Cochon 555, the country’s most talked about culinary competition returns to celebrate family farms, heritage breed pigs and today’s emerging chef community. Attendees of this one-of-a-kind culinary competition embark on a journey to the new hyper-local culinary landscape, one whole pig at a time. The tour is aligned with the modern-day good food movement — notable chefs, barrier-breaking women, artist-like butchers, spirited bartenders, top winemakers, brewers, distillers and brazen pastry talent working together to prepare an epic feast celebrating responsible family farming. Going on its seventh year, Cochon 555 is regarded as the nation’s most flavorful culinary event, from entry to exit, each bite is specially designed to win over the public.

This must-do culinary experience features five top chefs in a one-of-a-kind culinary competition featuring over 36 dishes prepared from locally-raised whole heritage breed pigs with endless wine, brews and spirits. This year’s competing chefs include Lindsay Autry of Fin & Feather, Xavier Torres of Drunken Dragon, Todd Erickson of Haven South Beach, Jason Pringle of db Bistro Moderne and Richard Hales of Blackbrick. The five chefs, champions of whole hog utilization, will prepare a maximum of six dishes with hopes to win votes from a crowd of hungry gourmands and celebrated judges.

A pack of notable judges, led by last year’s Prince of Porc, Jose Mendin, and including Aaron Brooks of Edge Steakhouse, Daniel Serfer of Mignonette, Bradley Herron of Michael’s Genuine and Norman Van Aken of Norman’s will help select Miami’s “Prince or Princess of Porc.” The winner goes on to compete for the title of “King or Queen of Porc” at the tour finale, Grand Cochon at Snowmass/Aspen in June. The grand champion will be rewarded with a 4-day wine experience in Rioja, Spain’s most prominent wine region. And, new in 2015, the winner’s kitchen countertops will be resurfaced with Wilsonart® Quartz decorative surfacing, a remarkable, beautifully engineered stone material from America’s countertop leader.

The Miami version of this fairy-tale heritage pork event includes more than 36 chef-prepared dishes in an all-inclusive stand up reception with notable tastings from Wines of Germany, St. Francis Winery and Whistle Pig Rye. Cochon’s “pop-up” culinary experiences include the Petit Format Bar presented by Wilsonart® Quartz decorative surfacing, the Mezcal Chupito Bar, The Artisan Cheese Bar with The Cheese Course and the famous TarTare Bar featuring Creekstone Farms prepared by Chef Jose Mendin of Pubbelly. This notable group of local and national sponsors will be hosting exceptional experiences from Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Breckenridge Bourbon, Hirsch, Luxardo, Rappahannock Oyster Shelf, Prosciutto di Parma, Black River Caviar, Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Creminelli and La Brea Bakery. Following the main event, everyone is invited to join us for Freehand’s & Cochon555’s “Chef’s After Party” upstairs at 27 Restaurant & Bar.

We are proud to announce the return of the Pop-Up Butcher Shop with the support of Williams-Sonoma – a live butchering demonstration with Andres Barrientos of Miami Smokers, raising money for the supporting culinary students from Johnson & Wales. New sponsors in 2015 include Whistle Pig, Visit Houston featuring notable chefs, and PANNA’s new Simmer app. Finally, before the awards ceremony, the signature “Swine & Sweets” course will be served followed by a spotlight Awards Toast and announcement of the winner.

The weekend kicks-off on Friday, April 17, with a Chef’s Course Dinner ($125 all-inclusive) hosted at Pubbelly when Executive Chef Jose Mendin and “2014 Prince of Porc” welcomes guest chefs Aaron Brooks of Edge Steakhouse “2013, 2012 Prince of Porc”, Cesar Zapata of The Federal, Timon Balloo of Sugarcane, Danny Smiles of La Bremner in Montreal, and COCHON 555 founder Brady Lowe for a five-course dinner paired with the stunning Wines of Germany. The seated five-course dinner is a “must-do” culinary experience. – read the menu and rsvp here –

On Saturday, April 18th, join us for Cochon 555’s “Large Format Feast,” ($115 all-inclusive) hosted at L’echon Brasserie with Chef Jose Mendin. The three-course meat feast features reserve Prosciutto di Parma, new wines from St. Francis Winery in this epic “Big Beef vs. Heritage Pig”. To close the evening, guests will enjoy a discussion of spirits featuring Hirsch and Old Potrero 18th Century from Anchor Distilling. – read the menu and rsvp here –

“I’m excited about all the new partners in 2015 who support family farming, independent business and heritage breed pigs. Each event aims to lessen the burden on the small farmers to hold surplus inventory and streamline the sales process. This year we continue to expand with a guest chef and winemaker dinner series over the course of each weekend, a revamped welcome reception, and a flavorful lineup of experiences that support a more natural, sustainable food system,” explains Brady Lowe, founder of Cochon 555. “Together, with some of the best chefs and partners in Miami, we amplify the conversation of heritage pork, which for many is a ‘gateway meat’ to a larger appreciation of where our food comes from and the people that raise it, leading to more mindful eating.”