Bourbon Classic’s Friday night Cocktail & Culinary Challenge featured cocktail and small plate pairings prepared by 18 teams of chefs and master bartenders representing sponsoring distilleries. The inventive and delicious creations were judged by an expert panel including Robert Bleifer, Chef; Paul Clarke, Editor in Chief, Imbibe; and Sam Fore, Chef and Owner, Tuk Tuk Snack Shop. Attendees also voted for their favorite cocktail and small plate.
And the winners are:
Judges’ Choice Best Cocktail Representing Bardstown Bourbon Co. Bartender: Billy Kunkel, Bardstown Bourbon Co. Cocktail: Oolong State of Mind
Judges’ Choice Most Creative Cocktail Representing James B. Beam Distilling Co. Bartender: Lee Caldwell, The Kitchen Table Cocktail: On Glenwood Hill
Judges’ Choice Best Small Plate Representing Bardstown Bourbon Co. Created by: Chef Ming Pu, TANA Dish: Beef Noodle Soup “Soup Dumpling”
Judges’ Choice Most Creative Small Plate Representing Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. Created by: Chef Steve Atkins, Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. Dish: Season on the Farm Seared Venison, Weisenberger Grits with Newton Truffiere Perigourd and KY Rose Cheese, Beet Capellini and Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. Bourbon-Brown Butter Gastrique.
Judges’ Choice Best Pairing Representing Bardstown Bourbon Co. Bartender: Billy Kunkel, Bardstown Bourbon Co. Cocktail: Oolong State of Mind Dish: Beef Noodle Soup “Soup Dumpling” Created by: Chef Ming Pu, TANA
People’s Choice Best Cocktail Representing Maker’s Mark Bartender: Tom Wilburn, Watch Hill Proper Cocktail: Dove of Two Valleys
People’s Choice Best Small Plate Representing Stonestreet Bourbon Created by: Chef Shawn Broadway, Porch Kitchen & Bar Dish: Porch Bourbon Butter Cake
Photo credit: Kriech-Higdon Photography for Bourbon Classic
Extensive collection of national outlets name Louisville a top place to visit
As fans of Bourbon City raise a glass to mark the end of 2024, it’s time to recap and celebrate a momentous year in the city’s dynamic tourism industry.Louisville was frequently in the winner’s circle over the past 365 days, earning top travel accolades from national travel media heavyweights such as TripAdvisor, Travel + Leisure, and Airbnb, among others.
Louisville started out 2024 on a high note, being named to Travel + Leisure’s list of ‘50 Best Places to Travel to in 2024.’ Contributing to Louisville’s historic year was the back-to-back hosting of the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby and the 106th PGA Championship, helping Louisville earn a spot on Travel Pulse, Condé Nast Traveler, and The Manual’s lists of ‘Best Places to Travel to in May.’ Both TripAdvisor and Airbnb marked Louisville as a top “trending destination” in the United States, with the online platforms using reviews and booking data to affix Louisville to the prestigious lists.
Throughout 2024, Bourbon City upheld its status with an outpouring of accolades for its vibrant culinary and cocktail scene. Louisville’s restaurant reputation is sizzling, with Travel + Leisure highlighting it as one of the ‘Best Food Cities in the U.S.’ and Cheapism proclaiming it as one of ‘America’s Best Food Cities.’ The hip and artsy NuLu neighborhood earned recognition from AFAR magazine as one of the ‘Best Food Neighborhoods in the USA,’ with numerous NuLu restaurants also receiving individual accolades.
The LEE Initiative, co-founded by Top Chef contestant and recent ‘Culinary Class Wars’ competitor Edward Lee, received a James Beard Humanitarian award, marking the Louisvillian’s second James Beard Award win. Lee also received a shout for his Butchertown restaurant Nami, which was named to USA Today’s ‘2024 Restaurants of the Year’.
Several of Louisville’s beer and bourbon festivals were also recognized nationally. The sixth annual Bourbon & Beyond music festival hada record attendance of 210,000 attendees over the four-day weekend, including 60,000 on a single day. This marked the festival’s highest single-day attendance ever.
Fort Nelson Distillery. Photo Jane Simon Ammeson.
Garden & Gun magazine highlighted festivals Bourbon & Beyond, Garden & Gun Distilled and the Bourbon Boule as three of the ‘Seven Standout Southern Bourbon Festivals,’ while Tailspin Ale Fest captured a spot on USA Today’s 10Best ‘Beer Festivals in the US.’
Louisville’s powerful reputation as a convention destination was also widely recognized with a trifecta of awards including winning the Groups Today Readers’ Choice U.S. ‘Destination of the Year,’ a MeetingsToday’s ‘Best Destination Marketing Organizations in the South,’ and a ConventionSouth Readers’ Choice Award.
Some of Louisville’s top national accolades for 2024 include:
“Best Places to Travel in 2024” – Travel + Leisure
“Best Places to Go in 2024” (Kentucky) – Frommer’s
“The World’s Best Travel Destinations in 2024” – Culture.org
“The South’s Best Cities 2024” – Southern Living
“Trending Destinations – United States” – TripAdvisor
“Top Trending Destinations Locals Love” – Airbnb
“Most Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in the U.S.” (Butchertown) – TravelMag
“Best Places to Travel in The South This April” – Southern Living
“Best Places to Travel in May” – Conde Nast Traveler
“Where to Travel in May 2024” (Churchill Downs) – Travel Pulse
“Best Places to Visit in May”– The Manual
“Best Places to Honor Black History in 2024” – U.S. News
“These 10 Destinations Elevate Black Culture Year-Round” – The Points Guy
“Awesome and Unique Bachelorette Party Destinations” – Purewow
“Best Vacations in the U.S. to Explore America’s Adventure Capitals” – Men’s Journal
“2024 Readers’ Choice Awards” (Destination of the Year) – Groups Today
Visit the city’s official tourism website for the complete list of Louisville-based accolades received in 2024, including those for hotels, restaurants, and festivals.
