Camden Stuerzenberger
Executive Chef / Owner
As with many great chefs before him, Chef Camden Stuerzenberger can trace his love of cooking back to his grandmother's kitchen. Unlike many of his male chef counterparts, it was his first Easy Bake Oven that set in motion a decade of pursuing one goal - to create balanced dishes that showcase the complexity of simple foods.
At 18, Camden studied at the Texas Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, within the Patisserie and Baking program, and quickly recognized a need to further expand his creative palette. Interning within diverse kitchens like Chicago's De La Costa, New Orleans' Luke, Gautreau's and Commander's Palace, and the Crowne Plaza in Acapulco, continued to help shape Stuerzenberger's style and knowledge base.
Within Austin, Camden saw rapid career growth from his early days at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines, to Executive Chef / Chief of Operations at Bess Bistro and sister restaurant Walton's Fancy & Staple. He has also led the culinary offerings as Executive Chef at South Congress Cafe and Hickory Street.
Described in Austin Style Magazine as an "architect of culinary innovations at newer Austin icons," Chef Stuerzenberger's style draws inspiration from his attraction to Spanish, Mexican, and Latin culture and cuisine, his love of the artesian food scene on California's northern coast, and his fondness of the rich restaurant scene in Chicago.
Fork & Vine is Camden's interpretation of a down-to-earth, distinctly modern, Austin kitchen and wine bar. With cuisine that explores regional favorites with a twist, whimsical shared plates, and non-traditional pairings, Fork & Vine promises to deliver on Camden's quest of simple complexity.
Chris Howell
Sommelier
Chris Howell represents today's modern sommelier. He's an adventurous and sophisticated wine expert with an accessible, laid back street trailer foodie persona. Chris' passion to elevate food through wine pairings is matched by his genuine interested in his customers' needs as they relate to taste, experience, and budget.
Influenced by a close-knit, food-focused family, Chris was introduced into the food industry at the young age of 13 and fell in love! Throughout the years he has fueled his enthusiasm by serving and managing at leading Austin establishments like Taverna, Manuel's and The Grove. In 2008, he parleyed his out-of-the-box thinking into one of SoCo's favorite food trucks, known as The Fat Cactus, and in 2012, Chris survived the challenging and time-consuming journey towards becoming a Level II Certified Sommelier.
With an insatiable passion for wine and half a lifetime spent in the kitchen, Chris truly completes the team of the newly-launched pairings kitchen and wine bar, Fork & Vine. Drawing inspiration from a mashup of cultures, ranging from Native American and Cajun, to Italian and Mediterranean, his adventurous pairings of multi-layered cuisine with off-the-grid wine and sake add yet another colorful, enlightened layer to the ever-changing dining landscape of Austin.
Christopher Diehl
General Manager
The proverbial glue that often holds together a restaurant is the General Manager, and Christopher Diehl holds a love for this often challenging role that far outweighs his zeal for food or wine.
A Texan through and through, Chris demonstrates an innate courtesy, curiosity, and care for each and every guest. His passion translates into a deep dedication to develop a thoughtful, connected, approachable, and inspired staff that is equally focused on creating experiences of excellence at Fork & Vine.
Christopher's journey in the hospitality industry began almost 15 years ago as a server at the iconic Royer's Round Top Cafe. With trusted brands like Macaroni Grill and Saltgrass Steakhouse, Christopher learned to respect every element and role that ensures a restaurant runs with integrity. Ultimately, his extraordinary operations expertise and tireless drive earned him key management opportunities over the past decade, including a six year tenure at Perry's Steakhouse, one of Texas' acclaimed fine dining leaders.
From doorway to dishwasher, first sip to last bite, Christopher is the "&" in Fork & Vine who strives for excellence within the plethora of unseen details that create a down-to-earth place for connecting and indulging! One experience at Fork & Vine and you'll see that his vibrant personality and contagious passion for food, family and friends are woven into the very fabric of this uniquely Austin kitchen and wine bar.
