Unai Lekuona wins 53rd Ordizia Cheese Contest

Unai Lekuona Ruiz de Luzuriaga, a producer from Araia, won the 53rd Ordizia Cheese Contest, a traditional Basque competition for cheeses made with raw Latxa or Carranzana sheep milk. This victory marks Lekuona’s first win after twenty previous participations.

Lekuona’s cheese received a score of 2,569 points from a jury led by chef Pedro Subijana. The second and third place honors went to Ondarre and Aizpea, respectively. Following the announcement, the San Sebastián restaurant El Vaskito purchased half of the winning cheese at an auction for 5,400 euros.

The event, held at the Beti Alai fronton, featured 49 entries from various regions including Gipuzkoa, Navarra, Álava, and Bizkaia. The ceremony also included a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the New Basque Cuisine and a moment of silence for deceased members of the Idiazabal Cheese Brotherhood.