Chefs Cooking with Dairy Foods: Meet Atlanta Chef Joey Ward

In the South, life revolves around food, and as we know, dairy foods can elevate any dish.

It’s Sunday dinners with loved ones, handwritten recipes passed down for generations, farmers’ markets outings, and the kind of comfort food that feels just as right on a restaurant menu as it does on your grandmother’s table.

That’s the culinary spirit that inspires Atlanta chef Joey Ward, the chef and owner behind Michelin-recommended restaurants Southern Belle and Georgia Boy.

This March 28, 2026, Chef Joey will partner with The Dairy Alliance and bring that creativity and love for Southern ingredients to the Georgia Food + Wine Festival stage in Marietta, GA, with live cooking demonstrations featuring dairy-based recipes.

Before the festival begins, let’s get to know the chef and explore why dairy foods like whole milk, butter, and cheese have long been essential to Southern cooking, both in restaurants and in home kitchens.

Atlanta chef Joey Ward, of Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, showcases how Southern cooking, hospitality, and creativity come together with dairy at the heart of many dishes.
Dairy products like whole milk, butter, cheese, custards, and creamy sauces are essential to classic Southern favorites and provide chefs with flexible ways to add richness, texture, and flavor.
Chef Joey’s cooking demonstrations highlight practical ways home cooks can use real dairy ingredients to elevate everyday meals while honoring Southern food traditions.

How Did Chef Joey Ward’s Culinary Journey Begin?

For Chef Joey Ward, cooking started long before his work in professional kitchens.

Growing up in Atlanta, Joey spent time cooking with his grandfather and watching PBS cooking shows on Saturday mornings.

That early curiosity turned into a serious pursuit as a teenager, when Joey began working in professional kitchens. After graduating from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Joey returned to Atlanta ready to build a career based on creativity, flavor, and Southern hospitality.

Who Helped Shape Chef Joey Ward’s Culinary Style?

Early in his career, Joey Ward found mentorship under award-winning chef Kevin Gillespie. The two worked together to open Gunshow in 2013, where Joey later spent six years as executive chef.

During that time, he developed the playful, inventive style inspired by childhood that defines his cooking today. His dishes are known for bold flavor combinations, eye-catching presentation, and a touch of humor that keeps dining experiences fun and memorable.

But Joey also built a philosophy of hospitality that is people-first, working to further integrate local restaurants and the larger culinary scene into the community. Joey is an advocate for the No Kid Hungry charity foundation, as well as a GA Grown Chef member. That mindset continues to shape both his restaurants and the broader community partnerships he champions.

What Makes Southern Belle and Georgia Boy Unique?

Before opening his own concepts, he built his career in notable Atlanta kitchens, including the St. Regis Atlanta, Woodfire Grill, H. Harper Station, and Gunshow.

In 2019, Joey opened Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, giving him a creative platform to explore Southern-inspired cuisine in new and exciting ways.

At Southern Belle, guests find dishes that celebrate Southern ingredients with a twist that recognizes the diverse culture of Atlanta. Meanwhile, Georgia Boy offers an immersive tasting experience where every course tells a story. Both restaurants have earned Michelin recommendations.

Why Are Dairy Foods So Important in Southern Cooking?

You can’t talk about Southern cuisine without mentioning dairy.

From creamy grits to flaky biscuits, dairy ingredients have been part of Southern kitchens—both restaurant and home—for generations.

Consider the classic buttermilk biscuits served with softened butter or homemade gravy, mac and cheese dishes so satiating that it can be served as a main course, creamy casseroles just like grandma made, custards and puddings that bring out your thickest Southern accent, and the rich gravies and sauces that top everything.

Ingredients like whole milk, butter, and cheese add richness, texture, and flavor to many beloved Southern dishes.

They also reflect the region’s agricultural roots, where dairy farms have long played an important role in local food traditions.

Dairy will always play an important role in defining the Southern culinary identity.

How Do Chefs Like Joey Ward Use Dairy Foods to Elevate Southern Dishes?

