“I just had an idea to start a cheese shop” adding with a laugh, ‘Cut my arm and I have got blue veins.’ It’s a far cry from Toby’s former job in plastic injection mouldings.  A little research revealed that cheese is quite literally in the Archer’s blood. The family tree, going back to 1880 in London, revealed two of Toby’s ancestors were also cheesemongers.

 

Toby’s extensive knowledge and palate was so good it’s bagged him a job as a judge at the World Cheese Awards 2012, a bit like the cheese Oscars, held every year at the BBC Good Food Show at the Birmingham NEC. ‘The challenge for the judges is to get 4,500 cheeses down to just one,’ he says.

 

In 2013, Toby entered the Big Cheese Challenge and was awarded The Le Gruyere  AOP “Highly commended” for Cheesemonger and “Highly commended” Cheese counter at the 2013 World Cheese Awards, first cheese business in Hertfordshire to ever received these awards.

 

Confident in the popularity of cheese, Toby hosts Cheese dinners and Cheese and Wine tasting evenings, which have become the talk of the town. “It’s a fabulous nights entertainment, several delicious cheese, divine wine, and while indulging, learning about the different cheese’s, where they originate from and what to serve them with.

Based in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, The Cheese Plate offer an extensive range of both British and Continental cheeses, specialising in artisan cheeses.