CURD TO COUNTER

MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS BY CHEESE JOURNEYS

Cheese tours and mentorship programs that connect cheese retail professionals and their customers with Europe’s finest cheesemakers and affineurs.

ABOUT

Cheese Journeys is a luxury travel brand that curates unique, culinary experiences for artisan cheese, food and wine enthusiasts. We connect curious travelers to the world’s finest makers and educate on regional cultures and cuisines.

These mentorship programs, much like our tours, are designed to encourage exploration and education while connecting cheese shop professionals, and their customers with Europe’s finest cheesemakers and affineurs.

WHO IS CURD TO COUNTER FOR?

If you own a cheese shop in the US and have a passionate management team, skilled mongers and a strong customer base of enthusiasts – these mentorship programs are for you, your team, and your community of cheese enthusiasts. 

CURD TO COUNTER programs offer cheese professionals the opportunity to travel, expand cheese knowledge, and connect with world-renowned makers. We’re thrilled to be running mentorships in two countries in 2026: Switzerland and Britain.

Those enrolled onto our programs will be mentored and fully immersed into the world of esteemed cheesemakers during a farm/ dairy stay, invited to expand their knowledge on every aspect of production from its history through to herd, cheesemaking and maturing processes, and agriculture sustainability. Plus, recipients will receive direct training from local cheesemongers in the art of selling and carrying these iconic cheeses.

These mentorship programs give participants the opportunity to:

  1. Travel with industry experts, expand cheese knowledge, advance skills as a retailer and educator of artisan cheese, food and wine.

  2. Build and establish lasting relationships, take part in and support educational opportunities through shared travel experiences.

APPY FOR OUR 2026 PROGRAMS

We’re running two CURD TO COUNTER programs in 2026. The first will be hosted in Switzerland, August 26 - 28 and the second will take place in Britain, October 13 - 17. Both programs run ahead of our signature Cheese Journeys tours in each of these locations.

Contact us

CURD TO COUNTER SWITZERLAND

This mentorship program, designed exclusively by Cheese Journeys and the award-winning Swiss makers and affineurs at Gourmino, is an educational program for US-based cheese retail professionals.  

The mentorship will start in Zurich, Switzerland and run from August 26 - 28, 2026. Cheese professionals will spend 3 days traveling with Gourmino’s incredible team of Swiss cheesemakers experiencing farm visits, cheesemaking, aging, and education. Participants will then join our 8-day tour of Switzerland, The Ultimate Insider Cheese Journey with Gourmino from August 29 - September 5, where we’ll introduce guests to world-class cheesemakers in Switzerland, the home of unique mountain-cheesemaking traditions, meet award-winning artisans, visit picturesque creameries, explore cheese caves, enjoy wine and cheese tastings, and experience the best-of-the-best from Switzerland – including chocolate, rare wines, and schnaps.

We’re thrilled to have partnered with the following Swiss Cheesemakers for next year’s program:

• F. Baumgarter of mountain cheese dairy, Trub

• M. Spycher of mountain cheese dairy, Fritzenhaus

• S. Schöpfer of mountain cheese dairy, Kleinstein

• R. Rüegg of cheese Wildberg

HOW TO APPLY

Gourmino Switzerland 2026 Cheese Journey and Mentorship Program

Here’s how to qualify:

  1. Cheese Professional shop owner/manager purchases the 8-day Switzerland cheese tour (August 29 - September 5) and meets the mentorship program criteria. The mentorship program (running August 26 - 28) will then be free, excluding airfare.

  2. Cheese Professional shop owner/manager collaborates with Cheese Journeys to bring their enthusiasts/customers on the 8-day Switzerland tour (August 29 - September 5) and meets the mentorship program criteria. The mentorship program will then be free, excluding airfare.

If you’re a cheese shop owner or manager currently selling cut to order Swiss cheese from Gourmino, we’d love to hear from you.

