Cheese shows up everywhere in professional kitchens, but for these chefs, it’s also something deeply personal.
It’s an ingredient that shapes how they cook, stock their kitchens, and think about flavor. We asked Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza, Frankie Guerrero of Sandough, and Shane Lyons of Vesti to share the cheese they can’t live without.
From aged Alpine wheels to everyday staples and endlessly adaptable sheep’s milk cheese, their choices reveal just how much range a single ingredient can have in the hands of a talented chef.
Nancy Silverton – Aged Gruyère or Comté
Nancy Silverton is the chef and co-founder of Osteria Mozza, widely recognized for her precise, ingredient-driven cooking style rooted in Italian tradition.
When Secret LA inquired after her favorite cheese, she pointed to aged, deeply flavorful varieties that can effortlessly anchor almost any dish.
“If I had to pick one, I think I might pick an aged Gruyère or a Comté because it’s so good in everything, like with eggs. It makes the perfect grilled cheese sandwich,” she said, highlighting how both cheeses bring richness, meltability, and complexity without needing much else.
Frankie Guerrero – Parmigiano Reggiano
Frankie Guerrero is the founder of Sandough, where he’s built a reputation for a playful but highly ingredient-focused approach to baking, grounded in comfort and craft. When the conversation with Secret LA turns to cheese, he gets especially animated about one cheese in particular – Parmigiano Reggiano.
“My favorite cheese is always gonna be Parmesan Reggiano,” he said. “Anybody that knows me knows how much I spend on Parmesan Reggiano a week. It’s ridiculous.”
For him, it’s less a specialty ingredient and more a constant presence. Something he buys in bulk, keeps stocked at all times, and treats almost like a daily essential. He talks about picking up blocks from places like Whole Foods, sometimes going overboard just to make sure he’s never without it.
“There was one time I had like $150 of those blocks,” he said, laughing, “plus some Pecorino, goat cheese, mascarpone – just a bunch of different cheeses – but Parmesan Reggiano always came here for me, at least.”
Shane Lyons – Pecorino Romano
Shane Lyons is a chef at Vesti known for his creative approach to modern American cuisine and his skill with layering flavor in unexpected ways. When we asked him about his go-to cheese, he didn’t hesitate to talk about Pecorino Romano.
“I love Pecorino Romano, sheep’s milk, like aged, because you can bake it, you can fry it, you can make it very creamy… It has total versatility.”
For him, it’s all about pushing that single cheese across multiple textures and techniques. “I like cheese on cheese on cheese,” he said, describing how he’ll take the same Pecorino and transform it into a mornay, then turn it into a frico, and even a gruyere-style cheese puff.
“So when you eat it, it’s three different versions of the same cheese, but in three different expressions,” he explained.
A versatile ingredient
Each chef showcases a different way of thinking about cheese as both a staple and a source of inspiration. Whether melted, grated, baked, or enjoyed on its own, these chefs’ favorites are a reminder that few ingredients are as versatile – or as beloved – as cheese.
