The Banter

The Guys discuss changes in how vintage port is aging and then (somehow) pivot to mezcal. Like wine, agave spirits are tied to the land and the magicians who create it.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys host the founders of Southern Smoke Foundation Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown to share the origins of the foundation and how it operates today. Southern Smoke supports hospitality workers and beyond by facilitating services for those in need. They host a festival with dozens of talented chefs, great music and even fly fishing.

The Inside Track

The Guys get the inside track on the Southern Smoke Festival.

“It’s five hours of Heck, Yes!” Chris Shepherd on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025

Bios

Lindsey Brown

Lindsey Brown spent a decade as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In 2015, she co-founded the Southern Smoke Foundation. The following year, she launched her own firm, Lindsey Brown Public Relations, which she led until she became Executive Director of the foundation in 2023.

Chris Shepherd

After nearly a decade working in the city’s high-end culinary scene, Chris Shepherd launched Underbelly, a restaurant concept designed to celebrate Houston’s uncelebrated cultures. He published his first cookbook Cook Like a Local in 2019, to highlight Houston’s food scene and the people behind it.

Through his work, Chris has been honored with a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest, two James Beard nominations for Underbelly, and several “Best Of” list appearances in national publications.

Info

Southern Smoke Foundation

https://southernsmoke.org/

Eat Like a Local on YouTube

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE9Pqq0sa8JN0SYXuL82IdCd7Ep_oTexE&featur

Thursday, February 5 Michter's Whiskey Tasting

http://stageleft.com/event/2-5-26-michters-whiskey-tasting/

Wednesday, February 25 Martinelli Wine Dinner

https://www.stageleft.com/event/22526-wine-dinner-w-george-martinelli-of-martinelli-winery/

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Our Places

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https://www.stageleft.com/

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https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

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Southern Smoke Foundation: Caring for the Industry that Feeds Us

The Restaurant Guys