How do you become the world's best cheesemaker? The 2023 winner's answer
Self-taught Frenchman Vincent Philippe won the World Cheesemakers' Championship. A first step for the man aiming for the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge pass.
At the beginning of September, the competition was raging in Tours. What was at stake? The title of World Cheese Champion. Two days of competition, sixteen candidates, nine tests... Despite intensive training, nothing could guarantee Vincent Philippe a place of choice in the world of cheese and dairy products. But against all odds, the Frenchman swept all before him, taking first prize.
"I wanted to see what I was worth in the profession".
In 2018, Vincent Philippe, an employee of Maison Bordier since 2000, regrets that his work is not more widely recognized. "We know the house enormously for its butter, whereas our know-how as creamer-cheesemaker-refiner is being pushed," he complains. So he entered the Lyre d'Or competition... and came second.
A year later, it was the same story. "I was surprised to be selected for the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) qualifications and the Coupe de France du Fromager". Although he didn't qualify for the former and came third in the latter, he wasn't discouraged. "I didn't put in any performances that gave me the title, but I told myself that I was in my place and that at every competition, even if you can fail, you climb a step in knowledge".
But 2021 proved to be the right year: he won the title of French Champion, enabling him to compete in the World Cheesemakers' Championship: "I wanted to measure myself, to evaluate myself. Being self-taught, I wanted to see what I was worth in the profession", he explains.
Nine tests to make the difference
To win the title, Vincent Philippe had to overcome nine tests spread over two days. On the program: a blind tasting, a general questionnaire on cheese and the making of a cheese sculpture. To face the tests he dreaded the most, Vincent Philippe prepared himself well: "I had done a self-pronostic to know where to score.I had set myself a low score on the precision cutting and the oral before a jury of twelve internationals".
The oral in question? The presentation of a cheese chosen in advance by the candidate. The Frenchman had chosen a small cow's milk cheese, created with Ferme du Gros Chêne in Betton (35) and matured for several weeks in the cellars of Maison Bordier. The candidate passed the test with flying colors: "I enjoyed my competition, I was serene".
Between his cheese platter and his recipe for Tête de Moine with chocolate, there was no doubt that Vincent Philippe would succeed. He thus overtook American Sam Rollins, a star cheesemaker and feared competitor, and British Nick Bayne, who came third. The Frenchman went home with his cup in hand and new challenges to face. What's next? "Redo the qualifiers for Meilleur Ouvrier de France in two years' time".
