Here at Allrecipes, we love our cowboy cooking. From cowboy casserole to cowboy caviar, we’re all about bringing the spirit of the Wild West into our kitchens. And, when we want to experience the true grit of cowboy culture on screen, well, there’s no better modern-day representation than the TV series “Yellowstone.”
In the wildly popular drama, Kevin Costner (who plays the stoic patriarch John Dutton) embodies the cowboy persona to a T. But off-screen, you won’t catch him sipping on a cowboy coffee or eating the authentic cowboy favorites from back in the day. In fact, according to the Yellowstone chef, he’s a notoriously picky eater.
Meet Chef Gator
You may recognize Chef Gabriel Guilbeau, or Chef Gator, as the chef from the Yellowstone series. But, as it turns out, he was the cast and crew’s chef as well, feeding upwards of 300 people through those long, hot days on the ranch.
For most of the group, the Acadiana-based chef cooked up classic Cajun favorites, fixing everything from gumbo and étouffée to a cast-favorite bread pudding. But, for a handful of people, he would take special requests, and one of those lucky customers was Kevin Costner.
In a conversation with Delish, Gator shared that the series star was a picky eater and only wanted simple recipes and simple meals. Don’t be fooled by that dinner table scene at the start of season two—according to Gator, Costner “in no way, shape or form would he eat the grilled octopus.”
“Before he met me, I think [he] solely lived off of canned chili and hot dogs,” Guilbeau said.
Kevin Costner’s Favorite Food While Filming Yellowstone
But, as picky as he was, there was one thing Costner loved and repeatedly requested on set, and it’s as true to America as the cowboy culture itself: apple pie.
According to Gator, the actor has a wicked sweet tooth and never turned down a dessert Gator dropped off at “Camp Kevin,” aka the star’s hideaway (conveniently parked next to the kitchen).
“Kevin always likes to tell me he’s on a diet and off the sugar, and then he’ll ask me to make him apple pie, pretty much the same day, usually,” he shared.
While we don’t have Gator’s exact apple pie recipe, we bet if it’s anywhere near as cozy and comforting as our all-time best apple pie, it’s probably pretty special. Not to mention, Gator usually topped it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
So, while Kevin Costner might not have had the John Dutton diet we’d imagine, we think enjoying a slice of apple pie around a fire under a big Montana sky sounds like the perfect way to end a long day of cowboy work—or cowboy-esque work.
