Service Industry Rallies Around Injured Marquee Bartender

When one receives communication from someone with a mustache as celebrated as that of Jason Kosmas, one takes notice. And when there's as good a cause behind said communication as helping out a fellow bartender in crisis, one really pays attention.

Kosmas sent word—a press release—about two upcoming events meant to benefit Dallas bartender Andrew Lostetter, recovering from an accident in Breckenridge, CO. Many know Lostetter, of the Marquee Grill, from past stints at Neighborhood Services Tavern and Fireside Pies. Approachable and friendly, he definitely has a knack for chatting while shaking a great herbaceous cocktail. Together, he and Kosmas have proved to be a magnetic draw behind any bar.

It only seems appropriate then, that the most impacful words were the simple, sincere ones from Kosmas in his short email introduction: "I wanted to reach out to you about a benefit we are holding for Andrew Lostetter, my dearest friend and partner behind the bar. He was in a bad snowbording accident and was nearly paralyzed. The whole bartender community is joining together to help him pay his bills and keep him fed."

Anyone can relate to that—trying to help a friend stay squared when he can't work. It's difficult to find a community more closely knit than Dallas' service industry, and few things are more spirit-fufilling than a service industry benefit, or two. The Marquee hosts a silent auction April 22 while the Dram hosts a raffle and party April 29. Both will raise funds to help Lostetter pay for medical expenses and lost wages, as he will be unable to work a minimum of three months.

From the official press release:

The Marquee Grill will be hosting an event on April 22 from 7-11 pm. At Marquee there will be a silent auction that will feature not only amazing Scotch baskets as well as incredible all-inclusive evenings to experience local neighborhoods, but also some of Dallas’ most notable mixologists and chefs will be featured auctioning off their time, talents and efforts to work your private event. There will be amazing cocktails, DJs, and you can mingle and talk libations with some of the areas most well versed.

The Dram will be hosting an event on April 29 from 7-12 pm. There will be a huge raffle at Dram, which will include pieces by local artists, bar tabs around the city, dinners from your favorite hot spots, and various different goodies (from wine and spirits to really neat gifts from liquor distributors in the area). There will be a band, DJs, a food truck and some truly epic stories. If you’ve never partied with service industry people from Dallas, now is your chance to find out just how adventurous an evening can be. A portion of the sales from the cocktails from both events will go towards Andrew and his expenses as well as all funds raised from the raffle and auction.

Lostetter, during a snowboarding excursion, suffered a fractured pelvis, dislocated sacrum and two fractured vertebrae after he was propelled into a tree by an out-of-control skier.

· Marquee Grill [Official]
· The Dram [Official]
· All Marquee Grill Coverage on Eater Dallas [-EDFW-]
· All The Dram Coverage on Eater Dallas [-EDFW-]

Andrew Lostetter. [Photo courtesy of Jason Kosmas]