By Royal Appointment: British Cheesemonger crowned Young Cheesemonger of the Year

15th November 2024: Selling cheese is a craft that demands expertise, skill, creativity, resourcefulness and a true passion. Last Friday, six contestants from across the globe gathered in the Portuguese city of Viseu, each bringing these qualities in abundance.

This wasn’t the only search to find what’s hot in the cheese world taking place amidst the backdrop of Viseu’s charming cobblestone streets. Just 60km away from region of Serra da Estrela – famed for its “torta-style” raw sheep’s milk cheeses, the Pavilhão Multiusos de Viseu was also playing host to the 36th World Cheese Awards, run by the fabulous team at the Guild of Fine Food.

Read all about the Finalists here.

Best Cheese in the World

And it was just prior to the crowds cheering in a home-win with the gooey raw sheep’s milk, Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado made by Quinta do Pomar, the gathered audience in front of the Super Jury main stage witnessed 28 year-old Daniel Iliev – a cheese monger from Paxton & Whitfield in London – taking the prestigious title of Young Cheesemonger of the Year 2024.

Cheese Industry Experts

Never before has the competition been granted such an imposing podium – the main stage of the WCA judging arena may not be intimidating for seasoned presenters – it was no wonder our six young cheesemongers’ nerves were as taut as the BOSKA Pro cheese wires sitting on stage, ready for action.

At 1.30pm, Tracey Colley, Director of the Academy of Cheese, took to the stage and introducing the panel of four esteemed judges, set the competition in motion. No strangers to International cheese awards judging, this year’s panel included

• Sarah Miness – Buyer, Speciality Cheese & Cheese Counters, Waitrose & Partners
• Mathew Carver – Founder of The Cheese Bar group of restaurants
• Nick Bayne – Head Cheesemonger from The Fine Cheese Co.
• Keith Kendrick – Group Magazines Editor of Good Food and Olive 

Read more about the judges here.

The event began, as always, with the six cheesemongers individually called up to share their industry experience to date and probed on their “finalist spot-winning” cheeseboard choices. Billed as the “Interview Round”, Academy of Cheese Director, Ros Windsor, aimed to put the finalists at ease by delivering what was more like counter chat, and managed to percolate their dedication and passion for their roles as cheesemongers.  Ros and the gathered audience heard about overseas trips to cheesemaker’s, stints in iconic cheesemongers, learnt of unheard-of cheeses, industry idols and dreams for the future.

Australian Cheese

The passion and dedication to their trade, however, had been obvious long before this first round.  As part of the selection process, each finalist had been shortlisted on the merits of their chosen cheeseboard for six for under £50 or AUS$96.

This year’s finalists truly set the bar high with their phenomenal skills. Each of these six exceptionally talented mongers is destined for a shining future in the cheese world, and with them in our community, the future of cheese retail looks equally promising. 

Sarah Miness, Buyer, Speciality Cheese & Cheese Counters, Waitrose & Partners 

Whilst our UK finalists mainly opted for great icons of the British artisan cheese scene, including Sinodun Hill, Hafod Cheddar and Old Winchester, our two Australian contestants, Mia Crouch and Lily Jenkins, introduced us to a selection of their domestic cheeses, including Amiel by Stone & Crow, Pyengana Cloth- Matured Cheddar, and Berry’s Creek Riverine Blue – one of the cheeses studied on the Academy’s Level Three certification.

Daniel’s cheeseboard proudly showcased Parmigiano Reggiano, as he passionately declared it his personal mission to have this iconic Italian cheese recognized as the ultimate choice for any cheeseboard. To celebrate Daniel’s triumph, Paxton & Whitfield have curated a special tasting box, available to purchase for a limited time.

This is the first year the competition has attracted finalists from Australia – and the Academy was overjoyed when both Mia Crouch from Supercheese in Melbourne and Lily Jenkins from Hill Street Grocer in Hobart both accepted their place, made possible with funding towards travel and accommodation, provided by sponsors Peter’s Yard. 

The Perfect Crunch

Knowledge and skill has always been at the heart of this competition, but this year, the Academy of Cheese introduced a new round, in association with award sponsors Peter’s Yard.  A standout moment in the competition saw the six finalists tasked with crafting a Perfect Pairing; they had to choose from the sourdough cracker specialist’s varieties and find the ideal cheese and complementary pairing to showcase their grasp of flavour and texture profiles.

