Chef Derin Moore
When it comes to fine dining away from the bustle of Atlanta, there is none finer than the menus of Executive Chef Derin Moore at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia. Each of the resort community’s culinary options, from the poolside bar and urban-style tavern to the elegant overlook restaurant and Platinum Members only club, features perfectly appointed dishes for every occasion and showcases the diverse talents of the chef, who joined Reynolds Lake Oconee in 2015.
Chef Moore’s impressive career spans more than three decades and includes some of the most prestigious honors awarded in the culinary industry. Prior to joining Reynolds Lake Oconee, he honed his craft at renowned facilities around the world, including Chicago’s Medinah Country Club and The Ritz-Carlton Naples. In 2003, Chef Moore was recognized as a Certified Master Chef, a title given by the American Culinary Federation only after a rigorous certification process and currently held by only 68 other chefs in the U.S.
At Reynolds Lake Oconee, surrounded by more than 350 miles of pristine lake shoreline, Master Chef Derin Moore discusses not only the illustrious career that led him to the Reynolds community, but also his personal motivations and what lies ahead. He is a passionate speaker of his craft, and describes the culinary arts as “an expression of who you are and where you come from.” Food, he explains, is an artform and there is a story that can be told by what you put on your plate. “Your artistic creativity definitely comes through in your menus and the dishes that you put together.”
The chef shares his culinary passion by incorporating his favorite dishes in the menus throughout Reynolds Lake Oconee. He recalls the classics from his childhood, noting that they are the dishes on his menus which consistently receive the most praise.
“The nostalgia of those comfort foods, such as Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Piccata, are dishes that guests identify with, because they grew up eating them. They’ve been around forever for a reason.”
Remembering his mother’s Chicken Divan, the dish he and his five siblings always looked forward to most, Chef Moore insists that some recipes don’t need to be reinvented, but rather prepared with great flavor and integrity, paying close attention to detail and perfecting each step while sourcing the freshest ingredients of the utmost quality.
“I’ve been doing farm-to-table since I started cooking, but I try not to get wrapped up in the local thing too much,” says Chef Moore, who prefers instead to source the freshest, best-tasting ingredients, regardless of their origin.
Chef Moore is a practicing vegan, an uncommon lifestyle for a chef but one that he has chosen for health reasons. The chef is not opposed to meat and in fact named a charred ribeye steak as one of his favorite meals. He credits his grandfather, Joseph Ryan, with introducing him to the kitchen, citing fond boyhood memories of helping his Irish grandfather prepare “meat and potatoes” picnic-style for his large family and church gatherings. His grandfather, who had his own garden, was proud to provide fresh food for his family and said that it was very rewarding to be able to cultivate fresh produce and see it through from preparation to the table. The sense of pride that came from this caring act was instilled at an early age in Chef Moore, and he has made the practice of preparing fresh food for the table a staple in his career.
Master Chef Derin Moore 
The Oconee Course
In addition to providing the best ingredients for his guests, Chef Moore stresses the importance of creating one’s own cooking style and constantly expanding upon it. As a member of the U.S. Culinary Olympic team from 1992 to 2000, he traveled throughout Europe to compete in cooking competitions, including the prestigious World Culinary Olympics in Germany, and received numerous medals. Throughout this experience Chef Moore had the opportunity to learn new cooking methods and taste regional specialties. Such exposure is key in developing a chef’s skills.
As a mentor to younger generations of chefs, he encourages this depth of flavor and cooking methods, believing that it’s how you create those levels of flavor through proper cooking techniques that make them special and different. “There are a lot of chefs who cook what they want to cook, rather than cooking what their customers want to eat.” Chef Moore encourages his employees and interns alike to focus on perfecting the basics, taking those methods from him and blending them with what they’ve learned from others, over time creating their own styles of cooking.
Chef Moore says the most rewarding part of mentoring young culinarians is working with people who have never even picked up a knife before and their level of engagement, referring specifically to his time as an instructor for ProStart, a two-year accredited high school course for students interested in the culinary industry. The course provided real life experience for students and tested their skills at both the state and national levels. Chef Moore’s team attended and placed in the Georgia State competition two years in a row. The first year his team finished third in the country out of 54 teams and the next year they took second. Chef Moore is proud to share that the majority of his students went on to attend culinary school and pursue careers in the industry, reporting that one student just opened their own restaurant in Chicago. Chef Moore continues to mentor for the Culinary Institute of America.
It’s your expression in who you are and your background…there’s a story to be told in what you put on your plate
As an instructor, Chef Moore inspires future chefs, but he strives to find inspiration personally to avoid growing stale as a culinarian. He utilizes the sharing nature of social media and likes to see what others are doing. “You can look at Instagram; you can look anywhere online and get inspiration for dishes.” Chef Moore says that when he travels, he grabs menus and takes photos of food. Even the plating and dinnerware of a dish can spark inspiration, causing him to exclaim, “oh man this dish would look awesome in that setting.” Chef Moore is constantly aware of what’s new in major culinary cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and plans to stay active in his pursuit for inspiration to maintain not only his skills as the industry and flavors evolve, but his passion and creativity for the culinary arts.
