The Kentucky Bourbon Festival has been going on for 22 years now. One of the events that sells out every year is the Culinary Bourbon-Style Cooking School. 2015 was no exception with a complete sell out. This year’s event was presented by Jim Beam and featured culinary artist and restaurateur John Varanese. Chef Varanese was honored as one of the country’s top culinary talents in the premier edition of Best Chefs America and named “Restaurateur of the Year” by the Kentucky Restaurant Association. John owns and operates Varanese Restaurant located at 2106 Frankfort Ave in the Historic Clifton neighborhood in Louisville, Ky.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival’s Culinary Art Bourbon-Style Cooking School
A Wide Array of Jim Beam Products Were Served
This year’s event sponsor Jim Beam, brought along plenty of their Kentucky famous bourbon and made sure it was included one way or another in every step from the welcome cocktail, to the appetizer (Recipe – Jim Beam Honey Bourbon BBQ Duck Crepe with Pickled Vegetables and Micro Cilantro), to the salad, to the mid-meal cocktail, to the main course of course, the dessert and rounded out by the dessert cocktail.
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Fans Hungry for Every Word of the Day’s Bourbon Cooking Lesson
The evening started off with the now customary “Bourbon Cooking Oath” lead by Jim Beam 7th generation Master Distiller Fred Noe. Here are the words to this super secret society oath along with actual video footage below.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival Bourbon Cooking Oath
I, do hereby recognize Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky, as the “Bourbon Capital of the World.”
In celebration of “The Kentucky Bourbon Festival”, I am officially dedicated to learning the skills of cooking with Kentucky’s finest bourbons, Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Whiskey.
I hereby agree to use only the purest spirits, to do less is to use a blend. It must be at least 51% corn, in only a barrel bunged and charred. Now this amber liquid, known as Kentucky Bourbon, is ready for us to use and appreciate, all in good time and good taste.
I salute Beam Suntory in producing such fine products which have been handed down from seven generations of Beam family members.
Guests at Bourbon Culinary School Taking Oath
Click here if you would like the Jim Beam Honey Bourbon BBQ Duck Crepe with Pickled Vegetables and Micro Cilantro Recipe
