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.
Jill Allen, ACS CCP
Research & Development Director, Cheese & Product Excellence, Tillamook County Creamery Association
Oregon
Jill Allen has spent more than two decades developing an extraordinary fluency in cheese. Starting as a sensory lab technician at Tillamook County Creamery Association, she worked her way up through the organization, evaluating hundreds of vats of cheese daily before moving into leadership roles in sensory science and product development.
Today, as Director of Cheese & Product Excellence, Allen oversees research and development across Tillamook’s portfolio, integrating sensory analysis into every stage of production. Her expertise has earned her recognition on the global stage, from judging at major international competitions to serving as Assistant Chief Judge at the World Championship Cheese Contest.
For Allen, cheese is more than a product—it’s a system to be understood, a story to be read, and a craft that rewards those willing to pay close attention.
How did you first get into working with cheese?
I’ve always loved eating cheese, but my relationship with it grew over time. I started milking cows in high school, then worked in the quality analysis and sensory labs at Tillamook while I was at Oregon State.
That’s where I fell in love with sensory—grading cheese, ice cream, butter, everything. Once I came back full-time, I never left. Over the years, I’ve gone from evaluating products to helping design them, always with sensory at the center.
How has your relationship with cheese evolved over the past two decades?
It started with technical evaluation—making sure everything met quality standards. Now it’s about building new cheeses and incorporating sensory earlier in the process.
I still love judging and evaluation, but I also love creating something new with my team and seeing how people respond to it.
Is there a product you’re especially proud of?
Tillamook’s aged sweet cheddar. I was inspired after tasting sweeter English and Irish cheddars and worked with our team to create something new for us—something with natural sweetness, nuttiness, and those beautiful crunchy crystals.
It’s been incredibly rewarding to see people love it and to watch it succeed in competitions.
What’s the most challenging part of judging large competitions?
Consistency. You might taste up to 100 cheeses in a day, and you have to evaluate the first exactly the same as the last.
That means controlling everything—how you smell, how you bite, how you evaluate texture. It’s about discipline and repeatability.
Do you ever turn off your cheese brain?
Never. Even when I’m eating a sandwich, I’m analyzing the cheese—looking at texture, aroma, structure.
That’s part of what makes cheese so fascinating. It’s always telling you something.
Do you ever get tired of eating cheese?
Never. I eat cheese every day, often at every meal.
My favorite dinner is a cheese board and something bubbly. And yes—I’m usually eating cheese while talking about cheese.
Where has cheese taken you?
All over the world. Judging competitions, meeting producers, connecting with people who are just as passionate about advancing the industry.
No matter where I go, I always seek out local cheese. Supporting producers is part of the experience.
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