Chef Sara Bradley, chef & proprietor of freight house, first cut her chops at Johnson & Wales before mastering her skills under the tutelage of Michelin star chefs John Fraser (at New York’s Dovetail), as well as David Posey and Paul Kahan (Blackbird, Chicago). After seeing an opportunity in her native Paducah, KY, she returned to her roots with bold ambitions.

 At freight house, she aims to bring the freshest local flavors to her dishes by sourcing the majority of her ingredients from farmers within a day’s drive, while also working within the community to encourage agricultural sustainability through education and demonstration.

 Chef Sara is also involved in many charitable and philanthropic endeavors within the community, including being a founding member of Cartel, a Western Kentucky style pit BBQ team that raises capital funds for the restoration of historic buildings and numerous other nonprofits throughout the region.

 Most recently, Chef Sara received runner-up honors on Season 16 of Top Chef, which was largely filmed in Kentucky. Being the only cheftestant from her native state, she battled her way through the competition, ultimately taking the second-place spot in the finale, which was filmed in Macau, China.