Remembering Bar Industry Veteran Chris Patino

Chris Patino was beloved in the bar world. This was evident during his final public appearance at the most recent Bartender’s Weekend, the San Diego-based trade event he co-founded. It was technically an event for Teremana, the tequila he helped develop through his brand-building company Simple Serve. The moment Patino arrived, the packed crowd within Swan Bar’s cozy neighborhood confines burst into joyful tear-streaked whooping, giving way to rhythmic chants of “Patino! Patino!” in a sing-song meter usually reserved for superstar athletes. It was bittersweet.

Patino passed away on Friday, October 18 after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. His extensive list of achievements confirms his stamp on the bar industry. Patino was a frequent host of the popular cocktail competition Speed Rack, a World’s 50 Best Bar judge, and partner of San Diego bar Raised by Wolves. He was also an award-winning brand ambassador and mentor largely credited with building New Orleans’ cocktail community.

Above all, Patino was loved by many.

“Chris was all heart and could make anyone feel like the most important person in the world,” says Neal Bodenheimer, partner of the New Orleans bar Cure. “Chris created community wherever he went. That’s just who he was, a connector of people, and a friend that always had your back whether you talked every day or once a year.”

Patino was known to uplift and support the bartending community. 

“I think that one of the most impactful things about Chris was his desire to help people find the greatness in themselves,” says Erin Hayes, bar consultant and co-founder of the Black Lagoon bar pop-up. “He watched as I took steps forward in my career and was always quick to say congratulations, but also made sure to mention that he was proud of my accomplishments.”

Portland-based bartender, writer, and bar consultant Jeffrey Morgenthaler credits Patino for connecting him to a life-changing assignment. 

“Chris dedicated his career to helping bartenders, and for that, I will be forever grateful,” says Morgenthaler. “It was this generosity that led him to me for a special project many years ago, a project that allowed me to finally be able to afford to buy a home. And I’ll never forget him for that.”

Patino’s magnetic persona and love for the drinks community made him a natural fit to emcee large-scale cocktail events.  

“Chris was the first iconic host of Speed Rack, and he was a natural onstage,” says Lynnette Marrero, Speed Rack co-founder. “He had a band back in San Diego, so when he was up there, he knew how to command a stage, but in a way that didn’t center on him. It always centered on the competing bartenders.”

Those who knew Patino well also saw him as a devoted family man who was a constant support for his wife Heather and their three children. “It should be mentioned that to know Chris was to know how much he loved Heather,” says Anne Louise Marquise, trade advocacy lead at Campari America. “They were a true partnership and an inspiration to me. They still are.”

As Patino battled cancer, he refused to set his beloved industry aside. He used his journey as a tentpole to help others. He served on the advisory council for the industry nonprofit Another Round Another Rally and established a program that offered financial aid for hospitality workers suddenly faced with a cancer diagnosis. 

“The part of his life that inspired me the most was how he took on his fight with cancer,” says Simon Ford, founder of Ford’s Gin and Patino’s former boss at Pernod-Ricard. “He continued to provide for his family and churn out even more great work. I still don’t quite know how he did it.”

Patino leaves behind a massive legacy within contemporary cocktail culture. 

“You look at Chris, and you see that he was a lynchpin at so many key points of the modern craft cocktail renaissance,” says Erick Castro, Patino’s partner in Raised by Wolves and Bartender’s Weekend. “I do feel like he had so many more important things still ahead of him to do, and that’s why it’s such a devastating loss to the industry as a whole.”

Patino’s true impact will not necessarily be his work or his professional achievements. It will be the person he was.

“My life would look completely different if it wasn’t for Chris taking me under his wing,” says Jesse Peterson, who co-founded Patino’s Pickle Barrel Bitters with her long-time friend. “Patino selflessly poured himself into others by being caring, honest, and passionate. Through his unimaginable fight with cancer, he stayed strong and resilient, and he was still the light in the room. As gracious and humble as he was, he was just as funny and fun. The party always followed him.”