Team USA placed first and third at France’s international Mondial du Fromage competition
Team USA competitors Emilia D’Albero and Courtney Johnson celebrate their wins at Mondial du Fromage, the culmination of months of hard work. Photographed by Mallory Scyphers.
In a first for the United States, two American cheesemongers placed in the international Mondial du Fromage cheesemonger competition, colloquially known as the Cheese Olympics. 2024 culture Hot Lister Emilia D’Albero of Formaticum, a cheese tools company, took home top honors as the world’s best monger; Courtney Johnson, who recently opened her brick-and-mortar cheese shop Street Cheese in Seattle, earned third place. In second place came Matthieu Thuillier of France. Each monger received a monetary prize and medal at an awards ceremony in Tours, a city in the Loire Valley region of France.
After the ceremony, D’Albero and Johnson expressed that they were “so proud” of each other’s efforts. “I couldn’t have done this without her,” says D’Albero about Johnson. “We’re a great team,” Johnson says.
D’Albero and Johnson’s wins are history-making—it’s the only time Team USA has won gold and had two American women cheesemongers on the awards podium. It’s the first time an all-women team representing the United States competed as well. The last time Team USA placed at Mondial was in 2023, when Sam Rollins of Cowbell Cheese Shop in Portland, Oregon, won second place. French cheesemongers Vincent Philippe and Virginie Dubois-Dhorne were respectively crowned world champions at the 2023 and 2021 editions of Mondial.
The road to Mondial is challenging and expensive, requiring hours of practice, the purchase of equipment that will be brought abroad, and participation in the American Cheesemonger Invitational: Masters qualifying tournament, which mimics the intense atmosphere of Mondial. According to Johnson, who also competed in 2023 as Rollins’ teammate, the industry support this year was “amazing.” Adam Moskowitz, the founder of the Cheesemonger Invitational, acted as the team’s coach.
The competition takes place over the course of one day, starting in the morning and concluding with an awards ceremony at 6:00 p.m. Like the Invitational, there are several components; among these include a written test, an oral presentation in which the monger shares information about a cheese’s story and terroir, the creative presentation of an amuse-bouche cheese plate, and a second creative presentation of an on-theme cheese landscape, complete with a cheese sculpture. This year’s theme was “Shades of Color.”
Mondial du Fromage began in 2013 and occurs every two years.
Alana Pedalino
Alana Pedalino serves as Managing Editor of culture. Her work has been featured in Bon Appétit, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and more. She loves to write, cook, and kayak. Find her bylines at alanapedalino.com.
Mallory Scyphers
Mallory Scyphers is culture's Executive Content Director and has been with the company since 2018. She lives on Mobile Bay with her husband, two young daughters, one rambunctious golden retriever, and two loyal cats. Her favorite cheeses are alpine styles and mineral-y blues.
