Mouth-watering charcuterie board in Paris breaks record with over 1,000 pounds of food

In France, the apéritif ("apéro") is one of life’s little pleasures. 

Referring to the pre-dinner snacks – and drinks – that stimulate the appetite before a big meal, this culinary-minded culture loves to prelude their supper with tiny morsels of cheese, meat, and other savory nibbles.

However, food brand Michel et Augustin takes this indulgent practice very seriously – and on 8 July, they turned the light bites into a massive, record-breaking event.

Using the skills of six commis chefs, as well as a variety of their high-quality products, the company created the largest charcuterie platter/board in history, weighing a whopping 1,103.69 lbs (500.626 kg).

Topped with seven different types of cured meats and cheeses, as well as five types of preserves and chutneys and 11 varieties of fruit and vegetable snacks, the finished product stretched around across the purple-clothed tables like a mouth-watering maze.

Unfortunately due to the sweltering summer heat in Europe, the team was forced to prepare the charcuterie board inside the temperature-controlled headquarters of Michel et Augustin. 

Nevertheless, they still invited the public to a giant post-attempt party at the gardens of Les Invalides in Paris, where they would be able to sample the record-breaking nibbles.

Read more stories about massive meals in our dedicated Food and Drink section!

Setting up the table before the event at Les Invalides

And with the pressure on, the team worked quickly to make sure they could prepare all the food before the temperatures rose too high. 

The commis chefs spent two full days chopping and slicing all the food, showcasing the brand’s range of products with the AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée – Protected Designation of Origin) label. This European quality certification guarantees that products originate from a specific geographical area and are produced according to recognized traditional methods, and the company is proud to stock a variety of these goods. 

Then, once all of the meats and cheeses were prepared, 25 Michel et Augustin employees from various departments took part in assembling the record-breaking board. 

It took five hours to individually weigh and place all of the food, yet as soon as it was ready, everything was taken on air-conditioned trucks to the quiet parkway within Paris, just in time for the true test… the public’s tastebuds.

Underneath the sunny French sky, hundreds of attendees mingled around the charcuterie spread, filling their plates with the pink slivers of cured sausage and little yellow triangles of cheese. 

The seven types of meat included: Coppa, Chorizo, Bayonne ham, Saucisson sec, cooked ham, Serrano ham, and Rosette. Meanwhile, the seven AOP cheeses featured Comté, Beaufort, Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, Roquefort, Ossau-Iraty, Cantal and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Little cups of preserves were sprinkled across the board as well, displaying apricot, strawberry, and cherry preserves, fig jam and onion chutney – in addition to 11 varieties of fruits and vegetables, including peppers, cherry tomatoes, courgettes, pickles, radishes, fennel, carrots, grapes, redcurrants, cherries, and blueberries.

And when the attendees had finally eaten their fill, Guinness World Records Adjudicator Anouk de Timary took to the stage to announce that Michel et Augustin had officially claimed the record with their giant display.

When accepting the title, the organizers thanked their employees and the public for attending, before taking the opportunity to highlight the importance of the apéritif within French culture. 

“For Michel et Augustin, the apéritif is more than just a tradition… it is a true celebration of our culture and a moment of connection,” they said. “It brings together the best products from all regions of France and beyond and represents a unique part of the French art of living.”

They continued with: “We believe the apéritif embodies conviviality, sharing and the pleasure of gathering around quality food [and] it is a tradition that we would love to see recognized as part of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage!”

So congratulations to Michel et Augustin for claiming this mouth-watering culinary record – you are Officially Amazing!