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Biz bits: Deer and the Dove chef named James Beard finalist, Cremalosa expanding hours for breakfast

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Biz bits: Deer and the Dove chef named James Beard finalist, Cremalosa expanding hours for breakfast

FILE PHOTO USED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES: Terry Koval, owner and chef at the Deer And The Dove and B-Side Wood Fired Bagels on Sycamore Street said he had to let his entire staff go. He is asking people to contact their senators and representatives to demand that independent businesses be part of federal stimulus plan. Photo by Dean Hesse
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Decatur, GA — Here’s a look at business news in our community.

– Terry Koval, chef at the Deer and the Dove in Decatur, has been named a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast. 

Here is the full list of nominees in that category:

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

— Sam Fore, Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, Lexington, KY

— Josh Habiger, Bastion, Nashville, TN

— Sam Hart, Counter-, Charlotte, NC

— Terry Koval, The Deer and the Dove, Decatur, GA

— Paul Smith, 1010 Bridge, Charleston, WV

The James Beard Foundation announced the finalists on March 29 for the 2023 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees, Leadership Award winners, and Humanitarian of the Year and Lifetime Achievement honorees. Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 5, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, according to the announcement.

Koval was announced as a semifinalist for the award in January. He has decades of experience in the restaurant industry.

“Chef Koval’s cuisine pays homage to the bounty of the region’s surrounding farms and local purveyors,” his biography says. “Named a 2012 Atlanta Rising Star Sustainable Chef by StarChefs, he is active in the Atlanta restaurant and nonprofit community and known for his dedication to and practice of the Slow Food movement.”

Before opening Deer and The Dove, Koval of was executive chef of The Wrecking Bar in Atlanta.

“Upon moving to Atlanta two decades ago, he worked his way up to Executive Sous Chef at Canoe in Vinings before joining the team at Concentrics Restaurants,” his biography says. “In 2010, he created the menu as opening chef at Farm Burger, a grassfed and locally sourced burger joint.”

Nominees for the James Beard Foundation Media Awards will be announced live in New York City on April 26. The Restaurant & Chef Awards will be livestreamed on Eater beginning at 5:30 P.M. CT on Monday, June 5.

To see the full list of the finalists, click here.

Cremalosa is introducing a new coffee program and house-made pastries. The shop is also expanding its hours to serve breakfast. Photo courtesy of Cremalosa.

– Cremalosa has launched a new coffee program. The Decatur shop is also expanding its hours to serve breakfast. 

Mornings at Cremalosa will feature a refined selection of coffees and newly introduced, house-made breakfast pastries.

Here is the full press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Cremalosa, the award-winning gelateria from gelato master and acclaimed Atlanta food writer Meridith Ford, announces the introduction of a new coffee program helmed by Ford’s daughter, Truett. The Decatur shop now offers a new line of breakfast pastries to pair and will operate under the following new hours: 7am-8pm Wednesday-Friday and 8am-8pm Saturday & Sunday.

The new items in the menu mix are perfect for starting off the day the sweet way but can also be enjoyed at any hour. Coffee offerings include Americano, Cappuccino and Caffe Latte that can be enhanced with Caramel, Mocha and Vanilla homemade syrups for a personalized touch of flavor. Additional beverages include Cold Brew, Iced Coffees, Boozy Coffees, Coffee Shakes and Boozy Coffee Shakes. Plus, guests can pair their refreshments with fresh, housemade pastries including butter croissants, cheese-and-herb croissants, chocolate croissants, muffins and loaves for grab-and-go bites.

Truett brings years of experience as a barista before joining their mother at Cremalosa as the Head of Marketing and Administration, and now adds Head of The Coffee Program to their resume.

“From Truett’s childhood drawing inspiring the Cremalosa heart logo to now working together to grow the business is a dream come true,” said Meridith. “Truett’s creations are the perfect piece to expand our flavor profile.”

In January 2023, Meridith embarked on a trip to Italy to glean the intricacies of the highest quality coffees and gelatos at SIGEP – the world’s largest exposition of artisan gelato, pastries and coffee. Ford found that the Simonelli coffee maker was the best in coffee brewing and produces the smoothest blends for Cremalosa’s needs. For the coffee brand, the mother-and-daughter team selected Land of a Thousand Hills. Not only does this follow their conscious effort to support local Atlanta businesses, but this selection emulates the richness and smoothness of true Italian coffee. Meridith’s expedition in Italy coupled with Truett’s extensive experience as a barista yields a beautiful selection of thoughtfully crafted beverages.

