The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant: Black, White, and The Grey by Mashama Bailey and John Morisano

Prepare to be captivated by the remarkable story of an unexpected friendship and a beloved restaurant in “Black, White, and The Grey” by Mashama Bailey and John Morisano. This compelling memoir takes you on a journey of two individuals from vastly different backgrounds who come together to create something extraordinary.

Dive into this thought-provoking and heartwarming narrative that will leave you inspired and craving for more.

Genres

Memoir, Friendship, Food, Business, Race Relations, Cultural Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Partnership, Personal Growth, Resilience

“Black, White, and The Grey” is a captivating memoir that chronicles the unlikely friendship between Mashama Bailey, a Black woman and talented chef, and John Morisano, a White businessman, as they embark on a journey to open a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia. The book delves into their individual struggles, triumphs, and the challenges they face as they navigate the complexities of race, culture, and the cutthroat restaurant industry.

Bailey and Morisano’s paths cross when Morisano decides to open a restaurant in a formerly segregated Greyhound bus station. He reaches out to Bailey, recognizing her culinary skills and vision. Despite their differences, they form a partnership and set out to create a culinary destination that celebrates Southern food and fosters community.

The memoir offers an honest and raw account of their experiences, from the early days of renovating the dilapidated building to the opening of The Grey, their acclaimed restaurant. Bailey and Morisano candidly share their personal histories, the obstacles they encounter, and the lessons they learn along the way.

Through their story, the authors shed light on the deep-rooted issues of race, privilege, and systemic inequality that pervade the restaurant industry and society at large. They confront their own biases, challenge societal norms, and strive to create a space that embraces diversity and inclusivity.

“Black, White, and The Grey” is a testament to the power of friendship, resilience, and the transformative nature of food. It highlights the importance of open dialogue, empathy, and the willingness to listen and learn from one another.

Review

“Black, White, and The Grey” is a compelling and thought-provoking memoir that leaves a lasting impact on the reader. Mashama Bailey and John Morisano’s story is one of courage, determination, and the power of human connection.

The authors’ honest and vulnerable writing style allows readers to connect with their experiences on a deep level. They fearlessly tackle difficult subjects such as race, privilege, and the challenges of being a Black woman in a predominantly White industry.

The memoir is not just a story of two individuals but a reflection of the broader issues that plague society. It prompts readers to examine their own biases and challenges them to actively work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive world.

Bailey and Morisano’s journey is filled with moments of triumph, setbacks, and personal growth. Their story is a reminder that success is not achieved alone but through collaboration, trust, and a shared vision.

The book also celebrates the transformative power of food. It showcases how a shared meal can break down barriers, foster understanding, and bring people together. The authors’ passion for Southern cuisine and their commitment to creating a welcoming space for all is truly inspiring.

“Black, White, and The Grey” is a must-read for anyone interested in food, entrepreneurship, and the human experience. It is a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page, leaving you with a renewed sense of hope and a desire to make a positive change in the world.

Recommendation

How did two very different people come together to create one of America’s most celebrated restaurants? In this captivating co-autobiography, Mashama Bailey, a Black chef from Queens, and John O. Morisano, a white entrepreneur from Staten Island, explore their experiences as business partners and the relationship between race, gender, class and food in the Deep South culture of Savannah, Georgia. Though dozens of books explore unconscious bias and the race and class struggle in America, Bailey and Morisano’s tale of founding The Grey restaurant packs a unique, emotionally powerful punch.

Take-Aways

• “Johno” Morisano bought a run-down building in Savannah that would become The Grey restaurant.
• As his design firm renovated and restored his building, Morisano sought an executive chef.
• Mashama Bailey was preparing to open her own restaurant when Morisano reached out in November 2013.
• When Bailey heard about Morisano’s search for a Black woman chef, she questioned his motives.
• Bailey and Morisano reflected on the history of the Greyhound bus station.
• Bailey moved to Savannah to become executive chef, part owner and cultural adviser.
• The Grey opened in late 2014; the first years were difficult.
• Racial tensions and tragedy threatened the venture, but the partners prevailed.
• Initially, Bailey was reluctant to work with Morisano on a book about their experience founding The Grey.

Summary

“Johno” Morisano bought a run-down building in Savannah that would become The Grey restaurant.

In 2011, after visiting several southern cities, Morisano and his wife Carol fell in love with Savannah, Georgia. The city’s combination of art, architecture and inclusiveness was something they didn’t find in Charleston or other southern cities. Morisano, a New York accountant and entrepreneur, purchased a historic, dilapidated Jim Crow-era building in Savannah: a formerly racially segregated Greyhound bus depot. This run-down garbage-filled space would, with much time, money and struggle, become a nationally-celebrated restaurant.

Initially, Morisano wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with the Martin Luther King Blvd building. The former depot stood at an unofficial intersection: White and affluent historic Savannah was out the front door, and the Black district with its government housing, poverty and crime was out back.

“The Savannah project…was about self-preservation and self-worth. It was about trying to figure out a way, as a middle-aged, potentially washed-up white guy, to remain relevant.”

