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ABOUT WAG


WILD ABOUT GAME

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ABOUT WAG


WILD ABOUT GAME

The Meatiest Celebration In The NorthwesT

Nicky USA's Wild About Game celebrates the farmers, butchers and purveyors of specialty game & high quality meats, and the chefs that use their products. The event centers around a friendly, but fierce competitive game cooking competition between some of Portland and Seattle's best chefs. Also featured is our Artisan Marketplace with a taste of the great products we offer at Nicky USA and some of our favorite Northwest food & beverage artisans.

Attended by hundreds of the Northwest's leading food industry purveyors, chefs, and restauranteurs, this is the event for the serious food enthusiast to rub shoulders with the decision & taste makers that influence the dining scene in our region.

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“This event, year in and year out, brings together some of the most talented, passionate, fun and sincere food & beverage professionals from the Northwest and beyond. It is a great opportunity to network within the industry and reach a captive consumer audience. Additionally the purveyors and chefs seem to elevate the experience very time.”
— David DeWitt - Ste. Michelle Winery

our 18th annual wild about Game event

The meatiest celebration in the Northwest was held on Sunday October 6th at the Mt Hood Oregon Resort (formerly the Resort at the Mountain) in beautiful Welches, OR. The event featured the Carter Cutlery Game Cooking Competition between top Portland and Seattle chefs. Competing were:

Logan Cox - Restaurant Homer
Matthew Jarrell - Imperial
Diane Lam - Revelry
Mitch Mayers - Sawyer
David Mitchell - Cedarbrook Lodge
Maximillian Petty - Eden Hill Restaurant
BJ Smith - Delores
AJ Voytko - Terrane

Also featured were the El Tesoro Tequila Cocktail Competition and the San Pellegrino Artisan Marketplace with over 40 vendors serving the best bites and sips from the NW and beyond. No one left hungry!

2016 Wild About Game Video

A Look Back At Our 2018 Event

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GAME COOKING COMPETITION


GAME COOKING

COMPETITION

GAME COOKING COMPETITION


GAME COOKING

COMPETITION

A Friendly, But Fierce Battle
For Individual & Civic Honors

The Carter Cutlery Game Cooking Competition is a chance for Nicky USA to showcase some of incredible specialty game meats we sell as prepared by eight of our favorite chefs. The competition has evolved to a friendly, but fierce contest between four Portland and four Seattle chefs where individual and civic pride is on the line. After the dishes have been served to the judging panel, each chef's dish is served to the attendees to enjoy.

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COMPETITION WINNERS


COMPETITION WINNERS

COMPETITION WINNERS


COMPETITION WINNERS

2019 WINNERS

People’s Choice Winner:
Diane Lam, Revelry - Portland

The People’s Choice Winner received a Traeger Ironwood Grill valued at $1400.

Overall Champion:
Diane Lam, Revelry - Portland.

The winner received a custom chefs knife from master blade smith Murray Carter of Carter Cutlery valued at $2500 & a check from Nicky USA for $1000.

Team Champion: Portland - BJ Smith, AJ Voytko, Matthew Jarrell, Diane Lam

The Team Champions will receive a personalized knife making class from master blade smith Murray Carter of Carter Cutlery.


Individual Game Categories

Goat

Logan Cox, Restaurant Homer - SEA

Slow Cooked Goat Shoulder, Date Vinegar, Smoked Labneh, Roasted Onions, Pomegranate

BJ Smith, Delores - PDX

Goat Ham, Truffled Celeriac Pierogi, Goat Pressé, Goat Liver Mousse, Goat Jus

Winner: Logan Cox


Manchester Farms Quail

David Mitchell, Cedarbrook Lodge - SEA

Grilled Quail, Halušky, Elderberry Vinegar

AJ Voytko, Terrane - PDX

Quail Alla Stemperata with ‘Nduja, Pickled Quince, Garnet Yam

 

