Andrew Steiner first fell madly and passionately in love with cheese while working as a waiter at Joachim Splichal’s legendary restaurant Patina. An enthusiastic, quick-learning cheese lover, Steiner was soon promoted to the full-time position of Maître d’Fromage, instituting the beloved cheese menu and cheese cart for which the restaurant became famous. After 24 years working in restaurants, the veteran cheese expert left the industry to start Andrew’s Cheese Shop, which opened August 2008 in Santa Monica, CA.

“Working in restaurants was a whole lesson in hospitality,” Steiner says. “I love talking to people and getting to know them. With my own business, I have an opportunity to do the same—and blab on about cheese at the same time. This shop is a dream come true for me.”

Steiner has an affinity for creating relationships with customers, and he wants to be able to share his profound knowledge with people who love cheese and—perhaps more importantly—those who know nothing about it. Winning cheese converts one by one is what sets Steiner apart from the rest.

One of the city’s most notable and personable cheese authorities, Steiner has been a featured speaker at Los Angeles Magazine’s “The Food Event,” and has shared his expertise on KCRW’s “Good Food” with Evan Kleiman and 97.1 FM’s “Food and Wine with Chef Jamie Gwen.” He has also appeared in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Angeleno and Food & Wine.

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