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

As the 148th Kentucky Derby returns to the first Saturday in May this year — May 7, 2022, that is — Churchill Downs Executive Chef Kenneth Hardiman and his team plan to use 1,000 pounds of Vidalia onions this weekend, as included within multiple dishes included on the official menu for guests during both the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby events of 2022.

Chef Kenneth Hardiman has transformed more than half a dozen independent restaurants, from the Midwest to the West coast, into award-winning establishments. Most recently, he opened the brand-new Fiserv Forum Arena for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and has won several awards and competitions. Originally from Kansas City, Chef Kenneth has an identical twin brother and is said to enjoy drawing, reading, going to church, and spending time with his wife Lindsay and son Clayton.

On May 3, 2022, I had the pleasure of speaking with Chef Kenneth Hardiman via Zoom, as embedded below and inclusive of some cooking footage. More on Chef Hardiman, Churchill Downs, Woodford Reserve and/or Vidalia Onions can be found online by clicking here, here and here.

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Tags: Chefs, Churchill Downs, Horses, Kenneth Hardiman, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, Louisville

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."