Meet the Young Guns Semi-Finalists: Briana Warner

Eater Young Gun semi-finalist and industry newcomer Briana Warner, 30, is all about pie diplomacy. The proprietor and baker at The Maine Pie Line spent her twenties working as an economic officer in the foreign service, constantly baking pies for her meetings and introducing foreign diplomats to the classic American dessert. (The verdict: "Everyone gets excited about sweets.")

While experimenting with her take on crust, Warner would tuck whatever ingredients were on hand into her pies, like avocado and mango while in Guinea. As she traveled and lived around the world with her husband, she would take note of interesting flavor combinations. "I'd have a really good dessert, and think, 'How can I turn this into a pie?'" she says. When she opened The Maine Pie Line in October, the menu reflected her global-meets-local philosophy.

Here are 10 things you should know about Warner and the Maine Pie Line:

1. Maine was always part of the plan.
Warner's husband is from Bangor, and the two dreamed of coming back to New England. She lived abroad for over a decade, but she loves all the innovation in the Portland food scene.

9 more, including how she thinks globally, hires locally. >>
[Photo: Ted Axelrod]