Mashama Bailey studied cooking in France and cooked alongside Gabrielle Hamilton in New York City. She returned to Savannah in 2014 to open The Grey with partner John O. Morisano. At the restaurant, which is located in a former segregated Greyhound bus station, Bailey serves her take on Southern food. Bailey is the first African-American woman to be nominated for the best chef award — in any region — in the history of the event, which has been running for 27 years. Mashama and John recently opened their second offering to Savannah. The Grey Market combines their love for New York City bodegas, the true lifeblood of any New Yorker, with the history and convenience of the Southern lunch counter.