Chef Moore is reminded of The Golden Mushroom, a fine dining restaurant that once reigned supreme over the suburbs outside of Detroit. Master Chef Milos J. Cihelka founded the restaurant in a time when restaurants were just for eating, and helped transform the dining culture into that of enjoying a chef’s creations. Though he never worked for Cihelka directly, Chef Moore credits the master chef with having the most influence on his cooking style. Cihelka, he says, “had the most integrity, and everyone’s respect.” The master chef’s passion and drive made him not only a great culinarian but also a great restaurateur, which Chef Moore says benefited him throughout his career and helped him learn what it would take to be a restaurant owner.
There is a huge difference between being an owner and being a chef, Chef Moore says, elaborating on the statistics of failed restaurants. “I don’t believe that when businesses close it’s necessarily because the food is bad. There is a lot of strategy around being successful as a restauranteur. There is strategy in menu development, how to sell those specials. It’s not just about cooking.”
“It’s that business savvy of knowing how to react to trends or what the industry is demanding, and not a lot of people have that background and training to be able to understand the business side of it,” adds Chef Moore. While he is clearly a phenomenal businessman, successfully running and managing the many eateries of Reynolds Lake Oconee, Chef Moore says he is most content when cooking. “When I’m preparing, head down, sleeves rolled up in the kitchen, no phone calls, no meetings… that’s when I’m the happiest.”
Chef Moore is fortunate to have seven kitchens in which to roll his sleeves up at Reynolds Lake Oconee, but there is much more to the community than fine dining. It is home to the Reynolds Kingdom of Golf presented by Taylormade, a world class instructional and club fitting facility. The golf facility is a perfect addition to Reynolds, which features six championship golf courses and is only 85 miles from Atlanta and 84 miles from Augusta, home of the famed Augusta National golf club. Golf pros, young pros in training, or amateurs who want to practice in luxury can easily make a weekend trip to Greensboro to experience all that Reynolds has to offer.
The National Tavern
Reynolds Lake Oconee also boasts an award-winning sporting grounds, tennis center, swimming pools, pedestrian trails, a wellness campus, and four full-service marinas for watersports. There are luxury resort condominiums and cottages as well as the crown jewel, The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, a lakefront resort and spa that offers Five Diamond accommodations with over 250 rooms.
When Chef Moore first joined the Reynolds Lake Oconee community as its Executive Chef, he faced some interesting challenges. “Who am I cooking for?” he remembers asking himself, admitting it took more than a year to establish the customer demographic of his restaurants.
“[Reynolds] is not just a fine dining restaurant or a private club, and it operates like a resort. It’s a hybrid of all three, and that is what makes my job so interesting.” The difference between Reynolds Lake Oconee and a place like The Ritz-Carlton Naples, he says, is that Reynolds is a community.
“Many of our guests live here. I need to change the menu frequently in order to keep it interesting and new for the 4,000-plus members of Reynolds Lake Oconee.” Chef Moore explains that the biggest learning curve was establishing the right cuisine for the membership. Like Atlanta, Reynolds Lake Oconee is a melting pot of cultures, and the chef wanted to have his multiple restaurants offer an array of flavor choices that would satisfy anyone.
Chef Moore keeps signature dishes at certain restaurants to cater to Southern traditions, such as the meatloaf and mashed potatoes at Reynolds’ original clubhouse Eighty8 Kitchen + Cocktails, and also brightens up the menus with seasonally evolving dishes. He changes his menus three times a year, not counting the unique menus he creates for banquets, weddings, and other special events. It seems that every time community residents start to get used to a menu, Chef Moore is getting ready to change it. He listens to members’ feedback, and says, “I never go back and copy and paste from a previous menu. I always sit down with a fresh head and write a brand new menu.” Chef Moore believes that a key trait in a good chef is having an open mind and being adaptable.
The Jumping Rock
Upon his arrival at Reynolds Lake Oconee, Chef Moore began adjusting menus “pretty radically.” There was no definitive feel to each restaurant, he says, and they all had basically the same menu. After the initial changes, the chef received valued feedback from the membership and continued to rewrite the menus for each clubhouse and establish their individual identities. Members began to look forward to the next menu change, knowing there was something new and exciting in the works.
“I look at every change I make as an opportunity to get closer to what this membership is looking for, for their community, and for their home.”
