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Magazine names Houston chef Chris Shepherd best in the world

Chris Shepherd, who pioneered his first Houston restaurant in 2012 with Underbelly, is a James Beard Award-winning chef known for his culinary diversity.

HOUSTON — You don’t have to travel around the world to find the best chef on the planet; a Houstonian has earned that title.

The Robb Report, a global luxury lifestyle magazine, released its “Best of the Best” issue, and Chris Shepherd was named Best Chef in the world.

Shepherd, who pioneered his first Houston restaurant in 2012 with Underbelly, is a James Beard Award-winning chef known for his culinary diversity. 

He learned of his new title from a friend while he was on vacation in France. 

“I got a text from a friend of mine and it was just like, ‘Congratulations! This is huge!’ And I was like, OK...cool. What? And they sent me a picture of the magazine cover," Shepherd said. “I said, I guess we made some list?”

At a layover he bought a copy of the Robb Report magazine to see why he was in the magazine, “I started going through and I was like...wait a minute I’m the only chef in here!”

The Robb Report praised Shepherd for his food diversity and willingness to change, reading in part: “Perhaps in the year a chef shuts down the restaurant that made him famous, he’d be an odd person to call out as the best. Except Chris Shepherd closed Houston’s beloved Underbelly not as a retrenchment but rather as a result of his Texas-sized ambition.”

Underbelly has since been replaced with his steakhouse Georgia James. His other restaurants include One/Fifth, The Hay Merchant and UB Preserv. 

“When the food comes out, it’s soulful,” Shepherd said, “and we cook with love...that’s the major ingredient.”

Shepherd started the nonprofit Southern Smoke in 2015. To date, the foundation has donated nearly $1.4 million to those in the food and beverage industry who need support or assistance. This includes those with medical emergencies and those impacted by natural disasters.

“I learned that people will support you if you give yourself to them. If you open up to the city, then they open up to you," Shepherd said.

Chris Shepherd: the best chef in the world, and he’s right here in Houston.

“My hat goes off to the entire staff and to our city. But more importantly, let’s just show them who we are. Like, if this brings people to the city that’s even better," he said.

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