Chris on Kimmel
Chris Shepherd cooks like a local on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Chris Shepherd is heading to Hollywood. The James Beard Award winner will prepare his signature Korean braised goat and dumplings on Tuesday, December 3's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!in between appearances by actor Henry Cavill and a performance by Beck.
The chef tells CultureMap that his relationship with Kimmel goes back several years. Connected by mutual friends, Shepherd served the goat and dumplings at Kimmel’s Emmy after-party. Since then, Kimmel has supported the Southern Smoke Foundation by offering backstage access as a silent auction item at the annual festival.
When it came time to promote his recently released cookbook, Cook Like a Local, his team reached out to Kimmel’s producer Doug DeLuca about coming on the show. Although Shepherd has been on TV before, his appearance on Kimmel will be the first time he appears on a national talk show.
“It’s exciting. Am I nervous? Yes, but it’s an experience that brings light to Houston. Hopefully, we get to talk a little about that.“
Overall, Shepherd says he’s been very pleased by the response to Cook Like a Local, which he says has sold more than 17,000 copies since its release in September. Specifically, he says he enjoys hearing from people who’ve enjoyed preparing meals using the book’s recipes.
“It’s awkward to put your heart into something,” Shepherd says. “To see people respond is really gratifying.”
Cook Like a Local has been successful enough that Shepherd acknowledges he’s thinking about a second book. As he notes, outside of the Korean braised goat, the vinegar pie, and the lamburger helper, most of the book’s recipes aren’t for dishes that are currently available in his restaurants. A second book could include dishes from his current projects: One Fifth, UB Preserv, and Georgia James.
“I don’t know. I’m not much of a writer,” he says. “Sitting and writing this back was super fun, but it took four years to do. It was a process, but it was really cool.”
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Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs Tuesday, December 3, on ABC13 at 10:35 pm. The episode will be available on the Hulu streaming service on Wednesday morning. Hay Merchant will host a watch party beginning at 10 pm featuring the Korean braised goat and dumplings for $10.
