Math is hard but national touring pork troupe Cochon 555 breaks it down to the basics. Five chefs, five winemakers and five (late) pigs pair up to compete and prove who does pork better—with more than 400 guests, comprised of industry and foodie fanatics, that individually vote for one chef to bring home the bacon (sorry) as champion. Sunday night held the Seattle stop-over at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, a piggy bank of flavors for guests to pork out on and chew the fat with other hog-happy enthusiasts (sorry, done now).
The five Seattle chefs came from throughout the city, including host chef Paul Shewchuk, Brendan McGill of Hitchcock, Josh Henderson representing his Vestal restaurant, Bobby Palmquist of The Walrus and the Carptenter and Tyler Palagi and Charles Garrison of Radiator Whiskey. More than 36 dishes were prepared from the five whole, locally-raised heritage breed pigs, promoting family farming in Washington State and across the country.
Since launching in 2008, Cochon 555 has been on a mission of ‘”good food,” motivated by the lack of education around heritage breed pigs and family farming as a whole. Today, the tour and competition has reached 20 markets across the United States, with more than 45 events involving the term “heritage breed pig,” promoting the further use of the message and donating more than $400,000 to local charities, investing in upwards of $500,000 in family farms by purchasing whole hogs for each event and now with Piggy Bank, the new foundation that gifts heritage breed pigs to family farmers in exchange for business plans. In line with the “good food movement,” the tour’s mission is to bring food education to the people by way of local and independently owned farms, top notch chefs, butchers, wineries and bartenders.
Considering Cochon is a national tour, the five winemakers were all from California, slightly losing the driving message of local among a savvy Seattle crowd. All was forgiven once the pig began rolling out and Northwest wineries were found tucked into corners like hidden treasure, including Lullaby Winery, Bartholomew Winery, Coral Wines, Sonoris Wines and Leah Jorgensen Cellars. Italian imports and vintage Champagne were also heralded, and the pairing proficiency of the five Seattle sommeliers—Nelson Daquip of Canlis, Jeff Lindsey-Thornton of RN74, Sennen David of Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Kristen Young of Bastille and Cortney Lease of Martine’s Wines—were put to the test when each somm matched one wine with all of the dishes. Kristen Young took the title in this Sommelier Smackdown with her selection, the 2014 Cuvee Theo Riesling from Alsatian producer Domaine Weinbach.
Each chef plated pork as many as five times (Chef Shewchuk got five bite-sized courses on one five-inch plate including a candied bacon ice cream) and in a myriad of manners—Chef Henderson’s simple roasted pork was topped with an unctuous crackling and drizzle of honey, Chef Palmquist served a stacked and easy muffaletta, Chef McGill plated smoked pork atop a crunchy bed of black-eyed peas and Chefs Palagi and Garrison’s hot dog was one of the favorites of the night. Several other “pop ups” sated the hungry guests, from the Tartare Bar with Chef Chris Chapman of RN74 and the Ramen Bar with Chef Brian O’Connor of Same Same Noodle Bar (opening soon in Seattle’s White Center neighborhood), to the “Punch Kings” cocktail competition and grade A butchery on display by Tracy Smaciarz of Heritage Meats in Rochester, Washington.
At the end, when paper plates formed pyramids on cocktail tables and enough wine and “The Perfect Manhattans” were consumed that dancing and group hugs broke out, there was only one chef who would be announced as “Prince of Porc” for Seattle. Chef Josh Henderson of Vestal will be the cook to carry on the Seattle representation in the national title of “King or Queen of Porc” at Grand Cochon, the tour finale, held at the Viceroy in Snowmass/Aspen on June 18. With Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Francisco left on the tour, Chef Henderson is happy as a pig in mud until he heads to the Rockies to take on the nation’s best in show. Best of luck from his home city, one that is now filled with fat and feeling fine.
