Why "Big Cheese"?

[GuanoLad]

What’s the significance of the “cheese” in “Big Cheese” to denote someone who is important?

[Johnny_L.A]

http://www.word-detective.com/030201.html

But Paul Beale, who edited and updated Partridge’s “Dictionary of Catch Phrases” in the 1980s, suggests that the “cheese” in question may not be edible cheese at all. “Cheese” (from the Persian “chiz” meaning “thing”) was slang in 19th century Britain for “the proper thing” or “the tops,” a usage still heard in the phrase “the big cheese.” So “hard cheese” would mean “Lousy break. It could have been good but it wasn’t. Tough luck.”

[GuanoLad]

Hmm. “Thing.” Not very satisfying.

[TriPolar]

SameexplanationI found. It has a little more symbology than just a big ‘thing’. I suspect it’s use is a little derisive when referring to a person.