It may be a pun, but Sophie Slesinger really is "the big cheese." For this self-taught cheesemonger, the kudos for her refined palate and cheese knowledge have been growing. As Washington D.C.'s Blue Duck Tavern's resident cheese master, Slesinger loves her work. "I'm very lucky to have a career that inspires me."
At Blue Duck Tavern on M and 24th Street NW, where food artisans and local farmers are lauded for the edibles they produce, Slesinger "started almost same day as new executive chef. It feels like a really exciting time to be there," she says. She is in charge of the restaurant's cheese. "I decide what we'll buy, and how it will be plated. I talk to the diners and make recommendations. We make some charcuterie in house and we source domestic charcuterie like La Quercia Prosciutto and Salumeria Biellese."
Named last year to Zagat's "30-Under-30: New York City's Food World Up-And-Comers," where she was dubbed the "cheese maestro," Slesigner's recognition in the food world continues to grow.