We went to Dock 5 at Union Market Sunday afternoon for Cochon 555, which promotes honest food, improves culinary arts, and supports heritage pigs and local farming. We snapped founder and host Brady Lowe, flanked by Masseria's Nick Stefanelli and Moët Hennessy's Michael Peliser.
An intense pork-centric chef-off culminated in a tasting of food and spirits. Here, competing Cochon 555 chefs: Mandu's Danny Lee, who won the Prince of Porc, Del Campo's Victor Albisu, Bernaise's Spike Mendelsohn, Yona's Jonah Kim and Vidalia's Jeffrey Buben.
Cocktail competition winner Taha Ismail, collaborator in Mike Isabella restaurants' cocktail concepts, celebrates his victory for his breakfast brunch cocktail: Breckinridge Bourbon, yuzu, shisho leaf and toasted almonds, garnished with star anise and a burnt honey almond crunch.
Cochon 555's quest for contest and flavor included a VIP Washington state wine tasting, the perfect Manhattan bar, punch kings competition, a Chupito mezcal tasting, tartare bar and BBQ traditions. Here, the judges who voted on their favorite swine and sips: Charity Off the Hook Foundation's John Rorapaugh, The List Are You On It's Nycci Nellis and Pfau Communication's Amber Pfau.
More of Cochon's palette inclined judges: The Pass & Provisions' Terrence Gallivan, Seasonal Pantry's Daniel O'Brien, Creekstone Farms' Nathan Stambaugh and Birch & Barley's Kyle Bailey.
Alfredo Flores and Liz Ovits contributed to this issue.
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