Winner of Derby Burger Challenge says it's a love letter to the Kentucky Derby Festival

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The winning burger recipe for this year's Derby Burger Challenge rolls out Thursday at Kroger.

This year's Derby Burger Champion was Stacy Hoehle, of La Grange. She won after competing in a cook-off on March 12 with three other finalists at the Kroger in Middletown.

"My burger was a love letter to the Derby Festival," Hoehle said.

Hoehle is an Oldham County native and longtime lover of all things Derby.

"I hope they just feel the love that's in my cooking, my love for cooking itself but also my love for Kentucky and the Derby," Hoehle said.

Hoehle's Derby P.L.T. is a Kentucky Cattlemen's 80/20 beef burger with Dan O's seasoning.

It's topped with a thin slice of red onion, lettuce, pimento cheese and a fried green tomato.

"I created a burger with things I like to eat on their own," Hoehle said.

The recipe is complete with a little remoulade sauce. She said it's a nod to Louisville's French history.

If you need help at home with the sauce and Pimento cheese, Kroger has some got some premade options.

"Plus we sell it all of our Louisville area Krogers, which is a pretty cool thing to know it's being sold in all the Louisville area stores," Allison Gousha, the Kroger Derby coordinator, said.

Hoehle's winning burger will be featured at Kroger's Fest-a-Ville event from April 25 to May 3 and you can find a recipe card and all the ingredients you need inside of Kroger stores through Derby weekend.

"There really is something fun for everyone whether you're a home chef like me or whether you'd like to go to one of the other events," Hoehle said.

Hoehle also won a new grill, a year supply of Dan-O's seasoning and two VIP tickets to Thunder Over Louisville.

"I actually haven't been for a few years now and I've definitely not been on a rooftop VIP party. So I am looking forward to seeing the best view in town at Thunder," Hoehle said.

And it's not too early to start thinking about next year's competition.

"You're cooking burgers all year long. So what's the burger that you like that you're known for? I think everyone should submit that," Gousha said.

For more information, click here.

Related Stories: