Meet the Board
Mashama Bailey
Chairwoman
Named “the most important chef in America” by the Financial Times, Mashama Bailey is the award-winning executive chef and co-founder of the critically acclaimed The Grey restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, along with her business partner Johno Morisano.
Mashama’s career includes a series of firsts: she was the first Black woman to receive the Outstanding Chef award from the James Beard Foundation (2022) and was the first Black chef featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table (Season 6).
The Grey has been deemed a triumph by Eater and one of the greatest places in the world by Time magazine. In 2025, Mashama and Morisano will open their third restaurant in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris.
Nina Williams-Mbengue
Nina Williams-Mbengue is the daughter of Edna Lewis’s younger sister Naomi. At the age of 12, she lived with her mother and Miss Lewis in New York City and subsequently typed the manuscript for ‘A Taste of Country Cooking,” Miss Lewis’s seminal cookbook based on her childhood. A graduate of the University of Virginia, she holds a BA in Latin American Studies and has worked as a grant writer with Care International, as a Resource Assistant with American Humane Association and with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as a Program Director and Senior Fellow. She recently retired from NCSL’s Child Welfare Project where, for nearly 25 years, she conducted legislative research and policy analysis on child welfare issues, and also provided and developed technical assistance programs, educational sessions, national legislative meetings, publications, research and testimony. Nina is currently providing policy consultation on child welfare.
DEB FREEMAN
Award-winning culinary anthropologist Deb Freeman delves into the intersections of race, culture, and food – especially in Virginia and across the South. Freeman is the executive producer and host of the Emmy-winning and James Beard-nominated PBS documentary Finding Edna Lewis, a film that explores the legacy of the famed chef.
She is also the host and creator of Setting the Table, a critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning podcast exploring Black foodways and culinary history. Setting the Table was named by Apple Podcasts as “one of the shows we loved in 2022,” while Texas Monthly wrote that the podcast “explored topics they wished they had covered.” In 2023, Setting the Table was honored by the International Association of Culinary Professionals as “Podcast of the Year,” and also won gold in the food and drink category at the Signal Awards. Freeman has also been honored by Slow Food USA and is a Black Women in Food honoree.
Freeman has appeared on Chef Carla Hall’s show, Finding Flavor, on Max, as well as The Key Ingredient on PBS. Her written work includes contributions to Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, Food52, Modern Farmer, The Local Palate, Plate Magazine, Epicurious, Garden and Gun, Pit Magazine, Gravy, and Gastro Obscura, and she has provided cultural commentary for BBC Radio.
Paul Fehribach
Chef and Co-owner of Chicago's acclaimed Big Jones since 2008, Paul Fehribach is the Author of two books on University of Chicago Press, The Big Jones Cookbook and Midwestern Food, as well as an active philanthropist working with both the Edna Lewis Foundation and Frontera Farmer Foundation. Fehribach recognizes Edna Lewis as a major inspiration for both his writing and work as a chef, and cites The Taste of Country Cooking as the single most influential cookbook in his career. Like Edna Lewis, Fehribach was raised in a small agrarian community in which the cultivation, harvest, and cooking of food was a major part of family and community life, and through the words of Edna Lewis, sees a vision in which all people are kinfolk, the most intimate bond we share being the care and love with which we feed our families and communities.
ADRIAN LIPSCOMBE
Adrian Lipscombe, a proud native Texan, embarked on her career in city planning upon earning her Masters in Architecture from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She made a significant impact working with the private sector and municipal governments in Austin and San Antonio on community-focused projects. With a heritage deeply rooted in Central Texas for six generations. She is also a fourth generation pitmaster. Adrian possesses extensive knowledge in African American heritage in the U.S. She advocates passionately for fostering connections between local farmers and ranchers with chefs, promoting opportunities for everyone.
In 2016, Adrian took her talents to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where she established Uptowne Café, a cherished haven for the Northside community. Through her restaurant, she skillfully weaves her Southern upbringing, Midwest ingredients, and African American culinary heritage, creating a unique culinary experience. She created a theory that restaurants can become community impact spaces can drive changes of revitalizations within communities. As one of the few Black restaurant owners in the area, Adrian's vision gave birth to the 40 Acres Project, aimed at preserving the legacy of Black agriculture and foodways by acquiring Black-owned land. She is ardently advocating for food sovereignty within all communities. She is also a Culinary Diplomat to the White House and State Department. Additionally, she plays a pivotal role as a founding member of the Muloma Heritage Center in South Carolina, a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the African Atlantic influences in American culture and their contributions to American cuisines. Adrian also serves on the board of the Edna Lewis Foundation, further highlighting her commitment to preserving culinary heritage.
Adrian is currently a PhD candidate in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Texas at Austin. In her return to Austin, Adrian looks forward to continuing to showcase the African American influences on food culture today and to feed friends, family and the community. As a mother of four, she takes pride in creating stepping stones and a legacy for the future.
IN MEMORIAM
Elle Simone Scott
November 28, 1976 - January 5, 2026
Food-styling guru Elle Simone Scott was a trailblazer who made food both stunning and approachable. She shaped the visual aesthetic for the Cook’s Country brand, and her work appeared across many media platforms. Elle served as a judge on America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation, which aired on Amazon Freevee, and was an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen. Elle was the star of "Entertaining with Elle," which showcased her skills as a cook, a teacher, and a stylist. Elle provided food styling and expert advice for Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings (2022), a best-selling, highly regarded Cookbook, as well as her newest release, Food Gifts: 150+ Irresistible Recipes for Crafting Personalized Presents.
In addition to her role as an executive editor at America’s Test Kitchen, Elle also used her platform and her organization SheChef Inc. to advocate, mentor, and inspire other women of color in the food space.
Elle appeared on Good Morning America, The Food Network, Food Network Magazine, The Cooking Channel, The Katie Couric Show, The Chew, and Bravo’s Chef Roble and Co. Elle has also been the subject of feature stories in the Boston Globe, Forbes, and Eater and on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and National Public Radio.
Elle served as a dedicated Board member of The Edna Lewis Foundation until her untimely death on January 5, 2026, following a battle with ovarian cancer. The Foundation is grateful for her dedication, compassion, and commitment to advancing Edna's legacy through scholarship and service. She will be forever missed.