Cochon US Tour and Goose Island Beer Company are presenting Cochon 555 New York City on January 26, 2014. Going on its sixth year, Cochon 555 is the nation’s premier culinary tour touting the flavor and benefits of eating heritage breed pigs. The kickoff event features an all-star lineup of five chefs, five pigs, and five wineries to celebrate breed diversity, family farming, and food enthusiasts.

This year’s competing chefs include Frank Langello of Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, Michael Toscano of Perla, Seamus Mullen of Tertulia, Lauren Hirschberg of Craftbar, and David Standridge of Market Table. The chefs are each given a 200-lb. heritage breed pig to create six dishes for the event. 

Host chef James Dangler, executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park, will lead the pack of judges in selecting New York’s “Prince of Porc.” Other notable judges include Dan Kluger of ABC Kitchen, Nick Anderer of Maialino, and last year’s winner, Missy Robbins. The winner will go on to compete in the Grand Cochon at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June for bragging rights as the "King or Queen of Porc” and a four-day wine experience to Rioja, Spain’s most prominent wine region.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of Cochon 555. I've wanted to participate for years and the stars haven't been aligned until this year,” says Mullen. “I grew up on a small farm in Vermont where we raised our own heritage porkers—mostly Tamworth and Gloucester Old Spots—and I'm so pleased that more and more people are realizing that responsibly raised animals are the only sensible choice, from flavor to sustainability to ethics. Cochon 555 is a tremendous example of just how delicious these animals are, particularly when cooked by some of the finest cooks in the country."

 In addition to 30 chef-prepared dishes, guests can experience:

• The Goose Nest, an area featuring the vintage ales of Goose Island Beer Company paired with Hudson Valley foie gras.
• A live butchering demonstration at the Pop-Up Butcher Shop by Tom Mylan, the “Meat Prophet” of the Brooklyn Meat Hook, benefitting the local culinary school.
• Different ages of Prosciutto di Parma, ranging between 14 and 30 months.
• “Punch Kings” cocktail competition presented by Breckenridge Bourbon.
• A welcome cocktail from Four Roses Bourbon.
• A Perfect Manhattan Experience bar, a Mezcal Bar, Crispin Cider and TarTare Bar, featuring wines of Rioja, oysters, artisan cheeses, another whole pig, and dessert.

All guests are invited to visit the website and sign up on the newsletter for a chance to win a VIP trip to Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival in New York City, or more than $3,000 in prizes from partners, including a Smart Scoop ice cream maker from Breville, a $1,000 bottle of bourbon, a judge's seat at the "Punch Kings" competition, and two VIP tickets to Cochon 555. 

The Cochon 555 event takes place at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park on Sunday, January 26, 2013, from 5:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. Tickets cost $125 for general admission and $200 for VIP tickets, which includes early admission (beginning at 4:00 p.m.) and premium access to limited experiences and wines and spirits. To purchase tickets visit www.cochon555.com