Meet the Cheese Professionals
Allow us to introduce you to the cheese professionals taking part in our 2026 CURD TO COUNTER mentorship programs
CURD TO COUNTER mentorships connect cheese retail professionals and cheese educators with Europe’s finest cheesemakers and affineurs. This year, we’re hosting two brilliant programs; the first will take place in Switzerland from August 26 - 28 and we’ve collaborated with Gourmino to deliver a unique experience that will educate and elevate the expertise of the pros taking part.
The second program, supported by Neal’s Yard Dairy and in partnership with select world-renowned British cheesemakers, will take place in Britain, from October 13 - 17. Both programs run ahead of our signature Cheese Journeys tours in each of these locations.
Meet the esteemed individuals taking part and read about their professional cheese journeys to date…
Jeanne Carpenter
Jeanne, along with her partner Uriah, will join our 2026 CURD TO COUNTER Switzerland mentorship program in collaboration with Gournino to expand their knowledge of artisanal Swiss cheeses.
Jeanne and Uriah own and operate Firefly Coffeehouse & Artisan Cheese in Oregon, Wisconsin, where they specialize in handmade pastries and stellar espresso. The space also has a carefully curated cheese case that allows them to teach cheese classes – something they’re both incredibly passionate about.
Prior to running Firefly, Jeanne made her name as a ‘cheesepreneur’ hosting national cheese festivals and tours through her company, Wisconsin Cheese Originals. A longtime retail cheese buyer, marketer and educator, she once managed the specialty cheese department at Metcalfe’s Market, a dairy destination in Madison.
Uriah Carpenter
Uriah heads up the bakery at Firefly, where he enjoys incorporating cheese into menu items and recipes. When he’s not in the kitchen, he works as a software architect for Acquia, an enterprise software company.
We’re delighted to welcome Jeanne and Uriah to our CURD TO COUNTER program, and look forward to seeing how their experience in Switzerland inspires and informs the development of new classes, recipes and dairy-case selections at their shop.
Emilia D’Albero
Emilia will take part in our 2026 CURD TO COUNTER Britain mentorship program hosted in Somerset with Westcombe Dairy to broaden her knowledge of artisanal British cheeses.
Emilia holds the prestigious title of “World’s Best Cheesemonger” and is the first American to bring home a gold medal from the Mondial du Fromage, an international competition for cheese professional that takes place in Tours, France. Prior to her appearance on the world stage, Emilia landed 1st place at the Cheesemonger Invitational: Masters 2025 Competition in New York.
Emilia has worked behind some of New York City’s largest and best-known cheese counters (Eataly NYC Flatiron, Green Grape Provisions) and led classes and events around the country. She’s currently the Sales & Marketing Manager for Formaticum, a purveyor of professional cheese paper, where she spreads awareness to both cheese professionals and consumers about the importance of proper cheese care and maintenance. Emilia has been featured in many publications including The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Philadelphia Magazine, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as news outlet including NPR, CNN, CBS, BBC, and ABC. In 2024, she was highlighted on Culture Magazine’s “Hot List”.
In her free time, Emilia volunteers with the Cheese Culture Coalition and the Cutting the Curd podcast, and creates cheese-focused educational content through her travels. She and her partner Tommy, also a National Champion Cheesemonger, live in Philadelphia with their dog Bruna Alpina, named after the Brown Swiss dairy cow.
Rachel Juhl
Introducing Rachel Juhl, a cheesemonger, educator, marketer, and international cheese judge with more than 15 years of experience in the specialty cheese industry. Rachel will take part in our 2026 CURD TO COUNTER Britain mentorship program in Suffolk, England with Fen Farm Dairy where she’ll have first-hand experience and education on British cheesemaking and maturing processes, agriculture and sustainability efforts. As Head of Marketing and equity partner at Essex Street Cheese, where she works closely with producers, retailers, distributors, and cheesemongers to bring exceptional cheeses to market through education, storytelling, and strategic marketing - this program is only going to add to her breadth of expertise.
Recently, Rachel launched Juhls Shoes, a consulting and educational business to help artisan food producers—particularly European cheesemakers—successfully enter and grow within the U.S. specialty food market. The company provides expertise in marketing, brand storytelling, educational programming, trade events, market strategy, and business development, serving as a bridge between producers and the American cheese community.
A recognized voice within the cheese community, Rachel has presented educational sessions for industry audiences, including at the American Cheese Society (ACS) Conference, and has served as a judge for prestigious international competitions such as the World Cheese Awards and Mondial du Fromage.
And if that weren’t enough, Rachel is also the Executive Director of the Daphne Zepos Teaching Endowment (DZTE), where she supports professional development opportunities for cheesemongers through scholarships and educational initiatives.
When she isn’t traveling for cheese, Rachel splits her time between the United States and Strasbourg, France, continuing to build relationships with producers across Europe while helping introduce their stories and products to American audiences.