Great cheese begins long before it reaches the cheeseboard. At Neal’s Yard Dairy, it starts on the farm, shaped by the changing seasons, dedicated cheesemakers and years of craftsmanship. Every wheel tells the story of the land it comes from and the people who have cared for it every step of the way.
At Cubitt House, we’re proud to work with producers who share our commitment to provenance, seasonality and exceptional British ingredients. That’s why our partnership with Neal’s Yard Dairy feels such a natural fit. For more than four decades, they’ve championed the very best British and Irish farmhouse cheeses, building lasting relationships with cheesemakers across the country and ensuring every cheese reaches its full potential before it arrives on the plate.
Their long-standing relationship with Chef Director Ben Tish and our chefs goes far beyond supplying exceptional cheese. Together, we’re continually exploring new ways to celebrate Britain’s rich cheesemaking heritage across our menus. We caught up with the team at Neal’s Yard Dairy to talk about their remarkable journey, the art of maturation and why great cheese is always worth celebrating.
Tell us the story of Neal’s Yard Dairy. What sparked the idea to champion British and Irish cheese?
In the 1970s, a community of food businesses focused on quality and simplicity cropped up in a corner of Covent Garden – Neal’s Yard. In 1979, Randolph Hodgson joined them and founded Neal’s Yard Dairy.
What began as a small shop stocking Greek-style yoghurt, crème fraîche and a couple of cheeses grew with Randolph’s immersion in the British cheesemaking community. He began visiting cheesemakers, learning about their work and bringing cheeses back to his shop. That is still the core of what we do today.
Neal’s Yard Dairy has become something of an institution. Has your ethos changed over the years?
No, our mission has always stayed the same, championing British and Irish cheeses. Visiting the cheesemakers and the farms that they work on remains incredibly important.
People often talk about ageing wine, but not cheese. What actually happens during maturation, and why is it so important?
It really depends on the cheese and what the maker, or our maturation team, want to get out of it. Different temperatures, humidity, processes such as washing can all have an effect on how that cheese will end up.
Cheese is constantly evolving. How do you know when it’s reached its perfect moment?
We have a dedicated maturation team at Neal’s Yard Dairy – they look after our hard and soft cheeses at our Arches in Bermondsey. Together, we all taste the cheeses each week to ensure what we are sending out is at its best.
How much do weather and the farming calendar influence the cheeses that end up on our plates?
More than many realise. Like all great food, dairy and cheese is affected by the seasons. When cows and sheep are grazing on pasture, they are eating seasonal grasses, herbs and wild plants, and you can taste that difference in the milk. Those subtle seasonal changes continue all the way through to the finished cheese.
How do you support small British and Irish cheesemakers in an increasingly competitive industry?
We regularly visit cheesemakers to offer feedback, troubleshoot challenges together and learn from one another.
We also bring people together through events like our Wholesale Open Day, where we introduce cheesemakers to chefs and kitchen teams. Putting faces to the cheeses creates a real sense of community and helps everyone better understand the craftsmanship behind each one.
Are there any lesser-known British or Irish cheeses you’re particularly excited about at the moment – something Londoners should be more adventurous with in adding to their cheeseboard?
I wouldn’t say lesser known, rather misunderstood. We call the classic British cheeses ‘Territorials’ because they are named after the places they come from, such as Lancashire, Cheshire and Caerphilly. They’re appearing on more cheeseboards again, and we’d love to see that continue.
What’s the most underrated British cheese that everyone should try at least once?
A good Wensleydale. When I first started at Neal’s Yard Dairy I would probably say Wensleydale was my least favourite cheese – memories of sickly, crumbly supermarket stuff with cranberries in it ruined it for me. Then I tasted Stonebeck Wensleydale and it completely changed my mind – it was like nothing I’d ever had before. I urge everyone to try that.
What do you enjoy most about working with chefs like Ben Tish and the team at Cubitt House?
Chef Ben brings such breadth of experience and inspiration that we can always find new ideas and ways to include cheese on the menus.
We’ve always been impressed by the Cubitt House team. They’re keen to try new cheeses, organise supplier visits and invest in staff training. Everyone is genuinely engaged.
If Ben Tish gave you one menu slot tomorrow to create the ultimate British cheese dish, what would you make?
I’d keep it fresh with a nod to the Mediterranean and a great British cheese at the centre. Grilled Trevisana, Stichelton, Valencia orange, rocket and pine nuts.
Cheese is often saved for the end of a meal. Do you think it deserves a bigger role on British menus?
I love a good cheeseboard – and perhaps unsurprisingly, I will often go for that rather than a pudding.
One of my favourite parts of the job is seeing how chefs have used our cheeses in dishes, so I would always vote that cheese should play a bigger role on the menu.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about British cheese?
I wish more people understood that when shopping for cheese you don’t have to buy loads of different ones. Sometimes all you need is one great piece. A chunk of Montgormery’s Cheddar with a good ale or Sinodun Hill Goats Cheese with a baguette and a crisp glass of wine is perfection. Simple is often best.
How does it feel seeing the cheeses you’ve championed bringing people together around pub tables across London?
We always love seeing people enjoying the cheeses as much as we do.
If you had one chance to change someone’s mind about blue cheese, which cheese would you put in front of them?
Pevensey Blue. It’s made by Hazel and Martin Tkalez in East Sussex. Martin actually worked with Neal’s Yard Dairy for fifteen years selling cheese before becoming a cheesemaker himself. Pevensey is softer than traditional British blues and really creamy – it’s a good gateway blue!
What’s next for Neal’s Yard Dairy?
We will continue doing what we’re doing. We’re very lucky and often have a lot of exciting partnerships to work on at any given time.
Finally, every great cheeseboard needs the perfect accompaniment. What’s yours?
Appleby’s Cheshire, fresh apples and a good ale.
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