Christopher Bates was drawn to food from the time he could reach the kitchen counter and was tutored in cooking at his mother's side. At age 14, he began working his way through restaurants in both the front and back of house before attending the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in New York. During this time Bates developed an avid interest in wine. By age 21, he had moved into his first sommelier position, passed his introductory Sommelier Exam from the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), and competed in the American Sommelier Association (ASA) Best Sommelier in America Competition. Currenty, Executive Chef and General Manager of Hotel Fauchere, Relais & Chateaux and our 3 restaurants, as well as owner and winemaker of Element Winery. Studying for my Master Sommelier Exam and teaching for the American Sommelier Association. Writes about wines for the Sommelier Journal, updated text book for the American Sommelier Association and web publications such as Steven Tanzers Winophilea and Appelation America.