Southern food is rooted in tradition, but chefs like Joey Ward show how those traditions can evolve.

Dairy ingredients give chefs the flexibility to balance flavors and create texture in both classic and modern dishes.

Whole milk can add body to soups and sauces. Butter enhances the richness in vegetables and proteins. Cream creates velvety textures in desserts and savory dishes alike.

For chefs who enjoy experimenting with flavor, dairy acts as a bridge between ingredients—helping bold spices, fresh herbs, and seasonal produce come together seamlessly.

And when a chef with Joey Ward’s creativity gets involved, those familiar ingredients can take on entirely new life.

What Can You Learn from Chef Joey Ward’s Festival Cooking Demonstrations?

The upcoming Georgia Food + Wine Festival will give guests a chance to see Chef Joey Ward bring Southern-inspired, dairy-forward cooking to the stage.

During his live demonstrations, he’ll share recipes and techniques that highlight dairy foods as essential culinary ingredients.

Expect:

Practical cooking tips you can use at home

Fresh ideas for cooking with whole milk and other dairy ingredients

A behind-the-scenes look at how chefs develop flavor

Plenty of inspiration for your next home-cooked meal

Whether you’re an experienced cook or someone who just wants to level up weeknight dinners, these demos will show how simple ingredients can create memorable dishes.

Why Does Using Real Dairy Foods Matter in Home Kitchens?

Southern cooking has always been about making the most of good ingredients, and dairy products continue to play a key role in that tradition.

For home cooks, dairy offers versatility and reliability. A carton of whole milk can become a creamy soup, a comforting casserole, or a homemade dessert.

Butter transforms vegetables and baked goods. Cheese adds flavor and texture to everything from breakfast dishes to family dinners.

And just like professional chefs, home cooks across the South continue to use dairy as a foundation for recipes that bring people together around the table.

Because, in the end, the best meals are both delicious and familiar.

Ready to See Southern Dairy Cooking in Action?

Chef Joey Ward has built a reputation for blending creativity, hospitality, and Southern culinary traditions into unforgettable dining experiences.

At this month’s Georgia Food + Wine Festival, guests will get a front-row seat to that creativity through live cooking demonstrations celebrating dairy foods and Southern flavor.

It’s a chance to see a talented chef at work, discover new recipes, and learn how simple ingredients like whole milk can transform everyday cooking.

Be sure to bring your appetite, because when Southern tradition meets culinary creativity, something delicious is bound to happen.

Q: Who is Chef Joey Ward, and what defines his cooking style?
A: Chef Joey Ward is an Atlanta chef and restaurant owner known for playful, Southern-inspired dishes that blend bold flavors, childhood nostalgia, and people-first hospitality.

Q: Why are dairy foods so important in Southern cooking?
A: Dairy ingredients like whole milk, butter, and cheese give Southern dishes creaminess, richness, and comforting flavor in foods such as biscuits, gravies, casseroles, mac and cheese, and desserts.

Q: What can home cooks learn from Chef Joey Ward’s dairy-focused demos?
A: Home cooks can learn how to use real dairy to build sauces, enhance vegetables and proteins, create creamy desserts, and transform simple Southern ingredients into memorable, restaurant-worthy dishes.

Can’t Make the Festival? We’ll Be Sharing Recipes and Behind-the-Scenes Moments

If you can’t attend the festival in person, you’ll still get a taste of the action.

Throughout the event, we’ll be capturing behind-the-scenes moments, cooking tips, and recipe inspiration from Chef Joey Ward’s demonstrations so you can experience the creativity from wherever you are.

After the festival, we’ll also be sharing some of the dairy-forward recipes featured during the demos, along with insights into how real dairy ingredients bring Southern dishes to life.

Think of it as a virtual seat at the kitchen table.

Whether you’re watching the demos live at the festival or following along afterward from home, you’ll have the chance to discover new ways to cook with dairy and bring a little Southern-inspired flavor to your own table.

Follow along during the festival for live updates and behind-the-scenes content. You won’t want to miss what Chef Joey creates.