Today we’d like to introduce you to Dwight Cooley.
Dwight, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Our family business has evolved over the last 25-plus years from frying catfish for family reunions to frying for special events and festivals to a food truck, and recently, to opening a restaurant.
As Cooley’s Catfish Shack, our fried catfish was featured at annual events like Mayfest, Oktoberfest, Kenneth Copeland’s Motorcycle Rally, Bedford Blues Festival, Texas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Jazz-By-The-Boulevard, Main Street Arts Festival, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, and the World Catfish Festival in Belzoni, MS. From our small kitchen, in Southwest Fort Worth, we also provided catering for wedding receptions, family reunions, banquets, parties, and company picnics.
Since 2015, we’ve provided our great-tasting fried catfish from our food truck, the ’52 Chevy Kitchen. We serviced several local breweries like Rahr & Sons Brewing, Panther Island Brewery, Wild Acre Brewing as well as provide catering for several private and corporate functions and for area special events.
In August 2019, we opened Belzoni’s Catfish Café, a moderately priced, 30-seat, fast-casual restaurant offering home-style food and service. Fried Catfish is the featured menu item. Our catfish is golden fried using our own breading, which is a special blend of seasonings and spices that gives fried catfish that ‘down-home’ taste.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We faced all the normal challenges new restaurants face, finding a location that’s affordable, obtaining capital, and hiring. There are not a lot of vacant former restaurants. Those that do exist are mostly over-priced. Lending institutions that say they want to help with financing with “special programs” seem to look for more reasons to say “no” than “yes.” As for personnel, not a lot of people are looking to work in restaurants. We’ve relied on family members.
Belzoni’s Catfish Cafe’ – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Fried Catfish is our feature menu item and what we are known for. We start with catfish that is grain-fed and farm-raised in the Mississippi Delta. Then we fry our catfish until it’s golden brown and crispy using our own breading, which is a special blend of seasonings and spices that gives fried catfish that ‘down-home’ taste. We believe that there is not another product on the national market that is better! We also offer the option of having Catfish that is Lemon Pepper-Grilled and Catfish-On-A-Bun. Other menu options like Burgers and Chicken Tenders are available for those who don’t care for or who can’t eat Catfish. We have however, “converted” several “non-catfish eaters.” We feature HOME-STYLE sides like turnip greens and fried okra, with sweet potato pie for dessert. Our goal is to continue serving great-tasting catfish by expanding, either through franchising and/or opening a chain. We’re also planning to develop a full line of seasonings and frozen products, pre-packaged and ready to heat and serve.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Opening the restaurant representing Belzoni, Mississippi, our home, and the Catfish Capitol of the World, where raising and frying catfish is serious business!
Contact Info:
- Address: 110 N. Jim Wright Frwy., #C
White Settlement, TX 76108 - Website: belzoniscatfishcafe.com
- Phone: 8173860714
- Email: cooleycafe@gmail.com
- Instagram: belzoniscatfishcafe
- Facebook: Belzoni’s Catfish Cafe
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