Free delivery on AU orders $85+ | Ships from within Australia

How to Build a Cheese Platter Board: A Complete Guide

September 24, 2026 – Kiwi Artisan

There's a version of a platter that gets eaten out of politeness. And there's a version that people crowd around, pick at for two hours, and ask how you put it together. The difference isn't budget or effort. It's knowing what belongs on a board, why each element is there, and how they work together.

Whether you're building a cheese board for a dinner party or putting together a full charcuterie spread, this is the guide. Every component covered, quantities included, and the finishing touches that most people skip but everyone notices.

Cheese selection for a platter board
01

Start with the Cheese

The cheese is your foundation. Everything else on the board is built around it. Three varieties is the sweet spot. More and the board becomes hard to navigate; fewer and you lose the contrast that makes a platter worth staying at.

Soft: Brie, camembert, or fresh chèvre. Creamy, mild, and the most crowd-pleasing. A drizzle of honey or a smear of quince paste turns something familiar into something guests keep returning to.

Semi-hard or hard: Aged cheddar, manchego, gruyere, or a good locally made aged cheese. These are the backbone of the board and the natural partner for savoury and herbaceous elements.

Bold: A blue or a washed-rind adds punch. Put it to one end so guests can find it on their own terms. Take all cheese out of the fridge 30–40 minutes before serving. Cold cheese loses half its flavour. Allow 80–120g per person.

Kiwi Artisan gourmet nuts on a cheese board
02

Gourmet Nuts — the Element Most People Underestimate

A plain salted cashew is a filler. A Manuka Honey Macadamia next to a wedge of brie is something guests ask about.

Manuka Honey Macadamias: buttery macadamia with the warm sweetness of NZ manuka honey. Put these at the soft cheese end of the board. They sit beautifully next to brie, camembert, or burrata, and if you're drizzling honey as a finishing element too, the echo works in your favour.

Maple Chilli Cashews: sweet heat from maple and chilli on premium cashews. The contrast element on any board. The spice cuts through rich cheese and resets the palate. Good alongside aged cheddar or manchego.

Native Herb Mixed Nuts: almonds and cashews seasoned with native herbs. Herbaceous, savoury, and the most versatile variety on the board. Works alongside any cheese and holds its own as a standalone snack bowl.

Roast Salt Macadamias: clean, classic, and consistently the first bowl to go empty. A crowd-pleasing option that works anywhere on the board.

Keep each variety in a separate bowl or grouped section so guests can see what they're reaching for. Allow 30–40g per person.

A stand-up pouch of Kiwi Artisan Manuka Honey Macadamias stands on a wooden surface next to a white bowl filled with the nuts, with a hand reaching in to grab one. Fresh green herbs and a soft beige cloth are arranged around the setup against a warm cream background.

Manuka Honey Macadamias
A stand-up pouch of Kiwi Artisan Maple Chilli Cashews stands on a wooden board next to a white bowl filled with the roasted cashews, with a hand reaching in to pick one. Fresh herbs and a cream knit cloth are arranged around the product against a warm beige background.

Maple Chilli Cashews
A green stand-up pouch of Kiwi Artisan Native Herb Mixed Nuts stands on a wooden board next to a white bowl filled with the nuts, with a hand reaching in to pick one up. The scene is styled with fresh herbs and a cream cloth on a light neutral background.

Native Herb Mixed Nuts
A blue stand-up pouch of Kiwi Artisan Roast Salt Macadamias stands on a wooden board next to a white bowl filled with the macadamias, with a hand reaching in to pick one. Green leaves and a beige cloth are arranged around the setup.

Roast Salt Macadamias
Kiwi Artisan infused olives on a platter board
03

Olives - and Why Brine-Free Changes the Board

Most people have had the brine problem: liquid pools under everything, the flavour overwhelms, and the texture is soft. That's not an olive problem, it's a brine problem. Kiwi Artisan's olives are brine-free. They hold their texture, don't leak, and look significantly better on a board.

Manuka Wood Smoked Olives: deep and smoky, the natural partner for aged cheese and cured meat.

Lemon Myrtle and Kawakawa Green Olives: fresh, herbaceous, and the most distinctive variety on any board. The ones guests ask about first.

Spicy Sichuan Chilli Olives: bold and punchy, a contrast that cuts through rich cheese and resets the palate.

Truffle Oil Infused Olives: rich, earthy, and surprisingly good alongside a plain cracker or brie. The olives for the person who thinks they don't like olives.

Green Olives Infused with Lemon Myrtle, Tusi Basil, Kawakawa & Premium Olive Oil – Native Herb Blend

Lemon Myrtle & Kawakawa Infused Olives
Manuka smoked olives infused with olive oil

Manuka Wood Smoked Olives
Spicy Sichuan Chili Olives made from New Zealand

Spicy Sichuan Chilli Olives
Truffle Oil Infused Olives made from New Zealand

Truffle Oil Infused Olives
Burrata with smoked olives and chilli oil drizzle
04

Burrata — the Centrepiece Move

If there's one addition that takes a cheese board from good to genuinely impressive, it's burrata. Fresh mozzarella with a creamy, liquid centre. Mild, rich, and the texture contrast against everything else on the board is deeply satisfying. Place it whole at the centre and break it open just before people start eating.

