The Consortium for the Protection of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO has announced the second edition of the Casello d’Oro Awards, recognizing the 13 dairies that triumphed in the 2024 Palio del Parmigiano Reggiano. Following the success of last year’s event at the Italian Embassy in Paris, the 2025 ceremony will take place on February 4th at the British Museum in London.
The evening, attended by Italian Ambassador to the UK Inigo Lambertini and members of the Italian and British press, will be hosted by Valentina Harris—one of Britain’s foremost experts on Italian cuisine and a familiar face on the BBC. The event will celebrate the craftsmanship and heritage of the “King of Cheeses.”
PARMIGIANO REGGIANO: FROM THE PALIO TO THE CASELLO D’ORO
For over a decade, the Palio del Parmigiano Reggiano has been a fixture in the cheese’s heartland, spanning the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua (to the right of the Po), and Bologna (to the left of the Reno). Each year, dairies enter samples of 24–26-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, competing for top honors.
At the London ceremony, two special distinctions will be awarded—one for the best texture, and another for the most refined aromatic profile. A panel of international experts will conduct a blind tasting of 11 24-month-aged samples. The jury includes:
- Gennaro Contaldo – Acclaimed chef, mentor to Jamie Oliver, and bestselling cookbook author.
- Maddalena Fossati Dondero – Editor-in-chief of La Cucina Italiana and Condé Nast Traveller Italia.
- Bronwen Percival – Cheese buyer for Neal’s Yard Dairy, co-founder of MicrobialFoods.org, and editorial board member of The Oxford Companion to Cheese.
- Cornelia Poletto – Prominent German chef, restaurateur, and television personality.
- Cathy Strange – Whole Foods Market’s ambassador for food culture and a leading figure in the global cheese community.
- Carlos Yescas – Supreme judge at the World Cheese Awards, author, and expert in cheese provenance.
A WHISKY PAIRING FIT FOR A KING
The evening will also explore the art of pairing Parmigiano Reggiano with whisky. Ronan Currie, assistant blender at The GlenAllachie Distillery, and George Wills, UK sales and marketing manager at Kilchoman Distillery, will showcase selections from two of Scotland’s most storied producers.
Guests will sample different ages of Parmigiano Reggiano alongside curated whisky pairings. The evening’s mixology will be led by Giorgio Bargiani, assistant director of mixology at The Connaught in London, who has crafted two signature cocktails for the occasion—Pomo d’Oro and Salt Fat Acid Heat.
