What is the World Cheese Awards
What is the World Cheese Awards
The Cheese Championship is actually called the World Cheese Awards, and is the world's largest event for cheese only. The initiative behind the competition is the Guild of Fine Foods, which each year brings together around 4,500 cheeses and 250 international cheese experts to choose the world's best cheese.
How does the Oste WC work?
Qualification
In the first round, all the cheeses are placed on tables with 40 to 50 cheeses each. A panel of two to three judges then taste all the cheeses on the table to identify cheeses that they believe are worthy of a "gold", "silver" or "bronze" medal. The cheeses are assessed according to colour, texture, consistency and above all – taste.
During this round, the judges also choose one common favorite who "wins the table" and who is thus nominated for the semi-finals. These cheeses receive the "Supergold" distinction.
Semi-final
What at the start of the day was 4,500 cheeses has now been reduced to around a hundred "Supergull" cheeses. In the semi-finals, these are presented to the final judges, also called the "Super Jury". This is a carefully selected panel of judges consisting of 16 international cheese experts with extensive experience. They must each select their favourite, which will be taken forward into the final.
Live final
The world's best cheese is voted on stage, in front of a live audience. Here, each judge presents their nomination, with a brief explanation of why they chose this particular cheese. The judges taste all the cheeses again, and give one score each - from 0 to 7. The cheeses are ranked according to how many points they get, and the cheese with the highest total wins the title "World's best cheese".
Did you know…?
Norway actually has two world champions! In 2016, the blue mold cheese "Kraftkar" from Tingvollost in San Sebastian was named "World's best cheese". Two years later, at home in Bergen, "Fanaost" from Ostegården won. And close behind was "Ekte brown goat cheese" from Stordal Gardsbruk, which shared the silver with a French sheep's milk cheese!
Norwegian cheeses with "Supergold":
- Stavsfjell, Lega
- Little Ash, Bo Jensen
- Gammel Erik, Elvekanten Ysteri
- Thorbjørnrud Raclette, Thorbjørnrud Ysteri
- Sæterost Brimi 2015, Brimi seats
- Munkeby, Munkeby Ysteri
- Fanaost, Ostegården
- Full fat, Brown Goat cheese, Stordalen Gardsbruk
- Sprø Nordlending, The Black Pot
- Nidelven Blå, Gangstad Gårdsysteri
- Jarlsberg Vellagret 5 years, Tine
- Raudberg, Himmelspannet
- Red Cow, Thorbjørnrud Ysteri
- Rørosblau, Eggen Gardsysteri
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