The AJC’s John Kessler reports that Drew Belline – “longtime chef” at Floataway Cafe – will take the helm at Ford Fry’s recently announced, but yet-to-be-named Decatur restaurant, which will take over the Eurasia Bistro space along East Ponce in the coming months.

As we previously reported, the restaurant will be “Italian-inspired”, but Kessler gives us some context, stating that Fry “cites San Fransico’s A16 as inspiration.”

Hot diggity!

The AJC’s John Kessler tweets…

Ford Fry (JCT Kitchen) signs the Eurasia Bistro space in Decatur. “High profile chef” to sign on for Mediterranean menu.

Very interesting.  Here’s a little background on Chef Fry in case you’re interested.

Back in January, AJC food writer John Kessler reported that the German Bakery just off Lawrenceville Highway by the Home Depot had closed it’s doors after 47 years in business thanks to something called “The Great Recession”.

Now Harriet reports the bakery has fought it’s way back into business, carrying all the breads and German favs you so fondly remember…

The German Bakery off Lawrenceville Hwy is now reopened. I just went by to check it out and am now enjoying a sandwich on their whole grain bread and some tasty pastries. The credit card machine won’t be working until next week so bring cash or check for now. They report they are carrying the old favorites, but will be adding new things, including soup and sandwiches in the future.

Their sign says they are open 7 days a week.

John Kessler reports on his Food and More blog that Ryan Stewart has left his position as chef at Farmstead 303 after a little more than three months at the helm.

No word of Stewart’s next gig or a Farmstead replacement, according to Kessler.

AJC food writer John Kessler is in the midst of a kitchen renovation at his Decatur abode and is documenting progress in the paper and on his blog Food and More.  Of his old kitchen, he recently wrote…

…the open floor plan of our former kitchen invited everyone to come and congregate between the range and the cook’s work area, turning every dinner party into a frottage fiasco. Like many open kitchen plans today, ours brought too much of the action into the cooking area.

With a pre-World War II floor plan surrounding us, my wife and I find we often have a somewhat opposite problem in our home.  Instead of inviting everyone in, our galley kitchen at the rear of the house – attached only to the dining room – often segregates the cook from his guests, or just his wife, as he hacks up yet another Springer Mountain chicken.  (I figure that one skill as saved us a couple hundred bucks on pre-cut meat at this point)

I guess a kitchen renovation is like anything else.  It isn’s so much about size, but design.