Taste of Derby

After its inaugural success this spring with a roster of award-winning chefs and horse racing celebrities from some of the country’s top culinary and Thoroughbred racing destinations, Taste of Derby is set to return in 2011. The celebration helped raise $75,000 to directly benefit hunger relief organizations Dare to Care Food Bank and the World Food Programme in 2010.

 The second annual Taste of Derby has been scheduled for Thursday, May 5, 2011 – the eve of the Kentucky Oaks and two days before Kentucky Derby 137 – at the Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center near the heart of downtown Louisville.

 A welcome addition to Kentucky Derby Week festivities, Taste of Derby showcases an exquisite mix of culinary flavors prepared by masterful chefs from regions in which Thoroughbred racing is conducted, including Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and New York. In  2011, chefs from Boston, Denver and Detroit will join the mix.  Each station’s dish is accompanied by a unique wine pairing and a racing celebrity from each region that will join the chefs, mingle with guests and sign autographs.
 
 Award-winning chefs already confirmed for 2011 include Troy Guard of Denver’s TAG; Levy Restaurants’ executive chef Jo-Jo Doyle (representing Churchill Downs); Stephen Lewandowski of Manhattan’s Tribeca Grill (Belmont Park); Nancy Longo of Maryland’s Pierpoint Restaurant (Pimlico Race Course); Tory McPhail of New Orleans’ Commander’s Palace (Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots); Carrie Nahabedian of Chicago’s Naha (Arlington Park); Paul O’Connell of Boston’s Chez Henri (Suffolk Downs); Brian Polcyn of Detroit’s Forest Grill; Kent Rathbun of Dallas’ Abacus (Lone Star Park); and Nancy Silverton of Los Angeles’ La Brea Bakery and Pizzeria Mozza (Santa Anita Park).

Churchill Downs is inviting all Derby City chefs to participate in the Louisville Chef Challenge on Friday, Nov. 26 for a chance to be featured at the 2011 Taste of Derby.

Approximately 300 guests at Churchill Downs will be invited to taste each participant’s dish and vote for the top two choices they feel best represent the personality and flavors of Louisville. At day’s end, the votes will be tallied and two Louisville chefs will be chosen – one to represent the Kentucky Derby and one to represent the Kentucky Oaks – for the Taste of Derby roster. The winners also will be featured in Taste of Derby promotional materials and their recipes will be published on the Derby party-planning website KentuckyDerbyParty.com.

Those interested in participating in the Louisville Chef Challenge must register online at TasteOfDerby.com by Friday, Nov. 12. They should include a description of the dish they’d like to serve at Taste of Derby (photos optional) and be prepared to serve 300 single-bite portions of the dish at the Nov. 26 Louisville Chef Challenge. Participating chefs will receive two free tickets to attend the races at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 27.

Taste of Derby tickets are $275 each and include red carpet entry, food and wine tastings, premium open bar, live entertainment and complimentary valet parking. For more information, including participating chefs and to purchase tickets, visit TasteOfDerby.com.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875.  Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2011. The track’s 2010 Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 28.  Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record six times and the event will return to the track for its next two renewals on November 5-6, 2010 and Nov. 4-5, 2011. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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Chefs Anthony Lamas of Seviche and Aaron Stordeur of The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hilton Hotel have been chosen by a panel of judges to represent Churchill Downs and the city of Louisville at the inaugural Taste of Derby™ presented by Yum! Brands on Thursday, April 29.

    Churchill Downs’ inaugural Taste of Derby will kick-start Kentucky Derby weekend for local culinary enthusiasts and out-of-town visitors with an evening of entertainment and some of the finest cuisine prepared by nationally known chefs and restaurants from popular horse racing destinations around the country.

