MAX McCALMAN

www.artisanalcheese.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NP6002

DEAN OF CURRICULUM MAÎTRE FROMAGER


Renowned as one of the cheese world's living legends for his expertise, insight and passion, Max McCalman is dedicated to helping others understand and enjoy the unique pleasures of artisanal cheeses. As America's first restaurant-based Maître Fromager and a Garde et Jure as designated by France's exclusive Guilde des Fromagers, Max established the critically acclaimed cheese programs at New York City's Picholine and Artisanal restaurants over the past decade and has become a highly visible advocate for artisanal cheese production around the world.

A veteran of the food and hospitality industries, Max has spent most of his professional life as a Maître d' Hotel and Sommelier. He served as General Manager of The Water Club in the early 1990s and joined Picholine in 1994 where, as Maître d', became a dedicated scholar of artisanal cheeses and created that restaurant's fabled cheese program with Chef-Proprietor Terrance Brennan.

As Dean of Curriculum at the Artisanal Premium Cheese, Max is leading the charge to raise awareness and spread the joys of artisanal cheeses to consumers and professionals alike with a distinctive, engaging style that suggests equal parts possession and obsession. Max also serves as a consultant to the trade and is a lecturer and teacher at the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump's New York Cooking School), the Culinary Institute of America, New York University, the DeGustibus Chef's Tasting Series, The New School, and Walt Disney World. He has been featured on the Television Food Network, the CBS Evening News, the Cable News Network, and Martha Stewart Living Television.

Max's first book, The Cheese Plate (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2002) was nominated for awards by the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Cooking Professionals. His latest book, Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best (Clarkson Potter), is an expansive reference on the world's finest cheeses and wine-cheese pairings, which has won the 2006 James Beard Award. Max lives in Manhattan with his daughter Scarlett.