Brandon Archilla
formerly of The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club | Nashville TN
July 2026
When a group of chefs from Nashville, Tennessee walked into the bar where Brandon Archilla was working in Santa Barbara, California, they forever changed his fate. Archilla followed the troupe of chefs—which included future friend and Rising Stars alum Colby Rasavong—to Seattle, Washington where he planned to move. But the chefs suggested Archilla give Nashville a try, so he took a trip down South and after falling in love with the culture and cuisine, the rest was history.
Initially, Archilla had plans to quit bartending when he moved to Nashville, but his new apartment happened to be above Pinewood Social, the little sister to the influential cocktail bar The Patterson House. He got a job there and met Bartender Matt Tocco, who taught Archilla how to build balanced drinks, and imparted his philosophy that a cocktail could be more than the sum of its parts. Archilla spread his wings further as part of the opening team at the Pelican & Pig, where he designed his first bar menu.
After a memorable evening at The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club, Archilla jumped at the chance to get his foot in the door and joined the team as a doorman. After passing his Bar 5 certification, he was promoted to bartender. Then, in 2024, Archilla took over the program as beverage director, where he led cocktail classes and invested in staff education while building a menu that not only engaged the senses, but brought to life his favorite stories. Archilla frequently contributes to World Central Kitchen and takes pride in his work with Raise The Bar Mentorship Collective, which connects up-and-coming folks with established bartenders in the industry.
