Nineteen Chefs Confirmed for Third Annual 'Taste of Derby' on Thursday, May 3

Apr 25, 2012 Darren Rogers

The hottest new Kentucky Derby party continues to heat up as 19 top international chefs announce their menu offerings and wine pairings for the third annual Taste of Derby – the Official Kentucky Derby Party of Churchill Downs. At this celebration of cuisine and racing on Thursday, May 3, the eve of the Kentucky Oaks, guests will mingle with horse racing and Hollywood celebrities and savor exquisite cuisine and delectable wines from racing destinations across the country as internationally-renowned chefs serve samples of their regional specialties.

Taste of Derby, which attracts more than 1,250 guests, has moved to the Louisville Executive Aviation Hangar at Bowman Field this year to accommodate its growing demand. Tickets are $300 and include a red carpet entry starting at 7 p.m., food and wine tastings until 10 p.m., premium open bar until 11 p.m., complimentary valet service, and live entertainment by one of country’s most popular dance bands, Burning Las Vegas.

Chef	Affiliation	Representing	Serving	14 Hands Wine Pairings
Mussabeh Al Kaabi	Jumeirah Zabeel Saray	Dubai World Cup	Spicy Chicken Leg with Feta Cheese and a savory, tangy Arabic Sumac Cookie	Riesling
Nicolas Bour	El Bizcocho	Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, San Diego	Creekstone Farms Beef Tartare, Violet Mustard, Quail Egg	Cabernet
Cat Cora	Macy's Culinary Council	Santa Anita Park, LA	Lamb Meatball	Red Blend
Jo-Jo Doyle	Levy Restaurants	Churchill Downs, Louisville	Churchill Downs Signature Derby Bourbon Crunch and Pink Silk Ice Creams	Riesling
Tiffani Faison	Sweet Cheeks Q	Suffolk Downs	Sweet Cheeks Biscuit w/ Lobster Butter	Chardonnay
Troy Guard	TAG	Arapahoe Park, Denver	Roasted Vegetable Farro Salad, Burrata Cheese, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Yellow Beet Puree & Pistachio Crumble	White Blend

 

Chef	Affiliation	Representing	Serving	14 Hands Wine Pairings
Eli Kirshtein	Top Chef	Top Chef	Jerusalem Artichoke Veloute, Black Truffle, Parmesan & Brioche	Chardonnay
Anthony Lamas	Seviche	Kentucky Oaks, Louisville	KY Sorghum Glazed Manchester Farms Quail with Tacu Tacu, Aji Rocoto & Pea Shoots	Red Blend
Nancy Longo	Pierpoint	Pimlico, Baltimore	Rappahannock River Oysters with Crab Preakness Style	White Blend
Brian Malarkey	Burlap	Top Chef	Asian Cowboy Jalapeno & San Diego Albacore Tuna with Crispy Rice and Ponzu Dipping Sauce	White Blend
Tory McPhail	Commander's Palace	Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans	Tabasco Cured Royal Red Shrimp with Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes	Riesling
Ouita Michel	Holly Hill Inn	Keeneland, Lexington	Border Springs Lamb over creamy Weisenberger grits with Ky white cheddar and wilted Three Springs salad	Cabernet
Carrie Nahabedian	NaHa	Arlington Park, Chicago	Lacquered Berkshire Pork Belly and Shaved Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese, Shaved Radish, Pea Vines and Sugar Snap Salad	Merlot
Ralph Pagano	Ten Palms	Gulfstream Park	Tacos Barbacoa,  Red Onion Escabeche,  Avocado and Crema	Merlot
Michael Paley	Proof on Main	Kentucky Derby, Louisville	Maple Leaf Farms Duck Sloppy Joe	Red Blend
Kent Rathbun	Abacus	Lone Star Park, Dallas	Asian Smoked Pork Steam Bun with Green Mango -Tomato slaw	Riesling
Michael Reidt	Area 31	Calder Casino & Race Course/ Miami	Pork cheek & Oxtail with Rice, Beans and Smoked Mango Puree	Merlot
Bart Vandaele	Stella Artois/Belga Cafe	Washington DC	Stella Artois Braised Creekstone Short Ribs	Stella Artois (Beer)
John Villa	Tao NYC	Belmont Park/ New York, NY	Grilled Red Snapper with Shanghai Bok Choy and Kaffir Lime vinaigrette	Riesling

The state of Washington’s 14 Hands Vineyards has been named the official wine of Taste of Derby and will showcase its wines at each chef station with a pairing to compliment the cuisine. In addition, 14 Hands will have a sommelier station that will showcase a special selection of exquisite new world wines.  

Additional Taste of Derby beverage partners add international flair. Stella Artois, the Official Beer Sponsor of Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby, is the number one Belgian beer in the world. The brand’s nine-step pouring ritual will be featured at the event. Brand representatives from Kentucky’s own Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, will teach guests how to make a mint julep, and Scotland’s award-winning Hendrick’s Gin will be highlighting its Cucumber Collins. Longines, the Official Timekeeper of the Kentucky Derby, will showcase the three luxurious Swiss watches that will be gifted to the winning owner, trainer and jockey of the Kentucky Derby.

