Meet Cathy Lang
Master Cheesemaker, Eltham, Taranaki
My fascination for cheese making started from a young age when I went on a school trip to the local Dairy Factory in Brightwater, South Island. I remember standing around a vat full of cheddar curds while the cheese maker explained how it was made, giving us all a taste of unsalted curds (which by the way none of us liked, things are always better with some salt).
I spent many years working in Animal Health at Veterinary Laboratories starting as a lab technician, then moving into Customer Service Management, and onto the role of General Manager for a private laboratory.
I enjoy the science of cheese making but it’s the craft that always brings me back – I love that each cheese maker can develop their own style.
When I took a more serious interest in cheese making, I completed a Farm House Cheese Making course at Melbourne University, another of their courses in Specialty Cheese Making, and recently a Cheese Science Course through the University of Cork, Ireland.
I’ve now been making cheese for about 18 years and I’m currently in the role of Master Cheesemaker for Fonterra in Eltham, Taranaki. I’m very proud to say that since being in this role we’ve seen the award tally increase, which has been a highlight of my career - and of course winning NZ Champion Cheese maker for 2022!
I really love the people I work with and the cheese we create. It’s wonderful being able to share my knowledge, seeing the results once the cheeses have matured, and being able to gather feedback directly from our team.
My proudest achievements to date would be designing and starting my own cheese making business, Cloudy Mountain cheese, going onto win several local and international awards and having my cheese written about in a World Cheese Book by Patricia Michelson.
See Cathy’s full list of achievements below:
Supreme Trophies
MilkTestNZ Champion Cheesemaker - Cathy Lang, Fonterra Co-operative Group
Category Trophies
2022 Dominion Salt Champion Export Cheese Award – Kāpiti Kikorangi Triple Cream Blue
2022 Ecolab Champion Blue Cheese Award – Kāpiti Kahurangi Creamy Blue
2022 Tetrapak Champion Retail Pack Cheddar Cheese – Mainland Tasty Light (Noble)
2022 CHR Hansen Champion Soft White Rind Cheese – Kāpiti Akatea Brie
2022 Thermoflo Champion Washed Rind Cheese – Kāpiti Rarama Washed Rind
Medals
Kāpiti has received an amazing 21 medals (10 Gold, 8 Silver & 3 Bronze) and Mainland received 11 medals (6 Gold, 2 Silver & 3 Bronze) making our cheese some of the most awarded cheese in New Zealand.
International Dairy & Cheese Awards and Reserve Champion Overseas Cheese 2021 – Kapiti Kahurangi Creamy blue cheese
Reefers 90 Best overall New Zealand Cheese - Kapiti Kahurangi Creamy Blue