Academie Opus Caseus Goes to London

The Academie Opus Caseus, professional development center at the heart of MonS Fromager Affineur, has launched a new four-day course for English speaking cheese professionals focusing on the art of Cheesemongering in the UK.

The course will include two days of classroom work in London covering the art of discussing cheese, sensory analysis, cutting and wrapping, sourcing cheese and more, taught by Academie Director Sue Sturman and London cheese consultant Lee-Anna Rennie.  We will travel to visit cheesemakers including Gringa Dairy, Winterdale Dairy, and Alsop and Walker.  The course also includes visits  with top cheesemongers Neal’s Yard Dairy,  Paxton and Whitfield,  La Fromagerie and  of course the Mons shop at Borough Market.

Registration is available online.  Tuition for the course is £1200 and includes coursework, most meals, and ground transportation during the course. Lodging is not included. The course is limited to eight participants, and a minimum of 6 enrolments by January 16 is required for the course to be run.  The course is suited to cheesemongers wishing to increase their knowledge and skills, and those interested in cheese-mongering as a career choice.  The Academie’s courses are accredited by the American Cheese Society as preparatory work towards passing its Certified Cheese Professional Exam.

The Academie Opus Caseus is the centre for professional development within the the MonS Company.  The curriculum evolved out of practical, daily experience over decades, in collaboration with top French dairy scientists and researchers.   Embedded within the MonS production and affinage facilities, students at the Academie are immersed in the daily operations, working side by side with MonS staff.

Sue Sturman has over 25 years in cheese education and the hospitality business.  She led the creation of the American Cheese Society's Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam program, and has been a frequent presenter at ACS conferences. She started teaching about cheese in 1993, as Assistant Director of the Ecole Ritz-Escoffier cooking school at the Paris Ritz. She continued in New York as a regular instructor at retailers including Murray's Cheese, and for private and corporate clients. In 2011 Sue was inducted as Garde et Juré into the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers.  She has judged at the French national Concours Générale Agricole at the Salon du Fromage, at the Meilleur Ouvrier de France concours, and at the American Cheese Society Competition and Judging.  In addition to teaching, Sue is responsible for all curriculum development and administration for the Academie’s English language programs worldwide.

Lee-Anna Rennie has worked in the Dairy industry for 10 years. Having started in cheese retail she moved onto supplying some of the UK’s largest hotel groups with cheese before going to train as a cheesemonger. She completed the School of Artisan Food’s Advanced Diploma course, specialising in Dairy in 2010, and subsequently worked full time as the School’s Dairy Co-ordinator, arranging and teaching courses and representing the School at national and international cheese awards.  She has experience making cheese with her own herd of dairy goats, and has studied both wine and charcuterie. She now runs a dairy consultancy looking after all elements of cheesemaking and artisan production.

For more information, please contact Susan Sturman at ssturman@academie-mons.com (617-505-6235) or Lee-Anna Rennie at lee@thedairymaid.co.uk (44-7833-250528).