WeTalk with Tosca Olivi: Shaking Up The Food Industry
WeTalk. Pop Culture. Swiss-Made is a social media campaign of the Embassy of Switzerland in the United States. WeTalk promotes the diversity of Swiss culture and innovation by featuring prominent Swiss stakeholders from these fields. Sharing perspectives from artists, athletes and entrepreneurs, WeTalk provides its audience with fascinating insights into the diversity of contemporary Swiss culture. Watch Tosca’s 1-min WeTalk interview here!
At the age of just 24, Tosca Olivi has found her calling in the hospitality and culinary world. After graduating from the esteemed Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) in February 2020, the Swiss-born, American-Italian entrepreneur is turning Swiss cheese on its head.
In 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit and a semi-lockdown was introduced in Switzerland, Tosca co-founded “Nucheese,” an artisan, plant-based cheese company based in her hometown, Geneva. The goal of the company is to democratize plant-based food by producing dairy-free products for everyone to enjoy, including vegans, vegetarians, people with allergies or intolerances, or anyone simply wanting to reduce their dairy intake. Tosca and Adrien Maestro, the two co-founders and CEOs, started producing their cheese alternative from their home kitchen in June 2020. Fast forward to May 2021 and a dozen Swiss restaurants now use Nucheese in their recipes, there are two shops in Geneva selling Nucheese, along with two other points of sale in Lausanne, and an online shop is on the way.
How did it all start? During her hospitality studies, Tosca became friends with a professional ice skater who was following a vegan diet. This challenged her perception of a plant-based diet, as she didn’t think it would necessarily be compatible with such a life-style, so she decided to give it a try. She has been a vegan ever since and that life-style change also impacted her career path in a big way.
To get to know Tosca a bit better, the Embassy recently sat down with the energetic Swiss cheese maker, recipe developer, and entrepreneur over video chat to talk about the changes she would like to see in the food industry, her transition to a plant-based diet, and her passion for creating and sharing recipes.
Embassy: As a student, you had to travel to complete internships in the hospitality industry. Where did you go and how did these experiences shape your perception of the food industry?
Tosca: For my second internship, I went to New York City and worked as the assistant to the food and beverage director of a trendy restaurant in Soho. Living in such a huge city and witnessing first-hand what was happening behind the scenes at a restaurant, really shaped my perception of how our food industry and system lacks transparency along the whole supply-chain in terms of environmental impact, waste and overconsumption.
Embassy: How did these experiences impact your own cooking habits?
Tosca: I was already vegan by the time I arrived in New York City, but it definitely got me thinking a lot about how I could contribute in a positive way. By taking up a plant-based diet, I really wanted to make more conscious choices and help others do the same.
Embassy: Tell us about your motivations for transitioning to a plant-based diet.
Tosca: When I was studying at EHL, I met someone, now a close friend, who had been vegan since she was eleven and was competing as a professional ice-skater. I always wondered how it was possible to be a high-performing athlete and to follow a vegan diet at the same time. I did my research, asked my doctors and came to the conclusion that there was no need to eat animal protein in our current society. Health was my first concern, but then I also realized how much of a positive impact I could have on the environment and animal welfare by simply cutting out certain types of food from my diet.
Embassy: You created “Nucheese” and developed this new business during the pandemic. What inspired you to create this company?
Tosca: During the very first lockdown in Switzerland, I was living in the mountains with Adrien, my co-founder. We both love cooking and creating and sharing new recipes with each other (we’re super competitive!). He’s not vegan and loves cheese, and, one day, he challenged me to create a vegan cheese that he would love as much as regular cheese. And that’s where it all started.
Embassy: Switzerland is renowned worldwide for its cheeses. What challenges did you face when you proposed your innovative non-dairy cheese to restaurants and customers in Switzerland?
Tosca: At first, we really faced many questions and much scepticism from non-vegan restaurants. However, people in Switzerland are starting to understand the need to embrace different diets and slowly start to offer a more environmentally friendly menu. There should be options for everyone, and our cheese offers just that for anyone who wants to enjoy the pleasure of eating Swiss cheese without the diary.
Embassy: You have American origins. Did that influence your entrepreneurial spirit in some way?
Tosca: I don’t know if being American has much to do with being an entrepreneur and I don’t think I was “born to be an entrepreneur.” I’m quite shy, discrete, and introverted. But I grew up in a family that always encouraged me to do what made me happy. I guess my multi-cultural background just gave me that extra push to be more aware of the world we live in and try to take action to change it for the better.
Embassy: What other kind of company could you imagine yourself creating in the coming years?
Tosca: I always have many business ideas going through my head (some more relevant than others!). I keep a little notebook where I write them down, just in case. I think the most recent ones were creating a line of facial creams, body scrubs, and make up with recycled coffee grounds (including packaging); selling frozen sourdough to make your own natural bread at home (re-learn an ancient skill); or making art from waste (plastic, food, etc.) with earnings going to environmental initiatives such as ocean and animal conservation.
Embassy: What’s next for you? Share your (big, big) dreams with us.
Tosca: I really wish that our world would come to realize that the environment is no longer a “trend” but rather at the forefront of everything we do. Also, I hope people would understand that every little effort counts for the preservation of our planet. I have both a utopian and dystopian vision of the future and I don’t know which one will take over eventually. My big, big, dream is to be part of positive changes in this world and to witness a drastic shift in the way we, collectively, as humans, live. What I mean by “positive changes” is living and consuming in a way that does not compromise the wellbeing of future generations.
Find more about Nucheese, and make sure to discover Tosca’s vegan recipes !
