France's Kitchen Story

Hervé Mons is one of the best affineurs in France. His cheese is known to gourmets around the world. His cellars hold over 100 tonnes of cheese. Hervé Mons, age 53, directs “Maison Mons” together with his brother Laurent. The two multiple prize winning affineurs have built a cheese empire that currently serves over 20 countries and has offices in Roanne, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, London, Stockholm and Madrid. That explains why this nature-loving Frenchman doesn't seem at all out of touch. During his rare days off, his favourite activities are cross-country running and mountain biking.

On this particular morning, Hervé Mons is on his way to his milk supplier high in the mountains of Égliseneuve. In this remote region live Josiane and Henri Bapt, who for three generations have been raising Salers, an old French cattle breed known for its delicious milk. Obtaining this milk is hard manual labour. Following the natural cycle, cows start giving milk once they’ve been stimulated by a calf. Milking is done twice a day, seven days a week from April to November. Each milking produces 280 to 300 litres, or nearly 40,000 litres per month, which corresponds to about 4000 kilograms of cheese.

“In addition to milk quality and cheese production, the climatic conditions during ripening also play an important role,” he explains. The heart of his company is an abandoned 185 metre-long railway tunnel in which five large wooden train cars store 100 tonnes of cheese at 94 percent humidity and 9°C. “Maison Mons” has three such tunnels. Hervé Mons talks about handling the cheese during its ripening with deep emotion and passion - almost as though he were talking about raising his own children. “For the flavour and consistency to optimally develop, each cheese requires very special care,” says Mons.

The quality of their products has long earned “Maison Mons” a worldwide reputation - without the aid of a huge PR machine. “We don’t need it, we’d rather invest in our quality,” says the Frenchman and a wreath of laugh lines appears on his face. “Word-of-mouth advertising is much more effective.” He makes a modest and natural impression, even though he's become a global player in the gourmet industry.

The quality of their products has long earned “Maison Mons” a worldwide reputation - without the aid of a huge PR machine. “We don’t need it, we’d rather invest in our quality,” says the Frenchman and a wreath of laugh lines appears on his face. “Word-of-mouth advertising is much more effective.” He makes a modest and natural impression, even though he's become a global player in the gourmet industry.