After three seasons spotlighting Houston’s food scene, Eat Like a Local is coming to an end.
KPRC 2 and James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd launched the show on Sept. 16, 2023, taking viewers across the Greater Houston area to highlight the restaurants, cultures and people that shape the city’s dining scene.
On Thursday afternoon, Shepherd announced on social media that the upcoming episode would also be the show’s last.
“This weekend is a wrap of season 3 of @eatlikealocaltx and it will also be our last show,” Shepherd wrote. “It has been an amazing run that I will cherish always.”
In the post, Shepherd reflected on getting to tell stories from across Houston’s restaurant industry and said the experience helped him discover “a new talent outside of the kitchen.” He also thanked the KPRC 2 team for allowing him to “just be me.”
“I also want to thank the viewers of this show that went out and tried new restaurants and supported these places that make our city so wonderful,” he wrote. “It’s been one heck of a ride that I am so thankful for and I can’t wait to show you ……. What’s next.”
Raised in the Midwest, Shepherd became one of Houston’s best-known chefs after opening Underbelly in 2012, a restaurant celebrated for showcasing the city’s diverse cultures and local ingredients.
After graduating from the culinary arts program at the Art Institute of Houston, Shepherd worked at Brennan’s of Houston before opening Catalan Food & Wine in 2006. The restaurant landed on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America list that same year. He later opened Underbelly and Hay Merchant and won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014.
Outside the kitchen, Shepherd’s Southern Smoke Foundation has distributed more than $11.6 million directly to food and beverage workers through its emergency relief fund.
Chris Shepherd spend three seasons taking viewers inside the restaurants and communities that shape Houston’s culinary identity on “Eat Like a Local.” (Houston Chronicle)
Fans filled the comments on Shepherd’s post with disappointment over the show ending, with many saying the series introduced them to restaurants they otherwise never would have visited.
“You will be missed! We watched every week. We have been to several of the restaurants that you have visited,” one viewer wrote.
Others pointed out the timing after another Texas-based food show recently announced its own ending. Earlier this month, Goodtaste with Tanji host Tanji Patton revealed her longtime culinary travel series would also wrap up.
“It’s a shame to lose Eat Like a Local & Good Taste with Tanji as my Saturday morning enjoyment,” another commenter wrote.
Chron has reached out to KPRC for comment.
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This article originally published at Legendary Houston chef announces end of food show after 3 seasons.