Tag Archives: Stephanie Izard

March 28, 2013 · 2:00 am

Fifth Annual COCHON 555 in Chicago 2013

Cochon 555: Pouring Cornerstone Wine

COCHON 555 (five chefs, five pigs, five winemakers), a unique traveling culinary competition and tasting event, marks its fifth anniversary tour. Created to promote a national conversation around the sustainable farming of heritage-breed pigs, each event challenges five local chefs to prepare a menu from the entirety of one 200-pound family-raised heritage breed pig, nose-to-tail. Twenty judges as well as guests help decide the winning chef by voting on the “best bite of the day.” This year’s event includes the launch of a cocktail competition called “Punch Kings” featuring Breckenridge Bourbon, with six local bartenders. Cost is $200 for the VIP tickets, opening at 4 p.m., and $125 for general admission, opening at 5 p.m. For more information, visit amusecochon.com.

WHEN: April 28, 2013

WHERE: Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 E. Delaware Pl., Chicago, IL 60611,

312-280-8800, 800-332-3442.

The 4th ANNUAL COCHON 555; the ultimate 2012 Swine, Wine and Dine Event was held in Chicago! “COCHON 555 is a national event series that takes place in 14 major cities across the country created by Taste Network ‘s Brady Lowe in 2009 in response to the lack of consumer education around heritage breed pigs.” Every January, C555 embarks on a 10-city culinary competition and tasting tour where 50 chefs compete.

The 2012 Grand Cochon winner was Nightwood’s Chef Jason Vincent of Chicago! BRAVO JASON!!!!!

Jason Vincent

“On June 17, 2012 at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado chef Jason Vincent from Nightwood restaurant in Chicago was crowned “The King of Porc” with his snout-to-tail menu created from a heritage breed Tamworth hog sourced at Triple S Farm. Chosen by an audience of 600 attendees and a panel of 20 expert judges, Vincent took home a set of exclusive COCHON555 cookware from Le Creuset, a Cowboy Cauldron and a guest chef showcase weekend at Blackberry Farm in 2013.”

Français : cochon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here’s Jason’s winning Menu: “Vincent won with a menu of crisp liver, eight-year cheddar and Michigan Cardoon Giardinere and “Sunday Brunch” made up of a bacon butterscotch doughnut, soft scrambled egg, ‘hollandoink’, bloody mary, on the bone.” You can see the “King of Pork’s” masterpiece here:

Jason Dish

Competing chefs for the Grand Cochon title included: Marc Forgione (NYC), Lars Kronmark (Napa, Calif.), Kelly English (Memphis, Tenn.), Naomi Pomeroy (Portland), Jamie Bissonnette (Boston), Michelle Bernstein (Miami), Scott Drewno (Washington, D.C.), and Ben Ford (Los Angeles).

The Cochon 555 Journey begins every January. The 10 city culinary competition selects five chefs from 10 cities to prepare a snout to tail menu from heritage breed pigs. The ultimate victor is crowned in Aspen. The King or Queen of Porc will receive a 2012 Guest Chef Showcase weekend at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.

WHEN: APRIL 29, 2012, 4 pm VIP opening; 5 pm General Admission

Cochon 555

WHERE: Four Seasons Chicago at 120 East Delaware

Cochon 555

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 Pastoral Artisan Cheese, and Hama Hama Oysters and chance to win a year supply of meat and cheese from Cochon 555 and Murray’s Cheese.

Mr. Delicious at Cochon 555

For tickets visit: www.cochon555.com

Follow @cochon555 on Twitter

Cochon 555 Chefs

COCHON 555 is a one-of-a-kind traveling culinary competition. There are five chefs, five pigs, five winemakers and tasting event to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs.

Cochon 555 Heritage Breed Pigs

Cochon 555

The event challenges five local chefs to prepare a menu created from Heritage Breed Pigs, nose-to-tail, for an audience of pork-loving epicureans.

CHICAGO’s FIVE CHEFS include:

Cochon 555: Chef Carlos

Cachon 555: Mike from 3 Floyds

Cachon 555: Stephanie from Girl and the Goat

Carlos Gaytan of Mexique, Danny Grant of RIA and Balsan, Stephanie Izard of Girl and the Goat, Mike Sheerin of Three Floyds and Jason Vincent of Nightwood.

