Jørn Lie

Around 230 international and national judges will judge more than 3,000 cheeses from all over the world. We have had a quick chat with some of the Norwegian judges. Meet Jørn Lie, who runs the restaurants Gamle Raadhus and Vaaghals in Oslo. He did his apprenticeship at the Grand Hotel and later worked as a chef in the Norwegian Armed Forces and was assistant manager for Disney at the Norwegian pavilion at the Epcot center in the USA. He has also been chef at Fossheim in Lom and head chef at Spisestedet Feinchmecker. He is now general manager/proprietor of Gamle Raadhus restaurant and general manager/proprietor of Vaaghals. - What is it like to be a judge in the World Cheese Championship, one of the most important competitions for cheese in the world? - Followed the previous competitions here and am very much looking forward to being allowed to be a judge at this one. A fantastic arena where you can also taste the world's best cheeses together with professionals from all over the world. - What could be the value of the Cheese WC being held in Norway? - I have followed what has happened in the last 15-30 years and the development has been enormous. A number of cheeses have already received international recognition - this can certainly open the eyes of more people. The value for Norway probably lies largely in the fact that the whole world can see all the great cheese that can be found here and not least all the wonderful stories surrounding it. Something that might tempt you to visit Norway all over the place. - How can we be inspired to taste new Norwegian cheeses? - With the selection that is now available of Norwegian cheeses, there is something for every taste. Having journeys of discovery in the cheeses available is a great way to get to know them. The quality of the cheeses is also very high and should tempt you to discover the cheeses. At the same time, cheese is more than something you have on a slice of bread or as a separate dish. - What is your best cheese memory? - I think it was the first time I was at an exclusive restaurant in France and we got cheese on the menu. I had never experienced so many cheeses and not least that they were all local and had their own history. - What is your best serving tip for cheese? - Exposing cheese to a little heat is probably something we are not good enough at. I like tempered cheese regardless of whether it is eaten by itself or in a dish. Then the potential in the cheese will often come to the fore. Otherwise, I'm used to having something sweet and maybe something salty. Recommend pickled tomatoes or salted caramelized and toasted nuts.