St Jude in Norfolk: Question and Answers with Julie Cheyney

Last week I visited St. Jude Cheese’s new home in Norfolk. After a tour of the new cheesemaking rooms and a taste of fresh St Jude, I sat down with cheesemaker Julie Cheyney to talk about her journey, the move, and what this next chapter means for St Jude, St Cera and St Helena.

Perry: For those who don’t know you, how did your cheesemaking journey begin?

Julie: “It was 20 years ago. I was married to a farmer and we were looking for a way to diversify. We weren’t dairy farmers ourselves, but a friend had a beautiful herd of Ayrshire cows. We had the place, we had the milk. We went to London to ask cheesemongers what was missing, and the answer was a British Brie or Camembert made with raw milk. That was the start of it all.”

Perry: You helped create Tunworth before going on to St Jude. How did that path unfold?

Julie: “Yes, I co-founded Hampshire Cheese Company and made Tunworth. Later I worked with Neal’s Yard Dairy, and with guidance from Ivan Larcher I developed St Jude. I wanted to make a small lactic-set cheese — something you could make with minimal equipment but that still had depth. From that same curd we could wash it and create St Cera, or take it in different directions. It was robust but still interesting.”

Perry: You’ve always spoken about cheesemaking as a business, not a hobby.

Julie: “That’s right. You’ve got to make something you like yourself, but also something people want to buy. It was always a business. Early support from Neal’s Yard and Paxton & Whitfield made a big difference.”

Perry: How has the industry changed since you started?

Julie: “When I began, there were far fewer small British cheesemakers. I remember going with Neal’s Yard to Paris to talk about what we were doing here. In France many small producers had disappeared, replaced by big dairies. In the UK it’s been the opposite — appreciation for British artisan cheese has grown. Oddly, Covid helped too, because people started buying online and discovered cheeses they wouldn’t normally have tried.”

Perry: Tell me about the move into this new facility in Norfolk.

Julie: “It’s been nerve-wracking at times. We couldn’t afford a project manager, so my business partner Michael and I did it ourselves. We’ve made mistakes, but it’s coming together. The best bit is seeing the maturation rooms fill. Cheese likes company — it’s easier to make 500 St Jude than 50, because they mature better together.”

Perry: And how are you finding the new milk?

Julie: “Nothing dramatic has changed with the make, but it’ll take a full year to really know the milk. End of lactation, start of lactation — all those stages bring nuance. The signs are good so far.”

Perry: Do you think the Norfolk setting will show in the cheese?

Julie: “Yes, I think so. We’re so close to the coast you can feel it in the air. In winter, St Jude tends to taste more buttery; in spring, when the cows go back to grass, it’s more vegetal and savoury, sometimes with a gentle cowy note. But really, the milk will tell us.”

Perry: How should people enjoy St Jude at its best?

Julie: “Not too cold. St Jude isn’t a Camembert-style runny cheese — it’s moussey, pillowy, with moisture to carry the flavour. Give it time out of the fridge and you’ll taste the difference.”

Perry: The saints theme has become part of your identity. Where did that begin?

Julie: “St Jude is named for the patron saint of lost causes. After losing Tunworth and starting again, it felt right. The French take St Jude very seriously — they say when you’re on your knees, he picks you up. And that’s what the cheese has done for me.
St Cera is named for an Irish saint, and also for the way Jude ‘turns’ into Cera in the ripening room. St Helena came from Blake — he grew up on St Helena Island in Australia — and the saints theme just stuck.”

Perry: What’s your cheesemaking philosophy?

Julie: “Slowly and gently. That’s my mantra. William Oglethorpe once told me: ‘always make time to stand and stare’. It’s true. Sometimes you just need to stand in the maturing room, feel the air, check the cheeses, and see how they’re behaving. It’s like livestock — they’ll tell you what they need if you pay attention.”

Perry: You’ve always been a raw milk cheesemaker. How do you feel about that today?

Julie: “I’ve made raw milk cheese for 20 years. It can be stressful because testing is so rigorous now, but raw milk done well is worth it. It’s where the flavour and the life of the cheese comes from.”

Perry: And finally, what’s next for St. Jude Cheese?

Julie: “It’s about settling into the new site, learning what this milk brings, and keeping consistency. But I’d also like to get out more — meet customers, spread the word. We’re a small team, so everyone does everything, drains included! Blake and Mickey are making alongside me, and we’re all learning together. It’s exciting times.”