SHAPING HOUSTON: NICK WONG

Nick Wong is a Californian turned New Yorker turned Houstonian– and now chef de cuisine at UB Preserv, successor to popular Bayou City eatery Underbelly. Wong knew he wanted to be a chef in the sixth grade, and after earning his nutritional sciences degree, moved to New York to work under renowned chef David Chang. He was later recruited by Chris Shepherd to head up a new Houston concept UB Preserv and at the helm has climbed to #7 of Houston’s top 100 restaurants. At UB Preserv, Wong is cooking his heart out, serving up dishes like Vietnamese short rib fajitas, honey pecan shrimp, and duck egg curry that reflect Houston’s diverse population.