This season’s highlight story: 

First woman crowned best cheesemonger in the world

“Je suis passée de l’ombre à la lumière…La vie est belle et il faut la vivre avec courage, avec passion, avec volonté et avec cœur.”

Virginie Dubois-Dhorne

Before Virginie secured second place in the 2019 edition of the Mondial du Fromage, she once wanted to be a university professor and never wanted to sell cheese in her life. And yet, 15 years later, she gave up her 7 years of PhD studies and pursued her real passion “cheese”.   

Virginie Dubois-Dhorne, from Arras, has made history by becoming the first woman to be crowned the best cheesemonger in the world in 2021. She emerged victorious in the three-day competition held at the Parc Expo in Tours, where she competed against nine other finalists from various countries. The event, known as Mondial du Fromage et des Produits Laitiers, is a biennial global gathering of dairy industry professionals. 

Dubois-Dhorne’s win comes as no surprise, considering her previous achievements, including winning the Lyre d’Or in 2016 and the Fontainebleau Competition in 2018. Dubois-Dhorne, who now runs La Finarde in Arras with her husband, is known for her expertise in cheese and her preferred variety is Saint-Nectaire.

Story is credited to Duolingo Boardcast & Adonde Media.