Massive meltdown as French town breaks world raclette record

The record for the world's largest raclette was broken on 17 March, 2024 in the south-eastern French city of Saint-Etienne. © Alex Toulemonde/Wikimedia Commons

What do you get if you combine 620kg of cheese, 350kg of charcuterie and a tonne of potatoes? The answer is the world’s largest ever raclette feast – a certified triumph achieved in the south-eastern French city of Saint-Etienne.

Although its origins are Swiss, raclette is very popular in France – particularly in mountainous regions – where people gather around a special grill that slowly melts the creamy cheese, which they then scrape off onto boiled potatoes, pickles, onions and cured meats.

Like its cousin, the fondue, it’s a dish best enjoyed in a social setting; there’s no such thing as a raclette for one.

Organisers of the event in Saint-Etienne, not too far from Lyon, took the concept to new heights last Sunday when 2,236 people sat down for a gargantuan raclette which a court bailiff officially recognised as a new world record.

Ambiance festive pour la #raclette organisée au Parc-Expo de #SaintÉtienne. Plus de 2300 convives étaient attendus. Un record ? pic.twitter.com/4XP2OMhKJ1

— France 3 Rhône-Alpes (@F3Rhone_Alpes) March 17, 2024

Record shredded

Some 10,000 potatoes were needed to shred the previous record held by students from Chambéry, a picturesque city with views of the Alps, who gathered 1,067 people around a raclette in 2022.

And the ambition doesn’t stop here. French comedian Jason Chicandier and sidekick Mathou Cann, who were behind Sunday's raclette rumpus, say they aim to double the number of guests next year.

"This is fantastic. I expected it to be a success but not such an explosive one," said Chicandier, who's known for his videos promoting French regional cuisine.

He told local broadcaster RadioScoop the feast en masse was intended to offer unpretentious, casual fun among families and friends – true to the rustic roots of the dish itself, which was traditionally enjoyed by mountain farmers around an open fire.

“The goal is to get the regions to communicate with each other. That's why I’m also thinking about organising a sauerkraut [event] in Saint-Tropez, a bouillabaisse in Dunkirk or even a giant paella in Biarritz," Chicandier added.

Saint-Etienne's raclette rendezvous is expected to be validated by the Guinness Book of Records.

Camembert is made using the fungus called Penicillium Camemberti. © Dhananjay Khadilkar