Tasting Notes Podcast
Hosted by Tasting Notes
A Toronto sommelier interviews chefs, winemakers, and restaurateurs about the personal stories and professional philosophies behind their careers.
This is a career-focused interview show for the food and wine industry, using a single guest's story to unpack larger themes of craft, business, and personal history. The host, a sommelier and wine importer, uses his insider perspective to move beyond simple reviews, focusing instead on the 'how' and 'why' behind a successful restaurant, vineyard, or culinary career, with a distinct focus on the Toronto and Ontario scene.
“Unlike a typical food review or wine tasting show, the host's industry-insider status allows for a peer-to-peer conversation about career paths and the mechanics of the business. The tight focus on the Canadian, and specifically Toronto-area, hospitality scene provides a grounded, local context.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Toronto-based sommelier Alex Abbott Boyd, Tasting Notes is a long-form interview podcast exploring the people shaping modern food and wine culture. Each episode features a deep-dive conversation with chefs, master sommeliers, winemakers, and restaurant operators, focusing on their career origins, pivotal moments, and the realities of the hospitality industry. The show is produced by Insider Wine, a wine import agency founded by Boyd.
Credentials & credits
- Certified Sommelier
- Founder, Insider Wine
- Wine and Spirits Industry Veteran
- Podcast Host
Other ventures
- Insider Wine (wine import agency)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01It’s more than Riesling and Gewurztraminer!Jun 25, 2026 · 43s
- 02What Is Chinese Food Now? — Eva Chin on Neo-Chinese CuisineJun 22, 2026 · 58 min
- 03He Bought a Vineyard With Zero Experience. Here's What Happened.Jun 1, 2026 · 41 min
- 04The Hardest Wine Bar to Find (and Get Into) | Matt Palynchuk on Raton LaveurMay 18, 2026 · 39 min
- 05This Michelin Restaurant Only Opens 3 Days a Week | Jeremiah Thomas, The PineMay 13, 2026 · 1h 20m
- 06How Food Influencers Actually Make Money in 2026 — Quentin MeloffMay 5, 2026 · 47 min
- 07From Beijing Lawyer to Best Young Sommelier — James LiApr 20, 2026 · 36 min
- 08Wine List Psychology and the Art of Pairing - Patrick Habchi, George RestaurantApr 6, 2026 · 56 min
Notable episodes
- 01What Is Chinese Food Now? — Eva Chin on Neo-Chinese Cuisine
Explores the concept of 'Neo-Chinese' cuisine and the role of personal history in a chef's cooking, representing the show's focus on identity and craft.
- 02He Bought a Vineyard With Zero Experience. Here's What Happened.
A classic hero's journey episode that encapsulates the show's theme of career transformation and learning by doing, grounded in the specific challenges of the Niagara region.
- 03The Hardest Wine Bar to Find (and Get Into) | Matt Palynchuk on Raton Laveur
This episode unpacks the psychology of what makes a hospitality experience successful, moving beyond the product to discuss culture, community, and inconvenience as a feature.
What you'll be asked on this show
Alex Abbott Boyd's interview approach is methodical and narrative-driven. He typically opens by asking about the origin of the guest's current, most notable project. He is well-researched, often quoting the guest's own past statements or philosophies to initiate a deeper line of questioning (e.g., "You've said 'fusion is confusion.' What's the difference between that and..."). He builds the conversation chronologically, tracing a career from its initial spark or 'crazy' idea to its present reality. He favors open-ended, 'how' and 'what' questions that allow the guest to tell their own story, such as "How did you figure out how to..." or "What was your vision when...". To confirm understanding, he will occasionally summarize a guest's point before moving to the next topic.
The host, Alex Abbott Boyd, employs a calm, conversational interview style, guiding guests chronologically through their career journeys. He is well-researched, often referencing a guest's prior statements to frame questions, and uses concise, open-ended prompts to encourage narrative storytelling.
Questions Tasting Notes keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Tasting Notes reaches for it.
origin
3- Q.01
“Can you tell me about [your venture] and the vision or inspiration for it?”
This is a frequent opening question used to establish the guest's primary project and its core concept.
- Q.02
“What was your vision when you were trying to convince your partner/investors to get on board?”
This question seeks to uncover the specific dream and lifestyle the guest was chasing before it became a reality.
- Q.03
“Was there a specific moment you knew this new venture was really working?”
This question is used later in the conversation to pinpoint the turning point from struggle to success.
mindset
3- Q.01
“Were you a little bit crazy to start [your venture] with no background in it?”
The host uses this provocative question to explore the mindset and risk-tolerance of entrepreneurs who make a major career leap.
- Q.02
“Is being hidden, inconvenient, or [a challenging trait] part of the appeal for customers?”
The host asks this to explore the counter-intuitive psychology behind a successful business.
- Q.03
“What gives you the patience for a project that takes years or decades to realize?”
This question is directed at farmers and winemakers to surface their long-term motivations.
process
1- Q.01
“How did you figure out how to [do the core work] without formal training?”
Asked of guests with unconventional backgrounds to reveal their learning process and resourcefulness.
philosophy
1- Q.01
“You've said '[a specific phrase]' before. Can you elaborate on that?”
Demonstrates prior research and pushes the guest to expand on a core part of their philosophy.
craft
2- Q.01
“How would you describe the food/wine at your establishment?”
A straightforward question to get a concise summary of the guest's culinary or viticultural style.
- Q.02
“Can you tell the story of the wine you brought for us to taste?”
When a guest brings a product, this question transitions the conversation to a specific, tangible example of their work.
personal
2- Q.01
“Can you share specifics on a dish or wine that evokes a personal memory?”
This question connects the guest's professional craft directly to their personal history and influences.
- Q.02
“What are some of the craziest stories or unexpected lessons from running your business?”
A closing-act question designed to elicit surprising anecdotes and hard-won wisdom.
Signature segments
- · Tasting Notes by Insider Wine
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are established or rising figures in the Canadian food and wine scene, particularly from Toronto and the Niagara region. The show books Michelin-starred chefs, independent winemakers, and influential sommeliers or restaurateurs who have a distinct philosophy and a compelling career story.
- Eva Chinon What Is Chinese Food Now? — Eva Chin on Neo-Chinese Cuisine
- Corey Mioon He Bought a Vineyard With Zero Experience. Here's What Happened.
- Matt Palynchukon The Hardest Wine Bar to Find (and Get Into) | Matt Palynchuk on Raton Laveur
- Jeremiah Thomason This Michelin Restaurant Only Opens 3 Days a Week | Jeremiah Thomas, The Pine
- Quentin Meloffon How Food Influencers Actually Make Money in 2026 — Quentin Meloff
- James Lion From Beijing Lawyer to Best Young Sommelier — James Li
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is presented by 'Insider Wine', the host's own wine import business. This is mentioned in the show's branding and on some episodes, positioning the podcast as a content marketing effort that aligns with the company's focus on story-driven, under-the-radar wines.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Tasting Notes
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People also ask
- Who is the host of the Tasting Notes podcast?
- The host is Alex Abbott Boyd, a Toronto-based Certified Sommelier and founder of the wine import agency, Insider Wine.
- What is the podcast's format?
- It is a long-form, single-guest interview show. Each episode focuses on the career path and philosophy of a professional in the food and wine industry.
- Is this podcast the same as the one with Bryn and Jaff?
- No. This is 'Tasting Notes Podcast' with Alex Abbott Boyd (@thetastingnotespodcast). There are other podcasts with similar names, including one hosted by Bryn and Jaff that focuses on music and wine.
- Is the Tasting Notes podcast still active?
- Yes, based on the recent episode dates from 2026, the podcast is actively releasing new episodes.
- Who should listen to this podcast?
- The show is ideal for chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs, and serious food and wine lovers interested in the stories and business realities behind the hospitality industry.
- Where is the podcast recorded?
- The podcast is recorded in Toronto and focuses on the stories and people within the Canadian food and wine scene, particularly in Ontario.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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