James Grant from No 2 Pound Street

14 May 2024
|In Spotlight, Trader of the Month
|By Lucy Cufflin

Our monthly insight into one of our traders at the market.

James Grant from No 2 Pound Street (and now The Real Cheese Project) and needs no introduction for most of you, but here is his story…

James enjoyed a career working in some of the greatest restaurants and hotels alongside some of the best of the best restaurateurs, allowing him to sample pretty much the most excellent cheeses out there. He fell in love with good cheese and when the opportunity came to open his own cheese and wine shop he leapt at the chance.

15 years on, No 2 Pound Street in Wendover, goes from strength to strength. James does not see his job as a career but simply sharing his love and respect for very special food.

James stocks excellent wines and procures his cheeses solely from the British Isles – chosen for their taste and their ethical and sustainable production. The shop offers cheese tastings and events in and around their ageing room. No 2 Pound Street is truly the complete package when it comes to a cheese monger!

James was one of the very first training partners at the Academy of Cheese and is one of the trainers who is helping form the next levels of cheese training programs.

When I asked him about why ‘The Real Cheese Project’, he answered simply that he wants to shout about ‘real cheese’ – over 95% of cheese produced in the UK is factory made without the same level of consideration as Artisan made cheeses.

He wants to help swing the pendulum towards artisan production and wants to be a force in educating us all in that direction. ‘The Real Cheese Project’ aims to champion the very best cheese makers and retailers throughout the UK.

James has recently become a huge advocate for farmers who look after their soil and land and wants to help us understand that the ‘terroir’ plays such an important part in the production of good food.

So, what can I say about James – he’s a pretty ‘big cheese’ in the world of cheese and his heart is very firmly with the Artisan producers and retailers in UK – we are honoured to have had him at our market from day 1 and long may it continue!