Derrick D. Moore, Food Critic and Chef: Most Interesting People 2026 

Derrick Moore enjoyed posting about his meals (and his opinions about them). But he wasn’t thrilled by some of the comments his followers left. 

Specifically, he didn’t like that they often referred to him as “Unc,” short for “uncle” — a playful jab at his age. 

One day, though, his nephew encouraged Moore to embrace the nickname. 

“I realized my relationship with my nephew was like the relationship with the community that I was trying to build,” he says. “So, I stopped denying it.” 

He soon changed his handles to variations of the moniker, becoming @unc_reviews_ on Instagram and @myunkreviews on TikTok. He also started addressing his followers as “nieces and nephews,” his way of bringing them into the proverbial family as he shared honest takes on meals from Toledo to Mentor and everywhere in between. 

“That mindset change led to the name change, and it inspired the way that I interact with people,” Moore says. “Suddenly, it took off.” 

These days, Unc boasts more than 320,000 followers across both platforms — a number that continues to grow. 

Originally from Meridian, Mississippi, Moore speaks with a leisurely cadence and a friendly tone as he introduces his followers to various types of cuisine: pork arepas from Tumbao58, spongy injera from Zoma Ethiopian Restaurant and “soul rolls” from 7 Cravings stuffed with greens, yams and mac and cheese. In one video, he tells viewers, “You can’t say you don’t like something until you try it.” He’s willing to try just about everything. 

“If you only eat one kind of food your entire life, and then go to a Michelin-star restaurant, you’re going to dislike it,” he points out. “But it’s not because the food is bad. It’s because you’ve never had it.” 

Though Moore does accept some paid partnerships, many of his reviews are organic. He reviewed Slyman’s Restaurant and Martha on the Fly, for example, after popping in at random and loving his experiences there. Both videos went viral. 

“If I go somewhere and the food is good and the customer service is fantastic and I can help bring business to that business, that’s the reason why I’m making the video,” Moore says. 

He hopes he can encourage his followers to step outside their comfort zone and try something new. And though many of his videos offer glowing reviews, Moore promises to tell the truth about everything he eats — even on the rare occasions that it means giving less-than-stellar feedback. 

“No gimmicks,” he says. “When you go talk to uncle, he’s going to tell you the truth. So, for my nieces and nephews, when I go review a place, it’s going to be based on my experience and my taste buds.” 

It helps, of course, that those taste buds know a thing or two about good food. Moore worked in manufacturing before transitioning to a career in the food industry, training in various kitchens in Mississippi and North Carolina before moving to Sandusky to be closer to family. There, he opened two popular restaurants of his own: the eponymous Derrick’s Diner and Derrick Jr., a barbecue spot named for his son. 

When the pandemic took a toll on both, though, Moore pivoted and opened a food truck instead. And that’s when he got into social media. 

“The cooking was fun, but the joy came from making content,” he says. “You get addicted to it. I’d be making content at work, then I’d get off work and drive somewhere to do more of it. It was a craving, and I had to have it.” 

As his follower count grew, so did his confidence in his ability to make content creation a full-time job. In September, Moore sold his food truck and officially closed the restaurateur chapter of his life. Now, he’s fully focused on exploring what other people’s businesses have to offer, raising up the food he loves and helping his followers find their next great meal. He’s also become a freelance consultant for businesses that need a little leg up with their own social media presence. 

For the time being, Moore still lives in Sandusky. But he’s eagerly planning a move to Cleveland, which will give him better access to even more restaurants. 

“A lot of my younger nieces and nephews are really calling me to move to Cleveland,” he says. “I can walk down the street (in parts of Cleveland) and somebody will call out, ‘Hey, Unc, what are you doing here?’ It’s weird, but I love it. I just love community.” 

Meet the rest of the 2026 class of Most Interesting People >>

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