Who’s Who at the Young Cheesemonger of the Year Awards in Portugal

You might recall we reported on our very own Lily Jenkins’ success in qualifying as a finalist in the Young Cheesemonger of the Year competition held in Viseu in Portugal in late November. Read on to find out how she fared, see some snaps from her travelogue and find out which perfect pairing impressed the judges the most.

We were very excited in November when we introduced you to Lily Jenkins, a cheesemonger at our Sandy Bay store, who had just qualified as a finalist in the Young Cheesemonger of the Year competition, run by the Academy of Cheese in the United Kingdom and held in Viseu in Portugal in late November.

With a little help from Hill Street Lily got herself across to Portugal for several amazing days of international-level cheese education, rubbing shoulders with cheese royalty and competing in the competition.

The six finalists from around the world went head-to-head over five rounds, including a Perfect Pairing round, a quick-fire Q&A “MasterRind” which was all about cheese general knowledge, and a fast-paced cut and wrap round.

While Lily didn’t take home the big cheese, she had an incredible time and made some valuable connections in the cheese world, as well as putting Tasmania on the world stage.

Lily Jenkins at the Young Cheesemonger of the Year Awards in Portugal

And the winning Perfect Pairing? A pumpkin and orange jam with rosemary and eucalyptus honey drizzled over King Stone Dairy’s Rollright (a soft cheese), atop a rosemary and sea salt cracker. This winning combination was put together by Daniel Iliev, 28, a London cheesemonger working for Paxton & Whitfield, who was crowned Young Cheesemaker of the Year at the conclusion of the competition.

Congratulations Lily, we can’t wait to see what you do next in the world of cheese!

Take a look at Lily’s snaps and see what Lily, and her Hill Street bag and apron, got up to, in Portugal.