Terry Koval of The Deer and The Dove in Decatur won the award covering Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
DECATUR, Ga. — Standing at the corner of Decatur Square, steps from the MARTA station, you can walk in and find the best chef in the Southeast.
That’s according to the prestigious James Beard Awards, at least, which this week named Terry Koval of The Deer and The Dove the best chef in a regional grouping that includes Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Koval is the owner and operator of the restaurant, which opened four years ago at 155 Sycamore Street. Specializing in locally sourced dishes that reflect Georgia’s environment – pork belly and clams, duck, trout – as well as more adventurous offerings such as bone marrow and snails (see the menu here), the restaurant has grown significantly in profile over the last few years.
The James Beard Award now caps a career in Atlanta for Koval that spans more than two decades.
“We are incredibly proud to announce that our favorite boss, founder, and hell-of-a-guy Chef Terry Koval has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation as a Finalist for Best Chefs in the Southeast. This is an amazing honor, it’s the culmination of a lifetime of work and honing of craft,” the restaurant posted in a statement when Koval’s nomination was announced. “If you’ve been to The Deer and The Dove you’ve experienced the total tonnage of his abilities. Every aspect of what we are came from him and the environment he created to foster the talents of others.”
The restaurant’s Instagram posted to their story Tuesday about his win, as well.
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