Cheesemaker's brush with fame

Little White Goat Cheese owner Karen Lindsay had her brush with TV fame after appearing on Gordan Ramsay’s Food Stars.

The Wamuran local says she was encouraged to apply for the show.

“The Food and Agribusiness Network actually put my name forward as Endemol Shine (Australia) reached out to them first,” she says.

“I then received a phone call which I thought was a hoax at first; and it went from there.”

The search for candidates was Australia-wide, with about 8000 people applying. Of the 8000, Karen was one of 34 people to meet with Gordan Ramsay and Janine Allis.

“From there, (we were) flown to Melbourne to try out for the final on-air interview with Gordon Ramsay and Janine Allis. Fourteen of us were chosen for the show,” Karen explains.

Karen’s business, Little White Goat Cheese, pivoted during COVID-19.

“During COVID all my restaurants, cafes and food businesses I supplied shut down. My goats were still milking, so I had to keep making cheese," she says.

"I had a friend who owned a freeze dry facility, and she suggested I try to freeze dry the feta. Well, it was a huge success from the first batch."

Karen’s product and entrepreneurial spirit was the perfect match for a show such as Food Stars, where Gordan and Janine were looking to mentor and invest $250,000 into a chosen business.

While Karen was eliminated, she says she has learned plenty of valuable lessons from being on the show.

“I learnt a lot about marketing, but most of all I was true to myself and kept my self-respect,” she says.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. It completely put me outside my comfort zone…the most important thing I learnt was that I will never compromise my integrity or my values to get ahead in the business.

“One of the biggest highlights for me was running around the streets of Melbourne in a gorilla suit banging on a drum and blowing a whistle for the Cadbury episode. It was pouring rain, and the day was about 13 hours long. But this old gal did it!”

The goat cheese connoisseur is currently working on a children’s book and has also started another business using art she has created.

For more information about Little White Goat Cheese, visit the website.