Cremalosa showcases around a dozen rotating flavors of gelato and sorbetto, all spun in-house on a Campacto Vario gelato machine imported from Italy. The gelateria received an Atlanta magazine Best of Atlanta Top 50 nod in 2021, and in 2022 Food & Wine magazine awarded the shop “Best Ice Cream in Georgia.” Crafted from local cream and simple, farm-fresh ingredients, flavors include a mix of traditional Italian options, such as stracciatella and pistachio, and creative offerings uniquely inspired by Southern desserts and iconic American cakes, cookies and penny candy––think banana pudding, malted milk ball, gingersnap cookie, hummingbird cake, lemon mascarpone cheesecake and peach cobbler.

In addition to scooped gelato, layer cakes and coffee, Cremalosa serves boozy shakes (like “The Elvis” with banana pudding gelato, peanut butter, bourbon whiskey, and whipped cream), adult affogato and wine by the glass or bottle. Everything from the brownies in the dark chocolate fudge brownie to the caramel in the sea salt caramel gelato is made from scratch. Add-ins like local berries and fruits are preserved at the shop to create delicate and balanced fruit options, and special nut pastes are imported from two regions in Italy: pistachios from Bronte, Sicily and hazelnuts from the renowned nut-growing Piedmont region.

– The Northlake Goodwill celebrated its grand re-opening on March 2 after undergoing internal renovations. 

The Goodwill team has been working to renovate various locations to revamp the shopping, donating, and working experience for everyone who supports the nonprofit, according to a press release.  The Northlake store and donation center, located at 3983 Lavista Road in Tucker, was established in 2007.

As of March 2, Goodwill invites guests to shop the newly renovated store, which features fresh paint colors, new wall graphics, flooring, and energy-saving LED lighting. There is also a ‘new goods’ section dedicated to newly packaged goods such as snacks and drinks.

“We want to amplify the shopping, donating and working experience for everyone,” said Elaine Armstrong, vice president of marketing. “The Northlake store and donation center has been a community favorite for a long time. Now, it’s been revamped and refreshed so that folks can continue donating and shopping, and we can continue serving our jobseekers.”

On Feb. 16, the Goodwill celebrated the grand re-opening of its oldest retail location in West End and plans to continue refreshing other locations in the coming months.

Associated Credit Union employees and members of the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce gather for the ribbon-cutting, celebrating Associated Credit Union’s new membership with the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce. Photo courtesy of Associated Credit Union.

– Associated Credit Union has joined the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce.

A ribbon cutting to celebrate their new membership was held in February at Associated Credit Union’s North Druid Hills branch at 2250 North Druid Hills Road, Suite 134 in Atlanta, according to a press release.

The North Druid Hills branch of Associated Credit Union is a long-standing, established pillar in the community, offering essential banking opportunities for members of the Brookhaven community since 1997.

“We are grateful that Associated Credit Union has decided to join the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce. They have proven to be a very valuable business for the community and we are very interested in helping ACU succeed,” said Alan Goodman, board president of the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce.

The attendees of the event were able to network and discuss business opportunities following the ribbon cutting, contributing to both Associated Credit Union and the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce’s goal of helping local businesses and prospective businesses in the community.

“We would like to give a very special thank you to the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce. Our North Druid Hills branch has been in this community for 26 years, and our goal is to continue supporting the community in any way possible. We are stronger when the businesses in the community are successful,” said Heiwote Tadesse, executive vice president of member relations at Associated Credit Union.

Chad Evans, executive vice president of lending at Associated Credit Union, added that the branch is thrilled to join the chamber.

“The Chamber of Commerce has a mission that aligns well with the credit union motto of ‘people helping people,'” Evans said. “We strive for our employees to help our members in the community with a high level of service. The Chamber will help us in our mission by connecting us with leaders in the community and promoting the value that we provide to our members.”

– The Atlanta Music School is celebrating its 25th anniversary. 

Here is the full press release:

Since opening 25 years ago in the Toco Hills neighborhood, over 350,000 families world-wide have made The Music Class part of their child’s musical upbringing. The program was created by local musician Rob Sayer, a school band director and trumpet player, who switched from teaching teens to preschoolers in order to reach students during their most formative years of music development. The Music Class has nine locations in metro-Atlanta including Kirkwood, Toco Hills, and a new partnership with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Music for the Very Young program at the Woodruff Arts Center.

The Music Class has been a family affair since the beginning. Sayer’s daughter Raina, who wrote her first songs for TMC when she was eight, in now managing TMC’s large presence in China. Along with his wife Michele and son Brian, they have all enjoyed
writing and recording songs together and performing in concerts from Music Midtown to Mumbai. For the families enrolled, the children not only benefit musically, but as families they experience joyful parent-child activities that are an important element of the classes. “This class has had a big impact on me and my family. Initially I signed up because I thought it would be good for my baby. And she loves it. But what I didn’t realize was that I would love it too and that it would create a wonderful bonding experience for us.” Maura Goggins, Atlanta.

