If you’ve lived around here long enough, you’ve probably heard the name Tupat. Maybe you saw it printed on a menu or spotted it on a bottle in a local shop. Maybe you’ve surfed with him or crossed paths on the water. Tupat, aka Patrick Eichstaedt, is about as authentically local as it gets—a talented photographer, passionate surfer and longtime fishing enthusiast. For years, he’s also been the force behind a bold, Hawaiian-inspired sauce brand with a loyal local following. We sat down together on the porch of his childhood home—to talk about how a kid from Bethune Beach turned a craving for Hawaiian poke into a full-blown sauce sensation.
Let’s start with the nickname. I’ve known Tupat for over 20 years, and I’ve heard a few versions of the story—but never straight from him until now.
“I listened to a lot of Tupac growing up,” he laughed. “And I really liked a fine liquor called Chambord. One day Mike Reola from …Lost Enterprises called me Tupat Liquor instead of Tupac Shakur—and it just stuck.”
Born in Miami but raised in NSB since the age of two, Tupat grew up with the best of both worlds: the river out back and the beach across the road. “If the waves weren’t working, we’d be hand-lining fish in the river,” he said, showing me an old photo of his house—one of the only ones out there at the time.
His first wave? Pushed in by none other than 1974 Pipeline Master, Jeff Crawford. “His mom had
a house right down the street,” Tupat said. It’s no surprise that surfing would shape his future.
THE FLAVOR OF HAWAII
Tupat’s love for Hawaii runs deep. Thanks to his mom’s job as a flight attendant, he and his brother Shannon (known in the surf community as Hopper) were able to travel there frequently, starting in the late ’80s. That first trip? Life-changing.
“I remember Andy Irons telling me I had to try poke,” Tupat recalled. “I was maybe 15. I’ve never forgotten that flavor.”
“Seeing Tupat’s on a restaurant menu—it’s just so rewarding.”
Over time, the craving only grew. Poke bowls weren’t a thing on the mainland back then, so Tupat started experimenting—buying ingredients, recreating the flavors, and serving it up for friends. “They’d always ask for more,” he said. “Eventually, I thought—why not turn this into something real?”
TAKING THE LEAP
The official launch of Tupat’s Authentic Sauces happened in 2014, after a year of experimenting and researching. A chance conversation with the owner of Tijuana Flats pointed him toward a bottling facility, IPAC in Winter Springs. He and his late father-in-law, Johnny Bongo, narrowed down 13 potential recipes to one final sauce, and then came the grind. Food shows, deliveries, branding, packaging—you name it, they did it. “We were hands-on from day one,” Tupat said. Eventually, Sysco picked them up. Then US Foods. Then Cheney Brothers. What started as a backyard craving turned into a nationwide product line.“That’s probably one of the coolest things to me,” he said. “Seeing Tupat’s on a restaurant menu—it’s just so rewarding.”
THE TUPAT TEAM
The Tupat’s team may be small—just six people—but they pack a powerful punch. “After 40 years in the food industry, it’s rare to take a product to market like Tupat’s,” said Joe Savas, company president. “This is as good as it gets—straight from the heart of Hawaii.” Market Development Manager, Ryan Leland agrees: “Every bottle tells a story of tradition. I’m proud to represent something that feels so real.” Alongside Joe and Ryan are Jamie, Matt, and Trey Peterson, rounding out the close-knit, family-style crew—all playing essential roles in driving the brand forward.
When asked what advice he’d give his younger self, he smiled. “Go harder. If you’re choosing the entrepreneur lifestyle and want to take it easy later—you’ve got to go as hard as you can now. Tupac said it best: life is a game, and it’s how you play the game.”
His life, like his sauces, has been a blend of bold flavor, fearless creativity, and genuine aloha. Now I really get the meaning behind the slogan: It’s more than just a sauce.
Tupat’s Authentic Sauces
Tupats.com | tupatspoke@tupats.com
Editor and co-owner of East Coast Current magazine. In 2014 she was recognized by Editor & Publisher Magazine as one of the “25 Under 35” innovators in the newspaper industry.
