Culture's 2025 Hot List: Lissa Knudsen | culture: the word on cheese
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Culture’s 2025 Hot List: Lissa Knudsen


This story is part of culture’s 2025 Hot List. Click here to learn more about the selection process and to see the entire list of recipients.

Lissa Knudsen

Cheesemonger at the Mouse Hole Cheese Shop
President of the New Mexico Cheese Guild
Albuquerque, New Mexico

With a master’s in public health and a doctorate in health communication underway, Lissa Knudsen merges her love for artisanal cheese with intellectual curiosity. Knudsen teaches at a community college, focusing on public speaking, free speech, and intercultural issues. Her home is filled with Chez Panisse posters, a few free-range hens, and stacks of food justice books. Her yard is a haven for pollinators, and the edible flowers from her garden often end up decorating her cheese boards.

Who is your biggest inspiration in the cheese world?
I find inspiration in many mentors, including Nancy Coonridge for her off-grid goat dairy and Alice Waters for her commitment to local, seasonal food. Marion Nestle’s work on the influence of lobbyists on food policy, as well as Kimberly Seals Allers’ insight into the dairy industry’s impact on infant feeding have shaped my thinking. Ed Yong’s research on antibiotic overuse and Celeste Headlee’s podcast on Big Sugar also deeply influenced my perspective on the food industry. Dolores Huerta’s fight for food justice serves as a reminder that all causes—labor rights, food sovereignty, and climate change—are interconnected.

What was your big “aha” moment?
My “aha” moment happened at the cheese counter when I saw how eager customers were for local cheese. But I also realized how difficult it was for New Mexican cheesemakers to enter the market due to financial, regulatory, and infrastructure barriers. It became clear that while people wanted local cheese, the system wasn’t set up to make it easy for new producers to thrive. This realization sparked my focus on advocating for changes to support local cheesemakers. I want to show that community-driven cheesemaking is a feasible, sustainable model that can contribute to building an equitable food system.

What’s Next?
I am currently focused on addressing the environmental impact of cheese packaging. The ongoing reliance on plastic wrap, despite the growing awareness of microplastics and other potential negative health implications, bothers me. I want to find viable, sustainable, non-plastic alternatives to cheese packaging. My goal is to help shape a future where we can enjoy high-quality cheese without compromising our health or the planet.

Pair a song with cheese: Listen to the entire cheese pairing playlist on Spotify!
Landmark Creamery Tallgrass Reserve + “Restless” by Alison Krauss

What’s the cheese you’re raving to your friends about right now?
Marcel Petite 12-Month Comté Reserve. This batch is absolutely exceptional with depth and complexity—brothy, savory, and perfectly salted, with a long, nutty finish. It’s a reminder that even familiar cheeses can delight and surprise you with extraordinary craftsmanship. This Comté is just … f***ing good.

If you weren’t in the cheese industry, what would your career be?
I’d likely host a podcast focused on radical food systems and acts of resistance. I’d also run a rescue for Boston terriers, particularly mothers and their puppies. And, of course, I’d be working on my PhD research program focused on lactation, mutualistic bacteria, and cheese preservation—an area I’m passionate about exploring.

culture: the word on cheese

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