THE PEOPLE'S SOMM JOINS CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL

Raise a Glass: Christina Cates Gets Candid with The People’s Somm

If you’ve ever been intimidated by a wine list longer than a Tolstoy novel, this week’s episode of CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL might just be your antidote.

Host Christina Cates invites you to pull up a chair and pour yourself a generous glass as she goes one-on-one with the wine world’s most unapologetically honest voice: The People’s Somm.

With a persona that feels part renegade scholar, part spirited drinking buddy, The People’s Somm -- TPS to his fiercely loyal fans -- is not your average sommelier. A former high-end wine director who traded tuxedos and tasting menus for TikTok and truth bombs, TPS built his reputation dismantling wine’s snobbier stereotypes. Whether he’s calling out overpriced Napa cult wines or championing the humble joys of boxed rosé, his mission is clear: make wine less precious and more fun.

But don’t let his casual tone fool you — beneath the cheeky memes and off-the-cuff commentary lies serious cellar cred. TPS has trained under Master Sommeliers, curated legendary lists at Michelin-starred restaurants, and clocked more vineyard hours than most bottles have tannins. This week, he brings that deep knowledge -- and deeper opinions -- to the mic as he and Christina swirl through topics like natural wine myths, industry gatekeeping, sommelier burnout, and whether orange wine is really the new black.

On the other side of the table — or rather, the soundboard — is the dynamic Christina Cates, a woman whose hospitality resumé reads like a love letter to fine dining. With two decades running front-of-house at some of New York’s most storied establishments (yes, that was her keeping your anniversary dinner from spiraling into disaster), Christina knows the restaurant world inside and out — the egos, the elegance, the espresso martini surge of it all. Now, as host of CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, she brings her signature blend of warmth and wit to the radio waves, coaxing unfiltered stories and hot takes from the industry’s best and boldest.

Together, these two bring the kind of chemistry that could ferment in real time. Expect sharp insights, unexpected laughs, and at least one controversial take on food-and-wine pairings (spoiler alert: Hot Cheetos and Lambrusco may be involved).

📻 Tune in this Sunday, June 22, 2025, at 9 PM ET on AM970: The Answer

🎧 Or stream it online here: https://culinaryconfidentialchristina.com/ or anywhere you get your podcasts — Apple, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon,

No snobbery. No rules. Just flavor, fun… and a lot of fermented truth.

You can catch Christina's show here:

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