Joseph Konopelski is a fromager (cheese expert) and the General Manager of Lelia’s Restaurant in Oak Park. His exposure to cheese began while he worked in several restaurants culminating at Patina, Joachim Splichal’signature restaurant next to Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Here he became the fromager and began to learn all the extensive characteristics of cheese, how to present it to the public, how to match different cheeses with wines, etc.
In this three part series, Joseph wants you to gain an understanding and appreciation for cheese as a part of the fine dining experience and one of the world’s great foods.
PART 1: Understanding Cheese -- Sunday, September 7, 4:00 PM
Joseph will discuss the history and beginnings of cheese making. He will talk about the cheese manufacturing process, aging, the differences between factory made and artisan made cheeses, the types of cheeses made from cows, goats and sheep and the categories of cheeses such as semi-soft, soft, and hard. Students will get to sample a variety of cheeses along with a glass of wine.
PART 2: Cheese Making Regions and Wine Tasting -- Sunday, September 14, 4:00 PM
Students will become familiar with the major cheese producing regions in the world such as Italy and France. Joseph will talk about their terrain, history and the different cheese varieties produced in each region. Many of the foreign cheeses are protected by their governments for authenticity and are specially labeled such as Reggiano Parmigiano from a specific region in Italy. Find out how to pair cheese with wines as you sample both from around the world.