Sheana Davis facts for kids

Sheana Davis (born 1969) is an American cheesemaker, chef, and teacher of cooking skills. She owns a business called the Epicurean Connection in Sonoma, California. She is famous for creating Delice de la Vallee cheese and other fresh cheeses. Davis also co-wrote the book Buttermonger.

Early Life and Learning to Cook

Sheana Davis was born in Sonoma, California, in 1969. Her love for cooking started with her grandfather. Every Friday, he cooked a meal for local farmers and ranchers.

As a teenager, Davis learned from the famous food writer M.F.K. Fisher. She also worked for Ig Vella, a well-known cheesemaker. Davis saw Vella as her mentor. He taught her about running a food business and building a community around food.

In 1988, Davis graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College with a degree in Culinary Arts. Around that time, she discovered a cookbook from the Commander's Palace restaurant. This book sparked a lifelong passion for the food and culture of New Orleans. She later worked as an intern at the famous restaurant.

After returning to Sonoma, she started a catering business. In 1992, her daughter Karina was born, and she also launched the Epicurean Connection. She later met and married Ben Sessions.

A Career in Food

Davis has a strong connection to New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina hit the city, she visited 14 times to help. She cooked for relief workers and helped organize events to raise money for victims.

In 2016, Davis won a tailgating contest for a recipe she created using Nathan's Famous hot dogs. That same year, she became the curator of the Last House, the final home of her former teacher, M.F.K. Fisher.

Davis has also shared her cheese knowledge around the world. She traveled to Dubai to teach about American cheese for the US Dairy Export Council.

In 2023, Davis and her daughter Karina published a book called Buttermonger. The book explores the history of butter and shares many recipes.

The Epicurean Connection

Davis started the Epicurean Connection in 1992. At first, it was a marketing company that helped other food businesses, like Straus Family Creamery and Cowgirl Creamery.

In 2005, she opened a shop in Boyes Hot Springs. She found out that her grandfather had run a business in the very same building 40 years earlier. While fixing up the space, she discovered it was built to be a professional kitchen. This inspired her to open a small cafe.

A "cheese cake" made by the Epicurean Connection for special events.

The shop became so popular that by 2011, she moved it to a bigger location in downtown Sonoma. The new Epicurean Connection was a cheese shop, a cafe, and a bar. It hosted concerts and community dinners where local farmers could meet and share food. The magazine Sunset named it one of the top 50 local food shops in California.

In 2015, Davis closed the cafe part of the business. She wanted to focus more on making cheese, catering, and teaching. Today, she teaches cheesemaking classes to the public and to people who work in restaurants. In her classes, students learn to make fresh ricotta cheese.

Famous Cheeses and Awards

Davis serving her famous Delice de la Vallee cheese in 2015.

Davis makes several types of fresh cheese using milk from local Northern California farms. Her most famous creation is Delice de la Vallee.

Delice de la Vallee is a soft, creamy cheese made from a mix of goat milk and cow milk. People describe it as "creamy, fluffy, earthy and tangy." In 2010, it won first place at the American Cheese Conference. The magazine Saveur even named it one of the best cheeses for a cheeseburger. Celebrities like Jay-Z and Beyoncé are said to be fans of the cheese.

Another popular cheese she makes is Creme de Fromage. It is a sweet and thick cheese made from cow's milk.

Davis makes about 500 pounds of cheese every week. Her cheeses are served in top restaurants like the French Laundry.

Sharing Her Knowledge

Davis loves to teach others about cheese. She founded the Sonoma Valley Cheese Conference to bring cheesemakers together. She was featured on the TV show Reinventing the Meal with chef Richard Blais. In 2019, the Huffington Post wrote about her special mac and cheese recipe, which uses five different cheeses.

In early 2024, Davis was honored for her work in Paris, France. She was welcomed into the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers, a respected international cheese organization. She also became a certified cheese expert, called a Fromaggier, and judged a cheese competition.

Davis is known for her hard work and her support of the American cheese community. She is praised for her dedication to teaching and helping others.