Ask Travis Hyde about local cuisine, and he may ask you to be more specific. The South Texas native and Head Chef at Shawnee Station Taproom/Kitchen lived in a handful of states before ending up in central Ohio. 

“A lot of our family roots stem from the South,” Hyde explains. He was exposed to Cajun cooking from one side of the family and Eastern European fare from the other. “I grew up in a home where Sunday dinners were a big deal,” he says.

His professional food journey started as a busboy at an Italian family-owned restaurant in Westerville. “The chef caught me staring in awe at the line cooks during service,” Hyde recalls. He was moved to the kitchen, where he made salads and appetizers. “And that was it. I was in love with the hustle and bustle of the organized chaos of the professional kitchen.” 

Hyde has worked at notable establishments including Alana’s Food and Wine, Monte Carlo Ristorante, and the New Albany Country Club. At Z Cucina, he was featured in national food publications and voted into Best Chefs America by his peers. From there, Hyde went on to open ELLA Bistro in New Albany, which has since closed.

Throughout his career, Hyde has fostered relationships with local farmers and producers. Or, as he puts it, “Just trying to source local and use ingredients at their seasonal peak.” Now Hyde’s talents are on full display at Shawnee Station Taproom/Kitchen. The upscale gastropub’s menu is a creatively curated mélange of flavors from around the world made from locally sourced products. 

The appetizer selection includes spiced sweet potato wedges. The gluten-free, vegetarian starter is island spiced and served with avocado dip and pepper jelly. Pescatarians will want to try the ahi tuna tartare. The omnivorous crowd will savor the blue crab pimento cheese enjoyed with pork rinds, celery, cucumbers, and crispy naan. Lighter diners will be delighted by the trio of eclectic takes on the greens as well as a classic Caesar. 

Main courses range from flatbreads and sandwiches to steaks and seafood. The baked gnocchi primavera offers a fresh take on pasta, while the chimichurri hangar steak and double cut pork chop will nudge more staid guests toward the adventurous side of their palates. A kids menu for diners 10 and under makes Shawnee Station a popular family destination. 

The taproom is dominated by Maumee Bay Brewing Company pours. Stouts, ciders, craft cocktails, ales and German-inspired lagers are all on tap. The wide selection of styles ensures that every menu item has an appropriate pairing.

Hyde’s passion for hyperlocal foods extends to his home kitchen as well. “We are a very outdoorsy family,” he says of his wife, Robin and their daughter Sage and son Keller. “We forage, fish and hunt and love creating meals from what is readily available in the woods.” He doesn’t have a favorite recipe or signature dish, but Hyde does acknowledge that he makes some “killer beef short ribs.”

Having earned numerous honors and the admiration of his peers, Hyde has reached the peak of his profession. But he’ll never stop growing. “Passion and the desire to be better is what pushes a chef to be successful.” Treat yourself to the fruits of Hyde’s labor at Shawnee Hills Taproom/Kitchen. Learn what local cuisine means in central Ohio while you savor a memorable meal created by the hands of a master.