Season THREE of “Eat Like a Local” is here, y’all! This is Chris Shepherd writing to tell you we’re kicking it off by heading north, eating big, and catching up with some of my seriously talented friends.
🍽 Belly of the Beast | Spring
First stop: Spring, Texas. We roll in to see Chef Thomas Billie running the Belly of the Beast kitchen like a boss and his wife Elizabeth who is keeping the dining room humming — which is important, because the place is packed. Why? Well, maybe because Chef Thomas just snagged the 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas. (Yeah, no big deal. HUGE congrats to the whole crew!)
- PREVIOUS EPISODE: Exploring Galveston’s seafood scene: A taste of tradition and innovation
We sit down to talk about why they opened up shop in Spring, how they built this thing despite setbacks, and then — my favorite part — we start eating. Caviar service, ceviche, a pasta dish that honestly stopped me mid-sentence… just watch, you’ll see.
🍽 Xalisko | The Woodlands
Then we head up to The Woodlands to hit Xalisko. Chef Beatriz Martines is one of the most thoughtful, talented chefs I know, and she’s cooking food that tells her story.
She also happens to be a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas.
The menu she’s put together is loaded — octopus trompo, pastor trompo (carved tableside, y’all!), lamb shank birria inspired by her grandmother. It’s one of those meals where you just keep saying, “Oh, wow” between bites. And the cocktails? Delicious, too.
And just when you think we’re done, we go full send with Churro Gordo. This thing is ridiculous. It’s big, it’s loud, it’s sweet — basically, it’s everything I love. And yes, we ate the whole thing. No regrets.
This is what I love about doing this show — getting to tell these stories, eat this food, and shine a light on the incredible people making Houston (and the surrounding area) one of the best food scenes in the country. This season is stacked, and I can’t wait for y’all to watch, get hungry, and go make some new favorites of your own.
“Eat Like a Local with Chris Shepherd” is your guide to the best food in Houston. Watch new episodes Saturdays at 10 a.m. on KPRC 2.