Askmen.com has named Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Mixologist Patricia Richards the top female bartender in America. As head mixologists for both resorts she oversees 25 bars, and has made a name for herself as the first female in Las Vegas to run a program of comparable size.
One of her signature cocktails that helped her earn such top honors is the Sinatra Smash, containing muddled blackberries, Gentleman Jack and other special ingredients.
Richards stays up to date with the latest trends and ingredients in Mixology in order to evolve with the movement. Her drive for learning and experimenting with flavors has led her to receive several wards that include a silver medal in the 2006 Bacardi Martini Grand Prix in Torino, Italy, third place in the 2006 Canada and United States Tabasco Sauce Hottest Bartender Competition and second place in the Travel + Leisure Beverage Arts Challenge. Richards also was named one of the World’s Best Hotel Bartenders by Travel + Leisure in 2009. That same year, Richards also won the Iron Bar Chef competition hosted by Sante Magazine, where six of the country’s top Mixology professionals compete against one another to create the best cocktails.
