We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawn Irby and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawn, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Well, I’m originally from a small town in southern Louisiana called Houma. It’s a small town near the Gulf of Mexico. We are known for seafood and getting all the fresh seafood straight from the water. I was raised by my Grandmother. She’s a home cook and taught me a lot about flavors and how to cook certain southern dishes. She really instilled in my the love of food at an early age.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The get this far is definitely not easy. I have learned in life the best things in life aren’t easy. It’s definitely a grind! The hardest part for me was definitely not growing at a rate that I wanted. I was putting in the work going try all theses food places and I wasn’t growing my followers and wasn’t getting many likes was a struggle for me mentally. A friend once told me all it takes is the right person to notice or the right post to go viral so just be patient. It made perfect sense and help me look at thing’s differently. Well. I want everybody to know that my brand is unique and that I’m always open for collaborations and partnerships. Also, to never give up on your dreams.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Sheesh! There are so many places in the area I would take them too. Well first thing if they never been to babes chicken we going one of the days for sure. We will definitely be going to Tap-in in Fort Worth and the shot cellar in downtown Fort Worth for drinks for sure. This is just in Fort Worth there are so many more places in Dallas I’m glad we have a week. So much to eat and do

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Well, since I started this journey there were a lot of people along the way that has helped me navigate the journey. I have gotten a lot of help from other foodies in my area. A lot of them have more experience and have been doing it longer than I have so they have really helped me get started. Most importantly though I wanna think my family. They have been so supportive as I go through this journey. They have always motivated me to keep going when I wanted to give up. Especially my wife she has been my biggest supporter and support system. Without her I probably would have been quit

Instagram: Dfwfoodeater

Facebook: Dfwfoodcritic2010

Other: TikTok: dfwfoodeater1

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.