Meet Rebecca - a 2011 Cheese Scholarship winner

Rebecca Rozencwajg won one of three 2011 Cheese Scholarships and Dairy Australia recently caught up with her to find out where the scholarship has taken her over the past year…

As a 2011 Cheese Scholarship winner, do you feel that winning the scholarship has benefited you over the past year and if so, how?

Definitely! Especially as I participated in the scholarship after deciding on a change of career direction after having worked for eight years within the aviation and tourism industries. My decision to move into the cheese industry was deliberate - I wanted to work in a field that I’m truly passionate about.

While I’d done some cheese-making and cheese related study prior to winning the scholarship, the scholarship provided me with the opportunity to greatly increase my learning within a short space of time through participation in cheese theory, practical and sensory training, as well as work placements throughout Australia with both industrial and farmhouse manufacturers.

The producers differed markedly in terms of size of operations, cheese-making techniques and target markets, and I’ve really benefited from being exposed to the end-to-end processes across such different companies.

The scholarship helped me meet people from across the dairy industry and I’ve been lucky enough to continue working with small producers after completing it.

I’ve recently started a position within Calendar Cheese Company and look forward to helping to educate retailers and consumers about the range of cheese on offer and working with local producers to help grow their distribution.

You’ve just returned from the US. Did you get to work with any cheese-makers over there? If so, can you tell us a bit about where you went, what you did, who you worked with, and how you see the industry in the US compared to here in Australia?

After completing the scholarship program, I travelled throughout the East Coast of the USA to explore the growing cheese scene. I met with a range of cheese-makers, cheese retailers and cheese distributors. Definitely the thing that stood out most in the USA was the camaraderie and collaboration between people in the industry. There was a real sense of people working together to help grow the industry and a real professionalism of those in the industry. In particular, those at the retail end take cheese very seriously and cheesemongers are held in high regard. There’s also a huge growth and respect of local artisan producers and retailers that champion local cheeses.

I was lucky enough to spend time making and aging cheeses at Jasper Hill Farm and Cellars in Greensboro, Vermont. The Cellars at Jasper Hill is the first facility of its kind in the USA, aiming to bring the concept of 'affinage' to the New World. Cheese-makers across Vermont send their ‘green’ (freshly made) cheeses to be ripened, distributed and marketed by the Cellars nationwide. By sending their cheeses to the Cellars, cheese-makers are able to focus on their core strength – actually making cheese! In addition to working with local producers, cheese is still made on-site using milk from their herd of 45 Ayrshire cows. Being involved was a truly inspirational experience!

I also attended the ultimate Cheese Party while I was in New York - "The Cheesemonger Invitational" - a huge event where professional cheesemongers from around the world compete at what they do best - showing serious skill, passion and knowledge for all things cheese.

You’ve just joined the Australian Specialty Cheese Association (ASCA) committee, what do you hope to achieve in this role?

The Australian specialty cheese industry is a fast growing industry and I believe our specialist producers need a body that helps support and champion local cheeses. I would like to be involved in growing ASCA’s membership base by ensuring that ASCA increases its involvement in advocacy, education and networking opportunities for cheese-makers, retailers and enthusiasts.

What does your future (in cheese) look like to you?

After taking a fairly grassroots approach into the cheese industry by working with a range of local producers, I’m now working on the distribution side of the industry where I’ve been able to leverage my skills from my former career (where I was largely involved in stakeholder management and business development).

Wherever my future lies within the industry, I can guarantee that I'll be involved in raising the profile of specialty cheeses in Australia and educating others about where their cheese comes from!

Finally, is there anything you’d like to add that might assist graduates currently applying for a Dairy Australia scholarship?

Take every opportunity to learn!