who is ember and vine?

Ember and Vine is the marriage between owners Sean and Mary's two loves, smoked foods and wine.

When Sean and Mary moved to Portland, Oregon in early 2006, from their teeny tiny apartment in San Francisco, they finally had the freedom (and yard) to buy a real grill. Before even unpacking a single box in their new home, Sean spent his first day in Oregon researching grills. He bought his first grill and was hooked from the start. A year later he realized he wasn't satisfied and ventured into the world of wood fired smokers. He purchased his first smoker, and the rest is history.

Mary, knowing one cannot live on smoked meats alone (true story), began getting creative with the things they cooked. Instead of dogs and burgers, they started experimenting with various things to smoke. Her background in wine led her to begin getting creative with pairing wine with their wood fired creations. The passion grew and so did their inventory smokers (they now have four). The bug finally grew in the couple to begin competing in barbecue competitions, and eventually branching out into catering. They specialize in food and wine pairing, and creating wood fired experiences for the wine industry and beyond.

sean martin

Pitmaster and co-founder

Backyard barbecue enthusiast turned pitmaster, proud father of twins, and partner to Ember and Vine’s better half, Sean has been experimenting with wood fired food for over 10 years. With a passion for experimenting on what flavor can be experienced with wood fired cuisine, he has built a following that includes regional and national awards. Sean is the ember behind Ember and Vine.

MARY CRESSLER

Sommelier and Co-Founder

The vine behind Ember and Vine, Mary is a wine writer by day, mom of twins, wine educator and Certified Sommelier.

With a focus on pairing wine, beer and spirits with the Ember and Vine experience, Mary’s background as a wine writer and sommelier provides great depth when exploring ways to enhance the flavors of their cuisine and helps to keep everything balanced. Whether a local Pinot Noir or a Champagne, Mary finds a way to complement the food with a quality beverage. Mary is also a wine and food writer and publisher of the blog, Vindulge, where she houses many of Ember and Vine's original recipes. Find out more here.