In 2015, I “met” Elena through our CCP association. Back then she graciously agreed to be a part of my Q&A series with cheese professionals and you can read that original Q&A here. In her own words:
First off, thank you so much for the opportunity to reflect on my ACS CCP credentials and where my career has taken me since our last interview! It’s always fun to take a step back and appreciate the journey. Here are some thoughts for your feature:
When we last spoke in 2015 I had just started as the New York City Regional Sales Manager at Grafton Village Cheese. I remained in that role through the end of 2018, and it was interesting to work on the producer side of the supply chain again (I’d done that once before at Arethusa Farm Dairy). Originally, when I first became a CCP I often noted that the best part of the whole experience was the chance to continue studying cheese in a more official capacity. The urge to keep learning in the cheese industry has continued to propel me forward toward new projects and opportunities.
In 2017 my first book, The Beginner’s Guide to Cheesemaking, was published by Rockridge Press. The book was a chance for me to compile all of my early cheesemaking notes and reflections and put them to use––that felt great! I learned a lot in revisiting my old make sheets and making my favorite home-production cheeses again, and the writing itself was a great challenge. It was also fun and satisfying to overlay all that I’ve learned about cheesemaking over the past decade into a book I wish I’d had when I first started making cheese at home.
2018 was a big year for me in media, as I shifted my focus to radio and video to promote and advocate for our industry. I co-starred in The State of Cheese video series for the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and I became a host and producer of the long-running industry podcast, Cutting the Curd.
Today, I’m continuing to focus on my media work in the cheese industry through Cutting the Curd (I always love listener feedback, so if you have ideas or questions or critiques, please write it at cuttingthecurd@heritageradionetwork.org).
I’ve also launched a specialty retail management consulting business––I’m eager to help independent specialty stores compete in this current competitive market, and I bring a specific approach to the work: I help business owners and managers get back to the fun and creative parts of the work (!) while also reducing stress and increasing profits.
I also continue to regularly write about cheese and I teach occasional classes around New York City. While I don’t get my hands on cheese quite as constantly as I did when I worked at the retail counter or for producers, I try to stay close to the product and close to the people behind it. That’s where I first fell in love with cheese, and I find that even after all these years there’s always something more to learn.
My thanks to Elena for sharing her stories and successes with us. You can subscribe to the Cutting the Curd/Heritage Network email newsletter here. (A pop-up box will appear.)
In addition to being an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, I am a Certified ServSafe Food Production Manager with certifications that also include ServSafe Certified Instructor and Proctor. I am available for cheese events, cheese program development, cheese training, food safety training and 3rd party food safety auditing. See my About Me and Resume pages for more details or call me at 360 921 9908 to discuss availability.
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