This paper evaluates a new chromogenic plate medium, CHROMagar Staph aureus [CSAM], for the detection and enumeration of Staph.aureus in cheese samples compared to the conventional Baird Parker agar medium [BPAM]. CSAM showed a greater rates of recovery, specificity and efficiency reached 92.2%, 98.5% and 96.3% compared to those of BPAM which were 83.5%, 49.2% and 61.6% .On the basis of its excellent recovery, specificity, efficiency, ease of identification of the characteristic colored colonies especially if they were of very low counts in mixed cultures, CSAM can be recommended as a routine plating medium for detection and enumeration of Staph.aureus from food.