It was an extravaganza of culinary talent this past weekend at the 16th annual Wild About Game, presented by Nicky USA, when chefs from Portland and Seattle competed head-to-head in four game meat-based categories using Nicky Farms proteins over the course of the cooking competition. The categories were, wild Hawaiian venison, rabbit, partridge, and duck. In the end it was, Edouardo Jordan of Salare who beat the competition overall with his dish of Scotch Bonnet Consummé with Nicky Farms Rabbit Torchon, blistered okra, einkorn, freekah & berbere. The Overall award was decided by a panel of judges. Attendees of Nicky USA’s Wild About Game, held at the Resort at the Mountain near Mt. Hood, Ore., had the chance to taste each of the eight dishes and vote for their favorite, and this year’s People’s Choice award went to Troy MacLarty of Bollywood Theater with his Nicky Farms Wild Hawaiian Venison with shell bean & sweet pepper curry, and spiced riata.

Overall winner: Edouardo Jordan, Salare

People’s Choice winner: Troy MacLarty, Bollywood Theater

Troy MacLarty, Bollywood Theater Portland: Nicky Farms Wild Hawaiian Venison with shell bean & sweet pepper curry, and spiced riata

Jesse Elliot, Witness Seattle: Nicky Farms Wild Hawaiian Venison Scrapple, red cabbage, corn chow chow, beer chocolate sauce, pork crackl’n

Kasey Mills, Mediterranean Exploration Company Portland: Nicky Farms Partridge Phyllo Hand Pie with cabbage, carrot muhamarra, pickled chanterelles

Seth Fernald, Novelty Hill Januik Winery Seattle: Nicky Farms Partridge in a Pear Tree, smoked breast, liver mousse, barley miso, bone crumb, fermented lingonberry

Erik Van Kley, Taylor Railworks Portland: Poached Grimaud Farms Duck Breast with duck leg carnitas, duck neck curry, smoked soy mushrooms, crispy skin and chiles

Taylor Thornhill, Bateau Seattle: Dry Aged Grimaud Farms Duck & Geoduck Tartare, black truffle, fermented apple, fried potatoes

Earl Ninsom, PaaDee/Langbaan/Hat Yai/Common Law Portland: Nicky Farms Rabbit, curry, coconut rice

Edouardo Jordan, Salare Seattle: Scotch Bonnet Consommé with Nicky Farms Rabbit Torchon, blistered okra, einkorn & berbere

While the competing chefs cooked, attendees were treated to food and beverage samples in the Artisan Marketplace, along with bites from additional featured chefs including Gregory Gourdet of Departure, Philippe Boulot of the Multnomah Athletic Club, Chris Carriker of Bluehour, Matt Bennett of Sybaris Bistro and Aaron Barnett of La Moule. Over 45 vendors were represented, including Nicky Farms, Jim Beam Black, Creekstone Farms, Carlton Farms, Anderson Ranches, Bella Bella Gourmet, Classic Foods, Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Manchester Farms Quail, Nueske’s, Oregon Beef Council, Painted Hills Natural Beef, Snake River Farms, Alma Chocolate, The Bitter Housewife/Raft Syrups, Briar Rose Creamery, Bull Run Distillery, Carter Cutlery, Case Study Coffee, Division Winemaking Co., Double Mountain Brewery, Estancia Grass-Fed Beef, Finex Cast Iron, Frog Eyes Wasabi, Ft. George Brewing, Gilgamesh Brewing, Hama Hama Oysters, Jacobsen Salt/Bee Local, Mary’s Poultry, Wild Hawaiian Venison, Misty Mountain Mushrooms, Novelty Hill Januik Winery, Olympia Provisions, Salt & Straw, Sato Sharpening, Starvation Alley Cranberry, Thomas & Sons Distillery, Union Wine Company, Wagshal’s Imports (Fermin Iberico), and Wurk Apparel.

The judges for this year’s competition were Kathleen Squires (National Freelancer has written for The Wall Street Journal, Saveur, and more), Michael Russell (The Oregonian’s Restaurant Editor and Chief Critic), and Jackie Varriano (Seattle Zagat editor). The event emcee was Missy Maki of the Simple Kitchen radio show on Portland’s KPAM AM 860.

Founded in 1990, Nicky USA is the Northwest’s leading butcher and purveyor of specialty game and high quality meats. The Portland-based company has forged relationships with local, national and international ranchers, as well as James Beard Award-winning chefs in an effort to make game a mainstay of specialty markets and fine restaurants. With the purchase of their very own 35.9-acre farm in Aurora, Ore., owner Geoff Latham is able to raise game for Nicky USA and host friends and customers. The company has built one of the nation’s only mobile processing units (MPU) for the sustainable and humane processing of animals, specially designed to process both poultry and hooved animals, making it the only USDA-compliant unit of its kind allowing complete control of the process from field to table. Aside from selling specialty game and high quality meats, Nicky USA hosted Wild About Game on October 2nd, 2016, an annual head-to-head cooking competition and the meatiest culinary celebration in the Northwest. Nicky USA expanded in 2013 with a second location in Seattle. Orders for either location can be made by calling 1.800.469.4162. For more information, visit www.nickyusa.com. Follow @NickyUSA on Twitter and Facebook, and @Nicky.USA on Instagram, as well as #NickyFarms on all channels. To learn more about Nicky USA and Nicky Farms, view the 25th anniversary video here.

Nicky Farms is the house brand of Nicky USA. Launched in 2009 to support Nicky USA’s small, independent ranchers and growers, Nicky Farms products include Northwest raised rabbit, quail, elk, venison, water buffalo, goat and American bison. They can be found on the menus of the Northwest’s best restaurants and the shelves of leading retailers such as New Seasons Markets, World Foods, Zupan’s Markets, Metropolitan Market, and Central Co-Op. For more information, visit: www.nickyusa.com/nicky-farms