Executive Chef Sam Castrale

Beginning his culinary career in New York City, Executive Chef Sam Castrale has worked his way through the kitchen to make his own mark in the culinary world. A graduate of the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu, Castrale started out as a sauté cook over 15 years ago and quickly mastered working on the line and advanced to become one of New York’s finest chefs.

Before recently settling in Pittsburgh, Chef Sam built an impressive resume in Seattle and Austin where he mastered an array of different cooking styles and techniques. Along the way, he discovered his passion for crafting innovative recipes and working with fresh and local ingredients. Chef Sam focuses on a method known as “scratch cooking,” perfecting his recipes by working with basic ingredients in creatively delicious ways.

Chef Sam pulls much of his inspiration from the French chef, Jacques Pepin. As Executive Chef of the new Ember & Vine Woodfire Oven and Social Bar, he uses his influence to create each delicious dish using locally sourced and fresh ingredients.

Ember & Vine will showcase Chef Sam’s specialty soups and sauces, and will feature his signature, flavor packed dishes such as the House-Cured Duck Reuben with pastrami, sauerkraut, dijonnaise and gruyere cheese and the Woodfired Oysters with fresh thyme.

Ember & Vine Woodfire Oven and Social Bar is located inside the newly renovated DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh-Cranberry and is open for hotel guests and local patrons for breakfast, lunch, dinner and offers a late night menu until 1a.m.

For more information on Ember & Vine Woodfire Oven and Social Bar, visit www.emberandvinecranberry.com.