NYCWFF: Thrillist's Bacon and The Blues

Chef Todd English gets ready to WOW!

Listen'n to Blues, drink'n whiskey and eat'n bacon... NOTHIN'S BETTER! The NYC Wine & Food Festival Thrillist's Bacon & Blues was "sow" good, it made people Hog Wild! Pork fat was taken to another level this year with gracious host Chef Todd English at the new beautiful Andaz 5th hotel. Pigs were flying, as popular restaurants catered their swinny servings to guests who were unashamedly pigging-out!

Crispy Pork Roulette Sliders created by Todd English, Executive chef,  ÇA VA Brasserie

The event was held at the Andaz 5th Hotel event space Apt #2E which is just that; a huge inviting apartment feel space with adjoining rooms, floor to ceiling windows with fabulous views of 5TH Avenue and the New York Public Library. Apt #2E had several bars where mixologists made different cocktails prepared with Michael Collins Whiskey. There were six cocktails with six bacon dish pairings. The porky products spread throughout the rooms were made by skillful pig obsessed chefs whose restaurants each had their own table presenting bacon inspired dishes to pork aficionados.

Latin Spiced Pork Morsels with Lime and Coriander created by Roberto Alicea, executive chef, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE.

Chef Todd English slices-up some pork belly.



A large kitchen was placed in the center of the main room where Chef Todd English held a cooking demonstration. Chef English, a pig fan himself showed-off different cuts of the animal, prepared a broth and sliders, then shared it with the salivating crowd who washed down the mouth fulls with cold beer at the Coors Light bar.

Pig Tail Cocktail - Garnished with bacon wrapped luxardo cherry, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE

Michael Collins Irish Whiskey was in abundance pairing drink recipes with each bacon dish:

The Woodlawn - courtesy of Albert Depompeis, mixologist for Todd English Enterprises
paired with Crispy Pork Roulette Sliders created by Todd English, Executive chef, ÇA VA Brasserie
The Collins Cooler - paired with Spicy Bacon Caramel Corn created by Agatha Kulaga & Erin Patinkin, Executive chefs, OVENLY
Irish Autumn - courtesy of Walter Roeder , bar manager, South Houston paired with Bacon Waffles with Peach Amaretto Whipped cream and Bacon Caramel Apples created by Omar Drammeh, Executive Chef, SOUTH HOUSTON
Sweet Sunshine - paired with Bacon Chunks created by Scott Smith, Pitmaster, RUB
Pig Tail - Garnished with bacon wrapped luxardo cherry, courtesy of Jeremy Osslund, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE paired with Latin Spiced Pork Morsels with Lime and Coriander created by Roberto Alicea, executive chef, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE and with Home Smoked Bacon with pickled Cauliflower, Dijon Mustard, Whole wheat crackers and Horseradish-Apple-Rosemary Sauce created by Maximo Lopez, Executive chef, WALL & WATER
Basil Julep - Courtesy of Meghan Love, Co-Owner and Beverage Director, MABLE'S STEAKHOUSE AND BANQUET HALL paired with Warm Pulled Pork & Bacon Baskets created by Jeffrey joe Lutonsky, Executive chef, MABLE'S STEAKHOUSE AND BANQUET HALL

Lazy Stars Blues Band played Blues and Soft Rock, periodically filling the room with sounds of the Harmonica which nicely complimented the emanating smell of bacon in the air. Guests seems to get their fill of everything this night had to offer and having a lot of fun with the bacon theme. Which is why the most famous porker of them all was quoted at last call and bite. "THAT'S ALL FOLKS!" Sir Porky Pig



Lazy Stars Band entertains greasy face spectators.