DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS JANUARY 31
January 22, 2025. Louisville, KY. – Final call to all burger enthusiasts and grill masters to see how your burger stacks up! You have until Friday, January 31st to submit your burger recipes for a chance to win the 2025 Derby Burger Challenge. This marks the 13th year for the beef showdown sponsored by 80 Acres Farms, Dan-O’s Seasoning, Kentucky Beef Council and Kroger. Recipes can be submitted online at KDF.org/Beef.
“Eating burgers made with 100% beef is not just about enjoying a delicious meal – it’s also a way to support Kentucky’s thriving beef industry, the largest beef producing state east of the Mississippi River,” said Kelly Baird, Director of Communication and Events of the Kentucky Beed Council. “By participating in the Derby Burger Challenge, you’re not only celebrating the versatile, mouthwatering flavors of beef but also highlighting the importance of agriculture industries in the Commonwealth. From unique toppings and seasonings to innovative cooking techniques, the possibilities to craft the perfect burger are limitless.”
Participation is open to all chefs – from the home kitchen to restaurants. Entrants are encouraged to use a creative burger name, description, and photo as part of their submission. All burgers must be 100 percent beef and include Dan-O’s seasoning (Official Seasoning of the Kentucky Derby Festival) and greens and/or herbs from 80 Acres Farms (Official Greens of the Festival) in the recipe. The burger recipes are judged based on Taste, Appearance, Creativity and Ease of Preparation. Official rules of the competition can be found online at KDF.org/Beef.
Derby Festival and burger fans will help choose the finalists in the competition. In February, 8 preliminary finalists will be announced from all submissions and then voting will open online. Those votes will help narrow down to the final four ‘Derby Burger’ contestants who will then move on to a cook-off in March.
The winning burger will be featured at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville during Derby Festival, as well as inside Kroger stores. The winning chef receives a 2025 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, a grilling prize package courtesy of the Kentucky Beef Council, which includes a grill, a prize package from Dan-O’s Seasoning, and an 80 Acres Farms Swag Pack.
About Kentucky Derby Festival
2025 marks the 70th year for the Kentucky Derby Festival, a month-long celebration packed with 70+ events leading up to the first Saturday in May. As an independent community organization, it’s supported by 4,000 volunteers, more than 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people every spring and has a local economic impact of more than $127 million. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
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502.584.FEST| 1001 S. Third Street| Louisville, Kentucky 40203
