FRONTRUNNERS

Japanese Cheese Trailblazer - Shibata Chiyo (1x6)

Air date: Jul 18, 2023

In rural Chiba Prefecture, Shibata Chiyo runs a pioneering cheeseworks out of a 120-year-old farmhouse. Her focus is 100% local fermented cheeses, and just three years after launching in 2014, she became the first female cheesemaker to win a prestigious award from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, before going on to place third out of 3,804 entries in the 2019 World Cheese Awards. This time on Frontrunners, we follow a cheesemaker with a uniquely Japanese approach to fromage and sustainability.