Cochon 555 Announces Official List Of Stellar Judges And Additional Sponsors For 6th Annual NYC Event At The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park

NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cochon US Tour and Goose Island Beer Co. humbly present Cochon 555 New York City on Jan. 26, 2014. Going on its sixth year, Cochon 555 is the nation's premier culinary tour touting the flavor and health 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.

This year's competing chefs include Frank Langello of Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, Michael Toscano of Perla, Seamus Mullen of Tertulia, Lauren Hirschberg of Craftbar, and David Standridge of Market Table. 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.

Host Chef James Dangler, Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park, will lead the pack of judges in selecting New York's "Prince of Porc." Judges include:

• Nick Anderer, Maialino
• Tom Mylan, The Meat Hook
• Christian Pappanich, The Cannibal
• Damon Wise, Lafayette
• Christine M. Quinlan, Food & Wine
• Marco Canora, Hearth
• Cruz Goler, Lupa
• Thomas Schneller, CIA Hyde Park
• Mitchell Davis, James Beard House
• Mark Ladner, Del Posto
• George Mendez, Aldea
• Michael Ginor, Hudson Valley Foie Gras
• Michael Wilson, La Cucina Italiana
• Corwin Kave, 2009 Prince of Porc

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.

In addition to 30 chef-prepared dishes, guests can experience:

• The Goose Nest, an area featuring the Vintage Ales of Goose Island Beer Co. paired with Hudson Valley Foie Gras.
• A welcome cocktail featuring Four Roses Bourbon.
• Live butchering demonstration at the Pop-Up Butcher Shop by Sara Bigelow of The Meat Hook, benefitting the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park.
• 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.
• Five local barkeeps in the "Punch Kings" cocktail competition presented by Breckenridge Bourbon.
• An artisan cheese bar with Rogue Creamery and La Brea Bakery.
• TarTare Bar featuring Creekstone Farms and Mark Ladner of Del Posto.
• A Perfect Manhattan Experience bar, a Mezcal Bar, Crispin Cider, Wines of Rioja, Jordan Winery and Rappahannock Oysters.

Right before announcing the winner and heading to the after party, guests will enjoy family meal with the chef teams - an entire 6^th heritage breed pig prepared by 2009 NYC Prince of Porc Corwin Kave in a late-night Asian Speakeasy format combined with Swine & Sweets new "Ice Cream Social" featuring Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. 

All guests are invited to visit the website and sign up on the newsletter for a chance to win a VIP trip to the Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival in New York City on May 3^rd, a trip to Heritage BBQ in September, or more than $3,000 in prizes from partners, including a Smart-Scoop Ice Cream Maker from Breville, a $1000 bottle of Reserve Bourbon from Breckenridge Distillery, a chance to be a Punch Kings judge and 2 VIP tickets to Cochon 555.

About Cochon 555
Cochon 555 was created in 2009 by Taste Network's Brady Lowe in response to the lack of consumer education around heritage breeds. The festival is a national event series that takes place in 17 major markets. In addition to its flagship event, Cochon 555, the Cochon brand now offers a variety of experiences each year in the family of events. The events with national followings include Heritage BBQ, Heritage Fire, EPIC Cochon, All-Star Cochon and Cochon Island. Since its launch in 2009, Cochon 555 and its programs, such as Chef's Course, have supported responsible family farming across the country by allowing 50,000 people to taste heritage pigs and by donating more than $300,000 to charities and more than $500,000 directly to great farmers across the country. For more details about the events, visit www.cochon555.com or follow @cochon555 on Twitter.

About Heritage Breed Pigs
Heritage breed pigs come from bloodlines going back hundreds of years when livestock was raised on multi-use, open-pasture farms. Because of their lifestyle and inherent genes, different breeds became known for a variety of characteristics, including the rich and hearty taste of their meat, distinct marbling, bacon flavors and creamy fat. Today, these breeds still carry excellent qualities, but many are not suited for commercial farming practices and as a result, are in danger of being lost forever. We can help preserve heritage breeds by consuming them. Their future is reliant upon farmers who can afford to raise them and the enthusiasts that create a demand for their treasured meat.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW,
PLEASE CONTACT:

Cristy Alvarado
[email protected]
646-218-6020

Jill Haapaniemi                         
[email protected]    
646-218-6002                      

SOURCE Cochon US Tour