Ruth Raskin is Head of Cheese Care at The Fine Cheese Co., where she leads every aspect of the company's cheese offering, from sourcing and hand-selecting exceptional artisan cheeses to overseeing their care, maturation, training and curation. With almost 25 years' experience in the artisan cheese industry, including 19 years with The Fine Cheese Co., Ruth is recognised as one of the UK's leading cheese professionals.

Her career began with hands-on cheesemaking at Daylesford, where she worked alongside acclaimed cheesemaker Joe Schneider. That early experience gave her a deep appreciation for the craft of cheesemaking and the importance of understanding every stage of a cheese's journey. Since then, her career has spanned retail, wholesale, buying and cheese maturation, giving her an exceptional breadth of expertise across the industry.

As Head of Cheese Care, Ruth is responsible for ensuring every cheese meets the exacting standards for which The Fine Cheese Co. is renowned. From developing relationships with artisan producers and selecting cheeses at their peak, to overseeing affinage, quality, staff training and customer education, she combines technical knowledge with a passion for showcasing the very best farmhouse and artisan cheeses.

A highly respected figure within the cheese world, Ruth is a regular judge at the World Cheese Awards and has contributed to the Academy of Cheese course of study. She was honoured to help write the Maturing, Affinage and Grading module for the Academy's Level Three Fellow Certification, an area of expertise that sits at the heart of her professional career.

Ruth teaches Academy of Cheese courses for The Fine Cheese Co., sharing the practical knowledge and experience gained throughout her career. She continues to champion staff development through Academy training, with more than 40 colleagues already achieving Academy certifications and many more following in their footsteps.

Whether mentoring industry professionals, judging international competitions or teaching Academy of Cheese courses, Ruth brings a rare combination of technical expertise, commercial experience and genuine enthusiasm for artisan cheese, making her an inspiring educator and a trusted voice within the industry.