Culture Magazine

THE HOT LIS T 2024 culturecheesemag.com 19 VOICINGS Jessica Sennett written by Josie Krogh J essica Sennett is the visionary behind the award- winning Cheese Grotto, the innovative cheese storage solution that brings the cheese cave to your countertop. With a background in food studies, Sennett's cheese journey began with a thirst for knowledge and a palate primed for adventure. From exploring cheese caves in Europe to visiting farms across the US, she's immersed herself in the world of artisanal cheese and has tried her hand at everything from mongering and making to writing and education. Cheese Grotto started with one storage model and has grown into an online marketplace dedicated to American-made cheeses, offering monthly cheese subscriptions and virtual tastings so cheese lovers can come together and learn from makers. culture caught up with Sennett to learn more about the strategy behind launching the Cheese Grotto, get her take on capitalism in the cheese industry (yes, we went there), and find out what's next for the tenacious entrepreneur. cul ture (CM): You have done a little bit of everything f rom writing and educating to mongering and making and now, owning your own business. It really seems like you have touched every part of this industry. So, I'm curious, how did cheese lure you in? JS: I think the thing about cheese is that it's a great meeting point when it comes to different interests. It's satiating and grounding because it's an everyday food item—even if it is a specialty one. But it also combines artistry and science to really develop and become what it is. I dropped out of college after a year at UCLA because I really didn't know what I was doing. I got hooked up with a job at Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building, which was a great way to meet people in the sustainable food industry. It felt like a really nice sense of community and a great portal to people and cultures around the world. Just trying the wheels over and over again really transformed my palate and my perception of what these cheeses can be, even from batch to batch from one maker. That's when I decided to go to France for cheese making apprenticeships, whch was a transformative time for me because I was able to really see the relationship between the land, the animals, and the final product. CM: After your apprenticeships, did you ever think you would want to become a cheesemaker? You decided to pursue education, but was that a tough decision for you to make? Or was that pretty obvious? JS: That is a good question. I mean, cheesemaking is an incredibly hard endeavor— you're committing to a complete lifestyle [change] to become a cheesemaker. For me, growing up in San Francisco, it just felt like a very shocking turn for my life—to be in a more rural environment. Maybe not so much now, but when I was younger, I felt like maybe I wasn't mentally strong enough for a cheesemaking lifestyle. It's a very demanding life. I have lots of respect for anyone who is pioneering this in the United States. But it does intimidate me to start and launch a cheesemaking line. We have been working closely with cheese subscriptions and gift boxes, and we've done a few collaborative cheeses with cheesemakers that are limited runs through our brand. So, that's been rewarding to at least have a little bit of my hand in the process of creating something new. CM: Now that you're selling cheese online, there's a whole new host of challenges and opportunities. Could you tell me about your decision to expand Cheese Grotto to include cheese sales and subscription boxes? JS: From the business perspective, we have the one-time purchase of the Cheese Grotto, which is great, but it's not a recurring revenue stream. You might come back and buy another for a friend, but how many do you really need? It just made sense that if you have a Cheese Grotto, the other thing that you are going to need is cheese to put in the Grotto. And because there is also a lot of education around specialty cheeses—how to store them, different styles of cheeses—it gives us an opportunity to teach our customers about the best PHOTO: Sarah E Crowder

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