One evening, over a glass of wine with his wife, Carol, Morisano floated the idea of opening a restaurant in the space. Carol was shocked. Though a longtime food and wine enthusiast, Morisano had no restaurant experience. But he was adamant. He envisioned restoring the building to its former Art Deco glory. As he walked through the trash-strewn rooms, he tried to imagine the feelings of the people who would have used the space. Black passengers, he speculated, would have been keenly aware of the blatant disregard for the “equal” element of the building’s “separate but equal” waiting areas and restrooms.

As his design firm renovated and restored his building, Morisano sought an executive chef.

Morisano felt the success of his proposed venture hinged in part on serving an unexpected cuisine — not stereotypical Southern food. But the hunt for the perfect chef was daunting. Morisano quickly discovered that most chef candidates were men like Morisano — middle-aged, white and tattooed. More importantly, none possessed the spark in their cooking or presentation that Morisano sought.

During one of Morisano’s daily walks around the abandoned depot, he had a brain wave. The space, he realized, spoke to the race and class issues he had struggled to understand most of his life. He was convinced that his restaurant had to stand for something greater than food and wine — for the city of Savannah, for the South and for himself. To accomplish that goal, its chef needed to be more than great. The chef needed to embody the things Morisano’s wasn’t. He required a Black woman for the job.

“I was nearly paralyzed with fear in those days and weeks – hire someone who I knew was not a long-term choice or do nothing and continue to design a kitchen and restaurant in a chef vacuum.”

Morisano and his design firm partners worried that the new search would delay their plans. None of the trio had restaurant experience. They need guidance from a food preparation and services perspective. Being a fan of the Prune restaurant in Manhattan, Morisano wrote to its renowned chef, Gabrielle Hamilton, sketching out his vision for the Savannah restaurant and its chef and asking for her help. She agreed to meet him and, after hearing his plans in greater detail, noted that her sous chef might be a worthy candidate — Mashama Bailey.

Mashama Bailey was preparing to open her own restaurant when Morisano reached out in November 2013.

Mashama Bailey spent her first five years in the Bronx and her next six in Savannah. It was in Savannah that she first encountered searing racism from a fellow elementary school student. Bailey repressed the feelings that incident caused and mostly loved her life in Savannah, which proved, to her surprise, far more racially diverse than her life in the Bronx.

“Going back to New York was a real culture shock for me because I had come to love living in the South.”

Upon her return to New York at age 11, Bailey and her family moved into her grandmother’s large house in St. Albans, Queens. Bailey studied psychology and served as a social worker before deciding on a career in cooking. She spent the next two decades learning her craft as a student at New York’s Institute of Culinary Education; with her grandmothers in their Queens’ kitchens; as a personal chef for a wealthy Manhattanite; as a supper club host; as an apprentice with a famous chef in Burgundy, France; and as a sous-chef at Prune, one of New York’s finest restaurants.

By 2012, Bailey was determined to start her own restaurant in the US South, featuring authentic Southern food. She had begun discussions with a relative about financing a small kitchen when Morisano’s invitation to meet arrived in late 2013.

When Bailey heard about Morisano’s search for a Black woman chef, she questioned his motives.

Bailey wasn’t sure what to make of Morisano’s desire to find a Black woman chef for his restaurant. From Morisano’s perspective, finding a Black woman chef with the range and skill he wanted was akin to trying to find the Holy Grail. But Bailey knew women like her worked in the kitchens of restaurants all over the country — they just remained largely invisible to men like Morisano and his partners.

“There are people like me, women like me, in kitchens all over America and yet, for the most part, we are still invisible and that is ridiculous.”

Though skeptical of his motives, Bailey took the November 2013 meeting with Morisano at Morisano’s Gramercy Park office in the National Arts Club building. Bailey was unsure of what Morisano meant when he said he wanted a “partnership,” but she felt intrigued by the opportunity to take on a leadership role. Bailey and Morisano discovered they had much more in common than they expected. They shared similar tastes in food, had both grown up middle class in the city’s boroughs and could connect over their grandmothers’ cooking stories. Bailey went to Savannah to spend time at the restaurant when it was still under restoration and discuss ideas with Morisano and Carol.

Bailey and Morisano reflected on the history of the Greyhound bus station.

On her first tour of the building that would become The Grey, Bailey explored its large restroom for white women above and the small space allotted to Black women below. She thought about the anger the Black passengers likely felt crammed into their tiny waiting area and felt a surge of pride at the thought that she might have a chance to play a role in reclaiming the building for something unifying. She admired Morisano’s commitment to incorporating the building’s history into the new restaurant and looked forward to being part of it.

“Growing up Black in America, before you’re old enough to read and write you are already being taught how to live among White folks.”

Morisano appreciated Bailey’s determination and assertiveness. A subsequent cooking “audition” in New York, featuring many of Morisano’s friends, trusted advisers, and Bailey’s brother, was a success. Bailey and Morisano soon formalized their partnership.

Bailey moved to Savannah to become executive chef, part owner and cultural adviser.

