Nicky USA presents and/or participates in several events throughout the year from a wonderful Wild About Game Cook-Off, to restaurant shows, to special dinner events.  Please find a current listing of events below.

Upcoming events...

PORTLAND AND SEATTLE CHEFS COMPETE IN GAME BIRD AND MEAT COOK-OFF AT NICKY USA’S 8TH ANNUAL WILD ABOUT GAME EVENT – OCTOBER 19

The Pacific Northwest’s top chefs, ranchers and cookbook authors will join Nicky USA's Geoff Latham in a day-long celebration of some of the world’s finest wild game and poultry at the 8th Annual Wild About Game & Wine Celebration on Saturday, October 19th, 2008 at The Resort at the Mountain.

“We are excited to host our event at the Resort at the Mountain and bring together some of the best “game” chefs from Portland and Seattle,” says Geoff Latham, president of Nicky USA and founder of Wild About Game. “The event is perfect for professional chefs and food enthusiasts who want to learn more about the versatile and unique ways to prepare game birds and meats.”

The event will include a culinary marketplace with food and wine tastings, and cookbook signings including Vitaly Paley’s new cookbook, The Paley’s Place Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Pacific Northwest (Ten Speed Press). Paul Bosch, the executive chef at the Resort at the Mountain will prepare a game dinner buffet. For more information, please call Nicky USA at 503-234-4263.

WILD ABOUT GAME COOKING DEMOS AND MARKETPLACE
Sunday, October 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Resort at the Mountain, Welches, Oregon. The daylong event will include chef cooking demonstrations, as well as a culinary marketplace showcasing Pacific Northwest food and wine.
Cooking Demo Chefs (confirmed to date)
Ben Dyer, Simpatica and Viande Meats and Sausage, Portland
Pascal Sauton, Carafe Bistro, Portland
Vitaly Paley, Paley’s Place Bistro, Portland (James Beard Award, Best Chef Northwest, 2005)
Paul Bosch, Resort at the Mountain, Welches, Oregon

WILD ABOUT GAME COOK-OFF COMPETITION
Iron Chef meets the Pacific Northwest when some of the region’s best “game” chefs vie for top honors as they create improvisational dishes from the nation’s finest game and poultry. Each chef will receive a “secret” main ingredient – anything from buffalo or elk to squab or quail – to prepare a unique dish for the panel of culinary judges.
Cook-Off Chefs (confirmed to date):
Jason Barwikowski, Clyde Common, Portland
Pascal Chureau, Lucier and Fenouil, Portland
Dustin Clark, Wildwood, Portland
John Gorham, Toro Bravo, Portland (Restaurant of the Year 2007, Willamette Week)
Erol Kanmaz, Timberline Lodge, Oregon
Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez, Harvest Vine, Seattle (2005, 2006 and 2007 nominee, James Beard Best Chef Northwest)
Troy McLarty, Lovely Hula Hands, Portland
Gabe Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland (Food and Wine Magazine’s 2007 Best New Chefs in America and 2008 Nominee, James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year)
Jeff Sprague, Genoa, Portland
Ethan Stowell, Union, Tavolata and How to Cook a Wolf, Seattle (2008 nominee, James Beard Best Chef Northwest and Food and Wine Magazine’s 2008 “Best New Chefs in America.”)

WILD ABOUT GAME BUFFET DINNER
Sunday, October 19 The day culminates in a Wild Game Buffet prepared by Paul Bosch, executive chef at the Resort featuring Nicky USA’s premier products -- from Nicky Farms buffalo and elk to venison rabbit sausage, quail, and pheasant.

CULINARY MARKETPLACE
from Elk and Duck to Hard Cider and Pinot Noir The event will also feature a culinary marketplace with tastings from Nicky USA purveyors including Palmetto Squab, MacFarlane Pheasant, Grimaud Farms Guinea Hen and Muscovy Duck, Duncan Cervena Wapiti Elk, Nicky Oregon Fallow Venison, Nicky Farms Buffalo, Snake River Farms Kobe Beef, Strawberry Mountain Beef, Salumi Artisan Cured Meats, as well as Oregon and Washington wines and artisan cheese.

