High on the Hog

Hello, my name is John, and I'm a Porkaholic. Even though it's still days away, I'm already quivering in anticipation of Cochon555, a very special culinary competition featuring a group of top San Francisco chefs, each of who will get an entire heritage breed hog to prepare from head to toe – literally.

Five chefs, five pigs, and five family-owned wineries are being brought together by Taste Network, for what promises to be an evening of porcine perfection. As one of the lucky guests, I'll be helping determine the winner, along with a panel of professional judges, and the top chef will be declared, "Prince of Porc."

Taste Network, a culinary events company that focuses on artisan wine and food pairings and education, has been hosting these Cochon555 competitions across the country to promote heritage pigs and breed diversity in local and national communities.

I'll be covering the event with camera and video recorder in hand, and hope to share the sights and sounds of five whole hogs being used in wondrous and extraordinary ways, but since there's a very good chance I'll have too much pork fat on my fingers to properly work the equipment, I've posted a video from the Boston Cochon555 event below.

This is open to the pubic, so if you're in the Bay Area and would like to join me, the event is Sunday, June 14th, 5:00 PM, at The Fairmont, San Francisco. For more information about this event, or Taste Networks, you can check out the official Cochon555 website. I'd love to see you there!