We've officially wrapped our final tour of the year and the team have been reminiscing about the wonderful Cheese Journeys that we hosted throughout 2024.
From a Swiss cow parade to truffle hunting in Piedmont, it's been an extra special vintage filled with remarkable experiences and people. Check our Instagram to get the full flavour!
One of the highlights of the year was our British Cheese Odyssey in October, which took our guests on a deep dive into British cheese. It started with an exclusive tour of Borough Market and Neal's Yard Dairy's maturing caves in London, followed by a stay at the Downton Abbey-style home of legendary Somerset cheddar maker Jamie Montgomery.
Jamie took us on fascinating tours of his home, farm and dairy, and we also visited Tom Calver of Westcombe Dairy to learn more about regenerative agriculture and how he has helped develop a new brewery, bakery, restaurant and charcuterie business.
Other unforgettable moments included a grand gala dinner for Britain's best artisan cheesemakers, plus classes with experts Emilio Mignucci of Di Brunos Bros, author Patrick McGuigan and chef Anne Faber.
Don't worry if you missed this year! The good news is that we will be returning to England in 2025 and 2026 for more adventures in London and Somerset with some very special guests.
BOOKING NOW FOR 2025 & 2026
A British Cheese Odyssey: London, Somerset & Bath
12-19 October, 2025
19-26 October, 2026
Double occupancy: $6.200 per person
Single occupancy: $6,900 per person
Curd to Counter: connecting
makers and mongers
Greselda Powell of Murray's Cheese spent time at Fen Farm Dairy as part of our Curd to Counter program
One of the most rewarding developments this year was the successful launch of our first-ever Curd to Counter program.
This unique mentorship scheme, developed by Cheese Journeys in collaboration with British cheesemakers and supported by Neal's Yard Dairy, connected US-based cheese retail professionals with Britain’s finest makers.
Our 2023 cohort, hand picked after a rigorous application process, enjoyed hands-on mentorship with some of the best cheesemakers in Britain: Baron Bigod producer Fen Farm Dairy, Westcombe Cheddar and Stichelton Dairy.
The mongers spent two days working on the farm, in the dairy and in the maturing room, making cheese and learning why these British cheeses are so special. They also gained invaluable retail experience at London cheesemonger and affineur Neal's Yard, before joining the British Cheese Odyssey at Montgomery's Cheddar in Somerset.
Applications are OPEN for the 2025 Curd to Counter program
You can learn more about the program and how to apply on our website: cheesejourneys.com/curd-to-counter
Or email me directly for more information:
anna@cheesejourneys.com
Burgundy: vines, wines and wedges
We're thrilled with our first wine and culinary tour of Bourgogne (AKA Burgundy), which finished last week. This is a slightly different direction for us with an emphasis on wine and food (although cheese certainly played its part!) and we were delighted with how it went.
We spent many happy hours exploring vineyards, cheesemakers, farmers' markets and the Chablis Wine Festival, along with tastings from wine guru Emily Lester Fouilleroux (AKA Paris Wine Girl) and cheese expert Hanna Shaps.
We will certainly never forget our once-in-a-lifetime tasting of rare Grand Cru wines from chateau owner Christophe Gay’s own private cellar. A real honor!
Next year's journey to Bourgogne in May is already sold out, but bookings for the May 2026 tour will go live in December. Check the Cheese Journeys website for more details.
Chef Milo: an artist in the kitchen
If you've been on a Cheese Journey you will know Milo Waterfield through his wonderful cooking.
He and fellow chef Sylvain Jamois cook for our guests on all our tours, producing incredible meals using local and seasonal ingredients in whichever region and country we are visiting. They also run superb cookery classes for our guests. You can browse and download some of Milo and Sylvain's culinary creations on the new recipe section on our website.
His creative talents don't end there though. Milo, whose father was a chef and wine maker, also had a successful career in animation and illustration, training at the Royal Academy of Art, before returning to his first love of cooking.
He has travelled with Cheese Journeys since 2015 working with his old friend Sylvain (they first met at school aged 14!) to create delicious dishes that fully express the amazing places we visit. He is also the man responsible for creating our joyfully illustrated travel posters, which give an artistic flavour of our tours.
Truly an artist in the kitchen!
Meet the rest of our team here.
HIGH AND MIGHTY CHEESES: Our mountain trips to France and Switzerland to discover how mountain cheeses are made are incredibly popular. Who could resist a Swiss cow parade and a tour of Gourmino's magnificent maturing caves filled with Gruyère and Emmenthal?
BOOKING NOW!
There are just a couple of places left on next year's tours, so don't delay!
Jura, Savoie, France & Switzerland
26 August - 6 September, 2025
Savoie France & Switzerland Cow Parade
24 September – 5 October, 2025
We also run private tours for groups of our foodie friends. We're thrilled to be taking guests from Di Brunos Bros, Fairfield Cheese Company, Plums Cooking Company and Savory Gourmet on bespoke Cheese Journeys in France, Switzerland and Italy in the next few years. Get in touch if you would like to find out more about these trips or how to go about organizing your own.
If you're interested in coming on a tour and want to know more, email (anna@cheesejourneys.com)