A qualified nurse who returned from overseas to start her business on the family farm at the foothills of the Slieve Aughty mountains in Galway, Teresa Roche set up the premium Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese five years ago. A fourth generation dairy farmer, Teresa’s family have been farming their land for over 200 years.
Passionate about empowering women in agriculture and creating jobs in rural Ireland, Teresa is also an advocate for small businesses, and believes in the importance of educating the hospitality sector about Irish producers doing new, innovative and exciting things.
Here, we catch up with Teresa to chat about everything from her favourite local restaurants, culinary inspirations, and areas for improvement in the Irish foodie scene…
What are your earliest memories of food?
Eating at my grandmother’s house — she is making potato cakes and my mother is making brown bread.
How would you describe your relationship with food?
Our house has always been about food and nutrition — food has always been a healthy and positive part of our conversations and lifestyle.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
Spaghetti bolognese with lots of cheese on top was always a favourite.
How did food become a part of your career?
I was reared on a dairy farm and, as farmers, we are food producers. I have always had an interest in knowing where food comes from and I wanted to showcase this. Travelling the world and with interest in the agri farm food business, I thought it would be beneficial to our farm to diversify and add value using our raw material. In Ireland, we are producing the highest quality ingredient milk from our grass fed cows. I started my career as a nurse and began a cheese making business five years ago. It’s always been about education and showcasing our cheese with our farm shop/cheese tours, which have been a great add on to my business.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
Sourdough, poached eggs, spinach and bacon.
If you’re impressing…
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