Ácenar Honors Three Staff for Nationwide Meals Service Employee Day
Ácenar honors three workers with greater than 60 mixed years of service for Nationwide Meals Service Employee Day. In recognition of Nationwide Meals Service Employee Day on Friday, September 25, Ácenar is celebrating three hospitality professionals whose service stretches again to the restaurant’s earliest days: Government Chef Richard Sanchez, Normal Supervisor Patty Deptawa and Banquet Supervisor Gus Rodriguez.
About Nationwide Meals Service Employee Day
Nationwide Meals Service Employee Day, led by the nonprofit Giving Kitchen, returns for its second nationwide observance in 2026 to acknowledge the cooks, servers, bartenders, managers and different professionals who energy the hospitality trade. The event carries added which means at a time when restaurant operators proceed to establish recruiting and retention as a significant enterprise problem.

The Nationwide Restaurant Affiliation’s 2026 Hiring & Staffing Report discovered that restaurant and foodservice turnover averaged 122 p.c in 2025. The speed diverse extensively by place, reaching roughly 131 p.c amongst waitstaff and 73 p.c amongst cooks and head cooks. Towards that backdrop, Ácenar’s long-tenured management staff represents a notable San Antonio story of profession development, continuity and shared dedication.

Sanchez and Deptawa have each been a part of Ácenar because it opened on the San Antonio River Stroll in 2005. Sanchez leads the culinary staff and shapes the restaurant’s trendy strategy to Texas regional Mexican delicacies. Deptawa has spent greater than twenty years guiding the visitor expertise and sharing her information of the model and the River Stroll with workers and guests alike.
Rodriguez joined Ácenar in 2006. He started as a server and bartender earlier than advancing via bar administration and occasion coordination roles to develop into banquet supervisor. His profession displays the skilled pathways that eating places can create when expertise, mentorship and alternative come collectively.

“When Patty, Richard and Gus selected to construct their careers with Ácenar, additionally they helped construct the restaurant itself,” stated Lisa Wong, Ácenar’s co-founder. “They carry our historical past, set the usual for hospitality and educate every new technology what it means to take care of our company and each other. Their loyalty is one thing we by no means take without any consideration.”
Collectively, Sanchez, Deptawa and Rodriguez characterize greater than 60 mixed years of service to Ácenar. Their institutional information has helped the restaurant preserve consistency whereas welcoming new workers, evolving with San Antonio’s eating scene and serving generations of River Stroll company.

Ácenar invitations San Antonians to acknowledge the folks behind their favourite eating experiences on Nationwide Meals Service Employee Day by thanking a server, prepare dinner, bartender, host, dishwasher, chef or supervisor. To be taught extra about Ácenar and its staff, go to acenar.com.
Location:
146 E. Houston St., San Antonio, Texas 78205
210.222.2362
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Hours:
Solar-Thu 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Fri & Sat 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Positioned on the colourful San Antonio River Stroll, Ácenar presents a contemporary tackle Mexican delicacies with daring flavors and an inviting environment. Identified for its modern menu and festive cocktails, Ácenar continues to be a favourite amongst locals and guests alike.