Laura Chenel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laura Chenel
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 1948/1949 (age 75–76) |
Laura Chenel (born 1948–1949) is a famous American cheese maker. She was the first person in America to sell goat cheese widely. She helped many people discover and love goat cheese.
Contents
Laura Chenel: America's Goat Cheese Pioneer
Laura Chenel started her cheese business in 1979. She lived in Sebastopol, California, near the Bay Area. Before starting, she traveled to France. There, she learned how French farmers made delicious goat cheese. She wanted to bring that same quality to America.
Starting a New Cheese Business
When Laura first started, it was tough. Most Americans did not know much about goat cheese. It was not a common food in stores. She tried to sell her cheese to local markets. Sometimes it worked, but often it was hard. People were not used to the taste of goat cheese.
A Big Break with a Famous Chef
Laura's big chance came in 1980. A very famous chef named Alice Waters helped her. Alice Waters owned a restaurant called Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Chef Waters loved Laura's goat cheese. She decided to order it regularly for her restaurant.
Alice Waters even put "Laura Chenel's Chèvre" on her menu. This was a big deal! It might have been the first time goat cheese salad was listed in America. This helped Laura Chenel get a lot of attention. More people learned about her amazing cheese.
Growing the Business
Over time, Laura Chenel's cheese company grew very big. It started selling over two million pounds of cheese every year. Most of the cheese they made was fresh chèvre. Chèvre is a French word for goat cheese. About 10% of their business was making aged cheeses. Aged cheeses are left to get older, which changes their flavor.
Laura's Legacy Today
In 2006, Laura Chenel sold her company. A French company called the Rians Group bought it. This company buys many small farms. Even after selling her business, Laura kept her goats. She owned a herd of about five hundred goats. Laura Chenel's work changed how Americans think about and enjoy goat cheese.
See also
