Cheese production essentials
Understand how cheese is made and how milk, cultures, rennet, maturation and handling influence the final product.
Cheese course for hospitality teams
Cheese knowledge can turn a good guest experience into a memorable one.
Designed for restaurants, wine bars and gourmet food spaces, this course gives customer-facing teams the confidence, clarity and shared language they need to talk about cheese professionally, naturally and with real enthusiasm.
Is this course for you?
This course is designed for teams who want to feel more confident when talking about cheese with guests, customers or visitors.
- Restaurants, wine bars and hospitality venues that serve cheese as part of their menu.
- Gourmet food shops, delis and speciality retailers that want to improve customer conversations and recommendations.
- Teams who need a clearer, more consistent way to describe flavour, texture, quality and pairings.
- Staff with little or no formal cheese training who want practical knowledge they can use straight away.
- Venues that want to improve service standards, guest confidence and the overall cheese experience.
You do not need previous cheese experience. The course starts with the essentials and builds towards confident, practical conversations with guests.
What you'll walk away with
By the end of the course, your team will be able to:
- Talk about cheese with more confidence and accuracy.
- Use a shared professional language when describing cheese.
- Understand the main cheese families and their characteristics.
- Explain basic flavour, texture, quality and provenance.
- Recommend cheese and pairings more naturally.
- Cut, present, store and serve cheese with greater care.
- Handle common guest questions with clearer answers.
- Support a better, more memorable customer experience.
Our promise
We will not overwhelm your team with theory they cannot use.
This course is practical, engaging and designed around real conversations with guests. Your team will taste, discuss, practise and build confidence in the language of cheese, so they leave with knowledge they can apply immediately in your venue.
How the course works
Step 1: We understand your venue
We start by learning about your team, your menu, your customers and how cheese currently fits into the guest experience.
Step 2: We tailor the training
The session is adapted to your setting, whether you are a restaurant, wine bar, gourmet shop, deli or specialist food space.
Step 3: Your team learns through tasting
The course combines clear teaching, guided tasting, practical exercises and real customer scenarios.
Step 4: Your team applies it straight away
The focus is on practical confidence: describing cheese, recommending pairings, answering questions and improving service.
What you will learn
The course covers the essential knowledge your team needs to serve and talk about cheese with confidence.
Cheese families and styles
Explore the main types of cheese, their key characteristics, textures, flavours and service considerations.
Quality and sensory language
Learn how to describe aroma, texture, taste, appearance and quality using clear, confident and professional language.
Pairing and guest recommendations
Build confidence in matching cheese with wine, drinks and accompaniments, and learn how to guide guests towards enjoyable choices.
Your team will not just learn facts about cheese. They will learn how to use that knowledge in real conversations, helping guests choose, understand and enjoy cheese with more confidence.
What is included in the price
The course can include:
- Initial briefing to understand your venue and team.
- Guided tasting framework for 12 cheeses
- A full-day in-person training session, approximately seven hours.
- A theoretical introduction to cheese and tasting.
- Practical tasting and guided discussion.
- Demonstration of cutting, presentation and serving techniques.
- Guest recommendation and communication exercises.
- Support materials and practical learning resources.
- A personalised approach based on your location, menu and audience.
- Lunch break included in the training day.
Included course materials
Throughout the course, participants receive a selection of printed study materials and learning resources designed to support both the training sessions and continued learning afterwards.
These include:
- Course booklets and worksheets
- Practical tasting resources
- The Complete Guide to Selecting, Cutting and Pairing Cheese
Why this course is different
This is not a generic food training session. It is specialist cheese education designed for real hospitality and retail environments.
- Practical, not abstract.
- Designed around guest conversations.
- Adapted to your venue, menu and team.
- Focused on confidence as well as knowledge.
- Led by a cheese specialist with real teaching experience.
- Built around tasting, discussion and active learning.
The result is a team that can speak about cheese more naturally, professionally and memorably.
Learn with Andreea
Andreea Popa is a Fellow of the Academy of Cheese and an Accredited Training Partner, bridging the gap between Romanian and international cheese cultures and helping learners discover the wider world of cheese.
Her training style is warm, structured and engaging, combining technical knowledge with practical examples your team can use in real customer conversations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Academy of Cheese?
The Academy of Cheese is an international cheese education and certification system developed in the UK. Its curriculum is standardised and recognised across parts of the cheese, retail, and HoReCa industries.
I do not have specialised knowledge. Can I participate?
Yes. No previous experience is required. This course is designed as an accessible first step.
What do I need before signing up?
You need interest, willingness to study, and availability for the live sessions. Before the tasting session, you will receive the cheese list and purchase recommendations.
How do I obtain the certification
You attend the course, complete the individual study, and pass the online exam.
Are the tasting cheeses included?
No. They must be purchased separately. You will receive guidance before the class.
What happens if I cannot attend the live session?
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