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Industry pays tribute to Chris Patino
Drinks veteran Chris Patino died on 18 October after having pancreatic cancer for four years.
Patino founded Simple Serve, a trade-focused marketing agency, in 2016, and became a partner in San Diego bar Raised by Wolves in 2018.
He worked at Pernod Ricard for eight years, for three of which he was director of brand advocacy.
Patino was named Best US Bar Mentor at last year’s Spirited Awards, held during the Tales of the Cocktail conference in New Orleans.
Tales of the Cocktail posted on Instagram: “It was an honour to award Chris with the 2023 Spirited Award for Best US Bar Mentor. However, Chris was more than a mentor. He was a champion of our industry. He welcomed new members into the community with open arms, teaching us all about hospitality with humour, grace, and inclusivity. He touched the lives of many of our team members and his impact will never be forgotten.
“From his support of and work with the Cocktail Apprentice Program to his role on our Philanthropy Committee, where he helped award grants that improved the lives of bartenders around the world, Chris dedicated his life to uplifting others.
“But he was so much more than his accolades. Watching him with his wife, Heather, and their wonderful kids showed us the light and joy he brought to every moment. Our hearts go out to his family, the most important part of his life.
“Chris has always been dedicated to fighting cancer through his lifelong work with Speed Rack and, more recently, the Pancreatic Cancer Network (PanCAN). His passion for improving lives extended beyond the bar, and he inspired many to join the fight against this disease.
“The entire industry is mourning this immense loss, and we’re grieving with you. Thank you for everything, Chris. Your spirit will continue to inspire us all.”
A crowdfund has been set up to provide financial support for his three children, Cynnie, Rocco and Del, with nearly US$15,000 raised at the time of publication.
Another Round Another Rally, on whose advisory council Patino served, posted on Instagram: “Chris was the recipient of countless awards and accolades, but the throughline of his hospitality career has been the mentorship he so freely offered and the connections he effortlessly made for others.
“It’s hard to put into words exactly what he meant to us at Another Round Another Rally. As a member of our advisory council, he helped raise more than US$900,000 in donations for our cause – money that he knew would be spent on the betterment of this community, mainly on people he would never even meet. He raised funds for our professional development programmes, for disaster relief, for our work in mentorship, and for the Chris Patino Hero Fund, which offers financial aid for hospitality workers who face an unexpected diagnosis of cancer.
“Chris was a fighter and an inspiration. When he was diagnosed with cancer, the doctor told him he would likely only have six months to live. But he fought bravely, thought with ingenuity, worked diligently, gave generously, and four years and three months later, he quietly and peacefully left us. Chris was the brightest of comets shooting across the sky. How lucky we have been to have experienced his light.”
‘Titan of the trade’
Erick Castro-Diaz, the co-owner of Raised by Wolves, added: “Chris was a truly special person who touched so many lives around the globe. He was a mentor to both bartenders and brand ambassadors alike, and a relentless advocate for providing education and training to any and all industry folks who desired it. But more than that he was an incredible friend.
“Over the years, I was lucky enough to travel the world with him and he seemed to have had lifelong buddies in every single bar we walked into… No matter where we were, he was always greeted with an ear-to-ear smile and a shot of something cheeky.
“Yet anyone who knew him knew this was a common thing for him, as that was just the effect he had on the people he met. He inspired loyalty in others by extending his own first, and always without expectation of reciprocity.
“Needless to say, the bar world has lost a titan of the trade, an immensely talented leader, and a once-in-a-lifetime friend.”
The Dead Rabbit bar in New York posted on Instagram: “Chris Patino was a man of many talents… He cared deeply about his work, engaging bartenders around the world through authentic storytelling, education, guidance and mentorship. He worked diligently and tirelessly to uplift the hospitality industry from within, graciously sharing his time and expertise with all those who needed it – including us.
“But, perhaps more important than his many professional achievements and countless accolades, Chris was a kind, funny, and generous friend, a loving husband, and a committed father.
“As Chris said after the passing of Tomas Estes: ‘there are heroes, and there are legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.’ Chris, as all who knew him can attest, was both.”
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