Michael Raines was born and raised in Indiana, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English from Manchester College. After five years as a sports reporter, he moved to Florida in 2017. In Tampa, he has worked behind the bar for BarrieHaus Beer Company, a two-time World Beer Cup gold medalist, and was previously the head bartender for Flor Fina at Hotel Haya, where he was runner-up in the 2022 Bloody Mary contest and a national finalist in the 2023 Galliano/Difford's Guide espresso martini competition, and his barstaff won Best Cocktails in Tampa Magazine's 2023 Best of the City voting. Michael joined Marriott in 2023 at the Tampa Edition. He and his wife, Jessica, live in the historic Ybor City neighborhood.