  • Contact Anna Juhl, CEO & Founder of Cheese Journeys at anna@cheesejourneys.com or phone 435-503-2282

  • Contact Joe Salonia, Gourmino, LTD Sales Manager at joe.salonia@gourmino.ch or phone 973-945-7354

GET IN TOUCH

CURD TO COUNTER BRITAIN

This is a mentorship program designed by Cheese Journeys in collaboration with British cheesemakers and support from Neal’s Yard Dairy. It’s exclusively for US-based cheese retail professionals and their customers, and it will run  October 13 - 17 ahead of our British Cheese Odyssey tour.

Cheese retail professionals taking part will spend 3 days with an award-winning British cheesemaker and get a day of invaluable cheesemongering insight at Neal’s Yard Dairy - all facilitated by Anna and the Cheese Journeys team. This involves farm visits, cheesemaking, education, a VIP tour and tasting at Neal’s Yard Dairy caves at the headquarters in London - plus time at Neal’s Yard Dairy retail shop. Participants will then join Cheese Journey’s standalone 8-day British Cheese Odyssey tour designed for these professionals and their cheese enthusiast customers.

HOW TO APPLY

Britain 2026 Cheese Odyssey tour and Mentorship Program

Here’s how to qualify:

  1. Cheese Professional shop owner/manager purchase the British Cheese Odyssey tour (October 18-25) and meet the mentorship program criteria. The mentorship program (October 13-16) will then be free, excluding airfare.

  2. Cheese Professional shop owner/manager collaborates with Cheese Journeys to bring their enthusiasts/customers on the 8-day British Cheese Odyssey tour (October 18-25) and meets mentorship program criteria. The mentorship program (October 13-17) will then be free, excluding airfare.

If you’re a cheese shop owner or manager currently selling cut to order British cheese, we’d love to hear from you.

  • Contact Anna Juhl, Cheese Journeys CEO & Founder at anna@cheesejourneys.com or phone 435-503-2282

  • Contact Daria Mosman, Neal’s Yard Dairy Sales Manager at daria.mosman@nealsyarddairy.co.uk or phone 929-519-0011

2027 PROGRAM FOR CURD TO COUNTER BRITAIN

Our 2027 CURD TO COUNTER mentorship program in Britain will run from April 6-10, 2027 in collaboration Formaggio Kitchen, some of the UK’s finest cheesemakers, and Neal’s Yard Dairy. This unique mentorship has been designed for cheese professionals and educators looking to level up in their knowledge and love for all things artisan cheese (from curd to counter!), and the program takes place ahead of our signature British Cheese Odyssey across London, Somerset and Bath from April 11 - 18, so participants complete the mentorship and then join the 8-day tour!

During this 8-day tour, professionals have the additional 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.

HOW TO APPLY

Britain 2027 Mentorship Program

Here’s how to qualify:

  1. All applicants must: be currently working in a cheese shop that carries Neal’s Yard Dairy cheese, or, is actively in contact with Neal’s Yard Dairy to begin the process of carrying their cheese, or, publicly educate/teach about British artisan cheese.

  2. 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.

  3. All applicants must have their respective cheese shop owners’ approval to take part in the mentorship program.

The 4-day CURD TO COUNTER program can only be completed as part of the Cheese Journeys British Cheese Odyssey, and is exclusive to international cheese retail and education professionals currently working in the industry. There is no additional cost for the mentorship as participation includes both the mentorship and the tour.

To apply, please email the following documents to Anna Juhl, Cheese Journeys Founder and CEO, via email at anna@cheesejourneys.com

  1. A one-page proposal on how knowledge gained from the CURD TO COUNTER program  will be shared and utilized across the business you, as a cheese professional, are representing.  Highlight how this knowledge will help to meet two of your professional goals. 

  2. A one-page resumé.

  3.   If you are not a cheese shop owner, please provide a letter of recommendation from your manager/ director.

Photography by Winter Caplanson and courtesy of Neal’s Yard Dairy and Gourmino respectively.