It’s Sunday Morning: Time to Talk Cheeses – Interview with Rob Kaufelt of Murray’s Cheese

You can (and should) purchase Rob’s book by clicking on the icon below…

(Editor’s Note: You might want to cover the kids eyes and ears… Rob and I got a little frisky with this interview…)

As many of you know, The Lady spends her working days opening Murray’s Cheese Shops in Kroger Stores across the U.S. Today I’m pleased to share with you my interview with the Owner of Murray’s Cheese, Rob Kaufelt.

A few years back, a couple of Kroger suits were touring specialty food stores in NYC and approached Rob about bringing the “Murray’s Cheese brand and experience” into Kroger. Years before, Rob had written a mission statement for Murray’s that included, making Murray’s Cheese “…a household name for the best cheese selection sold in the United States…”. This meeting was the beginning of a relationship that indeed has allowed Rob the opportunity to bring specialty cheese and food to the every household in the U.S…. one Kroger store at a time…

On one of her recent trips to Murray’s I stowed away and while she was toiling away in the cheese mines, I spent a leisurely afternoon with Rob at his farm…

Spaulding Gray: First of all, I want to thank you for taking the time to chat with me and answer questions that I know interest my loyal readers. First of all, you’ve come a long way since that fateful day in 1991 while standing in line at Murray’s… please share your story with our readers. What possessed you to make an offer that day, especially in a time when “Specialty” cheese was hardly a household word?

Rob Kaufelt: I was living on Cornelia Street, a one block long street in Greenwich Village that was in transition from an old Italian neighborhood to a mixed downtown sort of place, and that block became an early focus of the new food world we live in. First, Murray’s second owner, Louis, had lost his lease and was returning to Italy. So I bought it, as my attempts to get a job during that time were fruitless. We moved to the corner location on Bleecker and Cornelia, an old meat market that was empty, and my cheesemonger’s life began. Next a friend opened “Home” a new American place; then Mario Batali came with his first, “Po”; then a slew of others. It was the food equivalent of what I imagined the music world was like there in the 60′s with Bob Dylan and Dave Van Ronk during the folk revival.

Spaulding: Some think that Murray’s makes cheese, which is not the case. You source and import cheese and age it and when it’s ready send it on its way to homes across America. Have you made cheese? If so, tell us about the experience.

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