Shawn Cirkiel’s creativity and innovation in the kitchen have made him one of Austin’s most coveted chefs and restaurateurs. Six years ago, Cirkiel opened parkside—the city’s first gastro pub—to much fanfare. The accolades continue on for this sophisticated spot, which is housed in a converted two-story space on East Sixth Street, as they do for Cirkiel’s subsequent ventures: the backspace, a widely popular Neapolitan-style pizzeria, and olive & june, an updated version of family-style Southern Italian dining. Cirkiel’s passion for local and seasonal food extends beyond the scope of his restaurants and has become a driving force behind his notable community engagement. With the recent opening of Chef Cirkiel’s Southern Italian-style neighborhood eatery, olive & june, Chef Justin Rupp — the five-year parkside kitchen veteran and chef de cuisine at Chef Cirkiel’s award-winning Sixth Street gastro pub — is now leading the olive & june kitchen as chef de cuisine.