Meet Christopher (Chris) Hall of Southern Boy Soups & Such in Scottsdale / East Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher (Chris) Hall.

Christopher, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My first “real job” when I was 15 years old was working at a Chick-fil-a…..that was pretty much the beginning of my culinary career. After working for a few years in the restaurant industry while attending college in Alabama, I decided to go to culinary school.

I moved to Scottsdale in 2002 to attend Scottsdale Culinary Institute, briefly moving to Key West Florida to complete my education, and returning to Scottsdale in 2004. For the next several years, I would work in country club, restaurant, & resort kitchens around the east valley holding a variety of positions from line cook to executive chef. I started Southern Boy Soups & Such in late 2011, and have been on a “Small Business Evolutionary Roller-coaster” ever since.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Small business is tough. There are a lot of important decisions to be made to determine which direction you want to take your business. You have to grow your business and brand, that does not happen overnight.

I focus my primary sales and marketing through farmers markets, and some markets are great, some are not so good. In the early stages of business I would do farmers markets anywhere I could, which helped me develop my sales demographic. I would also take on several clients looking for personal/private chef services, catering, meal deliveries, etc., to help supplement income while the business was growing.

There are always hurtles of some sort. I have hit several “setbacks” through the years…..physical, financial, family growth. My third year in business I tried vending at a two-day reggie music festival that was completely blown away by a late October micro-burst/monsoon (full-size concert stage totally blown down, festival grounds totally destroyed, festival never happened)…..huge financial setback for my business. For a long time, I was a “one man show”, when your back goes out and you can hardly walk, a “one-man show” comes to a grinding halt. I am very grateful for the help that I now have.

The biggest obstacle for me is summer time. The food & beverage industry has extreme seasonal ups & downs. It is very much a “feast or famine” situation. The snowbirds come and go, farmers markets close down, and people tend not to eat as much when it’s hot out…..especially soups.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Southern Boy Soups & Such – what should we know?
So I’m primarily focused on and specialize in organic small batch, from scratch homemade soups, stocks, & bone broths. I produce new soups weekly so the options change regularly. But the “Such” part of Southern Boy Soups & Such leaves me open to have extra fun. I have a huge following on my homemade buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy, huge following. I make jokes that I could show up without soup and people would find that strange….show up without the biscuits and gravy, and I have an upset mob scene on my hands. I also make pimento cheese, southern style basil pesto, composed salads (grains, legumes, veggies…..not lettuce), and occasionally organic pate; we always have organic vegan options available as well.

Its the quality and integrity behind my products that I am most proud of and I believe sets my company apart. I strive to keep my products as organic, clean, and local as I can. I source Arizona raised grass-fed beef and lamb from JH Grass Fed, local organic produce from local organic farms such as Blue Sky and McClendon’s Select, and use only organic chickens. I believe that food is medicine, and strong consideration should be taken when thinking about what kind of fuel you are putting into your body. As a chef, business owner, and father, I think it is partly my responsibility to provide the healthiest, cleanest, highest quality food that I can.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I am fortunate that I am the face of my business and get to mingle with my customers on a one-on-one basis so they get to know me. I have always offered samples to my customers so the quality of the product is right there on display. They get to see that I really do care about the product and the customer. The farmers and ranchers that I utilize are usually at the same farmers market that I work….the integrity is easily cross-referenced. Of course growing up in Alabama has helped, it’s hard to resist southern charm.

Pricing:

• Soups, Stocks, Broths in 16oz & 32oz portions – prices vary – $7-$20
• Biscuit & Sausage Gravy – $6

Contact Info:

• Phone: 2053101368
• Email: chall344@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/soupergravy

Image Credit:
Chris Hall

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