Cheesy Living Co Leeds: Meet the couple behind the Corn Exchange cheese shop as they take their fondue on tour

Cheesy Living Co, founded by Jake Fischer and his partner Soph Branowsky, sells British cheese and charcuterie alongside a tasty menu to eat in store. The pair founded the business towards the end of the last lockdown, originally as online delivery boxes full of local produce.

Jake, 27, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It was a passion project to begin with. Originally, the idea came from seeing people doing bad versions of grazing boxes through lockdown. I’ve always had a love for food growing up, with a dad that’s a chef, and enjoying cooking at home.

“We found there was a lot of amazing cheese and charcuterie that is made here in the UK, and locally. We wanted to use that as the selling point, showing off produce that’s made by people that care.”

Jake has a background in hospitality, while Soph is a designer, and the pair merged their skills as they grew their brand - diversifying with merchandise, wholesale orders and into farmer’s markets, which were booming after lockdown.

The pair opened their first deli and cafe in the Corn Exchange nine months ago and the word quickly spread about Leeds’ new dedicated cheese shop - with business booming over the Christmas period.

“Christmas and cheese go hand in hand,” Jake added. “It was an opportunity for people searching ‘cheese shop Leeds‘ and finally there was something there.

“We had a lot of people say to us that Leeds has been crying out for this sort of thing, which was amazing to hear. It gave us reassurance that we’d done the right thing. People seem to love what we do and that’s the most rewarding part of it.”

Cheesy Living Co launched a Swiss-style fondue at their Corn Exchange cafe in the run up to Christmas and the response was so overwhelming that they’re now taking it on tour. Fondue on Tour will visit six independent venues over the next month, including Gray’s of Rothwell and House of Koko.

Guests will enjoy welcome snacks, the fondue and dessert for £25pp. Each venue will be putting their own spin on a drinks list to sit alongside the food menu on the night. As independent businesses struggle with rising costs and tightened purses, Jake said it’s more important than ever for local venues to work together.

He added: “There’s a lot of love that goes into these places. It’s people who care about what they do - they don’t cut corners and they really put the customer first. And they offer an experience, it’s not just somewhere where you can have a coffee or a bite to eat, you really feel the love that has gone into it from the people who have built these places into what they are.

“As stressful and as tiring as it can be, we get a buzz that people who like what we’re doing and buy into the bigger picture. It’s great to get to have the conversations we do and that we get to be a part of someone's birthday, or day out. That’s the most rewarding thing for me.”