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Bartender Spirits Awards

Bartender Spirits Awards
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Christopher Penn

Lead Bartender at Bungalow Kitchen, San Francisco, California

I have spent the last 8 years of my life dedicated to Food and Beverage. Through my journey I have had the pleasure of spending a great deal of time working for Morimoto Restaurants in Napa Valley.  In Napa, I had the pleasure of learning all facets of management within front of house, including beverage directing under the late, great Amgad Wahba. 

I ultimately left Napa to take over a role at Mina Group Restaurant’s coveted Michelin restaurant, Michael Mina SF. This became the fine dining service, restaurant and team that would really help shape my career. I worked there for nearly 2 years as a bartender under a very talented lead bartender that helped to develop my ordering technique, menu design and over all leadership and negotiations within operations.

During the pandemic we learned to pivot quickly and capitalize on anything convenient within orders and packaging that would create a home experience that felt like dining out. After a few short months developing take out programs and beverage kits, I was called to assist restaurants that were opening around the states. Flying in and assist programs, develop systems streamline ordering, production, cleanliness and over all functionalities. After flying to places like Miami and Honolulu as a corporate team member, I was asked to come to Tiburon to help launch a brand-new concept called Bungalow Kitchen. This restaurant has proven to be the challenge I was looking for. I have been at the helm of this nearly 3-million-dollar beverage program for the past year. Two floors, three bars, a spirits list to drool over and moving more product than supply chains can keep up with, I’ve found a challenge worth the squeeze.

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