Four Seasons Hotel Houston Announces Celebrity Chef Pop-Up Series, Hosted by James Beard Award Winning Chef Chris Shepherd and Benefitting Southern Smoke Foundation

Four Seasons Hotel Houston announces its Celebrity Chef Pop-Up Series, a quarterly dinner experience hosted by James Beard Award winner Chef Chris Shepherd. These dinners, featuring Shepherd’s choice of award-winning chefs from his personal network, will benefit his Southern Smoke Foundation.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Four Seasons in creating this ongoing pop-up series, featuring some of my friends and favourite chefs from around the country,” says Chris Shepherd. “Bringing these exciting culinary experiences to H-Town is a great way to have some fun, and share great connections over amazing food and wine.”

The Hotel debuted its first culinary pop-up in April, with the world-famous Emeril’s restaurant of New Orleans holding an exclusive sold-out engagement featuring Chef Patron E.J. Lagasse.

The summer pop-up will feature Shepherd, himself. Inspired by his favourite childhood restaurant in Omaha, Mr. C’s Steakhouse, Chris will present a modern and elevated interpretation of the classic Italian restaurant with “Sunday Supper” on August 4, 2024. With two seatings, at 5:00 and 8:00 pm, the pop-up will be set as a dark and moody dining room lit with holiday lights, checkered tablecloths, and Rat Pack-era live music, just as Shepherd remembers the original Mr. C’s. Chefs and dates for the fall and winter dinners will be announced in the coming months.

Supported by Toro Toro Chef Jonathan Esparza, Bayou & Bottle Chef Gaby Jimenez, Executive Pastry Chef Krystin McCarley and the Four Seasons culinary team, Shepherd’s throwback family-style dinner will feature personal storytelling as his takes on some of the restaurant’s most famous dishes are presented through a prix-fixe menu, to include:

• Aperitivo: Negroni Sbagliato cocktail, as imagined by Bandista, the Hotel’s acclaimed speakeasy
• Formaggio: Parmigiano Reggiano broken from a 1/4 wheel, with aged balsamic vinegar
• Insalata e Pane: Traditional Cardini Caesar served tableside; Old School Garlic Cheese Bread - with “roni” and Tuscan ranch
• Pasta: Lumache alla Vodka, Mezze Maniche All’amatriciana, and Baked Cacio e Pepe
• Carne: Strip Steak and Chicken Parmesan; Crispy Potatoes with Calabrian chili aioli; and Grilled Broccolini with grated horseradish, lemon, and olive oil
• Dolce: Tiramisu
• Digestivo: Amaro Cart

Reservations are required, with per person pricing of USD 195, with optional wine pairings featuring some of Shepherd’s favourite Italian varietals for an additional USD 130 for standard, USD 315 prestige.

About Chef Chris Shepherd

Midwest-raised, James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd moved to Houston in 1999, as a cook and later managing the wine program at Brennan’s of Houston. In 2006, he opened Catalan Food & Wine, which was named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America that same year. Chris helped change the landscape of the Houston culinary scene upon opening Underbelly in 2012, which he built to support the Houston food community and its suppliers by buying local and drawing inspiration from the people and cultures that live in the city. Thanks to Chris’ vision and passion, Underbelly was a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant; was named one of the best new restaurants in the country by Bon Appetit and Esquire; and was named one of 38 essential restaurants in America by Eater. Shepherd was named one of the 10 Best New Chefs in America by Food & Wine in 2013 and was then awarded the 2014 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest. He was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef in 2019 and was named Robb Report‘s Chef of the Year the same year. Chris’ first cookbook, Cook Like a Local: Flavors that Will Change the Way You Cook - and See the World, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Foundation Book Award. Shepherd is the host of Eat Like a Local, a wine columnist, a restaurant consultant, and philanthropist. His Southern Smoke Foundation has distributed more than USD 11.6 million directly to people in the food and beverage industry in need via the Emergency Relief Fund.

Stay Offer

Guests are invited to make a night of it at Four Seasons Hotel Houston, while planning ahead and saving with the Advance Purchase offer, which includes up to 25 percent off the room rate (including poolside Cabana Rooms, perfect for warm summer days) when booking at least three days in advance. For more information, visit online, call 800 734 4114 or contact your travel professional (chain code FS).