We Dat's and All That

We Dat’s and All That By Poppy Tooker

If you scratch Greg Tillery of We Dat’s, he bleeds black and gold. The self-described “Seventh Ward hardhead” hails from the corner of St. Bernard and Broad streets where, in a shotgun house near there, his mom struggled to raise four kids on her own, often working three jobs to make ends meet. A lifelong sports fan, Tillery played high school football and basketball, learning the importance of being a team player — a philosophy that continues to serve him well today.

After graduating from Tuskegee University, a corporate job with Frito-Lay landed him in Selma, Alabama. “Salty snacks have always been my thing. In high school, I had a vending business selling snacks out of my backpack in the locker room,” he laughed.

The food truck phenomenon was just taking off in Alabama, and Tillery thought, “This is something I could do.” Returning to New Orleans, Tillery’s We Dat’s food truck hit the streets in 2013. “I knew nothing about running a food truck or a business,” he reflected. “I experienced every trial and tribulation on that truck,” which undoubtedly is part of We Dat’s success today. The business’s name alone was a bit of divine inspiration. “We Dat’s represents everything I believe in. It’s ALL of us,” Tillery emphasized. “I love this place and the people in it with everything in me. The talent, the creativity…New Orleans is filled with greatness.”

His choice in a business name solidified as Tillery left a Pelicans winning playoff game. “The crowd was shouting ‘Who Dat,’ and answering, ‘WE DAT,’” he marveled. “The Lord blessed me with We Dat’s. He could have put this idea in anyone’s head, but he gave it to me. That’s why I believe in paying it forward and taking care of my city.” When anyone from the community asks for Tillery’s help, he’s always there. “If people call and need us, we’re going to help out,” he stated.

Tillery’s love for the Saints has been reciprocated through a partnership with Centerplate Catering, which invited him to pull the We Dat’s food truck right up on the Superdome ramp during past games. They also served the players themselves: Cam Jordan invited Tillery to feed the Saints defensive line right from the truck. And when Demario and Tamala Davis host their annual fundraiser, “Dinner with the Davises,” Tillery is always there to help.

The food truck’s success has led to five brickand-mortar We Dat’s Chicken & Shrimp locations today, including Canal Street, Westbank Expressway and Lake Forest Boulevard stores in New Orleans. His newest location is just steps away from the on-campus stadium in Tuscaloosa.

We Dat’s offers chicken wings in many styles, including Wuzzam Wings, the first product developed on the truck. Wuzzam honors a popular greeting heard on New Orleans’ streets that means “what’s up?” When Anthony Davis played

for the Pelicans, he was a big fan of We Dat’s seafood. “The Brow,” two catfish filets served with fried shrimp down the center, was named in his honor.

Today, Tillery finds the most exciting aspect of his burgeoning business is the creation of new products. He created a line of We Dat’s seasonings; the great New Orleans Creole chef Leon West helped with flavor development before his death in 2020. Additionally, Tillery says, “Chris Acosta, third-generation Rouse Markets family member [then the category manager for seasonings, spices and sauces] actually took a chance on me and our seasoning line.” And Tillery enlisted Dr. Darryl Holliday, University of Holy Cross Food Science Program director, to create formulas for the new Sweet Heat, Lemon Pepper and Wuzzam Buffalo Sauce products. With Seafood Boil, Biscuit and Gravy mixes, and classic Creole boxed meals like Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Red Beans & Rice, We Dat’s grocery offerings now include 16 different products.

And Tillery isn’t resting on his laurels. “If you manage the pennies, the dollars will add up,” he wisely said. “I reinvest every penny I make from the food line into new products.”

With such a bright future, the entrepreneur’s motto remains: “The humble don’t stumble. I’ve been up and I’ve been down. I’m having fun and enjoying the ride,” Tillery said. Luckily, he’s taking us all along on that delicious trip!