THE CHEF & SOMM BLOG

FOOD. WINE. DESIGN.

“Stop whining and stick to wine!” Why I’m not going to stop and neither should you!

The Toronto van attack targeting innocent people – predominantly women – compelled me to return to the subject of sexism after my first...

Contrary in February; Why I’m not a fan of Dry February

Dry February is a campaign by CHIL Fundraising which benefits The Canadian Cancer Society. The idea is to completely abstain from alcohol...

Living Where Art Lives; Chef & Somm’s Oregon Odyssey

“The notion of absolute truth is one of the worst enemies of art.” Chef Liebman reminds me often. As a sommelier who was trained in a...

Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget; 7 Ways to Develop a Sophisticated Wine Palate without Breaking the

Let’s be honest, learning wine without tasting is like trying to learn music without listening to it or picking up an instrument. Reading...

Close but no Cigar: Women, Wine and the Persistent Double Standard

Photo by Bill Leontaritis of Fifth Floor Photography, Makeup Mel Fortin, Hair Rose Siciliano At 50, my mentor Sommelier is only 15 years...

Yes, I’m a Sommelier. Yes, I’m European. And yes, I love Canadian Wine.

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Best European and South African Sommelier Competition in Vienna, courtesy of the Austrian...