Australia's branch of the international guild of cheesemakers just celebrated their launch in Sydney with the induction of storied cheesemonger and founder of the eponymous chain of specialty stores Simon Johnson. Via the Sydney Morning Herald:

Turn back the culinary clock 25 years and the choice of cheese amounted to cheddar and yet more cheddar.

Then people such as Richard Thomas and Gabrielle Kervella started making artisan varieties and, in 1989, a young New Zealand chef not long out of the kitchen began selling more interesting cheeses.

On Monday night, [Simon] Johnson's contribution to cheese was recognised when he became the first Australian companion of honour in the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers, Confrerie de Saint-Uguzon. The presentation was at the guild's inaugural event in Australia.

Read the full story here.

Related: read Kate Arding's report from GDF's North American debut here.