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Australian Master Cheesemaker and Cheese Grader Neil Willman has
been appointed Master Judge for the 2008 Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese
Awards.
Willman is Australia's only fulltime cheese educator and trainer
and has, for 26 years, been responsible for all the cheese education and
training programmes at Gilbert Chandler College, Australia's only dedicated
dairy college.
He has been an international judge at the World Championship
Cheese Contest and the British Cheese Awards, as well as at previous Cuisine NZ
Champions of Cheese Awards.
As well, Willman has been chief judge at the Australian Grand
Dairy Awards, the Royal Sydney Easter Show, CheeseFest in Adelaide, and the
Dairy Industry Association of Australia National Dairy Product Competition.
Neil replaces John Greeley, from the United States, who was the
founding Master Judge of the awards.
"John came on board with the Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese
Awards right at the very beginning to ensure we created good systems and judging
protocols that had professional integrity and would command industry respect,"
said awards organiser Vikki Lee Goode.
"We owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for creating a
professional and credible judging platform, which Neil and the other judges will
now be able to build on as the awards continue to grow and develop."
Willman said that, having judged more than 70 cheese
competitions, he saw his role as Master Judge as being one of striving to
continuously improve awards and enhance their international reputation.
"Judges who have good knowledge of particular styles of cheese
may sometimes be asked to judge styles that they may be less familiar with,"
Willman said.
"I aim to empower judges by offering them workshops to build on
their existing knowledge and expand their understanding of new and exciting
cheese styles," he said.
"I want the judging process to be open and accountable, and will
encourage the cheesemakers themselves to act as stewards during the judging."
Goode said the award organisers were delighted to have a Master
Judge of Willman's experience and international reputation.
The 2008 Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese Awards will take place
in Auckland from March 2-8 next year, with a Gala Dinner on March 4. Entries for
the awards close on January 25, 2008.
Ends
Prepared on behalf of the NZ Specialist
Cheesemakers Association by Goode PR, Auckland.
For further information, images or interviews:
please contact Vikki Lee Goode on 09 480 9948 or email vikkilee@goodepr.co.nz |
