08/02/2026
For those who know our family, you know Chris—my big brother, one of the faces of La Cocina De Mama, the biggest Chicago Bears fan in the world, and someone who means more to me than I could fit into one caption.
Everyone loves Chris. He can talk with anyone, and so many of our guests and regulars have come to know and care for him. To me, he is much more than the person you see behind the bar. He is the kind of big brother who would do anything for his family, and I hope he knows there is nothing I would not do for him in return.
He truly is one of one. His love for sports goes back to playing pee-wee football as a kid, and today that same drive lives on in him as a triathlon athlete.
My brother does not simply watch Bears football—he lives it. Last season, he attended several Bears games. For Halloween, we dressed up as Caleb Williams and Coach Ben Johnson, and two days later celebrated the Bears’ Week 9 victory over Cincinnati. Later that season, Chris was there when Caleb Williams found DJ Moore for the unforgettable 46-yard walk-off touchdown in overtime against Green Bay.
And then there was Dillon Thieneman.
For months before the 2026 NFL Draft, Chris had been hoping the Bears would somehow end up with him. Long before Chicago was on the clock, he was talking about Thieneman and hoping he would become a Bear. When Chicago selected him 25th overall, one of Chris’s biggest Bears wishes came true.
That gave me the idea for his birthday: combine a Dillon Thieneman Bears jersey with our La Cocina De Mama uniform into one custom piece made just for him.
Seeing how ecstatic he was when he saw it made every bit of thought and love behind it worth it. He has already promised to wear it every Sunday until the Bears lose—so now we are hoping for an undefeated season.
Happy birthday to my big brother Chris—the biggest Bears fan in the world, the best bartender in Chicagoland, a dedicated athlete, someone so many of our guests know and love, and most importantly to me, the best big brother I could ever ask for.
I love you, brother. Always.
Bear Down. 🐻⬇️