Winner:  AJ Voytko


Elk

Maximillian Petty, Eden Hill - SEA

Seattle Dog with Cold Smoked Elk Sirloin Tartare, Caramelized Onion Ash, Salish Sea Salt Aged Cheese Paté, Petite Baguette Roll

Matthew Jarrell, Imperial - PDX

Elk Hot Dog, Pickled Chanterelle & Maitake Mushrooms, Candied Huckleberries, Foie Gras Dijonaise, Huckleberry Ketchup


Winner: Matthew Jarrell


Nicky Farms Rabbit

Mitch Mayers, Sawyer - SEA

Rabbit Hot Dog Steamed Bun, Caramelized Onion Mornay, Pickled Mustard Seeds, Huckleberry, Scallion

Diane Lam, Revelry - PDX

The Last BBQ Plate of the Season with Grilled Rabbit, Fish Sauce Caramel, Nuoc Cham Alabama White Sauce, Collard Greens, Pickles, Kewpie Mayo Potato Salad, Miso Butter Corn, Watermelon Jello Shot


Winner: Diane Lam


Past Game Cooking Competition Champions

2009
David Kreifels & Will Cisa, 
Laurelhurst Market - Portland

2010 
Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon - Portland

2011
Greg Denton, Metrovino - Portland

2012
Nathan Lockwood, Altura - Seattle
Gregory Gourdet, Departure - Portland (People's Choice)

2013
Aaron Barnett, St. Jack - Portland
Joey Sequina, Harvest Vine - Seattle (People's Choice)

2014
Shane Ryan, Matt's In The Market - Seattle

2015
Carlo Lamagna, Clyde Common - Portland
Andrew Mace, Le Pigeon - Portland (People's Choice)

2017
Sarah Schafer, Irving Street Kitchen - Portland
Phil Oswalt, Multnomah Athletic Club - Portland (People’s Choice)

2001 
Cathy Whims, Genoa - Portland

2002
Molly Schaefer Priest, Genoa - Portland

2003
Josefa Jimenez de Jimenez, Harvest Vine - Seattle

2004
Morgan Brownlow, Clark Lewis - Portland

2005
Johnathan Sundstrom, Lark - Seattle

2006
Rocky Maselli, Marché - Eugene & Adam Stevenson,
Earth & Ocean - Seattle

2007
No competition was held.

2008
John Gorham, Toro Bravo - Portland

2016
Euoardo Jordan, Salare - Seattle
Troy MacLarty, Bollywood Theater - Portland (People’s Choice)

2018
Peter Cho, Han Oak - Portland (Overall & People’s Choice)

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ARTISAN MARKETPLACE


ARTISAN MARKETPLACE

ARTISAN MARKETPLACE


ARTISAN MARKETPLACE

THE BEST BITES & SIPS IN THE NORTHWEST

The Artisan Marketplace features our favorite vendors offering the best bites and sips in the Northwest from gourmet meats, craft beers, charcuterie, spirits, cheeses, wine, specialty foods, cider, chocolate and coffee. In 2019 we had 44 vendors including 8 who were partnered with chefs from the region's top restaurants to enhance the sampling experience for our attendees. 

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"Wild About Game allowed us to show how versatile our product can be to chefs and industry leaders. Nicky USA did an amazing job setting up the show and matching us with one of the most talented chefs in the region. It was a tremendous opportunity and we look forward to doing it
again next year."
-Jack Mancini, Hudson Valley Foie Gras

We could not put on our event without the generous support of our sponsors and vendors. Wild About Game 2018 featured an incredible line up and we were thrilled to work with you to make the event a success. Our deepest thanks and appreciation to you all for your craftsmanship and generosity.