Click here to read the full press release!

Previous events...

Nicky USA at booth 1034 at the 2008 Northwest Foodservice Show

The Northwest Foodservice Show returns to Seattle, April 27-28, 2008 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center. Produced by the Washington and Oregon Restaurant Associations, and now in its 46th year, you’ll want to plan for two days of action-packed show festivities including...

A trade show exhibit floor featuring more than 500 booths.

Educational Seminars led by industry experts.

Kitchen tips from first rate Northwest chefs on the Chef Demonstration Stage

Sampling of Northwest beers at the Washington Beer Commission Tasting Pavilion

Specialized products for ethnic foodservice at the World Products Pavilion

Displays of new and soon-be-be available products in the New Product Showcase

The salmon slinging antics of the Pike Place Fish Mongers

Networking opportunities with more than 12,000 of your industry peers.

NORTHWEST FOODSERVICE SHOW


Show Hours: Sunday, April 27 10:00am-5:00pm Monday, April 28 10:00am-4:00pm

Nicky's Wild About Game & Wine Celebration Sunday, October 14, 2007.
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Resort at the Mountain, Welches, Oregon

Nicky USA, the region’s leading distributor and processor of game birds and meats, will once again celebrate the region’s local bounty at the 7th annual Wild About Game event. The daylong event will include four chef cooking demonstrations featuring rabbit, venison, squab and other game, as well as a culinary marketplace showcasing Pacific Northwest food and wine. The day culminates in a Wild Game Buffet prepared by Dale Rasmussen, executive chef at the Resort. Tickets to the day event are $20 per person and include entrance to the chef seminars and culinary marketplace. The Wild Game Buffet is $50 per person, not including beverages. For tickets to both Wild About Game and the Wild Game Buffet, please call the Resort at the Mountain at 1-800-669-7666.

Wild about Game is open to the public, as well as restaurant professionals who want to learn new methods of cooking and serving game from some of the leading chefs in the Pacific Northwest, including the 2007 James Beard award-winning chef, Jonathan Sundstrom from Lark. The chefs will present cooking demonstrations and tastings featuring Nicky USA products. Participating chefs include: Gabriel Rucker from Le Pigeon chosen one of the 2007 Rising Star chefs for Food and Wine Magazine; Scott Dolich from Park Kitchen, a 2006 Rising Star chef for Food and Wine Magazine and a 2007 James Beard nominee; Jonathan Sundstrom, from Lark in Seattle and winner of the 2007 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Pacific NW; and Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez from Harvest Vine in Seattle and a James Beard nominee for three years.

The event will also feature a culinary marketplace with tastings from Nicky USA purveyors including Palmetto Squab, MacFarlane Pheasant, Grimaud Farms Guinea Hen and Muscovy Duck, Duncan Cervena Wapiti Elk, Nicky Oregon Fallow Venison, Stangel Buffalo, Snake River Farms Kobe Beef, Strawberry Mountain Beef, Salumi Artisan Cured Meats, as well as Oregon and Washington wines and artisan cheese.

Wild About Game Participating Chefs ~

• Gabriel Rucker from Le Pigeon, chosen one of the 2007 Best New Chefs for Food and Wine Magazine

• Scott Dolich from Park Kitchen, a 2004 Best New Chef for Food and Wine Magazine and a 2007 James Beard Nominee

• Johnathan Sundstrom from Lark in Seattle, and winner of the 2007 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Pacific NW

• Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez from Harvest Vine in Seattle, a James Beard nominee for three years

Click Here to view our Wild About Game Newsletter packed with the latest details

September 30, 2006 - Nicky's Wild About Game & Wine Celebration, Portland, Oregon

The Pacific Northwest’s top chefs, ranchers and cookbook authors will join Nicky USA's Geoff Latham in a day-long celebration of some of the world’s finest wild game and poultry at the 6th Annual Wild About Game & Wine Celebration on Saturday, September 30, 2006 at the Oregon Convention Center.

