Houston super-chef Chris Shepherd tests positive for COVID-19

HOUSTON, Texas — Houston chef Chris Shepherd has tested positive for coronavirus. The James Beard Award winning chef behind Underbelly Hospitality’s four local restaurants – Georgia James, Hay Merchant, UB Preserv, and One Fifth Mediterranean – shared his diagnosis in an Instagram post published on Thursday, Oct. 15.

According to the post, Shepherd traveled by plane for the first time since the start of the pandemic in order to fulfill a commitment in Montana. He took a test on Tuesday after returning home from his trip. The absence of antibodies suggests that it’s a new infection.

So far, Shepherd reports that he’s symptom free and will quarantine at home for 10 days. Both Shepherd’s fiancee, publicist Lindsey Brown, and the chefs who traveled with him to Montana have all tested negative. All of the chef’s restaurants remain open and are operating at 50% capacity.