By Mallory Scyphers
Executive Content Director, Culture Cheese Magazine
October 6, 2026

Web Exclusive

Louisville, Kentucky – For the dedicated cheesemonger, the journey of education transcends the confines of traditional classrooms. It unfolds daily behind the counter, through shared tastings with colleagues, immersive visits to artisanal producers, insightful conferences, and an unceasing stream of questions: How was this cheese crafted? What intricate processes imbue it with its distinctive flavor profile? And how profoundly does its specific place of origin shape its very essence?

These invaluable learning opportunities, however, often demand significant investments of time, travel, and financial resources – commodities not always readily available to all. Recognizing this crucial gap, scholarships emerge as vital conduits, granting ambitious cheese professionals access to experiences that profoundly deepen their expertise and, by extension, the rich knowledge they ultimately impart to their discerning customers. For over a decade, the Comté Cheese Association (CIGC) has championed this philosophy, making substantial investments in educational programs designed to elevate the skills and understanding of American cheese professionals.

Today, the CIGC proudly supports two distinct scholarships, meticulously tailored to empower mongers at pivotal, yet different, junctures in their careers. The Comté Association Conference Fund targets aspiring American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals (ACS CCPs), offering crucial support as they navigate the rigorous path to certification. Complementing this is the prestigious Comté Scholarship for ACS CCPs, an unparalleled opportunity that sends an already certified professional on an immersive journey to France’s Jura region, allowing them to witness Comté production firsthand at its source. These initiatives not only foster individual growth but also significantly contribute to the broader American artisan cheese landscape, ensuring a future where informed passion guides every sale and conversation.

Nurturing Aspiring Experts: The Comté Association Conference Fund

At the highly anticipated 2026 American Cheese Society Conference, held amidst the vibrant culinary scene of Louisville, Kentucky, a moment of profound recognition unfolded. Zaski Blazek, a dedicated cheesemonger affiliated with Minnesota-based Lunds & Byerlys, was announced as this year’s distinguished recipient of the Comté Association Conference Fund. This accolade arrived at a pivotal moment for Blazek, who had diligently dedicated two years to intensive study, culminating in sitting for the demanding CCP exam earlier that summer.

The aspiration to achieve the Certified Cheese Professional credential had been a guiding star for Blazek almost from the very inception of their career in cheese. As an apprentice, they were fortunate to work under the tutelage of a CCP-certified mentor whose infectious enthusiasm for the industry proved transformative. This mentor not only imparted invaluable technical knowledge but also introduced Blazek to a vibrant and supportive professional community, an experience entirely novel and deeply inspiring.

"The next three years I immersed myself in cheese," Blazek recounts, reflecting on their rapid progression. "And I could feel my confidence and love for it growing the more I studied, the more events I showed up to and the more people I met." By the time the examination date loomed, the pursuit of the credential had evolved, taking on a far deeper and more personal significance. "Getting the title no longer felt like a condition for acceptance," Blazek thoughtfully explains, "but rather like a celebration that I’d made it that far on my own." It became a testament to self-driven dedication and an earned recognition of their burgeoning expertise.

A Foundation for Growth: Scholarship Details and Impact

Established in 2019 and expertly administered through the American Cheese Education Foundation, the Comté Association Conference Fund is meticulously designed to support emerging talent. The fund is open to applicants who have successfully been accepted to take that year’s CCP exam and express a genuine desire to attend the prestigious ACS Conference. Financial need stands as a paramount consideration in the selection process, underscoring the scholarship’s mission to democratize access to professional development. For its singular annual recipient, this comprehensive scholarship acts as a transformative catalyst, meticulously removing many of the financial obstacles typically associated with pursuing certification. It generously covers the full spectrum of costs, including conference registration, hotel accommodation, travel expenses, an individual ACS membership, and, crucially, the CCP exam fee itself.

For Blazek, this robust financial backing was nothing short of a game-changer, marking the critical distinction between merely attempting the exam and fully immersing themselves in the unparalleled opportunities offered by the conference. "When I found out I’d gotten the scholarship, I didn’t know what to do with myself," they exclaim, still relishing the surprise and relief. "Everything was covered, I could attend the conference in person, and I could take the exam on time." This comprehensive support liberated Blazek to focus entirely on their learning and networking, unburdened by financial anxieties.

