It's almost time to pig out at the annual Cochon 555 tour, which kicks off at NYC's Ritz Carlton in Battery Park on January 26th. The over-the-top pork party pairs five chefs with five little piggies, challenging them to create a complete nose-to-tail feast from their wards. After New York, the tour continues to nine other cities, culminating in a big championship where one chef will be crowned the King or Queen of Porc.
NYC chefs starring in the first event of the year are Frank Langello (Babbo), Seamus Mullen (Tertulia), Michael Toscano (Perla), Luaren Hirschberg (Craftbar) and David Standridge (Market Table). They'll eat be tasked with creating six porcine dishes for the event in hopes of wooing the crowd of judges with their offerings. Regular attendees get to sample the good as well, in addition to buckets of beer and bourbon and a special Prosciutto di Parma section, wines, oysters, cheese and baked goods. Live butchering demos from the likes of the Meat Hook and Pop-Up Butcher Bar throw a little education in your direction, should you want an excuse to eat all that porky goodness.
The event takes place on Sunday the 26th from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (better get that Monday off from work now) with tickets running $125 for GA and $200 for VIP, which includes an extra hour of feasting and imbibing. Tickets are all inclusive for the 1,200 pounds of pork and however much booze it takes you to wash it all down.
