Daphne Zepos, an internationally recognized cheese educator who helped bring artisan cheeses to the forefront of the American culinary scene, died July 3 at her home in San Francisco's Mission District. She was 52, and the cause was lung cancer.

Ms. Zepos made a lasting impact on the American cheese industry, sourcing artisan cheeses directly from farmers all over Europe and teaching people how to appreciate cheese. She played a major role in cheese events in the United States and Europe over the past 20 years, and this year was recognized with the American Cheese Society's Lifetime Achievement Award.

She was co-owner of the Cheese School of San Francisco, which offers cheese appreciation classes and tasting events. She also founded the Essex Street Cheese Co. and co-founded the Cheese of Choice Coalition, an advocacy group geared toward preserving raw milk and artisan cheeses.

"Her main thing was education - to define what a cheesemonger is, something people didn't know about in this country," said her husband Brad Brown, an artist. "She wanted to be the cheese equivalent of a sommelier."

As the daughter of a Greek diplomat, Ms. Zepos grew up all over Europe - Athens, London, Geneva, Brussels - and studied in England and New York. She loved art, history, music and nature, all of which influenced the poetic way she would talk about cheese and how to taste it.

"She was straddling all these worlds, which was pure Daphne," Brown said.

Ms. Zepos began to consider cheese as a profession when she was a cook at Campton Place in San Francisco. After being in the kitchen all day, she would change into a dress and heels and push a cheese trolley through the dining room, offering a cheese course to diners.

She was one of the first to bring this European-style cheese service to San Francisco, and often traveled to Europe to personally select the cheeses for the cart.

In addition to her husband, Ms. Zepos is survived by her parents, Costas and Greta Zepos; and her sister, Amalia Zepou, of Athens.

Plans for a memorial service are pending. Donations in Ms. Zepos' memory can be made to the American Cheese Education Foundation, c/o American Cheese Society, 2969 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 570, Denver, CO 80222; or online at www.cheesefoundation.org.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: jbitker@sfchronicle.com