Cochon 555: Girl and the Goat

Cochon 555: I loved Yorba’s Barbera!

Participants were treated to an an epic pork feast of five whole heritage pigs prepared by five chefs.

Cochon 555: Bone Marrow Platter from Nightwood

Cochon 555 Scholium Project WIne

Cochon 555: Scholium Project Wine

Cochon 555: Chase Winery from California

There were wines from five family wineries including: Chase Cellars from California with a vibrant Zinfindel; Elk Cove Vineyard from Oregon with incredible Pinot Noirs from the Willamette Valley; Buty Wines from Washington poured an excellent Cabernet sauvignon and syrah blend and Yorba Winery from Callifornia’s winemaker scored a home run with the Barbera. I loved the winemaker’s leopard scarf the Scholium Project ! Cochon 555: Winemaker

Cochon 555 I loved the Cornerstone Wine

Cochon 555: Buty Wine from Washington

Cochon 555: Loved the Oregon Pinot from Elk Cove Vineyards

The evening will also include wines from SALDO, Cornerstone and a blind tasting contest from Robert Kacher Selections.

Cochon 555 Beast WIne

I watched an interesting butcher demonstration from Rob Levitt of Butcher & Larder.

Cochon 555: Let’s butcher a pig

Cochon 555: Cuts from the Butchered Pig

Cochon 555: Guess Andrew’s ingredients and win cookware

Many people tried to guess the ingredients from Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia pot to win cookware from Le Creuset.

Cochon 555: WIne Le Creuset Cookware

Cochon 555: Three Floyds

The event included beers from Anchor Brewing and tastings of Chinaco Tequila and Three Floyd’s Beer.

Cochon 555: Anchor Brewing

Anchor Brewing from San Francisco was the national beer for Cochon 555 2012. Cochon 555: Anchor Brewing from San Francisco

Cochon 555: Templeton Rye Bar

Many people enjoyed a “Perfect Manhattan” from the Cochon 555 Templeton Rye Bar bar with Daniel Hyatt of Alembic SF featuring Templeton Rye, Hirsch, Angel’s Envy, Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Hudson Whiskey’s Baby Bourbon and Luxardo.

Cochon 555: Kevin Hickey

Kevin Hickey from Allium at the Four Seasons Hotel prepared a feast at the end of the evenilng. He served a Heritage BBQ whole hog family meal.

Cochon 555: Kevin Hickey’s Heritage BBQ

The Cochon 555 Tour culminates in a grand finale at the 30th Annual Food and Wine Festival in Aspen , Colorado.

At the Grand Cochon there will be: 10 Chefs, 10 Pigs and one Crown on Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.

“The finalists will each prepare dishes from a whole heritage-breed pig in this “head to toe” competition. The winner is determined by 450 guests and a panel of 20 esteemed judges. The event includes over thirty winning chef dishes from around the country, butcher demos, reserve wines, artisan cocktails, pig infused desserts and the award ceremony.” There will be a tasting of Domaine Serene reserve wines paired with the coveted Spanish pork, Ibérico De Bellota by Fermín imported by Wagshal’s Market. Enjoy the wines of California from West Sonoma Coast Vintners with brews from Anchor Brewing. Please call 888.649.5982 for more information and to buy tickets.

There are 2 more events before the ten winning regional chefs face-off to determine the ultimate victor at the Grand Cochon. The next 2 stops include Los Angeses on May 6, 2012 and San Francisco on May 2, 2012. Cochon 555 2012

Cochon de Lait (Photo credit: rdpeyton)

Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com

Get Your Tickets for the Memphis BBQ Today!

A three-day celebration of heritage pork, National Bourbon Month, and BBQ, an American-and a Memphis-tradition. Festivities include fine-dining BBQ experiences, interactive demonstrations & panel discussions, food artisans & producers, craft beers, family-owned wineries and craft distillers. Heritage BBQ will be a first-of-its-kind competition that pits 24 fine dining teams in the ultimate heritage breed pig BBQ cook off while celebrating National Bourbon Month and all things craft American and tasty including oysters, bacon, dinners and music to remember for a lifetime. Best yet, it happens every Labor Day moving forward.

