This interview is part of culture’s 2026 Hot List. Click here to learn more about our selection process and to see the latest Hot List class.
Carrie S.
Owner & Operator, @justiceofthecheese
California
Carrie S. isn’t interested in keeping cheese in its usual places. A cheesemonger, educator, mutual aid organizer, and self-described “cheese clown,” they built a career that moves fluidly between counters, creameries, and communities—bringing artisan cheese into spaces where it’s rarely seen and often needed most.
Since entering the industry in 2019, Carrie has worked across the country, from grocery counters in Wisconsin to production at FireFly Farms in Maryland and Oregon’s Rogue Creamery, all while building a freelance practice rooted in education, storytelling, and community building. Through their work individually as well as with organizations like Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund, Aetna Street Solidarity, and the Oat Boat; they’ve helped redirect thousands of dollars and pounds of cheese into community-driven efforts, reframing what cheese can do and who it’s for.
For Carrie, cheese is more than a product—it’s a tool for connection, care, and a little bit of joyful disruption.
How did your cheese journey begin?
Like a lot of people, it started with an unexpected career shift. I was working a warehouse job in Madison and knew I wanted something more fulfilling.
I applied for a cheese clerk position at a local grocery store, got hired on the spot, and not long after I was cutting my first cheese—Sartori Black Pepper. I made a mess, but something about it lit up my brain. I was hooked.
What made you stay in cheese—and turn it into something bigger?
Working behind the counter in Wisconsin, I saw how much care and respect could exist in food systems when people lead with intention. My mentor, Sally Theys, really shaped that for me.
At the same time, I found community—both online and in person—with people who shared a passion not just for cheese, but for feeding people and showing up for each other.
How does that show up in your work today?
We’re bringing artisan cheese into spaces where it doesn’t usually go—warehouse raves, Really Really Free Markets, community gardens—and using it to support people directly.
Through collaborating with organizations like Oat Boat, Aetna Street Solidarity, and more I’m making sure less cheese goes to waste and more food goes to people who need it. It’s about care, access, and rethinking who cheese is for.
What does being a “cheese clown” mean to you?
I find that leaning into the silly, the queer, the clownery overall helps me reclaim joy while building community with others seeking to do the same. Making cheese less intimidating and more accessible along the way.
Who is your cheese hero?
Sally Theys, my previous manager and cheese mentor. She models what the cheese world can be when we lead with compassion and zest.
What advice would you give someone who wants to freelance in cheese?
Build community—not just a network. Find your people, support them, ask questions, and show up.
Freelancing is hard, and you can’t do it alone. The relationships you build are everything.
What’s a cheese you’ll never get tired of?
Adobera from Quesos Navarro. It’s incredibly versatile and truly magical.
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