Meet Melanie Flint | Owner, Cheese Lover

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melanie Flint and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melanie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think a big part of our success has to do with accessibility. It’s really important to us to be able to provide a product that will really make someone’s day and to make sure that they know they are worthy and deserving of something as special as they are. Charcuterie has a place on every hip & fancy restaurant menu, but we wanted to cultivate the idea of presentation without pretension and make sure that people know they can get an amazing product delivered to them at any time and for any occasion. During the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, takeout & delivery options were very limited- especially for people living in the suburbs. Cheese Meat Board launched smaller portioned products, expanded our delivery area, and reduced the amount of lead time needed for folks to place an order. We were. able to make a big impact on people’s at home date-nights and zoom happy hours, not mention that a grazing box delivery from Cheese Meat Board makes a really special gift for your loved ones whether it’s a quarantine birthday or just a “thinking of you”. Being able to pivot our focus, listen to and anticipate our customers’ needs, and take actions to give the people what they want has really been the driving factor being the success we’ve had so far.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Cheese Meat Board is Denver’s original grazing box delivery service specializing in handcrafted charcuterie boxes & boards featuring cured meats, gourmet cheeses, and delectable accoutrements. We offer convenient online ordering, next day delivery, an expansive menu that also caters to dietary restrictions, and an incredibly fresh & beautiful presentation without the pretension. I consider myself a hospitality “lifer”, I’ve worked in the industry in almost every capacity for over 20 years. Cheese Meat Board was inspired by the Australian & European “grazing” trend after I recognized a gap in the catering industry between “full-service catering” and increased requests for a want of more of a relaxed dining style and experience that would also elevate a social feed. I initially thought the majority of the business would be producing gigantic grazing tables for big events, but after the pandemic hit we had to pivot our services to accommodate smaller portion sizes and safe social distancing so we launched smaller sized grazing boxes & boards, charcuterie cones for socially distant hand-held snacking and even offered virtual workshops and pairing events. While I can’t wait to be able to create gorgeous charcuterie tablescapes again, I’m also so pleased to see that our Two-Person grazing boxes are quickly becoming a top-tier choice for gift giving! Owning and operating a small business is a constant learning experience that you get through with perseverance and sometimes a lot of luck. I’m so grateful that our team gets to continue to do work we love and bring joy to so many people during these unprecedented times.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many fun parts of town, we’d have to hit up a different neighborhood each day! We would definitely be spending time in RINO checking out street art and trying every craft beer the multiple breweries have to offer. While we’re there we’ll stop over at Voicebox for a bit of karaoke, then snack on a little bit of everything at the Denver Central Market (including cheese from Culture Meat & Cheese!). Hopefully we can catch a show at Larimer Lounge and then nightcap at Pon Pon for an eclectic end to the evening. Another day we’d hit up the South Broadway vintage shops and pick up some funky stuff from Hope Tank. After grabbing a massive slice at Atomic Cowboy we’d go get coconut mai-tais at Adrift. I would take them to City Park and to check out the Brown Palace in all it’s historic glory, but mostly we’d be eating: Linger, Little Man, Osteria Marco, The Universal, Ace, & Steuben’s top my list.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve been so fortunate to have so many cheerleaders along this journey, the most important of which is my very loving, supportive, and encouraging partner. He has helped me navigate starting this business and keeps me grounded when everything seems overwhelming. My sister-in-law Castle Searcy deserves the biggest shoutout I could ever give! Not only does she let me bounce ideas off her and pick her brain at all hours, she’s been incredibly helpful with design elements, and absolutely invaluable by sharing our stuff on all her social platforms and with her large network of friends, colleagues, and associates. I’ve had and continue to have so many wonderful opportunities thanks to her.

Website: https://www.cheesemeatboard.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheesemeatboard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheesemeatboard