ABOUT OAK & EMBER
All the details you’re looking for and more.
Frequently asked questions
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Yes, we can accommodate most dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, celiac, and vegan options. Please inform your server of any allergies or restrictions when ordering.
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We don't have a separate kids menu, but our team is happy to customize dishes for younger palates. Just ask!
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Walk-ins are always welcome! That said, we're cozy by design, so snagging a reservation is your best bet. Want to keep it spontaneous? Our bar is first-come, first-served—pull up a stool and settle in.
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We welcome guests to bring their own wine with a corkage fee of $25 per bottle.
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Our lunch menu is available for pickup through Toast and delivery via UberEats, Tuesday through Friday.
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Join us for "The Ember Hour" Tuesday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, featuring charcuterie and drink specials.
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We'd love to! Whether it's an intimate dinner or a full celebration, we're booking private events two months out. Let's make it memorable - get in touch!
MEET Our Team
CHRISTIAN PUCCIO
Christian Puccio's journey in Loudoun County's restaurant industry spans over two decades of passion, persistence, and deep community roots. At 25, he founded Puccio's New York Deli in Leesburg, establishing a beloved local institution known for quality and authentic hospitality. After selling the deli in 2009, Christian expanded his expertise through leadership roles with Metropolitan Hospitality Group, Creighton Farms, and as General Manager at Ahso Restaurant, where he spent eight years crafting award-winning cocktail programs and refining his palate as a Level One Sommelier.
Oak & Ember represents the culmination of Christian's vision: a space where locally sourced ingredients, curated wines, and genuine hospitality converge. Years ago, he set his sights on the historic Aldie building that now houses Oak & Ember. When the opportunity finally aligned, Christian was ready to create something meaningful - a market and tasting room built on relationships with local farmers, winemakers, and artisans he's cultivated throughout his career.
"What you will see is something built from more than plans and passion. It was built from shortfalls, second chances, and the strength to keep moving forward. This place represents every late night, every setback, and every ounce of belief I refused to lose."
For Christian, Oak & Ember is more than a business—it's a homecoming, a celebration of Loudoun County's agricultural bounty, and a testament to what perseverance and community can build together.
OWNER & FOUNDER
TAREK KIPRIY
Chef Tarek Kipriy's culinary journey began with a simple question: "Do you want to wash dishes?" Fresh out of high school, Tarek took a job at Forlanos Market in The Plains, Virginia, where everything was made in-house and sourced locally. It was there he discovered what food could be—not just sustenance, but story, craft, and connection. Within a month, he moved from the dish pit to the line, and he's never looked back.
Born and raised in Germany, where his mother cooked for soldiers in the military, Tarek grew up surrounded by home cooking and an appreciation for food's power to bring people together. His path through Loudoun County's culinary landscape has been diverse and intentional: Market Salamander, Pizzeria Moto, Savoir Fare Catering, The Whole Ox, and Wine Kitchen all contributed to his foundation. In 2015, he co-founded Cured Food Truck with his best friend Jeremy Thrasher, operating it for over two years before stepping back to focus on family.
After welcoming two children, Finn and Annalee, Tarek continued to grow his craft at West End in Purcellville, Monks BBQ, Flying Ace, and most recently at Ahso, where his passion for fine dining was rekindled.
At Oak & Ember, Tarek is excited to push culinary boundaries with dry-aged meats, house-made charcuterie, and an evolving pasta program. But what truly drives him is working with locally sourced ingredients and foraged finds, collaborating with Chef Chris to create dishes that honor the land and tell a story.
When he's not in the kitchen, you'll find Tarek in the woods with Finn and Annalee - foraging, playing disc golf, or exploring the farm where they live.
HEAD CHEF
EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEFCHRIS BARETTE
Chef Chris Barette is a self-taught pasta maker whose culinary voice was shaped by his Portuguese heritage and a belief that food is connection, memory, and love made tangible. Growing up in a multicultural household with roots in Portugal, Canada, Denmark, and France, Chris learned early that no matter where you are, the dinner table is where stories are told and bonds are formed.
His mother's kitchen was his first classroom, and pasta became his creative medium—a craft requiring technique, patience, and expression. Through countless hours of practice and experimentation, Chris developed his own voice in the kitchen, one that balances tradition with innovation.
At Oak & Ember, Chris brings something deeply personal to Aldie: his reimagined Caldo Verde. The Portuguese soup his grandmother made countless times has evolved into pillowy potato gnocchi bathed in a vibrant kale and roasted garlic sauce, finished with crispy chouriço and silky pecorino fonduta. It's nostalgia elevated—the kind of dish that honors his roots while showcasing his artistry.
"I cook with other people in mind, always hoping for that moment when someone smiles after the first bite."
Chris's Instagram presence at @sushiflume has built a devoted community of over 12,000 followers who watch his pasta journey unfold. What began as a personal page naturally evolved into a pasta-focused portfolio in early 2024, becoming a space to document growth, connect with fellow cooks, and share his craft with the world.
Joining Oak & Ember felt full circle for Chris - reconnecting with Head Chef Tarek Kiney, his high school soccer teammate, to create something meaningful together. His pasta is what guests have been raving about since opening, and his commitment to the craft shows in every hand-rolled piece.