Churchill Downs Executive Chef David Danielson On This Year’s Kentucky Derby, Vidalia Onions, Woodford Reserve & More

As the 147th Kentucky Derby returns to the first Saturday in May this year, Churchill Downs Executive Chef David Danielson and his team plan to use 1,000 pounds of Vidalia onions this weekend, as included in several dishes on the official menu for guests during both the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby events. This includes Chef Danielson’s Pan Seared Chicken and Black Eyed Pea Salad recipe, both of which of course inclusive of Vidalia Onions.

Chef David Danielson has been the Executive Chef for Churchill Downs Racetrack and the Kentucky Derby since 2011. Classically-trained, Danielson studied at the Dumas Pere School Of French Cooking and the renowned hotel school Ecole Hotelier Tain L’ Hermitage in France before honing his culinary skills at several Michelin-starred restaurants. He has lent his culinary expertise to a variety of major events, including the PGA Championships, U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, GRAMMY Awards, the Olympics and the most recent National Hockey Leagues’ All-Star Game. Chef Danielson is also the owner of the historic (and highly-rated) Old Stone Inn & Tavern, a beloved horse country eatery in Simpsonville, Kentucky, a rare restaurant listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

On April 27, 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with Chef David Danielson via Zoom, as embedded below and inclusive of some cooking footage. More on Chef Danielson, his 2018 cookbook, Churchill Downs, Woodford Reserve and/or Vidalia Onions can be found here, here, here and here.

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Tags: Chef David Danielson, Churchill Downs, David Danielson, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Vidalia Onions, Woodford Reserve

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."