I wanted to tell you about something new that I have coming up that we have been working on. I am starting a new conversation series called “Breaking Bread” which is going to be part of the Live at the Founder’s Club series at the Hobby Center.

Why “Breaking Bread?” I have always said that breaking bread at the table is one of the last true forms of building community. When I had restaurants, I would serve whole loaves of bread uncut and have people break them together to join a communal dining experience where they could have conversations — a breaking of awkward silence if you didn’t know people.

Breaking bread opens the door for talking and learning over a meal and to build a community that might not have existed before. It is the ice breaker for a lot of people to learn about each other and break down walls and barriers that we have unintentionally put up because of fear of the unknown. It’s not just a saying but a way of thinking that has shifted my life to want to learn about people.

Through this new Breaking Bread conversation series, I will share the stories of people I look up to and ask them to tell stories they haven’t told before about what led them here to this moment on stage with me.

Moving this series to Founders Club at the Hobby Center is even more special for me since I’ve had such a great time working with the team to update the food and drink menus so guests can have a really wonderful experience from the time they arrive. We have worked to redo the food menu to make it fun and approachable with items like Full Tilt hot dogs, braised beef birria taquitos, coffee roasted beets, and Altima Caviar with sour cream & onion Pringles just to name a few.

The wine list is filled with delicious things that I just want to drink all the time. Pierre Gimonnet 1er cru Blanc de Blanc Brut, yep. Marine Layer Vermentino, The Hilt Estate Chardonnay, Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir, also yes! Want more? North Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir, Produttori Del Barbaresco Barbaresco, and Cruse Wine Co. Monkey Jacket Red Blend are all available, just to name a few.

Then the cocktails are based on the classics. This is what we should have when we go out to our theaters downtown — delicious things to eat and drink while watching amazing shows!

I have the opportunity to have personal conversations with my friends, who also happen to be incredible artists and even better people.

Here is a quick look at the lineup from the Hobby Center:

“Breaking Bread” 2026 Conversation Series

Bun B: Wednesday, April 8, 7:30pm
Grammy-nominated American rapper and Houston legend Bun B sits down with Chris for an unfiltered conversation on music, culture, and a career that keeps reinventing itself. From pioneering rapper to Rice University professor and trusted civic voice, Bun B will reflect on the moments that shaped him. The two will also get into his jump into the restaurant world and how Trill Burgers became a citywide obsession, plus his move into podcasting and storytelling — and what it means to build a legacy that stretches far beyond the mic.

Joe Kwon: Saturday, May 16, 7:30pm
Known to many as the cellist of The Avett Brothers, Joe Kwon joins Chris for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about curiosity, craft, and creativity. Born in South Korea and raised in High Point, North Carolina, the self-described foodie shares his roots on stages around the world as they explore his path from lifelong musician — with a detour through computer science — to artist, wine enthusiast, and collaborator, reflecting on how discipline and instinct shape everything he pursues, from music to food. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at how passions evolve, how ideas connect across worlds, and why a melody or a shared meal can mean more than the moment itself.

A Michelin Roundtable with Felipe Riccio, Emmanuel Chavez, and Mayank Istwal: Saturday, June 13, 7:30pm
Three of Houston’s Michelin-starred chefs — Emmanuel Chavez (Tatemó), Felipe Riccio (March), and Mayank Istwal (Musaafer) — join Chris for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about what a star really means for their kitchens and their teams. They’ll debate whether rankings push the industry forward or hold it back, reflect on the turning points that shaped their paths, and share the lessons behind becoming some of the city’s most celebrated chefs. It’s a rare behind-the-scenes look at success, pressure, creativity, and what it takes to build something that lasts.

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Send Chris an email at chris@chrisshepherd.is.

Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $15 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund. Catch his TV show, Eat Like a Local, every Saturday at 10 am on KPRC Channel 2 or on YouTube.

Photo by Tiffany Hofeldt

Chris Shepherd will host three Breaking Bread conversations.