Meet a Cathedral City Cheese Grader

An Interview with Mark Pitts-Tucker

What time would a big cheese grading day start?

Up at 6.30, bowl of porridge during the winter months or Dorset cereals in the summer months. I’m a creature of habit!

Is there a preferable time of day to grade cheese?

Definitely before lunch if possible, this is because your palate is "cleaner" in the mornings and so is more sensitive to tastes and flavours.

What does an average day involve?

Typically a mixture of cheese grading (tasting), stock management and customer (retail) contacts. Oh, and driving. I did 47,000 business miles last year!

What are the tools of your trade?

A nose, taste buds, a cheese iron and a bit of attitude!

How many different cheeses would you grade in a day?

A typical grading session would be approx 500 samples.