Chris Shepherd

James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd has helped change the landscape of the Houston culinary scene. In 2017, Chris opened One Fifth, a five-year restaurant project that changes concepts every year. He closed Underbelly in March 2018 to convert the building into Georgia James, his take on a steakhouse. He also opened UB Preserv as his culinary interpretation of Houston’s evolution. In 2019, all three restaurants nabbed the No. 1 spot on Texas Monthly's list of the Best New Restaurants in Texas, and Georgia James was included on GQ's list of the best new restaurants in America. Chris' foundation Southern Smoke has donated more than $1.6 million to those in the food and beverage industry in crisis and to the National MS Society, in honor of his friend who lives with multiple sclerosis.