Belly Full by Tyger
The Michael Jackson of Soul and Seafood
story by JENNIFER BROWN-CARPENTER photos by SUSAN DELOACH
Tyger Snell was born and raised in the Lowcountry of South Carolina in a small town called Sheldon, to Estella Mae Snell and Daniel Snell Jr. Tyger attended Davis Elementary School, Robert Smalls Middle School, and graduated from Battery Creek High School. Tyger was raised in the kitchen, cooking with his mother. Both Tyger’s mother and his grandmother were amazing cooks. They taught him how to bake, make gravy from scratch, and much more. They would make food for their church and have Tyger help them. Tyger’s father, Daniel, was a fantastic brick mason, even being featured in magazines around the area. Seeing both his parents work so hard is where Tyger gained his work ethic.
After graduating, Tyger attended Benedict College in Columbia, SC, for a short time before moving to Jacksonville, Florida. It was time for him to experience life. Tyger stayed in Jacksonville for about five years. While there, he worked at some restaurants and managed a high-end grocery store. He had started working in the seafood department of the grocery store before reaching his management position.
He returned to Beaufort to take care of his parents, as his mother was suffering from some health issues. He worked at local restaurants around town, including Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, while attending the Technical College of the Lowcountry for the Culinary Arts program. Tyger knew that he wanted to have his own restaurant someday.
While cooking was his passion, he also had a passion for landscaping. It had always been a dream of his. He started doing landscaping to be able to afford a deep fryer and to buy his first 6×12 trailer. He started his own landscaping business, Tyger’s Style Landscaping LLC. He used AlphaGraphics in Beaufort to create his business cards and passed them around town to build his clientele.
Once he made the purchase, he put his deep fryer in the trailer, pulling it around town and making food on the street for people. Eventually that ended, as it wasn’t a completely legal operation. It inspired Tyger to work even harder to make his business legitimate. Tyger had to get an official food trailer and all his paperwork, which he did! He would also cook at flea markets and special events.
Tyger was still working with the original deep fryer and his small trailer, and, one day, his oil started burning from all the food he was cooking. It was yet another good problem to have; he just had to get a bigger trailer.
Then, a company from Las Vegas came through and had lunch at Tyger’s food trailer. Tyger served the private company just like he would anyone else. Shortly after that, he received a text from a man in the company saying that if they hadn’t seen Tyger making the food in front of them, they never would have believed that it was made in a trailer. They flew Tyger to Las Vegas to cater a private event for them. They labeled him “The Michael Jackson of Soul and Seafood of the Lowcountry.” That has been his title ever since. The food tastes so good that it is an appropriate title.
That was an excellent experience for Tyger, but back home, he could not serve his friends food because he was afraid of his grease burning. He had to get a bigger trailer. Tyger worked hard to have the ability to do this, working late-night parties, special events, delivering food out of his car, and more.
Through it all, Belly Full by Tyger LLC was born. Tyger has served many celebrities, including gospel singers and celebrity chefs. One of the celebrity chefs, Chef Pedro Alaniz, said that Tyger’s seafood rice was the best cuisine he had ever tasted in all of South Carolina. Tyger has served Pastor Shirley Caesar, Donnie McClurkin, Chef Lawrence Page of the Pink Tea Cup restaurant and Hustle and Soul TV series, rapper Boosie Badazz, and R&B soul artist, Tucka.
“I would do it all again, just to get to where I am right now,” Tyger says. He and his chef, Elias Alvarado Diaz, work together. He has known Chef Eli for quite a while now. Chef Eli is a Godly man who is focused on his family. “He is my right-hand man and like a brother.”
Tyger’s ultimate goal for the future of Belly Full by Tyger is to have a set location for his business. He wants to eventually have his food trailer set up and have a deck built around the trailer. He will have tables and chairs so that people can come and enjoy the food and company. He wants a space that feels like you’re visiting family — a nice, clean environment where you know you will enjoy fantastic food. Tyger wants people to feel at home. He also hopes to travel to different cities worldwide to let everyone taste Belly Full by Tyger. Tyger has big goals for the future of his business, wanting to continue to serve his signature foods and be able to serve more.
Tyger loves to cook. He loves to see the smile on people’s faces when they eat his food. It makes him feel so fulfilled to hand people a plate of food and know they feel blessed. He receives text messages from people telling him how much they love and appreciate his food. It is a good feeling for him and pushes him to keep going.
Tyger cooks his signature seafood rice (which has mussels and shrimp inside), shrimp, fried crab, oysters, fish, fried pork chops, deep-fried ribs, turkey wings, barbecue ribs, collard greens, red rice, cabbage, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and desserts, like cakes and pies. He also makes shrimp and grits, and a delicious Lowcountry Boil.
His Belly Blesser Platter consists of shrimp, fried crab, fish, and oysters over a “jungle” of French fries. It is his best seller. If you have not tried it, you haven’t had your belly blessed. Tyger also makes his own breading for his fried food. Tyger’s seafood is fried to perfection, and all of his soul food is made from scratch.
Tyger’s chef name is CHEF DRIPPIN as a nod to his love for jewelry. He’s always had a passion for fashion and jewelry design and one day if it’s in the path that God has for him, he’ll have his own line of clothing and jewelery named TygerStyle.
Tyger is proud that his food will always be consistently good because he makes it all himself. If you come to Belly Full by Tyger multiple days in a row, you can count on your food always being equally delicious. That can be hard to find at any restaurant, but not from Chef Drippin. You’ll always walk away with a “Belly Full.” Tyger also has a big heart for the community, giving away food for free and ensuring no one comes to him and walks away hungry.
Tyger is thankful to God for continuing to bless him and for his church for always being there and supporting him. He attends Spring Hill A.M.E. Church in Sheldon. He was raised in the church and continues to view it as integral part of his life.
Tyger’s mother always told him, “It does not matter what you eat as long as you put love into it. A Belly Full is a belly full.” Tyger has held fast to what his mother said, and his mother’s words have carried on to be a blessing to the thousands of people Tyger has now served.
You can typically find Tyger at Advance Auto Parts, 54 Robert Smalls Parkway in Beaufort or Point South next to the BP Gas Station, 675 Kings Hwy in Yemassee. Visit his Facebook and Instagram at Belly Full by Tyger or by calling him at 843-321-5343 for his weekly schedule. He also books catering for weddings, private and company events, parties, family reunions, and more.
