Joey Ward: Pushing for an Industry That Puts People Before Plates
Joey Ward isn’t your average chef. An Atlanta native, Ward’s culinary passion was sparked early—helping his grandad in the kitchen and trading Saturday morning cartoons for PBS cooking shows. By high school, he was working in professional kitchens, even skipping prom to make his shift. Now, as the executive chef and owner of Michelin-recommended restaurants Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, he’s built a reputation on creating world-class dining experiences that not only taste great but do good. His service-inclusive model promotes pay equity between front and back of house and a four-day workweek for better work-life balance. Plus, his advocacy extends beyond the kitchen, supporting mental health resources for industry workers and food assistance programs.
What do you wish more people understood about the restaurant industry?
The amount of time and energy that goes into providing a successful dining experience daily. When I first started out, I was working 80-90 hours with very little pay and no work/life balance. This inevitably resulted in unhealthy practices and choices outside of the restaurant. I’ve made it my mission to improve work/life balance in the restaurant industry in an effort to see happier employees and reduce turnover.
Can you tell us more about the reasoning behind your equitable pay model?
At Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, all hourly employees earn $10 an hour, and every sale includes a service charge that is distributed among hourly staff and also helps cover salaried wages. My hope is that more American restaurateurs adopt this model and that society recognizes that a person’s ability to pay their bills shouldn’t hinge on a single transaction (aka tipping). What fuels your lifelong passion for cooking? I have always wanted to impact others through food. The feeling of making a positive memory for a stranger (through food and hospitality) is so wonderful! The ability to connect with someone and become a part of their food memories is truly amazing.
Everyone should have access to good, nutritious food. How do you advocate for food equity beyond your restaurant?
I work with the nonprofit No Kid Hungry to provide nutritious meals for underserved kids. I even had the opportunity to represent the state of Georgia in D.C. last year, speaking with representatives to advocate for the preservation of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits for Georgians in need.
