Savannah-based chef Mashama Bailey of The Grey has added another accolade to her already lengthy resume.
Time, the magazine-turned-media-brand, revealed the Time100 this week, the 23rd edition of its annual list of the world’s most influential people.
In addition to their feature in the magazine, honorees are scheduled to convene in New York City for the Time100 Summit on April 22, followed by the Time100 Gala on April 23.
Ahead of the festivities, the AJC Dining team is recounting the significance of Bailey’s inclusion with a look back at her landmark career and her enduring impact on Southern cuisine.
Who is on the TIME 100 Most Influential People list?
This year’s edition highlights Bailey among a range of cultural leaders, innovators and changemakers, including Pope Leo XIV, fashion designer Ralph Lauren, singer-songwriter Luke Combs, comedian Nikki Glaser, actors Zoe Saldaña and Wagner Moura, author Tayari Jones, fellow chef Nancy Silverton and more. In a profile of Bailey written for Time by former Vice President and Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Bailey is described not only as a barrier-breaking Black female chef, but also as a storyteller and teacher who bridges cultures and traditions through her restaurants in both Savannah, Georgia, and Paris, France.
“She demonstrates that chefs are leaders not only in the kitchen, but also in their communities,” Harris wrote.
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
Who is Mashama Bailey? A look at the chef behind The Grey
Raised between New York and Savannah, Bailey traded a career in social work for the culinary arts, with professional training at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now The Institute of Culinary Education), LaVarenne Cooking School in Burgundy, France, and James Beard Award-winning chef Gabrielle Hamilton’s Prune in New York’s East Village.
Bailey returned to Georgia’s historic port city and co-founded The Grey in 2014 inside a restored 1930s-era, formerly segregated Greyhound Bus Terminal, with her business partner Johno Morisano. The personal and elevated interpretation of the Port City Southern food of Bailey’s youth has earned her many accolades, including the 2019 James Beard Best Chef: Southeast award and 2022 Outstanding Chef, as well as the designation of “most important chef in America” by the Financial Times.
The inspiring story has been documented in a 2019 episode of “Chef’s Table” on Netflix and in a 2021 dual memoir by Bailey and Morisano titled “Black, White, and The Grey: The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant.”
Credit: Courtesy of The Grey / Chia Chong
Credit: Courtesy of The Grey / Chia Chong
What is The Grey in Savannah known for?
On the ever-evolving menu, guests can find modern takes on Southern classics, like the cornbread with pickled habanero butter. Soulful dishes reflect what seasonal ingredients are available regionally, from nearby farms to daily fresh catch and oysters harvested from the Georgia coast.
Beyond the food and the building’s art deco architecture, The Grey is known for its owners’ ongoing openness in addressing complex issues regarding race and cultural differences, while creating inclusive spaces.
For instance, they choose to preserve relics of the Savannah building’s segregated history, including a former sign for a “colored” waiting room.
Mashama Bailey’s Influence on Southern Cuisine
More than a decade after debuting The Grey in Savannah, Bailey’s refined perspective on Port City Southern food continues to resonate with diners of all backgrounds.
In early 2026, Bailey and Morisano opened The Grey’s sibling restaurant, L’Arrêt, in Paris, bringing the flavors of America’s South to one of the world’s most influential culinary cities.
Beyond her own restaurants, Bailey is also dedicated to mentoring the next generation of culinary talent. As a chairwoman of the board of the Edna Lewis Foundation, she advocates for Black culinary history and female chefs in the industry.
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