Will Studd has a long list of accolades in the world of cheese. He’s the author of two books, his TV series, Cheese Slices, which aired for 15 years, is the longest running in its genre, and his contributions have been internationally recognised with multiple titles in the field, Ambassadeur of the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers and Officier of the Ordre National du Mérite Agricole – not to mention MFWF Legend. Now Studd offers up another compelling reason to turn on the television in his latest adventure Cheese: Searching for a Taste of Place – a show about cheese and why it belongs on the table.
What’s this new series all about, Will?
Like fine wine, all great cheese reflects the unique characteristics of its region—its soil, climate, traditions, and the hands that craft it. But that link to place is under threat like never before. This series tells a compelling story about why some people battle to keep artisan and farmstead cheesemaking alive in a market dominated by low-cost, predictable, industrial cheese, and the incredible lengths they will go to in order to make cheese with a genuine taste of place.
It’s a series about delicious cheese and its rightful place on the table.
You’ve been making cheese TV for quite some time now – how long has it been?
Cheese Slices was created in 2000 as a way to show people that raw milk cheese was not the threat it was made out to be by state dairy authorities after the Australian government ban. This new series was created because I still had more to say, and there are people out there who care and are interested. It’s very different to Cheese Slices, and after many false starts and 18 months of discussions with a streamer in the US, I ended up backing the series myself to avoid compromise. It has taken three years to complete. I am very pleased with the quality and storyline, which is all thanks to producer Stuart Goodman, cinematographers Roger Price and Andy Taylor, and editor Lenard Cassimatis.
You fly all around the world for your shows. Despite the diversity of their circumstances and locations, is there something that unites the people you meet?
Sounds so glamorous, flying around the world. I worked out recently that I’ve spent over a year and a half of my life on a plane! It’s been a genuine privilege to share the stories behind the people that make and sell the world’s most respected benchmarks. I am very fortunate to have known many of the people in this series for a long time, and we share similar ideas about preserving artisan cheese for future generations.
It’s a shared mission, and I can’t help but admire their tenacity, passion, and commitment. It’s also a lot of fun filming with them, and whilst language can sometimes be a barrier, there is nothing quite like tasting a great cheese and sharing that knowing smile of pleasure. Once you understand what ticks the boxes, it’s all really quite simple.
You lived and worked in Victoria for many years. What can you tell us about the Victorian cheese and dairy scene, then and now?
Victoria produces almost two-thirds of Australia’s cow’s milk, so what happens here has implications for the nation. The industry has historically been based on producing high-volume, low-price liquid cow’s milk for processing through cooperative dairies for commodity export.
When I arrived in Melbourne from England in 1981, there was absolutely nothing in terms of local specialty cheese to write home about. The choice was really basic—like stepping back to the 1950s. Since then, there have been extraordinary changes, and Victoria now proudly boasts a diverse range of artisan and farmhouse cheeses.
That said, I think the interest in making specialist cheese has really stalled in recent years. There is so much more that we could be doing to encourage and promote a cheese culture that reflects Victoria’s diverse regions and the distinctive combination of soils, climate, and pasture.
What are the region’s strengths as a place of cheese?
Victoria’s climate is influenced by its geographical position on the edge of the Southern Ocean and the mountain ranges running east–west across the state.
The cool, temperate climate of the coastal regions is ideal for producing cow’s (and buffalo) milk, while the drier inland regions are more suitable for sheep and goat’s milk.
With a very established food culture keen to support local quality cheese and dairy products the strengths and opportunities are obvious.
What about things Victoria could do to make better cheese?
All great cheese starts with good-quality milk, and one of the major challenges facing Victorian cheesemakers is milk quality. Under the current commodity system, there is little incentive to change. Consequently, many small family farms have disappeared and those remaining are under threat of extinction. This has massive implications for breed diversity, animal welfare, and the environment.
Cheese made on the farm—or with milk from a single herd—is one way smaller dairy farms can survive and thrive in Victoria. The Cheese School in Castlemaine is a new opportunity to learn about specialist cheese making without traveling overseas.
And how can we get more recognition outside Victoria for the cheese we make?
Unique cheese with a genuine taste of place will always find a market. Whilst I would like to see better-quality, more interesting cheese, we should remember that Victorian dairy products are a national success story in terms of domestic sales and export. It’s not just about commodity cow’s milk cheese, Meredith and Yarra Valley marinated cheese, for example, are found all over USA.
Overly strict national regulations mean our local cheesemakers are unable to compete with their counterparts overseas. In the new show we look into at the implications of the raw milk regulations, expensive testing and how specialist cheese is collateral damage in international trade negotiations.
Its a sad reflection of our cheese culture that Australian specialist cheesemakers, and consumers, lack a choice compared to their counterparts in UK, US, EU and Canada. My fear is that time is running out for our cheesemakers, there are very few new players, and unless things change, we will never produce benchmark cheese that commands international respect.
If we wanted to get together with some friends this very weekend and eat some great local (Victorian) cheese, what cheeses would you recommend?
Big call—interesting cheese with a taste of place changes from day to day and season to season. Taste before you buy, if you can. I would start by looking at soft cheese from Long Paddock and the Cheese School in Castlemaine, blue cheese from Berry Creek or Tarago River, and a hard raw milk cheese from Prom Country Dairy.
And how can we get the most out of them – when you eat cheese these days, how do you usually eat it? Who are you with? What are you drinking?
The trick with sharing good cheese with family or friends is to keep it simple. Serving a single hero cheese in the best condition or a selection of no more than three works. I find cheese is most appreciated as a closer to a relaxed weekend lunch or before dinner. Sparkling wine or a white wine is the simplest crowd-pleasing match, but there are no rules. It’s important to keep an open mind and try all options, because inevitably, you’ll be surprised.
Hospitality insiders know that, as passionate as you are about cheese, you might be more passionate still about the music of a little English band called The Rolling Stones. Is there anywhere where these two worlds ever cross over? Do Mick and Keef eat cheese?
The Stones were an important part of the counterculture when I opened my first shop in London in the early ’70s and my band of choice growing up. It may sound strange now, but in those days artisan cheese was also part of the alternative counterculture; The Stones were getting busted for illicit drugs and I could get busted for selling cheddar sourced directly from a farm! I can confirm that Keith does not like cheese—it’s a no no.
Stream Cheese: Searching for a Taste of Place on SBS On Demand now, and follow @willstudd for all things fromage.