It’s Derby time in Louisville, which means it’s time for mint juleps, fast horses and… FirstBuild?

For the third year in a row, FirstBuild has been an important part of helping Churchill Downs provide a memorable Derby for guests.

In 2019, FirstBuild co-created unique serving carts with Dave Danielson, executive chef at Churchill Downs. The carts made it possible to bring the Derby’s unique culinary creations out to the guests, transforming the food into as much a show as the race itself.

“You couldn’t ask for a better co-creator than Chef Danielson,” said André Zdanow, executive director of FirstBuild and the small appliances division of GE Appliances, a Haier co. “He brings the perfect mix of energy, expertise and entrepreneurial thinking that challenges us to make what’s next.”

That co-creation activity was just one example of FirstBuild’s Derby involvement.

The FirstBuild team has made custom induction cooktops for Churchill Downs’ luxury suites to keep food warm and fresh using its Paragon Smart Cooking System technology.

They’ve crafted hundreds of custom-fit lids that enable easy access for servers while limiting exposure of the food to guests. They innovated on the cart idea again to specifically serve the track’s charcuterie and seafood needs.

And this year, the FirstBuild team is hand fabricating smaller-profile serving carts that will help even more of the Derby’s 30,000 guests experience the culinary creations without having to gather in lines.

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