The chef reiterates that his focus is on quality of fresh ingredients and attention to detail, but adds, “I try to provide a fun and engaging experience. Oftentimes that is new and different than anything the members have ever seen or experienced anywhere else.” Chef Moore tries not to get wrapped up in trends, and says that the trend he’s setting is the ever-changing menu. He uses the Raw Bar at Great Waters as an example; new to members, it’s an “engagement station” that goes through two boxes of oysters a night. It’s not a new trend, he explains, “but it’s new for our property.”
The Creek Club
Chef Moore is personally involved in each of the seven culinary outlets that Reynolds Lake Oconee has to offer. While he doesn’t have a favorite clubhouse restaurant, he does have a soft spot for certain dishes on each of the menus he thoughtfully curates. He says the great thing about the many dining options at Reynolds is that “you can visit different environments for different occasions.”
The National Tavern Situated in the center of golf country, the Tavern has a versatile “fun pub environment” with a casual bar and lounge, an elegant dining room, and verandas with picturesque views and cozy fire pits. “That place never slows down, it’s so busy.” Chef Moore insists the pork chop is among the top items on the menu, as well as a variety of shareable bites perfect for large groups.
Eighty8 Kitchen + Cocktails This is Reynolds’ original clubhouse, recently renovated and offering traditional Southern cuisines such as griddle cakes, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and Sunday brunch.
The Overlook at Great Waters Living up to its name, The Overlook has one of the best views on the lake with a very casual feel. This is where Chef Moore rolled out his Raw Bar, a chilled fresh seafood bar which has quickly become the highlight of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
The Landing Restaurant After a morning round of golf, the family casual atmosphere of The Landing awaits with classic club cuisine such as the Sonoma Salad. Guests can attend the Taste of Tuesday’s series and try out different beers, wines, and spirits or enjoy a “build-your-own-burger” creation and pasta night.
The Creek Club This newly renovated Platinum members-only dining room offers an “extremely creative international flare” that Chef Moore largely attributes to its Moroccan chef. He recommends the smoked beef short rib with white cheddar grits and wild mushrooms.
Kathy’s Café and Infinity Pool Bar With a pool bar that never ends and a breezy bistro overlooking Lake Oconee, this intimate space stays extremely busy. Its food menu offers a “wide diversity of light lunch choices and novelty snacks” catering to all ages. Chef Moore says you can’t go wrong with any sandwich from the kitchen’s vast selection. The bar menu offers traditional poolside treats such as a peach daiquiri or a signature “Infinity Sunset.”
The Waterview Pub at Great Waters Known for its fish and chips or burger, this casual pub environment is primarily a lunch spot for golfers and those lounging poolside. Guests will enjoy the Waterview Margarita with one of the pub favorites.
At the young age of 53, Chef Moore has accomplished more than most chefs do in a lifetime. After being certified as a Master Chef more than 15 years ago, he says it was “probably the most rude awakening that I’d ever had in my life. I never thought past the Master Chef exam.”
“On the drive back, I thought, “What’s next? What do I do now?” Because I had achieved the ultimate goal I had set for myself professionally.” Chef Moore worked in Atlanta for a few years before bouncing around the country to The Ritz-Carlton Naples and Medinah Country Club, a golf mecca in Illinois which has hosted such events as the Ryder Cup.
“It was always about getting a step further into the prestigious world of being a chef, and I got caught up in that.”
The National Tavern
Having to uproot his family of three children every few years just wasn’t working for Chef Moore anymore, so he and his wife sat down one day and said, “Where do we want to live? We’ve been just about everywhere.” Chef Moore was attracted to Georgia from working in Atlanta and desired to be near a lake. “I had heard about Reynolds, once even being described as a ‘melting pot’ and just so relaxing and beautiful. So my wife and I decided to give it a try and we are so thrilled we did,” says Chef Moore. “Immediately, it felt like home to us The climate and the weather here, you just can’t beat it,” he says, citing the change of seasons that he had missed in Naples. “It just fit for us.”
After years of chasing the next big opportunity, Chef Moore’s goals have changed. Still enormously driven by his passion for the culinary arts, he has a new mission to balance his work and family life. “I think Reynolds Lake Oconee provides that,” he says.
“I believe I have found the balance that is most appealing to both my professional career and to my family.”
Q&A with Master CHEF derin moore:
What’s your favorite fast food guilty pleasure?
I love Mexican food, especially a good bean burrito from Taco Bell.
Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner?
Breakfast. I’m a breakfast guy.
What culinary experience have you not participated in
but would like to?
I’d like to visit Spain, Italy, and the Mediterranean.
Do you have leftovers in your fridge right now?
Yes. Spaghetti, and it’s for lunch today.
Beer, Wine, or Liquor?
I love wine but it gives me a headache the next morning. I mostly stick to beer, such as Stella Artois.
Do you golf?
Yes, I love it! I have a -15 handicap.
Are you really as good as I’ve read?
I think that my passion and the drive to be successful, to consistently deliver that high quality of flavor and service that my clientele expect, makes me unique. I have a true desire to please the people I am cooking for.
