What Kentucky Derby Fans Will Be Eating, Drinking at Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs executive chef David Danielson would be run out of Kentucky if he removed Henry Bain’s Famous Sauce, Derby Pie, or mint juleps from the menu. But when it comes to adding locally sourced produce and cured meats, taking a fresh take on old standards, or introducing an entirely new dish, Danielson has free rein.
“I write a new menu each year, so we play around with different flavor profiles,” he said, taking a quick break from one of the 18-hour workdays that lead up to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. “We’re serving an enormous amount of people, so I want to make the food recognizable but put my own twist on it at the same time. Every year I do this I learn more.”
On this year’s Derby menu, fans milling around the infield can indulge in black-eyed pea salad with roasted red pepper and cumin vinaigrette; Bourbon Barrel Ribs with homemade bourbon sauce; horseradish crusted beef; pimento mac and cheese; and house-smoked sausage.
The fancy-hat crew celebrating in the suite and club sections can order Chicken Chasseur topped with mushrooms, bacon, and onions; Lamb Sausage Orecchiette served with charred tomato, zucchini, and mint; New York strip rubbed with bourbon-smoked sea salt, Henry Bain sauce, and horseradish; and pickled peach and smoked duck breast with Arcadian greens and orange blossom vinaigrette.
“We create food that’s not intimidating. But when you taste it, you say this is really good, this is different, this is something I’ll remember,” Danielson said, noting that he’s using more fresh herbs — like cilantro, basil and parsley — than ever to create fresher tasting dishes that compliment the season.
No matter where the 160,000 fans sit at the track, chances are many of the ingredients in what they order comes from a local vegetable or dairy farm, butcher, cheese maker, or smokehouse. In his fifth year as the track’s executive chef, Danielson has nearly doubled the amount of ingredients he procures from local sources than he did a few years ago. The reason is simple: local sources typically produce fresher, better tasting food. If they don’t, Danielson will get what he needs elsewhere.
“Our commitment is to serve best food we can,” he said. “We get the tasso for our shrimp and grits from Smoking Goose (meatery). They’re 100 miles away. But I’d still use them if they were 1,000 miles away because it’s the best we can find.”
Danielson is already planning next year’s Derby menu. Given the amount of planning it takes to coordinate orders with local providers, the whole process is longer and more complicated than it used to be. But for Danielson and Derby fans, it’s all worth the effort.
“At the Derby, a lot of action is in the stands. It’s an eight-hour buildup to a two-minute race,” he said. “The food and drink is as important as the race. We’re a huge part of the day.”
See the slideshow above for a few more examples of what chef Danielson is serving at the Derby.
Throwing your own Kentucky Derby party? Try these recipes from chef David Danielson:
Kentucky spring greens with pickled peaches
Smoked turkey and brie sandwich
Pear arugula flatbread
