Aged Goudas, soft-ripened Bries, and Gruyère galore—take a stroll through our cheese department and you’ll find a sea of unique flavors and tantalizing textures. But what makes each wheel different from the next? We have a team of licensed experts ready to share their knowledge, smiling at you from behind the counter.
Across our stores, we’re proud to have 11 Certified Cheese Professionals (CCP®). Five have gone on to become Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluators (CCSE®), essentially cheese sommeliers. Both are prestigious titles earned through the American Cheese Society’s accreditation program—the gold standard nationwide.
the road to cheese mastery
Kim Martin (CCP, CCSE) helps our team members prepare for these challenging exams. She reflects on the hard work and resolve that it takes to pursue these paths: “It’s not all romance behind the cheese counter. The CCP and CCSE titles give so much validation and credibility to what we do. It’s quite a sense of accomplishment.”
To become a CCP, candidates dedicate themselves to months of preparation, forming study groups and sampling hundreds of cheeses—all while mastering the science, business, and artistry of serving cheese. The CCSE exam takes that a step further—it’s a blind taste test where candidates must identify flavor attributes, detect defects, pinpoint the animal source, and even recognize the season in which the milk was collected.
“These certifications are a testament to our team’s deep knowledge, commitment to excellence, and passion for the craft,” says Kim.
cheese experts at your service
What does all this mean for you as a guest? Our CCPs and CCSEs can find the perfect pairings for your favorite wine, local ciders, or home-cooked meals that are guaranteed to enhance your tasting experience. And they excel at creating crowd-pleasing grazing boards for special events (they’ve even done wedding “cakes” made entirely out of cheese!). Or they can simply provide samples in line with your preferences—think of them as your skillful guide through the world of cheese.
So the next time you’re in the cheese department, ask them for a recommendation. You’ll definitely want to try what our experts have to offer.
meet our certified cheese professionals and sensory evaluators
CCP recipients:
Judy Bequette – Retail Support Center
Max Carpenter – Crown Hill
Dominique Giaconia - Kirkland
Robert Goodfriend – Queen Anne
Kim Martin – Retail Support Center
John McNulty – Queen Anne
Chris O’Donnell – Crown Hill
Kris O’Leary – Tacoma
Amy Pinkis – Tacoma
KiJohn Underwood – Tacoma
Eugene Vytas – Queen Anne
CCSE recipients:
Max Carpenter – Crown Hill
Robert Goodfriend – Queen Anne
Kim Martin – Retail Support Center
John McNulty – Queen Anne
Kijohn Underwood – Tacoma
a message from kim martin
“I’m thrilled to extend a huge congratulations to everyone who earned their CCP or CCSE certification! We’re incredibly proud to have you representing our team and raising the bar for cheese knowledge and service. Thank you for investing in your development and for inspiring others to pursue their own cheese journeys.”