FRONTRUNNERS — Season 1, Episode 6: Japanese Cheese Trailblazer - Shibata Chiyo

Episode synopsis

In rural Chiba Prefecture, Shibata Chiyo runs a pioneering cheeseworks out of a 120-year-old farmhouse. Her focus is 100% local fermented cheeses, and just three years after launching in 2014, she became the first female cheesemaker to win a prestigious award from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, before going on to place third out of 3,804 entries in the 2019 World Cheese Awards. This time on FRONTRUNNERS, we follow a cheesemaker with a uniquely Japanese approach to fromage and sustainability.

About FRONTRUNNERS

FRONTRUNNERS highlights professionals at the very forefront of their field. We showcase their amazing work, discover their motivations, and learn about the challenges they face in the future.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Prosthetics Pioneer - Usui Fumio
• E2Kyoto Foraging Master - Nakahigashi Hisato
• E3Rope Rescue Expert - Hayashida Akihiro
• E4Children's Hospice Founder - Tagawa Hisato
• E5Vegan Washoku Chef - Kusumoto Katsumi
• E7Master Gardener - Kitayama Yasuo
• E8Helicopter Physician - Tsugita Nobuyuki
• E9Kyoto Kimono Dyer - Tabata Kihachi
• E10Thatching Innovator - Sagara Ikuya
• E11Pioneering Neurosurgeon - Kato Yoko