Chefs Get to the Heart of Soul Food

Many of the people who grew up eating chitterlings, collards and cornbread don’t call it “soul food.” In fact, many of today’s soul food chefs didn’t know the food of their heritage had a title until recently. They just thought of it simply as food. Today, they’re cooking like their ancestors did, perhaps with a twist.

Growing up in Winston-Salem, N.C., Stephanie Tyson’s family didn’t have much money. Still, her...