Cheese Journeys Collaborates with Academy of Cheese (AOC)

Program 1

AOC Level I Study Course for Travelers

Beginning in 2026, Cheese Journeys travelers this year and beyond, will be gifted an opportunity for continued cheese education as part of their tour purchase!

Guests will join author, cheese expert and Cheese Journeys educator Patrick McGuigan for an online Academy of Cheese course exploring the wonderful world of cheese. This will allow them to prepare and complete Academy of Cheese Level I course!

The Level One Associate course with Cheese Journeys will cover everything from how to taste like a pro and how cheese is made to how to create a show-stopping cheeseboard and pair cheese with wine We will also learn about 25 iconic cheeses from around the world.

How Do I Register for this Academy of Cheese Course?

All guests at the time of booking a tour will receive information and dates for the gifted upcoming AOC course.

Additional questions? Contact Beth Anne Randall at bethanne@cheesejourneys.com.

What’s Involved?

The online course is taught during a one 2.5-hour Zoom webinar offered twice a year. It will be hosted live by Patrick. Students are taught in small groups in a virtual ‘classroom’ with participants able to ask questions and interact with each other and Patrick. Anna Juhl, CEO and Founder of Cheese Journeys, will also say hello at the beginning of each class.

The classes are fun, lively and relaxed, with plenty of chance to chat with fellow Cheese Journey guests and relive your cheese holidays or prepare for you next cheese trip! We will taste six cheeses in each class with a list sent to delegates beforehand for them to source themselves in time for the course. Guests will be emailed a delegates' pack containing a guide to the 25 cheeses, tasting sheets and an overview of the course structure. They will also have access to an online textbook called The Learning Road and a library of cheeses.

The course will help prepare students for the Level One assessment, which students can take in their own time. The multiple- choice online assessment is made up of 30 questions to be answered in 30 minutes. The current pass rate is 91%. Successful students are sent an Associate pin badge and certificate. Guests will need to do some home learning after the online classes before the assessment.

Session 1 - November 1 and November 8, 2026.
To register, contact Beth Anne Randall at bethanne@cheesejourneys.com.

About the Academy of Cheese

Set up in 2017, the Academy of Cheese is an international cheese accreditation for anyone who loves cheese. There are four levels culminating in The Master of Cheese qualification. The Level 1 Associate course covers 9 key topics.

1: Milk Production and Cheesemaking

2: Maturing, Affinage and Grading

3: Buying and Distribution

4: Presenting and serving

5: Communicating about cheese

6: Cheese Industry Knowledge

7: Regulation and Good Practice

8: Tasting

9: 25 Iconic Cheeses

Academy Of Cheese - Master of Cheese Accreditation

**About Patrick**

Patrick McGuigan is one of Britain’s leading cheese writers and educators. He writes about cheese for newspapers, magazine, and regularly contributes to radio and TV shows on all things cheese. His first book, The Philosophy of Cheese, published by The British Library, came out in 2020, followed by The Cheese Life, co-authored with Mathew Carver (Kyle Books) in 2023. One Cheese to Rule Them All, co-written with Carlos Yescas, was published by Murdoch Books in 2025. He has taught the Academy of Cheese course since 2017 and has worked as a Cheese Journeys educator and co-host since 2022.
Learn more about **Patrick McGuigan**

Photo by Finbarr O'Rourke