    The premier chefs, representing a major racetrack and its respective culinary region, include:

·    James Beard Award winner Michelle Bernstein of Miami’s modern bistro Michy’s (Calder Casino & Race Course);
·    Levy Restaurants’ executive chef Jo-Jo Doyle (Churchill Downs)
·    Stephen Lewandowski of Manhattan’s landmark restaurant Tribeca Grill (Belmont Park);
·    James Beard Award nominee Nancy Longo of Maryland’s Pierpoint Restaurant (Pimlico Race Course);
·    Tory McPhail of New Orleans’ famous Commander’s Palace (Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots);
·    James Beard Award “Best Chef” nominee Ouita Michel of Midway, Ky.’s historic Holly Hill Inn (Keeneland);
·    James Beard Award winner Carrie Nahabedian of Chicago’s Naha (Arlington Park);
·    James Beard Award nominee Kent Rathbun of Dallas’ Abacus (Lone Star Park);
·    James Beard Award winner Nancy Silverton of Los Angeles’ La Brea Bakery and Pizzeria Mozza (Santa Anita Park); and
·    Alumni from Bravo’s hit television program Top Chef.

    Area restaurants were invited to submit a dish they’d serve to best represent Louisville’s culinary flavors. Following a Feb. 23 tasting of the finalists’ menus with six industry expert judges, Seviche’s Lamas and The Oakroom’s Stordeur were chosen to represent the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, respectively.

    Lamas, a recent James Beard Award nominee, will be serving Adobo Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Kenny’s Gouda – a blend of country ham, Wiesenberger grit cake, chipotle orange Woodford Reserve glaze and local pea sprouts.

    “Not only am I proud to have a restaurant in Louisville, but now to be chosen to represent our region and ‘The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports’ is truly humbling,” Lamas said. “I look forward to cooking alongside some of the best chefs from across the country.”

    The winning dishes by Stordeur, The Oakroom’s executive pastry chef, are tasty desserts: Pecan Petit and Smoked Bourbon Balls. The Pecan Petit is a pecan and fuilletine crust with a rich layer of dark chocolate infused with golden caramel and a mirror glaze of grand cru dark chocolate. It’s accented with toasted meringue, molasses powder and a baked gaufrette. Meanwhile, the Smoked Bourbon Balls are a 74 percent dark chocolate tempered shell filled with a semi-liquid filling of premium bourbon, sealed and sprinkled lightly with authentic bourbon barrel smoked salt.

    “I am greatly honored to be chosen as a representative for Kentucky Oaks 136, and am very excited to work with a group of professionals who are so dedicated and accomplished in their crafts,” Stordeur said.

    Taste of Derby, also featuring live entertainment and a charitable live auction, will be held on the eve of the Kentucky Oaks from 8-11:30 p.m. (with a VIP reception from 7-8 p.m.) at the Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center. (Please note the event time change: 7 p.m. VIP arrivals and 8 p.m. general admission).
 
    Tickets are on sale at http://Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com. General admission is $250 (cocktail party attire) and will offer patrons tastings and wine pairings from each premier chef station as well as the opportunity to mix and mingle with famous horse racing personalities and celebrities. The VIP ticket package for $350 also includes admission to a special VIP reception at 7 p.m. and a commemorative gift bag. Additionally, a limited number of reserved tables of eight (8) will be sold for $4,000.

    A portion of proceeds raised will benefit the Dare to Care Food Bank and the United Nations World Food Program.

    For more information, please visit the event Web site at TasteOfDerby.com.

About Churchill Downs Incorporated
Churchill Downs Incorporated, (“CDI”), headquartered in Louisville, Ky., owns and operates four world renowned Thoroughbred racing facilities: Arlington Park in Illinois, Calder Casino & Race Course in Florida, Churchill Downs Race Track in Kentucky and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in Louisiana.  CDI operates slot and gaming operations in Louisiana and Florida.  CDI tracks are host to North America’s most prestigious races, including the Arlington Million, the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, the Louisiana Derby and the Princess Rooney, along with hosting the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5-6, 2010.  CDI also owns off-track betting facilities, TwinSpires.com and other advance-deposit wagering channels, television production, telecommunications and racing service companies such as BRIS and a 50-percent interest in the national cable and satellite network, HorseRacing TV, which supports CDI’s network of simulcasting and racing operations.  CDI’s Entertainment Group produces the HullabaLOU Music Festival at Churchill Downs Racetrack which premieres on July 23-25, 2010.  CDI trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol CHDN and can be found at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.