Creekstone Farms Premium Black Angus Beef will present the second annual “Chef Showdown” at Taste of Derby where three culinary student finalists from Sullivan University in Louisville will compete for a $5,000 scholarship by creating a potentially award-winning dish in 20 minutes. Also, the Kentucky Derby 138 solid-gold winning trophy is scheduled to make an appearance.

Through the Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation, partial proceeds from Taste of Derby will go to its new official charitable recipient, Blessings in a Backpack. Blessings in a Backpack is a Louisville-born charity that is growing nationally as it fulfills its commitment to “Feeding the Future of America.”  In addition, partial proceeds of Taste of Derby go to hunger relief organizations in areas represented by the participating chefs. In just two years, a total of $121,000 has been contributed to hunger relief organizations around the world through the event.

Taste of Derby is modeled after the popular Taste of the NFL, a 20-year-old event founded by nationally known restaurateur and 2010 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Wayne Kostroski. Churchill Downs partnered with Kostroski in 2010 to create Taste of Derby to expose Louisvillians and the thousands of out-of-town guests who visit the Kentucky Derby annually to these great racing communities across the country and the regional flavors that make them as unique as the Derby City.

For additional event information or to purchase tickets, visit the event Web site at TasteofDerby.com. Last year’s event sold out so attendees are encouraged to act promptly. 

About Churchill Downs

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: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track.  Churchill Downs will conduct the 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2012. The track’s 2012 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 28-July 1. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found at www.churchilldowns.com.

About 14 Hands

14 Hands celebrates the unbridled spirit of the wild horses that once freely roamed eastern Washington. For those who savor a taste of history and adventure, the epic story of the wild horse—as vibrant and colorful as that portrayed on the 14 Hands label—just might unleash a bold conversation at your next gathering. For more information on 14 Hands, please visit www.14hands.com.

About Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve, the “Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby”, is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky -- the heart of thoroughbred country. Woodford Reserve is a product of the Brown-Forman Corporation, a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, and Tuaca. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. For more information on Woodford Reserve, visit www.woodfordreserve.com.

About Creekstone Farms Premium Beef

The choice of food lovers across the world, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, LLC is USDA certified by the Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) and supplies many of the nation’s top grocers and restaurants with quality Black Angus Beef products, ranging from high-quality Prime grade fresh beef to premium value-added products. Creekstone exports its premium quality products to Europe, Latin America and Asia and is owned by Sun Capital Partners, one of America’s largest private investment companies. For more information, please contact Jim Rogers at (620) 741-3352.

About Hendrick’s Gin

Hendrick’s is the most unusual Gin that has taken the world by storm since it was first introduced, thanks to its delightfully unique flavour, which combines a distinct blend of eleven botanicals, as well as the signature infusions of Cucumber and Rose petals, producing a wonderfully refreshing gin with a delightfully unique aroma. Hand crafted in Scotland in miniscule batches by William Grant & Sons, Hendrick’s uses a marriage of spirits from a Carter-Head and Copper Pot Still, a combination that produces a divinely smooth gin that has both the required character and balance of subtle flavours. In the ten years since Hendrick’s was first introduced to America, it has gained widespread acclaim and received numerous awards, including a Double gold medal at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition; ‘Gin of the Year’ at the Food and Wine Magazine Awards; voted ‘World’s Best Gin’ by the Wall Street Journal and named “Distiller of the Year” at the 2010 Wine Enthusiast Awards. Hendrick’s Gin has an ABV of 44% and an RRP of $34.99. For further information, visit www.hendricksgin.com. Please enjoy the unusual responsibly.

About Stella Artois

Stella Artois® is part of a Belgian brewing tradition dating back to 1366. It is the number one Belgian beer in the world and is present in over 80 countries. Stella Artois® is a bottom filtered, blonde pilsner. It is thirst quenching with a malty middle and crisp finish delivering a full flavor and a hint of bitterness. Stella Artois® is best enjoyed served between 3 and 5 degree Celsius and should be served in the unique Stella Artois® Chalice according to the 9-Step Pouring Ritual to guarantee a perfect experience of this gold standard lager.  Visit www.stellaartois.com for more information.

About Longines

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier, Switzerland, since 1832. It is celebrating 180 years of non-stop craftsmanship in 2012 and its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with the equestrian sports. Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.

 

About Blessings in a Backpack

Blessings in a Backpack is a results-oriented program. This unique program is designed to feed elementary school children whose families qualify for the federally funded National School Lunch Program and have little or no food on the weekends. Better test scores, improved reading skills, positive behavior, improved health and increased attendance have all been attributed to the success of this program. $80 feeds one American school child in our program for an entire 38-week school year. Blessings in a Backpack is currently feeding over 50,000 children in 376 schools across 39 U.S. states and three countries (see all at blessingsinabackpack.org/programlocations). We are Feeding the Future of America® -- one school at a time. 

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