Gamba supplier focus: George Mewes Cheese

George Mewes could talk about cheese until the cows come home. His passion and knowledge are just two reasons why he supplies Gamba from his flagship shop on Glasgow’s Byres Road, now in its 13th year of bringing unusual, artisan cheeses to the people and businesses of the city. And beyond. He added an Edinburgh Stockbridge cheese shop eight years ago and distributes UK-wide.

The strong relationship between Gamba and George Mewes Cheese

Gamba’s decade-long relationship with George Mewes Cheese is the perfect fit.

Says George: “We supply the best to the best. We’ve enjoyed a strong relationship with Gamba since day one. Chef-patron Derek Marshall likes a certain type of cheese, and you don’t need 100 different types when you have a quality cheese offer that reflects the excellence of the restaurant. That’s perhaps why he prefers sticking to staples: usually a soft, a hard, a blue and a goat, plus two-and-a-half-year-old parmesan. But when menus change, so might the cheeses, and he likes to mix it up sometimes.

 “I’m always getting texts and messages from customers saying, ‘I’ve just tasted your cheese at Gamba and I love it’, and this is because I only use the highest quality cheeses. And Derek is only looking for the highest quality to complement the fish and seafood and meat dishes Gamba excels at. And quality cheese comes from happy animals.”

Cheese and traceability

“That’s why traceability is also so very important, and it all starts with the well-being of the animal. We only work with people that prioritise the animals’ welfare, where they are cared for, and where they employ artisan techniques to make the cheese. So, all in all, a lot of love and care go into the entire process from field to fork.

“The cheesemaking is all done naturally. No additives. It’s milk, a culture, rennet (a type of coagulant used to separate milk into curds and whey), and that’s it.”

Cheese provenance

Then there’s the provenance of the cheese. We’re all more switched on to where our food comes from, and George and his Glasgow shop GM, Alan Brady, are always happy to tell the story behind each cheese.

George explains: “It’s all about the animals’ diet as well as the environment. Take the Isle of Mull cheddar. The cows graze near the sea and this gives the cheese an unmistakably saline, salty taste. The cows at the Tobermory distillery, meanwhile, are fed grain from the distillery which gives the cheese an almost boozy taste. The same goes for Gruyere. The cows are out there grazing on those lovely Swiss pastures, and you can almost taste them. We get the pick of the bunch from the cheesemakers that we work with. That’s what we’re all about.”

Says Alan: “What’s nice is that Derek can come in for a tasting to see what’s new and what’s changed, and he’s always interested in where the cheese is from and the story behind a new addition. When he wishes to make a change, especially seasonally, he can then decide what will go best with what he’s planning to change on the Gamba menus.”

Cheese, diet, and health

What seems to unite nutritionists is that cheese is a key part of a healthy balanced diet.

Says George: “There was negative publicity around dairy at one time with people using dairy alternatives. But now the general school of thought is that fats are a healthy part of any balanced diet, in moderation, like everything else. Take butter. The milk is heated and then it’s churned. That’s it.”

Weekly Mewsletter

George’s customers can sign up for his mewsletter and yes, it’s weekly. That’s dedication for you. It showcases a cheese of the week and gives a steer on which cheese is best paired with which wine.

George explains: “Our mewsletter was a saviour to many during the pandemic. I got loads of feedback from customers who looked forward to finding out what we were up to each week. We were also able to help cheesemakers get any excess cheese they had on their hands to customers rather than it going to waste.”

When did George’s love affair with cheese first begin and how hands-on is he?

“I’m a chef by trade. That’s how I first met Derek actually. I worked in Glasgow’s RAC club, as well as in restaurants in Switzerland, Italy, and Australia, and for the likes of the Hilton Group. Then one day I decided that I wanted to work with cheese and became a cheese buyer before opening my first shop.

“I soon went on to win ‘Best cheese shop in the UK’ at the British Cheese Awards and ‘Best Cheese Counter’ at the World Cheese Awards, among other accolades.

“I’m pretty hands-on in the shops, during the week and at weekends. I had to nip in last Sunday because, as we do cheese wedding cakes, (yes, a tiered cake, made entirely of cheese), I was meeting with the happy couple for a consultation. We also advise on how they can decorate them, with figs and grapes being quite popular. Some people even bring wooden mice to decorate the cake with, or cartoon characters. Others have it as the main wedding cake rather than just an alternative.”

George’s favourite cheese

“My tastes change every day. One cheese might appeal to me one day and not so much the next. We do about 50 per cent continental and 50 per cent British, including working closely with Scottish cheese makers. I also work with Neal's Yard Dairy cheesemonger and we’re their main stockist in Scotland, likewise for French cheese innovator, Hervé Mons. So, there are just too many to choose from!”

 By Jason Caddy