The James Beard Foundation has announced the finalists for its 2023 restaurant and chef awards, and the list includes Terry Koval of Deer and the Dove and B-Side in Decatur, who was named in the Best Chef: Southeast category.
Koval, who opened the adjoining restaurants in 2019 in the former Cakes & Ale space on the Decatur Square, previously served as executive chef at Wrecking Bar Brewpub and also worked at Canoe in his early career.
Other local chefs who were named semifinalists in the Best Chef: Southeast category include Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips of Lazy Betty in Candler Park, Jiyeon Lee and Cody Taylor of Heirloom Market BBQ in northwest Atlanta, Sahar Siddiqi of Chai Pani in Decatur and Deborah VanTrece of Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours.
Otherwise, it was a shutout for Atlanta chefs and restaurants who were named Beard Award semifinalists in February.
Besides Lee and Taylor, who were also semifinalists in 2020, all the chefs in the category were first-time semifinalists, though Lazy Betty was a semifinalist in the Best New Restaurant category in 2020.
Among national awards, Ticonderoga Club was recognized as a semifinalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category. The restaurant was a finalist in the category in 2022 and was a finalist in 2019 in the Outstanding Bar Program category. Ticonderoga Club has been closed in its location at Krog Street Market since late December due to a burst pipe.
Also a repeat semifinalist was Midtown restaurant Lyla Lila in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category.
In the Outstanding Bakery category, Buena Gente Cuban Bakery in Decatur and Unforgettable Bakery & Cafe in Savannah were both named semifinalists for the first time.
In addition, Clinton Gray, Derrick Moore, and Emanuel Reed, who own Nashville-based Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria, were named semifinalists in the Outstanding Restaurateur category. There are two Slim & Husky’s locations in Atlanta.
And The Grey in Savannah was up for the Outstanding Restaurant honor. Chef Mashama Bailey, who co-owns the restaurant with John Morisano, won the award for Outstanding Chef in 2022 and Best Chef: Southeast in 2019.
Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards are among the nation’s most prestigious honors recognizing leaders in the culinary and food media industries.
Award winners will be revealed June 5 at a ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
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