Kevin Patnode

ID

My nickname is: Kevin is just fine, if I’m lazy making a reservation over the phone in Istanbul I’ll use the name Kerem to avoid spelling out Kevin.

My last cocktail was: A picante of course, at Soho House.

I’ve eaten most recently: I had some çöp şiş from Canım Ciğerim in Asmalı Mescit.

I have been busy lately: Doing the interview right now on a boat from Capri to Napoli, where I came to create cocktails for the art fair NOMAD. Before this, I hosted a dinner and cocktail pairing in Cappadocia for the music festival Echoes from Agartha, which was fantastic.

I live in: Çukurcuma, my favorite slice of the city.

I think I am from: the Mediterranean. In my past life, I was running a wine bar in the Mediterranean. I’m most relaxed when I’m by the sea.

SHOOT THE BREEZE

You are familiar with Istanbul after almost a decade of living here. How have you experienced city life throughout this period, can you give us your observations as an Istanbulite?

I think Istanbul is always changing, some can argue that it’s changing for the worse, but there are always some constants in the city that make it feel like home. I’ve been in the city a long time and grew up here, and grew up with Istanbul as well, so I’m happy to adapt to the city that has always been so welcoming to me.

Working in Istanbul has been one of my biggest advantages since I interact with so many Turkish people in the hospitality industry. I can always get advice on where to eat and drink, and I can connect with the best chefs, bartenders, wine-makers, and food historians when it comes to creating new cocktails or planning new events. That network that I have grown over time has made the city feel much smaller, more familiar, and fortunately less chaotic.

You are well informed about the cocktail & food culture in the city and the changes taking place around it. In one of your GQ Türkiye pieces, you dwelled on this subject and argued that Covid-19 has radically shaped and transformed Istanbul's f&b culture. How do you foresee its future?

Unfortunately, I don’t see much hope in the near future. I think a combination of the pandemic as well as the economic fallout, has pushed people away from investing in the hospitality industry. Young chefs will find it harder to open their restaurants, and promising bartenders will struggle to make the leap from mixologist to bar owner since Istanbul’s bureaucracy does not favor the cocktail industry. Of course with tourism, larger hospitality groups and hotels will continue to pop up across the city, such as Galata Port, the most recent one. But I’m not a huge fan of these places. I think talented young chefs and bartenders would prefer to work abroad and unfortunately, that will drain the food culture and identity of the city for a long time.

Speaking of the future, what do you think about the MICHELIN Guide’s arrival in Istanbul? How will it effect the bar scene in Istanbul?

I’ve rarely met someone who would list a Michelin-starred restaurant as their favorite restaurant. I think it’s cool the guide is coming to Turkey and that chefs who have worked hard in the fine dining sector will achieve some deserved recognition, but otherwise, I’m quite indifferent. I don’t think Michelin is particularly interested in cocktails or bars, and I like it that way. Rather than being for the elites, I prefer cocktail bars in Istanbul that remain for the people of the city.