Events include a dynamic cook-off with the region’s best chefs, including many James Beard award-winning chefs; an Oregon wine and game pairing seminar with guest chefs and vintners; Ranch to Range cooking demos and cookbook signings. The featured guest is Fergus Henderson, chef and co-owner of St. John Bar and Restaurant in London and author of Nose to Tail Eating.

Click here to see a recent story about Wild About Game on KGW TV!

May 27, 2006 - Grazefest at the Portland Farmer's Market

Portland Farmers Market and Nicky USA celebrated the health benefits and irresistible flavors of natural, pasture-raised foods from small, local farms during the first Grazefest, Saturday, May 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grazefest was a free event and is a part of the weekly Saturday farmers market, which is located on the South Park Blocks on the campus of Portland State University. Local cookbook author Diane Morgan and local food and wine writer Heidi Yorkshire co-hosted a four-hour Grazefest marathon of carnivorous cooking demonstrations. Chefs were paired with ranchers to dicuss grazing and raising practices and cooking techniques. View the full press release.

October 22, 2005 - Nicky's Wild About Game & Wine Celebration, Portland, Oregon

This year's exciting event took place on October 22 at the Heathman Restaurant & Hotel and the Western Culinary Institute in Portland. Attendees witnessed the Northwest’s top chefs competing in creating improvisational dishes from the region’s finest wild and farm raised game met local and national culinary experts, attended a wine pairing seminar with local chefs and Oregon’s finest wines, enjoyed wild game cooking demonstrations, and savored a wild game feast.

Wild About Game 2005 Cook-Off Results...

2nd Place: Jody Denton, Merenda, Dish: Grilled Buffalo Tenderloin w/Roasted Pumpkin Gnocchi, Apple Glazed Root Vegetables and Sauce of Smoked Bacon. Wine: Solena Cellars Del Rio Syrah, 2002 Rogue Valley

3rd Place: Scott Staples, Restaurant Zoë, Dish: Sautéed Quail Breast, Caramelized Pumpkin, Young Chard, and Fillet of Quail Leg Confit Faro, Prosciutto, Pomegranate Reduction and Curry Oil. Wine: Del Rio Vineyards Cabernet Franc, 2002 Rogue Valley

Below are additional 2005 top competing Chefs, what they prepared, and their wine pairing.  (in no specific order)

Kenny Giambalvo, Blue Hour - Dish: Pan Roasted Squab with Autumn Vegetable Gratin, Brussel Sprouts, and Chanterelles. Wine: Solena Cellars Del Rio Syrah, 2002 Rogue Valley

Scott Dolich, Park Kitchen - Dish: Grilled Venison Tenderloin T-bone w/Sweet Pepper Stew & Chanterelle Mojo. Wine: Francis Tannahill Mason Dixon Syrah, 2002 Oregon

Thierry Rautureau, Rovers - Dish: Duck American, Asian, and Morrocan Style. Wine: Brooks Riesling, 2004 Willamette Valley

Joseba Jimenez de Jimenez, The Harvest Vine - Dish: Poached Boar in Coffee-Onion-Oils w/Pineapple and Coconut Coffee Sauce. Air of Orange; stew in Licorice. Wine: Brooks Riesling, 2004 Willamette Valley

Philippe Boulot, The Heathman - Dish: All Rabbit. Wine: Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, 2003 Laurene

Cathy Whims, Nostrana - Dish: Saltimbocca of Pheasant Breast w/ “Fegato” of Porcini and Squash on Spinach alla Romana. Wine: Domaine Serene Pinot Noir, 2003 Yamhill Cuvee

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Nicky USA, Inc.
223 SE 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97214
503-234-4263 ~ 1-800-469-4162