Mashama Bailey: From The Grey to James Beard’s Best Chef in America

In today’s exciting episode, we sit down with the incredible Mashama Bailey, executive chef and co-owner of The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, to talk about her extraordinary journey to the top of the culinary world. From her humble beginnings to becoming one of the most celebrated chefs in America, Mashama shares her inspiring story of resilience, passion, and creativity. We dive into her groundbreaking work at The Grey, her Southern-rooted cooking style, and the incredible honor of winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef in America. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss! Show Notes: (00:00) Upcoming Culinary Event: Best of Philly Voi•ãge Dining Series (03:55) Welcome to Chef Radio: Featuring Mashama Bailey (06:50) Mashama's Culinary Journey (16:03) From Social Work to Culinary Arts (22:11) The Influence of Culinary School and Personal Chefing (46:08) Reflecting on Early Career Lessons (46:45) Transitioning to a New Work Environment (48:46) Exploring New Opportunities (50:57) Meeting Her Business Partner, Jono (52:00) The Journey to Savannah (58:41) The Historical Significance of The Grey (01:05:16) Crafting a Unique Culinary Identity (01:15:22) Challenges and Triumphs (01:22:51) Future Plans in Paris (01:27:50) Closing Thoughts and Reflections A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful. Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from. My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest. We welcome our newest supporter of chef radio, JB Prince, America's most incredible store for all your best kitchen supplies. Listen up how you can save 10% on your order to this incredible Wonderland of chefs kitchen tools, gadgets and equipment