175: Chris Shepherd, Underbelly Hospitality (Houston, TX)

Chris Shepherd of Underbelly Hospitality in Houston, Tx. is one of the best chefs cooking right now. He's had numerous accolades, from Food & Wine magazine to the James Beard Foundation, and Robb Report named him the best chef in the world. Creatively, he has a curiosity that keeps him learning, a confidence to say what he feels, and a heart for the people he's cooking for and with, along with the producers who are growing the product he's using. So, you know, prime Southern Fork material! This interview was recorded in February during a guest chef cooking stop on his cookbook tour, but now he's back in Houston, using all his creativity and hussle to keep to-go and takeaway going in the midst of this crisis, and he's using Southern Smoke Foundation, a foundation he created with a festival, to get more than half a million dollars in the hands of out-of-work food and beverage workers right now. In other words, Chris is a leader in his field, and he leads by remembering why he cooks -- to share, bring joy, and strengthen community.