The American Cheese Society recently welcomed two local cheese professionals to its elite group of ACS Certified Cheese Professionals from the U.S. and Cananda. Vicki Decker Smith of Fox River Dairy and Melanie Coffey of Whole Foods in Town & Country were among the 132 industry professionals to pass this year’s rigourous exam.
The annual exam tests an individual’s knowledge and skills in all aspects of the cheese-making industry. It covers a broad range of cheese-related topics, such as raw ingredients, the cheese-making process, selecting distributors, regulations, sanitation and more. Once a member earns ACS CCP designation, they must actively participate in the cheese industry and earn recertification every three years. Recipients receive an official lapel pin, embroidered patch, certificate and the right to use the title ACS Certified Cheese Professional.
Decker Smith and Coffey are the latest to achieve this title, but they are not the only ones in Missouri. Diane Bruce and Andrew Fair, both of St. Louis, also are ACS CCPs.
This article appears in September 2013.