Shannon Rollins, outdoor chef, bestselling cookbook co-author, and digital creator, who co-leads one of today’s most successful Western cooking brands alongside her husband, Cowboy Kent Rollins.

Formerly a self-proclaimed “horrible cook,” Shannon never imagined she’d spend her life traveling from ranch to ranch to feed cowboys on the range. Working as an event planner, everything changed when she met her husband, Kent, and she was soon immersed in the world of live fire cooking, discovering her calling on the trail. Today, she’s the creative engine behind a Western lifestyle empire reaching nearly 7 million fans across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, co-authoring three bestselling cookbooks, and starring alongside Kent in the recently premiered Outdoor Channel series “Cast Iron Cowboy” (airing Monday nights at 9:30pm ET).

Shannon’s story is a rare blend of grit, adaptability, and digital fluency in a traditionally male-dominated space. She offers a grounded and insightful perspective on entrepreneurship, culture, and resilience, and resonates with women forging their own path.

Krysta: You’ve said you were once a “horrible cook,” and yet here you are, co-leading one of the most recognizable Western cooking brands in the country. What was the turning point where cooking shifted from intimidation to inspiration for you?

Shannon: It’s kind of a funny story, because learning to cook on the chuck wagon was really just out of necessity. Not that Kent couldn’t handle it, he’d been cooking by himself for years, but when you have an extra hand, it’s nice. And I wasn’t just going to sit there and do nothing.

So, all my training happened on the wagon, live fire, figure-it-out style. That’s Kent’s best teaching method. His philosophy is, “You’ll just figure it out.” And honestly, that’s probably the best way to learn Dutch oven cooking because there are so many variables. You just have to adapt. It took me a while to get comfortable because I didn’t have a background in cooking. I needed a recipe and a step-by-step for everything. Eventually, I learned to trust my intuition, experiment with seasoning, stop measuring everything so precisely, and just enjoy it.

Now, I still tend to do most of the baking on the wagon, and that’s a little more scientific, but I actually like cooking outdoors more than indoors. One, because I’m a messy cook, and it doesn’t matter if things spill all over when you’re outside. And two, I like the unpredictability; every day is different. The wind changes, the humidity shifts, and even the same cake recipe bakes differently every time. It keeps you engaged. Cooking and baking aren’t necessarily my passion; I enjoy it on the wagon because it’s intense and interactive, but my side of the business is really in the back end: content creation, marketing, and social media. That’s where I shine. But on the wagon, we definitely share the cooking duties.

Krysta: With all of that life experience, how has your approach to storytelling evolved as you’ve become more visible in the online space?

Shannon: It’s such a unique audience and lifestyle because, honestly, we’re living what people see in movies. We’re not all sitting around the campfire strumming guitars, but we’re definitely off the beaten path. The cowboys tell stories of horse wrecks and wild days, it’s real life out here.

I’m typically the only woman around, and while I stay more in the background, I still get to experience all of it. My challenge is communicating that authenticity through our content, sharing the cowboy lifestyle through food, history, and story.

When we film something simple like a steak recipe, I try to show not just how we’re cooking, but why; the history behind it, what it looks like out at the wagon, and what it means to our way of life. Lately, I’ve started scripting our videos differently. I noticed viewers were leaning into the learning aspect, the historical traditions. So now we’re weaving more of that into the videos: historical voiceovers, throwbacks, and storytelling elements. It’s been fun to expand that side and share a bigger experience.

Krysta: What do you think draws people to that? Why do you think this type of content resonates so deeply?

Shannon: I can guarantee you that probably 80% of our audience has never, and will never, make a recipe we share. But that’s not the point. They just want to escape. They want to slow down from their busy lives and spend time with us out on the wagon.

Our videos have a mellow pace and an upbeat, positive message. It’s so much more than cooking; it’s about simplifying life, taking a breath, and feeling grounded again. We just want to transport people to our camp and remind them that life doesn’t have to be complicated.

Krysta: So you and Kent have built a true partnership and life business and storytelling. How do you balance the business side of it and the personal side of it? What does that dynamic look like for you guys?

Shannon: It can definitely be tricky. I’ve learned that not every couple is meant to work together 24/7, and that’s okay! Kent and I are together 365 days a year, almost every hour of the day, and we haven’t killed each other yet, so that’s saying something.

We take on different roles, which helps. Kent keeps the marriage together; I keep the business together. He’s the face of the brand, the on-camera personality, and the cook. I handle logistics, marketing, and behind-the-scenes work.

We balance each other out. I’m Type A, organized and high-energy, while Kent’s laid back and “go with the flow.” That combination works for us. If we were too similar, it wouldn’t. The key is appreciating what each person brings to the table and keeping the bigger goal in mind.