Cochon (Photo credit: zigazou76)

Here are some event highlights from the Cochon 555 website:

FRIDAY / August 31st

National Bourbon Month

“Master Distillers’ Reception” at The Peabody

“Best of Memphis’ Guest Chef & Distiller Dinners”

“Pre-Prohibition Rooftop Soiree” presented by Duncan-Williams

SATURDAY / September 1st

Taste of Memphis

“Heirloom Bloody Mary Tailgate” with Benton’s Bacon

“COCHON5.55K & BBQ Run”

“Man vs. BBQ” (Chef Eating Challenge) hosted by David Varley

“Taste of Memphis & Tailgate Expo”

SUNDAY / September 2nd

Competition Day

“Heritage BBQ” at the Columns

24 chef teams cook “head to tail”

BBQ, Brews, Wines and Prizes

Swine & Sweet Stations

“National Bourbon Month” at Felicia Suzanne’s

40+ craft spirits, Local & National Mixologists

Top Chefs Display Culinary Prowess at South Beach BBQ Marathon (wine-festivals.vinoconvistablog.com)
The Tastiest Pig at “Swine and Wine” at The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables Florida (vinoconvistablog.me)
Food Buzz: Michelle Bernstein wins Cochon 555 honors (pbpulse.com)
This little piggy goes to Boston, Atlanta and Portland for COCHON 555 (anneamie.typepad.com)
30th Annual Aspen Food and Wine Festival 2012 in Colorado and the Grand Cochon (vinoconvistablog.me)

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Filed under COCHON 555 Porks Out in CHICAGO, COCHON 555: The 2012 Grand Cochon Winner was Jason Vincent of Nightwood in Chicago

Tagged as Blackberry Farm, Chef, Chicago, Cochon 555, Cochon 555 in Chicago 2012, COCHON 555 Porks Out in CHICAGO, COCHON 555: The 2012 Grand Cochon Winner was Jason Vincent of Nightwood in Chicago, Danny Grant, Fifth Annual COCHON 555 in Chicago 2013, Food, Kevin Hickey, Mike Sheerin, Murray's Cheese, Nightwood, Pig roast, Scholium Project, Stephanie Izard

March 14, 2012 · 2:37 pm

Top Chefs Display Culinary BBQ Prowess at South Beach Foodie Marathon

Miami Florida

The South Beach Wine and Food Festival had a kick-off event for the South Beach Foodie Marathon 2012 called “Q”. The BBQ extravaganza highlighted top chefs and their culinary prowess. Restaurants across the nation participated in this fabulous event. The event was held at the glitzy Ritz Carlton‘s ”Delano” Beachside venue at 1685 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.

The event was pesented by Allen Brothers Steaks

The Q at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival 2012

The event was presented by Allen Brothers Steaks and hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri featuring plenty of Moet & Chandon Champagne and the best BBQ chefs from across the nation. The chefs prepared and served their signature barbecue specialties from the grills and smokers.

Guy Fieri co-owns five restaurants in California. He served a Panh Mi Taco with BBQ fried rice from his Tex Wasabi Restaurant.

Q at South Beach

Emeril Lagasse at South Beach Q

Emeril Lagasse, A a regional James Beard Award winner, prepared Slow Roasted Spare Ribs with Abita Root Beer BBQ Sauce from Emeril’s Restaurant.

Image via Wikipedia

Michael White from Osteria Morini & Altamarea Group prepared grilled panchetta with Saba-glazed Figs and Toasted Pistachios.

John Rivers prepared BBQ Brisket and Pork Strret Tacos with Cilantro Creme Fraiche and Smoked Pico de Gallo served with Hickory Smoked Rioja infused manchego Croquettes topped with warm garlic and honey vinaigrette.

Yoshi Katsumura served BBQ Wagyu Short Ribs with Yuzu BBQ sauce and candied Yuzu knin on a Scallion pancake shochu with infused watermelon salad

Stephanie Izard at Q in South Beach

Stephanie Izard from Chicago was working her Girl and the Goat magic! She was the winner of the fourth season of Top Chef, Bravo‘s cooking competition show.

