People are relishing normalcy wherever they can find it these days. For some, that means sipping a fruity drink under a patio umbrella at a restaurant that not very long ago wasn’t open for in-person dining. Although the signs of the coronavirus are ever-present—waiters wearing masks, tables spaced 6 feet apart—diners once again have the ability to eat a meal they didn’t cook themselves, surrounded by more than just the people they live with.

What does it take to transform a knowledgeable cheesemonger into a Certified Cheese Professional^® (or CCP™ for short)? Three hours, 150 questions—and a whole lot of commitment. Before the fateful day when cheese experts of all stripes sit for the formidable Certified Cheese Professional Exam^® offered by the American Cheese Society (ACS), they spend months—or even years—preparing.

Few industries have been hit as hard by the coronavirus pandemic as the foodservice industry. The statistics are staggering: the National Restaurant Association estimates that 8 million restaurant workers have been laid off or furloughed since the crisis began—and that the industry will lose $240 billion in revenue by year’s end.