A great charcuterie board starts with exceptional cheese. And in the mountains of western Wyoming, one small farm is producing handcrafted cheeses that bring both European tradition and local flavor to the table.
At Squire Farms in Star Valley, cheesemaker Suzanne Maté-Lécuyer blends French training with Wyoming ranch life to create distinctive cheeses that elevate everything from après-ski appetizers to elegant dinner parties. But Maté-Lécuyer’s journey to cheesemaking began far from Wyoming’s open landscapes.
From Paris to the Wyoming Range
Smoot, Wyoming may feel worlds away from Paris, but for Maté-Lécuyer the mountains of Wyoming were always the dream.
“I had wanted to be a cowgirl forever,” she said with a laugh. Raised by parents who owned a theater in the heart of Paris, she was encouraged from a young age to follow her passions.
At 18, she did exactly that. She traveled to Wyoming for a work exchange on a local ranch, quickly discovering she was happiest on horseback, working cattle beneath wide western skies. After that first summer, her journey took her to cheesemaking school in the French Alps. There, surrounded by centuries-old dairy traditions, she honed the craft that would eventually define her work.
“It was a good way to pay for my cow habit,” she said. “I love cows, and I’m an extreme foodie.”
The combination proved powerful. Between her love of cattle and her appreciation for exceptional food, cheesemaking quickly became a natural fit.
Eventually, she returned to Wyoming—the place that felt most like home.
“My passions in life are music, mountains, horse-riding and cows,” she said. When she realized that life in Star Valley allowed her to weave all of those passions together, “that was it for me.”
Building a Farm from the Ground Up
In 2018, Maté-Lécuyer launched Squire Farms with a handful of homemade jams.
“We made jam from anything we could get our hands on, foraging things from old ladies’ gardens and the like,” she recalled.
Those jams funded the farm’s first cow, Patti. Cheese made from Patti’s milk soon paid for another cow, Stacy, and the herd began to grow.
With a philosophy rooted firmly in sustainability, Maté-Lécuyer soon expanded the farm further. Mangalica pigs—a rare heritage breed from Hungary—were added to the farm to help ensure nothing went to waste.
“They’re the equivalent of Wagyu,” she explained. “Sixty percent of their body weight is fat, and their fat is marvelous.”
That exceptional fat eventually inspired another product line: small-batch cosmetics. Squire Farms now produces soaps, salves, lip balms and sunscreens crafted from the farm’s natural fats, ensuring every part of the animal is put to good use.
“We work too hard to raise these animals to let anything go to waste,” she said.
Meanwhile, the farm’s food offerings have continued to grow. Today Squire Farms produces grass-finished beef, pork, eggs, yogurt, raw milk and—of course—an expanding lineup of handcrafted cheeses.
The Secret to a Better Charcuterie Board
For anyone building an appetizer spread, locally crafted cheese can make all the difference.
Squire Farms cheeses bring a distinctive flavor to charcuterie boards thanks to grass-fed cow’s milk, small-batch production and Maté-Lécuyer’s Alpine training.
A few standout options include:
Le Petit Vachou
This delicate lactic cheese is crafted using a slow curding method that allows the milk’s natural bacteria to develop rich aromas and flavor. Often adorned with seasonal edible flowers such as pansies, chive blossoms or bachelor buttons, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Star Valley Tomme
Inspired by the classic Tomme de Savoie from the French Alps, this semi-soft raw milk cheese offers a nutty, earthy flavor profile that pairs beautifully with cured meats, crusty bread and fruit.
Cheese Curds
Crafted from a similar raw-milk process as the Tomme, Squire Farms’ cheese curds offer a playful, satisfying addition to any grazing board. With a springy texture and rich flavor, they’re an approachable favorite for gatherings.
Together, these cheeses create the kind of charcuterie board that feels both elevated and deeply connected to the local landscape.
A Taste of the Valley
For Maté-Lécuyer, Squire Farms represents more than a business. It’s a way of nourishing the community while honoring the land and animals that make the work possible.
“Eating the local food and using the local resources is what will create a strong body and mind that can thrive in our environment,” she said. “Like they say—you are what you eat.”
For anyone assembling their next appetizer spread, that philosophy might be the real secret ingredient.
