Podcast Summary: ALL OF IT with Alison Stewart

Episode: DOC NYC: "The Big Cheese"
Date: November 17, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart (A)
Guest: Director Sarah Jo Wolensky (B)

Episode Overview

This episode explores The Big Cheese, a new documentary following American cheesemongers as they strive to become the first Americans to win the most prestigious cheese competition in the world, the Mondial du Fromage in France. Host Alison Stewart speaks to director Sarah Jo Wolensky about her inspiration, the U.S. cheese scene's evolution, the personalities involved—especially Adam Moskowitz, the film’s charismatic figurehead—and what’s at stake for American cheese culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of the Documentary & Filmmaker's Cheese Obsession

• Director's Personal Passion:
  • Sarah Jo Wolensky shares her life-long love of cheese:
    • "I've always been obsessed with cheese. I think even from a young age." (01:49)
  • Searched for the right story until discovering Adam Moskowitz and the global cheese competition:
    • "Once I met Adam and learned about this competition, I knew that this was a story that would make for an incredible film." (02:21)

2. Meeting Adam Moskowitz & the Cheese Community

• Connecting with Adam:

  • Wolensky reached out via a cold Instagram DM after reading about him:
    • "I talked to a number of people in the cheese world ... but it wasn't until I first hopped on Zoom with him that I realized what a big personality he was..." (02:25)
  • Adam's larger-than-life persona and unique backstory became foundational to the film.

• Cheesemongers' Diversity:

  • The cheese world attracts fascinating people from a wide range of backgrounds:
    • "Almost every cheesemonger you talk to is going to be one of the most interesting people you've ever met...there's someone in the film who actually has a PhD in German literature...there's people who come from punk backgrounds." (03:00)
  • The subculture is tight-knit, passionate, and expressive—down to their distinctive, cheese-themed tattoos. (04:37)

3. American vs. European Cheese Culture

• Why American Cheesemongers Lack Global Reputation:
  • France’s deep, everyday cheese culture versus America's recent artisanal cheese awakening.
    • "I think that in America that awareness is actually much more recent—that America has great cheese too.... within the last few decades has really been a new thing, really." (05:15)

4. The Cheesemonger Invitational: From Warehouse Party to Prestigious Event

• The Start:
  • Conceived when Adam wanted to host a warehouse party, which morphed into a competition:
    • "It began because Adam wanted to throw a party in his warehouse. And I think at the time he was working with his dad and his dad said no. And so Adam said, oh, 'not a party, like a cheesemonger competition.'" (06:49)
  • Evolution: From scrappy, party-like beginnings to a respected event at venues like Brooklyn Steel.
  • Increasing recognition for cheesemongers as knowledgeable professionals. (06:49–08:06)

5. Adam Moskowitz: Family Legacy & Personal Story

• “Cheese Mafia” Backstory:

  • Adam is a third-generation cheesemonger, with his family instrumental in bringing specialty cheeses to the U.S.
    • "Both his grandfather and father were really influential in bringing cheese to the United States... Adam does is—he’s almost like a cheese tastemaker." (08:24)
  • He brought previously unavailable cheeses into the country for broader enjoyment.

• Candid Discussion of Addiction & Recovery:

  • Adam’s openness about his addiction and mental health struggles is a key topic in the film.
    • "Adam's someone who's been very, very open about this... The first time Adam and I met ... he told me all about this story." (09:47)
  • Documentary emphasizes the importance of sharing personal stories to benefit others.

6. Casting the Documentary's Competitors

• Selection Process:
  • The film’s main characters emerged organically through the results of the CMI Masters (the U.S. “trials” for the Mondial).
    • "We were actually really—the people who won CMI Masters... were pretty much going to make main characters of whoever won that competition." (11:14)
  • Wolensky pre-interviewed all participants and developed contingency plans for multiple possible story directions.

