About

Hi, I’m Michael Montoya –

Marketing Specialist and Visual Storyteller based in Seattle.

With a successful track record collaborating with business owners, executives, and marketing teams to launch consumer products and craft memorable events, I bring expertise in end-to-end product marketing, marketing strategy, photography, and videography, branding, and social media.

Since I can remember, I’ve been obsessed by everything food. I got my first chef coat when I was 8 from executive chef Steve Cane, a legendary Seattle chef who led the culinary team at Aqua by El Gaucho in Seattle. In 2015 I started my first job working alongside Lisa Dupar, a former Julia Child Cookbook Award winner. Over the next 8 years I held every title possible, from pastry chef, to barista, and eventually Marketing Director. In 2023 I took the next step in my career by expanding into the wine industry, with Mark Ryan Winery.

I am also passionate about history, the process of creating narratives both personal and national, and education. I hold a dual B.A. in the Social Sciences and Spanish from Wesleyan University where my research on print media and the rise of a national political system in 19th-century Colombia received Departmental Honors in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures. I am fluent in Spanish and conversational in Brazilian Portuguese and have used my skills as a translator, interpreter, and educator.

While studying I began documenting my work through photo which sparked a newfound passion – eventually my love for photography combined with my lifelong obsession with food I began producing professional images and digital marketing campaigns in 2020. Ever since, I have been driven to create compelling stories told through stunning visuals and stellar copy to bring to life the artistry behind the great food and wine of the Pacific Northwest.