Valerie Gurdal

Ihsan and Valerie Gurdal own and manage the Formaggio Kitchen family of stores, located in Cambridge, Boston and New York. All three stores offer a wide selection of handcrafted cheeses, artisan meats and specialty foods.

In 1980, Valerie moved to the Boston area from Miami, FL to pursue a college education. Before moving to Boston, she spent six months living in Madrid with her aunt and uncle. While in Madrid, she developed a love for the daily market experience, visiting her local cheesemonger, baker, meat purveyor and the various fruit and vegetable stands.

After arriving in Boston, she sought out a similar shopping experience with an eye for the unique and inspiring. She soon discovered Formaggio Kitchen. While working in the kitchen at the well-respected Cambridge restaurant, Chez Nous, she visited the shop regularly and got to know Ihsan. In 1984, she decided to work at Formaggio Kitchen full-time. Since then, Ihsan and Valerie have worked together to share the “market-experience” that inspired their mutual love of food with the neighborhoods and communities surrounding their stores.