LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Caribbean-inspired burger won the 2026 Derby Burger Challenge during Thursday's cook-off at the Kroger in Middletown.
La Grange resident Greg Yopp received top honors with his "Jerk Burger," which is stacked with pepper jack cheese, red onion, mango, avocado, plantain chips and sweet seasoning.
This marks Yopp's second straight year making the finals. He placed fourth in the 2025 competition.
"I was the first one eliminated last year, and I'm the last one standing this time," Yopp said in a news release.
Yopp is a former chef who now owns a landscaping company. His love for cooking drew him to the grill and he spent more than 25 years refining the recipe for the winning burger.
"I love cooking anything on the grill, and using jerk seasoning became one of my favorite concepts for cooking," he said.
Dozens of original burger recipes were submitted this year. After four finalists were selected through social media, a panel of judges determined the winner through a points system based on four categories: Taste, Appearance, Creativity and Ease of Preparation.
Yopp's burger will be featured at Kroger's Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront from April 23 through May 1 and in Kroger stores. The win also includes VIP Derby Festival event tickets and prize packages from contest sponsors.
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