About

Our very first market, The Market at the Oasis in Baton Rouge, April 2022

About Us

Seasoning & Sauce (our former name) began in 2022 out of a love of breaking (and sharing) bread with others. Kevin and Emerson Marino love good food and love sharing good food! If you visit their home, you will probably be coerced by Kevin into eating something that was probably cooked by Emerson.

One day in 2021, a friend gave Emerson the idea of selling meal mixes, and that idea took off. Emerson spent the next few months converting her recipes and testing them out on her friends and family until they were just right. During this time, Emerson’s dad, Mark, gave his blessing for them to sell his own creation, Mark’s Secret Sauce. Soon enough, our products were being sold at local farmer’s markets and other events.

We are grateful for our customers, who enable us to share good food far beyond our kitchen table and into their homes.

What's in a Name?

We began as just Seasoning & Sauce. It was honestly the best we could come up with. A lot of food businesses are a first or last name, but, being Louisianians, our Italian last name just wasn’t going to work. So, Seasoning & Sauce it was. Fast forward to one year into business, we knew we needed an upgrade. We wanted to begin the process of getting our products into stores, and we needed a brand. Still, we were stumped, until finally our clever sister-in-law suggested Ma’rie, pronounced “mah-REE.”

Ma’rie is a combination of Emerson’s married name and maiden name. Both are very dear to her and both have made her into the cook she is today. She learned to cook (and is still learning) from her parents, but she grew in her skills in the kitchen cooking for her husband and children. Ma’rie also pays tribute to both of Emerson’s grandmothers, Marie and Mary, and the Cajun pronunciation pays tribute to her Cajun roots.

Products and Process

Quality and consistency are important to us. You won’t find preservatives or junk in our products. Presently, we are a cottage food business, which means the production happens in our home. We have a dedicated room for mixing spices, and we maintain sanitary practices. We will soon be bottling Mark’s Secret Sauce in a facility, which will enable us to expand into stores and other states. Please reach out to us at yourfriends@tastemarie.com with any questions on our process.