STORY: Raclette enthusiasts from across the globe gathered Swiss village of Morgins on Saturday (October 25) to celebrate the second edition of the Raclette's World Championships, where more than 150 varieties of cheese were being judged.

Cheesemakers from 13 countries were competing for the title of the world’s finest raclette, a traditional Swiss dish born centuries ago, when alpine herdsmen would heat a wheel of cheese by the fire and scrape off the melted layer for a hearty meal.

The atmosphere in the judging room was quiet and focussed as cheeses were evaluated in an elimination round with judges from the public and industry, before going up against the taste buds of a 'super jury' panel of experts.

Jury member Francoise Metrailler said in a whisper she was evaluating the cheese's appearance first, and then the texture. Tea and apples were served to judges to help cleanse their palates between tastings.

Expert jury member and award-winning cheesemaker Bernard Mure-Ravaud said the competition aimed to promote cheese-making and find the best cheeses for making raclette.

The winning cheeses across five categories - including from raw and pasteurised cow's milk as well as varieties from sheep and goat milk will be announced on Sunday (October 26).

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: MORGINS, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 25, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. JUDGES TASTING CHEESE

2. VARIOUS OF COMPETITORS TRIMMING CHEESE FOR RACLETTE COMPETITION

3. COMPETITOR SCRAPING MELTED CHEESE ONTO PLATE

4. SIGN READING (French): "WORLD RACLETTE CHAMPIONSHIPS" DECORATED WITH POTATOES

5. JUDGES TASTING CHEESE

6. FORK SCOOPING UP MELTED CHEESE

7. JUDGE TASTING CHEESE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LEAD ORGANISER OF CHAMPIONSHIPS, LAURENT ECOEUR, SAYING:

"We don't just want to make people eat raclette, we want to bring cheeses from all over the world, we have thirteen countries today. It's just great and that's what we wanted, we had eighty and some cheeses in the first edition, we have more than 150 this year, well it's great, that's what makes us happy."

9. WOMAN FILMING JUDGING

10. VARIOUS OF JUDGES TASTING CHEESE

11. (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEMBER OF JURY FROM INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC, FRANCOISE METRAILLER, SAYING:

"First of all there is the appearance, that's visual, there's no problem and then after the texture in the mouth. You notice quite quickly if it's difficult to eat, if it sticks to the teeth or on the contrary if it's very liquid and it goes down on its own."

12. MEMBERS OF 'SUPER JURY' SITTING AT BACK OF THE ROOM TASTING CHEESE

13. VARIOUS OF AWARD-WINNING CHEESEMAKER ON JURY, BERNARD MURE-RAVAUD, TASTING CHEESE

14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) AWARD-WINNING CHEESEMAKER ON JURY, BERNARD MURE-RAVAUD, SAYING:

"It's about advancing the profession, it's about promoting the profession, it's about finding good raclettes. Today, when we're going to release a world champion raclette somewhere, you want to market it, taste it and let your customers enjoy it. So we're here from everywhere trying to find well-known cheeses, but also outstanding cheeses."

15. MEMBER OF ORGANISATION TEAM WRITING SCORES

16. COMPETITORS LOOKING ON

17. ECOEUR SPEAKING TO COMPETITORS

18. VARIOUS OF CHEESEMAKER FROM SWITZERLAND, MARIANNE DEFAGO, HEATING AND TRIMMING BLOCK OF CHEESE

19. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHEESEMAKER FROM VALAIS CANTON IN SWITZERLAND, MARIANNE DEFAGO, SAYING:

"I would say that beyond the championship, we must always prepare the cheese as well here as everywhere, like yesterday when we prepared it for the farmers and the cheesemakers. There is no need to do it well here and not elsewhere, it's just that there are different rules here, we must not have the 'religieuses' (the crusts), we must not put the chips, it's important for this product which was made with love by cheesemakers."

20. VARIOUS OF VENDORS PREPARING RACLETTE AT CHEESE FAIR

21. PLATE WITH RACLETTE CHEESE, POTATO AND PICKLES

22. HAND PUTTING PLATE OF RACLETTE ONTO TABLE WITH SAMPLES OF CHEESE

23. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHEESEMAKER USING SHEEP'S MILK, JULIEN VIEUX, SAYING:

"In the mountain pastures, I think there are really not many of us. There must be two or three of us in Switzerland making sheep's milk raclette cheese, of course, and making ourselves known was very important. And here is where you have to be to make yourself known; it's the place to be."

24. VENDORS OFFERING SAMPLES OF CHEESE

25. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT CHEESE FAIR