Bailey had strong views about encouraging Black participation in the venture as part of the team and as restaurant patrons. When Morisano, Carol and Bailey traveled to Italy to explore the regions and various menus, Bailey knew Morisano was trying to push her into an Italian theme, but she had other ideas. The restaurant would stay true to its place in geography and history and serve authentic Southern cuisine. Morisano would have to accept that fact.

“I had no choice but to pull from my own personal experiences surrounding food. I knew that if I was going to run a kitchen, I needed to be motivated. I needed to draw on all the things that made me curious about food and cooking in the South.”

The pair commissioned Savannah artist Marcus Kenney to paint a large piece for the restaurant. Kenney created a mural depicting a bus with Blacks in front and whites in back. Morisano thought the painting was good but too provocative. Bailey insisted that it occupy a central place in the restaurant. She prevailed. When, for historical purposes, Morisano wanted to leave in place a sign that said “colored waiting room,” Bailey objected, fearing it would make diners uncomfortable. The sign remained, but they changed it to “waiting room.”

The Grey opened in late 2014; the first years were difficult.

Not long after Bailey moved to Savannah, she turned 40. Her sister, who had also moved to Savannah, insisted on a four-day celebration, with friends and family arriving from near and far. The restaurant project was behind schedule and hemorrhaging money. Morisano was working flat out. He deeply resented Bailey’s time away from work and confronted her.

In the ensuing argument, Morisano treated Bailey almost like a child who needed a scolding. Bailey privately acknowledged the bad timing of the party and regretted that her sister had turned it into such an event but stood firm. Bailey reminded Morisano that his notion of work and partnership differed from hers. Morisano felt deeply frustrated. At the same time, he wondered if what he regarded as Bailey’s laziness compared to his commitment stemmed from deep-seated biases. Meanwhile, Bailey felt like she was failing. She hadn’t lied to Morisano about knowing how to open a restaurant. She’d never done it before. He knew that. But she also didn’t confess her feelings of overwhelm. Bailey knew she needed help but didn’t know how to ask for it.

“Even with age, wisdom, and a genuine love for food, wine and making people happy, those first couple of years were rough.”

At a private dinner at his home, Morisano cooked for Bailey in an attempt to apologize and heal the relationship. She disliked his attempt at carbonara but appreciated the gesture. The pair acknowledged that they needed to trust one another for the restaurant to work.

Renovations and kitchen preparations continued. The two grew closer as they worked virtually nonstop toward the opening. Still, Bailey often felt more like an employee than a partner. She was sensitive to the money Morisano poured into the venture, including her salary, and failed to value what she brought to the venture as highly as she ought. At the same time, Morisano hated that the media never acknowledged him as more than an investor. Gradually, she and Morisano worked out these issues. The Grey opened on December 8, 2014.

Racial tensions and tragedy threatened the venture, but the partners prevailed.

The first years at The Grey were frantic and difficult as Bailey worked on her concept of southern food with African influences. Morisano struggled to find his footing as leader of the service team. Challenges around kitchen and service and high turnover — especially among dish staff and porters — kept the partners working long hours, week after week. Eventually, the staff stabilized, and the restaurant team grew close. A healthy work culture emerged.

“Culture, a healthy internal culture, has always been the most important aspect of building The Grey.”

For the most part, diners marveled at the design of The Grey and loved the food. One incident, however, shook Morisano deeply. On an otherwise typical evening, some diners called him over to their table. One of the patrons praised the food but made disparaging racial comments about Bailey, leaving Morisano speechless. Feeling he failed Bailey in not doing anything in response to the man’s words, Morisano stormed into the kitchen and told her what happened. Though Bailey felt bolstered by his anger, she was more frustrated that Morisano was interrupting her during a busy dinner service. She expressed no surprise at the incident, and Morisano realized he was far more shaken than she was by the racist sentiments: Bailey appreciated but didn’t need his validation.

General manager Scott Waldrup was an especially beloved member of the team. On July 5, 2017, after midnight, he and Bailey were walking on one of Savannah’s main streets when a vehicle the police were chasing slammed into Waldrup, killing him instantly. This tragedy shook Morisano and Bailey to the core. Family and friends rallied, and the restaurant hosted a vigil. The sadness and loss stemming from the tragedy could have destroyed The Grey, but the partners persevered.

Initially, Bailey was reluctant to work with Morisano on a book about their experience founding The Grey.

Morisano felt it was important to tell the story of The Grey’s founding. Bailey felt unenthusiastic but agreed to add some commentary. After receiving feedback on their initial draft, Bailey realized she needed to take as much ownership of the project as Morisano. It was important to share her perspective, she acknowledged, particularly as some of her partner’s written thoughts about race sparked feelings of anger.

“Generally speaking, the White audience thought it was great, smart and interesting. The Black and Brown audience thought my voice was dull, marginalized and weak.”

In 2020, Morisano and Bailey secreted themselves in a Paris apartment for six weeks to re-write their book. On their return from Paris, they ran straight into the COVID-19 crisis. Again, they held firm, managing The Grey and a second restaurant they had recently opened, Grey Market, through the pandemic.

About the Authors

Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano own and operate The Grey and The Grey Market, in Savannah, Georgia and have gained awards as one of the nation’s best restaurants, and for Bailey, one of its best chefs.