The Cheese Cartel wasn’t born in a boardroom—it was plotted over a charcuterie board. Inspired by a lifelong obsession with cheese and countless hours grazing and chatting with her siblings, founder Alyssa Romashko turned family snack time into a local destination. This holiday season, you can bring that same family-first passion to your own holiday table by reserving one of their signature cheese platters. McLean City Lifestyle is proud to share the story behind this beloved local find.
How did you come up with the name, The Cheese Cartel?
My siblings and I were gathered around the island in my eldest sister’s kitchen drinking wine and brainstorming name ideas. At one point I yelled out, “We are The Cheese Cartel!” There was chanting and the clinking of glasses—it was a very fun, memorable night. My son is forever embarrassed by how rowdy we were.
Readers are starting to plan their Thanksgiving menu. What cheese do you suggest this season?
Mimolette and Roomano Extra Aged Gouda are great fall cheeses both for color (bold orange—particularly the Mimolette) and flavor. The gouda is a personal favorite of mine. It’s aged three years and is nutty and butterscotchy, accompanied by a tyrosine crystal crunch. Harbison is another lovely fall cheese. It is rich, spoonable, and beautifully wrapped in spruce bark. Stockinghall cheddar with crisp apple slices or stilton with pear…also fantastic fall options.
Are there go-to rules for a cheese board or is creativity key?
I’m not always the biggest rule follower. I prefer to encourage customers to choose what they are most excited to eat. All of our boards come with a selection of cheeses (chosen by the customer or “dealer’s choice,” as we call them), charcuterie, fig spread, marcona almonds, and baguette. You can add extras like olives, cornichons, and apple slices.
When making a board, I choose a soft cheese like silky Cremeux de Bourgogne or bright Shabby Shoe, which is a semi-firm cheese. Cave-aged Treeline is a personal favorite or a bold cheese— such as Roaring Forties blue—and hard cheese like the lovely Roomano Extra Aged Gouda.
Why is providing gluten-free items important to you?
I was diagnosed with celiac shortly after the birth of my son. Both of my sisters, niece, and nephew all have it as well, so my family is well-versed in the gluten free world. Having gluten free options and designated gluten free prep areas was imperative to my design concept. We do have gluten-ous bread available at the shop, but it is baked and delivered by Lyon Bakery daily so no loose flour is ever in the space. The Happy Tart, a local, fantastic gluten free bakery provides our GF baguettes and we have GF cracker options as well. The only things that contain gluten at The Cheese Cartel are some of the breads and the beer —all cheeses, cured meats, and accompaniments are gluten free.
What was the biggest thing you learned about opening up your own business?
You truly never know what each day will bring. The local small business community is incredibly friendly and helpful. Hopefully I can pay it forward to future small business owners. I was fortunate to have formed friendships with other local businesses prior to opening that allowed me to collaborate with them in pop-up events: Audacious Aleworks, Settle Down Easy, Barre3, and Coco Cameo.
We are starting a monthly wine & cheese (or just cheese!) club. We've added beautiful dish towels, baguette and wine bags, and items by Line and Nest to our selection of local goods at the shop.
While readers can reserve platters to go, you also offer a warm and inviting space to graze with friends. What was your inspiration?
I knew I wanted the store to be cozy, rustic-chic, and inviting—somewhere you’d be comfortable hanging out while grazing on a cheese and charcuterie board and enjoying wine. I drew upon the color palette of the French country kitchen my mom designed for the house I grew up in and asked interior designer, Karen Bengel of Design Milieu, to work with that, the logo, and a pastoral, rustic-chic feel as we designed the shop. My sister and basically other half, Becky, was on every design call and Pinterest board helping me come up with ideas and then the remarkable minds of Karen and the architect, Marcy Giannunzio of DIAG Studios, made our visions come to life.
Your parting words?
I am fortunate to have been able to create this beautiful, serene space and share my passion for cheese and wine with others. I’ve been lucky to find amazing staff for the shop. My team of cartelians is incredible and consists of a bunch of locals. The Cheese Cartel is filled with happiness and laughter—sometimes to the point of tears—and it’s truly a joy to go in each day.
"I’m a big fan of wooden cheese boards and large grazing boards. We sell a variety of stunning locally-made boards at the shop, care of Nomini Boards and Chef Craig’s Woodcrafts."