Ask Houston-based chef Chris Shepherd what he loves most about the city’s dining scene, and he answers without hesitation: “Diversity. I love that everybody can grow here.” Shepherd has done plenty of his own growing in the Bayou City. After trying college in his home state of Oklahoma—“I might be the only person you’ve ever met who got kicked out of Tulsa Junior College because I’d rather play pingpong than go to biology,” he says—he moved to Houston in 1995 and enrolled in the culinary program at the Art Institute. Post-graduation, he landed a job at iconic eatery Brennan’s and quickly ascended the ranks of Houston’s dining industry. In 2012, he launched his own restaurant, Underbelly, and received the James Beard Award for best chef in the Southwest only two years later.
Since leaving Underbelly Hospitality in 2022, Shepherd has launched a weekly TV series, Eat Like a Local; a wine column for CultureMap; and a live conversation series, Table to Stage, in which he interviews top players in the food industry. He and his wife, PR whiz Lindsey Brown, also started Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit that aids food and beverage workers in need. This year, it is set to grant $3 million in assistance nationally to hospitality workers whose careers were upended by crises and natural disasters.
Throughout his career, Shepherd—who lives in the oak-lined Montrose neighborhood—has leaned into a good coach approach to running a kitchen. “I played football growing up, and I think a lot about how to teach people to be better,” he says. “I made myself into a Ted Lasso. You can’t just tell people what to do. You have to show them and be a part of it with them.”
Enjoying this article?Shepherd’s Houston Picks
1 ⁄ Nonno’s
Shepherd and Brown are regulars at this neighborhood Italian restaurant, which Shepherd praises for its mozzarella sticks and Bada-Bing chicken wings. “They marinate them, brine them, smoke them, fry them, and toss them in their own herb chile crunch thing,” he says. “They’re freaking awesome.”
2 ⁄ ChòpnBlk
Nigerian American chef Ope Amosu, a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist, brings not only West African food to Houstonians but also the spirit and reverence for his parents’ home country. His brick-and-mortar, ChòpnBlk, opened last October. “I’m seeing Ope’s vision behind the food, how it can help people better understand the culture,” Shepherd says.
3 ⁄ Cali Sandwich and Pho
Shepherd swears this no-frills strip mall spot makes the best banh mi he’s ever tasted. What makes it so good? “The people,” he says. “Andrew Dinh and his mom. She’s been there making banh mi since the early ’80s. They probably make about 800 of them a day, and they’re still only like $5. Order one of those with chà giò—little Vietnamese crispy egg rolls—and wrap them in the herbs and lettuce with fish sauce. Boom.”
4 ⁄ Fung’s Kitchen
This Cantonese-style seafood and dim sum restaurant just off US 59 has been a Chinatown stalwart for over 40 years. “If you go, you should get Dungeness crab in tamarind sauce and Peking duck—it’s perfect,” he says.
5 ⁄ NRG Stadium
Shepherd is a regular at Houston Texans football games, where his meat company Full Tilt Foods serves the official team hot dog. “I absolutely love Texans games,” he says. “We’re fast and fun to watch.“
