Culinary Pioneer Edna Lewis Inspires New Menu at The Grey

Savannah chef Mashama Bailey has revamped the menu at The Grey, taking inspiration from the indomitable Edna Lewis and her cookbook In Pursuit of Flavor.

Using the book as a guide, Bailey categorized the new menu by Lewis’ original chapter titles: Pantry, Dirt, Water, and Pasture.

"Since returning to the South several years ago my menu has been very much influenced by the region and my family’s heritage,” Bailey told Eater, “Edna Lewis has always been my culinary mentor and it made so much sense to me to turn to her books and writings for inspiration. Miss Lewis has laid out the ultimate blueprint for how I like to cook and eat in her book In Pursuit of Flavor, and I feel compelled to follow in her footsteps."

The menu leads with the chef’s shared love for the pantry, with seasonal ingredients from pickles, jars, jams, and cures in dishes like the salted grouper toast with sweet potato, garlic, and scallions.

See the entire new menu here. And a few more photos here:

Cedric Smith

Cedric Smith

Cedric Smith

Cedric Smith

• The Forgotten History of Black Chefs [EN]
• The Grey [Official]