Max McCalman
Dean of Curriculum and Maître Fromager
As America's first restaurant-based Maître Fromager and a Garde et Jure as designated by France's Guilde des Fromagers, Max McCalman has become an advocate for artisanal cheese production around the world. Max is dedicated to helping others understand and enjoy the unique pleasures of artisanal cheeses.
A veteran of the food and hospitality industries, Max spent most of his early professional career as a Maître d' Hotel and Sommelier. In 1994, he became a dedicated scholar of artisanal cheeses and collaborated with Chef-Proprietor Terrance Brennan to create the legendary cheese program at New York City's Picholine Restaurant. It was there where they installed the first temperature and humidity controlled cheese "cave" in a restaurant in North America.
As Maître Fromager and Dean of Curriculum at the Artisanal Cheese Center, Max is leading the charge to raise awareness and spread the joys of artisanal cheeses. He also serves as a consultant to the trade and is a lecturer and teacher at several top culinary schools. Max frequently is a judge in cheese competitions both in the U.S. and Europe. Additionally, he has been featured in leading epicurean publications as well as on radio and 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 second book, Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best, (Clarkson Potter) an expansive reference on the world's finest cheeses and wine-cheese pairings was published in August 2005. That book won "Best Reference Book" at the James Beard Foundation 2006 Awards.
McCalman received his formal education at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. There he majored in Psychology; the study of which has lent itself well to his career in nurturing cheeses. Max lives in Manhattan with his daughter Scarlett.
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