Santa Maria roots · Cottonwood, Arizona
California roots. Arizona fire.
Red oak. An open grill. Tri-tip, chicken, and beef ribs with a little taste of home in every plate.
We’re Jeremy and Diana. We’re bringing the barbecue we grew up around and the homestyle cooking we love to share to our neighbors in the Verde Valley.
Preparing for our first public cook · Est. 2026
Real wood. Open fire. No shortcuts.
The Oak & Ember vision
Two people. A little taste of home.
We’re Jeremy and Diana, the people behind Oak & Ember. Our roots are in California’s Santa Maria Valley, and Cottonwood is where we’re building this next chapter together.
Jeremy brings his love of Santa Maria barbecue: choosing the wood, tending the coals, and working the grate. Diana brings the homestyle sides, salsas, guacamole, and thoughtful seasoning that make it a meal.
Homestyle cooking. Made with intention and love.
Alongside Jeremy’s love of Santa Maria barbecue, Diana’s cooking gives Oak & Ember its sense of home. Together, we’re building a place for generous plates, good company, and food made with purpose.
Read our story
The fire & the craft
The grate moves. The cook pays attention.
Our Santa Maria grill lets us raise and lower the food above the oak coals as the heat changes. It’s a hands-on way of cooking, with the cook right there, tending the wood and working the fire.
Get to know the grate.
Lower
Closer to the coals. A way to work with more direct heat when the cook calls for it.
Middle
Adjusting as we go. The cook watches the food and responds to the fire.
Higher
More distance from the coals. Another way to manage the heat as the cook develops.
A look at how the grill works, not cooking instructions or food-safety guidance.
Explore our BBQ styleAround the grill
The wood. The grill. The people.
The pieces of Oak & Ember are coming together. Here’s a closer look at what we’re bringing to the table.
01 / The wood
The wood is part of the story
02 / The grill
The grate moves. The cook pays attention.
03 / The people
Jeremy & Diana · The people behind Oak & Ember
Road to the first fire
Getting ready to gather.
Compliant · Awaiting county paperwork
Our grill and tent setup passed the Cottonwood Fire Department inspection. Our county and city applications are in, and we’re awaiting final approval before we begin serving.
First public cook: date coming soon.
We’ll share confirmed dates and locations here and on our social pages. Until then, you can follow the work that’s bringing Oak & Ember together.
Built with our community
Help us get cooking.
We’re building Oak & Ember one step at a time, starting with the special-event path as our approvals come together.
Our next goal is a trailer setup that lets us pursue a full mobile food unit license and more regular service around the Verde Valley. Contributions, useful equipment leads, and fair trades can help us work toward that next chapter.
Whether you chip in, share our story, or point us toward something useful, we appreciate being part of a community that helps small beginnings grow.
Venmo · Zelle · GoFundMe coming soon
The first collection · Coming soon
A little Oak & Ember. Wherever you go.
Shirts, hoodies, hats, and more are in the works. We’re putting the first collection together with the same care we’re bringing to the food.
See what’s in the worksPull up a chair.
Good food starts with a fire. A community makes it a meal.
Follow the first fireReal wood. Open fire. No shortcuts.