2019 Event Sponsors & Vendors

Game Cooking Competition Sponsor
Carter Cutlery

Artisan Marketplace Sponsor
San Pellegrino

After Party Title Sponsor
Beam Suntory Spirits

After Party Protein Sponsor
Mary’s Chicken, Maui Nui Venison

T-Shirt Sponsor
Carlton Farms

Swag Bag Sponsor
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef

Travel Sponsor
Travel Portland

Lodging Sponsor
Mt Hood Oregon Resort

Pantry Sponsor
Alexis Foods

Serving Ware Sponsors
Painted Hills Natural Beef, Oregon Beef Council

Event Sponsors
Heritage Bank
Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats

 

Artisan Marketplace Vendors

Alexis Foods
Anderson Ranches
Anne Amie Vineyards
Aurora Elixirs
Author Mead Co.
Barnacle Foods
Case Study Coffee
Cloud 9 Café
Creo Chocolate
Del Fuego Ironworks
Eleusis
Ferment Brewing
Flying Fish Company (Seafood Pavilion Host)
G’s Airlaid Napkins & Towels
Gilgamesh Brewing
Girl Meets Dirt
Growing Gardens (Non Profit Partner)
IncrEdible Spoons
Labelle Farms/Bella Bella Gourmet
Manchester Farms Quail
Marshall’s Haute Sauce
Misty Mountain Mushrooms
Mitchell Wine Group
Mt Tabor Brewing
New Deal Distillery
Olympia Provisions
Poseidon Group/Japanese Wagyu
Red Duck Foods
Salt & Straw Ice Cream
Som Cordials
Spring Valley Vineyards
Tails & Trotters
Yachats Brewing

Artisan Marketplace Chef Partners

We partnered many of our sponsors with some of the best chefs in the Northwest to help showcase their products and allow them more time to engage with the event attendees. The results were a stunning collection of bites that still linger in memory.

Chef Troy MacLarty & Caroline Crawley, Bollywood Theater
Mary's Chicken

Chef Philippe Boulot, Multnomah Athletic Club
Painted Hills Natural Beef

Chef Jeremy Davis Sturm, The Solo Club
Carlton Farms

Chef Eric Gitenstein, MF Tasty
Nicky Farms/Stangels Bison

Chef Simone Savaiano, Mucca Osteria
Hudson Valley Foie Gras

Chef Thomas Pisha Duffly, Gado Gado
Creekstone Farms Beef

Chef Patrick McKee, Estes
Tails & Trotters

Chef Chris Robinson, Southpark Seafood
Nueske's Smoked Meats

 
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cocktail competition

Introduced in 2017, four bartenders stirred & shaked their cocktail creations in the El Tesoro Tequila Cocktail Competition for the event's 700 attendees. The rules were simple: use El Tesoro tequila as the base spirit and any product from our other spirit vendors as modifiers. Each bartender also decided to add a meaty component to their cocktails, certainly appropriate considering the environment! Fun was had by all and the cocktail competition has become a permanent part of the Wild About Game festivities.

The Participants of the 2019 Wild About Game Cocktail Competition were:

The Overall Champion was Jamal Hassa with his Smoke ‘n Herb cocktail featuring smoked duck fat washed El Tesoro Añejo Tequila, Tarragon, Orange-Cinnamon Gomme, and Bitters.

The People's Choice winner was Camille Cavan with her Waking in Echoes cocktail featuring El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, Green Chartruese, Mahina Coconut Liqueur, Velvet Falernum, Bone Marrow Orgeat, Peach Cordial, Lime, and Bone Marrow Foam.

a final thanks

It takes a huge group effort to put on Wild About Game. Support from our vendors and sponsors is crucial to the event's success. We also like to call attention to the fabulous graphic design work by Holly O'Leary - from the event logo to the poster to the onsite signage, everything looked beautiful. Special recognition goes to our PR firm, Broussard Communications, for helping to secure three of the best judges any competition could ask for and for all of the positive press - thanks for helping to shine a spotlight on little ole Nicky USA. Finally, the event would be impossible without the dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm of our staff. Thank you all for making the event one of the best in the land!

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