I agree with both Claire's. Great soup is so easy to make. But don't scoff at recipes. Sometimes, just every once in a while, you make something that comes out amazing. And with a recipe, you can recreate that amaizing soup, or whatever it is that you made, and share it with others. REstaurants use recipes because it allows them to make the same dish, exactly the same way, and with the same results. It also allows them to hire new employes and know that the product will be the same.
I have a whole list of recipes in my "Soup, Stew, & Chowders" cookbook that allows me to teach others the basics of building a great soup. The recipes also allowed me to try different ideas, and record the recipes that worked, and discard the ones that didn't.
Just as with any work, to be able to record what you've accomplished is an important part of cooking. Can I make chili, or New England boiled Dinner without a recipe? You betcha. But if I want the prize winning white chili from a couple years back, then I'd better follow the recipe I developed to make it. Otherwise, it will taste a bit different every time I make it.
Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North