Wiard Wins Checkoff's National Taste of Elegance Contest

The competition, sponsored by the Pork Checkoff, featured 21 chefs, all winners of state and regional Taste of Elegance contests.

Wiard earned Chef Par Excellence honors with his winning entrée of Cumin Roasted Pork Loin and Braised Pork Shoulder ­with Green Chile, Posole Cake, Smooth Avocado and Red Chile and a check for $5,000. He also was presented a cruise for two by Cargill Meat Solutions for using Cargill pork at both the state and national competition.

"The national Taste of Elegance contest brought some of the nation's best chefs together to share their talent using pork," said Lynn Harrison, a pork producer from Wisconsin and National Pork Board President. "By reaching chefs through Checkoff programs like this, the goal is to increase pork items on menus."

In the national contest, competing chefs from California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin created original pork entrees that were judged for taste, appearance and originality. The Taste of Elegance contest was created to encourage chefs to use pork more frequently in creative, non-traditional ways.

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