Essex &
l'Amuse Internship
The Netherlands
The annual internship program for cheese mongers to learn about Dutch cheese in its homeland.
Essex St. Cheese puts education at the forefront of our work. We teach about cheese whenever we can in the belief that cheese mongers who know more about their cheese—how to care for it, how to serve it, the story behind it—serve their customers better. It’s also way more fun to come to work every day when you’re connected to the history of great cheese
Betty and Martin Koster run Fromagerie l’Amuse in Amsterdam. Their retail shops are one of the country’s most highly regarded sources for traditional cheeses. Betty is deeply connected to great sources of cheese throughout the country, working to select, age, sell and teach about Dutch cheese.
The intern will work at l’Amuse for two weeks. They will experience cheese mongering in The Netherlands. They will visit the source of cheese and work alongside cheese makers. They’ll be part of the selection process and visit the aging rooms for l’Amuse’s cheese. They’ll also be part of the wholesale business and work with l’Amuse to prepare cheese for export.
This is an unpaid, educational internship, though accommodations and travel within The Netherlands are included.
Cheese mongers who are customers of Essex St. Cheese and sell l’Amuse cheese are welcome to apply.
We offer one or two internship positions per year.
2024 applications for 2025 internships are closed. The application may change a bit in some requirements, but it’s largely the same year after year.
Questions? Email Rachel Juhl racheljuhl@essexcheese.com
“The L’amuse Internship through Essex St. was an absolutely incredible opportunity that I’ll treasure forever! I learned so much about Dutch culture, travelled all over the Dutch countryside, and ate so many tasty Dutch cheeses! It’s been lovely sharing my experiences with guests at our cheese tastings at Antonelli’s, and the work I did there, making cheeses and caring for animals, is something that will be a fantastic resource for my future in the cheese industry.”
“The L’Amuse internship was an incredible experience. It’ll take you to far corners of the beautiful Dutch countryside where you’ll meet kind, hard-working people from all levels of the cheese industry. Expect lots of eye-opening farm work, insight into the Dutch relationship to agriculture and cheese, and generosity from everyone you meet. ”
“The time I spent in the Netherlands under the care of the Koster family was incredible. Often times we as mongers frame European cheese culture as being protected and valued for its history; the reality is that it’s a complex being, with
struggles that often mirror those of small producers here in the States.
Experiencing the ferocity with which the Koster family supports their small heritage producers and the passion that those producers have for their land, animals, cheeses, and heritage was incredibly formative. Getting to see Theo culture butter early in the morning; helping Jolanda make wheels of Terschelling; chatting with the other mongers behind the counter about cheese and culture - these are experiences that have forever changed the way I see and talk about Dutch cheese.”
“The l’Amuse internship has been the most comprehensive cheese experience I have had the honor of being part of.
Gouda might be one of the most recognizable cheese styles in America but sometimes quickly dismissed in the artisan arena. This deep dive into Dutch cheese production opened my eyes to how special, collaborative, and inventive the Dutch dairy industry is and that it goes far beyond just Gouda. This experience transformed the way I discuss cheeses from the Netherlands with customers and gifted me a deep affinity towards the Dutch cheese community!
Every aspect of cheese production will be explored with open arms. The people, the animals, the landscape, the food...You won’t want to leave!”
“The l’Amuse internship was a journey incomparable to anything I have experienced. Waxing Nylander gouda. Wrapping the most incredible butter I will ever taste. Sipping wine at the Beemster speakeasy. Selling cheese at an Amsterdam street market. Going to the old cheese market in Alkmaar. And being nibbled by these guys, the 92 sheep of Terschelling.”
“You will learn a great deal about cheesemaking, of course. But it is so much more. The culture of cheesemaking in the Netherlands is beautifully creative and collaborative, led by a profoundly inviting and hardworking community of makers. Dutch dairy innovation is beyond what American consumers - or even mongers - have been led to know. You will be a part of the team during every visit. All doors will feel open to you, all practices explained and questions answered. As for personally, if you’re as lucky as I was, you will leave feeling your passions enlivened and amplified by this experience, and you will bring that energy to your work and life back home. ”