Back in the summer of 1984, Keith wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life. He did know he wanted to be a “Yoda” at something. He wound up coming on board at V. Sattui as a cashier, but that role didn’t last long as his passion for curds quickly catapulted him into a self-proclaimed “Cheeses Freak.” Today, his knowledge of cheese has him well on his way to Jedi status.

When he first started at the winery, he was surprised how much he enjoyed working in such a people-crowded environment, one that he calls “family-friendly, dynamic, and not snobby… There is always something to do.” Easygoing by nature, his main demand of his employees is “keeping the cheese case bountiful and those ugly cheese tags face down in the display case.” Keith has educated hundreds of employees on the history and appreciation of cheese in his 30 plus years as cheesemonger and thousands more who’ve visited the V. Sattui Deli featuring over 200 cheeses from around the world.

Born in Berkeley and raised in Southern California, in his youth he was a golf nut and a comic book fanatic (even making his own comics). He had a stint as a video game tester and today loves playing board games with friends and paired with wine. He lives in Napa, where he’s a bass guitar player in a local band.