Home Industry News Releases Pinot, Pigs & Poets raises $275,000 in support of Completely KIDS

Pinot, Pigs & Poets raises $275,000 in support of Completely KIDS

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Proceeds benefit food programs to prevent child hunger

From left, Pinot, Pigs & Poets Committee Member John Deardorff and Michael Luckey, pork producer, present Chef Kyle Lamb of V. Mertz with the 2015 Taste of Elegance Competition Chef Par Excellence award, sponsored by the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.
From left, Pinot, Pigs & Poets Committee Member John Deardorff and Michael Luckey, pork producer, present Chef Kyle Lamb of V. Mertz with the 2015 Taste of Elegance Competition Chef Par Excellence award, sponsored by the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.

OMAHA (June 16, 2015) – Proceeds from the sixth annual Pinot, Pigs & Poets supporting Omaha nonprofit Completely KIDS reached $275,000, event organizers announced.

More than 400 people attended what has become one of Omaha’s premier wine and food events for an evening of wine lover’s paradise and hog heaven cuisine at Happy Hollow Club on June 4.

“Every year, Pinot, Pigs & Poets amazes with the caliber of wine and pork cuisine,” said Jodie Mackintosh, Pinot, Pigs & Poets co-chair. “Support of this event by our sponsors, dedicated volunteers and the community continues to grow, which in turn, allows the Weekend Food Program to continue to provide nutritious food through the weekend to children right here in Omaha.”

Highlights of the event included the announcement of the winner of the Taste of Elegance chef competition, sponsored by the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, and vintner competition winner. The 2015 Taste of Elegance Competition Chef Par Excellence was awarded to Chef Kyle Lamb of V. Mertz. He will attend the 2016 Pork Summit at the Greystone Campus of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, Calif., for his winning dish of roasted pork belly, skyr, red onion, pistachio and ash. Judges named Williams Selyem Foss Vineyard 2012 as the top wine of the evening, winning the 2015 vintner competition.

In addition to pork samplings from Chef Tim Nicholson, The Boiler Room Restaurant; Chef Dario Schicke, Dario’s Brasserie; Chef Clayton Chapman, The Grey Plume; Chef Juan Lupercio, Happy Hollow Club; Chef Jake Newton, Heritage Food & Wine, Chef Cedric Fichepain, Le Voltaire French Restaurant; Chef Ryan Ernst and Chef Matthew O’Brien, Mouth of the South; Chef Jeff Owen, Omaha Country Club; Chef José Dionicio, Taita Restaurant; Chef Jimmy Masters, Twisted Fork Grill & Saloon; and Chef Kyle Lamb, V. Mertz, guests enjoyed sipping more than 40 exquisite Pinot Noir wines from complimentary Riedel wine glasses. Poets from the Nebraska Writers Collective served up a menu of interactive slam poetry for guests throughout the evening.

Pinot, Pigs & Poets is a collaboration with the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. Due to its success, Completely KIDS has been able to increase the number of children enrolled in the Weekend Food Program, which provides backpacks filled with healthy, child-friendly food to take home every Friday. The weekend and after-school food programs fit within the organization’s mission to educate and empower kids and families to create a safe, healthy, successful and connected community.

“We are truly grateful to the Pinot, Pigs & Poets committee and all of those who support the event,” said Completely KIDS Executive Director Penny Parker. “Our organization serves hundreds of children through the backpack food program—every dollar earned by this event goes to feed a child.”

For more information about Pinot, Pigs & Poets, visit pinotandpigs.org. To find out how you can help Completely KIDS, visit completelykids.org.

 

Pinot Pigs Poets committee members

From left: Pinot Pigs & Poets committee members Shelley Homa, Amy Knuth, Jane Stone, Mary Jo Langdon, Mike Robino, Kyle Robino, Gayle Carstens, Jody Carstens, Jack McDonnell, Terri McDonnell, Brian Leiferman, Jane Pohlman, Scot Bonnesen, Cathy Bonnesen, Nancy Edick, Bob Edick, Amy Deardorff, John Deardorff, Steve Turner, Drew Antonio and Kristyn Antonio. Not pictured: Deb and Bruce Grewcock, Kathy and Steve Hayes, Mike Homa, Bob Langdon, Jodie and Bill Mackintosh, Loretta and Doug Patterson, Angie Thorell, Maureen Turner and John Ursick. Photo by Debra S. Kaplan Photography.

 

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