Hey! We’re Marrekus and Krysten, the husband and wife team behind Cooks with Soul. Here you’ll find hundreds of Southern recipes, many of which have been passed down through multiple generations. From soul food to barbecue to Creole and Cajun cuisine, each of these recipes tell a story and represent a piece of who we are and where we came from.

Marrekus is a Tennessee native and Air Force retiree who loves to cook soul food, comfort food, and barbecue recipes. Growing up, he spent his summers in rural Mississippi on his granddad’s land, so he’s all about those classic Southern soul food dishes like collard greens, butter beans, ribs, fried fish, and BBQ spaghetti.

Krysten is the photographer and food writer behind the blog. Although she’s a city girl who grew up on the west coast, she loves soul food (thanks to her grandma and mom’s cooking, and her dad, who is a chef). Some of her favorite recipes that you’ll find on the blog include peach cobbler, caramel cake, Louisiana red beans and rice and Gouda macaroni and cheese.