Nominated by Kimberly Duckworth:

"I would rather be invited for a meal at Ray Wathen's home than go to any restaurant in Atlanta. His presentation, skill and imagination are wonderful. Our school community has benefited from his superb culinary skills when he hosted a dessert bar after a wine tasting that had been auctioned at a school fund-raiser. He offered a selection of delicious desserts presented in a style to match any top hotel buffet.

"He is always incredibly generous in his invitations to friends and family. His mother-in-law just recently came down, with a list of meals that she would like prepared, and he not only honored them but practiced several times prior to her arrival to make sure the meals were flawless. Ray is retired on disability and still manages to do all this despite some significant limitations on his ability to be on his feet for prolonged periods of time."

Before he retired, Ray Walthen traveled the world. Now he finds all the adventure he wants in his kitchen, where his imagination is unlimited.

Family/background: "I was born and raised with sisters Nadine and Jane and brothers Tom and Joe in Louisville, Ky. I was the youngest of five children of Agnes and Paul Wathen. My wife, Jackie, was born and raised in Queens, N.Y. Our son, Connor, is 10 years old, and we have a miniature schnauzer named Lola."

Career: "I worked in the men's and women's apparel industry for nearly 30 years. I traveled the entire United States, most of the Far East and many other countries. Currently I am retired."

Hobbies, interests: "My hobbies are cooking, wine, reading and trying to keep up with my son."

Who taught you to cook? "I learned the basics of cooking from watching my mom. She was an excellent Southern-style cook who made a little go a long way and taste even better. She used fresh ingredients from my dad's garden, and the fried chicken was alive two hours before we ate. That was the finest food that I ever remember. Simple and fresh."

How did your love of cooking develop? "When I went away to college, I lived off campus in a house and worked part time. I never much cared for fast or cafeteria food, so I started to cook for myself. At first it was basic out-of-box-or-can, but it became a form of relaxation and a way to chill out a little. Eventually, I started to venture on to more challenges."

Culinary roots: "I suppose it would be simple and basic Southern-style cooking. Whenever I get too tricky on what should be a basic approach to a dish (my wife has a quiet way of letting me know that I should not play Picasso with the preparation), I remember my roots."

Cooking style: "I would classify my style as adventurous. I will try anything. I look for certain combinations of ingredients that are different but will produce layers of flavors and be memorable."

Early food memory: "All the great fresh vegetables from my dad's garden."

What is the most enjoyable aspect of cooking? "The sense of relaxation while preparing the food, and the satisfaction of knowing your family or friends truly enjoyed your company and the food."

Specialties: "My specialties would be fish, braised dishes and my Iron Skillet Apple Pie and a chocolate cheesecake that my wife hates me for every time I make it."

Culinary achievements: "I've never put anyone in the hospital with my cooking."

Culinary ambition: "I would love to go to a top culinary institute and really understand what makes food and wine work together."

Favorite thing to cook: "My favorite thing to cook is whatever I think will be my next great masterpiece. Oops, there I go again -- Picasso!"

Favorite thing to eat: "A plate of pinto beans, turnip greens, country sausage and homemade biscuits."

Favorite ingredients: "Fresh herbs."

Culinary pet peeve: "Recipes that are not complete, and pretentious service at a restaurant."

Memorable flop: "An attempt at a Pumpkin Baked Alaska. It ended up a little south of Alaska -- more like Mount St. Helen."

What is the magic ingredient that makes a great cook? "There is no magic when it comes to great food. It's fresh ingredients, patience and a love of what you are doing and who you are doing it for."

When I eat out . . . "I like to try something that I would not try to do myself or might not have access to. Usually I try to go with the suggested special of the day, since I know that will be something fresh and interesting."

If you could prepare a fantasy meal who would you cook it for and what would it be? "My fantasy meal would be preparing a holiday dinner for my family and friends aboard the space station. I might even invite Picasso."

-- Betty Parham

MAIN DISH

Braised Lamb Shanks With White Beans|

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 3 1/2 hours

This one-pot meal needs only a side salad. There might be leftover beans, perfect for a future side dish or lunch.

2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

4 lamb shanks (about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each), trimmed of excess fat and silverskin

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped fine

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped fine

1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 cups water mixed with 2 cups brewed coffee, or 4 cups water

1 pound dried white beans

1 bouquet garni made up of 4 sprigs parsley, 3 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary and two bay leaves, tied

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large, heavy ovenproof pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and reserve. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Over moderate heat, add oil to bacon drippings and brown shanks (you might need to do this in two batches to prevent crowding). Transfer lamb to a plate and reserve. Add onion and garlic and sautŽ for 2 minutes, scraping up any meat residue. Add pepper and carrot and sautŽ for 2 minutes. Add liquid and scrape up any residue on the bottom of the pan. Add beans, bouquet garni and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil over high heat. Return bacon to pot, stirring to combine. Top with lamb shanks, cover and bake for 3 hours or until lamb and beans are very tender, stirring mixture every hour.

With a slotted spoon, transfer shanks and beans to a heated platter, discarding bouquet garni. Boil braising liquid until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, and pour over shanks and beans.

Per serving: 813 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), 54 grams protein, 59 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams fiber, 40 grams fat, 115 milligrams cholesterol, 336 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.