Once in Louisville, Blazek seized every opportunity, forging connections with an inspiring array of cheesemakers and fellow mongers from every corner of the country. They actively participated in a diverse range of educational sessions, absorbing new insights and perspectives, and finally experienced firsthand the expansive, vibrant cheese community they had dedicated years to joining. These invaluable encounters, rich with new knowledge and personal connections, are not merely fleeting memories; they are now an integral part of Blazek’s professional toolkit, accompanying them back to the counter each day.

"These moments I carry with me when I approach my counter every morning," Blazek affirms, highlighting the enduring impact of the conference. "They keep me excited about the products in my case and the people behind them." This renewed enthusiasm and depth of knowledge are palpable to their clientele. Customers, Blazek notes with a smile, sometimes express surprise, remarking that they "weren’t expecting to learn something" when a seemingly simple conversation about a particular cheese organically blossoms into a fascinating lesson on the nuances of salt crystallization, the intriguing formation of tyrosine crystals, or the delicate science behind a bloomy rind’s luscious creamline. This direct transfer of knowledge from conference to customer embodies the core mission of the scholarship.

The CIGC’s Vision: Investing in the Future of Artisan Cheese

For the Comté Cheese Association (CIGC), the strategic decision to support these burgeoning professionals represents far more than a simple act of philanthropy. It is a profound and forward-thinking investment, not only in the individual careers of talented mongers but, more broadly, in the sustained vitality and growth of the entire market for artisan cheese across America. Jean-Louis Carbonnier, the articulate US representative for the Comté Cheese Association, articulates this vision with clarity.

"We strongly believe that the growing number of certified mongers will help grow the interest in fine cheese among a larger public," Carbonnier asserts. This belief underscores the CIGC’s understanding that a well-educated and passionate frontline of cheese professionals is the most effective ambassador for fine cheeses, capable of demystifying complex flavors and inspiring consumer confidence. The hope, he adds, is also to keep Comté "top of mind" throughout a monger’s entire professional journey, ensuring its prominent place in their repertoire, while simultaneously helping to build a broader and more robust foundation of general cheese knowledge across the industry. This holistic approach benefits not just Comté, but the entire ecosystem of high-quality, traditional cheeses.

The Ultimate Pilgrimage: The Comté Scholarship for ACS CCPs

That journey of expertise, nurtured by foundational support, can eventually lead to the ultimate pilgrimage: a direct encounter with the source of Comté itself, deep within the picturesque Jura mountains of France. Created more than 13 years ago, the Comté Scholarship for ACS CCPs stands as a testament to the CIGC’s long-standing commitment to advanced education. This prestigious scholarship is exclusively open to cheese professionals who have already attained the esteemed American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional (ACS CCP) certification, signifying a profound level of existing expertise.

Unlike the Conference Fund, which addresses financial need, this scholarship takes the form of an engaging and rigorous essay contest, traditionally held each fall. It invites certified CCPs to eloquently demonstrate their profound knowledge, unwavering passion, and deep enthusiasm for Comté cheese. The stakes are high: the triumphant winner is awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to France’s enchanting Jura region, complemented by a generous $750 stipend to facilitate their immersive experience.

There exists a deliberate, longer runway between the announcement of the winner and the actual travel, allowing for meticulous planning and anticipation. Michael Oliver, who earned the distinction of being named the 2025 scholarship recipient this past January, recently embarked on his transformative journey. In September, he traveled to the Jura as part of the Comté Association’s media group, an experience that offered unparalleled access. There, Oliver was afforded the extraordinary opportunity to witness firsthand the intricate, deeply interconnected system that defines Comté production: from the tranquil dairy farms where Montbéliarde cows graze, to the bustling village fruitières where milk is transformed into curds, and finally, to the ancient, echoing aging cellars (caves d’affinage) where the wheels mature to perfection.

For Oliver, this profound distinction between acquiring knowledge about a place and truly experiencing it is absolutely central to the unparalleled value of this opportunity.

Beyond the Counter: Experiencing the Jura Ecosystem

"You can learn a lot about a cheese from behind the counter, but you can’t learn what a place feels like until you stand in it," Oliver articulates, encapsulating the essence of his journey. "I can study the landscape, the fruitières, the affineurs and the traditions behind Comté, but that’s different from walking through the cellars, meeting the people and seeing how the cheese fits into everyday life in the Jura." His words resonate with the understanding that true mastery requires more than theoretical knowledge; it demands sensory immersion and cultural context.

The next scholarship competition for the Comté Scholarship for ACS CCPs is currently open, inviting another cohort of passionate CCPs to vie for this life-changing opportunity. The 2026 recipient is eagerly anticipated to be announced in early 2027, continuing this cherished tradition of fostering deep expertise.

