COCHON 555 FIFTH ANNIVERSARY TOUR MARKS A CULINARY MILESTONE

The fifth anniversary of Cochon 555, a one-of-a-kind traveling culinary competition and tasting event created to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs. Arriving in the Bay Area Sunday, April 14 at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, the pork-centric tour gathers together five chefs, five pigs and five wineries at each event – ultimately touching down in 10 cities across the country and bringing its message of nose-to-tail cooking, breed diversity and family farming to food enthusiasts nationwide.

Each Cochon 555 event challenges five local chefs to prepare a menu created from the entirety of heritage breed pigs for an audience of pork-loving epicureans and celebrated judges. The competing chefs are Mark Richardson (Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco) Omri Aflalo (Bourbon Steak), Adam Sobel (RN74), Scott Youkilis (Hi Lo BBQ / Hog & Rocks), and Christopher Thompson (A16).

Guests will be treated to an epic pork feast alongside wines from five small family-owned wineries including Sandhi Wines, Buty Winery, Turley Wine Cellars, Scholium Project, Elk Cove Vineyards, Wind Gap Wines, with special tastings from Greg Linn Wines, Robert Kacher Selections, Paul Mathews Vineyards, Matthiasson, Chehalem Wines, Anchor Brewing, Crispin Ciders, Pig’s Nose Scotch, and Illegal Mezcal. Special tastings include Executive Chef Kim Wiss of Antica Napa Valley and Cypress Grove Chevre cheese paired with Anchor Brewing. Twenty judges and 400 guests help decide the winning chef, who is crowned the Prince of Pork and will compete against other regional winners at the finale Grand Cochon event at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen on Sunday, June 16.

VIP guests receive early access to the event and special offerings including a special tasting with three competing chefs. The VIP hour is filled with experiences that will not be found on the main floor such as access to "Punch Kings" - a new cocktail competition featuring Breckenridge Bourbon and six local bartenders, a VIP-only gift bag, the all-new Tartare Bar presented by SIMI Winery, Rappahannock River Oysters, and reserve wines and spirits. Guests will also be able to enter for a chance to win a roundtrip ticket from Southwest Airlines, Official Airline for the “Cochon US Tour”.

Also included in the evening is a preview of Cochon’s new event, Heritage BBQ. Chef Dennis Lee and the Magnolia Brewing Team will roll out family meal in the much anticipated release of Dogpatch BBQ – an additional whole pig paired with special brews immediately preceding the awards.

In addition, to celebrate five years of Heritage Breeds, Cochon added five bourbons to the lineup! All attendees will have access to the Perfect Manhattan Bourbon Bar presented by Breadcrumb featuring Breckenridge Bourbon, Hudson Whiskey, Eagle Rare, High West, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses and Luxardo cherries. Also new in 2013 is the Chupito/Mezcal Bar, a tasting experience featuring Mezcales de Leyenda, Pierde Almas and Fidencio. The infamous Craft Cheese Bar sees a facelift featuring local cheesemonger Mission Cheese, Cypress Grove Chevre, Vermont Butter & Cheese, Spring Brook Farm with an exclusive tasting of blues from Rogue Creamery, and favorites from Kerrygold.

The fun continues when Miyabi/Zwilling USA present a butcher demonstration featuring Kent Schoberle from 4505 Meats and a raffle to benefit the student volunteers, ice-cold brews from Magnolia Brewing, a Champagne toast, award ceremony, hand-crafted cocktails from Templeton Rye, Fernet Branca digestifs, pork-spiked desserts, and of course, the after party will immediately following with food and drink specials each available for $5.55.

Where: Four Seasons - Official Hotel of Cochon 555

Please join us on Sunday, April 14th- 4 pm VIP opening ($200); 5 pm general admission ($125)

In 2013, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the COCHON 555 tour, Bourbon Steak Executive Chef Omri Aflalo welcomes friends of Cochon to enjoy the specially prepared, collaborative culinary experience "Chefs Course," on Friday, April 12, 2013 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Launched in 2012, Chef’s Course is a national dining program designed by chefs to reward guests supporting local agriculture. This special, one-night-only epicurean feast begins with Chef Aflalo opening his kitchen to five renowned chefs each preparing a course perfectly paired with wine, a beer or a craft cocktail from Antica Napa Valley, Buty Winery, Scholium Project, Sandhi Wines, SIMI Winery, Magnolia Brewery and Breckenridge Bourbon. Participating chefs, each preparing a course that showcases their distinct culinary approaches, includes Devin Knell (The French Laundry - 2010 Cochon 555 Winner), David Bazirgan (Fifth Floor); John Cahill (Cafe de Amis), Bill Corbett (Absinthe) and Cochon 555 founder Brady Lowe.

Tickets to the one-time-only event are all inclusive at $150 (including beverage pairings). Reservations are required and can be made by calling Bourbon Steak at 415-397-3003.