Winner Daniel impressed the judges with his pairing – despite having to improvise after his original accompaniment of black garlic jam was confiscated at Gatwick airport.  Using his tasting skills and creativity, Daniel sourced a local pumpkin and orange jam with rosemary and eucalyptus honey to pair with Kingstone Dairy’s Rollright atop a Rosemary & Sea Salt sourdough cracker – proving a hit with the judges.  Not sure I’ll be able to find the exact same accompaniment back in the UK, but will certainly try to recreate those flavour combinations.

The afternoon continued, with the finalists being put through a series of intense challenges that tested their ability to select, identify, prepare and pair cheeses using their skill and knowledge.

One standout moment was when Orla Jackson, from Neal’s Yard Dairy in London managed to conquer the intense and fast-paced Cut and Wrap round, cutting 4 cheeses to weight and wrapping them impeccably in less than two and a half minutes, with Daniel hot on her heals just 15 seconds later.

The Winner: Daniel Iliev

After an afternoon brimming with challenges, the highly anticipated moment finally arrived. The judges’ scores were combined with those from the Cut & Wrap and MasterRind rounds and the winner of the Young Cheesemonger of the Year 2024 was revealed.

Daniel Iliev, Shop Manager at Paxton & Whitfield in London, emerged victorious, impressing everyone with his outstanding performance throughout the competition. Daniel wowed the judges with his extensive knowledge of cheese varieties, creative flair for flavour pairings, superb cutting skills and unwavering dedication to the cheese industry. With eight years of invaluable experience at the renowned British cheesemongers The Fine Cheese Co. and La Fromagerie under his belt, Daniel is now dreaming big, aiming to open his own cheese shop in the future.

“Winning means such a lot to me.” said Daniel, after receiving the award, “The competition was fun, challenging and fantastic for connecting with other people in the industry.  It was amazing being surrounded by so many cheeses from all over the world – I’ve never seen anything on quite that scale before! It was also an honour meeting my five fellow contestants, so thank you to them.” Daniel loved training for the competition adding “I prepared by cutting and wrapping cheese as quickly and accurately as possible for weeks.  A very big shout-out goes to my cheesemonger colleague and partner Georgina Donatantonio, who conducted tests to make sure my knowledge remains on point; I couldn’t have done it without her.”

Daniel received a prize package that included a super trophy, Academy of Cheese Level Two course, a feature in Fine Food Digest as well as an impressive Cheesemonger Tool Set kindly donated by BOSKA Pro.  As part of his win, he will also be invited to judge at next year’s World Cheese Awards in Bern, Switzerland, further solidifying their place as one of the industry’s up-and-coming stars.

“I am so delighted for Daniel and glad that his hard work really paid off.”

James Rutter, Managing Director, Paxton & Whitfield

Australian monger, Mia Crouch, aged 24 years was announced the Runner up, impressing the judges across the board with her cheese knowledge and passion throughout the competition.

A Bright Future for Cheesemongers

The Young Cheesemonger of the Year competition is more than just a contest – it’s a celebration of the next generation of talent in the world of cheese. With the growing popularity of artisanal and locally sourced products, this competition is an important platform for encouraging young professionals to continue innovating and pushing the boundaries of what cheesemongering can be.

Looking Ahead

As the full moon rose majestically over the beautiful city of Viseu, it was clear that the Young Cheesemonger of the Year competition had once again delivered an unforgettable experience. The finalists, judges, and spectators left with a renewed appreciation for the craftsmanship and creativity that goes into the world of cheese.

I just wanted to say how grateful I am for such a wonderful opportunity, the competition was tough, but more than fair and I had such a great time meeting and discussing all things cheese. I would 100% recommend the competition to future cheesemongers.

Dominic Jones, Young Cheesemonger of the Year Finalist, Rennet & Rind

Looking ahead, the competition is set to continue growing in stature, with even more entrants expected in the coming years. The future of cheesemongering is undoubtedly in good hands, and this year’s finalists have set the bar high for the next generation of cheese professionals.

The Young Cheesemonger of the Year competition is sponsored by Peter’s Yard and the Guild of Fine Food. 

For more information about the competition including how to get involved next year, visit www.academyofcheese.org.

Thank you to our event sponsors: