TikTok made her charcuterie boards famous – now student has fans in Jessica Alba, Sofia Vergara and delivers to celebrities on the regular

Emmy Rener was at high school when she turned her passion for charcuterie into a business, and now has a star following including Jessica Alba and Sofia Vergara

The 20-year-old charges clients up to US$25,000 for her signature spreads, which consist of high-quality products such as cheeses from artisan creameries

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Emmy Rener grew up making cheeseboards for family parties. Now, she charges up to US$25,000 a board to her customers. Photo: Instagram/@emmyrener

Published: 4:15pm, 17 Aug 2022

Emmy Rener said she can pinpoint the moment she believed her charcuterie passion could become a fully fledged career.

The 20-year-old University of Southern California student grew up making cheeseboards for family parties. But it wasn’t until March 2020 when a friend’s father offered to pay to fly her to Miami, in Florida on the opposite side of the United States, to help cater his 60th birthday party that she began to see her childhood hobby as a business.

Arriving at the venue, Rener – then a high-school student – said she remembered meeting a private chef who’d also been flown into town to supply food. When she tried to ask him about the use of a nearby table, she said he told her: “Oh yeah, don’t touch that. The charcuterie artist is coming in to do a display there.”

Emmy Rener founded Sophisticated Spreads before going to university.

Rener grew up making cheeseboards for family parties. Photo: Instagram/@emmyrener

When he saw her begin to assemble a spread, Rener said, he promptly made his way over to apologise. And not only that – he said she should consider starting a business. “It was such serendipitous timing,” Rener said. “He planted that seed in my head.”