Curd to Counter England
MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS BY CHEESE JOURNEYS
A mentorship program connecting international cheese retail professionals & educators with Britain’s Finest Cheesemakers.
CURD TO COUNTER UK - March 28th - April 1st 2028
What is CURD TO COUNTER UK?
CURD TO COUNTER is a mentorship program, now in it’s third year, devised and delivered by Cheese Journeys in collaboration with British cheesemakers, and supported by Neal’s Yard Dairy. It connects US-based and international cheese retail professionals and educators with Britain’s finest makers.
The goal of this mentorship program is to drive further awareness and appreciation of British cheese theory and practice for a select group of cheese professionals. This year, CURD TO COUNTER will run from April 6-10, 2027, and, on completion, participating cheese profes-sionals will join Cheese Journeys travelers on the British Cheese Odyssey Tour to London, Somerset and Bath (itinerary attached). During this 8-day tour, professionals have the addition-al opportunity to explore Neal’s Yard Dairy and its aging caves at their London headquarters, experience cheesemaking with Jamie Montgomery of Montgomery’s Cheddar and Tom Calver of Westcombe Dairy. They will learn from Britain’s best cheese educators, Patrick McGuigan, and Britain’s Academy of Cheese Director Tracey Colley and receive an exclusive invitation to an annual gala dinner event celebrating 15 of Britain’s most renowned cheesemakers hosted at North Cadbury Court.
The 4-day program will run ahead of the Cheese Journeys British Cheese Odyssey Tour (the itinerary is attached for your reference) in April 2027 and is exclusively for cheese retail professionals and educators.
The British cheesemakers and dairies that Cheese Journeys has partnered with this year include:
• Tom Calver of Westcombe Dairy
• Jamie Montgomery of Montgomery’s Cheddar
• Ben Ticehurst, Head Cheesemaker at Trethowan Brothers
• Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore of Fen Farm Dairy
• Joe Schneider of Stichelton Dairy
• Sara and Paul Appleby of Appleby’s Dairy
Program Objective
To select 4-5 cheese professionals and pair them with British cheesemakers. Participants will first take part in a day of retail cheesemongering with the Neal’s Yard Dairy team followed by a 3-day dairy farm visit. Those who take part in the program will be mentored and fully immersed into a world of a cheesemaker. They will experience every aspect of production from its history through to herd, cheesemaking and maturing processes, agriculture sustainability, and future growth.
Additional Details and Requirements
• The 4-day CURD TO COUNTER program can only be completed as part of the Cheese Journeys British Cheese Odyssey Tour and is exclusive to international cheese retail and education professionals currently working in the industry.
• Once approved, it is the cheese professionals’ responsibility to coordinate booking and travel plans with Cheese Journeys’ Jilly Sitch, complete tour forms and documentation, select, book and pay for their flight to Heathrow Airport, London, England.
• There is no additional cost for the 4-day CURD TO COUNTER Mentorship Program. Participation includes both the mentorship program and the 8-day British Odyssey Tour.
• On completion of the mentorship program and tour, the cheese professional agrees to present their experience and provide relevant findings, insights and knowledge with their team of mongers back at their place of employment or a select audience who could benefit from their knowledge learned.
• All visiting cheese professionals will sign a consent and a release of liability form for the time they are traveling and visiting the British cheesemakers’ dairy/business location and participating in the Cheese Journeys tour.
• All cheese professionals involved in the program agree to share program highlights across social media platforms, to leverage content and experiences from the mentorship program, and promote awareness. This includes tagging @cheesejourneys and all relevant parties where applicable and incorporating the program hashtag #CURDTOCOUNTER
How Do Cheese Professionals Apply?
• All applicants must 1) currently be working in a cheese shop that carries Neal’s Yard Dairy cheese, or, 2) is currently in contact with Neal’s Yard Dairy to begin the process of carrying their cheese, or, 3) publicly educate/teach about British artisan cheese.
• All applicants must be working at the same business or currently teaching about British cheese when applying and traveling for the mentorship/Cheese Journey tour.
• All applicants must have their respective cheese shop owners’ approval to take part in the mentorship program.
Additional Requirements
Please provide the following:
1) A 1-page proposal on how knowledge gained from the CURD TO COUNTER program will be shared and utilized across the business each professional is representing. Highlight how this knowledge will help to meet two of your professional goals.
2) A 1-page resumé.
3) If a non-owner of a store, provide a letter of recommendation from a supervisor.
Where Do I Send My Application?
Please address your application to Cheese Journeys Founder and CEO Anna Juhl, via email at Anna@cheesejourneys.com
What Happens Next?
Upon receipt of your application, Anna Juhl of Cheese Journeys will make contact with you to schedule a phone conversation and answer any additional questions you may have.
Photography by Winter Caplanson and courtesy of Neal’s Yard Dairy and Gourmino respectively.