The combination that works best: burrata alongside Manuka Wood Smoked Olives or Truffle Oil Infused Olives. The creaminess of the burrata and the flavour intensity of the olives do exactly what a great platter should: contrast and complement at the same time.

Sweet elements on a platter — honey, quince paste, fresh fruit
05

The Sweet Elements

Every great platter has sweetness on it. This is what creates the back-and-forth between bites that keeps people grazing.

Honey: the most versatile element on the board. Drizzle it over brie, dip the Kawakawa and Lemon Myrtle Macadamias into it, or serve in a small jar with a spoon. A floral or manuka honey works best.

Quince paste or fig jam: paired with aged cheddar or manchego, a smear on a cracker with a slice of hard cheese is one of the most satisfying bites on any board.

Fresh fruit: grapes, sliced pear, or apple add colour, freshness, and a palate cleanser between richer bites. Figs when in season. Dried medjool dates work particularly well alongside blue cheese.

Chilli salt and truffle oil as platter finishing touches
06

The Finishing Touches Most People Skip

This is the layer guests notice, and usually ask about.

Manuka Smoked Flaky Chilli Salt: scatter a pinch over soft cheese, or serve in a small bowl beside the board. The smoke and heat work especially well with brie or camembert. Consistently the thing people pick up and read the label on.

Spicy Sichuan Chilli Oil: a small dish for dipping bread or crackers, or drizzled over burrata or soft cheese. If you're serving sourdough, this turns the bread into a reason to stay at the table.

Black Truffle Olive Oil: a few drops over the Truffle Oil Infused Olives or a wedge of soft cheese adds real depth. A finishing oil, not a cooking oil. Use it sparingly and right before serving.

Spicy Chilli Oil

Spicy Chilli Oil
Kiwi Artisan Black Truffle Oil Range

Black Truffle Olive Oil
White Truffle Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil from New Zealand

White Truffle Oil
Two jars of Artisan Black Truffle Seasoning on a light background

Black Truffle Seasoning
Two jars of Black Truffle Sea Salt by Kiwi Artisan on a light background

Black Truffle Sea Salt
Two jars of Manuka Smoked Flaky Chilli Salt with red labels on a light background

Manuka Smoked Chilli Salt
Cured meats folded on a platter board
07

Cured Meats

Not essential, but they add richness and a savoury anchor that gives the sweeter elements something to push against. Prosciutto, coppa, or a good salami. Fold or drape rather than lay flat: it looks better and portions more easily. Keep cured meats on one side of the board rather than scattered throughout; they're assertive in flavour and can overpower milder elements if they're everywhere. Allow 200g for 6–8 people.

Crackers and sourdough for a platter board
08

Crackers and Bread

Plain is almost always better than flavoured. Let the toppings do the work. Plain water crackers give guests a neutral base. Grissini add visual height and something to reach for. Sliced sourdough, toasted or grilled, is the right call if you're serving burrata. Avoid strongly flavoured crackers: they compete with the cheese and confuse the palate.

How to arrange a platter board with olives, cheese and gourmet nuts
09

How to Arrange the Board

Place your bowls first: olives, honey, and chilli salt in small bowls or ramekins anchor the board. Everything else builds around them.

Add the cheese next, spread across the board rather than grouped together. Cut one piece of each variety to show guests it's fine to start. Fill in with gourmet nuts, cured meats, and crackers. Add fruit and sweet elements in the gaps. The goal: no bare board showing, every element visible, nothing buried under something else.

A platter served at room temperature is worth ten times more than a cold one. Give everything time to come up before guests arrive.

Quantities guide for a platter serving 6 to 8 people
10

Quantities at a Glance

For a platter serving 6–8 people as a starter or grazing spread:

Cheese500–700g total (2–3 varieties)
Gourmet nuts180–250g total
Olives200–250g (2–3 varieties)
Burrata1 ball (150–200g)
Cured meats200g
Crackers2–3 varieties, approx. 1 packet
Fresh fruit1 bunch grapes + 1–2 sliced pears or apples

Frequently asked questions

Are Kiwi Artisan gourmet nuts good for a grazing platter?

Absolutely. they're one of the most popular additions to a grazing board. The flavour variety means they pair well alongside cheese, olives, and charcuterie, and the unique combinations (like Kawakawa and Lemon Myrtle) give any platter a point of difference. Customers also frequently use them as a standalone gift or add them to a gift box alongside the truffle and olive ranges. With both sweet and savoury flavours available, there’s an option for almost every taste.

Are the olives suitable for platters and gifting?

Definitely. They’re the antidote to sad, forgettable platter brined olives and can easily become the star of a grazing board. They also make a fantastic gift for food lovers, hosts and anyone who appreciates bold, artisan flavours.