Valerie Erwin

Chef and activist Valerie Erwin works at the intersection of food and culture. She was among the first chefs to popularize Gullah Geechee foods on a menu, and her groundbreaking Geechee Girl Rice Cafe encouraged chefs, writers and historians to explore these culinary traditions. She identifies ways to spark dialogue and understanding about the rich grains and techniques present in American foods that trace back to Gullah Geechee traditions.

Direct descendants of the first enslaved Africans forcibly brought to the United States, about 500,000 Gullah Geechee people live in the coastal South from North Carolina to Florida. These surviving Gullah Geechee communities take great pride in their customs and heritage, including the ingredients, flavors and techniques that make up American Southern cuisine. Iconic dishes such as shrimp and grits, hoppin’ John (rice and black-eyed peas) and seafood gumbo all have their roots in Gullah Geechee culture. Today, these communities, including their livelihoods and traditions, face grave threats from coastal development and climate change. By helping to preserve and share Gullah Geechee food traditions, chefs are ensuring that this important history and culture are not lost or forgotten.

Erwin was the creator, general manager and executive chef of Geechee Girl Rice Cafe, a critically acclaimed restaurant in Philadelphia. Geechee Girl, immediately lauded by the media when it opened in 2003, was known not only for extraordinary food, but also for its commitment to hyper-local products, its employment of neighborhood residents and its interest in the life of its community. In the years since she stopped operating Geechee Girl, Erwin has been involved in Philadelphia cultural institutions and in the movement for food and social justice. For two years she managed EAT Cafe, a not-for-profit restaurant in West Philadelphia, and she currently manages Farm to Families, a produce-access program of St. Christopher’s Foundation for Children. She continues her mentorship of young chefs and is a fierce advocate for Lowcountry cooking, rice history and Southern foodways.