Krysta: Kent grew up in a time before social media. What was that transition like for him, going from traditional cowboy to full-on content creator?

Shannon: Oh, it was a process. For Kent, the old model was simple: if the phone rings, you take the job. I had to help him shift that mindset to “work smarter, not harder.”

I’d say, “Do we drive 500 miles for a small catering job, or do we stay home, make a video, and reach 100,000 people?” That was hard for him to grasp at first.

When we started, social media was still the Wild West. You’d just throw things out and see what stuck. It took a few years before we found our rhythm and saw where this could really go. Once it clicked, he was all in, but it definitely took time.

Krysta: Shifting over to the food side, food connects people, and we know that just from history, from stories, it’s something that people have always connected over. How do you see cowboy cooking as a form of storytelling, and not just about the food, but the heritage, the values, the culture, all of it?

Shannon: Cowboy cooking and storytelling go hand in hand. This tradition dates back to the mid-1800s, and we’ve made it our mission to keep that history alive. We saw a huge spike in viewership during COVID when people wanted to learn again, not just be entertained. They were turning away from overly produced food TV and toward something real, something grounded. Our channel connects food with heritage, live fire cooking, Dutch ovens, and cooking off the grid. There’s something ancient and human about fire. Even if people never cook like that themselves, they’re drawn to the experience of watching it.

Krysta: What parallels do you see between chuck wagon cooking and live fire cooking, and building a business from the ground up?

Shannon: Oh, they’re exactly the same. You can have a plan, but you’d better have backup plans all the way through Z.

We’ve cooked through tornadoes, hurricanes, and forgotten groceries. You just adapt. Same with business. Especially in social media, nobody knows what the next trend will be. The key is to stay flexible, keep listening to your audience, and persevere. That’s what keeps you moving forward.

Krysta: One theme that has been coming up is the resurgence that we’re seeing back to simpler living. People are curious about cowboys and the western lifestyle. What responsibility do you feel in shaping how that culture is represented to your followers and viewers?

Shannon: The number one thing is authenticity. We’ve seen a lot of people jump on Western trends just to capitalize on them, and it never lasts. The cowboy culture deserves respect; it’s something to be preserved, not performed. When Kent worked with food TV, we’d get a lot of offers that turned the cowboy thing into something hokey. He always said, “They want reality, but not real.” We turned down a lot because of that.

In the long run, being authentic always wins. Whether it’s your brand, your business, or your lifestyle, if you’re true to yourself, your content and your community will reflect that.

Krysta: You mentioned earlier that you had to find your place in a male-dominated industry. What advice would you give to other women, or anyone, wanting to find their place in the Western lifestyle?

Shannon: You have to put yourself out there, even when it’s uncomfortable. That’s where growth happens.

And make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Don’t chase something because you think you should, follow what genuinely lights you up. You’ll figure it out along the way.

You’re going to fail, you’re going to feel unsure, but that’s part of it. Nobody starts out an expert. It takes a lot of “wet saddle blankets” to get where you’re going. So don’t give up, stay uncomfortable, keep pushing, and you’ll find your stride.

Make sure to follow Shannon and Kent on social media at Cowboy Kent Rollins or Kent Rollins on all social media or at KentRollins.com. 

From the Rollins’ Chuck Wagon: Creamy White Chicken Chili 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

Ingredients

2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts smoked and shredded, or chopped

Kent’s Mesquite Seasoning or seasoning of your choice

1 tablespoon avocado oil 

2 white onions diced

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 32 ounce carton chicken broth 

2 – 3, 4 ounce cans Hatch green chilis diced

3, 15.5 ounce cans Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed (divided)

3 teaspoons cumin 

3 teaspoons whole oregano 

2 tablespoons Kent’s Chili Seasoning or chili seasoning of your choice

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

8 ounces cream cheese softened

Instructions

Generously season the chicken breasts with the Mesquite seasoning or seasoning of your choice.

Clean and preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place chicken over the indirect side of the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. Move the chicken over the direct heat and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Remove and set aside to cool. Shred or chop when cool enough to handle.

Place a large Dutch oven or stew pot over medium heat. Add the avocado oil and onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and lemon juice.

Stir in the chicken, chicken broth, green chilis, 2 cans of beans, cumin, oregano, chili powder, red pepper flakes and cream cheese.

Stir frequently until the cream cheese has melted. For extra creaminess, add ½ to 1 cup of heavy cream.

Take the remaining can of beans and run them through the blender or mash with a potato masher until smooth.

Stir the mashed beans into the chili. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

Notes: Kent’s Chili and Mesquite Seasonings is available at KentRollins.com