Cochon555 bringing the bacon to Denver
Brother Luck may have thought “Top Chef” was challenging, but soon he will face one week and 200 pounds of pig.
Niche dining event Cochon555 will return to Denver on June 24, this time at the Renaissance Stapleton (3801 Quebec St.), to bring together some of the area’s best chefs and crown the Rocky Mountain Region’s “prince or princess of porc.”
Cochon555 was created in 2008 to draw attention to the education around heritage-breed pigs. How so? It’s a “nose-to-tail” culinary competition with a focus on supporting family farmers and educating buyers. Denver is one of only 11 cities that will get the competition. Other stops include New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago, and each event features an educational component and fundraiser for Piggy Bank.
For the event, each chef will be cooking a whole 200-pound heritage-breed pig raised by a local family farm. They get the pig one week before the event. “Top Chef” Colorado contestant Luck is among the all-star cast of chefs who specialize in whole-animal cooking. Others include Adam Branz of Ultreia; Cindhura Reddy of Spuntino; Kyle Foster of Julep; and Nate Singer of Blackbelly Butcher.
Past Denver winners include restaurateur Troy Guard and Matthew Vawter of Mercantile Dining & Provision.
Tasters get to experience the chefs’ creativity with dozens of bites at what’s sure to be the porkiest porkfest around. Bartenders and sommeliers will also be on hand to help wash it all down with inventive craft cocktails and wonderful wines.
To win the crown, the standout chef must impress 20 judges with his Judge’s Plate, but it’s not all up to them. Guests will also have a say in voting for the best bite of the day. Judge’s Plate? Maybe Luck’s time on the Bravo television show will give him a leg up on the competition after all.
The Denver winner will advance to the national finale in Chicago on September 30.
But of course, tasting inventive dishes from some of the area’s best chefs won’t come cheap. VIP entry is $200 and starts at 4 p.m. for an hour of chef questions and sommelier schmoozing. Doors open for general admission at 5 p.m., and tickets are $130.
More information and tickets at cochon555.com.