About

At Perrystead Dairy, we are on a mission to create American original cheeses that captivate the senses and push the boundaries of what cheese can be. Since opening in 2021, our cheeses have garnered 16 international awards and earned their place in the finest restaurants and purveyors across the country. Each cheese is a testament to meticulous attention to detail, daring experimentation, and a bold expression of flavor that reflects both the richness of our local farmland, our urban Philadelphia landscape, and the dynamic diversity of the American melting pot.

This is a journey and we are so happy to have you on this rise as we look forward to where it leads next.

A Chain of Goodness

The path that connects the soil to what nourishes our bodies can take many forms, but to carve a path that is both sustainable and uncompromising, we follow a Chain of Goodness:

It begins with healthy, well-tended soil, leading to stronger crops that nourish happier, healthier animals. These animals, in turn, produce exceptional milk, for which we reward farmers with sustainable premiums. We then transform this milk into cheese within our urban community, ensuring that our retail and hospitality partners receive its added value. The chain culminates with consumers who experience not only the flavors of our cheese but the joy and nourishment it brings.

Every link, from soil to bite, must gain something—if not, the chain is broken.

This philosophy has earned us the Slow Food Snail of Approval, recognizing Perrystead as a Slow Food company committed to sustainable methods, biodiversity, and building food traditions.

Cheese has been with humanity since the moment the vessel was invented, evolving alongside us for thousands of years, always interpreting natural surroundings and human circumstances into an endless variety of products. These cheeses, while wildly different, are all bound by a single idea: separate the whey from the curds, collect the curds, and discard the whey.

For cheesemakers, milk is a blank canvas, and cultures are the painter’s palette—an invitation to create whatever imagination and technique can inspire.

Yet here we are, in 21st-century America, a land of renewal and innovation, flooded with cheese styles rooted in other places, other people, and other times. With a clean canvas and a full palette, we’re not interested in replicating the Mona Lisa—we aim to paint something that speaks to our time, our people, and our place in history. Drawing from the elements of our soil, flora, maritime influences, and seasons, we blend cultural inspirations with traditional techniques that honor the diverse origins of our American melting pot.

In truth, using one’s natural surroundings and circumstances to innovate is neither unique nor American. It’s the most traditional form of cheesemaking. But what we choose to paint with those tools—that’s the real story.

For over 18 years, Yoav Perry has been devoted to mastering the art and science of cheesemaking. Humorously dubbed the "Renegade Cheesemaker" by Culture Magazine and "Cheese Savant" by The Inquirer, Yoav’s expertise in bacterial cultures and aging methods has influenced cheesemakers around the globe. He previously led a company supplying and consulting for small artisan dairies in over 30 countries and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Food & Wine, Daily Mail, The Oxford Companion to Cheese, and other publications

His vision is embodied in the precision, care, and deep understanding of flavor that guide every Perrystead cheese. After relocating from New York to Philadelphia, Yoav transformed his obsessive pursuit of defining American originals into an urban creamery, where he continues to explore the promise of unapologetic cheesemaking—original, respectful of nature, animals, and people, unmistakably American, and, above all, delicious.