Cheese selector, importer, educator.
Essex St. Cheese focuses on selecting and importing a limited range of iconic European cheeses—and one from Brazil! This website is for the people who eat them and the cheese mongers who sell them.
Quesaria 1605 2026 Interns
Rachel deBerardinis Venissimo Cheese
"Rachel deBerardinis traded stethoscopes for cheese knives eight years ago and never looked back. Now serving as Director of Operations at Venissimo Cheese, she teaches classes, hosts private events, and believes cheese brings joy whether it’s beautifully plated or savored straight from the fridge. Outside the cheese counter, Rachel moonlights as an amateur mixologist, frequent flyer, and connoisseur of cozy mystery novels."
Tyler Wilbourne
DeLaurenti Food & Wine
“I'm 38 years old, a long-time veteran of the restaurant industry who pivoted to the cheese counter during the pandemic. I have been a cheesemonger for 3 years now, and I love Basque cheeses and Basque culture, the Spanish language(s), and I am a voracious reader in the lovely and wet Pacific Northwest. I enjoy my work at Delaurenti where I sell fine cheeses -like Manchego 1605- and cured meats in the world-famous Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle.”
Cravero 2026 Interns
Alena Douglas
Provisions
“Like most children, Alena loved cheese right out of the gate; any cheese, but particularly the powdered kind in her mac. She also loved the queso fresco her south american nonna introduced her to, but little did she know that years later she’d fall in love with mongering and have the opportunity to sell hundreds of unique styles of cheese. Alena has worked with the small team at Provisions, in the western Massachusetts Connecticut River valley, since the early years of the flagship shop in Northampton, where she moved up as a lead monger, buyer and now is department director for all three locations. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, she has led numerous pairing classes, made it to the top five at CMI, passed her CCP exam and attended as many cheese educational programs as she could. She loves her husband, family, cats and friends and is happiest at the beach, in the salty sun, listening to the waves.”
Tommy Amorim
DiBruno Bros.
“When his Cheesemonger Grandfather passed in 2008, Tommy took up the mantle to ensure the tradition didn’t get lost. He’s worked in countless roles at Di Bruno Bros. where he is currently the Charcuterie and Cheese Merchandiser, Head Cheesemonger, and Educator. Mongers like Tommy stand vigilant at the counter to highlight the tireless efforts of the farmers, cheesemakers, and affineurs who make possible everything we offer and enjoy. He sees life as a celebration and evolution of tradition.
Featured on A Cheese Course, The Big Cheese, and The Cheesemonger Invitational.”
L’Amuse 2026 Interns
Emily Briggs
Greenwich Cheese Co.
“My love for artisan cheese began in 2016, when I worked as an intern on a tiny goat farm in Connecticut. After college, I worked in education before deciding to pursue my passion for cheese. I started as a cheesemonger-in-training at Fairfield Cheese Company and have loved every second of it. Cheese gives me hope for the future; we are a community of people committed to supporting small businesses, independently-owned farms, ethical animal husbandry, and sustainable agriculture. As a cheesemonger, I get to learn every day from cheese-lovers of all kinds, and I can’t wait to visit the Netherlands with Essex St. Cheese and l’Amuse to continue my cheese education!”
Aden Cavalcanti
The Cheese Parlor
"I'm a first-generation American who was born and raised in California. I've been at The Cheese Parlor basically since it opened, almost 4 years ago. I love cheese, hiking with my dog, exploring new places, and trying new foods!"