By Diana Vallette
Hey SkinnyMan,” a man yells across the parking lot. Xennial Dee is getting recognized more and more these days for his Never Trust A Skinny Man food review videos. “I never thought those videos would be the ones that took off,” he says.
Dee started creating social media content after his mom died in 2023. He needed an outlet. On a whim, he walked into Roy’s Catfish in Kinder and filmed his experience. And 20,000 views later, a star was born.
“I stopped at a donut shop, and the owners got all excited. ‘You’re the guy who does food reviews,’ they said. I had only done one.”
Before the food reviews, there was different social media content, like the reality competition series he filmed at The Brickhouse. Dee flew people into Lake Charles from around the country to participate. The entire event cost him $12,000 to pull off, so you can understand how discouraging it was when it received only 900 views.
After that blow to the ego, he took three months off to regroup and refocus. He came back to social media spitting jokes about the different generations; that’s where the nickname Xennial came from. (His real name is Dennis.) That comedy channel has grown, and now you can find him playing different characters and using props.
“I’m a huge extrovert. Not shy at all. Growing up, I was the typical class clown who was constantly in trouble. I’m sure if any of my teachers are reading this they’re nodding along. I just wanted to make people laugh. Still do,” he says.
It’s why he does everything he does; he wants people to enjoy themselves.
“I attended culinary school at Harrah’s. I worked in the kitchen and learned pretty quickly I wasn’t getting paid enough for all the work I was doing.” He later transitioned to working on the casino floor as a poker dealer.
A man who went to culinary school producing food review videos? That tracks. But Dee says despite all of that he doesn’t consider himself a foodie. “I can sometimes make out the flavors I taste, but I’m a picky eater. I’m a true southern guy — meat, potatoes and bread. When I go to restaurants that serve food from other cultures, I’m usually trying the stuff for the very first time. I just had an empanada not too long ago. I was like ‘This ain’t no meat pie, but it’s good.’”
What’s his death row meal? “Oh man. That’s hard,” he says before taking a long pause. “I think it would be fried catfish from Roy’s, mashed potatoes with butter —no gravy, corn on the cob with butter, a Texas Roadhouse Caesar salad with extra dressing and croutons, and a slice of cheesecake.”
He’s learned along the way that the content his viewers like best are the ‘come along with me’ videos. So, he makes sure to film himself opening the restaurant door to give viewers the illusion that they’re trying out the joint alongside him. Dee likes to film the restaurant from his perspective before filming himself trying the food and sharing his take. And he’s a very forgiving food reviewer.
“I don’t ever want to ruin a local business,” he says. “If I go by a place and don’t like the food or the customer service, I just won’t share the video. I’m more about customer service. It’s the southern hospitality that’s important, ya know? If they’re giving great service, I’m willing to keep working with them.”
And he always makes it a point to go back and give the place a second or third shot if they get it wrong. “My taste buds are different than yours,” he says, shrugging. “I want people to know my opinion is just … my opinion. We all like different things. I can’t stand olives,” he says, gesturing to his wife. “And she’s Italian, so she loves them.”
Dee and his wife, Gina Noel, have been married for “16 happy, wonderful years,” and they have four children. The pair met in Shreveport after Dee was dis
His wife describes him as “a chameleon. I bet at his funeral you’ll be able to ask 20 different people who he was and they’ll have different answers and stories. But the main word I would use to describe him is ‘memorable.’ It doesn’t matter where he goes, he sticks in people’s minds.”
The pair recently polled Dee’s followers asking where they should celebrate their anniversary. Mazen’s was the clear winner, and the couple says it was an unforgettable dining experience. “They were so right. It was the best night,” he says.
The chef came out and introduced himself to the couple and then brought out plate after plate for them to sample. “I’m not a huge oyster fan, but I tried them there and they were excellent,” Dee says. “There wasn’t one thing we had that wasn’t excellent, actually. I ate so much I made myself sick. I had a hard time smiling for the video I was so full.”
He’s not the type of reviewer who concerns himself with the decor or vibe of the restaurant, saying, “That ain’t gonna change the way my sandwich tastes.” But, like any true Louisiana guy, he does have very strong feelings about roux. “My favorite place to get gumbo is Seafood Palace. I think theirs is the best in town. I like a dark roux. Very important.”
Dee typically picks his spots randomly — videos get made depending on his cravings. The next spot his stomach is taking him to? Buffi’s Peauxboys.
Everything he does, from the comedy content to the food reviews, goes back to service. He wants his viewers to feel a little happier, lighter even, and laugh a little. It may sound cliche’, but he really does just want to make this little corner of Louisiana better.
“At the end of the day, I want people to know the importance of community,” he says. “We can’t do any of this without each other. It seems like Southwest Louisiana goes through a hard time, like with a hurricane, and we get incredibly strong together. But then … we forget. If we can manage to stay united, help each other and work together, we could be really, really great.”
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