Restaurant: Love’s Seafood and Steaks

Chef/owner: John Love

Cuisine type: Casual

Restaurant bio: Love is a third-generation owner of Love’s Seafood Restaurant, located on the banks of the Ogeechee River. He says a passion for fresh seafood runs in his blood.

“My grandfather opened this place in 1949, and him and his wife ran it for several years, until my dad and his wife took it over. I’ve owned it for about five or six years,” Love said.

“I’ve been working here ever since I was a kid. I started out busing tables, washing dishes, prepping and cooking, and I still do all of that sometimes.”

Chef bio: Love was never formally trained in culinary school. Instead, he learned all about cooking and fresh seafood from his family.

“Our coleslaw is still the same from when my grandparents had it. The red rice, the hush puppies are all the same, but our menu has broadened so much since then,” Love said. “They used to just sell fish sandwiches, and fish, and fish and more fish. That was about it.

“We used to catch all our own catfish that was served here, my dad and I, but it became more feasible to buy. It’s hard to find people who can skin catfish, and who want to mess with 2,000 pounds of it.”

Favorite dish: Scored Flounder

Why: “It’s my No. 1 favorite thing.”

SCORED FLOUNDER

2 whole flounders, cleaned, with tails and heads on

2 cups of your favorite fry mix (or equal parts corn meal and all-purpose flour)

½ cup oil

With a sharp knife, score the flounder on both sides using an X pattern with cuts that go about ½-inch to 1-inch deep. They should not go all the way to the bone. After scoring, spread the fry mix on a plate and roll the fish in it. Then, heat the oil in a large frying pan. When hot, fry each side for about minutes. Top with your favorite sweet sauce.