Brady Lowe calls the pig "more magical than even a unicorn," and he’s on a mission to share that sense of awe. In culinary terms, that translates to serving it up delicious.

But Lowe does the pig one better. He travels the country organizing the roving food event Cochon 555, wherein five chefs gather in competition, each working with a different whole heritage breed pig, to pre­sent an array of nose-to-tail dishes.

Since Cochon 555’s inception in 2009, it has morphed into a number of variations, including Cochon All-Star featuring past winners, and Cochon Heritage Fire, featuring food cooked over an open fire.

On Saturday Lowe will hold the first Cochon Island, a noncompetitive event at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Big Island. It will feature nose-to-tail dishes by chefs Peter Pahk, the host; Michael Young of Bistro Molo­kini in the Grand Wai­lea; Mark Nogu­chi of Pili Group; Lee Anne Wong of the Cooking Channel; and Ed Kenney of town restaurant.

Highlights include a ramen station, sustainable fish and tropical fruit. A pop-up butchering shop will benefit volunteer culinary schools.

For libations, there will be ciders, beer, and bourbon and mezcal bars.

Lowe’s dedication to heritage, or ancient, breed pigs promotes the small family farms that raise such animals humanely and with regard for the environment — not to mention producing flavorful pork. Cochon events have raised $500,000 to support responsible U.S. farms and $300,000 for charities. More than 35,000 diners have been exposed to heritage pork.

Farms providing pigs Saturday include Hawaiian Hogs Inc. and Shinsato. Kulana Foods processed the pigs from the Big Island.

"Pork is a great gateway protein," Lowe said in explaining his focus on pork. "Cows are too big — you couldn’t start a cow farm — but you or I could raise a pig. It has more feasibility and sustainability."

Chefs love pigs because there’s 100 percent yield, "more than any other animal," making it cost-effective to serve. Using the entire pig also eases the financial burden on the farmer, who can sell the entire animal.

The result: "You can get everything from soups to doughnuts out of the animal — it’s like a magical beast."

Cochon is an of event tailor-made for Kenney, who loves to educate the public through his food. He is delighted the dinner will allow him to pre­sent feral pig, an animal that "wreaks havoc on watersheds and the ecosystem."

With Noguchi, Wong and Pahk presenting dishes "with an Asian slant," Kenney decided to go the Mediterranean and Italian route, a bit of a challenge given the ramen theme.

But he finally came up with a pig-blood puttanesca comprising blood, anchovy, chili, capers and Parmesan cheese rind — "It’ll be an umami bomb," he said.

Among his other dishes are sausages and a pig’s head and crispy offal salad with green mango mostarda, a condiment.

Kenney is gratified that the chefs are helping each other rather than competing.

"The problem is each pig has only one tail, one tongue and two ears. You can’t feed 200 people with that. So we’re all collaborating, in true Hawaiian style. The hearts will go to Lee Anne, the ears will go to me. This is what will set this Cochon event apart.

"Nowadays ‘Top Chef’ and all those shows have become the ultimate competitive spectator sport. But cooking should be a cooperative, interactive experience."