Southern Accents

Houston native Colin Shine says he has the restaurant business “in his blood.” His father has been in the industry for over 50 years, and Shine grew up with an intimate understanding of cooking. “I don’t have a traditional culinary training background, but I spent my whole life watching cooking shows and reading cookbooks,” he says. “My folks are good cooks, my grandparents were good cooks, so I've been around the kitchen my whole life.”

Shine “ran off” to Austin for college, where he studied economics and Spanish at the University of Texas. He then traveled and studied abroad before returning to Houston. He helped put himself through school by working as a waiter, cooking barbecue, and providing catering services. “Little by little, I gained some experience.” He thought of attending culinary school, but another opportunity beckoned. “My family had gotten back into the restaurant business in 2012, buying a popular steakhouse called Frank’s Chophouse, which they rebranded as Frank's Americana.”

Joining the new family eatery as a sous chef provided Shine with practical, hands-on cooking experience. “About a year and a half after I started, we lost our head chef, so my dad gave me the reins, and I took over the day-to-day operations in the kitchen.” At Frank’s, located in an upscale neighborhood of Houston, the new chef kept what was beloved by customers while adding his own twists. “There was a loyal clientele that embraced us and trusted us not to change what they loved about their favorite neighborhood restaurant,” he says. “But we aimed to breathe some new life into it, and we were pretty successful with that.”

By 2021, Shine was seeking a better work-life balance. “The COVID era was a challenge, and the restaurant world is tough all the time, so I had a conversation with my family about needing a change of pace.” He feels fortunate that Sub-Zero was at that moment seeking a corporate chef in their Houston showroom. 

Shine says that the ability to do what he has always loved—cooking—with the best residential appliances that money can buy is a thrill. “I have the freedom to prepare whatever is inspiring me that day,” he says. “And it is always a new set of faces that I can showcase these products to. The appliances sell themselves through the food.” 

When it comes to his cuisine, he draws from his family’s history. “Some of my earliest memories of food are very Southern country-style cooking,” says Shine. “My grandmother was a child of the Great Depression, and she had a pretty substantial working garden with squash, green beans, and tomatoes.”

While he says his roots are in dishes like braised collard greens and chicken-fried steak, Shine’s menus have branched out over the years to what he describes as regional comfort food. “At Frank’s, we served Creole food from the Gulf Coast, Maryland crab cakes, even an Oscar-style salad from California.” 

Now, as a Sub-Zero corporate chef, he mingles those standbys with the new flavors he has experienced through travel. “I’ve been fortunate to take international trips and delve into different cultures,” says Shine. “After I finished college, I got to travel around South America, which was hugely influential, especially from a culinary standpoint. I also went to Vietnam, which has amazing food.”

At the showroom, there is also a blending of cultures and tastes. “Our Sous Chef, Michelle Meshberger, has a Syrian background, so we experiment with Middle Eastern foods, incorporating feta, couscous, lamb, and harissa. Those flavors speak to me.”

The region itself has a diverse population that Shine appreciates. “Here in Houston, we have large communities of Vietnamese, Indians, Mexicans, and Central and South Americans. Almost every international food culture you can think of has a presence here. It all informs what we cook for our demonstrations and events.”

Shine says he is continually learning from all the other chefs in the community (“I’m a big fan of eating at local restaurants”) as well as within the Sub-Zero organization. “I’m interested in what the other Sub-Zero chefs are making from their regions,” he says. “So while I think Southern comfort food is undoubtedly part of the fabric of my being, I’m always trying to mix it up, try new things, and stay fresh.”

Having achieved the work-life balance he has craved for some time, Shine can now indulge in his favorite pastimes. One is collecting vintage vinyl. ”I grew up in a house with music. My parents were big into playing records, day in and day out; there was always music.” Moving to Austin heightened this passion. “Austin has been considered the live music capital of the world, and that's certainly influenced me. That is where I began collecting records.”

“When I visit a record store, I’m looking for things that were originally pressed on vinyl. Old rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and country albums my parents and grandparents were listening to,” says Shine. “Those are the genres that resonate with me.”

He also looks forward to traveling more, especially within North America. “Some of my most memorable experiences in the recent past have been outdoors in places like Yellowstone and Banff in Canada,” says Shine. “I just gravitate to the national parks and nature for sure.”

The opportunity to enjoy both leisure activities and meaningful work can be attributed in part to the corporate ethos of the Sub-Zero Group. “I have been so supported by the organization, which allows me to be very productive, but also focus on wellness.” Taking a step back from the hectic world of restaurants, yet still creating incredible dishes, has proven to be a dream job. “It’s what I've always wanted to do, which is to cook.”