Feeding 170,000 People on Derby Day
It takes a lot to feed the fans who converge on Churchill Downs for the "most exciting two minutes in sports"
The Kentucky Derby’s nickname is “the most exciting two minutes in sports”, with about 170,000 people attending the race in Churchill Downs in Louisville and millions more glued to televisions across the world.
The 1 1/4 mile race, run by the world’s elite athletes — three-year-old Thoroughbred horses — literally only lasts for a few breathtaking seconds, but fans come as much for the history, the pomp and circumstance, and the food and drink.
With Kentucky the home of many bourbon distilleries, the American spirit is queen of the Derby, with the mint julep the traditional beverage of Derby Weekend. At Churchill Downs, nearly 120,000 mint juleps are served, using more than 10,000 bottles of bourbon, 1,000 pounds of mint leaves, and 60,000 pounds of ice to sate the thirsts of Derbygoers.
Food also plays a major role at the Derby. Churchill Downs’ head chef Robert Lopez spoke with Broken Palate about what it takes to feed attendees at an event that more than doubles the average Super Bowl attendance (just over 65,000 people attended this past Super Bowl in New Orleans, as an example).
Lopez says planning the menu for Derby weekend starts the day after the previous year’s Derby. “The cooking and preparation for the Derby starts a month out, but the planning starts a full year before. We analyze what we liked and what we didn’t like.” The planning phase also includes closely studying what people love to eat. “We take a look at feedback and we look at new social media trends to formulate our ultimate Derby menu. It’s a long planning process,” says Lopez.
Kentucky is the home of rich farmland, and Lopez and his team try to take advantage of as much local product as possible. That, in itself, poses unique challenges. “We build relationships with local farms and utilize local ingredients as much as possible.” With such a large audience to feed, Lopez says it’s a dance to work with local farmers without overtaxing them. “We have to assimilate local products in a way that helps — and not hurts — local farmers.” Lopez says that since there are more than 20 different menus at Churchill Downs during Derby weekend, the team can work with producers both large and small. “For our larger menus for Derby Day and Oaks Day, there could be upwards of 30,000 portions of an item. But we also have ultra-luxury menus where we only serve 30 people. That’s where we try to utilize different products. We want to execute our food well and show it in the best light. We want everything to come across as the highest quality.”
One of the best-known local Kentucky products is, of course, bourbon, and Lopez incorporates the liquid into many dishes, utilizing many different distillers and products. “We use a lot of Woodford and Old Forrester. We may use a standard in one dish, and a double oaked in another to bring out certain flavors.”
The chef also keeps in mind bourbon and food pairings. “We try to pair many dishes with one of our signature cocktails or bourbons.”
Of this year’s offerings, Lopez has some favorites. “The dishes I would look out for are the Kentucky beef tips on Derby Day and our peach chicken with a chipotle peach glaze on Oaks Day. Our chefs gave them their all. They have a nostalgic feeling.” Lopez says the menus also rotate during the day to keep things “new and fun” for people who make a day out of the Derby.
Lopez, a seasoned veteran of three Super Bowls and several World Series, says that at the end of the day, there’s something truly magical about the Kentucky Derby. He says Derby weekend is more than a sporting event — it’s a happening steeped in tradition and nostalgia. “When you walk into the gates onDerby Day, you’re in another world…Derby World. It really is the greatest two minutes of sports.”
By the way, if you want to know what horse to place your bets on, Lopez had no insider information to share. “I’m too busy with the guests making sure they’re enjoying Derby. But I do get to enjoy watching the horses warm up very early in the morning.”