Nebraska pork producers are celebrating another successful Taste of Elegance event in Omaha, where chefs competed over pork dishes while helping raise money for food-insecure children.
The annual event, hosted by the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, brings together chefs from across the Omaha culinary community to showcase pork. This year’s competition featured 12 chefs, with about 500 people attending the evening reception to sample their dishes.
But the event also serves a larger purpose through the pork industry’s We Care program and a longstanding partnership with Completely Kids.
Completely Kids operates a weekend backpack program that provides food to more than 1,300 food-insecure children in downtown Omaha each weekend.
Nebraska Pork Producers director of domestic marketing Jane Stone says this year’s event was expected to raise about $250,000, although final numbers were not yet available.
“It’s turned into a beautiful relationship. And I think we’re, you know, the event this year probably raised, we haven’t gotten the final numbers yet, but maybe about a quarter million dollars.”
Stone says the partnership has raised nearly $4 million over the past 15 years to help feed children in Omaha.
“So cumulatively, we’re getting really close to about the four million dollar mark that through this collaboration we’ve raised for food insecure children in Omaha, which certainly fulfills our We care goals.”
The Taste of Elegance competition also puts a spotlight on Omaha’s growing culinary scene.
Chef Dijon Ross, executive chef at Champions Run Golf Course, took first place with a braised pork bao bun featuring homemade buns. Chef Oscar Hernandez of Corner Kitchen finished second with pork Mexican adobo, while Chef Will Birge of Mealbox placed third with a pork tamale.
The People’s Choice award went to Chef Chase Thomsen of Saddle Creek Breakfast Club for his dish called “Holy Schnitzel.”
Stone says Omaha’s chefs have become an important part of the event — not only because of their culinary creativity, but because of their willingness to support charitable causes.
“I’ve learned about Omaha chefs over all these years is philanthropy. If you’re doing something philanthropic in Omaha, it is not hard to get Omaha chefs on board. They are so generous, so giving, and just, they’re just unbelievable.”
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association plans to hold the event again next September.
Dining and Cooking