Cochon 555 Returns to Miami April 17-19

It’s Time to PIG OUT! And you can have your pig and eat it too at three special Cochon 555 Miami events.  Starting on Friday 4/17 Chef Jose Mendin hosts a Chef's Course dinner boasting the talents of chefs, Aaron Brooks, Timon Balloo, Cesar Zapata and Danny Smiles at Pubbelly. Saturday 4/18 Chef Mendin will host a Large Format Feast with guest chef, Danny Smiles and the young winemakers from Sonoma's St Francis Winery and Vineyards at L'echon Brasserie. 

But the "Main Event" is on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at the Loew’s Hotel South Beach, where 5 chefs from 5 Miami restaurants will compete for the culinary Cochon 555 winning trophy and bragging rights. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this culinary competition, Cochon 555 travels all over the USA to top cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago and beyond.  5 chefs in each city compete, with winner going to the Grand Cochon finale to compete for "King or Queen of Porc" title. 

This gastronomical event celebrates family farms, promotes the sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs, and is a fun filled day of eating and drinking with 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.

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.

The 2014 Miami winner was Pubbelly's own Jose Mendin, who prevailed with an Old Spot Pig from Cross My Heart Farms and beating out defending champion Aaron Brooks of Edge Steak and Bar, The Dutch's Conor Hanlon, Michael's Genuine's Bradley Herron, and MC Kitchen's Dena Marino. The winning menu featured pig sushi nigiri; Neapolitan terrine, bacon and oyster; mofongo; la tripleta with smoked ham; pork shoulder and head cheese on pan sobao, and bacon bottom cookies.

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

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 Steak and Bar , 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.

For more info on all the sponsors and participating vendors and tickets visit: http://cochon555.com/2015-tour/miami.

Where: Loews Miami Beach Hotel – Official Host

1601 Collins Ave

Miami Beach, FL 33139

When:  Sunday, Apr. 19, 2015

VIP Admission: 4PM                                                                                                                    

General Admission: 5PM

Tickets:  $125 General Admission/ $200 VIP

Purchase tickets at

( Information provided by PadillaCRT New York, Images by Galcones Photography )