Derek McCole

Derek McCole found his passion for preparing delicious food and the pleasure of sharing it with others at the age of fourteen while visiting the Black Hills of South Dakota with his family. They stopped at a small restaurant for lunch, only to find that all they served was bison, which didn't appeal to Derek. Finally persuaded to try some, he was surprised to find that he really liked it. For the rest of the vacation he only ordered bison. At the end of the trip, he announced he would open a...See more

Derek McCole found his passion for preparing delicious food and the pleasure of sharing it with others at the age of fourteen while visiting the Black Hills of South Dakota with his family. They stopped at a small restaurant for lunch, only to find that all they served was bison, which didn't appeal to Derek. Finally persuaded to try some, he was surprised to find that he really liked it. For the rest of the vacation he only ordered bison. At the end of the trip, he announced he would open a restaurant by the time he was in his twenties. After pestering his parents for several months, they decided he might just be serious. They helped him create a binder to organize his recipes, ideas and goals. By the time he was fifteen, he was the proud owner of Bison Bob's Chuckwagon catering business. Derek continues to collect and test recipes, and has served food at a variety of local festivals and events, and he is still working toward opening his own restaurant. Derek holds a degree in business administration from Colorado Mesa University. See less