Everything You Need to Build a Beautiful Cheese Board (2024)

Whether you've got family visiting from out of town, an annual party that it's finally your turn to host, or a calendar filled with dinner and co*cktail parties, a great cheese board is a classic crowd-pleaser. It greets visitors when they enter your home, laid out invitingly on the dinner table alongside a bottle of wine, and is the first sign that your party is going to be a success. If the cheese board is a hit, your status as a certified host or hostess will be solidified in the party pantheon, alongside Jackie Onassis and Perle Mesta. No pressure, right?

To help you navigate the innumerable cheeseboards, knives, and other accessories out there that compliment a cheese plate, we've gathered our picks (some of which we use in our test kitchen) for the supplies you need make this must-have dinner party appetizer a smash hit.

Boards

"We usually use wood or slate boards," Kesley Youngman, our Associate Food Editor explains. "Marble looks great and keeps a nice cool temperature, but is sensitive to acid (which will etch the marble) and can more easily stain. Wood is porous, too, but well-cleaned and oiled boards will work great."

End-Grain Cutting Board, Acacia, $100, williams-sonoma.com

This is the dark acacia cheese board our team uses in the test kitchen.

Picnic at Ascot Vienna Transforming Bamboo Cheese Board, $63, amazon.com

This round version features sections for the different items on your cheese board, from the cheeses themselves to meats, nuts, and jams, and a pull out drawer for your knives.

Slate Cheese Serving Board, $45, williams-sonoma.com

If you like the look of slate better, this is Youngman's pick. You can also write the evening's cheese selection directly on the board.

John Boos MYSB Mystery Butcher Block Oil, $16, amazon.com

Youngman says that in the test kitchen, they use this wood oil to polish the cheese boards. As for what type of cheese you should decorate your board with: "We like to balance a board with no more than four cheeses: one aged, one soft rind, and a bleu or chèvre at least," says Youngman, "We try to use a mix of sheep, goat, and cow's milk, too."

Knives

Here's a pro-tip about how to arrange your cheeseboard before you set it out for guests: "Never cut cheese on your presentation cheese board. Prepare your cheese then place it on your board to prevent scratching and staining it. For hard cheeses, we like to cut into slices on a cutting board, and then arrange the slices with a smaller wedge of the cheese, making it easier for folks to eat. For soft cheese (bleu, chèvre, brie, for instance), you can cut a wedge or two out for the board, or crumble a small amount [onto the board]."

Youngman says that if you have it, a dependable chef's knife and paring knife is the perfect companion for your cheese plate. However, if you prefer to use specialty knives that work for different types of cheese, here are the best options.

For semi-soft cheese:

Swissmar Lux Micarta Soft Cheese Knife, 9.5", Stainless Steel, $20, amazon.com

For hard cheese:

Swissmar Lux Micarta Cheese Plane, 8.9", Stainless Steel, $20, amazon.com

Wüsthof Classic 4 3/4" Hard Cheese Knife, $95, williams-sonoma.com or amazon.com

Spreaders

BlizeTec Multipurpose Cheese and Butter Spreader Knife, $19, amazon.com

Wüsthof Gourmet Spreader, $16, williams-sonoma.com or amazon.com

This elegant version from ABC Carpet and Home would be an eye-catching addition to your presentation.

Set of four sea shell spreaders, $45, abchome.com

Ramekins

Use these simple containers to hold the cheese plates companion snacks: "These are great for jams, chutneys, quince paste, raw honey, olives, pickles, nuts, dried fruit," Youngman says. "They can also be scattered over a board for a more free-form look. Don't go overboard with cheeses or accompaniments. One great jam is excellent, no need for four."

Fine White Porcelain Souffle Ramekins, $16, amazon.com

Mini ramekins, $7 at amazon.com

Accessories

These extras aren't totally necessary to your cheese board presentation, but they add extra flair to your party. Your own personal stamp on the set up that could start a conversation or make the perfect photo that makes the party legendary.

Chalkboard Cheese Markers, $13 at crateandbarrel.com