WEEKEND SCHEDULE + EVENTS
FRIDAY OCT 24
SATURDAY OCT 25
9am - Vendor coffee meet up & set up
10am - 2025 Vendor Market opens to the public
10am – Sensory 101: Want to become a Better Taster? Introduction to tasting cheese hosted by Fernand Peronvel & Mary Ann Ferrer, PhD, ACS CCP® Dairy Programs Manager, University of Guelph
11am and 2pm – Moo over Cow presented by Karyn Stowe
11:30pm and 2:30pm – Celebrating Ontario’s Finest Cheese & Wine presented by Vanessa Simmons
5pm – Day 1 Festival Close
All Day – Live activations from our various sponsors
SUNDAY OCT 26
WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS
SATURDAY OCTOBER 25
Tutored Tastings
Cost: $50 per person
1 hour Tasting
7 curated cheeses with Wine & Beer pairings
Sensory 101 - Want to become a Better Taster?
Presented by Mary Ann Ferrer PhD, ACS, CCP, Dairy Programs Manager, University of Guelph & Fernand Peyronel, Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph.
Whether it’s cheese, wine, beer, or any kind of food—tasting is both an art and a science. Ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes when we taste? Are you a super taster? How do your hands, mouth, nose, and brain work together to receive and interpret sensory information?
Join us for a fun, hands-on (and mouth-on!) experience where you’ll explore:
- The science of taste and how it works
- How to train your senses for more accurate tasting
- Common myths that may be skewing your perception
- Tips to prepare yourself and develop your sensory skills
- And much more!
This interactive session is designed to help you become a more confident, mindful, and skilled taster. Come ready to explore, learn, and—of course—taste!
Moooo Over Cow!
Presented by Karyn Stowe
You know cheese is made with cow’s milk, right?
But, did you know that some of the best artisan cheese available is made with goat, sheep and even buffalo milk?
Come explore the wide world of artisan cheese at our tutored tastings! You will sample some of the finest cheese in Ontario, curated and paired with delicious wines, and learn to truly savour and experience just how good wine and cheese can be. It is a match made in heaven!
Presented by Karyn Stowe
Celebrating Ontario's Finest Cheese & Wine
Presented by Vanessa Simmons
Come and enjoy a curated presentation of the finest artisanal and farmstead cheese in Ontario!
The Ontario Cheese Festival is proud to present “Ontario’s Finest”, a tutored tasting of seven outstanding cheeses paired with some of the province’s most heralded wines. This is an opportunity to learn about how these cheeses are produced and how to open your tastebuds to fully experience the best that Ontario has to offer.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 26
Cheese Making Workshop at the University of Guelph Dairy Department.
Cost $75
Presented by
Mary Ann Ferrer PhD, ACS, CCP, Diary Programs Manager, University of Guelph
With digital media everywhere, there are endless videos, tutorials, and blogs about home cheesemaking. But let’s be honest—it can all feel a bit overwhelming. Where do you begin? How do you separate fact from fluff? How can science can help you adapt a recipe into the cheese you want to make? And how can you better manage ingredients and processes in your kitchen?
Let’s answer these questions together—while we roll up our sleeves and make one of the easier cheeses—right here at the University of Guelph’s Food Science Department (a.k.a. the cheesiest school in Canada!)
Whether you’re a curious beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, this hands-on session will help you build a solid foundation for confident, science-informed home cheesemaking.
PRESENTER BIOS
Vanessa Simmons
Vanessa Simmons is a cheese sommelier and has spent countless hours with cheesemongers and cheesemakers. She has worked at Savvy and specializes in creating “creative social experiences,” events where consumers discover fine wine, craft beer and artisan cheese with its wine and cheese sommeliers.
Vanessa has studied with Cheese Education Guild (Level 2), Toronto, and Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Institute, Basic Cuisine Certificate, Ottawa, has worked as a chef and her tasting seminars make for a delicious discovery of Canadian artisan cheeses. She’s been seen and heard on Rogers TV Daytime, CTV Morning Live,CBC Radio & Radio Canada, has been a keynote presenter numerous times at The Great Canadian Cheese Festival and Ontario Cheese Festival, and a judge at the 2013 Selection Caseus—Le Concours de Fromages Fins de Québec. The Toronto Star called her “openly fanatical about artisan cheese.
Fernanda Peyronel
Fernanda’s love for chocolate science is as strong as her passion for outdoor sports. As a researcher and senior technical associate in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, she applies intricate physical methods to study the crystalline structures of various fats and oils that influence the sensory attributes of many foods. In her educational work with chocolate processors, Fernanda draws on her deep understanding of food structure to help students explore.
Mary Ann Ferrer
Mary Ann Ferrer, a cheese science and technology educator with strong ties to the cheese industry, has dedicated the past 13 years to studying the science behind cheesemaking. As the Dairy Programs Manager at the University of Guelph, she develops and delivers training for the dairy and cheese sectors, including courses on cheese ripening and sensory evaluation. Her extensive knowledge and experience have led her to serve as a technical judge in numerous cheese competitions and, most recently, to join the board of directors of the American Cheese Society.
Karyn Stowe
Karyn has her Professional Cheesemonger accreditation from George Brown College and is an Associate (Level 1) of the Academy of Cheese. She runs the Instagram account “Fromage Adventures” where she highlights artisan cheese and independent fromageries on her travels around the world. She brings more than 25 years of teaching experience to her passion of educating people about the world of cheese.
Vanessa Simmons
Vanessa Simmons is a cheese sommelier and has spent countless hours with cheesemongers and cheesemakers. She has worked at Savvy and specializes in creating “creative social experiences,” events where consumers discover fine wine, craft beer and artisan cheese with its wine and cheese sommeliers.
Vanessa has studied with Cheese Education Guild (Level 2), Toronto, and Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Institute, Basic Cuisine Certificate, Ottawa, has worked as a chef and her tasting seminars make for a delicious discovery of Canadian artisan cheeses. She’s been seen and heard on Rogers TV Daytime, CTV Morning Live,CBC Radio & Radio Canada, has been a keynote presenter numerous times at The Great Canadian Cheese Festival and Ontario Cheese Festival, and a judge at the 2013 Selection Caseus—Le Concours de Fromages Fins de Québec. The Toronto Star called her “openly fanatical about artisan cheese.
Fernanda Peyronel
Fernanda’s love for chocolate science is as strong as her passion for outdoor sports. As a researcher and senior technical associate in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, she applies intricate physical methods to study the crystalline structures of various fats and oils that influence the sensory attributes of many foods. In her educational work with chocolate processors, Fernanda draws on her deep understanding of food structure to help students explore.
Mary Ann Ferrer
Mary Ann Ferrer, a cheese science and technology educator with strong ties to the cheese industry, has dedicated the past 13 years to studying the science behind cheesemaking. As the Dairy Programs Manager at the University of Guelph, she develops and delivers training for the dairy and cheese sectors, including courses on cheese ripening and sensory evaluation. Her extensive knowledge and experience have led her to serve as a technical judge in numerous cheese competitions and, most recently, to join the board of directors of the American Cheese Society.
Karyn Stowe
Karyn has her Professional Cheesemonger accreditation from George Brown College and is an Associate (Level 1) of the Academy of Cheese. She runs the Instagram account “Fromage Adventures” where she highlights artisan cheese and independent fromageries on her travels around the world. She brings more than 25 years of teaching experience to her passion of educating people about the world of cheese.