Meet Donovan Hollis | Pitmaster& Food trailer owner

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

Hi Donovan, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Turning barbeque into a business takes a lot of hard work. Its not just throwing meat on a grill and having fun. There are a lot of factors that go into a successful cook and sell. There are certain habits needed to keep our food delicious and consistent.

One of the habits that helped me the most is: to always take the time to do things the right way, If its done the right way every time then its always dependable and consistent.

The next habit that has helped me succeed is to always do maximum amount of preparation before hand. So when its time to execute, you can focus on the big things. This ultimately makes things go smoother and faster.

The last habit is to always have timeline. When making a timeline, always give yourself an extra time window. Something is always bound to slow you down. So planning on it will insure you’re never late.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We make real deal Texas barbeque. We slow smoke just about everything with our Texan pecan wood. I get all fired uo about our brisket. Its well seasoned, smokey, and so tender you don’t need teeth. The public ravesb the most about our smoked mac and cheese. Its packes with flavor and oh so cheesy. However what im most proud of is our handcrafted Jalapeno Cheddar sausage. We grind, season, case, and smoke them ourselves. With a whole lotta love. We made it this far because we work very hard, and take the time to do everything with care. We don’t have a 9-5 job. Its 24-7. Bbq business is always on my mind. Nothing in this process has been easy but its always been worth it. The longer and more painful events tend to pay off the most! The harder we plan and work, the further we get. The greatest lesson I’ve learned has been “if it is to be; it’s up to me.” If Hollis BBQ is known for anything I want it to be delicious food, consistency, and professionalism.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I had to plan the perfect visit for a homie. It’d start with breakfast at Sunview Cafe in Melissa Tx. Next we’d take a drive to White Rock park for a 10-20mi scenic ride around the lake. Afterwards we’d come back to Anna for lunch at Luchas tacos. Next would be movie in mckinney and dinner at The Yard.

The next day would be a drive to the Lake Ray Roberts wity the family. We can spend the day kayaking, fishing, biking, shooting, and camping.

Day 3 would be on the chill side. Lets say breakfast at Sugar Babes in Melissa Tx. From there a visit to the dallas aquarium or Fort Worth zoo. After that much walking We’d grab Jamaican lunch at Taste of the Island in Plano tx. Yal know i love to smoke so dinner would be smoked reverse seared thick cut porkchops with an maple bacon glaze, smoked sweet potatoes and charred Brussel spouts. After a meal like that, anyone would leave happy!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Semper Fi fund/ Americas fund (Mentorship program) They have helped me so much through this process. Their advice is always critical and their help is always heaven sent.

Angela Driver (My mother)
She is truly a saint. Without her help our growth would not be possible.

Jasmin Antu (My wife, social media manager, assistant chef, and many more job roles)
Thanks to all her hard work in her many roles things keep getting better and smoother. Without her none of this would be possible.

Website: Hollisbbq.com

Instagram: Hollistxbbq

Facebook: Hollistxbbq

Image Credits
Jasmin Antu Aj Blackwell