Chrissy Teigen's Top Tips For Perfect Charcuterie Boards Without The Stress

A great charcuterie board is the perfect touch for a holiday occasion or any gathering. With her "Cravings" line of cookbooks, breezy Instagram presence, and fun food-related content (she once utilized an accidental delivery of 200 limes), Chrissy Teigen is the perfect guide to a wide world of casual charcuterie boards. That's why she has partnered with Boursin as Maison Boursin's 2024 Host in Residence and the anchor of Maison Boursin x Chrissy Teigen: No Occasion Required, a celebration of the art of casual hosting with Boursin cheese. Daily Meal spoke with Teigen at a launch party for the collaboration about all things charcuterie. 

"I like doing separate cheeseboards," Teigen told us. "I love making a dessert cheeseboard, a candy cheeseboard, and meat and cheeseboard." That's right, charcuterie is delicious as a classic meat and cheese combo, but it's a versatile platform for all sorts of foods. With candy and dessert boards, charcuterie can be any course in a meal, or even all of the courses. The versatility of the form makes boards suitable for any type of gathering and any guest's particular tastes.

All these different board types have their appeal. In addition to the draw of the classic meat and cheese combination, candy charcuterie is great for kids' parties, and a dessert charcuterie board can make for a decadent tray anchoring a celebration. From vegetable varieties to Easter Brunch boards, the idea is that there's something for everyone on one of the medleys you've presented.

Regardless of the board or its occasion, Chrissy Teigen likes to offer as many options to guests as possible for a well-balanced and well-received charcuterie experience. "Everything on a cheeseboard should be good enough that when eaten together, it should be delicious, and then you're just playing around with flavors from there. But that's the fun of a charcuterie board," she said.

When putting together any charcuterie board, Teigen follows a great farmers market shopping tip by picking up something fun or interesting. "To see what they have locally is always so fun to me," she said, "because then you get people asking, 'What is that cheese I just had? What is that?' It's so exciting for me to be able to be the first person to watch them taste something."

As for the physical arrangement of the board, Teigen opts for timeless and unfussy design: "I don't make all the rosettes and everything out of my meat. I think cheeseboards should be really ... relatable? Not scary for people."

When conceptualizing her charcuterie boards, Chrissy Teigen likes to center on familiarity and nostalgia. "Boursin has always reminded me of my childhood ... of recipes that I've loved in the past," she said, adding "I like to stick with what I know, what I'm nostalgic for."

She incorporated Boursin in the recipe for a board-ready Baked Boursin with Honey Chili Jam, a warm, savory, cheesy dip to bring a touch of home comfort to any charcuterie presentation. "There's just so many cool themes you can do," Teigen explained, "so I do like to treat them a bit separate: The cheese, world of the chutneys, and the dried fruits on one. And then you have your chocolate on another one."

That means jobs for potential kitchen partners, bonding with friends and family, and even passing charcuterie appreciation down to a new generation. Akin to its nostalgia, Teigen's love for this art runs through her joy in sharing experiences with her loved ones, the heart of some of food's most magical possibilities. "Since she was two years old," Teigen said of her daughter, "she's loved making fruit plates and stuff with little cookie cutters," so now she's in charge of the sweets board in Teigen's home, making it a truly family affair.