work ethic. Aldrena’s love of cooking came from
her father who was a cook in the Army. At the age
of nine, he praised his daughter’s perfect rice with
just one attempt, and she “hasn’t stopped since.”
It’s a “backdrop for everything that we do,” says
Gwen. “Everything centers around food. Being
born. It’s a celebration that includes a spread.
When we die, there are even bigger spreads.”
Some call the menu soul food. To others, it’s
simply Gullah, like fried turkey wings (Gwen’s
favorite), Geechee Fredo (shrimp/oxtails), fried
okra, and everyone’s favorite, mac and cheese.
Menus in Gullah restaurants consist of vegetables,
fruits, seafood, beans, yams. Centuries
ago, cooks used what was available, elevating
food with spices and seasonings. Ask any Gullah
and he will tell you that the seasoning includes
passion. “Seeing other people enjoy the food that
I prepared with love gives me a feeling that nothing
else does,” confirms Aldrena. For almost two
decades, Bill Green has been serving authentic
Gullah cuisine at the iconic Sea Island Parkway’s
Gullah Grub Restaurant, relying on its fundamental
concepts of serving seasonal and picking
SUMMER 2021 | LAKE OCONEE LIVING 73