Mark Taché & Christin Cooper

FOUNDING PARTNERS

Montana Ale Works was founded by Mark and Christin Taché (with Pete Hendrickson and Steve Shuel) seven years after the couple founded MacKenzie River Pizza Co., a then-handcrafted, wood-fired pizza place that exploded Bozeman’s downtown restaurant scene with artisan pies, hand-hewn ambiance, and a passionate service culture.

The community's need for a casual-upscale, restaurant, bar and gathering place led to the birth of Montana Ale Works in 2000, spearheading the revitalization of Bozeman's historic East End, and raising the bar yet again for casual dining in the Gallatin Valley.

The Taché’s role is to steer conceptual design and growth, guide employee training and management decisions, govern marketing and promotions (Christin), and finances (Mark), and collaborate with Roth and Sean on menu design and development. Their philosophy is grounded in teamwork and open, honest communication gleaned from their lifetime in sports. Both are former world-class ski racers.

Christin is a 1984 Olympic silver medalist, 1982 triple World Championship medalist, five-time World Cup winner, six-time National champion & 30-year broadcast TV expert analyst. Mark is an eight-year U.S. Ski Team and World Cup tour veteran who competed in two World Championships before racing head-to-head for seven years on the US Pro Tour.

“Restaurants weren’t part of any grand scheme,” says Mark of their four concepts, three in Montana, one in California. “We wanted to see if what we'd learned from sports had practical applications in the real world. We knew the value of systems, team-building, high goals and standards, and from our travel, we appreciated the solace and fellowship of great food and service.”

“It’s a work in progress,” says Christin. “Staying ahead of the curve is an ethic we got from skiing. We listen to people who know more than us, which is pretty much everyone,” she laughs. “Developing, inspiring and guiding people is what we’re all about,” adds Mark.

Sean Faris

MANAGING PARTNER / DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

In 1994, Sean moved from San Diego to Bozeman to lose himself in fly fishing, fly tying, backpacking and school. But the restaurant business entered the picture, and for the next 17 years, Sean went all in, first as a server and then as a manager of various MacKenzie River Pizza Co. locations – including a righteous stint as GM of the MacKenzie River Roadhouse in Gallatin Gateway.

In 2006, Sean joined the Ale Works management team and was promoted to General Manager in 2013. His work ethic, integrity, good nature and professional chops earned him an invitation into the ownership group in July 2016, when he became a Managing Partner. In 2018, he moved from GM to Director of Operations, overseeing a massive renovation of our central bar, while we remained open to serve guests.

A proud leader of a cohesive team of 12 managers and up to 150 Ale Workers, Sean operates with humor and purpose. “I’m truly passionate about the heart of our business, which is the service experience. Our guests deserve our good energy, our good humor, our positive attitudes… and they respond to that as much as the great food and drink we serve.”

“I am a lucky man,” he says with a smile. “I look forward to bringing out the best in our staff every day and developing them as professionals. It’s an honor to work with passionate people, and be a leader of this team.”

Sean’s two beautiful children, Finn and Marley, keep him conjuring adventures, though whether the benefits accrue more to the children or the father is an open question.

“My kids help me justify my obsession for fishing… and tying flies for fish… and camping somewhere near the water containing those fish. It is my personal duty to teach my son to protect his sister, love his mother, and get up early enough in the morning to go on adventures with me! I’m squeezing these moments for all I can. ”

Roth Jordan

MANAGING PARTNER / CORPORATE CHEF

Raised in rural Alabama, Roth recalls his grandma’s chicken stock as always on the stove, but it was only when he headed West and into the kitchen of Buck’s T-4 Ranch in Big Sky, that Roth started taking his latent passion for cooking seriously. It was here that he met his future wife Kathryn, a talented pastry chef, who encouraged him in his culinary aspirations.

Together, they left Montana so Roth could attend the New England Culinary Institute, and and practice old-school French cuisine in Vermont, before traveling to the US Virgin Islands to work under chef and mentor Ted Robinson, who “taught me what it is to be passionate about food”. A three-year stint at the renowned Stone Terrace on St John as Executive Chef, and Roth and Kat were ready to return to Big Sky Country.

Roth was hired as Ale Works Executive Chef in October 2005, and he immediately started upgrading the menu and the standards of the kitchen. It was a daunting task that included changing the mechanics and the culture of the kitchen, “and creating the passion. We turned it into an environment for professionals.” Roth considers the culinary reinvention of Ale Works as his proudest achievement “aside from the birth of my kids, Karly, Tessa and Warren, of course.”

Roth’s leadership and dedication led to an offer of partnership in 2008, and a promotion to Corporate Chef/Managing Partner in 2014. Roth oversaw our million dollar kitchen renovation in 2016 and currently mentors and oversees our Executive Chef and kitchen crew as they brine, smoke and sous-vide locally-raised meats and make every sauce, soup, dressing and dessert we serve from scratch.

“We might do pulled pork tamales, duck confit cassoulet, paella, and shepherd's pie all in the same night, in addition to our 50-item menu. We’ll feed 1,500 customers some summer nights, ridiculous by any standard, with everybody leaving happy! It’s a direct result of taking pride in what we do, and always striving to do it better.”

Jacob Huder

MANAGING PARTNER / EXECUTIVE CHEF

Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Jacob graduated from Mercer University with a degree in Hospitality Management and immediately headed West to Yellowstone National Park for what he thought would be a short stint working at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.


His “brief” trip included meeting his wife, Lauren, and finding his future in the restaurant industry. “The Snow Lodge chef cooked these amazing small plates for us after service while he went over the numbers,” Jacob recalls. “His food blew me away but I also the challenge of running the restaurant really appealed to me. That’s when I decided to go to culinary school.”

He enrolled in culinary school in Charleston, South Carolina, and landed a job at Carolina’s, under renowned chef Jeremiah Bacon. “I told him, I have no idea what I’m doing, yet, but I’m a hard worker and a quick learner.” 
Quickly establishing himself as a talent in the kitchen, Chef Bacon promoted Jacob to Sous Chef of his second restaurant, The Macintosh, and was soon Bacon’s Chef de Cuisine. It was only a matter was promoted to Executive Chef.


The Montana dream became reality when Jacob accepted the Executive Sous Chef job at Montana Ale Works in the winter of 2020, but the timing of his arrival coincided perfectly with the Coronavirus shutdown. As we all pivoted to curbside pick-up, social distanced dining, and management meetings by Zoom, Jacob adapted to the new routines and protocols, and quickly established himself as a solid team member and natural leader.

After a brief stint as Chef de Cuisine, Jacob was promoted to Ale Works Executive Chef in January 2021 and as offered partnership in late 2022.

A keen entrepreneurial bent was evident from day one, but Jacob’s positive impact on operations along with his endless desire to listen and learn increases daily.

Back in the kitchen, Jacob guides a talented team to continue developing the Ale Works menu and nightly specials in new and creative ways, while knocking our monthly Beer Pairing dinners out of the park with inventive small plates that draw on Southern culinary roots while incorporate the flavors and ingredients of his new home in the Northern Rockies.