Kent was born and raised along the banks of the Red River near Hollis, Oklahoma. Growing up, and throughout his adulthood, Kent helped his father manage cow/calf operations in the area while also taking care of their own herd.
At the beginning of Kent's cooking career, he spent time with his uncle guiding and feeding hunters deep in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico. From there he bought a chuck wagon in 1993 and began cooking for ranches and soon expanded into catering. Because of Kent's growing popularity and his preservation of a historic way of life, the governor of Oklahoma proclaimed Kent the Official Chuck Wagon of Oklahoma in 1996.
Kent has since made numerous television appearances including the Food Network's highly rated shows, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, where he beat Flay with his chicken fried steak, Chopped Grill Masters, Chopped Redemption and Cutthroat Kitchen champion He also holds an undefeated record on NBC’s Food Fighters and was featured on CBS Sunday Morning.
Along with slinging hash, Kent has also become pretty good at slinging bull. Kent travels the country to western heritage festivals to tell his tales. Kent's talent has earned him the Best Cowboy Humorist and Storyteller of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists.
Kent's ability to not only cook but to transport folks to another time through vivid stories of cow camps and the cowboy life is yet another way that he is a truly unique character.
Kent and his wife, Shannon, continue to travel the country feeding hungry folks and those intrigued by their distinct and historic way of life. However, more importantly, Kent carries on the legacy of cooking for cowboys on ranches during spring and fall gatherings, a rare tradition few follow.
Kent and Shannon released their first cookbook, A Taste of Cowboy, in April 2015. It became the #2 best-selling book on Amazon and is listed in the "Top 100 Cookbooks To Own in a Lifetime."
