about freight house

freight house opened in 2015 to provide western kentucky with a truly unique dining experience, serving elevated traditional southern and midwestern flavors with a modern twist in an upscale setting. housed in a historic vegetable depot, freight house uses only the freshest seasonal ingredients to create globally inspired dishes from “the middle of everywhere.”

freight house is owned and operated by paducah native chef sara bradley. chef sara opened the doors to freight house in 2015 under the ethos that food is more than just eating. your food has a story, and our story takes place in paducah, kentucky, at the confluence of the ohio and tennessee rivers on the kentucky/illinois border.

chef sara is a 2025 james beard award nominee and semi-finalist for best chef southeast. she is a two-time runner-up on bravo’s top chef, the first ever chopped legend, a chopped champion, and runner-up on food network’s tournament of champions.

rooted in her belief that food can build bridges, chef sara partners with the merryman house domestic crisis center, a nonprofit serving western kentucky. together, they create spice blends that are blended, packaged, and labeled by survivors in the merryman house’s care — a collaboration that weaves nourishment, empowerment, and community into every bite.

learn more/purchase spice blends from season & shadow.

read more about chef sara bradley here.

James Beard Foundation 2025 nominee logo

chef Sara Bradley

photo of a smiling chef sara bradley in the kitchen
chef sara bradley and members of her freight house team standing in front of the subway tile of the freight house kitchen

tyler van de velde: sous chef

megan broussard: pastry chef

zack smith: general manager

jake harris: beverage director

graclyn taylor: junior sous chef

more info about dining at freight house