Christian Favier
Seahorse | Charleston, SC
NOVEMBER 2024
After graduating from the Shenandoah University Conservatory, Christian Favier moved to New York City to take center stage as a professional opera singer. To help pay the bills, he picked up a job as a food runner at Junoon. Favier felt at home on the floor, and the high level of hospitality resonated with him, so he decided to pivot to the restaurant industry. He moved his way up to captain and began dabbling in bartending. Looking for a change of pace, he moved to the Lebanese bistro Boutros and, after six months behind the stick, he was promoted to head bartender. Favier was energized by the focus on Lebanese ingredients, and found the narrower lens an opportunity to push his creativity.
After a short time as head bartender at Aquavit, Favier joined the opening team at Chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi’s Bar Pisellino. With guidance from Bartender Jon Mullen, Favier got to work curating an aperitivo-focused menu while developing his technique. One year later, he helped open Sugar Monk in Central Harlem. There, Favier’s growing interest in rum and Caribbean cocktails reached new heights, and he soon fell down the rabbit hole, digging deep into the history of the spirit.
In 2020, after Sugar Monk temporarily closed due to the pandemic, Favier and his wife decided to go on a road trip to Florida. They drove along the coast and eventually stopped in Charleston. After two weeks in the city, Favier and his wife moved there permanently. Inspired by a meal at The Ordinary, and intrigued by the cocktail program, Favier applied for a job at the seafood restaurant. In 2021, he joined as bar manager and reshaped the menu to showcase rum, celebrating the spirit and Charleston’s connection to the rum trade. Now, Favier is working with the Chubby Fish team on their latest endeavor, opening their new coastal cocktail bar, Seahorse.
2024 StarChefs Charleston-Savannah Rising Stars Award Winner
