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| A snapshot from the Cochon 555 event in Denver this year. // (c) Cochon 555 2011 |
This July, the newly opened The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will play host to Cochon 555, a national culinary competition promoting heritage breed pigs, launching the All-Star Cochon, a new Las Vegas event. The event will feature winners from previous years’ events, including 10 leading chefs and three star butchers who will each cook with 14 different heritage breed pigs this summer.
“We are delighted to host the first Cochon 555 All-Star event and look forward to welcoming this talented line up of chefs to Las Vegas this summer,” said The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas CEO John Unwin. “Our food and beverage program is an integral part of The Cosmopolitan experience, so this partnership is ideal for us.”
The 10 chefs, comprised of past winners and fan favorites, will work together to prepare a “snout-to-tail” menu from heritage breed pigs sourced in their local markets and then flown to Las Vegas for this ultimate pork tasting.
Participating chefs and butchers include: Joshua Applestone of Fleisher’s Meats (NY); Mary Dumont of Harvest (Boston); Duskie Estes & John Stewart of Zazu (Sonoma); Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats (SF); Devin Knell of French Laundry (Napa); Mark Ladner of Del Posto (NYC); Amelia Posada and Erika Nakamura of Lindy & Grundy (LA); Michael Sullivan of Blackberry Farm (Walland, TN); John Sundstrom of Lark (Seattle); the 2010 "King of Porc" David Varley of Michael Mina (San Francisco); and the 2011 Grand Cochon winner, to be chosen at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. More chefs, butchers and special guests are yet to be announced.
Additionally, guests will have an opportunity to take in side-by-side butchery demonstrations, as well as taste cured meats, take part in reserve wine tasting, enjoy craft brews and consume specially paired artisan cocktails.
All-Star Cochon is the first new event to be added in the three-year-old Cochon 555 competition series, and it marks the first time that Cochon will be in Las Vegas.
“Through this three-year-long friendly competition and tasting tour, we have been championing family farms raising heritage breed pigs and connecting them with passionate, supportive chefs,” said event founder and Taste Network principal Brady Lowe. “We are excited to extend the tour into Las Vegas, it’s the ultimate place to celebrate the flavor benefits of heritage breed pigs.”
Tickets for All-Star Cochon start at $150 per person for general admission and are available for purchase online at Cochon555.com or CosmpolitanLasVegas.com. VIP tickets for $200 include a private tasting of reserve wines, artisan cheese, oysters and caviar.
Visit www.cochon555.com or www.cosmpolitanlasvegas.com.