About Coleen

About Coleen Graham

Coleen Graham grew up in a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois. At a young age she studied fashion and interior design, and her discipline and work ethic led to a twenty-two year career in the drapery business. As her small business grew, Coleen's interest in food became a passion.

In 2007 her passion led her to the University of Vermont at Burlington for a two-year program at the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese. There she studied with European cheesemakers and earned the title of Maitre Fromager (Cheese Master).

In 2009 Coleen started Cheeseparties.com, sharing her expertise in pairing cheese with food and beverages. She began making breadsticks as an accent to her catering and pairing events - a tasty snack for guests to enjoy before the main course. As demand grew, Coleen's Better Than Breadsticks was formed to bring her artisan breadsticks to a wider audience.

Today Coleen offers six distinct varieties of breadsticks sold in wine bars and food markets across the Chicagoland area and online. Her hands-on production process, use of high-quality ingredients, and careful recipe development ensure each breadstick delivers the exact flavor profile she intended. Every breadstick is hand-cut and stretched to perfection, making each piece uniquely artisan.