Ponying Up with Chef Anthony Lamas

Dust off your fascinators and stock up on the mint, it’s almost time for the Kentucky Derby. As we get ready to throw our Derby-themed party (which horse will win it all?), we asked Louisville-chef Anthony Lamas, chef and owner of Seviche, for an insider’s tips and tricks to the perfect fete.

How did you wind up cooking in Louisville, Kentucky?

I met a Kentucky girl in San Diego California.

Set the scene for our TLK readers! What happens to Louisville during the Derby?

It is a very exciting time for our city to shine. It’s kind of like having a Super Bowl every year. Financially, the week is a significant part of our sales, and a time where a lot of people visit our restaurants. It’s always exciting to hear from people how they didn’t expect to find a restaurant like Seviche here in Kentucky.

Tell us your favorite ways to celebrate this local event.  Do you have annual rituals?  Parties? Ways to honor the race?

One of my favorite events is the Taste of Derby, hosted by Churchill Downs. It’s a kickoff party for the weekend’s festivities. They fly in chefs from all over the world for the event and, since its inaugural year, I have been the local chef that represents the Derby. I’m very proud to display my Latin flavors with Southern ingredients, as well as be a Latino chef representing this great race. Being a father is an important part of this event for me, as well, because it raises money to help feed children. After the Taste of Derby kickoff, it’s all work for the restaurant people. We serve hundreds of people in just a few days, so we have to stay focused and healthy. But, after Derby night dinner service, it’s time to party!

What are your favorite Derby recipes?

The mint julep is a classic Derby drink, and we like to give it a twist by making it in the style of a mojito. We muddle the mint, lime and sugar, and then add bourbon, and garnish with a sugar cane. Of course, there’s also the classic “Derby Pie” using Kentucky pecans, but we add a little dulce de leche on top.

Tell us a little bit about the Southern flavors on display during the Derby.

My menu pays tribute to a lot of Kentucky and Southern ingredients. It’s very natural for me to have grits on my menu, and country ham with some natural spice of course. For example, I’ll take the classic shrimp and grits and give it a twist with roasted poblano chiles, manchego cheese, and a bourbon spiked red eye gravy. Fried green tomatoes? We serve them with “habanero ranch.”

We try to balance the flavors and create dishes that make sense, not forcing ingredients onto one another. For example, people around here know bourbon barbeque or “Henry Bains” sauce as a staple. I like to add chipotle chiles, orange zest, and lime juice to give it a Latino pop.

Bourbon is part of Kentucky culture, how do you take yours?  

Being a Latino from California, bourbon was not something I grew up with. It is something I have acquired a taste for from living here and traveling throughout the South. When it is available, I like the Pappy van Winkle 15 year, and I like to drink it neat.

Best way to enjoy a hot brown?

With jalapeño and a manchego mornay sauce, of course! Plus the South’s best bacon, Benton’s Bacon.

Best Derby celebrity sighting?

I’ve always been the kind of man that doesn’t kiss and tell…. We host a lot of high-profile guests from famous (Diane Lane)  to infamous (OJ Simpson) but part of our Southern hospitality is respecting their privacy and make them feel comfortable. The Southern equivalent of “mi casa es su casa.”

Verrazano seems to have a lot of hype. Who are you betting on?  

My sister Michelle has a daughter named Julia who is three years old and has Down syndrome. We call her our gift from God. So, of course, my money will be on Dreaming of Julia.

Get into the spirit of the Kentucky Derby with these recipes from Chef Lamas.

Jalapeño Manchego Hot Brown with Benton’s Bacon 

• 4 ounces chipotle in adobo, pureed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 turkey breast, 3-5 pounds
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 poblano peppers
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups Manchego cheese

Get the full recipe.

Tuna “Old Fashioned” Seviche 

• 1/2 cup chile paste
• 3 cups Bourbon Barrel Soy
• 8 limes, juiced
• 8 lemons, juiced
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1 cup ice
• 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon yuzu

Get the full recipe.

Latino Mint Julep

• 5 leaves of mint
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 lime
• 3 ounces bourbon
• 1/2 ounce soda
• sugar cane to garnish

Get the full recipe.