John Kessler

Chief dining critic

As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s chief dining critic, John writes about all cuisines. The former chef and English teacher lives in Decatur with his wife and three daughters.

Jenny Turknett

Squash salad recipe

Sheri Castle, a food writer and professional cooking instructor, wrote “The New Southern Garden Cookbook” to help people use the season’s bounty. The recipes in the book are organized by ingredient so readers can find ones tailored for the vegetables they have. Castle shared the recipe for her herbed summer squash and pasta salad, which you can see on the Food and More blog.

Jon Watson

H&F burger

If there is one thing that has come to define Holeman & Finch — and I still think it overshadows the greatness of the rest of the menu — it is the famous 10 o’clock burger. This year, Linton Hopkins has brought the H&F burger to Turner Field. How does the burger translate to a fast-paced, high-volume environment? It’s every bit as good as the original.

About the Author

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez