“Some might love it and some might not love it. It just depends on what their palate is adapted for. “

-Dino Philyaw

Dino Philyaw is an Oregon Alum and former running back for the University of Oregon, Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans Saints. In 2008 he opened his catering company, Philyaw’s Cookout & Catering.

Hannah Giardina: How did you start your catering company?

Dino Philyaw: I started it after I got done playing ball. I would go tailgate with friends…at the football games and I was always cooking, doing the food. [It] just got to the point where friends would be [asking] “Hey could you do [cook] this?”

[Soon] my wife got sick of me bringing all these extra dishes home. She wasn’t getting any of the food and just dishes. [She] just said, “Why don’t we start cooking meat a la carte?” And then it got to people asking, “well could you do some sauce and sides?” So it, Philyaw’s Cookout & Catering, just kind of build from people asking.

HG: What is your favorite thing about being a catering company owner?

DP: Just making people happy [and] trying to give them the best product we can give them. [Also,] just trying to give them a piece of my history, which is [from] North Carolina. Meetin’ people and finding out where they’re from is probably the most enjoyable.

HG: What is your favorite menu item and what is the most popular item?

DP: Everything we put on the menu is my favorite. We wouldn’t put it on the menu if it wasn’t our favorite.

It [most popular item] depends. Sometimes it’s pork, sometimes it’s beef, sometimes it’s ribs. They all go in streaks depending on the crowd. [Usually] once someone sees something, the next person wants it and then there’s just this flurry of a specific item trending.

HG: What is something that has surprised you most about working in a food truck/catering?

DP: It’s all hard work, [you can’t just] show up. That’s probably the biggest thing that most people have a misconception of. You gotta please people, make people happy and it takes a lot of work. Everybody is different and you have different personalities. Some might love it and some might not love it, it just depends on what their palate is adapted for.

Look for the mouth watering barbeque from Philyaw’s Cookout & Catering at the Eugene Celebration, Lane County Fair, Willamette Country Music Festival and the ASUO Street Fair on the University of Oregon campus.

Author: Hannah Giardina