11. Preserving Houston with Chris Shepherd

Chris sits down with Chris Shepherd, the Executive Chef of Underbelly Hospitality, to discuss fish sauce, pho, and philanthropy. Chris & Chris hash out what it takes to safely reopen a restaurant as well as how to build a support system for FOH & BOH employees. Along the way, they taste through some of Chris’ favorite bourbon bottles and discuss his methodology for sourcing single barrels from distilleries like Willett, Buffalo Trace, and Weller.  

 

The year after winning the 2014 James Beard Award for his work at Underbelly, Chris founded Southern Smoke to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the non-profit pivoted to providing crisis relief to the Food & Beverage community. Since its inception in 2015, Southern Smoke has raised over four million dollars. Last year, he published a cookbook called Cook Like a Local that champions the ingredients and flavors that define Houston’s diverse culinary landscape. At this moment, his restaurants Georgia James, UB Preserv, and One Fifth all open at 75% capacity. 

 

To learn more about Southern Smoke, visit www.southernsmoke.org.