New York Ag Connection - American Cheesemonger First to Place in International Contest

New York Ag News Headlines

American Cheesemonger First to Place in International Contest
New York Ag Connection - 06/23/2017

Cheesemonger Nadjeeb Chouaf, 30, became the first American to reach the podium at the international Concours Mondial du Meilleur Fromager competition held in Tours Cedex, France. Chouaf, owner of Flora Artisanal Cheese and a consultant for Timbercreek Market's cheese counter, brought his work to the world stage and won big, taking third place in the third edition of the international competition.

When you walk into a cheese shop to buy a wedge for your next party, your go-to person behind the counter is the cheesemonger. In France, where cheese is king, this role is crystal clear. In the U.S., it's a bit hazy.

The contest in France is held every two years and contenders must be accepted by a committee in order to enter. Distributors, vendors, cheesemakers and mongers come from as far away as Japan, Brazil and Israel. The competition is the brainchild of Rodolphe Le Meunier, who has achieved the worlds-best title in France and beyond. If you saw him pacing the stage in his white chef's jacket with a blue, white and red neckband, you might have known that Le Meunier is also a MOF (rhymes with moth), which means he's won Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, a craftsman competition held every four years. This year's 10 cheesemongers were from the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Belgium and France. The American and Japanese competitors must win their respective national championships to enter, and Chouaf won the American Cheesemonger Invitational last summer.

The Concours Mondial du Meilleur Fromager includes four rounds of skill and knowledge presentations followed by artisanal challenges, such as creating various sculptures from cheese provided by the competition, composing a "perfect bite" with Fourme d'Ambert, preparing a Brie Fermier restaurant-style cold cheese dish and arranging a large display on "the alchemy of a cheesemonger" on a 1-meter by 1-meter board.

Chouaf says he felt most prepared for the cheese presentation and prepared dishes, but he scored lower than he expected. However, he rallied with his large display.

New York-based cheese importer Adam Moskowitz is trying to elevate and celebrate both the mongers and the products they pitch. Acting as unofficial cheese coach and mentor, Moskowitz accompanied three other Americans to the ultimate cheesemonger contest. The three Americans and Moskowitz held weekly check-ins to review their progress in studying, practicing, cutting, tasting and doing everything displaying. Hours were spent discussing all things cheese.

"The goal was ... to show that the U.S. had arrived," said Chouaf. Of course, he wanted to win, but it was still pretty awesome. "The most excitement and energy in the cheesemonger world is in the States," he said.

Other New York Headlines