Tyler Thomas, 33 / Executive Chef & General Manager, The River & Rail Restaurant/Co-Owner, Yard Bull Meats/Co-Owner, High Water Management
Chef Tyler Thomas became the executive chef at River and Rail Restaurant in 2019, having crafted his culinary style since he was 17 years old; he cut his teeth under a series of notable chefs including Michael McCarthy, Ivan Rekosh and Andrew Silver, and mastered butchering at JM Stock Provisions in Charlottesville. Thomas also had a hand in launching the popular Food Hut pop-up shop in the West End, developed the menu at Cardinal Bicycle Cafe in Grandin Village and most recently opened up Roanoke’s only craft butcher shop Yard Bull Meats. He takes pride in butchering local meats in-house, building connections with regional and local farms and creating unique, seasonally-focused menus that change everyday, and participates in regular pop-up fundraiser events for organizations like LEAP, Roanoke Diversity Center and World Central Kitchen, donating all the profits to help benefit regional and worldwide charitable organizations. “I like to think that my passion is strengthening the community of farmers and growers by creating more outlets for their products as well as creating the opportunity to educate the public on the importance of ethical farming practices and overall animal welfare,” he says. “This allows us to provide a larger, more robust culinary scene that is crucial to every community.”
- Co-Owner – Foot Hut RKE
- Consultant – Cardinal Bicycle Cafe
- Published in The Roanoker, Edible Blue Ridge, Virginia Living Magazine, The Filson Journal and featured on PBS’s “Virginia Found”
From the Nomination: “Chef Tyler Thomas became the executive chef at the highly regarded River and Rail Restaurant in South Roanoke in 2019 and has been changing the Roanoke culinary landscape ever since. In the last two years he’s helped launch the super-popular Food Hut pop-up shop in the West End, developed the menu at Cardinal Bicycle Cafe in Grandin Village, and most recently opened up Roanoke’s only craft butcher shop Yard Bull Meats. He’s quickly being recognized both within the culinary community and the region at large as a driven, young entrepreneur who is pushing Roanoke forward in the culinary industry. He opened Yard Bull Meats with his partner Elliott Orwick, and they have both been lauded in the region as cutting edge artisans who clearly have the knowledge and passion which has shown through in every aspect of the butcher shop. Thomas has been crafting his culinary style since he was 17 years old. Cutting his teeth under a series of notable chefs including Michael McCarthy of Dr. Ho’s Kitchen, Chef Ted’s Catering, butchering at JM Stock Provisions, and Zocalo in Charlottesville. Chef Tyler takes pride in butchering local meats in-house, building connections with regional and local farms, and creating unique, seasonally-focused menus that change everyday. Thomas now has over a decade of experience and training under his belt, and he’s wielding it to put Roanoke on the map in the culinary world. … Thomas’s talent and drive to make Roanoke a culinary destination are unmatched in the Roanoke Valley at this time. He is a serial entrepreneur who can’t stop creating and building. You just have to taste his food and sample his products to know that he is striving for excellence, and doing something that no one else is. We need more artisans and creators like him. He’s also extremely hard working and is currently dedicating most of his waking hours to his pursuit for superior products and food.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Thomas: “Roanoke’s history, size, and beautiful setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains are all things to love, but what I love the most is that the city has so much potential to expand on these things right now, and continue to host more great outdoor activities and events, build on its already beautiful infrastructure, and grow in a way that supports and grows its community.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Thomas: “I like to think that my passion is strengthening the community of farmers and growers by creating more outlets for their products as well as creating the opportunity to educate the public on the importance of ethical farming practices and overall animal welfare. This allows us to provide a larger, more robust culinary scene that is crucial to every community.”