As part of their 25 th Anniversary Celebration, The Music Class has reached out to graduates to see what impact the program has had on their family. TMC alumni TMC alumni Thomas Jenkins is a 15-year-old composer who recently won the Georgia Music Educators Association Music Technology Student Showcase. His mom shared that “The Music Class truly was life-changing for Thomas and our family. We always knew Thomas was pretty musical, but TMC was able to help him tap into abilities that still surprise us every day. Ten years later, Rob continues to be a mentor to Thomas, and we will forever be grateful for his patience, skills, and passion for helping kids discover the music within!”

Classes are for children ages birth – 5. Spring session start the week of March 3 – 9. Details available at TheMusicClass.com

– DeKalb County Commissioner Steve Bradshaw secured $100,000 for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce in DeKalb’s 2023 budget. 

Here is the full press release:

DECATUR, Ga.—Commissioner Steve Bradshaw requested allocation of $100,000 for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Recovery Program in 2023 county funds was approved by the Board of Commissioners today.

“Thank you, Commissioner Bradshaw, and DeKalb County, for your continued support of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, said Frankie Atwater Sr., president, and CEO of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. “We are very thankful for the opportunity to partner with your office and the county to initiate a program that will grow to provide the essentials critical to maintaining a small business in DeKalb County. By including the $100,000 allocation in the 2023 budget, our elected leaders are making a statement to the region that the success of our small business community is paramount to the economic vitality of DeKalb County.”

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce will use the funding to initiate the Chamber’s Small Business Recovery Program. Funding will be used to help small businesses owners with the essentials critical to maintaining a small business in DeKalb County, many of which are in industries still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the three-year disruption in the operational balance of conducting business. This is compounded by additional challenges of current inflation rates and the acquisition of affordable capital for ongoing business needs. These business industries would benefit from an opportunity to connect and access resources to help with resilience planning, contracting and workforce development.

“I have long held the view that DeKalb County should provide some regular financial support to our Chamber of Commerce,” said Commissioner Bradshaw. “When I chaired the COVID-19 Small Business Task Force, I recall that some CARES Act money was allocated to support some Chamber programs during that time, and it made sense to me that sustainable funding from DeKalb County Government was needed to help our Chamber support small businesses on behalf of the County.”

– Goodwill is partnering with leading organizations for the benefits cliffs project. 

Businesses and nonprofits are advocating for policymakers to address benefits cliffs so that workers can progress further in their careers and businesses can better hire and retain talent.

Here is the full press release:

Goodwill® Industries of the Southern Piedmont and Goodwill of North Georgia are partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and Atrium Health to address benefits cliffs. They will conduct a 12-month pilot of the CLIFF Employer Tool, developed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, to analyze the financial implications of raising wages for their employees. The tool is also a planning tool to help employees make the best decisions as they advance along their career. UNC Charlotte Urban Institute will be conducting an evaluation on the success and key learnings of the CLIFF Employer Tool.

Workers encounter benefits cliffs when a pay raise would leave them worse off financially. This happens when public assistance “drops off a cliff” at a certain income level. Workers may decline job offers, quit, or choose not to apply for jobs because a pay increase could trigger an even greater loss of benefits.

“By better understanding how benefits cliffs can create economic disincentives for career growth and, thus, also be a barrier to accessing health care, we can be better positioned to support those who are navigating these issues. These efforts will help us guide policy makers on designing more innovative programs to help individuals and families rise out of poverty,” said Dr. Kinneil Coltman, executive vice president, chief community & social impact officer, Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part. “We’re honored to partner with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Goodwill of North Georgia and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta to build the first pilot of this kind in the country.”

For businesses already facing workforce shortages, inflation and a looming economic downturn, benefits cliffs make hiring and retaining employees even more challenging. The pandemic decimated the childcare industry, where employment lags pre-pandemic levels by 9.7% and costs are high. Basic childcare in North Carolina costs $12,360/year—76% more than in-state tuition at UNC-Chapel Hill ($7,020/year). Meanwhile, food and gasoline prices in the South remain high. Food banks across North Carolina are struggling. Working parents cannot afford to lose benefits for necessities like childcare.

While Goodwill is a leading workforce development nonprofit and works hard to create access to promising careers for individuals, the organization is aware of the challenges many team members face, and is working to address those obstacles for its team and community through an effort called the Benefits Cliff Community Lab. “Goodwill is committed to building pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve, and that includes our own team members. As we continue to increase wages for our team members, we are committed to finding solutions to address the impact of benefits cliffs and remove as many obstacles as possible so they can prosper and thrive,” said Chris Jackson, President & CEO, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. Learn more about the CLIFF Employer Pilot and the Benefits Cliff Community Lab project at benefitscliffcommunitylab.org.

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