Both Chris and Lesh have been working for Firecreek since it opened, and are the perfect ambassadors for the casual but upscale hot spot. Whether they’re mixing up a cocktail to send to your table or pulling down one of the eclectic craft brews on tap they know how to make sure customers enjoy, have a great time and feel right at home.
Here’s more about two of Downingtown’s finest:
So tell us about you.
Chris: I’m from Waldorf, Md., right outside of D.C. Got a criminal justice degree from Delaware Valley College in Doylestown because I thought I wanted to be a cop. Pretty much realized right away that was not for me, so I dabbled in a few other things before I settled on bartending. Now I’m a stay-at-home Dad by day and here at night. I have a wife, two kids and a dog, and live in Coatesville.
Lesh: I’m originally from Brazil, but grew up in south Florida. We moved here when I was in high school. I went to school and was an aesthetician, but decided I wanted to do something different. So I’m here, part-time at QVC (which I also love) and going to West Chester University for communications and mass media.
Chris: Yup, we’re totally alike.
Lesh: I try not to be like you …!
How long have you been bartending? At Firecreek? Why do you like bartending?
Chris: I’ve been bartending 14 years, and here for three. I like people and making them laugh – I get paid to make people laugh! Bartending is also good money and enables me to be with my kids during the day.
Lesh: Bartending 16 years, here three. I also like working with people, but I especially love introducing people to new wines and other beverages. I love mixing up fun new drinks …. Chris and I had a martini-making contest the other night.
Chris: And I won.
Lesh: Hardly!
What’s the best part of working at Firecreek?
Chris: The people who work here. Everyone’s a team, and they put up with my humor.
Lesh: If you can call that humor ….
Chris: Ignore her. The hours are also good because the latest we close is 10 p.m.
Lesh: Aside from Chris’ so-called humor, we all work well as a team, like he said. I also really like the concept of this restaurant: it’s a constantly changing menu that reflects fresh, seasonal ingredients. On top of that we fly fresh fish and seafood in daily from places like Hawaii. It’s a great mix.
It’s always busy at the bar: how do you stay calm and customer-focused?
Chris: Smile. Enjoy the busy. I don’t get flustered easily. If it’s a tough night for some reason, I think about my wife and kids. That’s why I’m here.
Lesh: Chris and I work really well together; we know each other’s strengths …
Chris: Well, I have no weaknesses …
Lesh: Ignore him. We balance each other well, and we have fun at work. We do like to compete, like the Martini War.
Chris: Which I won.
Lesh: Give it a rest! I completely won.
Best/worst tip you ever got?
Chris: Every tip is a good tip. Seriously!
Lesh: We’re appreciative of them all. It all balances out.
How would you describe the Firecreek Restaurant crowd?
Chris: We see kids in strollers …
Lesh: … obviously we’re not serving them …
Chris: … to senior citizens. I’d say the average is mid-30s, but there’s a real mix.
Lesh: Definitely a broad range of clientele, plus an awesome group of regulars.
What’s your favorite menu item?
Both: The Left Coast Chicken Sandwich.
What’s your favorite adult beverage?
Lesh: I love trying new wines. That way I can learn more about them and educate our customers.
Chris: Yeah, sure, that’s why you try new wines.
Lesh: (rolls eyes)
Besides what you’ve already told us, on your day off, you …
Chris: I’m with the kids all day, so I like to take them places and do family stuff. We’re always on the go. I also like to run, so sometimes I put the kids in the stroller and the dog on a leash and off we go. I love sports, any sport, and I’m a huge Cowboys fan.
(Writer’s note: Here I felt a bit appalled, and considered only featuring Lesh. Read on ….)
Lesh: Well besides here, QVC and school, I don’t have much time off! And a lot of my friends are in the restaurant industry, so they work nights, too. But I see my friends when I can. I also like to run. I love sports, too, but I’m a Phillies, Eagles and Dolphins fan.
(Writer’s note: I can forgive her the Dolphins; it’s an AFC team.)
Chris: Oh, sure, tell her you like the Philly teams because she likes them.
Lesh: You know that’s not why.
Chris: Puh-leeze!
Photographs credited to Nina Cazille, Nina Lea Photography.
