In Cyprus, Former Pilot Makes Halloumi Cheese the Old Ways

In Cyprus, Former Pilot Makes Halloumi Cheese the Old Ways

On a recent cold winter night in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, long lines of people began to form in a public parking area. The crowd was gathering for the arrival of cheesemaker Pantelis Panteli and the load of Halloumi he had for sale.

Panteli is a relative newcomer to the tradition of Halloumi-making. He had a career as a pilot with Cyprus Airways until 2013, He lost the job as the former company started closing down. Panteli decided to try a very different line of work: cheese-making. The man had found his new career.

But, now the newcomer has become an unlikely defender of traditional cheese-making for Cyprus's prized Halloumi.

The European Union named Halloumi a product of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in 2021. That means that only approved producers from Cyprus can market the cheese under that name. In exchange for the PDO, Cyprus agreed to increase the quantity of ewe or goat milk to just over 50 percent by July 2024.