Louisville to host the James Beard Foundation series of events to celebrate diversity of American cooking, feature Paducah Chef Sara Bradley (freight house)
Louisville will welcome back the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America® presented by Capital One on Sept. 26 and 27 for delicious food and thought-provoking conversation surrounding the non-profit’s mission of cultivating a better food world for all. Spotlighting issues within the Foundation’s Good Food for Good™ platform, including food waste reduction, sustainability, inclusivity and chef advocacy, the seventh-annual cross-country food series will highlight the organization’s mission-forward impact programs and initiatives, while dishing out tasty bites to the food-loving community of Louisville.
Taste America’s Louisville events kick off Thursday, Sept. 26, with a benefit dinner at The Speed Art Museum featuring a menu crafted by Taste America Visiting All-Star Richard Blais (Trail Blais) and Local All-Star Sara Bradley (freight house).
“It is an honor and bucket list item to cook at a James Beard event of this caliber,” says Paducah chef Sara Bradley. “Some of the best chefs from all over the Bluegrass are gathering alongside all-star, Richard Blais, to raise money and awareness for ‘Good Food for Good.’ I am showcasing western Kentucky carp, caviar and produce."
The esteemed lineup of local culinary talent includes Kevin Ashworth (610 Magnolia), Samantha Fore (Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites), Josh Moore (Volare), Bruce Ucan (Mayan Café), Jeremy Ashby (Azur), Nokee Bucayu (Ashbourne Farms), Claudia Delatorre (The Bakery at Sullivan University), Annie Harlow (Hi-Five Doughnuts) and Leslie Wilson (Hi-Five Doughnuts). The dinner will celebrate the diverse flavors, cuisines and backgrounds that contribute to American cooking.
“The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America tour across the United States spotlights outstanding culinary destinations, so it’s an honor for Kentucky to be included,” says Mary Hammond, Executive Director of the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Kentucky chefs have shown their proficiency at the James Beard House and now have the opportunity to share their gastronomic creativity with friends and fans from across the Commonwealth. Chef Sara Bradley’s use of fresh Kentucky products has everyone talking about her hometown, Paducah, a UNESCO Creative City that encouraged her talents to grow international attention to the community.”
This year marks the second time that the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America has visited Louisville. Expanding for the first time to span nearly a full year, Taste America 2019-20 will also travel to Atlanta; Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Nashville; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Portland, OR; San Francisco; Seattle; and Washington, D.C. To purchase a Capital One Access Pass and find full details about the Taste America series, visit jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica.
The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America is presented by Capital One®. Through the partnership, Capital One cardholders gain exclusive access to premium dining events, like the Taste America tour, JBF Greens series, and James Beard House dinners. To learn more, visit CapitalOne.com/Access. Taste America is also presented in association with American Airlines and the following partners: Premier Sponsors Deloitte, El Tesoro™ Tequila and Rabbit Hole Distillery; Supporting Sponsors Ornua Foods North America, Robert Mondavi Winery, Whole Foods Market and Windstar Cruises; Patron Sponsors Cayson, Choose Chicago, The Mushroom Council and Upserve; and Founding Partner Bowen & Company. Additional support for Taste America is provided by VerTerra Dinnerware. Local partners include Kentucky Tourism Arts and Heritage Cabinet, VisitLEX, Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Brown Hotel, Speed Art Museum and The Voice-Tribune.
About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation's mission is to promote Good Food for Good™. For more than 30 years, the James Beard Foundation has highlighted the centrality of food culture in our daily lives. Through the James Beard Awards, unique dining experiences at the James Beard House and around the country, scholarships, hands-on learning, and a variety of industry programs that educate and empower leaders in our community, the Foundation has built a platform for chefs and asserted the power of gastronomy to drive behavior, culture, and policy change around food. To that end, the Foundation has also created signature impact-oriented initiatives that include our Women's Leadership Programs, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in the culinary industry; advocacy training through our Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change; and the James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards, which shine a spotlight on successful change makers. The organization is committed to giving chefs and their colleagues a voice and the tools they need to make the world more sustainable, equitable, and delicious for everyone. For more information, please visit jamesbeard.org and follow @beardfoundation on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.