Voulez Vous Cochon Avec Moi? Participating Chefs Announced!

Cochon 555, a traveling culinary competition and tasting event promoting sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs will be in Miami at the Four Seasons on April 1. The event will challenge five local chefs to prepare a menu created from heritage breed pigs, nose-to-tail. Those chefs are: Michelle Bernstein of Michy's et. al, Aaron Brooks of EDGE Steak & Bar at Four Seasons Miami, James Petrakis of the Ravenous Pig in Winter Park, Michael Schwartz and chef de cuisine Bradley Herron of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, and James Strine of Café Boulud Palm Beach. After the competition, Yardbird's Jeff McInnis will will serve a Heritage BBQ whole hog family meal. At the end of the feast, the Prince or Princess of Porc will be crowned and will go on to compete against other regional winners at the finale Grand Cochon event at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen on June 17.

Wineries include Elk Cove Vineyards, Scholium Proiect, Sokol Blosser, Chehalem Wines, and K Vintners as well as wines from SALDO. There will also be a butcher demonstration, an interactive tasting contest with Le Creuset, Anchor Brew, tastings of Chinaco Tequila, the "Perfect Manhattan" Cochon 555 Bar with Daniel Hyatt of Alembic featuring five craft American spirits, and Domaine Serene of Oregon paired with Iberico De Bellota by Fermin. The night will conclude with a 25th anniversary champagne toast to the James Beard Foundation, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier Champagne, now celebrating its 200th year; a dessert sampling of exclusive chocolate flavors from Xocolatl de David served with cold-brew Safari Cup Coffee.

Tickets $125 per person for general admission; $200 for VIP, which includes one hour early access to sample dishes from three of the competing chef stations, welcome cocktails from The King's Ginger, artisan cheeses from Murray's Cheese, and Rappahannock Oyster Company serving Stingrays, Olde Salts and Rappahannock River. To purchase, click here. [EaterWire]