CFO, Reporting For Duty
If you had come to me a year ago and told me I’d spend nearly an entire month eating my way across five countries on three different continents, all in search of the world’s greatest ways to cook with Président® Feta cheese, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Even when I got the call to come on as Chief Feta Officer (CFO) for Président® Feta to do exactly that, I still barely did.
But in May 2026, that’s exactly what I found myself doing: standing on a street corner in Mexico City, ruining yet another shirt by biting into a taco and dripping salsa down the front of it; biking through the historic neighborhoods of Copenhagen, Lyon, and Athens with my eyes peeled for the next great market or restaurant; and getting happily, hopelessly lost in the alleyways of Marrakesh, following my senses from stall to stall.
I’m excited to share a glimpse of that journey, along with the stories, flavors, and recipes that came out of it, and a newfound appreciation for all the ways Président® Feta can shine in kitchens around the world.
Mexico — Where Street Food Comes Alive
Mexico City is best experienced with a sturdy pair of hiking shoes, a pocket crammed with crumpled pesos, a big tube of SPF 70, and a willingness to eat anything and everything you walk past that smells too good to ignore.
You could spend a week there, not eat a single meal in a brick-and-mortar restaurant, and still go home feeling like you’ve had some of the best food in the world.
I wandered from neighborhood to neighborhood with no real plan beyond walking, eating, and repeating. One block would be lined with taco stands and freshly pressed tortillas, another with juice carts and fruit cups piled high, topped with salt and chile flakes. But I kept coming back to esquites.
Fresh corn is simmered, shaved off the cob, and served in a cup with lime, salsa, mayo, and a salty aged cheese called cotija. It’s creamy, sweet, smoky, and addictive.
My version adds crisp vegetables and a smoky paprika-lime dressing, but the key swap is Président® Feta in place of the traditional cotija cheese. The feta provides the same salty, rich backbone, but with a brighter tang and a creamier finish that takes the salad to a whole new level.
Recipe: Smoky Summer Street Corn with Président® Feta Crumbles
Denmark — Pedaling Through Pure Simplicity
While Mexico was best explored on foot, Copenhagen is a city you want to move through on two wheels with a nerdy helmet strapped on, fully surrendering to a week of bad hair days. It’s worth it for the food.
In Copenhagen, bicycles are a dominant part of daily life, often outnumbering cars on the streets, and the entire rhythm of the city feels slower and calmer as a result, a rhythm that I swear is reflected in the food.
All of my meals there were simple and built around a few good-quality ingredients that spoke for themselves: rolls made with locally milled flour topped with fresh butter and cheese, smoked fish garnished with fresh herbs and red onion, and thick sausages served simply on wax paper with a smear of mustard.
That rhythm became the foundation for my Scandinavian-inspired Feta Potatoes. Baby potatoes dressed simply, then tossed with fresh herbs and plenty of Président® Feta to add a creamy, rich saltiness that ties everything together.
Greece — A Table Steeped in History
Athens has a funny way of making civilization-shaping history feel borderline casual. I’d spend the morning reading over an espresso, then find myself at a crowded taverna for lunch, elbow to elbow with strangers eating grilled fish and drinking wine. In between, I’d glance up and see some of the most important ruins in human history sitting right there in the background, like they were just a normal part of the neighborhood.
As impressive as the history was, my favorite moments were around the table. The best meals weren’t found through internet lists, but in family-run tavernas I stumbled into while wandering with no real plan. One night it was charred octopus with lemon, the next a late-night plate of souvlaki on the street.
The dish that stuck with me most was also one of the simplest: saganaki. Lightly dredged, pan-fried cheese served with a squeeze of lemon and fresh tomato, it really captured the simple elegance of Mediterranean cooking.
For my version, thick slabs of Président® Feta are coated in sesame seeds and pan-fried until crisp and golden on the outside, while staying creamy and semi-firm in the center. Finished with a drizzle of thick honey, it’s a dish that’s all about contrast: a crispy, nutty, sweet shell with a creamy, salty interior.
France — The Art of French Comfort
From the second I stepped off the train and walked into the first convenience store I could find to grab a quick jet-lagged bite, it was clear the food in Lyon was on an entirely different level than any other city I had been to. Next to potato chips, toothpaste, and cold medicine was fresh baked bread, raw milk cheese, and tomatoes that tasted like they were picked that morning.
I spent my afternoons strolling along the Rhône River, ducking into bakeries and small cafés, eating my way through pastries, tarts, and bread still warm from the oven topped with local cheese and charcuterie, then washing it all down with local wine.
I was in heaven every day and knew I’d have to make a play on tarte à l’oignon, the onion tart that stood out most to me, for this city’s recipe.
Président® Feta is whipped with fresh herbs and lemon zest, then spread over flaky puff pastry and topped with caramelized onions and ham. It comes out rich, savory, and perfectly balanced between creamy, sweet, and salty.
Morocco — Lost in a World of Spice
Entering the narrow, crowded alleys of Marrakesh for the first time is a lot like going to the beach in June. You know the water is going to be cold and overwhelming, but the hardest part is just jumping in. Once you’re in, you acclimate and can’t help but have the biggest smile on your face.
The Medina (the historic city center) is a maze of artists, leather workers, spice stalls, and tiny restaurants packed into twisting corridors that wind and fold in on themselves as mopeds fly past within inches of your face. Everything feels warm, intimidating, alive, and overstimulating in a way that’s hard to fully describe until you’re standing in it.
Around every corner I’d stumble on something incredible: tagines simmering in clay pots, thick chickpea and lentil stews heavily spiced with cumin, and bread pulled fresh from ovens hidden in the walls.
These stops became the inspiration for my Moroccan recipe. Chickpeas are simmered in warm spices and aromatics, then creamy chunks of Président® Feta are folded in at the end to melt into the broth. Served with crusty bread, it’s rich, spiced, and brings together the bold flavors and sense of adventure that inspired it.
Recipe: Moroccan Harissa Chickpeas with Melty Président® Feta
CFO Signing Off
The opportunity to take a trip like this truly only comes around once in a lifetime, and it completely changed the way I think about the food, culture, and the connections that bring people together around the table. I’ll be forever grateful to Président® Feta for sending me out to explore and come back with all of these stories, memories, and most importantly, recipes. Whether you’re looking to try something new or bring a taste of these destinations into your kitchen, I hope these recipes inspire your next meal.