Published the Aug 24 2017 in "News & Events"
- Hi Eleonore, could you introduce yourself a bit?
I’m originally from Normandy, after studying business in France, Mexico and UK, I have then started a career in IT Services. I have been living in UK for 12 years now, I decided to launch Cheezelo last year after realizing that working for big corporations wasn’t my “piece of cheese”
- Can you tell us the story of Cheezelo, explain us how you started it, how you chose the name?
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cheezelo shop
Cheezelo comes from “cheese” and my nickname “elo” and also the word “chez” translated in French at someone’s place, by the name, I want to express that coming at “elo’s place” would be having a good time.
I always loved receiving guests and preparing nice food, a passion for cooking that was shared from my Gran
dma to my mam and me. Cheeses has always been part of my life and being from Normandy, I obviously had to grow up with some of the finest cheeses produced there.
Sharing a great time, enjoying nice cheeses and just smiling is how it inspired me to launch Cheezelo and specialized in ready to eat cheese platters, sourcing exclusive cheeses and other goods to have a special moment in great company.
- How do you select your cheeses? Where are they from?
I carefully select my cheeses based on their origin and their quality, I tend to have a wide range of different types of cheeses, fresh, soft, semi-soft, blue, hard and mature cheeses, from cow’s milk to goat and sheep’s milk too. To satisfy the multi-cultural customers base in London, I source cheeses from all over Europe, principally French regional cheeses, British territorial cheeses and continental which includes the rest of fine cheeses from Italy, Spain, Greece or Switzerland. I have also an attach to my native Normandy and would have specialties products too, particularly the Neufchatel, Camembert de Normandie, Pont L’eveque and last but not least, the “bonne cauchoise” a washed cider cow cheese made by a small farm in Normandy near le Havre, a cheese which I have the whole exclusivity in UK. One of my bestseller too. I have today more than 50 different cheeses available and plan to increase this number in the coming month with newbies added to the cheese family and cheese platters.
- Besides cheese, do you sell other products at Cheezelo? Any intention to develop to new products?
I offer anything which goes well with cheeses, such as a wide range of chutney, relishes awarded as “great taste”, crackers and the exclusive sofflé thyme & rosemary pitta which is a must have with any cheeses, british angus beef biltong, Normandy cured meat, patés and variety of saucissons and of course a carefully chosen list of wines. Principally French Wines from the Loire, Languedoc and Bordeaux regions.
Apart from offering cheeses, I also prepare and serve salads, quiches, sandwiches and lastly fresh vegan cheeses made with various type of natural ingredients and nuts.
- We heard about on- and off-trade selling, plus a delivery system, is that right?
My products are available in the shop, online via my website www.cheezelo.com and also on ubereats. I sometimes participate in local markets and events to work with the communities to discover my products.
I also offer catering services, for business and personal events, either if you are just 4 or 200, I prepare various types of platters, either cheeses, cured meats, sandwiches or sweet patisseries. A way to travel and discover new tastes via fine foods and mostly have a great time via exquisite food.
- We are very excited about starting the Cheese and Wine pairing with you next week! Would you like to present the tasting principle?
wine and cheese pairing
I am also excited abo
ut this event, sharing my passion to others is always great, not only the crowd will learn about cheese and wine, they will foremost have an amazing experience and a good time. With One to Wine, I will present 6 different cheeses from different origin, a story will be shared about the particular cheese, I will explain the key attributes to the cheese, from texture, to taste and complexity, then once paired with a selected Win
e, the audience will discover taste and flavors that are both revealed when tasted together.
- During the day we prepared the tasting, what was your favorite pairing?
I fell in love with the Loire Ambitieux White wine and the Rosary Goat Cheese and Old Winchester. How French and British can marry each other with this wonderful matching.
- Tricky question: British Cheese or French Cheese
Difficult question…well I tend to prefer unpasteurized mature cheeses which are more common in France, particularly the Alpine and Mountain cheeses, so French cheeses it is. Although, the British territory has a lot of uncommon cheeses which are just awaited to be tried and discovered, the Stinking bishop, old Winchester, Wolseley and Berkswell are amongst my favorites.
- Mostly red or white wine?
White wine, particularly with cheeses, the red flavor would often take over the flavors of the cheeses, except if you select strong flavored or extra mature cheeses.
- And, at least, after tasting all our wines, which one from our range would you recommend?
Definitely the Loire wines, either White or Red, the wines from this region offers freshness, smoothness and an aroma from the grapes that would never deceives a cheese & wine lover.
