Pig Cook-Off Ends in Brawl, Head-Butting by Chef

It seems some chefs take the local food movement very seriously. After a dish made from an Iowa pig was given top honors in the prestigious Cochon 555 cook-off Sunday in Portland, hometown chef Eric Bechard confronted event organizer Brady Lowe about the provenance of the winning hog....at 2am, at a strip club. You know where this is going: A fist fight and a head-butting followed; police were eventually called to subdue the duo by tasering Lowe and pepper-spraying Bechard.

"People need to support Oregon farmers and local business," Bechard, who actually didn't compete in the contest, told the arresting officer, calling the visitors and edibles from out of town "messed up," reports the Oregonian. Apparently his beef extends from Iowa to California: A witness quoted Bechard as saying, "Food doesn't come from San Francisco, food comes from Portland." (More Portland stories.)