INDIANAPOLIS — Soul food, a cuisine deeply intertwined with African American history, is celebrated for its rich flavors and meaningful connections to personal and collective heritage. Signature dishes such as okra, cornbread, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, candied yams, fried chicken, and barbecue ribs weave a narrative of resilience and togetherness.
Chef James Jones, the owner of His Place Eatery, seeks to recreate the warmth of home in his kitchen.
“The feeling I tell people is it's like going to grandma's house, where you walk in and you just feel welcome,” he said.
At His Place Eatery, which has locations on Indianapolis' east and north sides, Chef Jones honors traditional soul food while embracing innovation.
“Collard greens are traditional soul food; you gotta try collard greens,” he said, emphasizing the necessity of macaroni and cheese in the spread. "Deep fried chicken. Traditional fried fish."
He has also introduced modern twists to classic recipes, including a smoked meatloaf and a brisket grilled cheese sandwich, among other dishes.
Dr. Charlene Fletcher, a Butler University history professor, reinforces the importance of soul food in African American culture, stating, “Soul food is a central part of African American history and culture.”
The origins of this cuisine are rooted in survival.
"It was commonplace during the Antebellum period, before the Civil War, during slavery where enslaved Africans had very little. They got the scraps and they made do with what they had. They made a way out of no way," Dr. Fletcher said.
Often, slaves received the least desirable parts of livestock and vegetation.
Chef Jones elaborated, “Our people had to figure out how to make them edible, and through that process, some of these things became stars on everyone's table.”
This culinary tradition serves as a bridge across generations.
"Soul food is central to family; it's central to fellowship; it's central to community," Dr. Fletcher said.
According to the professor, “Soul food is what brings generations together. It's the knowledge that's transmitted when we learn how to prepare soul food. Generations passing down those recipes and not just the recipes, but the knowledge and the stories that come along with it."
Those recipes, with select spices and preparation techniques, endured and evolved, as soul food became a conduit for connection.
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Chef Jones treasures the nostalgia tied to family meals.
“Might not be that exact recipe that I grew up with, but what we've created is something that reminds us of what it was that we had,” he explained.
Dr. Fletcher also emphasizes that during the slave trade, many African spices and food staples were brought to America in a bid to sustain enslaved individuals on their arduous journeys.
Crops like okra were cultivated on plantations, further embedding them into the landscape of soul food.
In celebrating and evolving soul food, figures like Chef Jones and Dr. Fletcher help cultivate a deeper appreciation for this rich culinary heritage, ensuring its legacy as a source of both comfort and connection for future generations.
"That's what I remember about food growing up, just being in the kitchen with the grandparents, everybody coming in and out, grabbing a plate and just having family around," Chef Jones said.
