Derry graduated from The Art Institute of Houston in 2003 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in culinary arts.[3] She started her culinary career at the local International House of Pancakes at the age of 15,[4] where she later had a management position.[5]
Restaurant career
Derry was the chef and owner of "Private|Social" in Dallas from 2011 to 2013.[6] In 2012, Derry founded her professional website promoting her culinary career and her restaurant, "Private|Social." In 2013, Derry expressed interest in opening her own restaurant in her hometown of Beaumont.[7]
Derry opened Roots Chicken Shak in Plano in 2017.[9]
Derry, partnering with investor Tom Foley of T2D Concepts and Indigo Group, to opened Roots Southern Table in June 2021 in Farmers Branch, Texas as an expansion concept to Roots Chicken Shak.[10] The concept is chef driven and the menu consists of high end twists to the classic southern recipes Derry grew up with.[11]Roots Southern Table was included in the "2021 Restaurants List" by The New York Times, as one of the fifty best American restaurants of the year.[12][13]
Television appearances
Derry competed in Top Chef season 7 in Washington, D.C. and won "fan favorite" after placing fifth. She also competed among the All-Star chefs in season 8 and finished fourth as a finalist.[14]
Derry appeared on an episode of Spike TV's Bar Rescue in June 2013,[15] and has appeared in a commercial promoting her alma mater, "The Art Institute of Houston".[16] She has occasionally appeared on other episodes of Bar Rescue from time to time.