The Winner Of Cochon 555, Washington DC Executive Chef Scott Drewno of The Source

Attending an event like Cochon 555 is definitely not for the faint of heart. The concept developed by Brady Lowe, President and Creative Director of Taste Network in 2009 came in response to the lack of consumer education around heritage breeds of pigs. Brady is so passionate about this issue that he simply resonates with excitement while talking about the animals and the farmers who raise them.

Heritage animals were bred over time to develop traits that made them particularly well-adapted to local environmental conditions. Breeds used in industrial agriculture are bred to produce lots of milk or eggs, gain weight quickly, or yield particular types of meat within confined facilities. Heritage breeds are generally better adapted to withstand disease and survive in harsh environmental conditions, and their bodies can be better suited to living on pasture.

These livestock breeds also serve as an important genetic resource and when heritage breeds become extinct, their unique genes are lost forever and can’t be used to breed new traits into existing livestock breeds. Therefore, by raising heritage livestock breeds, sustainable farmers not only maintain variety within our livestock populations, they also help to preserve valuable traits within the species so that future breeds can endure harsh conditions.

There is no official definition or certification for “heritage” animals, but for a livestock breed to be truly heritage, it must have unique genetic traits and also be raised on a sustainable and/or organic farm. Heritage animals are well-suited to sustainable farms since they are able to survive without the temperature-controlled buildings and constant doses of antibiotics administered to the commercial breeds raised on factory farms.

The Cochon concept all started from a series of conversations Brady had with farmers who were struggling to keep their family businesses alive. He knew that restaurants and talented Chefs were always looking to source exceptional ingredients for their menus and he also wanted to help consumers learn more about where their food comes. His desire to create an awareness of the natural and sustainable food systems that exist in many of our local family farms across the nation spawned the original idea for the event. He believed that he could spread the word through a unique culinary experience…and in his mind, this unique experience began to take shape as he discussed with the farmers, the many sustainability concerns that exist across the nation. His heartfelt desire to favorably tilt the scales back towards local producers who create truly artisanal food came together in this unique farm to table idea that came to be known as Cochon 555, and is already in its 4^th year.

His concept teams up 5 Chefs with 5 different breeds of Heritage Pigs and challenges them to prepare an entire menu using that one breed. The Chefs and farms represented this year were Scott Drewno of The Source and the Red Wattle breed from Leaping Waters Farms; Nicholas Stefanelli of Bibiana Enoteca and the Ossabaw breed from Autumn Olive Farms; Ed Witt of 701 Restaurant and Farmer’s Cross breed from EcoFarms; Mike Isabella of Graffiato and the Berkshire breed from Patterson’s Farm and Wes Morton of Art & Soul and the Large Black breed from Ray Family Farms.

The Cochon 555 event takes place in 10 major markets that will culminate in a Grand Finale at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen Colorado, where the ten winning Chefs from each competition will face off to determine the ultimate victor in a competition that is called the Grand Cochon. The winner is chosen by both an audience vote and the votes of 20 area judges. It is a journey that food lovers from across the nation attend to watch their favorite Chefs take the stage to showcase their unique pork creations that must include everything from snout to tail. Swine-loving epicureans will also have an opportunity to watch a live butchering competition which included Pamela Ginsberg of Wagshal’s Market in Washington D.C….arguably one of the best butcher shops in the Metropolitan area.

Some of the unique menu offerings this year were Chef Scott Drewno’s Chinese style bacon & eggs, delicious Dim Sum potstickers and chip & dip pork rinds

Chef Mike Isabella’s oregano & garlic ravioli and absolutely delicious avocado and lime tacos

Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s salumi and ragu arincini

Chef Wes Morton’s Andouille sausage & red peas

and Chef Ed Witt’s unique blood & chocolate ice cream in a crackling cone

Five national wineries are also represented and this year’s choice for the Washington DC event included David & Ginny Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyards of Oregon; Adam Campbell of Elk Cove Vineyards of Oregon; Caleb Foster of Buty Vineyards of Washington State; Russ Rossner of Sokol Blosser Winery of Oregon and Steve & Jill Matthiason of Matthiason Family Vineyards of California.

So if you have an opportunity to attend a Cochon 555 event in your town, I suggest you run to grab a ticket. It is truly an experience of a lifetime. These events sell out quickly, as did the one in DC and simply waiting until the following year just won’t do. For more information about the event, please visit the official Cochon 555 website.