Cochon555 NYC 2018
On Sunday, January 21, Cochon555 tour made its way to NYC and hosted their pork feast at SECOND. More than 500 guests gathered at the affair to binge on the over 1,500 pounds of heritage breed pork raised on family farms.
Every year, five chefs are chosen from each stop on the tour to compete against one another by cooking a whole heritage hog using their own pioneering techniques and flavor profiles. The winner from each city is dubbed the “Prince or Princess of Porc” and invited to compete in the national championship Grand Cochon, which is going to be held in Chicago on September 30th.
This year, the New York City’s Princess and Prince of Pork, were Ginger Pierce and Preston Madson of Jams by Jonathan Waxman, for the splendid consumption of an entire Mulefoot cross raised by Heather Sandford of The Piggery. The winning menu featured a Charcoal Roasted Chilled Loin, Pimento “Head Cheese”, Pigs Blood Tortilla Chip “Nachos”, Mulefoot Cracklings, Fried Bologna Sandwich, and the Bourbon Maple Bacon Push Pop to end on a sweet note.
The event also raised $3,800 for Cochon's sister charity, Piggy Bank, a start-up farm in Missouri that serves as a kickstarter for new family farms and a safety net for those in the wake of a disaster (flood, fire, and disease).
Additionally, winners were named in the Somm Smackdown -- best wine paired with heritage breed pork -- and Punch Kings -- a whole-bottle punch bowl competition featuring Breckenridge Bourbon. Kristen Goceljak of Little Park won Somm Smackdown with her selection; Parusso, 2013 Langhe Nebbiolo Spumante from Piedmont, Italy. Tom Walker of Pig Bleecker won Punch Kings with his “Confederate Punch”, combining mint-infused Breckenridge Bourbon, lime, sugar, absinthe, cucumber, sparkling water, and bitters.
The best part of the event was the communal feasting, which consisted of a 40-course gourmet tasting menu taken standing up with endless wines and hand-crafted cocktails from some of the best bars in New York City.
The Welcome Lounge ushered guests into the Buffalo Trace Punch Bar followed by the Signature Starter Bar and Cheese Experience featuring Cello, Cypress Grove, and local cheesemonger Formaggio Essex Market. Guests sipped sparklers from Topo Chico; enjoyed a signature Gin Cocktail Experience presented by Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin; and The Manhattan Project featured premium bourbon from Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, and Breckenridge PX Cask Finish topped with Luxardo cherries.
Invitees learned about pairings at the TarTare Bar showcasing chef Garrison Price from il Buco Alimentari & Vineria and the wines of Antica Napa Valley; stunning wines from the portfolio offerings of Codorniu and The Lineage Collection paired with organic pates from Les Trois Petits Cochons, and the racy Wines of Germany paired with a culinary pop-up spotlighting a “Taste of New York City” with Chef Stefano Marracino or Paola’s.
Cochon555 also debuted a new experience called Trompo “Hora de Familia” hosted by Danny Mena of La Loncheria in celebration of its first Global Cochon555 event in Mexico City later this year. Just before awards, guests received a sweet ending via an Innovative Dessert Pop-Up highlighting celebrity pastry chef Zac Young of Craveable Hospitality and Cat Schimenti of Baked by the Ocean and Gelso & Grand.
Unlimited food, drinks, good people, and all for a good cause, what else can you ask for?
About the Cochon555 US Tour
The Cochon555 US Tour executes a yearly host of authentic, hyper-local food events focused on raising awareness for heritage breed pigs through the world’s first nose-to-tail pig cooking competition for the past ten years. This epic pork feast visits 20 major cities in North America annually and stages over 60 events. The tour is comprised of an array of live expressions including Heritage Fire (live-fire cooking in mountainside and vineyard settings) and Heritage BBQ (global grilling traditions). All Cochon555 events cultivate a long-term impact for heritage species raised by family farms, in top culinary markets in North America. Both educational and inspirational messages are circulated among 16,000 guests; 2,200+ chefs; 150+ family farms; and 16 culinary schools. Since 2009, 50,000+ consumers have experienced heritage pork, more than $500,000 has been donated to charities, and over $750,000 has been paid directly to our farmers. For more details and videos of events, visit www.cochon555.com or follow @cochon555 on Twitter and Instagram.
About Piggy Bank
Launched in 2015 by Brady Lowe - founder of the Cochon555 US Tour and Taste Network - Piggy Bank is a pig farming sanctuary. Harboring a Noah’s Ark-worthy selection of heritage breeds, it provides free genetics and business plans to emerging family farms. Piggy Bank aims to change the future of food by creating a community in which small farmers can learn about safer, more responsible practices and benefit from the sharing of genetics, livestock, and the very information needed to not just survive, but to thrive as small businesses. The Piggy Bank farm, located in Missouri, raises pigs to be gifted to communities dedicated to elevating the cause and expanding through a model of social and agricultural transparency. Piggy Bank is a nonprofit corporation with federal tax exempt status as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3). Follow the Piggy Bank conversation on Twitter @PiggyBankOrg. For more information, watch the video http://j.mp/PIGGY_BANK or visit www.piggy-bank.org.
Photos courtesy of Cochon555
