Joe Schneider is the co-creator and cheesemaker behind Stichelton, a raw milk blue cheese crafted on the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire. His path into cheesemaking began in 1995 when, as an American living in Holland, he found himself making Greek cheese for a Turkish producer. What started as an unlikely job quickly became a vocation. Inspired by Britain’s commitment to preserving its traditional cheesemaking heritage, he moved to Sussex in 1998 to work on a small biodynamic farm, deepening his understanding of milk, land, and craft.

In 2001, Schneider designed and built the creamery at Daylesford, developing cheeses for Sir Anthony and Lady Bamford. After five years, he partnered with Randolph Hodgson of Neal’s Yard Dairy to revive raw milk Stilton. Although regulations prevented it, the project led to the creation of Stichelton—an uncompromising expression of traditional methods.

At Stichelton Dairy, Schneider works with milk from a single herd of Friesian and Holstein cows, believing cheesemaking is both empirical science and intuitive alchemy. His philosophy is simple: allow the farm, pasture, cows, and milk to speak clearly through the cheese—crafted with integrity, patience, and purpose.