As the executive chef at Soby’s New South Cuisine in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, Jon Buck keeps regulars happy with elevated takes on Southern classics such as fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits. But when fall rolls around, you’ll find him in his own kitchen stirring a thick pot of ham bone vegetable soup that in turn stirs memories of his childhood.
“This is one of those dishes that my mother taught me how to make, and one of my father’s favorites, so I keep it very close to my heart and thoroughly enjoy preparing it every year,” he says. “Specifically, I remember coming home after football practice in the fall to the house filled with the sweet, rich aromas of the ham bone broth. My mother would always serve it with a big skillet of fresh-baked cornbread, and we’d sit around the kitchen table and enjoy what was always one of our absolute favorite meals.”
