Emilia D’Albero made history back in the fall when she became the first American to ever win gold at the Cheesemonger Olympics, writes Victor Fiorillo for Philadelphia Magazine.

While D’Albero has been a cheesemonger for eight years now, her journey into the field was an accident.

“I was working for Eataly corporate in New York and wanted to become a butcher, and they told me to start on the cheese counter and learn some knife skills. Then I fell in love with cheese,” she said.

Currently, her job is to spread knowledge and passion for cheese. More specifically, she handles sales and marketing for a company that sells cheese packaging, tools, and storage.

Some may have an idea of what a cheesemonger is and does, but D’Albero says that beyond the sale of cheese, butter, and dairy products, cheesemongers “also tell the stories of the cheese and represent the producers and connect customers with their favorite cheeses.”

In simpler terms, they are educators and stewards.

Her favorite cheese is Cooper Sharp, and it’s the only cheese she always has in her fridge.

All in all, D’Albero often highlights that every cheese tells a different story regarding when and where it was made.

She added that there is a cheese for every palate.

Read more about Emilia D’Albero and her cheese expertise in Philadelphia Magazine.

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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in January 2026.