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An evening of exquisite cuisine and entertainment has been added to the roster of Kentucky Derby Week festivities as Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) (NASDAQ: CHDN) today announced plans to host Taste of Derby™ presented by Yum! Brands, an event that will showcase nationally known chefs and restaurants from popular horse racing destinations around the country. A portion of proceeds raised through Taste of Derby will benefit the Dare to Care Food Bank and the United Nations World Food Programme in support of YUM’s ongoing partnership with these two hunger relief organizations.  

The inaugural Taste of Derby will be held Thursday, April 29 – two days before the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and on the eve of the Kentucky Oaks – beginning at 7 p.m. EDT at the Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center, which is located near the heart of downtown Louisville.

The event will feature 10 premier chefs from around the country – each representing a major racetrack and its respective culinary region – serving their signature dishes. The event will also feature live entertainment and a live charitable auction. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Taste of Derby’s partner charities.

Already confirmed for Taste of Derby are James Beard Award-winner Michelle Bernstein of Miami’s modern bistro Michy’s (Calder Casino & Race Course); Stephen Lewandowski of Manhattan’s landmark restaurant Tribeca Grill (Belmont Park); Tory McPhail of New Orleans’ famous Commander’s Palace (Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots); Ouita Michel of Midway, Ky.’s historic Holly Hill Inn (Keeneland); Nancy Silverton of Los Angeles’ La Brea Bakery and Pizzeria Mozza; and alumni from Bravo’s hit television program Top Chef. More premier chefs will be announced at a later date.

    Additionally, Churchill Downs will select two Louisville chefs to represent its world-famous racetrack and the city of Louisville. Area chefs are invited to submit a menu that best represents the personality and flavors of Louisville and Kentucky. Entries should be sent to TasteofDerby@KyDerby.com no later than Friday, Feb. 12. The menus will be judged by a panel of local food critics and industry experts. Three finalists will be announced Feb. 16 with the winners crowned on March 1. The winners also will be featured in Taste of Derby promotional materials and their recipes will be published on the Derby party-planning website http://www.KentuckyDerbyParty.com.

    Tickets to Taste of Derby will go on sale on Churchill Downs’ new online box office http://Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com on Friday, Feb. 5. General admission is $250 (cocktail chic attire) and will offer patrons tastings and wine pairings from each premier chef station as well as the opportunity to dine alongside famous horse racing personalities and celebrities. The VIP ticket package for $350 also includes admission to a special VIP reception at 6 p.m. and a commemorative gift bag. Additionally, a limited number of reserved tables of eight (8) will be sold for $4,000.
 
 “We’re thrilled to introduce Taste of Derby, which we believe will be the perfect kickoff to Kentucky Derby weekend,” said Bob Evans, Churchill Downs Incorporated president and chief executive officer. “For more than a century, the Kentucky Derby has brought together great horses and great people from all over the country. Great food – a long-time staple of the Derby experience – brings people together, too, and some of the nation’s culinary capitals also happen to be racing cities with tracks that hold Derby prep races and Triple Crown events. It’s only fitting that Taste of Derby showcase the first-class cuisine that can be found in America’s top racing markets while positively impacting hunger relief efforts in the communities where those tracks are located.”

Louisville-based Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE:YUM), the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s and A&W Restaurants, has been the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Derby since 2006, and is also the presenting sponsor of the inaugural Taste of Derby.

“We are proud to partner with Churchill Downs on Taste of Derby to help raise awareness and funds for our two key partners, Dare to Care Food Bank and the United Nations World Food Programme,” said Jonathan Blum, senior vice president of Yum! Brands Inc. “As the world’s largest restaurant company, we believe it is our privilege and responsibility to help those less fortunate who don’t have enough to eat by moving them from hunger to hope.”

