A storied downtown Greenville restaurant has a new leader in the kitchen.
Soby’s New South Cuisine, 207 S. Main St., has ushered in a new culinary era by welcoming Jon Buck as its executive chef. A seasoned chef with deep Southern roots and a talent for building relationships with local farmers, Buck is energized by the endless possibilities available in a city rapidly expanding its foodie reputation.
Growing up on Hilton Head Island, Buck learned to cook alongside his family at an early age. After studying at East Tennessee University, Buck attended the Culinary Institute of America graduating in 2007. Buck honed his skills at Bouchon in Napa Valley, then worked as a sous chef at the New Sheridan Chop House in Telluride, Colo.
When Buck later returned to South Carolina, he connected with Charleston’s acclaimed restaurant Husk and Chef Sean Brock. There he deepened his knowledge of Southern foodways. That experience eventually led him to the Upstate, where he opened Husk Greenville eight years ago. In 2025, Table 301 Hospitality welcomed Chef Buck to Soby’s where he’s been excited to contribute to Greenville’s booming restaurant scene.
“In the past eight years things have changed drastically — downtown has doubled — Camperdown wasn’t there and the number of restaurants has quadrupled,” he said.
Buck’s culinary influences trace back to his youth. He learned pizza-making at his mother’s side and credits his grandmothers for inspiring his appreciation of French techniques.
“They were from Augusta and Sumter and lots of their cooking was seated in French cuisine. They each tended their own little gardens and kept everything bacon grease related. I was pushing this a decade ago, so I’m super excited about the resurgence of beef tallow,” he said.
Today he works with Providence Farms in Anderson, which renders the beef tallow and also PF Meat Co. Butchery & Market in Pendleton.
“I’ve always been a fan of using animal fats, vs. seed oils,” he said, adding that the fresh produce in Greenville is also outstanding.
Attracting and retaining talent
Like many chefs, Buck is keenly aware of the industry-wide staffing challenges. He believes that affordable housing is key for emerging markets like Greenville, drawing comparisons to Charleston in the 1990s and Asheville in the 2000s. “It’s practically impossible to work at a restaurant and live at either of those places today,” he said.
Buck said that retaining talent requires more than just observation and instruction.
“I work side-by-side with the team to teach, coach and inspire,” he said, adding that his style blends the soul food of his youth and classical French training.
Since opening in 1997, Soby’s has been a cornerstone of Greenville’s dining scene and Buck has no plans for sweeping changes. “Soby’s is a large format restaurant which is doing really well, so I’ll be making slow, methodical and deliberate changes,” he said. A seasonal purist, he recently rolled out a fall menu built around hyperlocal ingredients.
Buck’s decisions are also driven by costs.
“Prices are highly volatile and I don’t see much stabilization across the market. Five years ago, that wasn’t the case. Local markets aren’t as affected as the large markets, so that’s in our favor,” he said.
Soby’s classics, however, are here to stay and include customer favorites like shrimp and grits, braised short rib and crab cake Maque choux. “Those are the comfort dishes and will always remain on the menu,” he said.
Buck said that he’s excited to have set down roots in Greenville, buying a home with his wife and building memories.
“I’m so proud to be in such a wonderful community at such a dynamic time. At this point in my career, it’s teaching and sharing that motivates me — telling stories of food memories with our staff at Soby’s and creating new ones. I am very excited to be a part of this community in this chapter of my life,” he said.
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Dining and Cooking