Cheese Educator · International cheese judge · Fromelier
Andreea Popa
I’m Andreea, a cheese educator and international cheese judge, founder of Cheese Orbit. As a Fellow and Training Partner of the Academy of Cheese, I teach cheese courses for enthusiasts and people working with cheese professionally.
During my courses, tastings and masterclasses, we explore how milk, cheesemaking decisions and maturation conditions shape a cheese’s characteristics. Through tasting and sensory evaluation, we learn to recognise these differences and better understand what we see, smell and taste.
Through Cheese Orbit, I make specialist cheese knowledge accessible and useful, whether you want to explore your interest in cheese or apply what you learn to selecting, serving and talking about it professionally.
CREDENTIALS
Recognised internationally for cheese education and judging
My work in cheese education has taken me across some of the world’s leading cheese competitions and professional communities.
Trained in the United Kingdom, I became a Fellow and Training Partner of the Academy of Cheese, helping make cheese knowledge more accessible to broader audiences.
I judge internationally at competitions including the World Cheese Awards, the International Cheese & Dairy Awards, the Concours International de Lyon, the Frankfurt Trophy, and major UK competitions such as the British & Irish Cheese Awards and Artisan Cheese Awards.
International perspective
A perspective shaped by education and international judging
Working across cheese education and international judging has shaped the way I approach cheese today: with curiosity, structure and attention to the people and decisions behind every cheese.
At Cheese Orbit, I share that perspective through courses, tastings and educational content designed to help people engage more deeply with cheese.