ACROSS THE BOARD

A pair of women-owned businesses bring charcuterie to the Commonwealth.

Written by Bridget Williams

Charcuterie is a French term first used in the 15th century to describe shops that soldproducts made from pork. While the concept is ancient, in the past 18 months, youmight have noticed a growing number of beautifully styled charcuterie boards on yourInstagram feed, part of the burgeoning genre of snack sculpture. Dedicated to this edibleart form, a pair of women-owned businesses— Cultured in Louisville and Fête Boards inLexington—have bravely opened shop amid the pandemic.

CULTURED 1007 East Main Street in Louisville / culturedcheeseshop.com

Photos courtesy of Cultured

It’s a cruel twist of fate when the opening of your charcuterie-focused restaurant, a dining concept centered around sharing, coincides with a pandemic that requires keeping our distance from one another. Despite the hurdles, Jessica Mattingly, proprietress of Cultured, located in the Butchertown block development, continues to adapt and make it work.

You could say that Jessica has a “cheesy” family history, rooted in the story of Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese, which was founded in 1998. In the mid-1970s, her grandfather Ken Mattingly, Sr., relocated his wife and seven children from Indianapolis to a 200-acre farm in Barren County, Kentucky to pursue his dream of becoming a dairy farmer. Just 19 at the time, his son Ken “Kenny,” Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps, putting in long, backbreaking hours on the farm. The family’s jump from dairy farmers to cheesemongers wasn’t an overnight transition, rather a long-haul commitment to a labor of love that continues its evolution to this day. As the cheese business was getting off of the ground, Jessica recalls her grandmother crisscrossing the Commonwealth, offering samples of their family’s wares to restaurateurs, patrons of farmer’s markets, and anyone who inquired about their mission. Growing up on a farm meant that Jessica’s childhood was defined by more work than play. Still, rather than bemoan the past, she credits it with instilling a strong work ethic that has carried her through present-day challenges.

Cultured is the culmination of a dream that is eight years in the making. Jessica, who has a background in the beauty industry, had initially planned to start a Louisville outpost of Kenny’s, where patrons could watch the cheese making process. When the logistics proved too challenging, she pivoted to the idea of a charcuterie restaurant, leaving the certainty of corporate job at Aveda for a roller coaster ride as a restaurateur. “It’s my way of expanding the family business and putting my own spin on it,” she explained.

Jessica relied on help from family and friends, particularly her sister Sarah, to convert the historic building into Cultured’s comfy confines. Walls were removed, and a spacious deck was added, the latter being a lifesaver when COVID restrictions forced dining to move outside. Jaclyn Journey of Journey and Jacobs Design Studio was tapped to put the finishing touches on the interior design.

Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese currently produces 30 different types of cheeses. A rotating selection of these, along with meats procured from Red Hog Artisan Meat, are the stars of Cultured’s creative charcuterie boards. A full bar allows Jessica to produce themed pairing events such as one highlighting Spanish wine. In-between leaving Aveda and opening Cultured, she worked with John Johnson, owner of The Wine Rack in Crescent Hill, to deepen her wine knowledge. She credits Johnson, along with Kelly Campbell, owner of Joseph’s Salon and Spa, and Jennifer Kaufman at Aveda, for serving as important business mentors.

Understanding the importance of family farms, a growing grocery section inside Cultured highlights not only her family’s cheeses but local producers of everything from honey to pumpkin butter, along with a beautiful selection of accouterments for assembling your own charcuterie boards at home.

Three months in, Jessica and her team have only known what it’s like to operate in a pandemic. “I have the best staff and couldn’t do it without them,” she explained.

FÊTE BOARDS feteboards.com

Photos by the Malicote Creative Company courtesy of Fête Boards.

Lauren Hardesty and Sara Gooden, co-founders of Fête Boards, had unique and diverse backgrounds before joining forces to launch the company in January 2020. Sara spent four years working as a business operations consultant in the tech industry and is a registered yoga teacher. Lauren has a background in fine arts and theatre is the co-owner of a fitness boutique, and handles communications for a local non-profit. “We loved the idea of combining two of our favorite things: cheese and art,” said Sara.

As the first custom charcuterie business in Lexington, the duo said they employed a lot of trial and error to get their operations just right. Sara explained that “It’s really cool being able to create something fun, original, and delicious all in one product.” Stringently focused on including fresh, local and in-season ingredients, they approach their charcuterie creations from the mindset of what they would like to see and enjoy on a board if they were hosting a get-together.

At the present time, delivery orders for standard small, large, and extra-large boards, presented on a biodegradable palm leaf platter, can be placed through their website. Customers also have the option to provide their own platter for a bespoke board. Mini boards, which serve 1-2, can be ordered for pickup inside Favor Kitchen (574 North Limestone).

In a year with no shortage of challenges, Sara and Lauren are quick to cite the support from one another and their customers for allowing them to roll with the punches. “Seeing people give our boards as gifts to loved ones and friends has really warmed our hearts,” said Sara. Lauren added, “We have some exciting new offerings & surprises coming up in 2021, so keep your eye on us!”