Academy of Cheese Level 1: Associate (Classroom) - Tuesday 22nd June 2027

Love cheese and want to understand it properly?

Join us in Chapel Allerton, Leeds for the Academy of Cheese Level 1: Associate — an internationally recognised introduction to cheese for enthusiasts and food professionals alike.

The course takes place between 10am-4pm, in the classroom at Chirpy in Chapel Allerton, right next door to George & Joseph, giving us a comfortable space for a full day of tasting and learning.

Who is the course for?

There are no prerequisites.

Level 1 is ideal for:

• cheese lovers who want to deepen their knowledge

• deli and farm shop staff

• hospitality and food retail professionals

• anyone considering a career in cheese or speciality food

• anyone who simply wants to become more confident choosing, tasting and talking about cheese

What you'll learn

During the day we'll explore:

• how cheese is made

• the main styles and families of cheese

• how milk, production and maturation affect flavour and texture

• how to taste and assess cheese

• how cheese should be stored, handled and served

• how to build a great cheeseboard

• the basics of pairing cheese with drinks

You'll taste 12 different cheeses throughout the day, giving you plenty of opportunity to put what you're learning into practice.

What's included

Your course fee includes:

• a full day of tuition with an Academy of Cheese certified trainer

• tasting of 12 cheeses

• printed Academy of Cheese Level 1 course materials

• refreshments throughout the day

• access to the Level 1 online assessment

• Academy of Cheese certificate and pin badge on successful completion

We'll take a lunch break during the day, giving you the chance to head out and explore some of the cafés and food spots around Chapel Allerton.

Your trainer

The course is led by George & Joseph founder Stephen Fleming, an Academy of Cheese certified trainer with more than a decade of experience working with artisan cheese and cheesemakers.

Stephen swapped a career in IT for cheese and founded George & Joseph in 2013. Since then, he's built his knowledge by working with cheesemakers, visiting producers and spending a lot of time tasting and talking about cheese.

The course is deliberately informal and interactive, so there'll be plenty of opportunity to ask questions throughout the day.

The qualification

At the end of your Level 1 training you'll complete the Academy of Cheese online multiple-choice assessment.

On successful completion, you'll receive your Academy of Cheese Level 1: Associate certificate and pin badge.

Places are limited to keep the course small, relaxed and hands-on.