Michele Buster, Forever Cheese

Did you know that New York City has the highest number of women entrepreneurs in our neighborhoods? According to New York City Small Business Services, women across the five boroughs employ over 190,000 people and generate approximately $50 billion in sales. This month, we’re proud to present our annual Women’s issue—dedicated to all the innovative women chefs, food entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, bakers, mixologists and more who help feed the borough everyday.

Coinciding with the print issue (you’ll be able topick up a copysoon!), every weekday throughout the month of May, we’re featuring a different Queens woman in the food industry. From Flushing’s dumpling maestro Helen You, to Long Island City’s Brazilian baker, Daniela Martins-Schwarzbauer and Last Dragon Pizza’s Nicole Russell in Rockaway, each woman reflects the diverse and independent spirit of Queens. Oh, and did we mention that our woman-owned magazine produced this women’s issue with a team of all-women writers, photographers, illustrators, designers and editors (save for our photo editor, Ed Lefkowicz)? No big deal.

---

Michele Buster, Forever Cheese

Talk about a true dairy queen. While her pathway into the wild and wonderful world of cheese may not have been straightforward—before assessing pressed curds, she had a career as a pro tennis and golf communications director—Michele Buster certainly found her way to the top of the food chain.

After moving to Queens with partner-to-be, Pierluigi Sini (who comes from a family of sheep’s-milk table cheese producers), she agreed to help market his products to the best specialty foods stores in the United States if he’d teach her everything about cheese. The exchange proved a mutual success, as not only didGenuine Fulvi Pecorino Romanomake its way to the United States, it inspired Buster to open her very own shop in Long Island City. She’s used her savvy to establish永远的奶酪as a go-to spot for Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Croatian cheeses—together with fig cakes, honey, vinegars, oils and preserves—from notable makers throughout the world.

永远的奶酪|@forevercheeseco