Cochon 555 is Back This Sunday!

COCHON US TOUR & GOOSE ISLAND BEER CO. HUMBLY PRESENT COCHON 555.

This year’s competing chefs include Host Chef Patrick Clark of The Culinary Institute of America, Kelly McCown of Goose & Gander, Jason Kupper of The Thomas, Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards Grill and Dustin Valette of Dry Creek Kitchen.

Over 11 tons of heritage pork raised by family farms will be served across the country in a nose-to-tail touring culinary competition. Going on its sixth year, Cochon 555 is the nation’s premier culinary tour touting the flavor and benefits of eating heritage breed pigs. The kickoff event features an all-star lineup of five chefs, five pigs and five wineries to celebrate breed diversity and family farming. The winner will go on to compete in the Grand Cochon at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June for bragging rights as the “King or Queen of Porc” and a four-day wine experience to Rioja, Spain’s most prominent wine region. 

The five chefs, champions to the pig, will battle it out in a friendly competition by preparing a maximum of six dishes each created from one whole heritage breed pig to win votes from a crowd of hungry gourmands and celebrated judges. In celebration of the tour’s 6th anniversary Dave Budworth of Marina Meats will butcher a pig for the audience, and for the first time at the event, a group of students under the guide of Larry Forgione of Conservatory for American Food Studies and will prepare an additional whole pig in an late-night Asian Speakeasy style before dessert and the awards ceremony. 

A 1200+ pound showcase of heritage pig carved into 30 chef-prepared dishes will also include: “The Goose Nest,” an area featuring the Vintage Ales of Goose Island Beer Co. paired with Hudson Valley Foie Gras; live butchering demonstration at the Pop-Up Butcher Shop, benefitting the Le  of Culinary Arts with the support of Williams-Sonoma; different ages of Prosciutto di Parma ranging between 14 and 30 months, sliced by a roaming Berkel and by hand off a bone-in leg. The event also features [5] five local barkeeps in the “Punch Kings” Competition presented by Breckenridge Bourbon. Guest will enjoy a welcome cocktail from Four Roses Bourbon; the Bourbon Bar presented by Breadcrumb by Groupon featuring Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Breckenridge Bourbon, Hirsch, Templeton Rye and Luxardo; libations including Crispin Cider, Wines of Rioja, Hill Family Estate, Antica Napa Valley, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Scholium Project and more tba; a TarTare Bar featuring Creekstone Farms and Anthony “Nash” Cognetti of Tra Vigne; an artisan cheese bar with Rogue Creamery and La Brea Bakery; everyone gets the royal treatment when we roll out our Swine & Sweets infamous dessert course featuring Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams topped above the “best bite of the year” Black Pig Bacon Waffle topped with Ice Cream by Duskie Estes & John Steward of Zazu Kitchen & Farm, the “2011 King and Queen of Porc”. 

All guests are invited to visit www.cochon555.comwin and sign up for the newsletter for a chance to win a VIP trip to the Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival in New York City on May 3rd, or more than a $3,000 in prizes from our partners, including a Smart-Scoop Ice Cream Maker from Breville, a $1,000 bottle of Reserve Bourbon from Breckenridge Distillery, a chance to be a Punch Kings judge and 2 VIP tickets to Cochon 555. 

The COCHON 555 event is 100% inclusive and always on Sunday.