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Paula Lambert Discusses SFA Lifetime Achievement Award and Specialty Cheese Industry Evolution

Paula Lambert Discusses SFA Lifetime Achievement Award and Specialty Cheese Industry Evolution


DALLAS, TX
Tuesday, October 8th, 2024

A culinary savant, specialty cheese trailblazer, and a pillar of inspiration for women in our industry—Paula Lambert embodies all of these things and more. The cheese industry icon was recently honored by the Specialty Food Association (SFA), earning the highly coveted 2024 SFA Lifetime Achievement Award for her integral contributions to the cheese sector.

Paula Lambert, Founder, Mozzarella Company“Receiving the 2024 SFA Lifetime Achievement Award means the world to me. Being recognized by your peers is the highest compliment of all, and I am truly flattered and so honored to receive this award,” Paula shared with DMN. “From the moment I founded Mozzarella Company, I worked day and night to learn more about cheese and to create delicious cheeses for my customers. I loved what I was doing and never considered it work.”

Paula is a pioneer in the specialty cheese industry who helped usher in artisan European and Mexican cheeses to an American audience with her women-led business, SFA stated. In 1982, she founded the Mozzarella Company, an artisanal cheese company that has flourished for over 40 years.
Paula Lambert was recently honored by the Specialty Food Association (SFA), earning the highly coveted 2024 SFA Lifetime Achievement Award for her integral contributions to the cheese sectorLambert retired at the end of 2023, selling the business to her employees. Today, the cheese aficionado organizes regular trips to Europe, where she helps others understand the flavors, processes, and history behind various culinary experiences.

Throughout her unforgettable time in the industry, Paula has had the opportunity to witness multiple eras of evolution in the cheese space.

Paula Lambert is a pioneer in the specialty cheese industry who helped usher in artisan European and Mexican cheeses to an American audience“The cheese industry has grown dramatically. When I first began making hand-made mozzarella in 1982, there were just a handful of specialty cheesemakers in the United States,” she explains. “The words artisanal cheese had not yet been coined. Over the years, the variety of these specialty and artisanal cheeses has grown and expanded. The American Cheese Society was pivotal in this expansion. Back in the early 1980s people said that cheese was 15 years behind wine—that proved to be very true, and the specialty cheese industry has grown far beyond this prediction.”

With a decorated career and undeniable specialty cheese expertise, Paula is incredibly deserving of this prestigious award. And as for the advice she would give to industry up-and-comers?

Throughout her unforgettable time in the industry, Paula Lambert has had the opportunity to witness multiple eras of evolution in the cheese space“Learn the basics first and then create,” Paula emphasizes. “You must have a strong foundation. Always appreciate and strive to produce quality products, educate your customers, and also listen to them. They will tell you what they want and like, and then work to satisfy them.”

Congratulations to Paula Lambert on an indelible career and this distinguished recognition!

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