Italy
Antonio Sanchos, 34 years old, hometown — Rome, cheese maker
I always liked cheese. My mom made homemade mascarpone and mozzarella, so I'm used to delicious and natural cheese. After University, I started working as a manager in a store, where I met my wife. After the birth of our son, I remembered my mother's cheeses, which created a special home comfort and decided that I would cook cheese at home for my family.
Everything started from small, I cooked mozzarella and feta, over time, the range was replenished, and a lot of people wanted to try my cheese.
For more than seven years, I cook the cheese, but I work as a security guard in the same store. I don't want to spend the whole day at home at the stove, and the work of a security guard helps me unwind.
Italian cheeses are famous all over the world. Our products are distinguished by delicate taste and a pleasant aroma. Each manufacturer has its own technology and secrets. Cheese-making is an art where every movement and every ingredient has great importance.
The climate in Italy is favourable for winemaking and cheese making. Our goat and cow's milk are of excellent quality because farmers respect animals and take care of them. Love makes wonders. There's no good cheese without good milk.
I still consider myself an amateur in this business, but I like it. We have many cheese factories. Many offer training courses and even a branch of tourism as cheese-making in Italy is developing.
About working conditions
Cheese-making is hard work that requires dedication and attention. It is necessary to monitor the process of cooking and meticulously approach the choice of materials.
Cheese-making is hard work that requires dedication and attention
I make mozzarella, feta, mascarpone, ricotta and gorgonzola at home. But this is only a formal designation, each cheesemaker, its own kind of cheese, unique and incredible.
I spend eight or nine hours a day at the stove. A lot of time and take other steps. However, I like it, and I get into the rhythm and I can't stop.
I don't earn much from cheese-making as it's more of a paying hobby. In a month on average, I get 2000 euros.
About plans
My family and I want to go on a little trip to Europe. Plans to visit dairies in France and Switzerland. I want to update my assortment a little and try something new.
Ukraine
Alena Lubenskaya, 37 years old, hometown — Berdyansk, marketer, cheese maker
I never thought of becoming a cheesemaker, and I just had a desire to feed the family with natural products. Therefore, once I bought leaven for the yoghurt on the website. After I tried starter culture for simple feta cheese, chicken and so on. I cooked only for myself, but cheese-making is an addictive process. I started trying new cultures, using new technologies. As a result, my husband and I cooked so much cheese that there was not enough space in the refrigerator.
We decided to distribute our cheese: prepared cheese baskets, given to relatives and friends started to ask for the sale. Gradually, the process gained momentum. We wanted to know if our product was really tasty. The feedback helped me to believe in myself.
There were difficulties in the beginning. First, I had no knowledge, theoretical base. There was an acute shortage of a mentor who could guide and give the necessary advice. Secondly, a lot of cheeses disappeared because of ignorance of the technology of cooking, storage, etc.
As a result, my husband sent me to study in Italy. He knew it was my dream and supported me at the right moment. I have been trained at several dairies, and cheese making has turned from a hobby into a real vocation.
Then I went back to Italy, to Switzerland, to study the ancient tradition of cooking cheese on fire in a copper pot. Now we have our own cheese factory, with an Italian copper boiler and a real fire.
About cheese-making in Ukraine
Cheese-making in Ukraine is developing. Already, there is a lot of cheese making factories, a variety of trade fairs. Many cheese-makers have been trained by us.
But we have a low quality of milk. In Italy, France and Switzerland very different breeds of cows. In these countries, milk is sacred, for them is an honour to care for cows and produce milk. In our country, it is believed that for the breeding of cows enough of the usual barn on the bare ground.
There are no conditions for the development of such a business, and it is almost impossible to open your own cheese factory without an impressive capital. For example, due to the fact that we cook cheese on a copper pot, we can not certify our product. To pass the certification it is necessary to have a laboratory, purchase equipment for tests, etc. It is expensive and we can not afford it.
About working conditions
We start work at five and finish at 10 or 11 PM. There are days when we don't have milk, but we're still busy. Cheese must be salted, turned, cleaned, cut and sold.
Prices for cheese are completely different, depending on how much material we have spent and how much effort invested in production.
We still do not earn on the production though we are engaged in it for four years. Teaching helps to earn money.
We produce different sorts of cheese, but I do not like to give them names, because I think it is incorrect. Cheese cooked in Italy on goat's milk, we make in Ukraine from cow's milk, respectively, this is a completely different cheese.
For beginners, it is easy to become a cheesemaker, as at the initial stage everything turns out easily
For beginners, it is easy to become a cheesemaker, as at the initial stage everything turns out easily. However, the deeper we go, the more problems we face.
About plans
We try to develop and learn new things.
Kazakhstan
Tatiana Basova, 30 years old, hometown — Almaty, cheese maker
About career choice
I had no goal to become a cheesemaker, but since childhood, I loved cheese of different varieties, especially with mould and unusual smells.
About nine months ago, I saw that my friend conducts master classes in cheesemaking and was very happy. When I saw that I can create and make such delicacies with own hands, I could not believe my eyes. Immediately after the course, I began the first tests in the manufacture of their cheeses.
At first, I had many mistakes. Cheese-making is not an easy task and requires extensive knowledge. By trial and error, I have achieved excellent results.
About cheese-making in Kazakhstan
Today in Kazakhstan cheese-making is practically not developed. Things are just starting to pick up. However, I am sure that soon there will be a lot of cheese of Kazakhstan production on the market.
Today in Kazakhstan cheese-making is practically not developed
It should be considered in mind that not every citizen of Kazakhstan able to buy such cheese, as the price is much higher than the mass cheese product.
I cook cheeses at home, as I do not plan to move to large volumes. Cheese-making is a complex process, energy-consuming and long. I usually stand at the stove for four or five hours a day.
I cook different types of cheese: mozzarella, halloumi in mint, camembert, belper, knolle, caciotta and many others. Most often I offer customers to buy assorted fresh cheeses, as it is tasty, inexpensive and fresh.
I think everyone can become a cheesemaker with due desire and patience.
About plans
I have not yet decided whether I want to work at the same pace or develop my business. I want to go through several stages of training because my knowledge is not enough.
