Cheese 101 at Murray's Cheese

Calling all cheeselovers! Whether you're an Epoisses expert or a Roquefort rookie, Cheese 101 is the place to be. We'll walk you through a tasting of seven families of cheese--from fresh to bloomy to blue and everything in between--so that you leave armed with the knowledge you need to approach even the most daunting of cheese counters and create a perfect cheese course of your own. Every cheese has a story, and we'll explore each one, all while enjoying unlimited pours of our house sparkling and red wines to pair with your plate of our favorite cheeses at peak perfection.

Cheese 101 is recommended for ages 16 and up. Non-alcoholic beverages are available in substitution of house wines.

Founded in 1940 by Murray Greenberg, Murray's Cheese has long been a fixture of New York's Greenwich Village. Along with neighboring food destinations Faicco's, Ottomanelli's and Rocco's, Murray's is part of the rich food history of this formerly Italian enclave. Initially a wholesaler of butter and eggs, Murray's has evolved into New York's (and the United States') best loved cheese shop, named Best Cheese Shop in the World by Forbes.com and msnbc.com, and Best Cheese Shop in New York by Time Out New York.

The current owner, Rob Kaufelt '69 began his career in his family owned New Jersey supermarket chain, Mayfair Supermarkets, operating under the Foodtown banner. After holding positions of Store Manager, District Manager, Director of Operations, and Dairy Buyer, Rob was made President of the company. Rob eventually left Mayfair to focus on full-service specialty foods retail, and opened Kaufelt's Fancy Groceries in Princeton, New Jersey, where he ran the business for five years.
 
In 1990 Rob moved to Greenwich Village and, standing in line at his local cheese store, overheard owner say that he'd lost his lease and was closing Murray's Cheese. Rob made an offer, bought the shop and moved it across Cornelia Street where it stayed until November 2004. Under Rob's ownership, Murray's grew from a local commodity cheese shop to a world renowned destination, offering the rarest and finest cheeses, many of which Rob sourced directly from farms across Europe and the United States. He began an import program in 1999 to better control quality, and was the first retailer to buy and promote American artisan cheeses.

6:30-8:00pm. $85 per person inclusive of alcohol, tax, and gratuity.  Advance reservations required by Friday, March 18^th, at which time they are considered final sale.  All attendees will meet at Murray's Cheese 254 Bleecker St. (Between 6th & 7th Ave.) New York, NY 10014.