Cowboy Spotlight: Kent Rollins

Who is Kent Rollins?

Kent Rollins is a cowboy, a cook, a storyteller, and a humorist. Just don’t call him a chef, because “you can’t get full-on fancy”. Kent has been cooking for nearly 40 years and is best known for preserving a historic way of life. Kent started his career with his uncle, guiding and feeding cowboys and outdoorsmen in the wilderness of New Mexico. He soon bought a chuck wagon to begin cooking for ranches before expanding into cowboy catering.

As the rest of the world developed technology and products to make cooking easier, Kent stayed true to the cowboy way of life and still cooks on an antique Studebaker chuck wagon that was manufactured in 1876. Though Kent still lives and cooks much like a cowboy, his popularity in the modern world has only increased. Kent has been on shows like Throwdown! With Bobby Flay, where Kent took home victory over Bobby with his chicken fried steak. Kent also shares recipes, cooking tips, and stories about the cowboy way of life on both YouTube and Instagram.

What does Kent Rollins cook on?

Kent Rollins cooks on a refurbished 1876 Studebaker chuck wagon, which was manufactured before the company even made cars. Kent also uses a 385 lb. cast iron wood stove he affectionately dubbed “Bertha”. It won’t come as much of a surprise either that Kent is a fan of cast iron skillets and dutch ovens.

Where does Kent Rollins live?

Kent Rollins lives in Oklahoma with his wife, Shannon. Together they operate the Red River Chuck Wagon Cooking School, where twice a year students can try their hand at living like a cowboy by sleeping in teepees and cooking grilled steaks and chops, or whatever else Kent cooks for real cowboys from his chuck wagon.

Kent and Shannon also spend their time traveling the country, sharing their distinct way of life wherever they end up. You’ll often find Kent telling tales of his travels at western heritage festivals -- and his talent for storytelling even earned him the Best Cowboy Humorist and Storyteller of the Year award by the Academy of Western Artists. Kent has a unique ability to transport people to another time through his food and storytelling, helping to keep the cowboy legacy alive.

What cowboy boots does Kent Rollins wear?

Kent’s favorite cowboy boots to wear are our Sport Outrider Western Boots, which have a 4LR™ footbed and Duratread outsole for lightweight comfort and stability. When it’s time to get out of the boots and put his feet up, you’ll often see Kent wearing our Spitfire shoes. They’re lightweight and provide lots of cushioning thanks to the EVA midsole and padded insole.

See some of Kent’s other favorite Ariat gear here.