ZOOM IN Q&A with Chris Shepherd, chef-owner of Underbelly and 2014 James Beard winner for Best Chef: Southwest
What is your experience of Houston's culinary story in your two decades here?
One constant has been the mutual support within the chef community. After graduating from the culinary school at the Art Institute of Houston in 1996, one of my first jobs was at a country club. While determined to work hard and get ahead, I was stuck with work like manning the taco buffet. My classmate and best friend Randy Evans, meanwhile, was knocking out 450 covers a night at Houston institution Brennan’s. After learning what I was doing, he brought me in. Another classmate and friend, Charles Clark, saw to my next move, to Catalan Food & Wine, and entirely supported my move to start Underbelly in 2011.
How would you characterize the scene today?
The last five or so years have been really exciting for the Houston food scene. You have people like Justin Yu doing great things at Oxheart, as a younger generation of chefs returns home with new ideas from around the world. From the high-end to the casual, there are styles and accents for every palate. The chef network and community mindset remain strong, too. We are all together, moving like a pack and pushing for each other.
What experience awaits groups at Underbelly?
My culinary focus is on telling the story of Houston’s diversity in one dining experience. Working with local farmers, ranchers and producers, it’s a refined update of American Creole cuisine—the merging of diverse cultures with locally sourced ingredients. With versatility, trust and comfort as our watchwords, group options include buyouts for up to 250 and private dining for 36. We also host events at our craft beer bar Hay Merchant and coffee shop Blacksmith, both adjacent to the restaurant. We now offer catering as well, trailer included, to deliver the Underbelly experience offsite.
