Artisan cheesemaking in Munich: Tradition meets innovation

[Translate to Englisch:] © Münchner Käse Manufaktur
In their glass cheese dairy in Bogenhausen and at their stand in Viktualienmarkt, visitors can experience first-hand how real artisan cheese is made. We met up with Sebastian, one of the founders, and asked him a few questions. Find out below what makes the manufactory so special, what projects are planned for the future and how you too can experience handmade cheese up close.
Sebastian, thank you for your time. Münchner Käse Manufaktur wants to bring artisan cheese back to the city. What was your motivation and how would you like to achieve your goal?
We have noticed that many people have lost touch with food. Cheese usually comes shrink-wrapped from the supermarket; very few people think about what lies behind it and how quality and goodness can vary. In our glass cheese dairy in Bogenhausen, we want to show how really good cheese is made by hand. Visitors can see the techniques and creativity that go into the manual production of exceptional cheese. We also attach great importance to the quality and freshness of the raw materials and pay attention to short delivery routes and regionality. We therefore source the organic hay milk for our cheese from the Nirschlhof farm in Grafing near Munich, a family-run business with mother-based calf rearing.
Like the Platzl, you combine a sense of tradition with innovation. How do you manage this balancing act in cheese production?
The cheese craft may be old, but we still see a lot of potential for something new. Our innovations are always based on traditional cheeses, but we interpret them in our own unique way. The best example is our Isarbazi. Basically, this is a cheese with a washed rind, whose typical flavor we retain. At the same time, however, we make the cheese particularly smooth and creamy.
On the one hand, you supply upmarket restaurants, but on the other, you are also close to the end customer. Why did you decide on a Viktualienmarkt stand?
The Viktualienmarkt is the heart of Munich's delicatessen culture. Here we can bring our artisan cheese specialties directly to the people who will ultimately enjoy them. The personal contact is priceless - be it when we give advice or when we tell the story behind our products. We reach a diverse target group here: from gourmets and tourists to people who value regional, artisan products.
We can confirm that your cheese tastes very different. But that's not all, you also offer different cheese experiences. Can you tell us something about that too?
In our “transparent cheese dairy”, interested parties can observe the production process every day. They can see first-hand and transparently what craftsmanship is involved, which ingredients are used and how the maturing process works.
Our cheese and wine tasting is even more exciting: participants make their own cheese in the copper kettle and enjoy a tasting of a variety of cheese specialties from our manufactory and selected wines during the rest periods. We also offer these experiences as team events or company celebrations. The company that books such an event with us does not have to have anything to do with cheese itself :)
Last question: What will the year 2025 bring for you?
2025 will be an exciting year. We are expanding our range to include matured cheeses from our cheese cellar. We are also particularly pleased about cooperations with tradition-conscious partners such as the Platzl Hotel, who, like us, value quality and regional products. Together, we want to further raise awareness of artisan cheese.