7. Standout Personalities: Lilith Spencer

• Lilith’s Impact:
  • Widely respected for modern, Instagram-worthy cheese boards. Seen as a creative trendsetter and positive mentor.
    • "Lilith had just been really, really influential in creating the kind of modern cheese boards that you see on Instagram." (13:13)
  • Although initially considered a favorite, Lilith takes on a coaching and mentoring role after not making the competition team.

8. Mondial du Fromage: The World Stage

• Atmosphere & Contrasts:

  • The French competition is more formal, serious, and, physically, quite pungent.
    • "Imagine walking into this room and just being hit with this overpowering smell of cheese... there's definitely a seriousness to it, feels very buttoned up." (14:57)
  • Despite the competitive element, cheesemongers are friendly and supportive.
  • International diversity brings fresh perspectives (e.g., Japanese and Ukrainian cheesemongers). (15:50)

• Competition Categories:

  • Oral presentations with storytelling
  • "Cut to weight" without a scale
  • Blind tastings (identifying cheese, milk, age, etc.)
  • Cheese sculpture and visually stunning cheese plateaus
    • "There's a cheese plate competition... pairing that they do... A written test... a pretty intense competition to train for." (16:50–18:58)
  • Some elements are unfamiliar for American cheesemongers.

9. What the Documentary Hopes to Change

• Raising Awareness of Cheesemongers' Craft:
  • Wolensky wants viewers to appreciate the expertise behind the counter.
    • "A cheesemonger is not just a person who's, you know, cutting it and handing it to you ... They can really take you on this whole sensory journey." (19:06)
  • Goal: Inspire audiences to seek out and engage with local cheesemongers, savoring cheese with the same mindfulness as fine wine.

10. Favorite Cheeses—From the Director

• Flower-coated “Out Blossom,” visually and texturally striking—perfect for gatherings.
• "Monger tax": The first piece from a cracked wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, considered the most delicious.
  • "It's this very sort of fragrant cheese that is actually coated in a blend of dried edible flowers ... another one ... Parmigiano Reggiano from a freshly cracked wheel. The little piece that falls out." (20:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On cheesemongers:

  • "Almost every cheesemonger you talk to is going to be one of the most interesting people you've ever met." (03:06, Wolensky)

• On Adam’s family:

  • "He said they were the cheese mafia, but then he said they weren't... Not real mafia." (08:19, Stewart & Wolensky)

• On addiction:

  • "He's someone who I knew was very comfortable in sharing all of this." (10:45, Wolensky)

• On the Mondial vibe:

  • "There's definitely a seriousness to it, feels very buttoned up... you're hit with this overpowering smell of cheese..." (14:57, Wolensky)

• On cheesemongers’ expertise:

  • "They can really make the cheese feel alive for you. And what we're really hoping that people walk away from the doc doing is... thinking about how they're purchasing cheese differently." (19:10, Wolensky)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & premise of documentary: 00:00–02:20
• Meeting Adam Moskowitz: 02:21–02:55
• Cheesemonger personalities: 03:00–04:32
• American vs. French cheese culture: 05:15–06:20
• Cheesemonger Invitational backstory: 06:49–08:06
• Adam's family and addiction: 08:19–10:51
• Casting competitors: 11:14–12:47
• Lilith Spencer’s influence: 12:47–14:47
• Mondial atmosphere & international perspectives: 14:57–16:44
• Competition categories explained: 16:50–18:58
• Director’s hopes for audience perspective: 19:06–20:12
• Favorite cheeses: 20:17–21:14

Tone & Language

The tone is conversational and passionate, rich in insider knowledge but always inviting and accessible for newcomers to cheese culture. Both Alison Stewart and Sarah Jo Wolensky are friendly and deeply curious, with Wolensky’s infectious enthusiasm for cheese and its community shining through.

If you’re curious about cheese, culture, competition, and the eccentric characters who have raised American cheesemongering to the world stage, this episode—and the documentary it features—is not to be missed.