Perfect for celebratory get-togethers, ladies’ nights or just everyday entertaining, cheese boards are a great and delicious addition to any gathering! Grand Millennium Business Bay Executive Chef Mohamed Chabchoul and Grand Millennium Dubai Executive Chef Cosimo Danese share tips on putting together the perfect cheese board.

1. Have a good mix of cheeses
Chef Cosimo shares that the board should contain a variety of cheese – having a mix of soft and hard and made with different milks (goat cheese and cow cheese) provides a good balance to the platter.

For Chef Mohamed, he always includes at least four different cheeses. For him, it is Comte and Mimolette (his favourites, which both have a sharp taste), and Bucheron and Camembert which are milder, for balance. For a fancier touch, the Camembert can also be dressed up with nuts and maple syrup.

Other than considering the flavours of the cheese, Chef Mohamed adds that it is also good to consider the shapes (square, round, triangle and sliced) as they make for a more interesting board. Chef Cosimo also says no to having any processed cheese on the platter.

2. Plan the accompaniments
For any cheese board, the accompaniments are very important, helping to elevate the experience. Chef Mohamed likes to have a few options of Italian cured meats, along with other items such as bread and crackers, and fresh fruit. He said that the accompaniments can largely be based in the following categories to complement the cheese – fresh, sweet, salty and tangy. His favourites are sweet components like honey, fig jam and chutney, and an assortment of olives, nuts (almonds or walnuts), cornichons (gherkins) and stone ground mustard to balance the sweets.

Chef Cosimo prefers not to mix any cold cuts with cheese on the same board, and believes that having a good quality bread, like a freshly baked baguette, along with grapes and jam are all that are needed to enjoy some delectable cheese. Also if in season, he suggests adding figs to the board.

3. The board matters
The board itself also matters! A marble or wooden board is recommended by Chef Cosimo, who also notes that it is important that the board is big enough. This is so that the cheese display not only looks nice, but that it is not overcrowded and there is sufficient space for the cheese to be cut. He also recommends having tags so guests know the names of the cheeses (making it better to plan for their own cheese board!).

4.The most important element
With all the planning and preparation for the cheese board, the most important thing is having great company to enjoy the platter!