Home › All courses › Craft & Food › Cheesemonger
Become a cheesemonger: test-drive the job before you switch careers
Test-drive the job before you commit: recognise cheese families, cut to the right weight, advise customers, ripen in the cellar and sell with food safety in mind.
- 13 five-minute lessons
- 3 levels
- 13-page PDF guide
- English & French
- Certificate of completion
Why a cheesemonger stays essential in the age of AI
- A cheese is judged by nose, touch and taste, not on a screen.
- An accurate cut is made by hand, in front of the customer, to the gram.
- Advice adapts to the person in front of you: a pregnant woman, a child, a food lover.
Is it for you? Five signs
- You enjoy tasting and comparing.
- Cold rooms and standing don't put you off.
- You like advising people face to face.
- You are careful and strict about hygiene.
- You love regional produce.
Not sure yet? That's what the €6.90 guide is for. Refund within 14 days if it isn't you.
Thinking about a career change? Read our complete career change guide →
A typical day
- 6:45 am: arrive and log the temperatures of the display and the cold room.
- 7:15 am: the van arrives; check boxes and batch labels, refuse a carton that is too warm.
- 8:30 am: set up the display, price labels and "raw milk" notices.
- 9 am – 1 pm: cutting and advice at the counter, plus boards to prepare for a wedding order.
- 2:30 pm: into the cellar to turn the Tommes and brush the rinds.
- 4 pm: review the week's losses and place orders with producers.
- 7:15 pm: full clean of the station, wires and knives before closing.
How to become a cheesemonger
In France, the benchmark qualification is the CAP crémier-fromager, created in 2017. It takes two years at a vocational school or through an apprenticeship, and less time on adult courses. An adult with no training in the trade can sit the exam after at least 14 weeks of experience or placement in a cheese business within the previous three years. Many career changers start as cheese shop assistants, then sit the CAP. In English-speaking countries, people usually learn on the job in specialist shops or through retail and food apprenticeships. Before committing months to training, the G-Learn trial lets you check in one week that the cold, the cutting and the advice suit you. The G-Learn certificate shows you completed the trial: it is not a diploma.
Pay
In French cheese shops, the collective agreement for specialist food retail (IDCC 3237) sets a minimum of €1,838.81 gross per month for 35 hours at the entry grade, under the pay agreement of 13 January 2026. Supervisory roles start at €2,445.10 gross. Beyond that, pay depends on experience, responsibility for a counter and, for owners, the shop's results. Pay elsewhere varies widely by country and region.
The hard parts
- Cold and standing: refrigerated display, cold room and cellar for much of the day.
- The hours: early starts, Saturdays, markets and a very busy festive season.
- Food safety responsibility: one missed temperature check or lost batch label can put a customer at risk.
Sources: Avenant n° 9 salaires IDCC 3237 du 13 janvier 2026 · Arrêté du 4 juillet 2017 portant création du CAP crémier-fromager (Légifrance) · CAP crémier-fromager, arrêté du 2 mai 2025 sur les PFMP (académie de Versailles) · Bpifrance Création — Crémier-fromager, un métier plein de saveurs (2025)
What you'll be able to do
- Recognise cheese families
- Follow hygiene and cold chain
- Cut and weigh accurately
- Advise each type of customer
- Build a cheese board
- Monitor ripening in the cellar
The programme
Level 1 – Beginner
- D1The job and ways in
- D2Recognising the families
- D3Hygiene, cold and safety
- D4Labels, PDO and raw milk
Level 2 – Intermediate
- I1Receiving and storage
- I2Cutting and weighing
- I3Advice at the counter
- I4Cheese boards and pairings
Level 3 – Expert
- E1Ripening in the cellar
- E2Pricing, losses and margin
- E3Product recall and crisis
- E4Selection and seasons
- E5Setting up on your own
The full guide: 6 chapters
- The basics of the job
- Serving at the counter
- Facts & figures
- The toolkit
- Case study: the summer 2025 alert
- Cheesemonger's glossary
Prices
The whole job in 13 pages, PDF, English or French.
13 five-minute lessons, quizzes and 3 certificates, English or French.
Path + full guide, English and French editions included.
14-day money-back guarantee · Instant download · Secure payment
Frequently asked questions
Can I become a cheesemonger at 40?
Yes. Many cheesemongers change careers later, coming from retail, catering or office jobs. You need to be comfortable with physical work, the cold and early or weekend hours.
Do I need a qualification to be a cheesemonger?
In France, the CAP crémier-fromager is the benchmark and reassures employers. You can start as a shop assistant without one, but hygiene and cutting must be learnt properly, and opening your own shop means meeting food safety rules.
How much does a new cheesemonger earn?
In France, the minimum is €1,838.81 gross per month for 35 hours at entry grade (IDCC 3237, January 2026 agreement). Pay rises with experience and responsibility; elsewhere it depends on local wages.
What is included in the cheesemonger course?
A 13-page PDF guide that covers the whole job, and a 3-level path of 13 five-minute lessons (beginner, intermediate, expert), each with a quick quiz, plus a certificate of completion per level.
Is the course available in English and French?
Yes. You choose English or French at checkout; the Complete Pack includes both languages.
How do I receive the course?
Immediately after payment you receive a download link by email, with your invoice. The files are A4 PDFs you can read on any device or print.
Is the certificate an official qualification?
No. G-Learn certificates confirm you completed the course. They are not a state diploma or a licence to practise.
Can I get a refund?
Yes: if the course is not what you expected, ask within 14 days of purchase for a full refund. Prices start at €6.90.