Jean-Louis Carbonnier emphasizes the broader educational goal of the trip. "The trip to the Jura is an opportunity to show what a PDO represents by connecting Comté to its human, geographical, historical, social and economic context," he explains. A Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) like Comté is not merely a label; it’s a legal framework that safeguards the integrity of a product deeply rooted in a specific region, ensuring that every wheel of Comté reflects the unique terroir, traditional methods, and collective expertise of the Jura.

This profound context, so vital to understanding Comté, can indeed be challenging to fully grasp from the distant vantage point of an American cheese counter. Comté’s production system is characterized by an extraordinary degree of cooperation, seamlessly linking dairy farmers, skilled cheesemakers in the fruitières, and dedicated affineurs (agers) through a shared commitment to stringent rules and mutual responsibilities. According to Carbonnier, the Comté PDO supports an impressive ecosystem, providing approximately 14,000 jobs and sustaining 2,400 farms within this largely mountainous region of France. The cows, predominantly the distinctive Montbéliarde breed, are central to this system, their milk dictating the character of the cheese. They are milked twice daily, with the first squirt drawn by hand, a testament to the traditional care embedded in the process.

For visitors to the Jura, Carbonnier notes, the sheer degree of collaboration and integration can be quite astonishing. "Everything is very integrated and thought through to ensure that the Comté ecosystem works in the best interest of all involved," he remarks, highlighting the deeply cooperative spirit that underpins the production of this iconic cheese. Cheesemakers, for instance, meticulously gauge the texture and firmness of the curd, waiting for it to feel "like grains of rice" before it is deemed ready to be hooped and pressed, a tactile tradition passed down through generations.

The Power of Storytelling and Ripple Effects

Michael Oliver is particularly keen on absorbing the less tangible, yet profoundly impactful, pieces of this intricate ecosystem. "the smells, the sounds, a conversation with someone, the way a place feels in a certain moment," he muses. These nuanced details, he believes, are precisely what empower a skilled cheesemonger to transform mere information into a captivating and authentic story.

"When I come home, I’ll be able to share Comté from a much more personal place, with real people, places and memories behind the story," Oliver shares, anticipating the enrichment of his professional narrative. His ultimate goal transcends simple knowledge dissemination: "If I can make someone a little more curious, a little more adventurous, or just make them stop for a second and really feel something when they taste it, that means a lot to me." This ambition speaks to the profound power of experiential learning in forging deeper connections between consumers and the products they enjoy.

This "ripple effect" may, in fact, be the most compelling argument for the continued investment in programs such as these. One scholarship meticulously removes critical financial barriers for a promising professional striving for certification, democratizing access to career advancement. The other elevates education far beyond the confines of textbooks and tasting notes, placing an already accomplished cheese professional directly within the agricultural and cultural system they have spent years studying.

Past recipients of these scholarships have consistently found innovative ways to extend these opportunities and amplify their impact within their own communities. Last year’s Conference Fund recipient, Lissa Knudsen, for instance, organized a series of successful public screenings of the acclaimed French film Holy Cow in New Mexico, thoughtfully accompanying each showing with expertly curated samples of Comté. Similarly, previous Jura scholarship recipients have returned home to organize engaging tastings, captivating their customers with firsthand accounts and enriched insights into Comté, leveraging what they witnessed and experienced on their transformative journeys.

"For us, the scholarships are also a way to feed the enthusiasm, expertise and passion of the mongers," Carbonnier states, underscoring the CIGC’s broader objectives. "We hope they share their greater understanding and knowledge of Comté and PDOs with their customers, colleagues, and their community." This vision extends beyond individual achievement, aiming to cultivate a more knowledgeable and passionate collective that cherishes and advocates for authentic artisan cheese.

For Zaski Blazek, the Comté Association Conference Fund has already achieved precisely this. The scholarship provided not only unfettered access to the crucial exam and the enriching conference experience but also bestowed upon them a wealth of invaluable stories, enduring professional relationships, and a deepened wellspring of knowledge that now effortlessly surfaces in their daily conversations across the cheese counter.

For Michael Oliver, that profound process of experiential learning and subsequent storytelling is just beginning, unfolding on the other side of the Atlantic. "What I’m most hoping to bring home isn’t just more knowledge," he concludes, his voice imbued with anticipation. "I want to bring home a feeling." It is this feeling – of connection, tradition, and profound appreciation – that these scholarships ultimately seek to cultivate and share, one dedicated cheese professional at a time.