He soon found that he was quite gifted with his culinary skills and decided to open a restaurant with his wife Jennifer Habel and two business partners. The Crocodile Lounge opened October 1997 and was one of Salt Lake's first Cajun restaurants serving the hottest and tastiest ribs in town. Looking to expand his culinary skills John and Jen moved to Heber and began working for some of the best restaurants in Park City. With some 10 years of experience and some lessons learned John and Jen purchased a home in Ogden. Ogden provided an easy commute with some of his favorite farms only short distance away.

John and Jen started Big John's Cajun BBQ and took to the open road to festivals across the Western United States. Having huge success they decided it was time to open another restaurant. Soul & Bones opened its doors in May 2009 on 24th Street in Ogden.

Soul & Bones was truly a labor of love. The two of them working 6 days a week proved it. Soul & Bones snatched up two of Salt Lake City Weekly's "Best Of" awards two years in a row. Years of experience and big dreams started to pay off for the both of them. In the spring of 2011 they found themselves looking for a bigger and better location to expand the seating and kitchen area. With the lease up they closed the doors and began the search for a new location.

Unfortunately Jennifer had been suffering from a misdiagnosed heart condition and unexpectedly died from Heart Failure on June 24, 2011. Soul & Bones is John and Jen's dream that they have built together. With the loss of his wonderful wife, John continues on and is working hard to make Soul & Bones even better to keep their Dream alive.

Soul & Bones is their legacy that they built and will continue to share with all of us.