Gullah Tours founder, author and Daufuskie native, Sallie Ann Robinson, was selected by the James Beard Foundation for a 2026 Book Awards Hall of Fame award. The Book Awards are open to cookbooks and other nonfiction food- or beverage-related books that were published in the U.S. in 2025. The Awards were conferred on June 13th, at the Art Institute of Chicago, celebrating the year’s most outstanding culinary publications.
As one of the most prestigious honors in food literature, the awards recognize the authors, publishers, and storytellers who enrich the nation's understanding of food culture. With a legacy of excellence in food writing, the ceremony was an inspiring evening dedicated to those shaping the way we cook, eat, and think about food. The full list of awardees, including Sallie, can be found on the James Beard Foundation website.
Sallie Ann was also recognised locally on 22 June at the Beaufort County Council meeting for her accomplishments by council members. She has published three cookbooks and also contributed to or co-authored other books including Daufuskie Island (Images of America) and was featured in the 2021 Netflix documentary series High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America.
Sallie's cookbooks include Sallie Ann Robinson's Kitchen: Food and Family Lore from the Lowcountry, Gullah Home Cooking the Daufuskie way, and Cooking the Gullah Way - Morning, Noon and Night.
Hero Image - by Tony Kululich - Staff at Beaufort County News. Shows Sallie Ann Robinson being honored at the County Council Meeting.
