Exceptional cheeses are made by extraordinary people.
Cheesemaker:
(noun) A person or thing that makes cheese.
Used in a sentence:
“You might be sitting next to who knows, a promising cheesemaker.”— The Sun (2012)
Victor
Owner & Head Cheesemaker
As the son of an Italian, Victor says that cheesemaking was “in his blood.”
A glassblower by trade, upon moving to Fairview, North Carolina, Victor was ready to start a second business. It didn’t take long to figure out what it would be.
According to Victor, this part of the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains lacked an excellent source of aged, raw-milk cheeses. Eager to remedy the problem, he learned how to make them—studying at North Carolina State University, expanding his knowledge in Vermont, and conducting independent research. Always ambitious, he built a natural rock and concrete cheese cave on his property exclusively for this new endeavor. It’s been more than ten years since his business opened, and his artisanal products are known throughout the mountains and beyond.
Hailing from Connecticut, Victor’s found mountain life agreeable. When not producing his sought-after, custom-designed glass sculptures, he’s focusing on other talents such as knife-making, home-building, and cooking.
Cheesemonger:
A merchant who specializes in cheese. “When you walk into a cheese shop to buy a wedge for your next party, your go-to person behind the counter is the cheesemonger.”
— Larissa Zimberoff
“Stopped by on a cross-country trip. Katie, the cheesemaker, gave us a tour, and we sampled several of their cheeses. Loved the Gouda and Alpine Sage!
Great place to visit!”
— Derick Pomaville
Katie Moore
BRMC Manager &
WNC Cheese Trail Director
In 2011, during a family visit to food-loving Asheville, Katie Moore was caught by surprise when she came up empty-handed while searching downtown for a cheese shop. Katie was shocked that a food-focused city like Asheville had no options for tasting and purchasing delicious local, regional, and international cheese from a knowledgeable, friendly cheesemonger. She decided to move to Asheville and do something about it.
In May 2013, the Cheese Store of Asheville in partnership with the Weinhaus in downtown Asheville opened its doors. From there, Katie realized she wanted more ways to be involved with and promote cheese. In 2015 she closed the store and became the Executive Director of the WNC Cheese Trail. From that position, she kicked off the annual Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest as a fundraising component of the WNC Cheese Trail. The festival was held annually for 5 years and drew crowds of more than 1,200 attendees, offering workshops, demos, farm animals, vendors, and pairing events.
In 2016, Katie also began working with Victor Chiarizia at Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery. There she was able to put her Master of Organizational Development degree to work and had the bonus of becoming a cheesemaker too! She continues to work closely with Victor as the manager of the creamery, while Victor gets back to the important work of making cheese.
To her great pleasure, much of Katie’s time is spent talking cheese by promoting members of the WNC Cheese Trail, leading pairing events with local businesses, and organizing opportunities for cheesemakers to strut their stuff.
Watch Katie & Victor.
Take a tour with artisan cheesemakers at Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery.