C.J. Hamm has two things to thank his grandma for: becoming a cook and taking on the burden that is being a Mets fan.
When he was growing up, it was routine for his grandma to cook for everyone in the house. Standing on a little wooden step stool his grandpa built, Hamm would watch her make homecooked meals for everyone to enjoy.
Not only did his grandma know her way around the kitchen, but his mom was a chef and his dad was a great cook too. It was only a matter of time before Hamm followed in their footsteps.
At 15, he got his first job as a host at the now-closed Cottonwood Café, working his way up the ranks. He was instantly drawn to the knives, fire and tattoos seen in the kitchen, so he began spending more time in the back of the house.
Hamm has continued to stay close to the knives, fire and tattoos, later becoming the executive chef at two beloved restaurants in town. Now, he’s ready to add one more spot to his long list of accomplishments.
At the end of September, Hamm will open Hammbone’s Meat and Three, located at 2027 S. Craycroft Road, where he will specialize in Southern comfort food, with dishes big enough to serve a whole family.
“I spent some time in Nashville and everyone kept saying, you gotta try meat and threes,” Hamm said of the concept where you choose one meat and three side dishes. “I loved it because it's their family recipes, and it's amazing the amount of combinations you put together. I just fell in love with the concept.”
Smothered pork chops and country ham
Back at the Cottonwood Café, 15-year-old Hamm spent all his time working, taking all the shifts he could get. He even remembers being yelled at for getting overtime.
One day another coworker didn’t show up and Hamm took their spot on the line, getting his first opportunity to show off his cooking skills.
Over the years, Hamm continued to cook at restaurants all over town, eventually buying his own place Mulligans, along with Dave Musso. The duo was also responsible for running the esteemed Saguaro Corners. Musso still runs both; Hamm is focusing on Hammbone's.
After his trip to Nashville, Hamm was inspired to bring a meat and three concept to Tucson. He figured, if people wanted to buy a cost-effective meal big enough for the family, they’d have to resort to ordering pizza or grabbing a bucket of fried chicken.
“I thought that we really could use something like (a meat and three concept) here,” Hamm said. “So I had in the back of my mind that was something I wanted to do.”
When the landlord of the Craycroft spot called Hamm asking if he was interested in the space, he knew his meat and three concept would fit perfectly in the building.
It was like fate.
Hamm got the keys on July 1 and started working hard on giving the space a quirky makeover. Pig napkin holders sit at the center of every table. Framed pictures of butter, the Kool-Aid Man and cows taking acid hang on the walls, giving the place a funny, unique vibe.
Even their T-shirts have their own funky aesthetic, each complete with a hip-hop saying on the back like, “What she order, fish filet?”
“We wanted to give our place some character that's unique. I think we accomplished it,” Hamm said.
When it comes to ordering at Hammbone’s, all you have to do is follow four easy steps. To begin, you get to choose your entrée. Baked half chicken, country ham, pot roast, smothered pork chops and lemon sole are all on the menu.
“We're thinking the smothered pork chops is going to be our signature,” Hamm said. “We kind of got the whole swine theme going on, but also we just make a really good smothered pork chop. We buy really good quality pork chops; it's not going to be those nasty little things you see that are all thin and gross. We do a really flavorful, light white mushroom onion gravy that comes on top too.”
Next you get to pick your sides. Of course, Hamm chose all the Southern comfort classics like mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, porky collards, cheesy grits, black eyed peas and squash casserole.
To add even more flavor to your meal, you then get to choose whether you want to add some country pepper gravy or brown gravy to the meat and sides. Finally, no meal is finished without bread. You can pick from cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, dinner rolls and Texas cut white bread.
If you save enough room for dessert, you can try one of Hamm’s fiancée’s famous cookies, with new flavors every week!
The great thing about Hammbone’s: the restaurant changes things up every week. Each day of the week will have its own specials. For example, Mom Mondays will feature meat loaf and turkey with new sides like green beans and sweet potatoes.
Tuesdays will highlight Hamm's grandma’s chicken and dumplings, which is his favorite dish on the menu.
Things get creative on Travel Thursdays, which highlight international food favorites and some classic dishes from other parts of the United States.
“Jamaican jerk chicken or maybe gumbo from New Orleans,” Hamm said. “One of our guys is Puerto Rican so he makes really good Puerto Rican food and then, you know, me being Sicilian, we can do a Bolognese and things like that.”
While their service is aimed to be fast, they do not take any shortcuts when it comes to ingredients. Hamm said are cooking with high-quality ingredients to ensure the best flavors possible.
“I got real chefs in here,” Hamm said. “Even though it's kind of got a fast-food vibe to it, it's really chef-driven.”
Just like his grandma did years before, Hamm is ready to start cooking for families, giving them the chance to eat comforting, homecooked meals instead of cold pizza in a box.
“I'm always most excited for when I see people take that first bite, but really, what I'm really excited for is seeing families coming here once a week,” Hamm said. “You know, start seeing the little seven- and eight-year-olds try collard greens for the first time.”
