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Dominique Bouchait

You were awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France this year. How did you impress the judges? 'I was the only one who knew everything from A to Z. Unlike many other cheesemakers, who may know how to slice cheese, I know how to milk the animals - the cows and sheep. Out of the 10 tests involved, I excelled in all of them. I do everything the artisan way, from making the cheese to selling and slicing it - everything. I work with a team of 20 women - only women - and so I create a very feminine look in my [cheese] display.' What's the most rewarding part of your job? 'I love to talk. That's the best way to engage with people, to teach people about my knowledge. And because I got this new [title] from winning the competition, I'm now a teacher. And I very much enjoy passing on my skills.'

What inspires you? 'I look at history and what the area and region is known for. I'll look at the type of cows that live there and [decide] what kind of cheese to make. I try to find something to distinguish [my cheese from others] - maybe by mixing it with mushrooms or some other local produce. I like to use what's local - what's grown and cultivated in that region.'

How do you develop a new cheese? 'I try to create two or three cheeses every two years - some are successful, others are not. Napoleon [a ewe's milk cheese] is handmade, and it's really my signature product. I put a lot of feeling into it - when it's one year old, it tastes more like leather, and when it's 11/2 years old it tastes more like wood. One cheese I'm trying to make at the moment is Josephine, who was Napoleon's wife. It's [made from the milk of sheep who graze on] the high part of a mountain, and the milk is only taken from January to June. The cheese lasts three to six months - it's very soft and delicate, and you can really taste the milk.'

Other than your own, what are your favourite cheeses? 'A French one and a foreign one. The French one is Epoisses de Bourgogne. It's a small cheese that is cleaned every day with red wine from Burgundy. The foreign cheese would be Swiss gruyere, when it's about 11/2 to two years old. These two represent very different types of cheeses - Epoisses de Bourgogne is very creamy and Swiss gruyere is very hard. And they both have a good, strong flavour.'

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