Victoria Grimen

Meet Viktoria Grimen, originally educated in economics, marketing and languages. She was employed by Meny Solsiden in Trondheim in August 2008, where five years later she became cheese manager. The cheese has become her passion. Viktoria has spent a lot of time learning about cheese and has taken part in various courses, tours of packing plants, cheese factories, wholesalers etc. She has read up on everything from production methods, storage methods to serving tips, ripening culture, cheese barrel art etc. She is also interested in the history behind each cheese - that is what makes each individual cheese special, gives it its own personality. She picks out some interesting details about either the history of the cheese, the producer, the production method, the area the cheese comes from or the name etc and "sells" this together with the cheese to her customers. Viktoriia is currently the cheese manager at Meny Oasen and has the ambition to make it one of the best in the country.

-What is it like to be a judge in the World Cheese Championship, one of the most important competitions for cheese in the world? - For me, being a judge in the Oste WC is an honorable and incredibly exciting role that I am looking forward to. It means a lot to a person like me who has cheese as his passion. This is simply a unique opportunity for me to take part in such a large and important competition for cheese all over the world. I am extremely passionate about getting more people to discover the world of cheese, that more people get to taste the diversity and what endless possibilities there are when you enjoy cheese.

-What could be the value of the Cheese WC being held in Norway? - The value of organizing the Cheese WC in Norway is primarily the opportunity to introduce Norway as a country of cheese to more people in the world. That Norway is emerging more and more as a country where many world-class cheeses are made and our cheese traditions and cheeses are becoming better known in the world, namely because we have much more to offer than just Jarlsberg.

- How can we be inspired to taste new Norwegian cheeses? - Making cheese requires a lot of knowledge, patience, a lot of work, time and love. I think that most things can be inspired by the history behind the production of a cheese. Where does the cheese come from?, Why did it get the name it has? Who makes the cheese? How long has the cheese been produced? Is there a special way in which the cheese is produced? etc. I want that when you finally take a bite, it's not just the taste you get, but a whole experience.

- What is your best cheese memory? - One of the best cheese memories I have is the visit to Gangstad farm (Inderøy, Trøndelag). I got to join a whole day of Edel blau cheese making. I have always been fascinated by the process that turns milk into cheese, but being able to feel, smell, touch and make cheese myself was incredibly exciting. I simply felt the "magic" in the air and thought how rewarding it is to make cheese. How much work, time, love and knowledge is added to each batch and how much it means to those who make cheese, to us who sell it and to those who buy it.

- What is your best serving tip for cheese? - I use a simple rule regarding serving tips for cheese. Cheese can be used literally for everything and can easily turn a boring everyday food into a tasty gourmet meal. For a cheese platter, I always recommend letting the cheese decide the accompaniments and not the other way around - something sweet, something crunchy and something fresh. It is important to choose something that complements the cheese, and not one that overpowers it.