In 2013, I was working in the Office of Marketing and Communications at Georgia Southern University, and had been food blogging for almost two years. I had grown to love the Boro for obvious reasons: its small town charm, the nostalgia of my college years, the quaint farmers market and local restaurants. I remember reading the newspaper and having a light bulb moment — no one was writing about food and I wanted to fill that void.
I reached out to Jason Wermers, who was an editor at the Statesboro Herald then, with an email subject line which read, “Food Columnist Hopeful Seeks Opportunity with Statesboro Herald.” That email would start the conversation which eventually led me here. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years! With the exception of a brief hiatus when I moved away to Charleston, I’ve been writing for the Statesboro Herald since May of 2013. That’s more than 200 food columns and countless recipes.
As most of you faithful readers know, there have been many changes over the years. When I first began writing for the paper, it was a six-day daily newspaper published Tuesday through Sunday. Then in 2019, the Herald reduced its publishing days to three, and today, it publishes once a week. Through it all, I have been grateful to remain a small part of it, and am thankful to you for taking the time to read my column and cook my recipes. I also appreciate Jim Healy, operations manager, for giving me a chance to do what I love, and Angye Morrison, lifestyles editor, for her valuable contributions.
As I look back over the decade, some of my favorite moments have been while out and about when I’ve bumped into one of you. Once I was in the cookbook section of Barnes & Noble; another time at Chico’s; and another at the gym. Then there are the reader emails and social media comments. The most rewarding are like those from Susan W. Cox of Statesboro who wrote on Facebook, "I was finally able to try your self-rising biscuit recipe today. I had no confidence in my ability to make ‘scratch’ biscuits, but… figured I had nothing to lose. They were wonderful! Some of the tastiest biscuits I've ever had! Thanks for sharing your recipe in your column." Or Bobbie Dickey, who often pops up on my Facebook posts, “Have enjoyed following you the past few years and sharing your success.”
Many of those first food columns later appeared in my debut memoir, “Some Kinda Good,” when I self-published my first book in 2019. Becoming the Statesboro Herald food columnist is where my culinary dreams began. It has provided credibility where I’ve needed it most and remains the longest professional title I’ve ever held. If you have tried one of my recipes, learned about a new ingredient or been entertained by my stories, it makes me so happy and I sure appreciate you. If there’s anything you’d like to see more of or hear more about, I hope you’ll send me an email to let me know.
May 30 marked my first day back to culinary school after being out of the classroom for six years. I’m also working on my next book, so over the coming days, there will be no shortage of good stories to tell. Lord willing, I’ll keep writing and you’ll keep reading. Here’s to the next 10 years of faith, family, food and culinary adventures. Good food and good company, that’s what it’s all about!
Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a private chef and the author of the best-selling memoir “Some Kinda Good.” Featured in Forbes, on Food Network and ABC, she writes about Southern, coastal cuisine, locally sourced and in season. Connect with her on social media by liking Some Kinda Good on Facebook, or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and Twitter. To learn more, visit RebekahLingenfelser.com.
