When dining at Bowman’s Restaurant & Catering, most would be quick to send compliments to the chef, expecting to praise Katherine Bowman on her mouth-watering dishes. In reality, they go straight to her husband, Dewayne Bowman who is guilty of preparing 80% of the meals we have grown to love at the restaurant.

Dewayne Bowman admits that although he had always loved to cook, he didn’t recognize his passion for cooking until the early 1990’s. “Mother was an excellent cook,” shares Dewayne, “I always stayed in the kitchen with her growing up but it wasn’t until I began helping with local benefits at Oostanaula did I realize my passion for cooking.” Dewayne confessed that after receiving a barbecue recipe from his uncle and experimenting with it that he enjoyed making new things. “I love the compliments and positive feedback,” admits Dewayne. “That,” said Dewayne, pointing to a 2009 Calhoun Times feature that was later made into a plaque, “that is something I’m proud of.”

Dewayne shared that he followed his father’s footsteps in the tile business and also his passion for gardening. “I consider the tractor my toy,” shares Dewayne. He also claimed to enjoy watching the items in his garden grow from a seed into a crop.

Growing up on the family farm with six sisters and two brothers, Dewayne was no stranger to the farm-life. “Not only did we grown our own vegetables, we used to milk our own cows and everything,” said Dewayne. Now the lifestyle and passions of his past have grown into the present family owned and operated restaurant we know and love as Bowman’s. Dewayne said that his daughter, Lila, also helps out at the restaurant and if you were to come by on a Friday or Sunday, you may witness his grandson host.

When asked why the location of the restaurant, Dewayne responded that the farmland had always been his family’s land. Over the years, the land was divided amongst him and the rest of his siblings. “This was originally going to be a butcher shop and catering business,” laughed Dewayne, “then it became overwhelming with all of the regulations so we thought of having a storage building for catering.” The family decided that in order for the catering to be a success, they needed to get the flavor of the food out somehow. Soon after adding a dining area, they realized that the ten sole tables in the building were far from enough. After it was all said and done, what started as a few ideas became a family restaurant that the family never intends to sell.

Dewayne also mentioned that when he wasn’t spending time with his family or boiling up homegrown potatoes in the kitchen, he was busy being an avid bowler. “My highest score was a 297,” admits Dewayne with a smile, “I choked on the last bowl.”

Today, the family is sharing their infamous recipes of “Bowman’s Macaroni & Cheese” and “Bowman’s Fried Okra”.

(To nominate someone for Cook of the Week, email Tasha at Tbunch@Calhountimes.com)