Rutgers Cheese Club promises gouda times, delicious food

There's a new club on campus for dairy lovers and culinary enthusiasts — and they're vegan and lactose intolerant friendly! Every other Monday, the Cheese Club meets in Murray Hall on the College Avenue campus, offering an overview of upcoming events, fun music, socializing and of course, cheese.

The club's president Lia Vaynshteyn, a School of Environmental Sciences and Biological Sciences junior studying Food Science, was inspired by a similar group at another school and started the organization in 2023. The group is growing into a place for students to bond over their love of cheese, partake in creative ventures and explore the world of dairy. 

"I was like, 'Does Rutgers have a Cheese Club, because I need to join.' And they didn't. And I was like, 'Well, there's a hole that needs to be filled here,'" she said. "I love cheese, I've always loved cheese ... I didn't even realize how many other people felt the same way."

Some of the club's past meetings have included cheese pairings, where members were able to bring anything they wanted to pair with cheese to make new combinations, and product sampling with local organizations, like George Street Co-op. Last semester, they met with a guest speaker from Leprino Foods, the largest mozzarella manufacturer in the country.

Vaynshteyn discussed some upcoming projects for current and new members to participate in that will help foster some sustainable growth, including a website that would serve as a blog for members to post their perspectives on the club and all things cheese.

Ideally, with the help of coders or students with experience in web development, it could become a platform for members to stay up to date with club news and connect with one another, even after their time at Rutgers.

"Since I just started Cheese Club, it feels really small but I feel like there's a lot of potential for it to grow. And since I'm a junior, next year is my last year, and I really want to see how the club progresses as it goes," Vaynshteyn explained, sharing her hopes for the blog.

Another upcoming project is an ad for Cheese Club, to be displayed around campus and hopefully on the big screen at The Yard @ College Avenue. In addition to spreading the word about the club, it's a perfect opportunity for film majors or anyone interested in exercising their creativity. Vaynshteyn hopes to have the ad run by the middle of the Spring 2025 semester. 

"I want Cheese Club to be a space for professional development also, because a club is great, all fun, but if it can offer something to the students more than just cheese, I think it'd have a lot more of an impact on the community," Vaynshteyn said. 

The club will also be hosting a cheese carving contest on Monday and trips to dairy farms and cheese shops, providing hands-on activities and memories for members. Vaynshteyn also shared plans for a trip to Murray's Cheese in the spring, a well-known cheese store in New York City. The venue features cheese caves where they develop and age their own products.

Through trips like these, members have the opportunity to learn more about the process from professionals while having fun and trying new foods. If you missed these meetings or are just now finding out about Cheese Club, the club is active on social media and posts announcements on Instagram and GroupMe.