Jeremiah Bullfrog's Pork Festival P.I.G. 9 Returns November 4

P.I.G. 9, chef Jeremiah Bullfrog's annual tribute to pork, will return Sunday, November 4.

The Miami food fest, whose name is short for "Pork Is Good," will bring together local and national chefs to churn out chicharrones, smoked pork belly bao buns, and bacon ice cream, all using heritage-breed pork.

"We have a few surprises in store this year," Bullfrog says. "The festival will be even bigger and better than last year."

Participants include P.I.G. regulars such as Taquiza's Steve Santana, the Dutch's Josh Gripper, and Ms. Cheezious' Brian Mullins, along with Ghee's Niven Patel, Coyo Taco's Scott Linquist, and Mandolin's Roel Alcudia.

Keep an eye out for additional fare prepared by Pubbelly's Jose Mendin, Itamae's Valerie Chang, and Yuzu's Andrew Zarzosa, as well as cocktails by mixologist David Cedeno.

Similar to last year's edition, P.I.G. 9 will not feature a single source of pork. The menu is not yet available, but previous festivals have offered everything from black-olive-and-blood flatbreads with pork belly to Quahog clams stuffed with applewood-smoked bacon and Chinese mustard.

This year's fest will also mark its second year at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, allowing Bullfrog to accommodate about 1,000 attendees.

"We're growing in the Little Haiti Cultural Complex as the neighborhood does too," he says.

The event, which debuted in November 2009, began as an informal gathering between Bullfrog and a few friends at Harvey's by the Bay. They feasted on a whole pig roasted in a caja china, along with chicharrones and smoked pork shoulder in fluffy bao buns. The day was nicknamed "Pork Is Good," and the rest is history.

About nine years later, Bullfrog's goal remains to challenge chefs to make the most of a whole pig while proving the versatility of the ingredient.

P.I.G. 9. 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, November 4, at Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 NE 59th Ter., Miami; 305-960-2969; littlehaiticulturalcenter.com. Tickets cost $53 to $100 via pig9.eventbrite.com.