Le Canotier de l’Isle from the Société Coopérative Agricole de l’Isle-aux-Grues has been named the Best Canadian Cheese, sponsored by Olympic Cheese, at the 30th annual World Cheese Awards, following over 3,000 cheeses being judged in a single day at Tobacco Dock in London.
Forming part of this year’s Taste of London Festive Edition, the 30th anniversary edition of the awards saw entries from a record breaking 35 different countries, with the final Super Jury naming Cornish Kern, an alpine-style cheese made by the UK’s Lynher Dairies Cheese Company, as the World Champion Cheese 2017.
With a total of three Gold, two Silver and eight Bronze awards going to entries from Canada this year, the judges shined a spotlight on the hard work and dedication of the nation’s cheesemakers on this truly international stage. Among the other producers taking awards back to Canada from the largest cheese-only competition on the planet, are a Gold winning Alfred le Fermier 24 mois made by Fromagerie la Station, a Silver winning Mozzarina di Bufala from Saputo Dairy Products Canada G.P. and a Bronze winning Fuoco from Fromagerie Fuoco.
Entries made their way by road, rail, air and sea, via 12 consolidation points located in every corner of the globe, which channelled cheeses into London from nations including Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Columbia and South Africa. The 230-strong judging panel brought together more nations than ever before, representing six continents and 29 different countries, from South Africa and Japan to Mexico and the USA, to taste, nose and grade all 3,001 cheeses in a single day, giving Bronze, Silver, Gold and Super Gold awards to winning cheeses.
With the top 16 cheeses selected, the audience then gathered at Taste of London Festive Edition to watch the International Super Jury debate the world’s best cheeses. Made up of top names from the global curd community, featuring cheese makers, buyers, retailers and writers, including Nick Tsioros, owner of Olympic Cheese in Toronto, Roland Barthélemy, President of Guilde des Fromagers in France, Norwegian cheesemonger Siri Helen Hansen-Barry, Claudia Bowman from McIntosh & Bowman Cheesemonger in Australia and Mary Quicke from Quicke’s in the UK, the final panel made their cases for their chosen cheeses live on World Cheese TV, before crowning this year’s World Champion Cheese.
Taste of London Festive Edition took place at Tobacco Dock in London from 16-19 November. For more information, visit Taste of London.
World Cheese Awards 2017 – the background
The World Cheese Awards is organised by the Guild of Fine Food
2017 was the 30th anniversary edition of the competition, marked by events including The Cheese Bar serving a special Macaroni Cheese dish at Taste of London Festive Edition and award-winning gelato maker, Swoon, unveiling two limited edition cheese flavours, both using previous World Cheese Awards winnersTop of Form
The planet’s biggest ‘cheese-only’ competition – no yoghurt, cream, butter or other dairy
3,001 cheeses from 35 different countries entered – including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK and the USA
230 judges from across the globe travelled from 29 different countries to nose, taste and grade the cheese
Judging broadcasted live on World Cheese TV
A Super Jury of 16 judges decided the final winning World Champion Cheese
How the judging works
Judges work in teams of three or four, identifying any cheeses worthy of a bronze, silver, gold – or no award. They are looking at the rind and the body of the cheese, its colour, texture, consistency and, above all, its taste.
Each of the 66 teams then nominates one exceptional cheese as the Super Gold from their table. These 66 cheeses are the best in the world and are judged a second time by the Super Jury of 16 internationally recognised experts, who will each select a cheese to champion in the final round of judging.
The Super Jury then debates the final 16 in front of a live consumer and trade audience, before choosing the World Champion Cheese live on World Cheese TV, with cheese lovers across the globe tuning in for the drama.