UMVA has learned that a West Sussex painter’s tragic death has been traced to a contaminated batch of artisan cheese, sparking a chilling reminder of food safety’s hidden dangers.
Roger Parkes, a celebrated local artist, fell gravely ill after enjoying a semi‑soft Baronet Reblochon cheese from The Old Cheese Room. Despite frantic medical intervention, he succumbed on February 27, 2023, his body overwhelmed by multiorgan failure and listeria meningitis.
An inquest in 2024 confirmed the cheese harbored Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen likely introduced during its handcrafted manufacturing process. The verdict declared the cheese unfit for consumption, linking the deadly bacteria directly to Park’s fatal illness.
The Old Cheese Room, operated by artisan makers Julianna Sedli and Karim Niazy, admitted the contamination but contested responsibility, arguing that Parkes’ pre‑existing aortic condition and recent surgery were the true culprits.
Following the inquest, food safety authorities issued an alert and recalled the affected Baronet cheese batch. Reports surfaced of two additional individuals experiencing illness after consuming the same product, intensifying concerns over the cheese’s safety.
Baronet Reblochon is prized for its rich, creamy flavor and hand‑washed rind, crafted from Jersey cow’s milk and matured at cellar temperature. Yet beneath its artisanal allure lay a lethal microbe that can turn a gourmet indulgence into a fatal threat.
Listeria monocytogenes is notorious for causing listeriosis, a disease that may pass unnoticed in healthy adults but can erupt into severe meningitis or sepsis for those with compromised health. Pregnant women and unborn children face heightened risks, including miscarriage and stillbirth.
The bacterium thrives in ready‑to‑eat cold foods—deli meats, smoked fish, soft mould‑ripened cheeses, raw milk, and pre‑cut fruit—making vigilance essential for anyone with vulnerable health.
Parkes’ wife, Carina, remembers her husband as a “truly beautiful man, with depth, compassion and boundless creativity,” a poignant tribute to a life cut short by an invisible foe.
