The master

This week we have the luxury of hosting a great cheese master at our Coliving in the Pasiegos valleys, an honorary member of the Basque Gastronomy Brotherhood, and one of the most recognized professionals in the world of cheese. Alfonso Zamora continues to enjoy his passion at 82 years old, creating a new cheese at a European level. In his long career, he has had relationships with some of the best chefs in Spain, such as Andoni Luis Aduriz, Martín Berasategi, Juan Mari Arzak or Ferrán Adriá.

Alfonso has been with us for three days thanks to our friend Tomás Pérez from 3 Valles Pasiegos, a master of the art of cheese. Tomás is an inspiration to us, we admire his career and courage, as well as the values ​​transmitted by the company where he works with his daughter. These intergenerational connections and having these great masters around our projects is a gift.

Last night we talked with Alfonso at length over some cheese and wine, and I was surprised by his curiosity, his desire to share with young people to have a gauge of today’s society, I was also surprised by his positive view of youth and his desire to know more.

You can’t know everything and know more than anyone else about everything. Alfonso Zamora

Alfonso shared his professional career with us, where he surprised me when he showed up at a dairy factory in France, with his suitcase to stay and thus get his first important job. His story allowed us to understand where he makes decisions and how he has directed his career, sometimes giving up very important job offers, such as a position as High Commissioner for the FAO. It is worth highlighting his unconditional love for his travel companion Maite, his wife who passed away last year, but who has undoubtedly supported him in all his business adventures, moves and child-rearing, sweet and bitter moments of life, over more than 60 years. She was the pillow with whom to consult decisions, the intuition to listen to and Alfonso laughed when confessing that he has always acted on trust, and how he had to agree with his wife many times after a relationship went wrong because he did not listen to her.

Our coliver from Finland took the opportunity to record the interview and our friend from Zaragoza to ask questions about his career, other more personal questions and exciting moments also came up. A couple of hours went by without us realizing it and we enjoyed every anecdote.

I could have gone further, but I do not like showbiz. Alfonso Zamora

Alfonso radiates energy, listening to him talk is a joy, he goes off on a tangent like anyone else and apologizes profusely, he comments on details that demonstrate his values ​​and how his character has been hardened. His vocation for the primary sector and dairy products stands out, as well as his perseverance, his love for the profession and desire to explore new products. He has held executive positions without losing his real friendship with the people who helped him in his day-to-day life. He speaks with true camaraderie about the person who was his driver and who became a lifelong friend, after so many weekly trips, he had to hire him because he had an accident when he fell asleep at the wheel. He also speaks about the woman who helped raise his two daughters.

When I ask him if he regrets anything, he says no, and after thinking about it for a few seconds, he says that he regrets not having helped more, not having been more supportive. He also mentions that he regrets not having had more friends like his driver and his daughters’ caregiver, with whom he still keeps in touch despite the passing of the years. He traveled with them, shared a house, restaurant and hotel, he always treated them as members of his family, something out of the norm from my point of view.

Yesterday we organized a silent meditation space, where some rural leaders from Cantabria came to get to know each other a little better and explore ways to collaborate. Alfonso joined the dinner and enjoyed the conversation very much. Today he reminded me of it again in the morning and thanked me for the hospitality and the invitation to share with young people from the region. He is already going back to the Ayala Valley, he says he will return and we said goodbye with a see you soon as if we had known each other all our lives, because that is the feeling I got, that we were old friends.

And you… Do you enjoy talking with people who love their work?