About
Orrman’s Cheese Shop is a full-service cheese shop founded by Rachel Klebaur and her husband, Jose Espinosa.
One might say these two were destined to become cheese people. The couple met in culinary school in New York City and have spent the last two decades carving a path that would equip them with the knowledge, passion, and utmost dedication to culinary craft and the wide world of cheese.
A little bit about our founder, Rachel Klebaur.
Rachel Klebaur fell in love with cheese through a singular experience. While working at an online grocer, she was given a young sheep’s milk cheese to taste. Three weeks later, when she tasted the same wedge of cheese fully ripened, a brand new experience flooded her senses. It had transformed into something radically different. Klebaur has been intrigued ever since, immersing herself into the industry, soaking up every detail about the process, craft, and science of cheese. And best of all, building relationships.
A little bit about our chef, Jose Espinosa.
Jose Espinosa is a third culture kid. With the support of his brother, he landed himself in New York City to attend the French Culinary Institute, then launching his culinary career at Payard under Chef Philippe Bertineau. His focus pivoted to catering, which he did at the renowned Tentation Potel & Chabot and Olivier Cheng Catering. Some of Jose’s greatest joys in life include good cheese and natural wines.
Our Values
Care
We invoke care into every facet of our business. At Orrman’s, our cheese selection is well-cared for, custom cut, and tended to daily. We equip our staff with the knowledge and know-how to educate customers and guide them through our curated case. We select items for our shop with care and aim to support small, local, and regional producers. How we care for our cheese, is how we care for our people––customers, staff, and cheesemakers alike.
Attention
Cheese is a living thing. It breathes, it ages, and it must be attended to. Cheese requires attention. Every cheese that comes through the door at Orrman’s is cared for by professionals who ensure its quality and preservation by caring for each wedge individually, storing it at proper temperatures and serving it at its peak. Some might call this devotion, but we just call it our lifelong commitment. Are we married to cheese? Nooooo. Do we love it? Til’ death do us part.
Obsession
We believe there is such a thing as a healthy obsession, at least that’s what we tell ourselves. We are attuned to the world of cheese––its triumphs and traditions, its makers and mongers, and the wildly interesting people that make up our industry. We read cheese magazines (yes, those really exist), and we follow cheesemakers from place to place. We talk to our cheese friends and visit farms. We go to cheese festivals and drive along cheese trails (yes, that’s a thing too). We can wax poetic about tasting notes and rattle off dairy farms in alphabetical order. Too much? We think not.
Service
Cheese people are hospitality professionals. We’ll walk you through an hours long tasting experience if that’s your fancy, or we can guide you to the perfect cheese when you’re short on time. We host intimate events to share stories of cheesemakers and their craft, and we deliver lunch in a flash. Our wholesale clients receive just as intimate an experience when seeking out cheese for their restaurant, food business, or retail outlet. However large or small the experience, we can make it happen. If it’s cheese, we’re at your service.
Quality
Details matter. Our attention focuses squarely on delivering the best experience and offering cheese at its best. We maintain a small case to ensure regular rotation and quality control. We have daily rituals that ensure each piece of cheese is cared for and preserved for optimum enjoyment. Our retail shop and online shops are filled with producers with a similar philosophy and our services take into account the finer points of service to ensure a quality experience every time.
Our Partners
We are proud to provide locally and regionally sourced cheese and specialty products to the following restaurants, breweries and wine shops around The Queen City and beyond.