James Beard Award Winner: Decatur Chef Named Best In Southeast

DECATUR, GA — The winners for the 2023 James Beard Awards were announced Monday, and Chef Terry Koval, of Decatur-based The Deer and the Dove, has claimed the coveted Best Chef: Southeast Award.

Koval faced opponents from Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and West Virginia and was named a James Beard Award finalist in March.

"This is an amazing honor. It’s the culmination of a lifetime of work and honing of craft," the restaurant said on its website after the finalists were 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. He would be the first to admit that he did not accomplish this alone. He is backed by a phenomenal team (not the least of which is Jenn Kapioski Koval). We are proud, we are humbled by this honor, and we hope to continue to share our vision with you for years to come."

A live award ceremony was held Monday at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Chef and author Eric Adjepong, who hosts FoodNetwork's "Alex vs. America," co-hosted the event alongside Chef Esther Choi, who owns mŏkbar and ms.yoo and is a "Top Chef" judge. Past James Beard Award winner Chef Andrew Zimmern, who is a T.V. personality, writer and social justice advocate, also co-hosted the ceremony.

"Congratulations to the exceptional winners of this year’s Restaurant and Chef Awards—whose
incredible achievements and dedication to culinary excellence have left an indelible mark on our
industry," Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, said in a news release.

“As we celebrate, it's important to acknowledge the significant work that these accomplished restaurants and chefs have done to push American food culture forward—using their immense creativity, passion, and talent to create extraordinary experiences on behalf of others. Thanks to them, our food future is bright, indeed."