Meet The Cheesemaker Ueli Berger

Swiss-born Ueli Berger has an inexhaustible passion for cheesemaking which began very early in life. As the grandson of a cheesemaker and son of a dairy farmer, his European childhood provided plenty of opportunity to explore the craft. Berger spent many hours as a youngster observing his grandfather's skills in the cheese room.

After studying cheesemaking in Switzerland for three years, Berger was chosen from a group of 48 cheesemakers to work for an Australian soft cheese manufacturer. His fondness for the country saw him settle in Tasmania for 20 years. He moved to King Island in 1998 to become King Island Dairy's head cheesemaker.

With a career now spanning more than 25 years, Berger's talent has not gone unnoticed. He's earned acclaim both nationally and internationally from the cheese cognoscenti with awards from the New York Fancy Food Show and the World Championship Cheese Contest (Wisconsin, USA), to the Australian Specialist Cheesemakers' Association Show, the Dairy Industry Association of Australia and the Australian Grand Dairy Awards.

Berger often visits the mainland to participate in industry events and regularly travels to Europe to maintain his development and check on trends.

Listening to Berger talk about cheesemaking confirms his passion for the craft. "To me, cheesemaking is a form of art. Like an artist's painting, each cheese is masterfully hand-crafted and individually created," Berger says.

"I love the creativity it affords. Making cheese is a truly organic process and you have to use all your senses and instincts. You need to smell, touch, look, taste and essentially listen to what the cheese is telling you."

"I love spending time in the maturing room observing what the cheese is doing. I look, feel and listen to identify its reactions. It's like the cheese is talking to me - and that's what good cheesemaking is about. You need to identify and react to what it's telling you and adjust your process to suit its needs."

Berger also speaks highly of the brand he's helped grow. "I'm proud of King Island Dairy's reputation for making world renowned, award winning cheeses that are produced solely on the island. It's a unique proposition - I don't know of any similar location that has a cheesemaking legacy like King Island."

While living on Bass Strait's most remote island may not seem idyllic to some, Berger, who once lived alone in the Arctic Circle for a year, relishes the remoteness and quiet life, saying the location is key to producing great cheese.

"King Island is extremely fertile. We have moderate temperatures, year round rainfall and a pollution-free environment which provides quality pastures and helps our herds produce superior milk. At the same time, the peace and tranquility of the island allows for creativity and complete mastery of the craft."