LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new Derby Champion has been crowned. Stacy Hoehle of LaGrange, Kentucky, has been named the 2024 Derby Burger Queen for her P.L.T. burger recipe, after a cook-off between the top four finalists at the Middletown Kroger.

Hoehle’s creation is stacked with ground beef, fried tomato slices, remoulade and pimento cheese. 

Stacy Hoehle was crowned the 2024 Derby Burger Queen after winning in a four-way cook-off. This is her first year competing in the Derby Burger Challenge. (Kentucky Derby Festival)

“These are things I eat individually all of the time and you can find me snacking on at home every weekend,” Hoehle said. “So, I thought why not put them all in one place?”

This is Hoehle’s first year competing in the Derby Burger Challenge. “I love to eat and cook just about everything,” she said. “And I enjoy everything about the Derby Festival, so why not add this to the experience.”

The Kentucky Derby Festival said dozens of original recipes were submitted for this year’s culinary competition and nearly 20,000 burger fans voted online to pick the four finalists. A panel of judges determined the overall winner at the final cook-off based on four factors: taste, appearance, creativity and ease of preparation.

The other finalists were: second place — Grant Ruble of Louisville with the Candy Dan Burger; third place — 2023 Derby Burger Champion Brian Capps of Louisville with the Pesto Provolone Burger; and fourth place — Ira Mowman of Louisville with the Jamaican Jerk Burger.

Hoehle’s winning Derby Burger recipe will be featured at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront during its nine-day run, April 25 through May 3, as well as inside Kroger stores. She also receives a 2024 Official Derby Festival Poster, two VIP tickets to the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport Thunder VIP Rooftop Party, two VIP tickets to Republic Bank BourbonVille, a $100 gift certificate to Kroger, a grilling prize package courtesy of the Kentucky Beef Council and a year’s supply of Dan-O’s Seasoning.