Tess McNamara is the Director of Fresh Product Procurement for Eataly. She leads the curation strategy for Eataly’s stores throughout North America, touching the categories of cheese, dairy, cured meats, produce, meat, seafood, and fresh truffles. 

Tess traces her love for cheese back to Piedmont, Italy where she attended graduate school at the University of Gastronomic Sciences.  While completing a masters in gastronomy, she apprenticed at the local cheese shop, Giolito Formaggi. For the better part of two years, Tess worked alongside third-generation owner Fiorenzo Giolito, in the shop, aging rooms, and on sourcing trips. Before returning stateside, she also carved out opportunities to make cheese for stretches of time with cheesemakers throughout Italy, France and England, further crystalizing cheese as her career path.

Since 2012, Tess has worked in procurement and retail operations in New York City cheese shops, including Formaggio Essex, and Murray’s Cheese. In 2019, she joined the team at Eataly, bringing her buying experience together full circle with her love for Italian products and their stories.  Tess is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and an inducted member of the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers. Her writing has been featured in Culture Magazine and The Oxford Companion to Cheese.