Christopher P. Brown

Christopher Brown Obituary

BROWN, Christopher P.

Born November 24, 1949, in Spokane, WA, peacefully passed away on August 27, 2004, in his home in Clarksburg from effects of a December automobile accident. Devoted and beloved Daddoo of Lily (17) and Sadie (13). Survived by mother Carol Snyder, fathers Cedric Snyder and Arthur Brown, brother Ivan Kurt Snyder of Bend, OR, sisters Margaret Brown of Nevada and Lise Snyder of Los Angeles, wife Felicity Brown and cats, Rex and Sam.

Longtime resident of East and West Sacramento. He attended local schools. As a teenager, taught himself to play guitar. He and his brother Kurt took much pleasure from music. To finance his love of travel he went to work at Libby's cannery. He alternated education, work and travel, journeying extensively in Europe, North Africa, the Far East and Latin America. He was especially fond of the tropics.

In 1980 Chris enrolled in the CETA Chef's Apprenticeship Program. In 1982 he was hired at a new restaurant, Cafe Natoma, in Folsom. Chris was chef at Allegro in Palm Springs, Shanley's on Folsom Blvd, Corti Bros. Catering, Yolo Flier's Club at Woodland, Corti Bros. "Cocina Pronto," Hotel Strass Bar & Grill in Mayrhofen, Austria and Fanfare at Sacramento State Fair racetrack. Held teaching positions at American River College culinary arts department, Sierra College Chef Apprenticeship Program and Sacramento Job Corps.

Chris was a Board member of the Sacramento Chapter, American Culinary Federation, past Vice President of California Capitol Chefs Association and past chairman of California Capitol Chef's Association Apprenticeship Program, where he began his career. Awards include the Restaurant Row Silver Palm Award from the Palm Springs Desert Weekly and Center Director's Award from the Sacramento Job Corps. He was recognized by Sacramento City Council for community work in South Sacramento with Sacramento Job Corps.

"Chrispy was an iconoclast," says brother-in-law Win Swafford. He had an eccentric wit and loved wordplay, especially turning words backward. To him, TV was VT, milk was klim and cows said "oom." C.P. was a great chef, a lover of ideas and learning and an avid amateur astronomer. He liked to play his Fender Telecaster (loudly) and always had a joke or a story to tell about his childhood or travel adventures. His character delighted all who knew him. He will be remembered with great affection and he will be missed.

Please join us at a potluck celebration of Chris's life on Saturday, October 2, from 6:00-11:00 PM at The Cabrillo Social Club, 4605 Karbet Way. If you like, wear orange or green, his favorite colors. In lieu of flowers, donations in Chris's name may be made to Cosumnes River Preserve, 13501 Franklin Blvd., Galt, CA 95632.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Sacramento Bee on Sep. 11, 2004.

Memories and Condolences
for Christopher Brown

4 Entries

Bruce Olin

October 1, 2004

My fondest memory of Chris was his dinner entree of

Pommes De Terre Sautees with Bechamel sauce straight out of his

" Mastering the Art of French Cooking ". The potatoes were always

cold , as were the "dark brown"

Heineken beers, but the sauce was

always warm and delicious. I will

always cherish these 1970's memories of my friend.

Jeff Viducich

September 14, 2004

The last few memories of Chris were in the kitchen at Carol & Ceds, where he always seem to be stationed. It's hard to imagine him not being there anymore, but I'm sure he'll be there in spirit, guiding the culinary delights of the wonderful gatherings at K Street. Chris you will be missed dearly by us all.

Linda Amar

September 14, 2004

Although I met Chris only briefly in the summer of 2000, what I've heard about him from his cousin Adrienne Amar tells me I would have liked him very much. I send condolences to Carol and Cedric (whom I have met), and to all the rest of the family.

Steve Ostrover

September 12, 2004

Chris was one of my favorite people because he had so much of what may be, to me, the single most important personal characteristic: curiosity. As a fellow traveler, I’ve always been impressed not just with the strength of his wanderlust and the range of his wanderings, but also with the lengths of time he spent, and thereby how deeply immersed he became, within the places he visited. The way he traveled as a young man – with a determination to see and also begin to understand something new; and with an approach to his adventures that combined a mix of planning and spontaneity, serious-mindedness and good humor – seems emblematic of the way he lived. Friends and family in Sacramento should remain not just grateful, but perhaps also a bit proud, in remembering that, despite all he saw and, no doubt, continued to want to see, he always returned home.

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