Discovering his Passion for Cheese
David Beaudoin has always enjoyed eating cheese and was lucky enough to have access to great ones around his childhood home, Quebec City. In 2005, David moved to the Okanagan Valley He says: “When I moved down here, there was no good cheese!” David travelled around the Valley to get acquainted with his newly adopted region. He discovered a cheese factory that sold refrigerated colored cheese curds. That moment left David perplexed because the flavour was not as good as the ones he had tasted growing up. However, it did pique his interest . That’s when he decided that he was going to bring fresh cheese curds throughout the Okanagan Valley and launched his own cheese distribution company, “Squeaky CheeseTM.” During this busy time of his life, he met his now wife with whom he has two beautiful children.
His hard work and his dedication paid off which led him to manage a cheese plant for 5 years. There he had the fabulous opportunity to learn from cheese masters themselves. During those years, David’s knowledge and passion for cheese grew to a whole new level and he never looked back.
Becoming the Canadian Cheese Ambassador
After understanding the ins and outs of the cheese making business, David shared his expertise to local chefs, national cheese stores and dealers by offering them training. In 2013, David started to work as a cheese expert and consultant with the Dairy Farmers of Canada. That’s how his Canadian Cheese Ambassador journey began. With this new role, he found a true passion in connecting with people and sharing his knowledge about cheese, from farm to table, with everyday Canadians and industry people alike.
Supporting Canadian Dairy
David is truly committed to help people understand the importance to support Canadian cheese makers and Canadian dairy farmers. Through his job, David connects with dairy farmers and knows how much they work hard to produce one of the highest quality milk in the world. They do so by working with a team of experts to make sure that their cows are always comfortable and cared for, by meeting some of the most stringent standards in the world to ensure that the milk is pure, fresh and safe to enjoy, and by embracing sustainable practices, like using green energy, to preserve the planet for the next generation. That’s how dedicated dairy farmers are to provide Canadians one of the best milk in the world. For David, this is fantastic information that he is really proud to share during his seminars along with telling people to look for the Dairy Farmers of Canada’s Blue Cow logo when they buy cheese because it supports our dairy farmers and dairy artisans. But above all, that logo guarantees people that they are getting a high-quality dairy product.
One of David’s favourite part of his job is to craft cheese pairings. Here his creativity and passion surely stand out. During these cheese pairings sessions, David has a mission to make our outstanding quality Canadian cheese, and dairy products in general, shine. He says: “We have amazing Canadian cheese that win awards around the world but, yet, we don’t see them enough in stores! I took it upon myself to get people to discover these cheeses, to be enjoyed on their own or paired to give people a memorable connection.” His pairings sessions go beyond simple cheese tastings; he creates experiences that leave no taste bud indifferent. Click through our link below to be transported to a new world of poutine making. Your taste buds will never the same.
