Fresh Loaf

Jon Kessler

Today was the day the AJC’s writers and editors found out what their new jobs will be — sort of. I’m still trying to get a copy of the reorg list, but I’ve heard that many longtime journalists don’t understand what some of it means. I’m told the list includes no cops reporters, but common sense dictates that someone’s gotta cover crime. Will it fall to general-assignment reporters? I’ve yet to talk to anyone who knows.

There are several people with the title “breaking news reporter.” Again, what does that mean? And I’m told the county government reporters seem to have had the local school boards added to their beats — but then there are other reporters who will be covering K-8 education. On the face of it, that division of labor would seem to make no sense.

The reorg also seems to have divided reporters into two groups: daily and Sunday. James Salzer, for instance, is listed as “Sunday state government reporter.” Does that mean if the governor says something stupid on a Tuesday, someone else writes about it?

Perhaps we’ll have answers to all of these questions and more Thursday, when reporters are scheduled to meet with editors about their new duties.

It’s no surprise that the new assignments have taken some employees aback. John Kessler, the one-time restaurant critic and longtime food writer, posted this notice on his Facebook page:

John Kessler is no longer a food writer at the AJC. Zowie.

Instead, the always entertaining Kessler is now a “Sunday profile writer.” Let’s hope he enjoys it.

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Shaun Doty, owner-chef of Shaun’s in Inman Park, has enjoyed loads of favorable reviews from local critics.

Creative Loafing’s Besha Rodell gave the restaurant four stars after it opened in 2007 and Cliff Bostock writes glowingly of Doty’s cooking in this week’s CL. Similar kind words came from Atlanta Magazine.

But the AJC’s Meridith Ford (now Meridith Ford Goldman) may have been the most effusive of all. She declared in her January 2007 review that “there is no other restaurant of this caliber in Atlanta.” And it seems, at least, that a week has seldom gone by since without Goldman offering the restaurant plaudits in a blog post, a “best” this-or-that listing or even in reviews for other restaurants.

That’s why a few eyebrows were raised last month when foodies started hearing that Doty would cater at the AJC critic’s wedding party. Then, on Sept. 25, I practically choked on my chicken livers when the daily ran Goldman’s article gushing about the chefs at her reception, held at South Fulton’s elegant Serenbe community. Ice cream, she said, was provided by Doty, “who was nice enough to make my favorite appetizer from his menu, Sardinian flatbread, as well.” (more…)

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