THE COUNTDOWN TO NICKY USA’S 19TH ANNUAL WILD ABOUT GAME IS ON
The Pacific Northwest’s meatiest cooking competition is back on October 6, 2019 at the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort, featuring a cooking battle between the region’s best chefs, an artisan marketplace and cocktail competition
PORTLAND, Ore. (September 18, 2019) – Nicky USA’s 19th Annual Wild About Game returns to the slopes of Mt. Hood on Sunday, October 6. The meat-centric culinary event pits four Portland chefs and four Seattle chefs against one another for the friendly but fierce Carter Cutler Game Cooking Competition with four different game meat-based categories, all featuring signature Nicky Farms game meats. In addition to the culinary throwdown, Wild About Game features the San Pellegrino Artisan Marketplace, and the El Tesoro cocktail competition featuring four of Portland’s best bartenders. Enjoy a relaxing Sunday of unbeatable food and mountain views at Mt Hood Oregon Resort in Welches, Oregon, just one hour from downtown Portland. Wild About Game is a fun and educational experience, giving attendees a chance to learn about – and taste – different game meats prepared by culinary experts. Nicky USA, the Pacific Northwest’s favorite meat purveyor, hosts this popular industry event to thank their loyal customers and showcase their restaurants, as well as their suppliers, farmers, and local food artisans.
Portlandvs. Seattle
Round 1 (Goat) BJ Smith, Delores vs. Logan Cox, Restaurant Homer
Round 2 (Quail) AJ Voytko, Terrane vs. David Mitchell, Cedarbrook Lodge
This October, one talented chef will take home the ultimate Nicky USA’s Wild About Game Overall Award title. Past winners of the event include Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon, Gregory Denton of Ox, Edouardo Jordan of Junebaby, and Sarah Schafer of Irving St. Kitchen. Last year, Peter Cho of Han Oak beat the stiff competition overall with his dish of Partridge Hot Pot, Shaved Roulade of Partridge, Game Bird Broth and Brassicas Salad. The winner of the Carter Cutlery Game Cooking Competition receives $1,000 and a custom made chef’s knife personally made by master bladesmith Murray Carter valued at $2,000. The People’s Choice winner will receive a Traeger Grill worth $1,500. The winner of each head to head competition will receive Finex Cast Iron Cookware. Attendees will also be able to sample each chef’s dish and judge for themselves, as part of the People’s Choice Award.
One of the highlights of Nicky USA’s Wild About Game is the San Pellegrino Artisan Marketplace, where the region’s favorite and up-and-coming small batch producers sample their products, including artisan salts, cheeses, chocolates, ice cream, spirits, wine, beer, Nicky Farms proteins, and samples of premium meat products in the Nicky USA lineup. Attendees can taste these items, talk with the chefs, artisans and producers who create them – getting up close and personal with some of the biggest names in the Northwest’s food community. This year’s selection of local artisans includes: Carter Cutlery, Nicky Farms – Chef Eric Gitenstein/MF Tasty, San Pellegrino, Beam Suntory
Creekstone Farms, Carlton Farms, Mary’s Chicken – Chef Gabe Pascuzzi/Stacked Sandwiches & Mama Bird, HVFG – Chef Partner Mucca Osteria, Creekstone with Thomas Pisha Duffly/Gado Gado, Mary Chicken with Bollywood Theater, Carlton Farms with Jeremy Strum Davis/Solo Club, Manchester Farms Quail with Gabe Pascuzzi, IncrEdible Spoons, Anderson Ranches, T&T, Nueske’s, Olympia Provisions, OBC/Painted Hills – Chef Philippe Boulot/MAC, Flying Fish, Gilgamesh Brewing, Mt Tabor Brewing, Anne Amie Vineyards, Chateau Ste Michelle, Marshall Haute Sauce, Som Cordials, Verdure Oils, Red Duck Foods, Del Fuego Ironworks, Misty Mt. Mushrooms, Salt & Straw, Yachats Brewing, Author Mead, Creo Chocolate, Mitchell Wine Group, Barnacle Foods, Ferment Brewing, and more.
About Nicky USA
Founded in 1990, Nicky USA is the Pacific Northwest’s leading butcher and purveyor of high quality meats and specialty game. The Portland-based company has forged relationships with local, national and international ranchers, as well as James Beard Award-winning chefs in an effort to make game a mainstay of specialty markets and fine restaurants. Aside from selling specialty game and high quality meats, Nicky USA hosts Wild About Game on October 6th, 2019, an annual head-to-head cooking competition and the meatiest culinary celebration in the Northwest featuring the best rising star chefs in the region. Nicky USA expanded in 2013 with a second location in Seattle. Orders for either location can be made by calling 1.800.469.4162. For more information, visitwww.nickyusa.com. Follow @nickyusa on Twitter and Facebook, and @nicky.usa on Instagram, as well as #NickyFarms on all channels. To learn more about Nicky USA and Nicky Farms, view the 25th anniversary video here.
About Nicky Farms
Nicky Farms is the house brand of Nicky USA. Launched in 2009 to support Nicky USA’s small, independent ranchers and growers, Nicky Farms products include Northwest raised rabbit, quail, elk, venison, water buffalo, goat and American bison. They can be found on the menus of the Northwest’s best restaurants and the shelves of leading retailers such as New Seasons Markets, World Foods, Zupan’s Markets, Metropolitan Market, and Central Co-Op. For more information, visit: www.nickyusa.com/nicky-farms