@chefmarcmurphy
This weekend on January 21st is the much anticipated Cooking Competition, Cochon555, being held at Second Floor, from 4-7:30pm. It is a nose-to-tail culinary event dedicated to supporting family farmers and educating buyers about the agricultural importance of eating heritage breed pigs, some of which are on critical watch lists.
There will be 5 competing chefs competing to win the title at Cochon555.One of the competing chefs is, Chopped judge and Landmarc and Ditch Plains restaurant owner, Chef Marc Murphy.
We got a chance to know the chef a little better by having him answer a few questions…
1) Why were you interested in competing at Cochon555? Do you have to apply to compete or were you chosen?
Cochon555 called me up and asked me to compete. I was honored and said of course!
2) What will you be making in the competition?
I’m working on some things right now. I’m brining things and making sausage. It’s not pulled together yet and we’re still tweeking the recipes and playing around with the food.
3)How will this set yourself apart from your competitors?
Honestly, I just want to make the tastiest food possible and season the food properly. I don’t want to over complicate the flavor of the pork.
3) What first inspired you to become a chef?
I wasn’t really good at school. I loved to cook and I loved to eat and from there I started started pursuing a career as a chef. I’m still thinking it all the way through haha!
4) What is your all-time favorite dish to make? Why?
I love making a carbonara dish. Firstly, it has pork in it and it is super simple with tasty ingredients. It’s very delicious.
5) This might fall right in line with my previous question, but what is your favorite type of cuisine?
Since I was born in Italy, I would have to say my favorite type of cuisine is Italian food.
6) Can you tell us more about your restaurants, The Landmarc at the Time Warner Center and Ditch Plains in the West Village. What makes them similar and different from one another?
Landmarc, I’ve owned for about 10 years and they serve Italian food. Ditch Plains, I’ve owned for 12 years and is a New York fish shack.
7) Which would I want to go to, let’s say on dinner date and which would I want to go to when dining with friends?
I would say Landmarc is a very accessible location with a huge space and that would be good for a dinner date. Ditch Plains is more casual place to have dinner with friends with beer on tap, oysters, and lobster rolls.
8) Can you tell me more about Landmarc Tribeca Events?
Landmarc Tribeca, was a restaurant that I’ve had for a long time and now I turned it into an event space (Landmarc Tribeca Events). You can host many events such as parties, bar mitzvahs, corporate events, and etc. You can even cook special dinners and serve large platters of food as there is a communal style of seating. I just held a corporate event and they told me it was very refreshing and different from other spaces. I just want people to feel like they are at home and comfortable. In fact on January 25th, Chef Amanda Freitag and I are hosting a dinner at Landmarc Tribeca Events with 7 chosen winners from an Instagram giveaway contest we ran.
Chef Marc Murphy has also recently published his 1st Cookbook, Season with Authority, which touches upon cuisine from his family history and dishes from his restaurants. Pick up or get a copy for yourself, you might just find yourself commanding the kitchen as well!
Tickets are till available! Get them while you can!
VIP starts at 4pm
$200 per ticket
Splurge on the VIP area and get an extra hour of the extravagance. Get up close with chefs, winemakers and farmers who made it all happen, without waiting in line. Chefs will serve two preview dishes during the first hour, slam bourbon alongside the Punch Kings competition, and sip reserve wines in allocation.
General Admission starts at 5pm
$130 per ticket
General Admission is the signature three hour culinary experience of delight and wonderment! Feast on epic, responsibly raised heritage breed pig, ethically sourced food, endless rounds of beverages — and vote for your favorite bite of the day.
