Ember Restaurant

Ember Restaurant Wood-Fired New American Restaurant
Est. 2024 in the Bitterroot Valley Montana
(4)

07/03/2026

Who invented embered ice cream? I'm honestly not sure.
What I do know is that I remember tasting it at back in 2014, and it absolutely blew me away. It was a 10/10 dessert that completely changed how I thought about using live fire in pastry.
About four years later, while working with & Saison group on the Angler concepts, that recipe came up again and reminded me just how special the technique is.
Fast forward to seeing Mike so fired up after learning it while working with the Alinea Group in Big Sky, it got me excited all over again. And a shoutout to , who I remember serving his own interpretation at Roister a few years back.
Whether one chef invented it or several arrived at similar ideas independently, I don't know. What I do know is that we've been cooking over fire for centuries, and I love seeing chefs continue to reinterpret that tradition in new ways.
That's what this craft is all about: learning from those who came before us, giving credit where it's due, and adding your own chapter to the story.
At Ember, we've taken that inspiration and made it our own. Our version is smoked over applewood and served with Montana wheat crumble and pine oil—a dessert inspired by live fire, the forests of Montana, and the ingredients that surround us.
It'll be making its debut on our new tasting menu today and I can't wait to share it with everyone.

06/01/2026

Wood-fired carrots.

Simple ingredients, cooked with intention. Fire, smoke, caramelization, and patience transform a humble vegetable into one of the most talked-about dishes on our menu.

Proof that great cooking isn’t always about luxury ingredients it’s about treating every ingredient with respect.

🔥 Available at Ember

05/09/2026

One piece of feedback from Chef Michael Mina really stuck with me: I vaguely remember but it was something like this 👇

“This could’ve been a stellar dish if the rice was cooked more like a risotto.”

And honestly… he was right.

So I took that to heart and rebuilt the dish the way I wished I had executed it in the moment.

(Unpopular opinion: I hated the cheerwine 😂
& raisins in rice pudding, No offense… but to me cheerwine it tastes like Robitussin.)

So instead, I leaned into something I actually loved:
Diet Coke, sour cherries, and a touch of citric acid.

And honestly? It changed everything.

The espuma was charged in an iSi with soda and lightly set with gelatin so it had a little viscosity and texture instead of just disappearing on the palate.

For the rice pudding itself, I pushed it further toward a true risotto texture more fluid, more luxurious, more depth from condensed milk and white chocolate, while still keeping the integrity of the Carolina Gold rice so you could actually taste each individual grain. Cooking it Sous vide controls the process w/ guaranteed success

Because the biggest issue with the original dish wasn’t flavor.

It was technique & texture and seemed more of a cop out considering my pastry background.

So I asked myself:
“How do I create contrast while still respecting the rice?”

The answer became the rice chip.

I took Carolina Gold rice, cooked it, dehydrated it, fried it until puffed and crips, and finished it with cinnamon sugr. Simple. Crunchy. Familiar. It gave the dish the texture it was missing the first time around.

That’s the beauty of cooking though.

Sometimes failure gives you a clearer path than success ever
could.

Shout out to all the judges tagged in this post! If you ever make it to Montana, I would love the opportunity to cook for you again !

05/07/2026

POV: The $500,000 Grill Doesn’t Clean Itself ASMR

Truth is… the grill definitely isn’t 500k 😂 but it IS one of the hardest working pieces of equipment in our restaurant.

Cooking with solid fuel is a completely different animal than gas. Real wood and charcoal create live embers, ash buildup, grease buildup, fluctuating heat zones, and a level of maintenance most people never see. (I actually film this for training. ) but thought it would be fun to share.

But that wood fired flavor? You simply cannot fake it.

And when it comes to live-fire equipment, is in a league of their own. The custom craftsmanship, airflow, heat retention and and modularity are absolutely insane. Nothing else I’ve cooked on compares.

This is the part of live-fire cooking nobody talks about… the cleanup after the magic for your viewing pleasure

Most people don’t realize…some of the best food in Montana starts with people like Dillon Kouf. ⬇️ Last night we celebra...
05/05/2026

Most people don’t realize…some of the best food in Montana starts with people like Dillon Kouf. ⬇️

Last night we celebrated his 30th birthday at Ember. He brought the proteins from , we cooked them over applewood from his land, surrounded by the people who built it with him.

Before & ever opened, Dillon welcomed me in, showed me the ranch, butcher shop and shared his knowledge and passion about vertical integration and about how the animals are in their care from start to finish never leaving the valley. His passion and dedication speaks to my soul as a chef.

That’s real hospitality and what this industry is really about.

If you care about where your food comes from, this is someone to know.

To the Kouf family 👏👏👏 from all of us at ember and Grano we appreciate your kindness and continued support!

04/23/2026

Rotisserie chicken Thursday! Friendly reminder ! Hope to see you tonight 🙌🙌🙌

Sunday Brunch at Ember — Starting April 26Hey everyone! We’re excited to finally launch something you’ve been asking for...
04/22/2026

Sunday Brunch at Ember — Starting April 26

Hey everyone!
We’re excited to finally launch something you’ve been asking for since day one!

Sunday Brunch at Ember begins this weekend and will run through the season.

We’re keeping it tight, intentional, and worth getting out of bed for. Expect a menu built the way we cook—simple, bold, and done right, using locally sourced ingredients as much as possible

Preview Menu in photo below 👇

Seats are limited, so we strongly recommend making a reservation. We’ll always do our best to accommodate walk-ins when possible.

This is something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time, and we’re excited to finally share it with you.

Reserve your table and come spend your Sunday with us!

https://www.sevenrooms.com/explore/embermontana/reservations/create/search

04/15/2026

Thursdays just became non-negotiable.

We’re talking fresh, free-range birds, brined, slow-roasted over applewood and live charcoal, then finished hot for that crackling, crispy skin. Juicy all the way through. Real flavor. No shortcuts.

Served with local greens + chicken fat potatoes that honestly deserve their own moment.

Half bird — $24 (feeds 2–3)
Whole bird — $48 (feeds 4–6)

Dine in or take it to go.
Limited birds. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

BBQ is in my blood….this challenge meant everything to me.There’s something powerful about keeping it simple… letting fi...
04/13/2026

BBQ is in my blood….this challenge meant everything to me.

There’s something powerful about keeping it simple… letting fire, smoke, and technique do the talking. No distractions. Just cooking from the heart.

Going head-to-head with my brother? That’s a full circle moment I’ll never forget. The kind of challenge you dream about—and then you’re standing there living it.

This one’s special.

Make sure you tune in if you haven’t already🔥

ChefAuthorized

Address

131 W Main Street
Hamilton, MT
59840

Opening Hours

Wednesday 5pm - 8pm
Thursday 5pm - 9pm
Friday 5pm - 9pm
Saturday 5pm - 8pm

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