History

The Iron Pig cook-off competition evolved from a group of Salt Lake City culinary enthusiasts that decided to get together in 1999 for a themed gourmet potluck. Every few weeks, the group chose a new theme and location to meet.

In 2004, Tom and Teresa Akagi organized the cooking club idea in San Antonio, Texas. To add to the fun, voting for favorite dish was added to the gatherings. Each participant had one vote, but a participant could not vote for his/her own dish. A statue of a pig was acquired to rotate around with the winner of the event. A blue ribbon was attached to the pig to record the name and winning dish of each event. Thus the name Iron Pig was born.

In 2007, Tom and Teresa brought the Iron Pig back to Salt Lake valley, specifically to Daybreak in South Jordan. The format of the event changed from a private group of gourmands to a club for the residents and guests of Daybreak, Utah. Participation grew and the anonymous ballot had to move to a panel of judges to choose the winner.

In 2011, the Iron Pig partnered with Daybreak for the inaugural Iron Pig Food Festival. The event was held alongside the Daybreak Art Walk and music festival. The Iron Pig is committed to creating memorable eating experiences for all its participants.