Taste of Derby

Mingle with horse racing celebrities as you savor an evening of exquisite cuisine and exceptional wines. Sample regional specialties with wine pairings, created by nationally renowned chefs along the Road to the Kentucky Derby, as you enjoy live music entertainment and a live chef cooking showdown. Join us from 7 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. as we start the Kentucky Derby celebration with flavor!

Last year's event featured a roster of award-winning chefs and horse racing celebrities from destinations on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, including Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Houston, and of course Louisville.

7:00-9:30 PM- Food & Beverage Tasting

7:45 PM- Sullivan University Future Chef Showdown

8:30-10:00 PM- Live Entertainment

Taste of Derby raises funds and awareness for hunger relief organizations. To date, over $800,000 has been contributed to hunger relief locally and around the country in regions where participating chefs are located. Dare to Care Food Bank is one of the hunger relief organizations which receives a portion of ticket proceeds. Dare to Care Food Bank leads the Louisville community in feeding the hungry and conquering the cycle of need. Dare to Care fulfills that missio0n through innovative programs and by partnering with over 300 local agencies to distribute food to those who need it most. From their Kids Cafes, which provide nourishing meals and activities for children after school, to Mobile Pantries, which provide food for those without access to a traditional food pantry, Dare to Care is the leader in addressing the hunger needs in the Louisville community.

Through Taste of Derby, Churchill Downs has also contributed over $150,000 in scholarship funds to future chefs in Sullivan’s College of Hospitality Studies.  Each year, scholarship funding is divided between four chefs-in-training

Churchill Downs is proud to bring Taste of Derby to Louisvillians and the thousands of out-of-town guests who visit the area for the Kentucky Derby each year, introducing Kentucky Derby fans to the great racing communities across the country and the regional flavors that make them as unique as Churchill’s hometown.