Cochon 555 @ The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

If you’re going to sweat a little pig through your pores, this is the way to do it.
Cochon 555: 5 Chefs + 5 Pigs + 5 Wineries
I’d like to add another 5. A 5 day Pig Hangover…
Skip breakfast and lunch and grab an antacid or two, 555 is a traveling event that celebrates culinary and vintner creativity and the other white meat. I caught this event by chance and I’m so glad that I did. We began this indulgent piggy adventure in a rustic room at the CIA and a taste of ginger liqueur. I realized that a little ginger to settle the stomach was a good thing. This is not an event for light eaters. At events like these you gotta go in with a plan: graze like a cow!
Some over-​the-​top rich, others a one time taste to know that yes, you’ve tried every part of a pig, in every way possible! How bout a Piña Piglata cocktail or a cupcake topped with sinfully rich lard frosting and candied bacon sprinkles… or simply as one sign said, «Pig Face.» Did I eat it? Yes, from offal to fresh chicharones, I sampled as many pig-​infused dishes as I could, including fresh shucked oysters. No, oysters don’t really come from a pig, but yum they were delicious too! Here’s to breaking the rules a little bit!
After an epic tasting, I proudly cast a vote for my favorite of the 5 chefs and got my Cochon pig pin souvenir to prove it. Call me weak, but I only watched the butchering demo for a couple minutes. As people gathered around with cameras, I took one look at the oddly cute pig head sitting on the table and bolted towards the table with antique knives and Le Creuset cookware. Nothing like a little window shopping to take the edge off!
If you’re in the Bay Area, there’s still time to experience this grand porky affair. It will be coming to San Francisco on May 20^th. As my groovy dad would say, «It’s a gas and a half!»

Four of us went after much anticipation and purchasing the VIP tickets for $ 175 each and being a pork fiend I had high hopes. Sadly the oysters and the fondue from the cheese monger @ the vip event along with the butchering competition were the highlights. 3 of the chefs went down an asian path and there was way too much Chinese five spice in circulation, undercooked pork-​belly served without a knife in sight. Some guests looked like tyrannosaurus rex trying to chew though the pieces. A steamed pork bun… on another table another steamed pork bun in the shape of a taco… come on guys let’s get with the program. Long story short we left after a couple of hours and went to dinner… four miserably disappointed extreme foodies (2 of the four being chefs). ps… for $ 175.00 I expect at least a glass of wine not just a few capfuls each time I wait in line.

What? No reviews of Cochon 555? For shame Unilocaler foodies!
Cochon 555 is a unique culinary experience and friendly competition of five chefs, five pigs and five wineries. Its mission is to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs. This national ten-​city tour showcases local farmers, chefs and wineries.
This year’s Napa Valley event, held at the CIA in St. Helena, featured:
Five Chefs:
Duskie Estes & John Stewart — Zazu, Sonoma
Curtis de Fede & Tyler Rodde — Oenotri, Napa
Charlie Parker — Plum, Oakland
Dave Cruz — ad hoc, Yountville
Brandon Sharp — Solbar, Calistoga
Five Pigs:
Red Wattle — Walnut Keep Farm & Vineyard
Mangalitsa — Suisun Valley Farm
Berkshire — Newman Farm
Yorkshire — Christian Brothers Ranch
Duroc /​Berkshire — Devils Gulch Ranch
Five Wines:
Pey-​Marin Vineyards
Ladera Vineyards
Scholium Project
Domain Serene
K Vinters
A $ 125 ticket gets you into this glorious pig feast. A $ 175 VIP ticket gets you in an hour and a half earlier for a few extra nibbles of caviar, oysters, and artisan cheeses and a few extra sips of wine and cocktails. During the main event you get to sample a tantalizing array of porcine-​inspired dishes by the five chefs, drink as much wine as your tired old liver can handle, watch a butcher competition, and last but certainly not least, enjoy a mouthwatering taste of two roast pigs as the grand finale.
If you missed this year’s Napa Valley event, start saving your pennies for next year. There is also the SF event at the Ferry Building on June 5^th. It’s a bit more expensive than this event, but I’m sure it’ll still be worth it. If you love all things pig, then check it out. Your happy satisfied belly will thank you. As for your arteries and gallbladder… um, not so much.