Cover story: THE BIG CHEESE

Three decades of Bhanuprasad Rao’s Lordship Lane institution

Interview by Cara Cummings

Photos by Hakob Muradyan

Bhanuprasad Rao has run East Dulwich institution The Cheese Block at 69 Lordship Lane since it opened its doors in 1991. The deli stocks specialty European and British produce and hundreds - yes, hundreds - of cheeses from around the world, many handpicked by Bhanuprasad himself.

I’ve been in the food business for most of my life. I started The Cheese Block because I wanted to open something different. I used to live in Manchester; my uncle worked in one of the offices on Lordship Lane and saw that one of the businesses was going for sale. He told my father that this was the right place for me to come. My family actually has two businesses on Lordship Lane - the other one is SMBS Foods at number 75.

We opened that in September, 1978, and we’re still a family business involving five members from several generations. I went into business initially with my brother and it’s never been difficult; we’ve been brought up together and we carry on like that.

We stock 270-300 different cheeses from across the European belt and the UK. The belt starts from Holland and France, and covers Spain, Italy, Switzerland and some Greek products; with the UK, we look for specialty cheese. We also have high quality snacks, breads, chutneys, jams, olives and olive oil and charcuterie. That’s always been very popular; it’s the perfect match for cheese. It’s hard to pick my favourite cheese - if I went through the list, we’d be here all day!

I gorge on cheese when I find one that I love. Many of our cheeses are well known but we try to source unexpected or different products that people might not be aware of. That process has been going on for many years. If you have a really good knowledge about your products, you can make a food business better and better; it just evolves.

Business isn’t about buying and selling, it’s about trying to find quality products to bring to people. For me, it’s become a way of life. Thirty years ago there were offices, workshops, everything you can imagine on Lordship Lane. Now, it’s mostly residential around here - but that means you get to know everyone in the area. And everyone knows you!

We have people who’ve been coming in since 1991, when we opened. Then the next generation, and even the one after that starts to know you too. I have wonderful memories from the last 30 years. They happen every week. The best are compliments from customers, when they come and love the shop. That’s why I carry on.