NEW ORLEANS – Richard and Danielle Sutton opened St. James Cheese Company just a week before Thanksgiving in 2006. They relocated to New Orleans from London in May 2006, with their infant son Finn in tow, with the intention of opening a dedicated cheese shop showcasing the European cheeses that they had spent the past four years in Britain working with, and learning more about the burgeoning artisan cheese movement in the US. Having met in New Orleans at Tulane, Richard and Danielle developed that familiar ache people have when they leave the city, and a need to return.
Despite the challenges of opening a business in post-Katrina New Orleans, the couple shares that St. James Cheese Company was welcomed with open arms by the neighborhood, community and restaurants and has grown into a business with three locations selling hard to find cheeses, charcuterie, gourmet groceries, local products and also operating as a restaurant with creative cheese-centric sandwiches, salads, cheese boards and product driven specials. Along the way, the wholesale side of the business has also grown exponentially with St. James importing products themselves from Europe and becoming a supplier and distributor to many of the best restaurants in New Orleans.
The team at St. James is what makes the experience special, and the company has been fortunate to attract so many talented people over the years with a passion for cheese and sharing their knowledge and dishes with customers and educating them at the counter and in cheese classes.
On Oct. 18, St. James Cheese Company will celebrate 20 years of business with some celebrations in the Uptown neighborhood where they opened their flagship store.
OCTOBER 18 EVENTS:
2:30 p.m.
A screening of the documentary “The Big Cheese” at the Prytania Theater. The film follows a team of American cheesemongers as they travel to France to compete in the Mondial du Fromage competition (the Olympics of cheese), as well as what it takes to be named the best cheesemonger in America at the Cheesemonger Invitational held every year in New York. A Q&A session will follow the screening with St. James Cheese Company owners and staff (who have attended and competed in the competitions) and some international cheese experts.
Ticket link.
4:30 p.m.
A secondline with Kinfolk Brass Band following the film from the Prytania Theater down to the Kingpin bar.
5 – 7 p.m.
Anniversary Party at the Kingpin
Live music from the Been Around Band
- Raffle for Cheese gift bags
- An enormous cake made from giant wheels of cheese will be broken down in front of the crowd
- Cheese Tasting of some of our favorite cheeses
- Guess the Cheese Weight competition with prizes