Girl in the Kitchen by Stephanie Izard

Chef Stephanie Izard from Chicago

Purple Pig from Chicago at Q in South Beach

Jimmy Bannos and his dad from the Purple Pig in Chicago showed off their magnificent porchetta.

Jimmy Bannos Jr.

Pretty big bottle opener Chef

The Regis put out an impressive spread. Richard Gras and Jordi Valles from the J & G Grill at the St. Regis Bal Harbour whipped up a smoked Lamb Shoulder with Brussel Sprouts, Toasted Sesame and five spices. Then the chef took some time off to open a bottle of champagne-le sabrage (with a sword). Nice job Chef!!

That Lamb was incredible!

Dewey LoSaso from the Forge served a sliced filet sandwich and boneless Short Ribs and Lobster Marmalade.

Dewey LoSasso

Mark Zeitouni from the Lido Restaurant prepared a delicious BBQ Smoked Local Kingfish Soft Taco.

Scarpetts Miami served Crispy Pork Shoulder

Raise Your Glass to the Celebrity Chefs at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival for Generating over $17 million for FIU (vinoconvistablog.me)
2nd Annual Atlanta Food and Wine Festival 2012 in Georgia (vinoconvistablog.me)
30th Annual Aspen Food and Wine Festival in Colorado (vinoconvistablog.me)
27th Annual Hilton Head Island Wine and Food Festival 2012 in South Carolina (vinoconvistablog.me)
Top Seafood and Wine Festivals (wine-festivals.vinoconvistablog.com)
Cancun Riviera Maya Food and Wine Festival 2012 in Mexico: “Taste the New World” (vinoconvistablog.me)

4 Comments

Filed under Top 10 BBQ Chefs and their Restaurants

Tagged as Barbecue, BBQ, Chicago, Collins Avenue, Delano Beachside, Emeril, Emeril Lagasse, Guy Fieri, John Rivers, Miami, Ritz Carlton, Root beer, Stephanie Izard, Top 10 BBQ Chefs and their Restaurants, Tops Chefs BBQ at South Beach

January 12, 2012 · 8:39 am

Chicago Restaurant Week 2012 Kicks Off with First Bites Bash

Don’t miss the Fifth Annual Chicago Restaurant Week. More than 200 restaurants come together to offer 10 days of pure epicurean excellence. Chicago Restaurant Week is a celebration of Chicago’s finest culinary talents.

The 10-day experience begins February 17 and runs through February 26 with more than 200 participating restaurants featuring prix fixe lunches for $22 and dinners for $33 and $44, excluding beverages, tax and gratuity.

You can revisit your favorite eateries or scope out some new hot spots. This gastronomic event is your once-a-year opportunity to sample fare created by some of the city’s top chefs. It’s a true celebration of Chicago’s world-class culinary scene.

The Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau will kick off the event. Ticket sales are open for the “First Bites Bash.” Stephanie Izard, chef and co-owner of Girl & the Goat, Food & Wine Best New Chef 2011 and winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Season 4 will host the highly-anticipated event, from which 100 percent of net proceeds generated by ticket sales will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

The First Bites Bash will offer sweet and savory tastings from more than 50 of Chicago’s most celebrated restaurants. The chefs will be featured in the magnificent Great Hall at Union Station on Thursday, February 2 from 6 pm to 9 pm. Tickets are available for purchase at www.firstbitesbash.com for $125 per person.

First Bites Bash, presented by United Airlines will showcase several of Izard’s peers who represent the “Who’s Who” of Chicago’s culinary elite. Critically acclaimed chefs with James Beard nominations, Michelin Guide stars, Top Chef titles and more will join the celebration, including David Burke with David Burke’s Primehouse; Tony Mantuano with Spiaggia and Bar Toma; Tony Priolo with Piccolo Sogno, and more expected to join in the days ahead making this event one of Chicago’s must-attend culinary events.

“Chicago has a great chef community which truly supports each other and the city itself,” said Izard. “It’s great to all come together for the First Bites Bash to help out the Greater Chicago Food Depository and all they do for those in the area and support an organization that has such a powerful impact on the city.”

Plan your restaurant week adventures now because many restaurants will fill up quickly. I recommend that you make your reservations asap.

Here’s a link to Open Table’s participating restaurants:

http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?m=3&ref=1076&pid=270

Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com