Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/960891
BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 16 / the tasting panel / april 2018 L os Angeles may be known for its kale smoothies and ample vegan eateries found all over town, but you'd never guess judging by the massive crowd at Cochon555. Held in March at Santa Monica's Viceroy Hotel, the friendly culinary competition celebrating all things porcine tours the U.S. every year. At the L.A. event, five local chefs—Brian Redzikowski of Kettner Exchange, Thomas Bille of Otium, Lord Maynard Llera of Mason, Sammy Monsour of Preux & Proper, and Hugo Bolanos of Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air—faced off to create multiple dishes that each featured a different breed of heritage pig. Highlights included a Chinese bao–style "Big Mac" made with pork belly from Redzikowski (who won the competition and the title of Prince of Pork), pork belly with strawberry mole from Bille, and a whole pig that was butchered and auctioned before a live audience. Cheers to the gentleman who purchased half of the animal—around 120 pounds of pork! It goes without saying that a veritable feast of meat dishes needs equally-enticing drinks to wash things down, and several beverage com- panies heeded the call: Five wineries offered sips of their wide-ranging releases while Breckenridge Distillery, Courvoisier, El Tesoro, Glenfiddich, and more covered the boozier libations. For those seeking to take the Cochon555 experience home with them, various wine and spirits, along with John Boos & Co. butcher blocks, were available for bidding. The event raised more than $13,000 for Piggy Bank, a charity that supports the heritage breed farming movement around the world. If you missed the L.A. edition of Cochon555, it's not too late to attend others around the country, including tour stops in Chicago, Seattle, Miami, and more. For more information, visit cochon555.com. —Jesse Hom-Dawson Sampling Upstairs 2's New Seasonal Menu A n informal celebration unfolded on International Women's Day at Los Angeles' Upstairs 2, where an all-female group gathered on March 8 to dine and drink at the cozy restaurant located above one of the city's premier wine stores, The Wine House. Executive Chef Maiki Le and Sommelier Marilyn Snee joined the lively ensemble, with Snee providing Biodynamic wines from around the world to accompany Le's internationally- influenced cuisine. Dishes like sweet pea and tarragon ravioli with English peas and a Meyer lemon cream sauce could be found alongside a citrus salad with Cara Cara and blood oranges, fennel, and avocado, serving to showcase spring vegetables that had just recently come into season. "You're the first to try out some of these dishes, so you're pretty special!" Le joked to the table as she presented us with a trio of baos, including a classic fried-chicken bao with pineapple gojuchang glaze and her new pork belly bao with pickled cucum- bers and an apricot-hoisin sauce. Crème fraiche panna cotta with a mixed berry compote and Turkish coffee ice cream profiteroles rounded out the meal. Snee paired the desserts with a 2015 Quady Essensia sweet dessert wine—giving us an excuse to toast to a delectable meal from two wonderful women! —Jesse Hom-Dawson A classic fried-chicken bao with pineapple gojuchang glaze was a culinary highlight during a recent event at Upstairs 2 in Los Angeles. PHOTO COURTESY OF UPSTAIRS 2 PHOTO COURTESY OF COCHON 555 Annual Pork Fest Cochon555 Returns to Los Angeles The five local chefs competing at Los Angeles' Cochon555, from left: Sammy Monsour of Preux & Proper, Brian Redzikowski of Kettner Exchange, Hugo Bolanos of Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, Thomas Bille of Otium, and Lord Maynard Llera of Mason with Cochon555 Founder Brady Lowe.