As much as the deliciousness it holds, if you have ever taken a close look at a cheese board, it may have struck you as a beautiful work of art. Slices of fruit, slabs of cheese, little slivers of meat rolled and folded to resemble roses… arranged like pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly!
For Ann Mary Thomas and Paul George, founders of The Boardery in Kochi, putting together such a board is an exercise in creativity. Ever since the couple launched their venture, four months ago, orders have kept coming, and they are delighted by the response.
Ann Mary Thomas and Paul George at work
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Special Arrangement
Inspired by the global grazing culture
Ann and Paul curate charcuterie boards, platters and grazing tables, a project driven entirely by passion, says Ann. “Neither of us has a degree in food, but we were very inspired by the European and West Asian tradition of sharing small plates and that gradually grew into a business idea,” says Ann, who has a teaching background (she was assistant professor, Communicative English at St Teresa’s College) and Paul was involved with humanitarian aid, working with refugees and conflict-affected people in Jordan.
On their return to Kochi last year, the couple decided to follow their hearts and launched their artisanal charcuterie studio. “We spent over two months on research, reading up on every single cheese we had heard of, understanding pairings and following the experts. We had been on a short trip to Italy and had the opportunity to taste some of the finest cheeses and cured meats. We wanted to curate our own cheese boards here in our hometown,” says Paul.
A cheese platter
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What goes into a charcuterie board
Charcuterie is defined as a culinary art of assembling a variety of cured, cooked or smoked meats with cheeses, crackers, fruit and more, offering a mix of flavours and textures. A larger, more layered version of this is a grazing table, where guests can sample a variety of small eats. A European culinary tradition, charcuterie boards and grazing tables celebrate slow dining — sitting together and savouring a meal slowly, over conversation and wine.
“It is a global trend now and we have a number of artisanal cheesemakers in India. We felt the time was right to start something like this in Kochi,” says Paul, who handles the logistics.
When the duo started out, the boards were largely experimental. “Friends and family were our guinea pigs and surprisingly, they loved it,” says Ann. “Even the weirdest combos,” she adds, “like a pomello with burrata and prosciutto.” Ann, who curates the boards, says she has fun with the pairings while still adhering to the fundamentals. “For instance, blue cheeses are tangy and sharp and they are known to pair well with sweet fruit; pickles don’t go near crackers; candied fruit has to be kept away from meat and so on. Keeping the basics intact, I try to adapt ingredients and tweak it a little.”
The Boardery
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A standard board contains cured meats, cheese, dried fruits and nuts, fresh fruits and seasonal vegetables. However, Ann does pure vegetarian boards as well.
She makes sure no two boards are alike; she tries different accompaniments for the same cheeses, keeping in mind what the clients prefer. “Some know exactly what they want; but we happily offer suggestions too, based on the type of occasion,” says Paul.
Adding a personal touch
They source their cheeses from various artisanal cheesemakers across India and are catering to small banquets and formal grazing tables. Work has kept them busy, says the duo. “There have been days when we have had to do up to eight boards,” says Paul. The boards come in small, medium and large sizes.
They currently work at their home kitchen at Padamugal, Kochi. “We always add a hand-written note with all our boards, it helps people make sense of the flavours. We find that the personal touch makes so much of a difference! People love it,” adds Ann.
Contat them @theboarderykochi on Instagram
Published – June 29, 2026 12:56 pm IST
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