Culture Magazine

12 culturecheesemag.com BES T CHEESES 2024 VOICINGS seems counterintuitive to championing cheese, but I love the structure of it. I like the predictability of it. There's a little less chaos, a little more fact, a little less feeling. But within the massive beast that UNFI is, cheese certainly has—and granted, I'm a little biased—a huge personality and is an area that is a lot more personable than a lot of other areas that UNFI touches. We really have the opportunity to tell stories [about] the brands we sell that don't necessarily exist in other parts of the distribution world. CM: That leads me to an important question: You've worked in the cheese industry for almost 20 years. What is it that keeps you around? And could you ever see yourself doing something outside of cheese? RP: You're dating me! I've definitely been in cheese for 20 years. It's certainly the people. I think what's interesting about cheese is that the lines are so blurred between the people you work with and who your friends are. Like the whole community, everyone's your friend. That's what I really love about it. And working more on a national scale now, I have friends across the country so it's always great to be able to reconnect with people. But I think what's interesting—at least for me—is that the skillset I've learned throughout everything I've done in cheese really does translate to any other job. Things like communicating clearly in project management, adhering to deadlines, and being a good partner—all those sort of attributes translate across the board. But I don't know, I don't really see myself leaving cheese. CM: You used to be a French cheese ambassador. Was that job as romantic as it sounds? RP: Parts of it were very romantic. Parts of it were not. I worked for a group of French cheesemakers who essentially wanted a broker in the United States. I got to meet so many people, travel across the country, and go back to France to see all these cheesemakers and understand a lot more about logistics and how importing works. But when you have companies in varying degrees of their maturity curves, and you're trying to do good by everybody all at once, tensions can start to flare. But it was a tremendous experience while I got to do it. A couple of the [French] cheesemakers came to the US and did a market tour. We went up to Vermont, which was really nice because Constant Bliss, the original Jasper Hill Farm cheese, was modeled after Chaource, and I had Lincet with me. My boss at the time had talked to Mateo a lot about how to produce a Chaource-style cheese. So, to have them there in person and be able to have that common ground as cheesemakers, regardless of their scale or location, was really amazing. CM: Speaking of France, they're obviously known for their wonderful raw-milk cheeses. Do you wish the US would allow cheesemakers to produce raw-milk cheeses under 60 days? RP: I mean, I think the whole messaging is sort of a fallacy. If you're making safe cheese, then you're making safe cheese, regardless of whether it's aged 60 days or not. I sort of understand the benchmark behind why 60 days was chosen, but the messaging should be, in my opinion, more about making safe cheese rather than making cheese that's aged a certain number of days. I do wish that we could get a little more raw-milk cheese in the United States. I think there are some people toeing the line who are inspiring. But yeah, I'd love to see more Reblochon-style cheeses, more Mont d'Or-style cheeses on the market. But there's a lot of education that must go along with it for Americans. A 'best by' date is really just a barometer. If your carton of milk has an expiration date of October 11th, it doesn't mean magically at midnight that night it's gonna expire. CM: For sure. So, how have you seen the average American's relationship with cheese evolve over the last 20 years? RP: I think what's really interesting is that taste has evolved, and the quality of cheese that's being produced in the United States has evolved alongside it. Look at the case in your cheese department. It's still 16 feet, but now you're seeing more and more varieties of cheeses in there. You're not just seeing 16 feet of cheddar and mozzarella anymore; you're seeing people carry things such as burrata. Ten years ago, no one carried burrata. Cheese is definitely more of a focus at the center of the plate, not just on the perimeter anymore. CM: Yeah. I know people have their mixed feelings on the Instagram charcuterie board trend, but they really have ignited the average person's awareness of cheese as an appetizer and something to get at a restaurant. I think it is piquing more people's interests in the industry in a large way. RP: I think we still have a lot of work to do on that in the cheese industry. I think for a long time there was sort of this preciousness around cheese. Breaking down that preciousness to be more inclusive rather than exclusive is certainly an area where we have room to grow. CM: You're speaking my language with that one. There's a lot of romanticization Rachel's nona enjoying a spoonful of Vacherin Mont d'Or

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