An American Just Won the World's Biggest Cheese Competition

Move over, camembert and parmigiano—America just took home the gold in a contest you probably didn’t know existed (but now you’ll want to).

In a historic first, Emilia D’Albero, an American cheesemonger extraordinaire, claimed the top spot at the Mondial du Fromage, aka the Cheesemonger World Cup, beating competitors from legendary food hubs like France and Italy. The event went down southwest of Paris in the charming city of Tours this September, and yes, she walked away with a gold medal and $2,900 in prize money.

So how does one win a championship where the stakes are literally made of cheese? D’Albero faced nine intense events testing everything from precision slicing (without a measuring tool!) to blind taste tests that could stump even the most seasoned fromage fan. The final round? A 3-D cheese sculpture. Emilia channeled her inner lunar artist and sculpted the phases of the moon out of cheese, securing her spot in history as the first American champ.

But let’s pause for a reality check: cheesemongers are not just the friendly folks behind the deli counter handing you a sample of brie. They’re walking encyclopedias of curds and whey. They know which goat breeds produce which cheeses, the aging process, the perfect shelf life, and everything in between. Winning the Mondial du Fromage isn’t about having a favorite blue cheese—it’s about mastery of cheese in every form imaginable.

Photo From: D'Albero's Instagram

D’Albero hopes her win shifts perceptions in the U.S., reminding people that cheesemongers aren’t just purveyors of creamy snacks—they’re true culinary experts. And for anyone inspired to get adventurous with cheese, she’s already planning a tasting tour of Europe before heading home. Alongside Team USA teammate and third-place finisher Courtney Johnson, they’re investing part of their prize money into expanding their cheese horizons—and likely plotting their return to defend the title at the next Cheesemonger World Cup.

So next time you’re picking up a wedge of gouda or bracing yourself for that stinky blue, remember: there’s an entire world of expertise behind that cheese knife. And thanks to Emilia D’Albero, America just proved it belongs on the global cheesemonger stage.