Episodes

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The World’s Best Wines Are Being Overlooked — Matt Landry

The World’s Best Wines Are Being Overlooked — Matt Landry

Episode 23 · · 51:02

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Landry, Advanced Sommelier and Head Sommelier at Prime Seafood Palace, to talk about what it actually takes to build a career in wine today. We ...

Sake Isn't Wine. Cheap Food Isn't Cheap — Nancy Matsumoto

Sake Isn't Wine. Cheap Food Isn't Cheap — Nancy Matsumoto

Episode 22 · · 50:20

In this episode, I sit down with award-winning writer Nancy Matsumoto, co-author of Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake and author of Reaping What She Sows, to explore two con...

Neo-Chinese Cooking at One of Canada’s Best New Restaurants — Eva Chin of Yan Dining Room

Neo-Chinese Cooking at One of Canada’s Best New Restaurants — Eva Chin of Yan Dining Room

Episode 21 · · 58:01

What happens when a chef cooks her way back to a heritage she almost lost? Eva Chin is the chef behind Yan Dining Room — a 26-seat room built inside Hong Shing Restaurant, born out o...

Quitting Toronto to Build a Niagara Vineyard from Scratch — Corey Mio of Mio Vineyard

Quitting Toronto to Build a Niagara Vineyard from Scratch — Corey Mio of Mio Vineyard

Episode 20 · · 41:24

What happens when you leave Toronto, buy a neglected 17-acre farm in Niagara wine country, and plant a vineyard — with no formal training in viticulture or winemaking? In this episod...

Matt Palynchuk —  Raton Laveur, The Hardest Bar in Toronto to Find (and Get Into)

Matt Palynchuk — Raton Laveur, The Hardest Bar in Toronto to Find (and Get Into)

Episode 19 · · 39:08

What happens when a wine pop-up in a laneway quietly becomes one of Toronto's most talked-about (and hardest to find) wine experiences? In this episode, I sit down with Matt Palynchu...

Quentin Meloff — Food Media Is Dying (Here’s Who’s Replacing It)

Quentin Meloff — Food Media Is Dying (Here’s Who’s Replacing It)

Episode 18 · · 46:47

Restaurant-industry veteran Quentin Meloff (@quentinmeloff) shares how he went from working in some of Toronto's best restaurants — Alo, Aloette, Bar Isabel, Richmond Station — to cr...

James Li — From Beijing Lawyer to Canada’s Best Young Sommelier

James Li — From Beijing Lawyer to Canada’s Best Young Sommelier

Episode 17 · · 36:18

In this episode of Tasting Notes Toronto, I sit down with James Li, the recently crowned Best Young Sommelier of Canada and Assistant General Manager at DaNico, a Michelin-starred It...

Patrick Habchi — Wine List Psychology and the Art of Pairing at George Restaurant

Patrick Habchi — Wine List Psychology and the Art of Pairing at George Restaurant

Episode 16 · · 56:11

In this episode, I sit down with Patrick Habchi, Wine Director at George Restaurant in Toronto — Michelin Recommended restaurant and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner. We t...

Faye MacLachlan - Inside Langdon Hall’s Award-Winning Wine Program and a Career in Wine

Faye MacLachlan - Inside Langdon Hall’s Award-Winning Wine Program and a Career in Wine

Episode 15 · · 58:37

In this episode, I sit down with Faye MacLachlan, Wine Director and Restaurant General Manager at Langdon Hall and the 2025 Michelin Guide Toronto Sommelier of the Year. Faye shares ...

Christian Perreault Hamel – Winning Best Sommelier of Ontario and Building Harbour 60’s 3,600 SKU Wine List

Christian Perreault Hamel – Winning Best Sommelier of Ontario and Building Harbour 60’s 3,600 SKU Wine List

Episode 14 · · 01:17:57

In this episode, I sit down with Christian Perreault Hamel, Best Sommelier of Ontario, Wine Director at Harbour 60, and owner of Pelican Wine Imports. At Harbour 60, Christian overse...

