Marrying your passion and profession seems to be a super combination. In this case, Carlos is our Clark Kent/Superman, getting his PhD in Politics by day, and parlaying his superhuman interest in cheese and research for the benefit of humanity by night. It's been a winding road to expertise - as Carlos will admit - but his decade long journey of part-time jobs, one-off events, and full-time pleasure have resulted in the ultimate expression of his love for fromage: his own business.

What attracted you to a good food job?

Growing up in Mexico, the option of working in the food industry seemed very remote, so I decided to go on a different path, studying business and law. However, the default side job in college and grad school was always food related. After working at Sheridan's Cheesemongers in Ireland and moving back to the US,  I soon realized that I was able to talk about cheese more than most people and that I loved doing research on production, stories, and myths about all things cheese. This is how I decided to be a part-time instructor on cheese, teaching pairing classes, blogging, and eventually starting my own business to educate people about Mexican cheese in the US and Canada and about the world of cheese in Mexico.

How did you get your current good food job?

I started my own company. I saw a gap in the industry and decided to apply myself to become the best spokesperson Mexican artisanal cheese and cheesemakers could have. I was able to establish a lot of contacts by volunteering at many places.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

I love researching, that is my real passion. Reading, thinking, writing and talking about my research is what I do best and it's what gives me the most pleasure. So I decided to join my work as a PhD student with a job in cheese, researching, thinking, writing and talking about cheese.

What advice do you have for others in search of a good food job?

Never shy away from volunteering, it is the best way to learn, and in this industry, knowledge is what gives you the edge. If you are that one person that knows the most about that one thing, you will be in high demand. Also read, read, read! Learning is fun.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

Cheese!