This past Sunday, February 28, Houston was stuffed with food (and wine) events. The Houston Kosher Chili Competition was rolling, Houstonians were healing their Rodeo Cook-Off hangovers and spending big bucks at the annual Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction and Dinner, and hundreds gathered at the JW Marriott Downtown for Cochon555.
While guests pigged out at competing chefs’ booths and sponsor stations handed out bites and booze, other local Houston restaurants also made pop-up appearances at the tasting event. Kata Robata was doling out ramen at its ramen bar, Bobby Matos of State of Grace hosted a tartar table, and pastry queen Becky Masson of Fluff Bake Bar hosted a pop-up pie shop.
Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar’s pop-up at Cochon555
This year, five wine professionals were presented with the task of pairing their wine with the dishes prepared by the restaurants in the main competition in the Sommelier Smack-Down: The team of judges were asked to pick their favorite wine after trying it before judging the main tasting event and during main-event judging as well. Sommeliers included Marc Borel of Rainbow Lodge, Craig Collins of ELM Restaurant Group, Natalie Vaclavik of Victory Wine & Spirits, Lexey Davis Johnson of B&B Butchers & Restaurant and Dale Ellington of Kata Robata.
Competitors of the Punch Kings event were primed and ready to be judged on their party bowls when, just before judging began, one competitor accidentally knocked over the presentation table, and five large bowls of creative swill spilled to the floor. In one blink the clean-up crew began mopping up the gallons of cocktails, and competitors scrambled to re-set the table, re-make their punches and start the competition over again in a timely manner. While we didn’t capture the tidal wave of booze with a photo, the attitude by the contesting bartenders was impressive and professional. The show must go on! Morgan Weber of Agricole Hospitality (Revival Market, Coltivare, Eight Row Flint) took home the Punch King award.
Morgan Weber serving punch during Cochon555
The main event featured five Houston chefs going knife-to-knife for the Prince of Porc title, with the winner going on to Aspen in order to represent their restaurant at the Grand Cochon event this summer. Competitors Jean-Philippe Gaston (Izakaya), Justin Yu (Oxheart), David Cordúa (Américas), Richard Knight (Hunky Dory) and William Wright (Helen Greek Food and Wine) really showed their skills in utilizing the entire heritage-breed hog with no waste.
Winner of Cochon555 Houston – Justin Yu of Oxheart
While Justin Yu was crowned the 2016 Prince of Porc with an impressive array of Chinese dishes, judges murmured throughout the tasting process about how impressive – and diverse – each of the contenders’ many dishes were, such as David Cordua’s push-pops and Richard Knight’s whole hog pasta.
Chef David Cordúa of Américas
The event was supposed to end at 7:30, but it wasn’t a surprise that guests were still trickling out of the hotel at 8:45, tipsy with libations and full of the other white meat. We’re looking forward to Cochon555’s return to Houston in 2017. For Becca Wright’s full set of photos of the event, click here.