MILWAUKEE – April 18, 2012 – It’s time to celebrate with fine swine and robust spirits. Join some of the most talented chefs and mixologists in the city on Sunday, April 22, 2012, from 6:00-9:30 p.m., for the first ever SloPig Milwaukee event, which will feature a whole hog cooking competition, bartender competition, cooking and cocktail demonstrations, food and drink tastings, and more. The high-end event will be held at InterContinental Milwaukee, which is owned and managed by Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, and will feature more than 80 gallons of punch and 40 courses of delicacies.
“The inspiration for SloPig came through a few different avenues,” said Dan Fox, Founder of SloPig. “The event’s co-founder Chad Vogel and I were already running with similar pop-up events in Madison, while I was also trying to find a way to educate people on why I have been involved in raising pigs. I couldn’t think of a better way to introduce people to heritage pork other than throwing them an unbelievable party celebrating and educating at the same time.”
Designed to be a giant cocktail party, the SloPig event will be comprised of three primary components: a chef competition, a bartender competition, and the tasting hall. The Chef Whole Hog Competition, which will begin at 6:00 p.m., will feature six Wisconsin-based chefs competing for top honors. Each chef will be given a whole heritage breed hog, which has been sustainably raised on pastureland in Southern Wisconsin. Each chef will then plan and prepare five to seven small dishes to be judged by attendees and a panel of professional judges, and a winner will be crowned during the awards ceremony, which will begin at 9:15 p.m.
Local chefs competing in the competition will include Nelly Buleje, banquet chef for Hilton Milwaukee City Center; Jarvis Williams, executive chef at Carnevor; Dan Van Rite of Hinterland Erie Street Gastropub; Tory Miller, executive chef and co-proprieter of L’Etoile in Madison; Dave Swanson, owner and executive chef of Braise restaurant; and returning SlowPig Madison champion and James Beard nominee Justin Aprahamian of Sanford.
The Craft Punch Competition will feature eight bartenders from Madison and Milwaukee. Each bartender will partner with a distillery that will provide the base spirit for the punch. The bartender will then design a punch from the base spirit that will be featured for guests to sample. The cocktail competition also will be judged by attendees and a panel of professional judges.
The Heritage Tasting Room will feature cheese mongers, charcuterie masters, distillers, brew masters, and artisan product producers. SloPig’s Heritage Partners will line the halls of the tasting room, offering delicious cheese bites, paper-thin charcuterie, sips of spirits and swallows of suds. Additional attractions at the event include live music, cooking demonstrations, and more.
Standard tickets to SloPig Milwaukee cost $100 and VIP tickets cost $150. Tickets can be purchased online at www.slopig.com.
For more information on the latest news and updates from Marcus Hotels & Resorts, please visit: https://www.marcushotels.com/.
About InterContinental Milwaukee
Mixing traditional elegance with modern luxury, InterContinental Milwaukee offers an upscale, sophisticated ambiance with an unexpected twist of youthful fun. Located along the Milwaukee Riverwalk in the center of the downtown business and theatre districts, InterContinental Milwaukee offers easy access to parks, sculptures, restaurants and nightlife. It is located at 139 E. Kilbourn Ave. in downtown Milwaukee. Find the hotel on Facebook (facebook.com/InterContinentalMilwaukee) or follow it on Twitter (@InterConMKE) to learn more about upcoming exhibits, events and specials.
About Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), owns or manages 18 hotels, resorts and other properties in nine states. A force in the hospitality industry, Marcus Hotels & Resorts provides expertise in management, development and historical renovations. The company’s portfolio includes a wide variety of properties including city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts and branded first-class hotels. For more information, please visit www.marcushotels.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@MarcusHotels).