Beef, Buns & Bragging Rights

The late, great Jimmy Buffett famously sang, "I like mine with lettuce and tomato. Heinz-57 and French-fried potatoes. A big Kosher pickle and a cold draft beer, oh, good God Almighty, which way do I steer to my Cheeseburger in Paradise?" (You sang that sentence, didn't you?)

Ah, the perfect burger. It's a culinary crutch; that simple, home-grown, juicy burger, grilled to perfection and topped with…. whatever you like. In the paradise of Louisville, as Kentucky Derby season rolls around, many set their sights not on Mint Juleps, Derby-Pie® or Hot Browns, but on that simple cheeseburger.

For the last several years, the iconic Kentucky Derby Festival has set out to crown the chef of the perfect official Kentucky Derby Festival Burger each spring. The Kentucky Derby Festival, entering its 71st year, is a month-long celebration packed with dozens of events leading up to the first Saturday in May. While thousands pack Churchill Downs Racetrack throughout Derby Week, the majority of Louisvillians whip up festive backyard celebrations, community and local fundraising events in celebration and support of the Kentucky Derby. What better accompaniment to all that revelry than holding the first of many outdoor cookouts and grills, working overtime to cook burger after burger?

Plans for the 2026 official Derby Burger Challenge are still cooking, but the 14th year of this tasty tradition will kick off this October when applications open for aspiring grill masters, chefs and homegrown cooks to whip up an award-winning burger recipe. The fun cook-off is sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council and Kroger. Other partners have included Dan-O's Seasoning and 80 Acres Farms.

"Louisville is known for its award-winning culinary scene, and the Derby Burger Challenge provides a unique opportunity to showcase both home cooks and professional chefs, while also connecting with local foodies," says Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President & CEO. "Burgers are an American classic, and it's always exciting to see the creative recipes contenders from across the state bring to the table."

The idea for the Derby Burger Challenge was cooked up when April Zik, VP of Sponsorships at the Kentucky Derby Festival, was attending the Kentucky State Fair and saw reps from the Kentucky Beef Council doing a cooking demonstration on the Fair's culinary stage. With the rampant popularity of Food Network-style cooking shows in mind, Zik pondered a way to bring a fun cooking competition to the Derby Festival lineup. She soon formed a

partnership with the Kentucky Beef Council, and the Kentucky Derby Burger competition was hatched.

You needn't be a well-known chef to craft the winning burger. The competition welcomes everyone: from the kitchen warrior to a seasoned restaurant veteran. Creativity is the key, and besides an incredible bite, entrants are nudged to use a creative burger name, description of their delicacy and add a photo that makes a judge drool. All burgers must be 100 percent Kentucky Cattlemen's Ground Beef. The burger recipes are judged based on taste, appearance, creativity and ease of preparation.

"The Kentucky Beef Council proudly represents and works on behalf of over 32,000 beef producers across the state," says Kelly Baird, Director of Communication and Events for the Kentucky Beef Council. "Kentucky is the largest beef producing state east of the Mississippi River, so partnering with the Kentucky Derby Festival allows us to celebrate the hard work of our producers while highlighting a tradition that means so much to our communities."

Baird adds, "The secret to a winning burger is to keep it simple, creative and tasty. The simpler the better-focusing on great beef, a thoughtful twist and bold flavors. Creative combinations don't have to be complicated; sometimes the best ideas are the ones that let the beef shine."

Richard Glidden of Bardstown, Kentucky was the first winner in 2012. In addition to beef, his burger featured applewood-smoked bacon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, pears, bourbon, water, sugar, butter, Brie cheese and honey, all served on a King's Hawaiian Sweet Burger Bun. From that point on, the culinary twists took off.

"I snack on fried green tomatoes and pimento cheese all the time," says Derby Burger Challenge 2024 winning chef (and by day, attorney) Stacy Anne Hoehle, of LaGrange, Kentucky. Her winning "PLT" burger was stacked with Kentucky Cattlemen's ground beef, fried green tomatoes, lettuce, remoulade and pimento cheese.