Fabienne Dourdon - Leaving Paris to Take Over the Family Champagne Estate

Fabienne Dourdon - Leaving Paris to Take Over the Family Champagne Estate

Episode 13 · · 50:08

In this episode, I sit down with Fabienne Dourdon, a Champagne grower whose family has farmed vines in the Marne Valley since 1812. She shares the family’s journey from selling 100% ...

Eric Chong — Opening aKin, Toronto’s Newest Michelin-Starred Restaurant

Eric Chong — Opening aKin, Toronto’s Newest Michelin-Starred Restaurant

Episode 12 · · 01:07:49

In this episode, I sit down with Chef Eric Chong to discusses the intense journey of opening his Michelin-starred restaurant, aKin. Initially trained as a chemical engineer, Eric's t...

Jeremiah Tomas - From Line Cook at 17 to Michelin-Starred GM & Beverage Director at The Pine

Jeremiah Tomas - From Line Cook at 17 to Michelin-Starred GM & Beverage Director at The Pine

Episode 11 · · 01:23:24

In this episode, I sit down with Jeremiah Thomas, General Manager at The Pine in Creemore (1 Michelin Star), to explore a career built from the ground up in wine, hospitality, and fi...

Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson – Restaurant Pearl Morissette, Canada’s Best Restaurant and the Power of Unconventional Thinking

Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson – Restaurant Pearl Morissette, Canada’s Best Restaurant and the Power of Unconventional Thinking

Episode 10 · · 01:03:16

In this episode of Tasting Notes Toronto, I interview Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson, co-owners of the acclaimed Restaurant Pearl Morissette. They discuss their journeys into hospi...

Julie Garton – Crafting World-Class Wine Lists and Building a Career in Hospitality

Julie Garton – Crafting World-Class Wine Lists and Building a Career in Hospitality

Episode 9 · · 49:55

In this episode, I sit down with Julie Garton, a sommelier and hospitality professional, to discuss her journey in the wine and hospitality industry. Jules shares her experiences fro...

Scott Vivian and Nate Middleton — Beast Pizza, An Open Door to Creativity, and Fine Dining in a Pizzeria

Scott Vivian and Nate Middleton — Beast Pizza, An Open Door to Creativity, and Fine Dining in a Pizzeria

Episode 8 · · 01:02:04

In this episode of Tasting Notes Toronto, I sit down with Scott Vivian and Nate Middleton, co-owners of Beast Pizza in Toronto. They discuss their journey into the culinary world, th...

Celia Méndez — From Tenerife to Canary Counter, Toronto’s Newest Wine Bar

Celia Méndez — From Tenerife to Canary Counter, Toronto’s Newest Wine Bar

Episode 7 · · 53:01

In this episode, I sit down with Celia Mendez, founder of Toronto's newest wine bar and bottle shop, Canary Counter. Celia shares her journey into the world of wine — from growing up...

Josh Correa — Archive Wine Bar, Honest Wines, and Building a List for Everyone

Josh Correa — Archive Wine Bar, Honest Wines, and Building a List for Everyone

Episode 6 · · 44:59

In this episode of Tasting Notes Toronto, I sit down with Josh Correa, co-owner of Archive Wine Bar in Toronto. Josh shares his journey from being a teacher to opening a successful w...

Ben Plisky-Somers — Opening Bossanova, Ontario’s First Wine & Beer Shop

Ben Plisky-Somers — Opening Bossanova, Ontario’s First Wine & Beer Shop

Episode 5 · · 52:30

In this episode, I sit down with Ben Plisky-Somers, co-founder of Bossanova Wine and Beer in Toronto’s Roncesvalles neighborhood. Founded during the pandemic, Bossanova was Ontario’s...

Tim Kirk — Clonakilla, Creating An Icon and the Sacred Side of Winemaking

Tim Kirk — Clonakilla, Creating An Icon and the Sacred Side of Winemaking

Episode 4 · · 52:38

In this episode, I sit down with Tim Kirk, chief winemaker at Clonakilla, one of Australia’s most acclaimed wineries. Known for crafting the groundbreaking Shiraz Viognier—a wine onc...