28 Days of Soul Food: Day 9
Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano's new culinary memoir, 'Black, White, and The Grey,' takes on the issues of gender, race, class and culture -- with recipes.
The new culinary memoir from chefs/restaurateurs Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano has the restaurant industry abuzz. For years, people have wondered how this unconventional duo — comprised of a Black woman from the Bronx with deep Southern roots and an Italian-American man from New York City — managed to overcome their cultural differences to open one of the country’s most successful restaurants. To add more to the intrigue, The Grey is based in Savannah, Georgia, in a former segregated bus terminal.
In Black, White, and The Grey, they step out of the kitchen to put their most inner thoughts to paper. Throughout the book, they observe the events that took place during the opening of the restaurant; occasionally their recounting of those events are from conflicting perspectives, particularly when dealing with issues of racism and sexism.
Nevertheless, I still found the book entertaining, especially when they ended each chapter with one of their favorite recipes. For example, they include the signature Sizzling Smoky Pig, a dish they describe as their first “riot dish” (“meaning that if we took it off the menu people would riot”). Luckily, there were no riots when the dish was removed, but I enjoyed gems like these.
Also, I appreciated the James Beard Award winning Bailey’s candor as a Black chef on what’s expected of Black chefs:
“Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that the history of Blacks cooking in professional kitchens in America is as long as the country is old and exactly what some people would expect. When I see liver and onions over grits, smothered pork chops, and collard greens or fried catfish on a menu, I think a Black person is cooking. There are some popular restaurants in Savannah serving those dishes (or food that reminds me of them) and there are certainly a lot of Black folks cooking in those kitchens. I know this feeds old stereotypes and yet those are the dishes that people want to eat when they visit—the good, old-fashioned plate of ‘fill in the blank’ way of dining. As a Black chef, I am always wondering how I am perceived and I am constantly managing people’s expectations of me. Many people assume that these foods are all I know how to cook and I am happy to cook and serve the food I was raised on — often, that’s the food that I crave — but I also wanted to explore Southern food through the lens of a girl who was raised between the North and the South and felt compelled to understand my ancestry through my cooking.”
This is a good book. Pick it up if you can. And when I feel comfortable traveling again, I’ll be heading to Savannah for a meal at The Grey, and hopefully that sizzling smoky pig.
[Photo by @airykarockefellerphotography]