Nominated by Sharon Biondo:

"When describing my son, Mike, as a child, 'world-class finicky eater' was an understatement. He would reject food items for the most obscure reasons. He has, as an adult, come full circle. One of his favorite ways to spend free time is to browse the aisles of the DeKalb Farmers Market. He'll select an item that appears interesting and search the Internet for ways to prepare this new found food. From there he improvises and creates his own recipe.

"I am absolutely amazed that he has become so adventurous, but even more impressed that he has a natural talent for putting ingredients together that produce a new, interesting and delicious dish. He frequently entertains friends, neighbors and family with ease, while his wife, Krista, provides the backup support.

"I am chagrined that as his mom, I call my once-finicky son for recipe or cooking help. Now I wonder if perhaps he preferred more interesting food choices than the ones I offered."

Parents, take heart. Miracles do happen. The kid with the messiest room in the house can turn into a neatnik. And a kid like Mike Biondo, who turned up his nose at practically everything his mother put in front of him, can transform into an accomplished, adventurous and passionate cook who loves everything about food: the shopping, the cooking and the sharing. It's better not to delve too deeply into these miraculous transformations. Just sit back and enjoy.

Family/background: "I'm a native Atlantan. I don't come from a real big family, just my sister and myself, but we always had a lot of dogs. I'm married to Krista and we have a daughter, Riley, who is 15 months old, and three dogs, Jake, Hunter and Grunt. Actually my family is officially going to get bigger; my wife is expecting another baby."

Career: "I'm a manufacturer's rep for a family-run business that provides products for the aerospace and steel industry."

Hobbies, interests: "Coaching Little League football and playing with my daughter and the dogs."

Who taught you to cook? "I really just learned on my own. It all started with grilling about seven or eight years ago when I got a Weber [grill] for my birthday."

How did your love of cooking develop? "After I got the grill, I started trying things. At first I did easy things like barbecue chicken and ribs, and then I progressed to more extravagant meals. The more I tried new things the more I found I really enjoyed it."

Culinary roots: "My mom grew up in Michigan in a German-Irish background, so we had very simple family food. And then there is my father's mother, who is 100 percent Italian. Those were all-day feeds. You would start eating at 2 in the afternoon and finish at 8."

Cooking style: "I love to grill. I probably grill out three to four times a week, even during the winter. I will only cook with charcoal. I've never had a gas grill."

Early food memory: "My grandma's pork chops that she cooked on an electric skillet that I now have. I thought they were great. They were really thin, maybe a quarter-inch thick. I can still remember to this day the smell, the kitchen, the colors."

For whom do you cook? "Mostly for my wife. We also like to have friends over and grill out with them -- especially on New Year's Day. I always cook several racks of ribs and a brisket. I start the ribs around 8 a.m. Everyone comes over and watches football all day and eats and drinks and has a good time."

Who is your culinary inspiration? "Justin Wilson. He [was] great."

What is the most enjoyable aspect of cooking? "Thinking that something sounds good together like different spices in a dish, trying it and finding out that I was right."

Specialties: "Grilling. I have two Weber Kettle grills that I love to cook on. Especially pork ribs, pork shoulders and beef brisket."

Culinary achievements: "I consider it an achievement when I make something that my friends would never think of trying or might not like that much and then have them enjoy it."

Culinary ambitions: "I'd like to start a catering company."

What is your favorite thing to eat? "A well-marbled, 1 1/2-inch-thick bone-in rib-eye."

Culinary pet peeve: "Dull knives."

Memorable flop: "Eight or so years ago I wanted to cook a nice meal for a date. I had seen a recipe for a shrimp dish that looked incredible. I tried to reproduce it from memory and didn't even come close. Even with the shrimp, the meal was ridiculously bland. She was nice about it, but we ended up going up to Fellini's. That was also our last date."

Do you favor a particular ingredient? "Garlic. Definitely."

Do you have a tip for today's cooks? "Don't be afraid to try something new. If it doesn't work perfectly, that's OK. Learn from it and go on."

Favorite cookbook: "Weber's Big Book of Grilling" (Chronicle Books, $22.95).

How do you feel about recipes? "I sometimes will use a recipe as a starting point and then change it to suit my taste. I don't think there is anything wrong with using recipes. There are some great recipes out there."

If you could prepare a fantasy meal for anybody, who would it be and what would you cook? "I'd cook for my grandfather who passed away a few years ago. It would be nice to talk to him again. He didn't like real fancy meals, so I'd cook him some pork loin chops on the grill with some corn on the cob and two large extra-dry vodka martinis."

-- Betty Parham

APPETIZER

Chicken Enchilada Dip

Makes 6 1/2 cups

Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus 4-5 hours refrigeration

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serve with warmed flour tortillas or crunchy chips.

"This is the recipe my wife likes the best. It has a lot of different ingredients, so it allows you a lot of creativity without messing it up. I've played with it a little and added the proscuitto."

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 cup chopped cilantro

(1 bunch)

4 green onions, sliced

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles

Tabasco or other hot sauce to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Poach chicken in simmering water for 20 minutes, or until just cooked through. Set aside to cool, then finely chop chicken. Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine cream and cheddar cheeses until smooth. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and paprika and mix well. Add chicken, cilantro, green onions and tomatoes with the juice. Season the mixture with hot sauce to taste and stir well to combine. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper and more hot sauce if needed.

Per serving: 69 calories (percent of calories from fat, 61), 6 grams protein,

1 gram carbohydrates, no fiber, 5 grams fat, 24 milligrams cholesterol, 87 milligrams sodium.

Who are the best cooks? We're looking for Georgia home cooks who deserve recognition for their talents and who have interesting recipes to share. Fax at 404-526-5509, e-mail kitchen@ajc.com or write to Betty Parham, Food Department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303. Give us your name and phone number, as well as the name and number of the cook you'd like us to consider. And tell us a little about what makes this cook special.