Purdue Veterinary Medicine Represented at Indiana Pork Producers Taste of Elegance Event

Friday, March 4, 2022

Chefs got creative with their submissions in an annual cooking competition held by the Indiana Pork Producers Association at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, where representatives of Indiana agriculture and the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine recognized the importance of the state’s swine industry. Called the Taste of Elegance, the event held Monday evening, February 28, highlighted the versatility of pork entrees created by top chefs from around Indiana. The event also provided the opportunity for people connected to Indiana agriculture to gather and recognize the evening’s award winners. The over 400 attendees were fortunate enough to get a taste of, and vote for, their favorite flavorful pork dishes.

An ice sculpture of a flying pig with the title of the event displayed below sits on a table at the event — This ice sculpture reflected the elegance of the Indiana Pork Producers Association’s Taste of Elegance event, where Purdue Veterinary Medicine was represented as a silver sponsor.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine showed its support for the Indiana pork industry as a silver sponsor of the event to highlight how the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital and the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) are vital animal health resources for the state. Attending the event for the College of Veterinary Medicine was Kelly Dold, marketing and communications manager for the Veterinary Hospital and ADDL. “I am always amazed at the frequency with which you meet folks at these events who have ties to Purdue,” Kelly said. “In particular, at this event I shared a table with parents of two Purdue Veterinary Medicine graduates who have their own clinics.” She also was able to mingle with industry leaders, promote the new David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex that’s opening this spring, and share about the ADDL’s efforts to increase Indiana’s readiness to respond to African Swine Fever should it be encountered on U.S. soil.

Taste of Elegance attendees were able to spend two hours gliding around the ballroom to sample and vote on the finalists’ dishes. The evening ended with the presentation of industry awards and the crowning of the 2022 Taste of Elegance Award. Chef Alan Sternberg from Iozzo’s Garden of Italy in Indianapolis took home the top honor. Chef Sternberg’s winning dish was a pork wellington with a pork collar pavé with other pork garnishes.

The other award winners included:

Superior Chef Award: Ross Katz, Rooster’s Kitchen
Premium Chef Award: Joel Scott, Spoke and Steel
People’s Choice Best Display and People’s Choice Best Entrée: Cole Padgett, Taxman Fortville
People’s Choice Wine: French Lick Winery
Wine Pairing Award: Joel Scott, Spoke and Steel

Writer(s): PVM News | pvmnews@purdue.edu