A talented chef, author, and personality dedicated to enhancing the Texas food industry, Chris Shepherd is an award-winning cook whose career is studded with accolades.
Chris Shepherd was born in 1972 in Oklahoma and later moved to Texas, on the Gulf Coast, to study Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Houston. After graduating, he worked in various restaurants in Houston before joining the team at “Brennan's,” where he worked in the kitchen for seven years and managed the wine program for another two.
In 2006, Chris left “Brennan's” to open his restaurant, “Catalan Food & Wine,” recognized as one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Esquire in the same year, now permanently closed. In 2012, he opened “Underbelly,” a restaurant supporting the Houston food community by highlighting local products and drawing inspiration from the city's diverse cultures. “Underbelly” received numerous accolades, including a nomination for Best New Restaurant at the James Beard Award, was listed among the best new restaurants in the country by Bon Appetit, and was named one of the 38 essential restaurants in America by Eater. Over time, the venue has become an extended business that opened several outlets under the name “Underbelly Hospitality.”
In 2013, Chris was named one of the 10 Best New Chefs in America by Food & Wine, and the following year he received the James Beard Award 2014 for Best Chef: Southwest.
In 2019, he was a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef and named Chef of the Year by Robb Report. That same year, he published his first cookbook, "Cook Like a Local," which was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Book Award in 2020.
In 2022, Chris left “Underbelly” to focus on smaller projects, such as consulting operations, organizing private events and wine tours, and dedicating more time to Southern Smoke, his foundation that raised over $9.9 million to help people in difficulty in the food and beverage sector in 2019. Additionally, a line of sausages and meat products made with local ingredients, Full Tilt Foods, will soon be marketed in various U.S. retail outlets.
