Scott Robins and Andrea Siefring-Robbins co-founded Urban Stead Cheese in 2018 following an inspiring wine trip. Although wine was the original focus of the excursion, it was a visit to a cheesemaker that proved to be the most motivational. They were already planning a business together, but now the idea of starting a cheese company seemed both feasible and exciting. After all, cheese production brought together Scott’s background in the restaurant and wine industries, and Andrea’s in accounting and financial reporting, pairing nicely with a shared passion for food.
“Cheese is the ultimate marriage of our love for food, fermentation, entertaining and entrepreneurship alongside artisanal craft,” Andrea shares.
Scott and Andrea set out with the goal of making award-winning, old-world-style, artisanal cheese. They also wanted to craft their cheese in an urban environment rather than a typical farmstead setting, bringing them closer to their customer base. Their search led to a building that once housed a medical clinic in East Walnut Hills, which they’ve since converted into a cheesemaking facility featuring a tasting room, full bar and retail shop.
“Urban Stead Cheese is an urban creamery. It’s one of the things that makes us unique–there’s less than a handful of true urban creameries in the U.S.," Andrea explains.
They were careful throughout the renovation to maintain green standards, and were awarded the Silver LEED Certification for earning between 50 and 59 points across various sustainability categories like energy, water, materials and health. They’ve also discovered other unique ways to give back to the community.
“When we make cheese, we give our whey to a local farmer who then feeds it to their animals,” Andrea tells us. “They sell their meat to local restaurants, so it really comes full circle like it would in a farmstead setting.”
Both grandchildren of dairy farmers, Scott and Andrea are proud to continue their families’ heritage within this industry.
“We love making cheese, but we really love sharing our cheese with our community. The connections we’ve made with our local neighborhood and our local artisan community are incredibly special,” Andrea enthuses.
Urban Stead sources their milk from a local third-generation dairy farmer. Their cheese is typically made Monday through Thursday and all of the cheese is aged onsite. Their tasting room is open on Friday and Saturday.
“We get to start the day with 3,000 pounds of fresh milk and we end the day with formed wheels of cheese that are made from just four ingredients–milk, salt, cultures and enzymes,” Andrea explains. “It’s really a beautiful process and one that we’re proud to be doing.”
Since opening, their cheeses have represented southwest Ohio well on local, national and international stages. Street Ched, their aged clothbound cheddar, was recently awarded a Gold Medal for the second year in a row at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards (ICDA) held in Staffordshire, England. Their aged Gouda also won Gold at ICDA. Their aged Gouda was awarded third place at the American Cheese Society Judging and Competition and was presented with the Reserve Champion award at the Ohio State Fair Cheese Competition this year.
“Our team works so hard to create and take care of our cheeses and we’re thrilled to see them receiving this recognition,” Andrea comments.
Urban Stead Cheese is available locally and at stores and restaurants throughout the country. Purchase it at all four Dorothy Lane Market locations and try it at home with this deliciously cheesy recipe.
Curdzone: Featuring Urban Stead Cheddar Curds
Ingredients
- 16-ounce ball of pizza dough, or a tube of store-bought pizza crust
- 1/3 cup pizza sauce
- 4-6 big cheese curds
- 1/3 cup shredded cheese (or extra curds)
- Toppings of choice (veggies, meats, etc.)
For the dough
- Cornmeal
- Olive oil (mix with a little garlic powder, to taste)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F, then prep your baking sheet with a piece of parchment, a brush of oil and a sprinkle of cornmeal.
- Start by rolling out your pizza dough to fit the baking sheet. Flour the surface and roll out the dough to about 1/4" thickness throughout.
- Place the dough on your prepped baking sheet, cover half with your shredded cheese and your preferred amount of curds, leaving two curds for your last step.
- Cover with your toppings and then your sauce.
- Before you fold, line the inside crease with the two curds you saved, then fold in half. Bring both ends together and twist them up to seal all the goodness in.
- Brush with a little extra oil and cornmeal to taste, and cut a couple of slits in the top.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes out of the oven. Serve with pizza sauce or ranch for dunking.
Check out more recipes for cheese lovers at UrbanSteadCheese.com/Recipes.