CHEF T’s

and is described by Carl as a “sneaky heat, but not overpowering.” The signature Chef T’s burger is remarkable and is served with a steak knife holding it all together.

“The home fries got me,” says Melissa. “As a customer, I just kept coming in and loving them and one day Chef (Anthony) said I should come to work for him.” So, she started out as a server at their Alexandria location before moving up to her current role in Ragland. She’s one of a staff of 10 who consider themselves a family.

There’s a lot of teasing and bantering among the crew, as there is in many family kitchens.

Byers and Soles opened the Ragland restaurant in 2010, building on the success of their original Alexandria location. They purchased the building on Ragland’s Main Street that had, most recently, been a Mexican restaurant and completely reinvented it as a Southern home-style eatery with a simple hometown atmosphere. Its following has grown so much that they are waiting for the opportunity to expand into adjacent space.

They made it through the early COVID pandemic days by converting to curbside pickup only, then adding outdoor seating in the parking lot. Now they’re even talking about opening a restaurant in a third location.

Long-time customer, Kay Carroll, is a huge fan. After she orders a blackened pork chop with home fries and a chicken salad to go, she chats with the wait staff and the manager like old friends. “You can do no wrong coming here,” she says. “You won’t find a friendlier place.”

Her husband comes in at least once a week. Even though they live 15 minutes away in Ashville, it’s “definitely worth the drive,” she says.

“When people finally discover us, they always tell us they’ll be back,” says Carl. “It’s just like Ragland, though,” he says. “It’s a hidden gem. You don’t go through it. You go to it.”

Carl, a longtime city councilman, is a strong supporter of his hometown. They are firmly committed to giving back to the community that has supported them. They frequently feed the football team for intown games, as well as help to sponsor little league teams.