For more than 15 years, Yum! has donated nearly $50 million of prepared food annually to homeless shelters and soup kitchens in the U.S. Additionally, Yum! has been the primary sponsor of Dare to Care Food Bank for nine years, donating $9 million. In 2007, Yum! created World Hunger Relief, the world’s largest private-sector, hunger-relief effort that raises awareness, volunteerism and funds for the United Nations World Food Programme, raising nearly $60 million for WFP and other hunger relief organizations since the program’s inception. The efforts have provided approximately 250 million nutrition—fortified meals, mostly to women in children, in remote corners of the world. The Company’s 1.4 million employees, franchisees and their families have volunteered 15 million hours to aid hunger relief agencies around the globe. In late January at the World Economic Forum, YUM was recognized by the United Nations World Food Programme as its “Corporate Partner of the Year,” underscoring the impact the company is having on world hunger relief.

Other Taste of Derby corporate partners include Woodford Reserve (Silver Sponsor), Galt House Hotel & Suites, Gateway Press, Sullivan University and The Cubero Group.

Churchill Downs has also teamed with celebrated restaurateur Wayne Kostroski for the inaugural Taste of Derby. Kostroski, who will receive the James Beard Foundation’s 2010 Humanitarian of the Year award, founded Taste of the NFL, the popular fundraising benefit held annually on the eve of the Super Bowl. Taste of the NFL, which also raises funds to fight world hunger, was established in 1992.

“I have been fortunate enough to have worked in one of the most exciting and generous industries, the hospitality services industry,” Kostroski said. “Because of the long-time relationship working with some of the most talented chefs in America through Taste of the NFL, it is particularly special to have the opportunity to partner them with one of America’s most prestigious events, the Kentucky Derby, to fight hunger. We are all honored to be part of the launch of America’s next big event in the fight against hunger, Taste of Derby.”

    For additional information about Dare to Care Food Bank and World Food Programme, visit DareTo Care.org and WFP.org, respectively.

About Churchill Downs Incorporated
    Churchill Downs Incorporated, (“CDI”), headquartered in Louisville, Ky., owns and operates four world renowned Thoroughbred racing facilities: Arlington Park in Illinois, Calder Casino & Race Course in Florida, Churchill Downs Race Track in Kentucky and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in Louisiana.  CDI operates slot and gaming operations in Louisiana and Florida.  CDI tracks are host to North America’s most prestigious races, including the Arlington Million, the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, the Louisiana Derby and the Princess Rooney, along with hosting the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5-6, 2010.  CDI also owns off-track betting facilities, TwinSpires.com and other advance-deposit wagering channels, television production, telecommunications and racing service companies such as BRIS and a 50-percent interest in the national cable and satellite network, HorseRacing TV, which supports CDI’s network of simulcasting and racing operations.  CDI’s Entertainment Group produces the HullabaLOU Music Festival at Churchill Downs Racetrack which premieres on July 23-25, 2010.  CDI trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol CHDN and can be found at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.

About Yum! Brands, Inc.
Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE:YUM) based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the world’s largest restaurant company in terms of system restaurants, with more than 36,000 restaurants in over 110 countries and territories. The company is ranked #239 on the Fortune 500 List, with revenues in excess of $11 billion in 2008. Four of the Company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silver’s – are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, Mexican–style food and quick–service seafood categories, respectively. Outside the United States, the Yum! Brands system opened more than four new restaurants each day of the year, making it a leader in international retail development. The company has consistently been recognized for its reward and recognition culture, diversity leadership, community giving, and consistent shareholder returns.  In 2007, the company launched World Hunger Relief, the world’s largest private sector hunger relief effort to raise awareness, volunteerism and funds to benefit the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger relief agencies. To date, this effort has raised nearly $60 million for the WFP and other hunger relief agencies and is helping to provide approximately 250 million meals and save the lives of millions of people in remote corners of the world.  

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