The 4th Annual Cochon 555 Miami Crowns Lindsay Autry the Princess of Porc

Another pork-filled weekend went down as Cochon 555 made its fourth annual stop in Miami on Sunday, April 19. This year the swine-filled afternoon took its talents to South Beach setting up shop at Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

This year’s competing chefs include Lindsay Autry of Fin & Feather, Xavier Torres of Drunken Dragon, Todd Erickson of Haven South Beach, Jason Pringle of db Bistro Moderne and Richard Hales of Blackbrick. The five chefs, were give a 200+ pound heritage pig about five days before the event and tasted to prepare a maximum of six dishes with hopes to win votes from a hungry crowd and judges.

This year the title went to Lindsay Autry, who will go on to represent South Florida and compete for the title of “King or Queen of Porc” at the tour finale, Grand Cochon in Aspen in June. Dishes of hers that were standouts included a “snack pack” filled with a PB slim jim, pork rinds, pork wings and a pork heart push pop filled with braised and grilled liverwurst, mustard and pickles.

During the VIP hour, the bartenders got into the action too competing in the Breckenridge Bourbon’s Punch Kings competition. Repour’s Brian Sassen was crowned the winner, creating a “Mt. Moshi” cocktail filled with Breckenridge, lemon, yuzu, Asian pear, honey, orange juice, ginger liqueur, peach bitters, pineapple and orange.

Besides the chefs foods on display there were many other “pop-up” food and drink offerings such as a Mezcal Chupito Bar, a “Welcome Punch” by Buffalo Trace’s that seemed to be “welcoming” people all afternoon, a Monger Cheese Bar prepared by The Cheese Course, a Creekstone Farms TarTare Bar by Jose Mendin and of course Cochon’s signature “Perfect Manhattan Experience” featuring Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Breckenridge Bourbon and Hirsch bourbons finished with Luxardo cherries.

Like years past, there was also a pop-up Butcher Shop with a live butchering demonstration with Andres Barriento of Miami Smokers, that helped raise $750 to help support culinary students from Johnson & Wales. But before the pig was auctioned off it had to get its tattoo on, courtesy of the folks at Miami Ink who did an on-site tattoo demo on the pig.

Just when we thought we couldn’t eat anymore, it was time for “family meal” brought to us by Brad Kilgore and his team at the soon-to-be open Alter. The BBQ themed meal was filled with dishes like jerk pochetta, smoked chili sausage and the crowd favorite: pork confit filled tater tots topped with ranch dressing. Of course we all needed something sweet to end the night and the Azucar Ice Cream team had just the answer when they brought out their bourbon infused ice cream served with a dark chocolate cake filled with bacon and shaped like a pig’s head.

Miss out of the fun? Take a look at all the delicious photos below from the event.

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