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Art Institutes System of Schools Sponsor Cochon555

The Art Institutes, with the largest system of non-profit schools offering culinary programs in the United States, is proud to serve as a Heritage sponsor of Cochon555. Created in 2008 in response to the lack of education around heritage breed pigs, Cochon555 is a nose-to-tail culinary event dedicated to supporting family farmers and educating buyers about the agricultural importance of eating heritage breed pigs, some of which are on critical watch lists.

Students from the culinary programs at The Art Institutes will volunteer at Cochon555 events across the country. At any given event, over a hundred-plus cooks, chefs, restaurant and bar owners, renowned sommeliers and barkeeps, can be found working in concert to create luxurious moments. Cochon555 works with every type of restaurant and bar imaginable—from farm-to-table to Michelin star—and all participating chefs share one core value: they source products responsibly. These culinary experiences provide hands-on learning opportunities and access to some of the top chefs in each city for student volunteers.

The epic culinary tour began in New York City in late January and culminates with the finale, Grand Cochon on September 30 in Chicago. Students from Art Institutes will volunteer at Cochon555 events in several cities, including:

• March 4, Cochon555 San Francisco
• March 11, Cochon555 Los Angeles
• April 8, Cochon555 Chicago
• April 22, Cochon555 Seattle
• May 20, Cochon555 Austin
• June 10, Cochon555 Miami
• June 24, Cochon555 Denver
• Sept. 30, Cochon555 Chicago

For more information about these events, please visit www.cochon555.com. For more information about culinary programs at The Art Institutes, visit www.artinstitutes.edu. 

About Cochon555

The Cochon555 US Tour executes a yearly host of authentic, hyper-local food events focused on raising awareness for heritage breed pigs through an innovative nose-to-tail pig cooking competition. This epic pork feast visits 15 major cities in North America annually. The tour is comprised of an array of live expressions and cultivates a long-term impact for heritage species. Both educational and inspirational messages are circulated among 16,000 guests; 2,200+ chefs; 150+ family farms; and culinary schools each year. Since 2009, 108,000+ consumers have experienced heritage pork for the first time, more than $1,100,000 has been donated to charities, and over $1,200,000 has been paid directly to our farmers. For more information, visit www.cochon555.com or follow @cochon555 on Twitter and Instagram.