We’re as passionate about food as we are about wine. In Sardinia, you rarely have one without the other, anyway – and cheese will always be somewhere on the table. Great slabs of it in various stages of ripening, and mostly made from sheep’s milk.
Like wine, every cheese has a tale to tell, and the generous counter at METZ Cheesemonger in Farsley, Leeds, is packed with stories of romance, passion, dedication, humour and even intrigue.
Standing behind it is Founder and Chief Storyteller, Emmanuelle Metz, our lovely partner in wine and cheese tastings in 2026.
A bard of the rind, a chronicler of the curd, a raconteur of the raclette, Emmanuelle weaves a tale around every truckle, log and wheel, capturing the spirit of its unique terroir.
Very much a provender after our own hearts, here she tells us why cheese is so much more than food for her... it's a memory, a joy and a campaign!
Where are you from originally and was there anything to do with cheese in your life when you were little that maybe influenced your future career?
My family is from Alsace on one side and from Paris on the other. Both my parents raised us to taste all sorts of food. My Dad drove miles to bring home the best (which doesn’t mean the most expensive). He had a sharp knowledge about food, produce and was always happy to share it with us. He encouraged me to observe, understand that everything is linked; how our behaviour can enhance or destroy the chain. “Whatever you do, do it with faith and respect,” he always used to say.
Cheese was always on the table, and we tried all sorts. It was a real ceremony: to observe, describe, touch, smell, taste. Later, he added a sip of wine to it!
The counter at METZ is an education in casefication, the many and mysterious ways in which milk becomes cheese
Where did you get your experience in retailing and cheese production?
I worked on markets in France and in retailers where I learned a lot about selling and customer service. My knowledge of cheesemaking and cheese production grew once I was in UK where I had the delight to be involved in cheesemaking for nearly a year.
I still do a lot of personal training, reading all sort of books about everything to do with cheese, milk, techniques, etc. It’s non-stop research and I still feel a lot of joy learning so I can share it with my customers.
‘Joy is an international language and making at least one person happy a day is my personal goal’
What is it about cheese that makes you so passionate (aside from the fact that you're French, or course... although maybe that can't be separated!)?
I’ve always been passionate to share and spread joy. Joy is an international language and making at least one person happy a day is my personal goal. I am cultivating my own happiness every day.
Cheese is fascinating. So many varieties, made from one single product: milk. It’s an identity; it carries in it the land, people, herd, the region.
We all sometimes feel a bit ‘alone’ and a piece of cheese is good to cheer you up. Adding all the tiny facts about the makers – the time and love involved in that – brings an extra flavour to it: the ‘You Are Not Alone’ flavour.
When did you relocate to the UK and why?
I relocated to the UK five years ago, throwing two luggage bags in the train just before the second lockdown and a few months before the Brexit transition was completed.
I used to joke that I did it to support British citizens in those difficult times. In fact, I did it for love. The love of my life came 25 years ago to study in Leeds and never came back to France. So, I concede one good thing to Brexit: it gave me the push to take the decision to go. I don’t regret it as it meant I got to meet the Yorkshire people and their land.
‘Today it’s all about going faster; no more waiting time. It’s the absolute opposite to what an artisan product is’
Did you find that people in England had a different attitude towards artisan-made cheese and food in general?
I don’t think people in England are different from other people. We are overwhelmed by a constant offer of produce. The food industry, helped by scientists, has been studying the weak point in our brains to get us addicted to processed food.
Today, it’s all about going faster; no more waiting time. It’s the absolute opposite to what an artisan product is.
More and more voices are being raised in the artisan food Industry to inform people about the impact of food on our life and how much they’ve been cheated by the brands they trusted.
Our job is about education and sharing information. Once they have the information, the story of an artisan product, customers often stop buying the processed alternative.
Are attitudes changing, do you think?
They are changing, as long as we continue to spread the information: facts on the one hand, but, on the other, experiencing the product speaks for itself.
Our role at METZ is to make people taste artisan cheese, talk about the nutritional elements. Price is always important. I often hear people refer to buying artisan cheese as a treat, but we need more education so people understand that it’s supermarket food that’s expensive for what you get.
On the positive side, we have more and more customers saying they can’t buy 'crap cheese' anymore. Every single customer is worth getting devoted to the cause.
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Opened in 2024 in the historic Sunnybank Mills in Farsley, Leeds, METZ is on a mission to change people's perception of 'good' food
When did you open METZ? Why Farsley? And what were you trying to achieve?
I opened METZ in October 2024. I was after a genuine place that combined history and an energy that exuded humanity and a sense of community. Farsley combined all that.
I tried to bring something that was both traditional and new to the village. Being French, I wanted to show to people that being part of their culture was a major thing for me. Living in the UK, in Yorkshire, in this specific area, meant learning about its history, specifically the textile industry and how things have changed with the worldwide trade. I’m proud to be part of this community and really grateful to people for sharing their local history with me.
Cheese storyteller Emmanuelle Metz, Founder of METZ Cheesemonger in Farsley, Leeds
What's the best bit about running a cheese shop here?
Cheese is seasonal, so each wheel reveals a unique flavour. Artisan cheese reflects the makers’ mood, what the weather was like, the animal’s identity, the care and love all along the chain until it reaches the customers’ plate. I’m part of this chain every day.
I love seeing people coming in, like they were entering a sweet shop, and helping customers who feel lost facing “too many choices” – finding out what their taste is and combining a selection of cheese that makes them happy.
Quick-fire question round:
Favourite cheese style?
Soft washed rind
Favourite cheesemaking region?
Earth
Favourite cheese?
Double Barrel Lincolnshire Poacher (at the moment!).
What's your favourite way to eat it?
Snacking it, on its own while sitting on the door step in my kitchen, soaking up the sun.
Who would you most like to share a cheeseboard with?
My Dad. He passed away when I was a teenager.
What would be your ideal place to eat it?
In the shop with Dad, so we can both practise those beautiful cutting techniques he loved. …and we get a huge choice of cheeses!
What wine would you drink with it?
A Gewürztraminer from Alsace to honour my Dad’s family roots.
Join us for a Cheese and Sardinian Wine Storytelling event at METZ on May 22! See our Wine Tasting Events page for details.