"You've heard of the five love languages? I think there's a sixth…food," Hoehle laughs. "I show my friends and family I love them by cooking for them. Initially I picked remoulade sauce for my burger because it's something I love to make with lots of diced pickles. When I thought about it more, it's a nod to Louisville's history since it's a French sauce. Louisville is named after King Louis XVI, and we have some very French roots here."

She learned a love of cooking from her mother and did stints working at a diner and bistro during law school. Joining her hobby with her love for Derby time-she calls herself a "Derby Superfan"-Hoehle relished the competition. "My dad always says you can't win if you don't show up. This burger was my love letter to the Derby Festival and all things Kentucky."

The Kentucky Derby Festival and thousands of online burger fans will help choose the finalists in the 2026 competition. In February, eight preliminary finalists will be announced from all submissions and then voting will open online. Just in time for that "other" Final Four celebration, the Derby Burger Challenge contestants will face off in a cook-off in March at the Middletown Kroger. The winning burger will be featured at Kroger's Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront during the Derby Festival, as well as inside Kroger stores.

"It is so much fun hosting this event," says Allison Gousha, Kroger's Kentucky Derby coordinator. "Who would ever think tasting burgers at 5:00 A.M. for a competition aired live on local TV would be as much fun as it is? We have seen some amazing recipes, from the very simple to fried eggs, avocados and everything in between. Then, you can buy all the ingredients you need at Kroger to replicate the winning recipe. I would love to see a child who loves to grill enter the competition this year."

The winning chef receives official bragging rights for the year along with a prize package that is still under wraps for 2026's competition. In 2025, the top chef received an Official Kentucky Derby Festival Poster, two VIP tickets to the Thunder Over Louisville VIP Rooftop Party, two VIP tickets to Republic Bank BourbonVille, a $100 gift certificate to Kroger and a grilling prize package courtesy of the Kentucky Beef Council.

Over the years, chefs have used a variety of creative ingredients in their recipes to make their burgers stand out, including an assortment of cheeses, as well as red pepper jelly, avocado spread, candied jalapeno, fried red onions, bacon jam, pimento cheese, apple butter, fried green tomatoes, an over-easy egg and more.

The third time was the charm for Louisville native Ira Mowman, who currently holds the 2025 Derby Burger Challenge crown. He placed fourth in the 2024 competition and came in third in 2023. Inspired by his 18-year-old daughter, Riniah, Mowman took top honors this year with his "Kentucky Fiesta" Derby Burger. Mowman's burger was stacked with Kentucky Cattlemen's Ground Beef, Pico, avocado spread, chihuahua cheese, romaine blend, Dan-O's chipotle seasoning, rosemary and sea salt.

"My daughter is my heart," Mowman explains, adding, "She takes after me and loves to cook. For this year's burger, she gave me ideas and encouraged me to think outside the box." Mowman credits his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother for fueling his passion for cooking. "As my mother tells the story, my love for cooking started when I was three or four years old. My first experience cooking was making biscuits."

From biscuits to burgers, Mowman had a ball. "Meeting the people who make this competition happen and watching the other competitors make their burgers was very fun," he says. He vows to return to defend his crown in 2026 and encourages others to bring their creativity to the table as well.

As the current "Burger King," Mowman rules benevolently, and while he enjoyed the notoriety of Derby week festivities, he's just as happy at home in his kitchen with his family. He admits though, there was a special moment for him during the whirl of Derby Week. Mowman beams, "Nothing beats walking up to the Chow Wagon at the Fest-A-Ville and ordering your burger. How fun is that?"

Think you have that burger-winning magic touch? Visit www.KDF.org/Beef to learn more about the 2026 competition. Applications will be open for the 2026 Derby Burger Challenge from October 23, 2025, through January 31, 2026.