ON OCTOBER 9th THE FOOD WORLD LOST A TRUE GEM ...
Anne Saxelby, proprietor of Saxelby Cheesemongers in New York City, didn't wake up from her sleep. She was 40 years old. This seems unbelievable, given that Anne was the type of human whose vibrant energy made you feel more grounded, more present, more special, and more alive with each and every interaction, no matter how many years came between them.
Everyone who has an Anne story feels this loss, because it is impossible to have met her and not love and appreciate her and the work that she did.
I had the pleasure of meeting Anne when we were both in our mid-20's. I was working at Murray's Cheese, where she had worked just a few years earlier, before opening up her own artisan cheese shop.
Saxelby Cheesemongers is still going strong today on Anne's foundations, focusing exclusively on American artisan cheese. This is not from some arbitrary sense of purity, but rather a way to express enthusiasm and reverence for small stateside producers and help a growing community of food producers thrive. Anne was and is the ultimate champion.
Her original 100 square foot stall in the Essex Market was small in footprint but occupied a disproportionate amount of space in so many people's hearts and minds. She modeled that hard work and a lot of care could make a real difference.
Good Food Jobs owes a debt of gratitude to Anne. Our interactions with her and her business provided proof that young women could open enterprises that would enhance and uplift sustainable food businesses.
Even more, in a cut-throat landscape like New York City, Anne proved that you didn't have to be an asshole to assert your excellence. She provided an alternative to a patriarchal model of business that was (and is) sorely needed.
If you have an Anne story to share, reach out to Heritage Radio Network who is working on an audio tribute to her and / or consider contributing to the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund, created to provide training opportunities to financially distressed teenagers and young adults. Funds raised will allow youth to apprentice in sustainable systems and agriculture, domestically and abroad, the way Anne did. These opportunities can enable youth participants to return home and have the same impact on their communities that Anne had in hers. We can't imagine a more fitting tribute to Anne and her lasting legacy.
We will miss Anne, and we grieve alongside any and all that are lucky enough to know her - most especially her family at work and at home.
With love and deep admiration,
Tay + Dor
photo taken at Saxelby Cheesemongers by Christine Han
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