meet the cheesemongers

We believe that food does more than nourish:  food brings people together. We think it’s our responsibility to build meaningful relationships with each part of our extended family; the food we make and sell connects our staff, our guests, our producers and the environment. In this way, we “create community through food”.

Introducing: Fromagination’s star line-up! As cheesemongers, we take pride in having tip-top cheese knowledge and passing on that education to each and every customer. We are always interested in knowing more about you when you visit -- now you can get to know us!

 

Ken

Founder and owner, left the corporate world six years ago to follow his passion for cheeses and Wisconsin. Ken has lived in Madison for the past 18 years. He loves Madison’s openness, diversity, authenticy, and hunger for learning. Ken wanted to create a shop that could be a small part of showcasing our uniqueness in a great town like this one!

Ken grew up in an Italian family who loved to entertain with food alway being the centerpoint of all events. He spent most of his childhood either working in the family Italian retail/ wholesale specialty food business or in the kitchen helping and watching his mother cook and bake for family gatherings. His fondest childhood memories include these gatherings. Everything in his family loved to entertain and cook. Food was always the focal point. Ken says, "If we were not eating, we were talking about what we were planning to eat!"

 

 

  Gisele


Moved to Madison from Québec City over ten years ago. Customer service manager. Also our wine buyer.

 

 






Kristi

Not only supplies the staff with her baked goodies, she has worked in a variety of Madison favorites, such as L’Etoile, and enjoys sharing her love for food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Steve is interested in the convergence of food, craftsmanship, and social justice. Year ago, he started out as a starving actor. He’s no longer starving.

After playing his part in cheese for over 30 years, he doesn’t have one favorite. There is one cheese he has never tasted that he hopes to try some day -- Casu Marzu, from Corsica. It’s technically illegal, however, because it is partially cured by the actions of maggots in the cheese. As to a pairing with Casu Marzu, Steve would recommend brandy or Pepto Bismol, depending as to how the cheese goes down.

His favorite meal was a seafood feast on the Isle of Women, Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Yucatan. He says, "The food was just so simple, direct, and clean. It was a real lesson in the glory of fresh and locally-sourced food."

 

 

Lindsey

Cheesemonger. Supermom. Loud laughter. Golf junkie.Yogi. Downhill ski enthusiast. Our marketing and special events manager.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allison

Originally from Columbus, OH., Allison has helped bring our website to life. A self-proclaimed foodie and fanatic of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Allison had a brief stint in the corporate world before realizing her life’s passion was, instead, everything gastronomical. Since stepping into Fromagination, her favorite cheese has been Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog. This goat cheese pulls double-duty: it oozes near its bloomy rind, slowly evolving into velvety goodness near its ash-lined center. She enjoys it with her favorite drink of all time, sparkling wine. As to the best food she’s ever had, she considers any meal enjoyed around her childhood kitchen table, surrounded by close family and friends, to be the most delicious.

 

 

 

Priscilla

Our newest cheesemonger, originally from New Jersey. Moved to Madison with aspirations to become a licensed cheese maker. Our Wisconsin cheese buyer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greg

Whisky-master at Vom Fass. Kilt enthusiast. One of our beer buyers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt

A beer enthusiast studying microbiology at UW. A young brewer in the making! One of our beer buyers.